Kindergarten Activities
From outdoor activities perfect for a sunny day, to indoor activities for when the rain is falling, we've got math activities, science activities, writing, reading, and more: so get those paints and markers ready! Make a book, go word fishing, or send kids on a shape scavenger hunt. Here are dozens of things to do with your kindergarten child.
Everyone's heard of taking a dog for a walk. But how about an illustration? Kindergarten teachers have a technique, called a "Picture Walk", that teaches emerging readers to use pictures as clues to understand the meaning of a story, and guess at unfamiliar words. Here's how it works:
Chances are your kindergartner knows every nook and cranny in your house, but what about her knowledge of the world outside? Expand her geographic awareness with these fun and easy map lessons.
More activities for kindergarten:
Go on a Library Treasure Hunt!
We all know that taking our kids to the library helps to instill a lifelong love of reading. But what kind of activity can you do at the library? Go on a treasure hunt! You can help your child learn the sequencing of numbers and letters by having them hunt for books at the library. What You Need: ...
Make a Tie Dye Surprise
In the spirit of recycling and reusing, as well as saving some money on buying new clothes, why not spend an afternoon outdoors creating some of your own designs by learning to tie dye? Here's how.
Popsicle Stick Bird House
Help your nature enthusiast connect to her fine feathered friends right in your neighborhood by constructing a bird habitat and feeding station she can watch throughout the summer and fall.
Games for the Grocery Store
Few places are as dense with words as an ordinary grocery store. The next time you find yourself trolling the aisles with an impatient kid in tow, turn the trip on its head. Make it a reading adventure! Here are five ideas to get you started:
Nuts and Bolts: A Sorting Activity
Does Dad's tool box need to be tidied up? Get your child to help you clean, while sneaking in a little math along the way. Sorting objects by size, color, shape, or function is an important concept in mathematical reasoning, and it's the perfect excuse for a little housekeeping!
Play with Pasta...and Learn to Write
Pasta makes a great dinner, but it can also be used to teach kids proper letter formation! In this easy crafts activity, you'll help your child become aware of the way letters should be formed-- all with a little pasta and glue.
Shape Art: Mix Art with Geometry!
Does the idea of taking your child to a museum sound daunting? Is the local art mecca too far away, or not too keen on pint-sized patrons? Create your own museum!
Blind Trust
Following one- and two-step directions is expected in kindergarten. Having trouble getting your child to follow your words? This blind obstacle course turns the art of listening into an outdoor game. Give it a try, and see who's better at following directions, you or her?
Build Writing Muscles with this Water Relay!
Does your child have trouble holding a pencil? Is writing his name an excruciating task? For many young writers, it is. The key is to build up those hand muscles! This water relay race can help.
Play This Rhyme Game in a Bag!
Rhyming is a critical piece of learning to read. This silly game transforms rhymes into a mystery bag guessing game.
