Use these activities to learn with your child every day!
Activities for Infants
15m
Creativity
Moving to Rhythms
Turn on some music. Dance for me and match the rhythm of the music (don't worry if you're not a confident dancer, clapping or stomping to the beat counts!).
Invite me to "dance" with you and encourage me to imitate you. If I can't stand on my own yet, I can dance while sitting or while you're holding me.
Help me move to the rhythm- bounce or rock me to the beat of the music while carrying me or when I'm in your lap.
Repeat whenever we hear music!
10m
Science
Fast and Slow
Head to a playground or outdoor space where you can swing and move with your child. You can do this activity with swings or infant scooters or even just in a wide open space.
Push your baby at different speeds on swings or a scooter and name each speed (like: "fast/faster/fastest" and "slow/slower/slowest").
Switch to walking slow or fast, or picking up your child and spinning them around in a circle slowly and more quickly. Remember to say the words as you change speeds.
Check out others around you – and describe their speed too!
Activities for Toddlers
10m
Creativity
Dance Together
Clear an open space for you and your child to dance together.
Play lively music that your child will enjoy.
Perform simple movements (like clapping, turning in a circle, etc.). Encourage your child to copy your moves.
Be sure to mimic your child’s dance moves too!
10m
Approaches to Learning
Sing a New Song
Sing a new song with your child. Introduce one of your favorite songs from childhood, or that’s special to you, or find a new song together.
Show your child the actions for the song, or make them up together!
You and your child can also make up the words and actions for a new song, or vary the words of a familiar song.
Use these activities to learn with your child every day!
Activities for Infants
10m
Physical
Cruising Around the Room
If I can balance well while standing and holding onto furniture, encourage me to "cruise" around the room.
Position me at a piece of low furniture that has a spot for me to hold on at my chest height. (Examples: coffee table, couch seat, chair seat). My tummy should face the furniture so I can use both hands to balance and step sideways.
Place a favorite toy slightly out of reach to encourage me to "cruise," which is using furniture to help me balance when I learn to walk.
Celebrate if I am able to "cruise" over to the toy. Try placing the toy on the other side so I can practice going the other way.
15m
Science
Nature Sensory Walk
Head outside to a park, backyard, or anywhere in your neighborhood or community there are trees or plants.
Direct your child's attention to animals and plants as you see them.
Talk about how you experience nature with your senses (seeing, hearing, smelling, touching) and guide your child to do the same .
Activities for Toddlers
5m
Physical
Move Around
Tell your child that you will move around in different ways.
Move around the space together and vary the movements as you go along.
For example, hop, wiggle, dance, twist, skip, and twirl as you move around.
Encourage your child to say or show other ways they want to move and try them out together as you travel.
15m
Physical
Control the Ball
Play simple ball games with your child.
You can:
Sit and roll the ball to each other.
Stand and kick the ball to each other.
It’s ok if your child needs support catching, kicking or rolling the ball, they’re just learning!
Use these activities to learn with your child every day!
Activities for Infants
15m
Science
Nature Sensory Walk
Head outside to a park, backyard, or anywhere in your neighborhood or community there are trees or plants.
Direct your child's attention to animals and plants as you see them.
Talk about how you experience nature with your senses (seeing, hearing, smelling, touching) and guide your child to do the same .
10m
Language & Literacy
Vehicle Sounds
Gather some visual examples of vehicles like trains, cars, trucks, airplanes, or boats. These visual examples can be vehicle toys, flashcards, books, homemade drawings, or cut-outs from a magazine.
Show the vehicles to your child while saying their names and making the sounds they make.
Vary the tone, pitch, and volume of your voice when you make the vehicle sounds. Encourage your child to copy you.
Give lots of affirmation and encouragement when your child tries to mimic the vehicle sounds.
Activities for Toddlers
15m
Science
Nature Observation Walk
Head outside to a park, backyard, or other green space.
Ask your child to look for living things (like: plants, trees, grass, animals, birds, bugs, etc.).
When they find something they're interested in, ask them to use their senses (seeing, hearing, smelling, touching) to learn more about it.
Help your child describe different characteristics of the plant or animal.
15m
Math
Playground Positions
Bring a small toy to the playground.
Ask your child to cover their eyes. Hide the toy somewhere on the playground.
Help your child find the toy using positional words. (examples: above/below, in front/behind, between, next to, inside/outside, over/under, near/far, top/bottom).
Use these activities to learn with your child every day!
Activities for Infants
10m
Science
Fast and Slow
Head to a playground or outdoor space where you can swing and move with your child. You can do this activity with swings or infant scooters or even just in a wide open space.
Push your baby at different speeds on swings or a scooter and name each speed (like: "fast/faster/fastest" and "slow/slower/slowest").
Switch to walking slow or fast, or picking up your child and spinning them around in a circle slowly and more quickly. Remember to say the words as you change speeds.
Check out others around you – and describe their speed too!
10m
Science
Balls in Motion
Choose two different types of balls and sit on the floor with your child.
Roll the ball(s) in several types of ways. Examples:
Roll the ball gently
Roll the ball with more force
Narrate what you're doing and what the result is.
(Optional) For older babies, encourage them to roll the ball on their own. You may need to guide their hand, or sit facing them and ask them to pass the ball to you.
Activities for Toddlers
15m
Math
Playground Positions
Bring a small toy to the playground.
Ask your child to cover their eyes. Hide the toy somewhere on the playground.
Help your child find the toy using positional words. (examples: above/below, in front/behind, between, next to, inside/outside, over/under, near/far, top/bottom).
Repeat!
10m
Science
Rolling Ramps
Gather a flat surface to use as a ramp (like: a cardboard box, baking sheet, book, pillow) and a small ball or toy car.
Put the ramp at an angle (you can hold it or prop it up on blocks or furniture). Ask your child to place the ball at the top of the ramp and let it go.
Ask your child what they noticed about the ball's motion. Repeat, changing the ramp’s angles so it’s a steeper or less steep slope. Ask your child what ramp position made the ball go farthest.
(Optional) If you have two balls/cars that are the same weight, you can make a "race." Put two same-length ramps at two different angles or slopes, let go of the balls at the same time, and see which ball reaches the finish line fastest.
Use these activities to learn with your child every day!
Activities for Infants
15m
Creativity
Moving to Rhythms
Turn on some music. Dance for me and match the rhythm of the music (don't worry if you're not a confident dancer, clapping or stomping to the beat counts!).
Invite me to "dance" with you and encourage me to imitate you. If I can't stand on my own yet, I can dance while sitting or while you're holding me.
Help me move to the rhythm- bounce or rock me to the beat of the music while carrying me or when I'm in your lap.
Repeat whenever we hear music!
10m
Social-Emotional Learning
Can You Copy Me?
Play a game of "Can You Copy Me?"
Sit with me and show me a gesture that's new to me. Examples:
drumming your fingers on the table
shrugging your shoulders and raising your hands, like "huh?"
Encourage me to copy you.
Repeat! Change your gesture, and see if I'll copy you. Keep playing this game for as long as I'm interested.
Activities for Toddlers
10m
Creativity
Dance Together
Clear an open space for you and your child to dance together.
Play lively music that your child will enjoy.
Perform simple movements (like clapping, turning in a circle, etc.). Encourage your child to copy your moves.
Be sure to mimic your child’s dance moves too!
15m
Math
Big and Small World
On a walk, choose an object to focus on. It should be something there are a lot of (buildings, trees, cars, etc.). Ask your child to search for the object.
When you see the object, look for examples in two different sizes. Show your child the two sizes (example words: big/small, tall/short, wide/narrow).
Look for another example. Ask your child which object is big, and which is small (or tall/short, wide/narrow).
(Optional) Keep playing with a different focus object. Or, continue this game another day!
Use these activities to learn with your child every day!
Activities for Infants
10m
Language & Literacy
Vehicle Sounds
Gather some visual examples of vehicles like trains, cars, trucks, airplanes, or boats. These visual examples can be vehicle toys, flashcards, books, homemade drawings, or cut-outs from a magazine.
Show the vehicles to your child while saying their names and making the sounds they make.
Vary the tone, pitch, and volume of your voice when you make the vehicle sounds. Encourage your child to copy you.
Give lots of affirmation and encouragement when your child tries to mimic the vehicle sounds.
10m
Science
Fast and Slow
Head to a playground or outdoor space where you can swing and move with your child. You can do this activity with swings or infant scooters or even just in a wide open space.
Push your baby at different speeds on swings or a scooter and name each speed (like: "fast/faster/fastest" and "slow/slower/slowest").
Switch to walking slow or fast, or picking up your child and spinning them around in a circle slowly and more quickly. Remember to say the words as you change speeds.
Check out others around you – and describe their speed too!
Activities for Toddlers
10m
Science
Rolling Ramps
Gather a flat surface to use as a ramp (like: a cardboard box, baking sheet, book, pillow) and a small ball or toy car.
Put the ramp at an angle (you can hold it or prop it up on blocks or furniture). Ask your child to place the ball at the top of the ramp and let it go.
Ask your child what they noticed about the ball's motion. Repeat, changing the ramp’s angles so it’s a steeper or less steep slope. Ask your child what ramp position made the ball go farthest.
(Optional) If you have two balls/cars that are the same weight, you can make a "race." Put two same-length ramps at two different angles or slopes, let go of the balls at the same time, and see which ball reaches the finish line fastest.
15m
Science
Nature Observation Walk
Head outside to a park, backyard, or other green space.
Ask your child to look for living things (like: plants, trees, grass, animals, birds, bugs, etc.).
When they find something they're interested in, ask them to use their senses (seeing, hearing, smelling, touching) to learn more about it.
Help your child describe different characteristics of the plant or animal.
Use these activities to learn with your child every day!
Activities for Infants
10m
Science
Balls in Motion
Choose two different types of balls and sit on the floor with your child.
Roll the ball(s) in several types of ways. Examples:
Roll the ball gently
Roll the ball with more force
Narrate what you're doing and what the result is.
(Optional) For older babies, encourage them to roll the ball on their own. You may need to guide their hand, or sit facing them and ask them to pass the ball to you.
10m
Physical
Cruising Around the Room
If I can balance well while standing and holding onto furniture, encourage me to "cruise" around the room.
Position me at a piece of low furniture that has a spot for me to hold on at my chest height. (Examples: coffee table, couch seat, chair seat). My tummy should face the furniture so I can use both hands to balance and step sideways.
Place a favorite toy slightly out of reach to encourage me to "cruise," which is using furniture to help me balance when I learn to walk.
Celebrate if I am able to "cruise" over to the toy. Try placing the toy on the other side so I can practice going the other way.
Activities for Toddlers
10m
Language & Literacy
Noticing Details in Pictures
Choose a familiar picture book with large pictures and not too many details in the illustrations.
On each page, help me find interesting or funny details like apples on an apple tree or sunglasses on a cow. If there is a character or object that repeats throughout the book, ask me to find it on each page.
Ask me questions about the pictures as we read.
Repeat whenever we read together!
15m
Physical
Control the Ball
Play simple ball games with your child.
You can:
Sit and roll the ball to each other.
Stand and kick the ball to each other.
It’s ok if your child needs support catching, kicking or rolling the ball, they’re just learning!
