Day 7

Literacy: Rope Letters
Objectives	Materials	Method
Learn the sounds of the letters Gross Motor Development	Rope	Using the rope, form a letter on the ground. Now move along the rope (hop, skip, slide, tiptoe, march, gallop) Repeat the sound of the letter over and over.
Math: Velcro Shape Puzzle
Objectives	Materials	Method
Learn the basic shapes Matching identical objects	A piece of card Velcro 4 Triangles, 4 Circles, and 4 Squares cut out of card	Draw 4 triangles, 4 circles, and 4 squares on a piece of card. Make sure they are the same as the ones you cut out of the card. Place the Velcro on the cardboard in the shapes you drew and on the the shapes you cut out of card. Help your child to complete the puzzle by matching triangles on triangles, circles on circles, and squares on squares.
Fine Motor Development: Pegging
Objectives	Materials	Method
Strengthen finger muscles Development of the pincer grip Improvement of hand-eye coordination	A basket Pegs	Show your child how to open and close a peg using their index finger and thumb. Place the pegs on the rim of the basket. Have your child remove each of the pegs from the basket and place them in the basket. Once this becomes easy, they could take each peg and place them on the rim of the basket.
Science: Hanger Balance
Objectives	Materials	Method
Learning about weights and measurement	Plastic hanger 6 pieces of string Plastic apple sauce cups Items to weigh (such as a handful of beans and a handful of rice or some small rocks)	Make three holes evenly spaced around the top of each plastic cup. Tie a piece of string through each hole. Next tie the other side of the string to the plastic hanger so that each cup is on either side of the hanger. Hang the hanger on a door handle and place items in the cups. Talk about how the weights in each cup are equal if the hanger is balanced. Add heavy items to the one cup and light items to the other cup. Discuss why the hanger is not balanced anymore.
Physical Education: Crab and Bear Walks
Objectives	Materials	Method
Coordination of Movement	Nothing	Show your child how to do the following and let them practice: Crab Walk: Spread your legs out in front of you, a shoulder's width apart with your feet flat on the ground. Bring your arms behind you with your palms flat. Gently raise your torso off the ground. Begin the crab walk by moving your left hand and right foot and then right hand and left foot. Bear Walk: Kneel in the ground and then place your hands on the ground in front of you. Lift your knees so that you are standing, while keeping your hands on the ground. Begin the bear walk by moving your left hand and right foot and then right hand and left foot.

Day 6

Literacy: Cookie Sheet Letters
Objectives	Materials	Method
Learning the letters	Cookie sheet Magnetic letters Dry erase pen	On the cookie sheet, write several letters. Have your child search through all 26 letters to find the one you have written on the cookie sheet. They can then place each magnetic letter over the corresponding written letter.
Math: Counting Game
Objectives	Materials	Method
Learning to count objects	Large piece of paper Different numbers of different objects (1 of one thing, two of another thing, three of another, and so on) Cards with the corresponding numbers of them	Divide the large piece of paper into sections with each set of items in a different section. Start at a random set of items and have your child count the items. Help them figure out which card with the corresponding number on it goes with those items. Repeat.
Fine Motor Development: Opening and Closing Bottle Tops
Objectives	Materials	Method
Development of the pincer grip Improvement of hand-eye coordination	Various bottles that have bottle tops	Begin by demonstrating how to open the bottle using the pincer grip. Allow your child the opportunity to practice until they are able to do it without assistance. Now repeat the process but this time teach them how to close the bottle using the pincer grip.
Art: Dripping Salt Painting
Objectives	Materials	Method
Exposure to various art mediums	White or black paper Salt Water mixed with food coloring Droppers Elmer's school glue	Squeeze glue all around the piece of paper. Pour salt on the glue. Using the dropper, deposit the colored water onto the salt. Allow your child to pick up the paper and move the water around the page.
Physical Education: Simon Says
Objectives	Materials	Method
Coordination of Movement Listening	Nothing	Play “Simon Says” and get them to touch their knees/toes, pat their head, shake their body, spin, and so on.

Day 5

Literacy: Yarn Letters
Objectives	Materials	Method
Begin to trace the letters of the alphabet	Sandpaper Yarn Crayons Scissors	Cut the yarn into varying lengths from 2 inches to 8 inches. Draw several large letters on the sandpaper. Show then how the yarn sticks to the sandpaper. Now let them use the yarn to trace the letters. Repeat the phonetic sound as they are working on each letter.
Math: GeoBoard
Objectives	Materials	Method
Learn the basic shapes	Make a geoboard by hammering nails into a piece of wood. Rubber Bands	Demonstrate how to create a square or a triangle using a rubber band. Help them do it. Show them different sized squares and triangles, as well as different types of triangles.
Fine Motor Development: Scissor Carrying
Objectives	Materials	Method
Learn how to carry and hand over scissors safely	Scissors	Point out to your child the blades and how they can hurt them. Show them the bows and that the scissors are handled using the bow with the blade pointing to the ground. Invite your child to carry them with the blade pointing to the ground. Next, show your child that when they pass the pair of scissors to another person they give that person the bow and not the blade. Demonstrate this and then let the child try. Point out that they should not play with scissors without supervision from an adult.
Music: Parade
Objectives	Materials	Method
Marching in time to the beat of the music Coordination of Movement	Drum: String, empty butter container Trumpet: Empty kitchen towel holder Music	Make an instrument for you and your child. Show your child how to march. Turn up the music and march around the house.
Physical Education: Laundry Basket Balloons
Objectives	Materials	Method
Coordination of Movement	Two laundry baskets Balloons Pool Noodle	Place blown up balloons in one laundry basket. Show your child how to move the balloons to the other basket by hitting them with the pool noodle. Have them try until the other laundry basket is filled with the balloons.

Day 4

Literacy: Sun-bleached Letter Puzzle
Objectives	Materials	Method
Letter recognition Matching	Foam bath letters Dark construction paper	Place the letters on the paper and let them stand in the sun for a while. Once the paper has faded, it is ready to use. The area under the letters will not have faded and will appear as the original color. Help your child place the appropriate letter on the paper where it belongs.
Literacy: Ziplock Bag Drawing
Objectives	Materials	Method
Learning the letters	Gallon size ziplock bag Food coloring Hair Gel	Mix the food coloring and the hair gel in the ziplock bag. Have your child trace letters on the outside of the ziplock bag
Math: Smaller versus Bigger
Objectives	Materials	Method
Learning to distinguish between smaller and bigger	Find sets of the same object where you have three sizes (one small, one large, and one in-between)	Set out the middle object from one set. Pull out the corresponding smaller item and ask, "is this one bigger or smaller?" If they can't identify it, give them the answer. Then pull out the largest item and ask, "Is this one smaller or bigger?" Again, help as needed. Continue with a few sets of objects until child can identify the smaller and larger objects correctly.
Math: Shape Matching
Objectives	Materials	Method
Learning the names of some basic shapes Learning to match identical objects	Shapes (such as square, circle, triangle, star, rectangle, oval, diamond, heart) cut out of different colored paper	Place the paper in a pile where all the different shapes are mixed up. Have the child select a shape. Help them find shapes that match. Have them say the name of the shape as they find matching shapes.
Fine Motor Development: Cheerio Stacking
Objectives	Materials	Method
Hand-Eye Coordination	Skewer Sticks Play dough Cheerios	Stand the skewer sticks in a ball of play dough so that it stands upright. Have your child stack the Cheerios on the skewer stick.
Fine Motor Development: Taking Down the Washing
Objectives	Materials	Method
Hand-Eye Coordination	String Clothes pins Something to hang (small items of clothing or fabric or paper)	Hang the clothing using the clothes pins. Have your child take the washing from the clothes line.
Science: Nature Scavenger Hunt
Objectives	Materials	Method
Learn the names of objects in nature	Empty egg carton Print out 6 or 12 small images of objects in nature that are easily accessible (leaves, grass, pine-cones, berries, and so on)	Place the images of the objects in each hole. Go for a walk with your child and help them locate objects that match the picture. Talk to them about the objects they find.
Physical Education: Bean Bag Balancing
Objectives	Materials	Method
Learning Balance	Bean Bag	Show your child how to balance a bean bag on their head. Have your child try. Once they can do that, have them walk around the house while balancing it on their head.

Day 3

Literacy: Sand Paper Letters
Objectives	Materials	Method
Begin to trace the letters of the alphabet	Letters cut out of sandpaper Card cut into 26 squares	Glue the sandpaper letters onto the card. Help your child trace the letter with their finger. Say the sound the letter makes as you do so.
Literacy: Highway Letters
Objectives	Materials	Method
Begin to trace the letters of the alphabet	Create letters that look like a road (black letters with white stripes running through them) Car	Have your child run over the letters with their cars. Practice saying the sound the letter makes as they do so.
Math: Magnet Fishing
Objectives	Materials	Method
Learning to read the numeral	Magnetic numbers Popsicle stick String Giant paperclip	Make a fishing rod using the Popsicle stick, the string, and the paper clip. Using the fishing rod, “fish” for the numbers. Once a number has been “caught,” help the child read the number.
Math: Counting Dominoes
Objectives	Materials	Method
Learning to match identical things	Dominoes (either the original thing or you could make them out of paper)	Place a domino on the table. Help your child find a domino with a side possessing the same number of dots and link them together by placing the two sides with the same number of dots touching. Continue this and make a long windy path. Help the child count the number of dots as they play this game.
Fine Motor Development: Hammer Heads
Objectives	Materials	Method
Developing hand-eye coordination	A block of Styrofoam Golf Tees Hammer	Put the golf tees in the Styrofoam. Show your child how to hammer the golf tees into the Styrofoam. Now let them pound away.
Fine Motor Development: Tongs and Pom-poms
Objectives	Materials	Method
Developing hand-eye coordination	Tongs Pom-poms Two bowls	Place the pom-poms in one of the bowls, while the other remains empty. Show your child how to use the tongs to move the pom-poms from one bowl to the other. Have them move all the pom-poms to the empty bowl.
Art: Print-making
Objectives	Materials	Method
Exposure to various art mediums	Finger paints Paper Cookie Sheet	Using just two colors, squirt several blobs on the cookie sheet. Let the child move the paint around, mixing it together and creating patterns. Place a piece of paper over the paint and then remove it.

Day 2

Literacy: Sand Letters
Objectives	Materials	Method
Learn how to write letters	Sand, salt, or sugar Cake Pan	Put some sand, sugar or cream of wheat in a square cake pan or box for drawing purposes. Help your child trace a letter. Say the sound as the child is tracing the activity. Have the child say the sound with you.
Literacy: Foam Alphabet Puzzle
Objectives	Materials	Method
Learn the alphabet	Foam alphabet puzzle Small tub or bowl Rice or sand	Place the rice and the letters from the foam puzzle into the tub. Have the child find a letter and show them how to put it in the puzzle. Have the child say either the letter name or the sound the letter makes (or both).
Math: Lego Stud Counting
Objectives	Materials	Method
Learn that objects can be counted	Legos or Mega Bloks	Show the child how to count the number of studs on a Lego Piece. Have the child point to each stud and count with you. Point out that there are four or six studs on that Lego piece. Repeat with Lego pieces which have different numbers of studs.
Math: Popsicle Stick Shapes
Objectives	Materials	Method
Is able to distinguish various basic shapes Is able to construct various basic shapes	Sticky Velcro Popsicle sticks	Place sticky velcro on either end of popsicle sticks (some of the same side and some of the opposite sides but always on either end). Show the child how to stick the popsicle sticks together. Show the child how to make shapes and then let them play. Repeat the names of the shapes over and over.
Fine Motor Development: Turkey Baster Water
Objectives	Materials	Method
Hand-eye coordination	Turkey Baster Two containers, with one filled with water	Demonstrate how to collect water using the turkey baster. Let the child try until they have mastered this skill. Demonstrate for to dispense the water from the turkey baster. Let the child try until they have mastered this skill. Have the child move the water from one container to the other using the turkey baster.
Fine Motor Development: Bean Bag Throwing
Objectives	Materials	Method
Learning to control hand and arm movement in order to throw (accurately)	Bean bags (these can be made by putting beans in a sock and tying a knot in the top, sewing squares of fabric together and stuffing with beans, or beans in a sandwich bag that seals). Bucket or basket to throw bean bags in to.	Explain that you want to throw the bean bags in to the bucket. Establish a throwing line (around 1-2 feet away from the bucket) and demonstrate. Having a few beanbags on hand makes this easier – less retrieving.
Music: Beat Clapping
Objectives	Materials	Method
Learn to clap to a beat	Music with a good beat	Cup child’s hands in yours and help them clap to the beat. If they get the hang of it, let go and let them clap on their own. Change the music to get different tempos.
Physical Education: Balance Beam
Objectives	Materials	Method
Develop balance	Plank of wood (such as a 2x4)	Walk along the plank of wood. You can pretend to be pirates or walk on tip-toes. You can also play Follow the Leader

Day 1

Literacy: Tracing Lines with Cars
Objectives	Materials	Method
Can trace straight and zig-zag lines	Large piece of paper Masking Tape Marker Small Car	Using the masking tape, stick the paper to a hard surface. Draw roads on the paper. First a straight road from one side of the paper to the other. Then a zig-zag road. Show the child how to drive the car along the road. Gently correct the child when they drive the car outside of the line (off the road).
Literacy: M&M Letters
Objectives	Materials	Method
Begins to recognize some of the letters of the alphabet	Paper Marker M&Ms	On the paper draw dots that form a letter of the alphabet. Show the child how to use a crayon to draw between the dots. Have the child place M&Ms on each of the dots.
Math: Gluing Squares
Objectives	Materials	Method
Learning about squares: Four equal sides makes a square.	Cut squares in various sizes and colors from construction paper (different color paper than the one child will be gluing on). Glue stick	Talk about the shape of the squares – even though they are different colors they all have four sides. Let child decide where and how to glue. (give minimal assistance with the glue as necessary)
Math: Big and Small
Objectives	Materials	Method
Learning the difference between big and small	Two objects: one large, one small (e.g. a big and small ball)	Point to the large ball and say slowly and distinctly, “This is big.” Repeat until the child understands the concept. Point to the small ball and say, “This is small.” Again, repeat until your child understands. (recognizes new object, concept, or idea) Ask the child, “Can you give me the big one?” “Can you give me the small one?” If your child can do this go to step three, if not, go back to step one. (recognizes the differences at a concrete level) Point to the object and ask, “Which one is this?” Again if your child has difficulty, go back to step two. (Recognizes the differences at an abstract level) Similarly, other concepts can be taught: tall-short, wide-narrow, light-heavy, smooth-rough, soft-hard-etc., using the appropriate objects.
Fine Motor Development: Bead Stringing
Objectives	Materials	Method
Is able to string large beads	Shoe lace or string Large wooden or plastic beads	Demonstrate how to string the beads. Let the child try to string the beads by themselves, while providing guidance. Optional: Make a necklace for the child.
Fine Motor Development: Pom-Pom Displacement
Objectives	Materials	Method
Is able to move small objects using another object	Pom-poms Tweezers Two containers	Place the pom-poms in one container. Show the child how to use tweezers to move the pom-poms to the other container using the tweezers. Have the child move all the pom-poms into the other container.
Science: Sink and Float
Objectives	Materials	Method
Is able to distinguish between objects the sink and objects that float The development of prediction and observation skills	A large bowl or bucket filled with water Several objects that sink (e.g. a rock, a spoon, a toy car, a solid ball) Several objects that float (e.g. a feather, a stick, piece of grass or a leaf, a toy boat, a hollow ball)	Demonstrate what it means to sink and float using two objects. Show each object to the child and have them guess whether it will sink or float. Allow the child to place the object in the water to see if they were right.