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Please note: All information is written with normally developing children in mind. It is so simple to create wonderful learning activities at home to keep your children entertained... at little cost! Don't worry too much about making a mess... your child is not small for very long and you will be providing a world of learning and imagination during important early years. - JIGSAWS
Make a jig saw from photos from magazines. Large full colour animal and people images are ideal. Contact or laminate the image. Cut them into a few simple shapes e.g. rectangles, squares, curved lines etc to create the jigsaw effect. Store them in separate containers or labelled paper bags.
Ask the children to help you or choose the images with you. The creating of them can be just as much fun as putting the puzzles together again.
Another idea is to use a photo of your child and blow it up to an A4 size on a photocopier. (Either in black and white or full colour) Laminate the print. Cut to create a simple jigsaw.
SAFETY
Use safety scissors or scissors appropriate for the child's age e.g. plastic, small, rounded points, protected cutting blades. These can be obtained at newsagents, supermarkets, preschool equipment outlets and stationary stores.
REMEMBER
Don't cut the jigsaw pieces too small. Keep it simple and age appropriate e.g. bigger and fewer pieces for smaller children.
LEARNING THAT OCCURS
- Enhancing and reinforcing the fine motor skills through the handing of the jigsaw pieces and placing them in the right order.
- Choice making...which piece will I use next?
- Valuable together time with you chatting and sharing.
- Language development... chatting about the picture, hearing the sounds of the words and the conversation you have creating it together.
- An awareness of animals, concepts and their names.
- Shape recognition
- Fun!
- JUMPING TRACK
Put the cushions or pillows from the couch on the floor and create a jumping track. The children can jump along the cushions and create various pathways to follow.
If you don't feel comfortable using your lounge suit cushions, purchase some from a second hand shop or a retail outlet that sells foam and keep it for this purpose. It's great fun on a rainy day!! Old foam mattresses and lounge chair inserts are ideal.
For variety, play lively music that the child can also jump in time to.
SAFETY:- Hold your child's hands to help them jump along the cushions and to aid balance.
- Move items surrounding the jumping track that may cause injury if the child falls e.g. sharp coffee tables, precious ornaments etc.
LEARNING THAT OCCURS: - Lower body strength
- Jumping experiences
- Valuable together time with you sharing the activity.
- Enhancing balance
- Fun!
- TUNNELS
Make tunnels from the kitchen chairs. Place the chairs (the proper way up) in a row and drape an old sheet over the top to create variety.
Make tunnels from large cardboard boxes. Vary the size of the boxes. An ideal crawling activity for enhancing the very important cross patterning action. (Opposite arm and opposite leg action).Obtain large cardboard boxes from appliance retail outlets (e.g.Fridges, washing machines etc)
SAFETY:
- Make sure your child can see you if there is a sheet blocking his overall view. Many children at a young age get anxious when they can't see you. Keep talking to them so they can hear you if they can't see you for a short time. This reinforces to them you haven't gone anywhere and are still there playing with them.
- Your child may find they bump their head sometimes, as they may not have worked out how their body fits in the spaces they are crawling under. The more they do the activity the more they get the idea. Children also need lots of spatial awareness experiences like this so they learn to move their body through/under spaces. Never force an activity or participation... just gently encourage. It needs to be enjoyed to be effective learning.
LEARNING THAT OCCURS:
- Upper body strength through the crawling action
- Cross patterning experiences
- Valuable together time with you sharing the activity.
- Enhancing balance
- Enhancing spatial awareness
- Fun!
- CUBBIES
Make a cubby under the kitchen table. Place sheets over the table and peg them together to prevent slipping. Create a door way using the pegs to hold part of the sheet back. Place cushions, favourite toys and books inside. Take in a torch to help you read or create patterns on the sheet. Read your child a story inside the cubby! Children like special places.
SAFETY:
- Make sure your child can see you if there is a sheet blocking his overall view. Many children at a young age get anxious when they can't see you. Keep talking to them so they can hear you if they can't see you for a short time. This reinforces to them you haven't gone anywhere and are still there playing with them.
- Don't place anything on top of the sheet on the table. The child may pull the sheet while playing and knock or drag it off.
LEARNING THAT OCCURS:
- Upper body strength through the crawling action getting in and out of the cubby
- Cross patterning experiences
- Together time with you sharing the activity.
- Reinforces reading
- Enhancing spatial awareness
- Fun!
- CLIMBING TRACK
Turn your kitchen chairs upside down and create a path of these chairs. The child climbs up and over the small hills created, crawling between the spaces around the legs of the chairs. They can create their own playground by rearranging the pattern of the chairs.
SAFETY:
- You will need to be supervising your child to prevent them falling off the sides or getting stuck.
LEARNING THAT OCCURS:
- Upper body strength through the crawling action
- Cross patterning experiences
- Together time with you sharing the activity.
- Enhancing balance
- Enhancing spatial awareness
- Choice making... where will I put my foot? etc.
- Fun!
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