| ACTIVITIES: LOW ENERGY |
| WATER MATH |
| Age: Baby+ |
| What You Need |
|
Various size containers and funnels |
| What to Do |
| This is a great bathtime
activity! Let your child discover the basic math concepts, such
as empty/full, shallow/deep, small/big as he or she pours water
in and out various containers. |
| FLANNEL TRAIN PUZZLE |
| Age: Toddler+ |
| What You Need |
 A
large piece of cardboard or foam board
One yard of green flannel
4-5 small pieces of felt (can be found at craft stores)
Duct tape and scissors |
| What to Do |
|
Make a flannel board by wrapping a foam board or cardboard with
flannel and securing it with a duct tape in the back
Cut out several felt shapes: one large rectangle, one small
rectangle, one square, one triangle, and two circles (making each
piece a different color will encourage color differentiation)
Assemble a train engine with your child, and then let them build
a train on their own
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| MEMORY GAME |
| Age: Baby+ |
| Although this seems like an activity suitable
for older babies (that can point), you can play it with kids as
little as 5-6 months old. Just make sure to pay attention to the
non-verbal cues your baby is using instead of pointing! |
| What You Need |
|
A favorite toy
Three cardboard boxes (preferably of the same size)
|
| What to Do |
|
Put three cardboard boxes upside down in front of your baby
Show him or her their favorite toy; slowly put it under one of
the boxes
Ask, "Where is... (the toy)? Where did it go?", and wait for the
baby to respond by cooing, pointing, or other means
Lift the box your baby points at, and say, "You found it! Here
it is!" (or, "It's not here, where else can it be?")
Continue looking until the toy is found
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| WHAT IS IT? |
| Age: Toddler+ |
| What You Need |
|
A large cardboard box
A light blanket or a blindfold
Various items, such as small toys |
| What to Do |
|
Put several small toys in a large cardboard box
Cover the box with a blanket, leaving just a small opening
enough to put two hands through (or you can use a blindfold instead)
Let children take turns picking up a toy while blindfolded and
trying to guess what it is
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| MY BOOK |
| Age: Preschool+ |
|
Many preschoolers like to talk and have a lot to say. Although most can't yet write words themselves, they enjoy dictating stories for others to write for them. |
| What You Need |
 Paper
Paper punch
Safety scissors
Pencil, pen, crayons
Yarn or staples
Glue
|
| What to Do |
|
Make a booklet of five or six pages. Your child can help punch holes close to one edge and thread yarn through the holes to keep the pages together. You can also staple the pages together.
On the outside cover of the booklet, print your child's name. Explain that this is going to be a book about him
or her.
Let your child talk about what they will draw on each page. As
they talk, print on the page what he or she says. Here are some examples:
Other people in my family
My favorite toys
My favorite books
My friends
My pet
My neighborhood
My home (or My bedroom)
After each or all the stories have been documented, have your
child draw pictures on each page, add stickers, etc.
Encourage them to read the new book to family members and visitors.
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| OOBLECK |
| Age: Toddler+ |
| Oobleck is a fictional form of green precipitation
invented by children's author Dr. Seuss in the book Bartholomew and
the Oobleck. The word has since been used to describe a weird
substance - it is liquid yet solid. This very messy activity is sure
to fascinate anyone! |
| What You Need |
|
1 cup cornstarch
1/3 cup water
5 to 7 drops food coloring(optional) |
| What to Do |
|
Mix water and food coloring together. Slowly add
cornstarch. Do not stir. Let the mixture stand for 1 to 2 minutes.
Pick a handful of the oobleck up and squeeze it until it forms a
hard ball. Open your hand and the oobleck will turn from a solid
back into a liquid. If it gets too dry after awhile, just add a bit
more water.
Note that oobleck contains no preservatives and is
therefore perishable. |
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| TOUCH AND SEE! |
| Age: Baby |
Whenever they are awake, babies are hard at work,
trying to learn all about the world. To help them learn, they need
many different things to play with and inspect. Objects you have
around your home offer many possibilities. |
| What You Need |
| A wooden
spoon
Different textured fabrics, such as velvet,
cotton, corduroy, terry cloth, satin, burlap and fake fur
An empty toilet-paper or paper-towel roll
Pots, pans and lids
An old purse or basket with things to put in
and take out
Measuring cups and spoons
Boxes and plastic containers
Noisemakers (rattles, a bottle filled with
beans) |
| What to Do |
| Let your baby look at, touch
and listen to a variety of objects. Objects that are brightly
colored, have interesting textures and make noises are particularly
good.
Put one or two of the objects in a play area
where your baby can reach them-more than two may confuse him.
(Many of the objects will interest toddlers and older
preschoolers. For example, babies love to inspect a paper towel
roll. But a 4-year-old might use it as a megaphone for talking
or singing, a telescope or a tunnel for a toy car.)
Always make sure that the objects are not too
small or that there are no small parts that can pose a chocking
hazard. |
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| TREE MOBILE |
| Age: Baby |
| What You Need |
|
A blanket |
| What to Do |
|
On a warm spring/summer day, take
your baby to a park
Put a blanket under a big tree, and put your
baby on their back on the blanket. The leaves moving in the wind
will be just as fascinating to him or her as a commercial
mobile. |
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