Looking for a fun way to bond with your child? Take a page out of “Dad is My Best Friend” and try doing push-ups with your little one on your back! Check out these adorable highlight reels of fathers and children of all ages working out together. Don’t forget to use the hashtag #DadIsMyBestFriend and #PushupsWithDad to share your own father-child exercise routine!
Just remember, safety first! Keep the exercises age-appropriate and listen to your body to prevent any discomfort or pain.
Spending time outdoors is essential for children’s physical and mental well-being. With so many electronic distractions nowadays, it’s important to encourage kids to play and explore outside. This post will provide parents with a variety of outdoor activities that promote physical activity and exploration. These activities are suitable for children of all ages and can be adapted to suit different skill levels.
Getting kids to spend time outside and engage in physical activity is crucial for their overall well-being. These 10 outdoor activities provide a fun and exciting way for kids to explore and get moving. Encourage your kids to try new things and have fun in the great outdoors!
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Learning the alphabet is the essential first step to reading. We know that ABCs and 123s are the building blocks to becoming literate. However, it can be challenging when you’re trying to teach your child the alphabet using books and digital screens. Your child needs hands-on activities that get them moving, thinking, and talking.
A variety of factors affect the development of a child’s learning habits. Everything can influence your child’s success in school, from your upbringing to your child’s socio-economic background, diet, and age.
Hands-on activities are a great way to introduce children to the alphabet. They provide opportunities for children to use their senses, encourage them to think for themselves, and help develop their fine-motor skills. Plus, they are much more fun than traditional classroom exercises! We give you ten-play, hands-on alphabet activities to encourage your child’s learning of the ABCs.
1. Foam Alphabet Letters in a Sensory Table.
Grab your child’s attention by creating a colorful, multisensory alphabet activity. Use the foam letters in a sensory table to help your child learn their ABCs. In this activity, you can use a variety of textures like sandpaper, soft materials, and other objects. The entire exercise can take only a few minutes and provides a fun way to introduce the alphabet—especially if your child is learning the alphabet in another language!
Educational use and Resources:
This activity works well with limited space (such as a home or classroom), low-tech materials, and higher-energy children.
If you use felt letters on top of water-soaked sponges or cotton balls, set out bowls containing various colors of food dye (red, blue, yellow). Your child will enjoy mixing up all these different textures as they explore the alphabet!
2. Build a Beaded Alphabet Necklace.
Take your child’s learning to a higher level by crafting a beaded alphabet necklace! This activity allows your child to practice alphabet skills such as letter recognition, phonics, creative writing, fine motor movements, and even math. Plus, it’s a great way to spend time together!
Educational use and Resources:
This activity works well with children ages 4 – 7 years old. You can make the necklace out of cotton yarn, a beaded necklace kit, or you can use a beading needle and beads.
To make the necklace, string or add beads to a piece of fabric. You can use any type of alphabet or symbol you like, but we recommend making it a simple one for your child to make the connection with their ABCs.
3. Sandpaper Letters.
After learning all about the alphabet, why not learn by touching them? Get your child moving and talking by allowing them to use their hands in a fun way! Putting letters into play with sandpaper is a great way to practice letter recognition, writing, and linguistics. This hands-on activity can also help your child learn their ABCs since it helps them build fine motor skills.
Educational use and Resources:
This activity is excellent for preschool, kindergarten, and pre-k classrooms. You can also do this activity at the school. This can be done by using colored sandpaper letters for each letter of the alphabet and then using a white cross to attach them to a piece of paper (a classroom door or window).
4. Alphabet Playdough Mats.
Create an alphabet playdough mat using playdough and a cookie sheet. This is a great way to introduce the ABCs, but your child can also learn about phonics and letter recognition. As your child creates the alphabet letters, they will learn how to decode the sounds of the alphabet.
Educational use and Resources:
You can use any playdough color, but we recommend using assorted colors. For example, you can use green for A, yellow for B, red for C, blue for D, and so on.
You can also use glue or tabs to adhere to the letters on the cookie sheet. You can add chocolate chips or small beans as toppings. This activity is a great hands-on way to enjoy learning the alphabet and help your child develop their fine motor skills!
5. Alphabet Scavenger Hunt.
Create a list of items that begin with certain letters of the alphabet. Take your child on a scavenger hunt throughout your home and neighborhood to find the alphabet items and learn their ABCs! Scavenger hunts work well for younger kids, especially if you can add some fun twists like using silly songs or offering treats as prizes.
Educational use and Resources:
This activity will help your child learn their ABCs, letter-sound correspondence, and spatial awareness.
You can create a list of items that begin with each letter of the alphabet. You can even add things that start with several letters, such as “A is for apple and ant.”
6. Alphabet Puzzles.
This is one of the most popular ways to teach the alphabet. It’s a great activity that combines learning with fun, imaginative play. You can create your puzzles using wooden puzzle letters. A variety of activity kits are also available to do this activity. By creating your puzzles, you can also make them more personalized and engaging for your child!
Educational use and Resources:
This activity is excellent for preschool, kindergarten, and pre-k classrooms and at home. You can use any puzzle piece—wooden letters, plastic letters, alphabet blocks, etc.
You can also draw the alphabet on a sheet of paper or practice letter-sound correspondence using an alphabet grid.
7. Alphabet Animal Crafts.
Alphabet crafts are fun for your child because they allow them to explore their creativity. You can also introduce the alphabet with cute and colorful letter animal crafts! These are great for any kid—whether in a classroom or at home with you.
Educational use and Resources:
You can use any letter of the alphabet on these crafts and any type of animal you like. If you have a kid who loves nature, create an animal found in nature. You can also use the different animals as a reminder of each letter of the alphabet so they can learn their ABCs in no time!
8. ABC Flashcards.
Flashcards are a classic way to introduce the alphabet. Flashcards can be created using pictures or objects—and they’re a fun and easy way for kids to learn their ABCs. Plus, flashcards are perfect for traveling!
Educational use and Resources:
For this activity, you can use actual flashcards that you buy from an office supply store or make them yourself by writing letters of the alphabet on pieces of paper. You can use paper or cardstock and make them using a whiteboard marker.
9. Letter Matching Game.
This activity can work for young kids from preschool to kindergarten. It’s a great way to help kids learn their ABCs and fine motor skills. Plus, it teaches them organizational skills by matching letters in a puzzle-like game.
Educational use and Resources:
You can make your letter matching game as simple or creative as you want to make it! This activity works well for preschool, kindergarten, and pre-k classrooms and at home with younger kids.
You can use plastic or cardboard pieces and different colored paper, or you can print out your own letters and use stickers.
10. Alphabet Cones.
With this activity, you can teach your child how to recognize and make different kinds of ABCs. You can also develop their fine motor skills while they create the letter cone.
Educational use and Resources:
You can use any type of letter cone, rubber letters, alphabet blocks, alphabet stickers, and more. You can make an ABC cone using colorful construction paper.
Conclusion:
The alphabet is a complex and fun subject to teach kids. With the right resources, kids can learn the alphabet in no time! These activities are excellent for preschool, kindergarten, and pre-k classrooms and at home.
Guest Author Bio
Andrea is currently the head of content management at SpringHive Web Design Company. This digital agency provides creative web design, social media marketing, email marketing, and search engine optimization services to small businesses and entrepreneurs. She is also a blog contributor at Baby Steps Preschool, writing storytime themes, parenting tips, and seasonal activities to entertain children.
This is a Guest Post Written by By Christine Nicholls | Originally posted on December 17, 2004
Summertime! The kids are out of school and they have the long lazy days of July and August ahead. They could spend their days in front of the TV or they could be using their imaginations to create projects that are a reflection of their own unique talents.
Does it matter what kids do on their summer vacation? After all, they are in school 10 months of the year and most do take some art classes. Don’t they get enough art lessons in school?
Creative and artistic are not the same thing. Creativity is an approach to life. Creative thinkers know that problems have many different solutions. When they encounter an obstacle, they find a way around rather than giving up. They have to be willing to take risks as they learn new skills. These are important life skills that need to be encouraged in children.
Crafts and creative projects give children the opportunity to learn and practice these skills. Even if they follow a project guide exactly, they will still make decisions about shades of colors and where to place items. Once they are familiar with the project, most children will want to make it again. That is when they get really creative. First, the colors change, then the shapes, and suddenly it is a new project from their own imagination.
Creative projects encourage children to find the resources to make what they want, rather than opening up a box that has all the supplies in one place. The first project in the weekly project list (see below) uses an old knee-hi or pair of pantyhose. What if none are available? Should the children wait until someone else finds all the ‘right’ materials? No, have them start thinking about what they could substitute. Would an old sock work? How about a dishcloth? It is fun to sit back and watch children solve their own problems.
These Summer Projects encourage children to work with a wide variety of materials. One of the best things about summer projects is that they can be done outside. Less mess to clean up!
Week 1 – Hairy Heads (old knee-hi or cut off pantyhose, grass seed, dirt, 2 small elastics, and decorations)
Put 2 tsp of grass seed in the bottom of the toe of the pantyhose. Add 1-2 cups of dirt. Make sure the seeds stay on the top of the head, otherwise you’ll have hair sprouting from under the eyes. Use the small elastic to pinch off a nose about halfway up the head. Use the second elastic to tie off the bottom. Decorate by pasting on eyes, mouth, ears, or whatever else intrigues the kids. Use paper, felt, colored plastic, markers, pipe cleaners, any materials you have on hand.
Keep the Hairy Head in a small dish with water in the bottom. The ‘hair’ should sprout in less than a week. Kids can style their hair with elastics, clips, and scissors. (Warning: My daughter decided to cut her own hair after giving her Hairy Head a trim!)
Week 2 – Fabric Paint on T-shirts (plain shirts, fabric paint, cardboard, brushes, and sponges)
Have the kids start with an old T-shirt or piece of fabric at the beginning. Put a piece of cardboard under the first layer of fabric to make sure there is no leaking. Some fabric paint comes in squeeze bottles which are good for lines, or they can use a paintbrush or sponge. Designs from handprints are interesting and make a great present for grandma. If they need pattern ideas, use the pictures in a child’s coloring book for line drawings.
Week 3 – Pet Rocks (rocks, acrylic paint, glue, brushes)
Collect lots of rocks. Be sure there are different sizes and shapes. Start by choosing the rocks that will make up the pet (head, ears, maybe a nose, body, arms, and legs). Paint the entire rock, top, and bottom in one color. When the first coat of paint dries, start adding the details, eyes, whiskers, fur. When everything is dry, glue the pieces together.
If the kids get tired of the pet, it can become a doorstop, bookend, garden ornament, or paperweight.
Week 4 – Make your own Fossils (clay, items to imprint – leaves, coins, bugs)
Make a rock or plaque shape from the clay or use the dough recipe (included below). Use water to make a smooth surface. Make imprints with different objects. Try leaves, coins, shells, or even a small toy. When it dries, rub on a bit of shoe polish and acrylic sealer to make it last for months and months. Bury them in sand or dirt and have an expedition to dig up fossils like an archeologist. Combine with a treasure hunt (week 8), and use as clues to a treasure.
Dough Recipe (1 cup flour, 1/2 cup salt, 1 cup water, 1 tbsp oil, 2 tsp cream of tartar) mix all ingredients in a pot and stir over medium heat. The mixture will be soupy with lumps, suddenly it will form into a ball. Remove from heat, and knead on a non-stick surface. Useful for many types of projects. Store in fridge, or allow creations to air dry.
Week 5 – Start a Journal (notebook and pen or pencil)
Find an interesting blank notebook and have the kids write in it each day. A great time to start a journal is on the first day of a trip. Then, there will be lots of new things to write about and it can become a habit.
Adults can help with ideas for topics. Ask is the first thing the child can remember? Was there a birthday that was his or her favorite? What does he or she like about their best friend? What is the best thing they have ever done? Keep a list of these questions on the last page of the journal for quiet days.
Week 6 – Rain Sticks (long tubes from gift wrap or paper towel, strips of cardboard, paper, tape, seeds, or rice)
Cut two 4 inch circles out of the paper (trace a cereal bowl for the shape). Put one over the end of the tube, and fold the sides down, and tape around the tube. Make sure the cardboard strips are narrower than the tube (about 1 inch wide should work). Fold them back and forth like a fan. Put the strips into the tube. The first one should fall to the bottom of the tube. Keep adding strips until they reach the top of the tube. Pour in 1/4 cup of rice and 2 tbsp of seeds (dried peas, popcorn, or lentils). Tape the other circle over the open end of the tube and tape it in place. Decorate the tube with markers, paints, or by gluing on paper or ribbon.
Week 7 – Memory Board (Matt board, Exacto knife, photos, and objects)
While on vacation, take photos and have the kids collect objects to remind them of their trip (shells from the seashore, ticket stubs from a fair, pine cones from a walk in a forest, brochure from a hotel or attraction). When the photos are developed, have the kids select 2-3 to have enlarged into 5×7 or 8×10. The photos should be a mix of sizes. Get a large piece of matt board (Art Supply stores, or framing shops). Have the kids try different arrangements of photos and objects until they decide on the one they like best. Trace lightly in pencil where each of the objects is placed. An adult should use a craft knife to cut out the holes for the photos (slightly smaller than the pictures). Tape the photos on from the back, and glue the objects on from the front. If you have a frame the same size, put it in a frame with a cardboard backing (no glass on the front) or just hang it on the wall without a frame. The kids have all their mementos in one place.
Week 8 – Treasure Hunt
There are many different ways to plan a treasure hunt. For younger children, an adult can hide clues in different locations. Each clue can lead the child to the next clue (picture of shovel and pail would lead to a clue hidden in the sandbox). The final clue would lead to the treasure (plate of cookies, invitation to go to the water slides, movie pass, lemonade). For older children, the clues could be riddles they need to solve. Or have one of the kids make a treasure map (or list of directions) that would lead to the treasure. In the beginning, limit the number of clues to the age of the child ( 7 year old could follow seven clues to the treasure).
Check the website (http://www.creativekidsathome.com) for more pictures and hints on completing each of the projects. By the end of the summer, the kids will have completed lots of great projects. More importantly, they will have spent time thinking creatively.
Christine Nicholls lives in Victoria, BC, and loves being a mommy to Katherine and Duncan. She has developed a home-based business that lets her combine her skills and business background with full-time parenting. Her company, Creative Kids at Home, encourages children to have fun while being creative. http://www.creativekidsathome.com
Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Christine_Nicholls/1247
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We all know traveling with kids can be hard, but as parents we want these trips to be fun and memorable for our kids. The best way to make traveling trips with children memorable is to have a keepsake. The best keepsakes are those that give a true reflection of the trip. This can be a simple notebook or a journal designed for children to write and draw about the best and worst parts of their trip.
Every trip, whether long or short, has some down time. For parents this downtime can be a nightmare because we have to find an activity for kids to do, just to stop them from nagging or saying they are bored. Journal writing or drawing about a trip is the best downtime activity. Children can even read pages they completed months or a year ago, to reflect on their past trips. Check out “All the Places I Have Been: Kids Travel Journal“.
This travel log was created by The Unabashed Traveler. Designed for children to document the travel days and vividly remember the big and small things about their childhood vacations.
The journal can easily fit in your carry-on luggage and is the perfect accessory to keep kids entertained during downtime.
Get it for only $6.50 USD on Amazon and $5.50 UK
Reading books, arts & crafts, writing stories, and making themed treats are great classroom activities for Groundhog’s Day.
For Groundhog’s Day make some “Dirt Pie”. Dirt Pie is a chocolate pudding with oreo cookies. Add some gummy worms to add to the groundhog digging theme and make the sweet treat even sweeter.
1. Wear red to class.
Red is the color for good luck in China.
2. Have mandarin oranges for a snack.
Two of the most common food symbols of the Chinese New Year are tangerines and oranges. Whereas tangerines represent wealth, oranges are a popular symbol of good luck.
3. Discuss culture and holidays.
Compare the Lunar New Year Celebration to the New Year Celebrations that the families of children in your class have.
5. Arts and craft: Dance Festival with Paper Dragons.
The dragon is a Chinese symbol of power and good fortune, many areas of the country have dragon dancing, during which a long, colorful dragon puppet is paraded through the streets. You can create dragon crafts to parade around the classroom.
6. Decorate the classroom with Chinese-themed art.
Compare the Lunar New Year Celebration to the New Year Celebrations that the families of children in your class have.
7. Lunar New Year themed classwork
What are some fine motor skills activities for preschoolers, kids, and toddlers?
What are fine motor skills? Fine motor skills are the ability to make movements (motor) using the small (fine) muscles in our hands and wrist.
Gross motor skills have to do with the larger muscle groups in the arms and legs. Think of a child being able to crawl, walk, run, jump, skip, clap, and dance.
These skills are important because they allow us to do everyday things, such as getting out of bed in the morning, eating with a fork, spoon, or chopsticks, squeezing toothpaste out of the tube, brushing our teeth, zipping our pants, tying our shoes, and writing our name.
Here is a quick list of 10 fine motor activities for young children and some products to consider using when actively teaching these skills.
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Purchase our newly released feelings book for you kid or school. Go through the different emotions a person can feel. Since the creation of Unabashed Kids Media the goal has always been to assist parents and educators in developing social-emotional awareness in young children. This can decrease instances of bullying, self harm behavior, low self-esteem, and depression. We want children to feel confident and certain of their own individual identities.
Get the kindle version of the book here -> Unabashed Kids Talk about Feelings: A Book of Feelings for Young Children
Get the paperback version of the book here -> Unabashed Kids Talk about Feelings: A Book of Feelings for Young Children
We offer these free emotion worksheets to parents and educators. Please have open discussions with children while using these worksheets.
We offer these free affirmation coloring pages to parents and educators. Please have open discussions about confidence and self love while using these coloring pages.
Playing with play dough, theraputty, or clay is more than just a fun, creative, and relaxing sensory activity. Squishing, pinching, rolling, squeezing, smashing, making shapes, pretend food, and animals with these materials are all great for building muscles in the hands. Theraputty is exceptionally great because it comes in various resistances. Playing with clay is an amazing fine motor activity for children. You can choose to use only your hands, household items, or purchase playdoh toys on amazon. Children will have fun learning and playing with clay using these 10 super simple playdoh activities.
1.) Hide small objects like coins, beads, or tiny stones for your child to hide and bury and then pull out. Please be careful with young children to ensure they do not eat small objects.
2.) Roll the clay out into a really long log or snake then twist and turn the snake to form letters, shapes, or numbers.
3.) Roll clay into a string, cut it into small pieces with a scissor. This is a great activity for kids just learning to use scissors.
4.) Pinch off small pieces with just the thumb and index finger to make “confetti”.
5.) Use stamps, puzzle pieces, or letter magnets to press into the putty to also work on educational components. You can even use cups, bowls, spoons, or other household items to make shapes.
6.) Make a rainbow and learn about colors with play dough.
7.) Learn about the weather by making rain and sunshine out of clay.
8.) Bug-themed fun! Create bugs that children read about all the time. Butterflies, ladybugs, and caterpillars are easy to make with play dough. See our list of 10 Fun Bug and Insect-themed books.
9.) Read “The Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza” then make your clay pizza or other food.
10.) Practice letter recognition by rolling clay into letters. You make an example and then have the children try.
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