During a quiet moment, sit or lay down near your child face-to-face and be silent for a few seconds. Watch them. Do they look at you? If they make sounds or smile, make sounds or smile back. There is so much you can say to each other with no words at all!
Author: Sarah Childs
Nature Check List
Before you go out, make a list with your child of natural things to collect as you go, like leaves or stones. When you get back, see if they can count how many of each item they found. Talk together about what you notice. What’s the same and what’s different about them?
Bath Time Conversations
Encourage your child to learn by playing with safe objects in the bath. Do you have a washcloth and a plastic cup? They can explore different ways they each hold water. Ask questions, like: “What happens when the washcloth gets wet? What happens when you squeeze it? Can you squeeze water out of a cup?”
Counting Sounds
Take a few minutes with your child to stop and listen. Ask them what they hear. Does it sound like anything else they know? Have them guess what you hear. Together count how many different sounds you each hear and figure out what they are. How many can you guess?
Float or Sink
Are you near water? Even a big puddle works. Grab some rocks, sticks, or leaves and toss them in one at a time. Do they float or sink? Talk back and forth about how things like shapes or size may make a difference. Keep trying new things and test your ideas. What other experiments can… Continue reading Float or Sink
The Snack Game
Give your child three different snacks. Talk about what’s the same and what’s different. Ask them if they can group one type of snack together (like all the fruit). Then ask if they can find another way to sort the snacks, like by size, shape, or color.
Painting Nature
Going for a walk? Grab a paint brush, put a little water in an empty container, and take a color walk outdoors! Paint the flowers, leaves, or other colorful things as you go. Talk with your child about what they see. Enjoy the textures, colors, and shapes in your world and share your own joy… Continue reading Painting Nature
Spice Chat
While working in the kitchen, open up different spices. Smell the differences and even touch them with your child. You can describe these smells (using dramatic words) and talk back and forth with them about some of the foods that you eat with them.
Unloading Groceries
After shopping, invite your child to help take items out of the bags. Give them some small, safe items to put away, giving hints for where things go, like, “Are there other cans in the cupboard that look like this one?” or “An apple is a fruit. Where do we keep the other fruit?”
Sock Chat
Have your child help sort socks and find pairs when you’re doing laundry. While they do it, you can chat about which socks go together and why. Are they the same color, pattern, or size? Help them hold the socks next to their feet, then your feet, and talk about the differences. Who has big… Continue reading Sock Chat
