Use these activities to learn with your child every day!
5m
Science
Sprouting a Seed
Use a spray bottle to dampen (but not soak) a paper towel. Place the paper towel inside of a sealable sandwich bag, and place a few beans (provided by school) on top of the paper towel. Seal the bag. Repeat in a second bag for the second set of beans.
Move one bag to a sunny spot like a windowsill, and one to a dark spot. Over the next 3-5 days, check the beans and spray the paper towels with water if the towel is dry.
After 3-5 days, both sets of beans should sprout. Check them once a day to see how they are growing, and if there's a difference between the sunny and the shady beans.
(Optional) After about 2 weeks, you can move your sprouts into cups filled with dirt and watch them grow! Or, keep them in the bags and observe what happens without dirt. You can continue keeping one in the dark and observing the difference.
20m
Math
Grocery Grouping
When you are unpacking groceries (or other items from shopping bags), ask your child to help sort the items.
Choose two categories and tell them how to sort the items. Some examples:
Container shape: sort by cans or boxes
Container size: sort by small boxes and big boxes
Pick one item from each category and place it where you want your child to sort similar items. Ask them to place similar items next to the examples (for fragile items, you can move the item for your child).
When your groceries are all sorted, show your child where each category gets put away. Celebrate when you're done!
30m
Science
Tree Texture Collage
BRING BACK
Head to an area with several trees (ideally different types of trees). Bring a few pieces of paper, tape, and something to make a rubbing (a crayon, piece of chalk, or piece of drawing charcoal).
Stop at the trunk of a tree. Feel the texture of the tree trunk. Hold the piece of paper on the tree bark, and encourage your child to make a rubbing of the texture. (If using a crayon, peel the paper wrapper off and use the side of the crayon instead of the tip.)
Collect any parts of the tree that have fallen (leaves, acorns, seeds, pinecones, twigs, flowers, etc.) and tape them to the paper. If you know what kind of tree it is, write the name of the tree on the paper.
Repeat with other nearby trees. Compare the different tree collages you've made.
Use these activities to learn with your child every day!
10m
Science
Observing Plants and Their Needs
Show your child real plants or pictures of plants. Talk about how all plants need water and sunlight. For example, “The cactus doesn’t need much water because it lives in the desert.”
Explain that some plants need more water than others. “This sunflower needs more water to grow tall.”
Let your child help water the plants. Say, “We’ll water the sunflower so it can grow strong!”
Ask, “Which plant do you think needs more water, the cactus or the sunflower?”
20m
Math
Kitchen Sorting
Ask your child for help putting away kitchen items like dishes, utensils, pots. (Before you begin, you can put away items that might not be safe for a child to handle.)
Before putting items where they belong, ask your child to sort them into categories that might help you put them away.
Ask your child why they sorted the items this way. If you usually organize items in a different way, explain your system and ask your child to re-sort by a different characteristic.
(Optional) Ask your child to put items back where they belong. Celebrate when everything is put away!
Varies
Language & Literacy
My Book
Encourage your child to use different kinds of art supplies to create their own book as the author and illustrator.
Talk together about things the book will need, like a cover with a title.
Your child can decide if they’d like to do this in one sitting, or create their book over time (e.g. a diary or observations).
After, you can staple the pages to put the book together.
Use these activities to learn with your child every day!
10m
Language & Literacy
Clue Hunt
Have your child call out a word that describes objects around you e.g. color, size, or shape.
Then, go on a hunt together to find all the objects that fit that description!
For example, if your child says to look for “big” things, look around for big objects like the table or couch.
Give the first few clues to help them understand.
15m
Math
Let’s Shop for Numbers!
Before heading to a store, make a "number shopping list"- write numbers 1-5 on a piece of paper and draw a box next to each number.
When you arrive at the store, ask your child to look for each number (in aisle numbers, price signs, on packaging).
When your child finds a number, ask them to color in the box next to that number on the list.
Can your child find all numbers 1-5? If they do, celebrate with a high five or a silly dance! (and if they find a number more than once, they can make an additional mark on the "number shopping list")
30m
Language & Literacy
Create A How-To Video
Tell your child that they're going to make a video that explains how to do something. Ask your child to think of a daily task they know how to do well, like washing their hands or getting dressed.
Ask your child to explain how they perform this task in 3-4 steps. Write down what your child says.
Film video clips of your child performing each step. Ask them to explain each step out loud while they do it.
Watch the clips in order together. Does the video make sense all together? If not, make changes and record clips again.
