Parents are their children's first teacher and primary support for learning and development throughout the school years!

There are many everyday activities that families can use to help their children grow and learn.

ACTIVITIES
Shapes

Help your child find shapes that make up our everyday world, such as:

• Circles: wheels, dishes, wall clocks, pizza, cookies
• Squares: floor tiles, checker board
• Rectangles: TVs, windows, doors, refrigerators, cell phones
• Ovals: eggs, watermelon, football
• Triangles: slice of pizza or pie, sandwich cut diagonally, yield sign

Sorting, Categorizing, Comparing

• Match same color socks
• Group similar types of clothing; e.g. pants with pants; shirts with shirts
• Sort and group canned foods - same size and/or smallest to largest cans; types of food in the containers - fruits, vegetables, soups
• Sort and group plastic containers
• Sort and match silverware
• Sort measuring cups and spoons - smallest to largest; largest to smallest

Reading and Writing

• Make shopping lists
• Write notes
• Read road signs and store signs
• Read recipes while you cook together
• Find alphabet letters (A, B etc.) around the house, in the stores, on signs in the community

Science

• Talk about the weather - temperature, wind, cloud shapes, percipitation, rainbows
• Plant a garden together
• Identify different types of insects; talk about their life cycles e.g. caterpillars, cocoons, butterflies
• Identify types of fish, water plants, and other aquatic life in our local lakes
• Identify different species of local wildlife. Talk about how they live and what they eat.
• Explore types of materials - discover which materials magnets will and will not stick to

Math

• Measure ingredients while you cook together
• Compare heavy and light objects
• Count the number of people in line at the store, the number of items in the shoppping cart
• Use "non-traditional items" to measure different things. E.g. How many "shoes long or tall"
• While waiting at a stop light, count how long it takes the light to change from red to green

 

Library Programs and Services

• Visit your local library
• Obtain a library card for yourself and your child
• Join in on fun library days, such as Family Fun Days and Children's Reading Hour

 

Check with your local library to find out what is offered in your community!