Resources for Learning at Home
Printable activities for parents and teachers
TIP: Look for learning everywhere. You are providing your child with plenty of academic instruction every day without even knowing it! Here aresome questions you can ask to boost the learning value of everyday situations. While drawing: “What are you drawing? Tell me about it!” As they’re speaking, write their words on theirpicture. Children can start making connections between words and images on a page.While unloading the dryer:“Can you find all the socks and count them?iir While playing dress-up: “Why did you choose that costume?” or “Can you turn your doll upside down? How about right side up?” While reading:”l see a boat. What is on top of that boat?”While putting together a puzzle: “What happens if you flip/turn the piece this way?
TIP: Plan for quick educational activities.Spend a few minutes in the evening or the morning to think about any materials you’d like to have ready for thenext day. Try to use materials you already have and stick to activities with low preparation time. Use blocks to measure: “lf you lay down, how many blocks does it take to make the same length as your body?Play with water in plastic tubes. Ask questions like,”Where do you need to stand so that you can pour thewater? What direction does the water flow?” Make a mailbox together so you can write letters back and forth with your child.Read a book together, and then do an activity that you saw in the book. lf the main character played with toycars, you and your child can do that, too. Can you make a pattern with the cars?
TIP: Motivate your child by planning successful experiences.Giving yourself grace will help set realistic expectations for you and for your child. More than anything, it’simportant to make sure children feel successful and confdent throughout the day. in Motivated Minds, Deborah Stipekoutlines three primary components of success for children: competence, autonomy, and care and connection.Competence: Children feel capable when presented with developmentally appropriate tasks that they areTEexcited to do. Follow tasks with specifc and positive feedback like, “Wow! You put all the toys in the bucket. Great job!’. Autonomy: lf your child has trouble getting started with activities or tasks, give them choices. You can set themup with their chosen activity, a prompt, and a time expectation:”l will be gone for 10 minutes,l want to knowhow high you can make your tower!” Follow the autonomous activity with time together.Care and connection: Listen, observe, and acknowledge your child. Sometimes, all your child needs is yourpresence. When you’ve set up an independent task for them, check back in with them after time is up to seewhat they did. Ask kids questions about their day with specifc prompts, like “What part of the day was yourorange’(sweet), and what part of the day was your ‘lemon’(sour)?”
which dog is the mom, tap it(you found the mom) tap the puppy to hear it bark looks like it’s time to play fetch, thanks for reading with me
this is tree frogs, today we’re going to learn about tree frogs, frog starts with the letter F, the letter F makes the F sound, can you say frog
what color are the tree frog’s toes?(that’s right, the tree frog’s toes are orange) can you find the tree frog?(you found the hidden tree frog) what color is the tree frog?(that’s right, the tree frog is yellow)
I didn’t know that tadpoles changed into frogs, we learned so much together, thanks for reading with me
tap each place that humingbird live tap the hummingbird to listen to it hovering tap the hummingbird’s bill (you found the humming bird bill) hummingbirds are so neat, thanks for reading with me
tap the penguin chick(that’s the chick) tap the penguin chick(the chick is warm in dad’s brood pouch) how many penguin chicks are standing up, tap each one belly sliding looks so fun, thanks for reading with me
the snake is sticking out its tongue tap its tongue
what color is this snake
the snake is hunting a frog, tap the frog
which one is the seal pup, tap it( the sea pup is leaning with its mother)
the seal pup is eating a fish, tap the fish
we learned so much about seal pups, thanks for reading with me
what soud do you think sea otters make, tap it to find out
which bird has a long beak, tap it (the toucan has a long beak, ) which bird has a short beak, tap it (the flycatcher has a short beak) the flamingo has long legs, tap its legs the penguin has short legs, tap its legs the humingbird has long tail feathers, tap its tail feathers the kingfisher’s tail feathers are short, tap its tail feathers the barn owl has long wings, tap its wings the humingbird’s wings are short, tap its wings which bird has long beak which bird has a short legs which bird has long tail feathers
today we’re going to read about butterflies
tap the butterfly’s antennae (you found the antennae)
a butterfly’s favorite food is the nectar
the butterfly is laying eggs, tap the eggs
the caterpillar changes into a butterfly, thanks for reading with me
these plants are carrots, what color are the carrots these plants are lettuce, what color are thes plants are strawberries, what color are the
today we are going to read about cranes, crane start with the letter C , the letter c makes the ‘k’ sound, can you say crane, coolbins, I can’t wait to learn about cranes, let’s start reading
the boom is so high in the air, tap the crane’s boom
the gantry cranes are near a ship,tap the ship (you found the ship)
there are so many kinds of cranes, which is your favorite, my favorite is the floting cranes, thank you for reading with me
she is carrying fruits on her bike, tap the fruits tap and count the boys the camel doesn’t want to move, tap the camel