Saturday July 18th / Read! Read! Read!


Toddler and Preschooler
You need:
books
a place to cuddle up

Tips for reading to kids
Read Slow
Change your voice
Cuddle
Look at the pictures
Have your child turn the pages
Point to the words as you read

If you have read the story many times, pause, and let your child fill in the word thank them for "helping you read"

Let toddlers and preschoolers talk through out the book by naming objects, telling personal connections (I have a dog too), and asking questions

THINK OUT LOUD ... "I wonder what will happen next, I guess I will turn the page and see." or "Wow, she is really a nice girl to share with her brother" or "Oh no, he is in trouble, I think he should ..." You are modeling reading is thinking!

After the story is over, talk about it. Ask your child what happened or to retell you the story. Your child will be asked to do this in Kindergarten frequently. Then ask them what their favorite part was.

Thursday July 16th / Beyond Basic Blocks
The number one way to get your kids interested in an activity is: get on the floor too, at least in the beginning, and then let them take over and play by themselves.

Toddler and Preschooler

You need:
Blocks all shapes, sizes, and colors
Imagination is a must!


Toddlers:
Stacking blocks is a major accomplishment.
How many blocks can your toddler stack before they knock it down??
Build them a big tower to smash! (build quick!) lol

Preschooler:
Challenge your preschooler to expand their imagination and dramatic play.

How high of a tower can they build?

Can they build cages for our their animals and call it a zoo? Grab some people and have them visit the zoo.

Can they build a house for their small dolls, include beds, kitchen, house walls, chairs, etc.

Can they build a garage for their match box cars?

Can they build a fire station?

How long can they sit and be engaged with this activity? Preschool years are also about building attention spans.
What else can they think of to build with blocks?

Tuesday July 7th / Slap Jack Card Game
Preschooler

You need:
One deck of Cards
Show your child which cards are jacks.

Deal the cards evenly.

Pick up your piles and flip them over one at a time.

While you turn over each card look for the jack.
If you see it, SLAP IT!

If you slap a non-jack, you owe the other person a card.

If you have more than two players and one person runs out of cards they can still play and slap a jack to get back in the game.

--You could call out what cards you flip to practice numbers.--

Monday June 22nd / Teddy Bear Picnic
If you go out in the woods today
You're sure of a big surprise.
If you go out in the woods today
You'd better go in disguise.

For every bear that ever there was
Will gather there for certain, because
Today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic.
-Teddy Bear Picnic Song(not the whole song)

You need:
One Blanket
Teddy Bears
Tea Party Set
Snacks
Water, Tea, or Juice

I suggest setting up the scene without the little ones and then inviting them out to the party. If that is not possible have them help you set up the party!

Lay out the blanket, set up the bears, and put out snacks. If you happen to own the CD "Teddy Bears Picnic" be sure to play it in the background.

Sit down, pour yourself some tea and chat about the day. Ask you children to help the bears eat. Give each bear a name. Have the bears talk to your kids and ask them all about themselves. Have the bears talk to each other.

Teach them the song "Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear" and do the actions.

Teddy Bear Teddy Bear turn around
Teddy Bear Teddy Bear touch the ground
Teddy Bear Teddy Bear stand on your toes
Teddy Bear Teddy Bear touch your nose
Teddy Bear Teddy Bear go to bed
Teddy Bear Teddy Bear wake up now
Teddy Bear Teddy Bear take a bow

Toddler and Preschooler:

You need: Clothes Pins and a jar. I suggest a large empty pickle jar.
I remember playing this game at one of my birthday parties as a child!

Turn a chair around and have your preschooler kneel on it with arms over the back. Try to drop the clothes pin into the jar. Pick them up and do it again! Toddler, I would not suggest kneeling on a chair. Have them stand next to it and try to drop them in.

I attach all the clothes pins to their shirts and pants and they pull them off to drop them. Sometimes I just attach them all over their clothes and they pull them off, end of game! We also add the pins to the side of the jar and build a tower until it falls over.

Opening and closing clothes pins is a really good fine motor activity.

Toddler and Preschooler:
You need a sheet.
Ok this is not new, but if you haven't done this in awhile, try it again. Kids have been buiding forts for years because it is FUN.

Put a sheet over a table and build a fort inside, put your sheet over two chairs, put the sheet over a small card table, or even arrange your couch cushions so you can crawl inside.

Here are ideas for inside your fort. Under the table set up a large train track system with train cars.
Under the card table put in books, pillows, and a flash light.

Tent
Go ahead and set your tent up in the middle of your living room. Put sleeping bags, pillows, back pack, flash lights, and play food inside. You might want to add your plastic bugs?!

Toddler and Preschooler:
Do you remember Pony Rides?

It is a simple and fun game. The grown up gets down on the floor on all fours. The child climbs up. If they have the balance skills to handle it, they can sit up like they are riding a horse, if they are younger they will lay down and hold on around the neck. The adult goes fast and slow around the room on all floors. It's a great workout too!

I think this naturally leads to piggy back rides. :-)