Early Head Start Homework

Science

Paper Play

1. Gather different pieces of paper I can play with:
   
• Great paper for playing: printer paper, white tissue paper, brown paper bag, sticky note, note paper
  
• Avoid colored paper, magazine paper, newspaper, wrapping paper (colors can bleed if I put it in my mouth)
  
2. Show me all the different things you can do with paper!
   
• Crumple it
  
• Tear it
  
3. Let me explore the paper myself. This might include putting it in my mouth; gently remove the paper so I don't swallow it.
   
4. When I play with paper, I'm learning how to be a scientist! I'm experimenting with making different sounds, what happens when I rip paper, and observing gravity when I drop it.

Full Guidance

Physical

Playing with Fingers and Toes

1. Help me learn that my hands and feet belong to me and that I can control their movements!
   
2. Play games like "This Little Piggy" or another favorite finger game from your childhood with my fingers and toes while we're getting dressed. Touch or kiss my fingers and toes while we play.
   
3. After my bath, massage my hands, fingers, feet and toes with baby lotion. Put a tiny bit of lotion on my hands and help me rub my own feet.
   
4. Try to provide some time each day for me to play in a warm room wearing only my diaper. This will encourage me to move and touch my arms and legs.

Full Guidance

Language & Literacy

Vehicle Sounds

1. 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.
   
2. Show the vehicles to your child while saying their names and making the sounds they make.
   
3. Vary the tone, pitch, and volume of your voice when you make the vehicle sounds. Encourage your child to copy you.
   
4. Give lots of affirmation and encouragement when your child tries to mimic the vehicle sounds.

Full Guidance

Physical

Learning to Glue

1. Cut or tear paper into shapes like squares or circles. For easy clean-up, put a tablecloth, piece of cardboard, or baking sheet on your work surface.
   
2. Show me how to use a glue stick and spread glue on one side of a shape. Then, show me how to pick the shape up, turn it over, and place it on another piece of paper.
   
3. Let me experiment with how much glue to use, where to put the glue, and sticking the small pieces by myself.

Full Guidance