Use these activities to learn with your child every day!
15m
Science
Night Sky Journal
BRING BACK
Before bedtime, head to a window with a view of the night sky (or head outside). Direct your child's attention to the sky. What do they notice about the sky itself and objects in the sky? What is the weather like?
Make a sky journal by stapling or paper clipping a few pieces of paper into a book. Help your child record their observations in the journal. You can write the day of the week and a few words your child uses to describe the sky, and they can draw what the sky looks like.
Repeat each night over the course of a week or two. What are some of the changes your child notices?
Can't do this at night? Make a "sky journal" instead. Observe clouds and weather during the day instead.
15m
Math
I Spy Shapes!
Gather household items of different shapes and place them on the table or floor. Arrange them so your child can easily see each shape.
Start the game by describing a shape and having your child find it. Say, "I spy with my little eye something round and flat. Can you find it?" (Answer: Plate/Circle) "I spy with my little eye something that rolls and is round all over. What is it?" (Answer: Ball/Sphere)
Repeat until all items have been named. Then point to each item and ask your child to name its shape independently.
If time permits, let your child describe a shape for you to find.
20m
Science
Creature Scavenger Hunt
Head outside to a park, backyard, or other green space. Bring a camera or smartphone if possible.
Search for these (hint: try lifting up rocks or digging to find bugs):
Worms
Ants
If you can, take a picture of each creature you find. If you see more than one kind of each animal (different kinds of birds, etc.), take pictures of each.
Look at all of your creature photos and talk about similarities and differences you notice. If you had to sort the animals/bugs into kinds of creatures, how would you sort them, and why? (If you don't have photos, just remember and talk about all the animals you saw).
Use these activities to learn with your child every day!
20m
Social-Emotional Learning
Exploring Nature Adventure
Take your child outside – to your back yard, or to a local park and recreational area. You can even do this activity anywhere outside, even on city streets!
Encourage your child to explore their surroundings, looking for leaves, rocks, flowers, or insects.
Do your best to give them space. Step back and let them engage in independent observation while keeping them safe..
Suggest they look under rocks, listen to birds, or collect special nature treasures to bring home.
10m
Approaches to Learning
Wait and Count
Invite your child to practice waiting.
Give them a simple counting task to complete when you leave the room (like: counting red things in the room, teddy bears in the room, etc.).
Walk to another room and come back (spend about 30 seconds outside of the room before you return). Ask your child how many things they counted.
Repeat, changing the objects your child is counting. As they become more comfortable with the game, ask your child to choose the item they count.
10m
Science
Feeding Birds
Show your child pictures of birds. Ask, “What do you think birds eat?”
Point to each bird and say what they eat. For example, “Robins eat worms and berries. Sparrows like seeds.”
Talk about how birds eat different things. Ask, “What food do you think this bird might like?”
Help your child put birdseed or fruit on a plate or bird feeder. Say, “Let’s put this here and watch to see which birds come to eat!”
Use these activities to learn with your child every day!
1hr
Social Studies
Map A Nature Trail
Visit a nearby trail where your child can navigate a path and see nature.
While walking along the trail, ask your child to pay attention to important things they see like animals, plants, flowers, trees, insects, bodies of water, and landforms. (optional: take photos of things your child notices)
At the end of your walk, give your child paper and crayons to create a map of the trail based on what they saw and experienced.
Support your child by drawing the path on the map, and helping them to remember where they saw things along the trail.
10m
Health & Wellness
Fresh Air Breaths
Head outside, to an area with trees or plants if possible (or open a window and look outside).
Notice how your body and mind feel.
Take 5 deep breaths. Notice how the outside air feels going into your nose and lungs. Notice how your body and mind feel now.
After you practice this skill when your child is calm, see if you can try it when they are feeling upset or worried.
20m
Science
Where did the Water Go?
In the morning, fill a clear cup with water (it could be a glass, disposable cup, or measuring cup). Use a marker to draw a line even with the water. If you can't write on the cup, use a piece of tape to mark the line of the water on the cup.
Place the cup near a sunny window (or if you have a good spot to put it outside on a warm day, the experiment will work more quickly).
Set a timer for 1-3 hours. When the timer goes off, mark the height of the water. Repeat throughout the day
Ask your child where they think the water went. Explain that the water evaporated- or turned from a liquid into steam and is now floating in the air.
Use these activities to learn with your child every day!
30m
Science
Water Journal
BRING BACK
For a whole day, ask your child to notice each time water is used.
Make a list: write down each time your child notices water use. (examples: drinking, brushing teeth, flushing the toilet, boiling water for cooking, taking a bath)
At the end of the day, have your child make a water journal from the list. Write a label (like: "brushing teeth") and ask them to draw a picture next to the label.
Talk with your child about where water comes from (before it comes out of the tap) and where it goes after it goes down the drain. Looking at the activities in the water journal, where do you think your family could use less water? Why might that be important?
15m
Math
Playground Hide and Seek
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
Health & Wellness
Child Friendly Yoga
Find an open space with room to move.
Do the Spaghetti Test: wiggle your child's arms and legs to make sure they're relaxed, like spaghetti!
Self Hugs: have your child lie on their back and hug their knees tight into their chest. Encourage them to squeeze all the muscles in their body and then let go. Repeat 3 times.
Mouse Pose: have your child sit on their heels, then bring their forehead down to rest in front of their knees. Then, ask your child to rest their arms alongside their body with palms facing up. Take 5 deep breaths in mouse pose.
