education.com
asks:
Q:
Do you have activities relying on verbal, thinking, communication, imaginary skills where the parent doesn't have to collect/prepare/set-up/clean-up?
"I really like your site and activities, and sure will use couple of them. However to date I have not found one activity that did not require a list of items."
Asked by Rita via email.
In Topics:
Outside the classroom, Helping my child with school work and home work, Family fun / holiday celebrations
Asked by Rita via email.
> 60 days ago
What the Expert Says:
Additional Answers (2)
Hi Rita, In addition to the great suggestions you already received, I thought I would share a fun verbal game I play with our daughter when we are in the car, waiting in line, or otherwise away from our 'craft' supplies...
It's called "Guess the Animal". You can play with as many or as few people as you have nearby. The first person thinks of an animal, and says, "I'm thinking of an animal that..." then gives 1-3 clues to help the others guess, such as "I'm thinking of an animal that lives in the jungle, has spots, and eats meat." The other players then shout out their guesses about what the animal is. The first person to guess correctly gets to think of the next animal. We've been playing this game with our daughter since she was four years old, and she still loves it four years later!
You can also adapt the game to be "Guess the Famous Person" or "Guess the Country" or whatever category that best suits the ages and interests of your children.
Enjoy!
It's called "Guess the Animal". You can play with as many or as few people as you have nearby. The first person thinks of an animal, and says, "I'm thinking of an animal that..." then gives 1-3 clues to help the others guess, such as "I'm thinking of an animal that lives in the jungle, has spots, and eats meat." The other players then shout out their guesses about what the animal is. The first person to guess correctly gets to think of the next animal. We've been playing this game with our daughter since she was four years old, and she still loves it four years later!
You can also adapt the game to be "Guess the Famous Person" or "Guess the Country" or whatever category that best suits the ages and interests of your children.
Enjoy!
> 60 days ago
Hi Rita,
Most all "hands-on" activities will require other materials, but just singing, dancing, exercising, and verbal games can be played without a mess.
We sit in the floor and play the old-school concentration game, where you sit Indian style in front of each other, and clap hands to lap, to each other, switching hands and movements I started with the pattern, hands, clap, lap, (clap your hands, high 5's both hands, clap your lap) and then add to the patterns to make to extend movements, go faster, slower, etc.
Also "I Spy" is fun, "I spy with my little eye- something (choose a color that you see)", and your child looks around for that object to guess what you've spied. Take turns.
We also played "Guess what I am" This is where you give clues, for example: "I can fly" your child might would guess, a bird, you continue with the next clue, "I have a engine", your child my guess an airplane, next clue " I can do this" and spin around with arms out, your child will probably guess a helicopter. Take turns, adding to the clues as you play to continue.
There is "Hot or Cold" where you can either site an object or hide an object, your child is to search for the object, you can say "warm, warmer or hot" as your child gets closer, "cool, cooler, cold, freezing" as your child is getting further away from the object.
Depending on age of child, there are many activities that you can do without materials, just be creative and figure ways to incorporate a learning lesson into the activity as you play.
Have fun!
Most all "hands-on" activities will require other materials, but just singing, dancing, exercising, and verbal games can be played without a mess.
We sit in the floor and play the old-school concentration game, where you sit Indian style in front of each other, and clap hands to lap, to each other, switching hands and movements I started with the pattern, hands, clap, lap, (clap your hands, high 5's both hands, clap your lap) and then add to the patterns to make to extend movements, go faster, slower, etc.
Also "I Spy" is fun, "I spy with my little eye- something (choose a color that you see)", and your child looks around for that object to guess what you've spied. Take turns.
We also played "Guess what I am" This is where you give clues, for example: "I can fly" your child might would guess, a bird, you continue with the next clue, "I have a engine", your child my guess an airplane, next clue " I can do this" and spin around with arms out, your child will probably guess a helicopter. Take turns, adding to the clues as you play to continue.
There is "Hot or Cold" where you can either site an object or hide an object, your child is to search for the object, you can say "warm, warmer or hot" as your child gets closer, "cool, cooler, cold, freezing" as your child is getting further away from the object.
Depending on age of child, there are many activities that you can do without materials, just be creative and figure ways to incorporate a learning lesson into the activity as you play.
Have fun!
> 60 days ago
