100 Activities to Do With Your Preschool Child

Whether You Want to Homeschool Them or Just Give Them a Great Start for School

b Heidi Johnson !!!"homeschool#ho!#to"com

2011 Heidi Johnson

http://www.homeschool-how-to.com

Its a shame I even have to put this in here, but here is the legal stuff: Co$ ri%ht &otice' You may not alter this ebook in any way, shape, or form and it must remain in its original PDF format. o portion of this book may be reprodu!ed in any manner without the !onsent of the publisher. (imits of (iabilit ' "his ebook is designed to provide helpful and useful advi!e regarding the sub#e!t matters !overed. $owever, it is understood that the author does not engage in the pra!ti!e of providing legal or professional advi!e. "he author and distributors of this ebook make no representations, warranties or !laims whatsoever regarding the a!!ura!y, effe!tiveness, legality, or !ompleteness of the information !ontained in this ebook, in!luding any and all links, referen!es, !ontent, or re!ommendations therein. "he author and distributors shall not be held liable in any form for any loss or other damages resulting from the use of this ebook. %ny and all links are for instru!tional purposes only and are not spe!ifi!ally re!ommended by the author of this ebook.

2011 Heidi Johnson

http://www.homeschool-how-to.com

&et me start out by saying that the best thing you !an do for your !hild is read to them. I suggest reading !hildren's pi!ture books to pres!hoolers for ()*+) minutes a day or longer depending on their attention span. For a great list of books you !an !hoose from !he!k http:,,www.homes!hool*how* to.!om,homes!hool*so!ial*studies.html and http:,,www.homes!hool*how* to.!om,homes!hool*s!ien!e.html -hen you do the a!tivities in this book with your !hildren, you !an in!lude reading time before or after this a!tivity time. Here is a list of the su$$lies ou !ill need to com$lete most of the activities in this boo)'
.ap or globe /hildren's and adult s!issors 0!rap paper of all kinds 1 !onstru!tion, tra!ing, or any kind of paper /olored !halk Playdough 2no !ard game De!k of !ards .3.s or raisins .arshmallows or raisins 4ars /lothespins /ookie sheet 5ubbles .easuring tape "oothpi!ks /otton balls -ashable paint Popsi!le sti!ks 5alloons 6ggs 0alt 2nited 0tates pu77le .asking tape
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*$tional su$$lies' .agnifying glass 8ld maga7ines Different kinds of dry pasta /omputer with printer

101 Activities+ 9. Calendar 1 :et out a !alendar and talk about the days of the week and months of
the year. .ark off today, find the !hild's birthday and other family birthdays. 0how them where /hristmas, 6aster, and Independen!e Day fall in the year. ;eep referring to the !alendar at least on!e a week and talk about what day it is ea!h day.

(. Cut out circles, s-uares and trian%les 1 2se any kind of variety of paper you like.
You !an get sten!ils or ob#e!ts that you !an use to tra!e these shapes or you !an #ust !ut out your own.

+. Pic) a flo!er 1 /ount the number of petals and leaves on the flower. If you have a
magnifying glass, you !an look at all the parts of the flower very !losely. &ook at whether the petals and leaves are #agged around the edges or smooth.

<. .i/ cornstarch and !ater 1 You !an use a lot or a little. -hen you get the right
!onsisten!y it will be a rubbery blob. You !an shape it around in any way you want. I would suggest doing this at a table. .ake shapes, letters, numbers, animals, or any !reation you like. If your !hild is learning how to read or learning their alphabet, this is a great time to make little letter shapes and words.

=. Do a somersault 1 "ea!h your !hild how to do a somersault. If they already know >. Dra! !ith colored chal) 1 If it's warm outside, find a pie!e of !ement and start
drawing. You !an draw their name or the names of family members. You !an draw shapes, animals or numbers too. For an indoor a!tivity, draw with !halk on dark !olored !onstru!tion paper. that, then tea!h them how to do a ba!k bend or !artwheel.

?. Cut o$en fruits 1 :et some different fruits that are in season and !ut them open
from different angles. "he apple is the most fun be!ause if you !ut it !rosswise, you will see a star in the middle. %lways look for the seeds and talk about how those seeds help make another tree or bush that will grow that fruit. 6@periment with !utting fruits in different shapes and si7es and see whi!h way you like to eat
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A. Ta)e them to the $ost office, ban) or local cit office. /all ahead and see if B. 0ind Ja$an and China on a ma$ or %lobe. "alk about how far they are away from
where you live. "alk about what time it is in those !ountries right now. If your !hild wants to know more, you !an get a referen!e book from the library or sear!h for information online. one of the !lerks would be willing to take you behind the !ounter and show you around for a few minutes to get an idea of what goes on behind the s!enes.

them the best.

9). Go for a !al) around the bloc) and talk about what you see. If the weather is
too !old, go to a mall and do the same there. If you're outside you !an talk about the trees, leaves, grass, houses, sky, !louds, !ars, et!. 4ust make observations about what you see and en!ourage your !hild to do the same. If they have Cuestions you !an't answer, make some notes to look up the answers when you get home. ama7ing to be able to really make a meal. If they already know how to !ook an egg, you !an move on to fren!h toast or grilled !heese. s!hedule. "alk about the !olors, the position of the sun and the earth, how many hours in a day, and how some days of the year are longer or shorter than others. and make a sket!h of the ma#or roads, !ity buildings, ma#or landmarks, and, of !ourse, where your house is on the map.

99. Sho! them ho! to coo) a fried or scrambled e%%. "hey will think they are 9(. Watch a sunset or sunrise depending on what works out better for your

9+. Dra! a ma$ of our cit or to!n 1 :et out all that paper and writing utensils

9<. Pla the hotter1colder %ame 1 6ither you or your !hild Dor take turnsE !an hide
an ob#e!t in a room. It !an be a stuffed animal, !up, so!k, whatever you !hoose. 8n!e the item is hidden, the finder !omes in the room and tries to find it. "he hider tells the finder whether he is getting hotter D!loserE or !older Dfurther awayE from the item he is trying to find. "hey will probably want to play this game 06F6G%& times.

9=. .a)e a recordin% to%ether 1 :et a mi!rophone or use some type of re!ording
devi!e to re!ord your voi!es. You !an read a book, sing a song or re!ite a poem. It will be fun to hear your own voi!es played ba!k.

9>. Pla !ith $la dou%h 1 ;ids love playing with this stuffH .ake sure you in!lude
making some letters or numbers or !ount the items that you make. You !an use plasti! knives, !ookie !utters and rolling pins to help make fun !reations. $ere is the re!ipe I use for homemade playdough: .i@: 9 ! flour, I ! salt, and ( t !ream of tartar. "hen slowly add 9 ! water and then 9 " !ooking oil. You !an add food
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!oloring or a pa!kage of ;oolaid for !olor. /ook and stir !onstantly for + minutes until it forms a ball. Gemove from heat. ;nead immediately Dwith rubber gloves onE until smooth. If the dough is too sti!ky, #ust add some more flour. .y !hildren always had hours of fun making all kinds of different things with playdough.

9?. What2s missin% 1 :et a tray and put several toys, food items, or any set of items
that fit on the tray. $ave your !hild study what is on the tray. "hen have them !lose their eyes and take one item away. -hen they open their eyes, have them guess whi!h item you took away. ;eep taking things away one at a time guessing whi!h item is missing. Your !hild will probably want to Cui7 you on this one too.

9A. Go outside for a !hile and stud the clouds. You !an lay on a blanket with your
!hild or #ust look up at the sky for a while. If you want to !ount some of the !louds, that would help reinfor!e their !ounting skills. You might want to look at some books about !louds before you go out, but you !an #ust look at the !louds for fun.

9B. Pla %rocer store* 0ave some empty pa!kages like !ereal bo@es, !ra!ker bo@es,
noodle bo@es, egg !artons et!. You !an even use some full !ans of food too. 0et up your pretend gro!ery store somewhere in your house and take turns being the !ashier and the shopper. :et some play money or make your own. You !an Jpri!eK your items and add up the total and pay with your money. 8r you !an #ust pi!k out a few items and pretend that you have enough money to !over your pur!hases. seeds. Put the potting soil in the egg tray and plant one seed per spot. -ater your seeds at least on!e every day and make sure they get enough light. If you have a !lear tray, then you !an !lose the lid and hold the moisture in better, like a little greenhouse. Dplus maybe a little reading tooE.

(). Plant seeds 1 :et some potting soil, an egg !arton Dpreferably a !lear oneE, and

(9. Pla the %ame 3no to%ether. It will help your !hild learn his !olors and numbers

((. (oo) at coins # 2se a magnifying glass if you have one. Pay attention not only to
their value, but their si7e in relation to ea!h other, the rim around the edge and all the little letters and numbers.

(+. 0ind 4ussia and 5ndia on a %lobe or ma$ * "alk about how far they are away
from where you live. "alk about what time it is in those !ountries right now. If your !hild wants to know more, you !an get a referen!e book from the library or sear!h for information online. &ook at the rivers in the !ountries and whether there are any o!eans nearby.

(<. Glue $asta to $a$er 1 :et different shapes of pasta if you like, and let your !hild
glue them to !olored paper. You !an pla!e the glue for the !hild and let them lay
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the pasta down, or you !an let them handle the glue too. If you're really brave you !an let them paint the pasta after the glue has dried a bit.

(=. Act out a stor 1 You !an !hoose a story from a !hild's pi!ture book, from the
5ible or any story that your !hild has heard re!ently. If you don't have lots of people in your house you might need to use some stuffed animals for !hara!ters.

(>. Pla the as$rin %ame 1 "ake an asprin or small tablet Dmaybe a !hild's vitamin if
you're worried about them ingesting the asprinE and lay it somewhere in a designated room. You !an play this with one !hild but it's a bit more fun with more people. 8n!e the asprin is pla!ed in plain view somewhere in the room, tell everyone they !an go ba!k into the room to look for it. -hen they find the asprin, they leave the room without saying anything. "he last person in the room to find the asprin gets to hide it the ne@t time.

(?. *ne letter to a $a%e 1 Print ea!h of the letters of your !hild's name on a sheet
of paper that is at least A 9,(K @ 99K in si7e. 2se the whole sheet to form the letter. &et the !hild !olor or de!orate them any way they like. Put the papers on the floor in order and let them #ump from letter to letter !alling the name of the letter out loud. &ater, you !an mi@ up the letters and have your !hild put them in the right order. them in half and put a ribbon around the fold to hold the pages together like a book. Your !hild !an de!orate the outside and then draw, paint, or glue whatever kind of art or letters that they want to put in their #ournal.

(A. .a)e a boo) or art 6ournal 1 :et several sheets of paper all the same si7e. Fold

(B. Pla Go 0ish !ith a dec) of cards. Deal = or ? !ards to ea!h player. -hen a
player has ( !ards that are the same, they !an lay them down in front of them. 6a!h player takes a turn and asks the other player if they have a !ertain !ard that will give them a mat!h. If the player that was asked, doesn't have the !ard, then they say J:o FishK. "he game ends when one person gets rid of all the !ards in their hand. beads Dor !erealE onto the yarn. "his will help them develop their eye*hand !oordination.

+). (acin% 7eads or Cereal 1 :et some big beads Dor !erealE and yarn. &a!e the

+9. .a)e our o!n music 1 :et a !olle!tion of glass #ars. "hey !an be different si7es.
/anning #ars work well for this. Put different amounts of water in ea!h #ar and use a spoon to tap on ea!h #ar. Pay attention to the different sounds that !ome from ea!h #ar. You !an even try to arrange them in order from lowest to highest sound.

+(. Practice settin% the table 1 %t the pres!hool stage, !hildren still want to help
their parents. 2se unbreakable dishes to pra!ti!e setting everything where it
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++. .a)e our o!n $lacemats 1 2se legal si7e paper and have your !hild draw

needs to go. You !an start this a!tivity by getting a large pie!e of paper and outlining ea!h pie!e. "hen take the items off and pra!ti!e setting the pie!es where they are supposed to go. anything on the paper that your !hild would like. "hey !ould put ea!h of their family's names on the pla!e mats or #ust make one for themselves. In the fall it is fun to go out and !olle!t leaves and put them in between sheets of wa@ paper. 2se a warm iron to seal the leaves in and then use the sheet for a fun Fall pla!e mat. no water in themE. 0tand above the #ar with a !lothespins and try to drop a !lothespin in ea!h #ar. "his will help build their eye*hand !oordination too.

+<. Dro$$in% clothes$ins 1 2se the #ars from L+9 and pla!e them on the floor Dwith +=. Pla 8.other .a 59 1 "ake turns being the JmotherK. %sk the JmotherK if you
!an do something like walk a!ross the room or #ump up and down. "he JmotherK answers Jyes, you mayK or Jno, you may notK. It's fun to swit!h roles with this game. "his helps develop their ability to listen and follow instru!tions.

+>. 0in%er $aint !ith $uddin% 1 "his one !an get a little messy, but !an be very fun
and edu!ational. You !an either put the pudding onto a !ookie sheet or JpaintK on the !ookie sheet with pudding after you have dipped it out of a bowl. 6n!ourage your !hild to make letters or !opy the letters that you make with the pudding. $ave them write their name, J.omK, JDadK, J:randmaK, et!.

+?. .:. .ath 1 "here is a book !alled the .3. /ounting 5ook that you !an get, but
you don't have to have it for this a!tivity if you don't want to get it. &ay out a sele!tion of .3.s Dat least 9)*()E. You !an sort the .3.s by !olor helping your !hild learn their !olors. "hen talk about adding one or two .3.s together and figuring out how many you have then. ;eep playing with adding different sele!tions of .3.s. "hen the fun part !omes when you talk about subtra!ting. If I have = .3.s and I eat one, how many do I have leftM:E If you don't want to use .3.s, you !an easily use raisins instead. them for this a!tivity. :et a large sheet of paper or poster board and have your !hild make a !ollage of their favorite things. "hese !an be toys, food items or anything else that they think of. If you have maga7ines, then you !an !ut pi!tures out of them and glue them to your paper. If you don't have maga7ines, then your !hild !an draw their favorite things.

+A. . favorite thin%s 1 If you have some old maga7ines laying around you !an use

+B. Paint the door or house 1 If it's warm enough outside, get a bu!ket of water and
a !lean paint brush. Find a door or side of a house, garage, or barn and let them JpaintK the area. If the building is dark, the water will show up more. "hey will
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have an endless !anvas be!ause the water will evaporate and they !an start over again.

<). .a)e $asta nec)laces 1 :et some yarn and string different kinds of pasta on the
yarn. You !an make ne!kla!es or #ust long strings. You !an make different patterns with the pasta by doing ( of one kind and then + of another kind, and so on. really fun printable toys http:,,www.thetoymaker.!om,("oys.html

<9. Print out paper dolls, houses, or !ars at different websites. "his one has some

<(. Pose and have your pi!ture drawn by your !hild, or have your !hild pose and draw <+. Pu;;les 1 Do any kind of pu77les you !an find. "hese are so easy to get at garage
sales or thrift stores. -hen your !hild outgrows them, you !an pass them on to someone else. I suggest you do pu77les with your !hild at least on!e a week if you !an. their pi!ture.

<<. Sort laundr 1 "his might not sound like fun to you anymore, but pres!hoolers
!an really get a ki!k out of putting different arti!les of !lothing into piles by !olor. "his will help them learn their !olors. "hink of other mundane !hores you do that your !hild !an do right alongside of you. "hey love spending time with youH ma#or applian!e, make sure you grab itH &et your !hildren !olor it and de!orate it to their hearts !ontent. %dd pillows, blankets, books and stuffed animals. "hey will have a great time and think you are the best mom ever.

<=. Get bo/es and build a fort 1 If you ever !ome a!ross a big bo@ that held a

<>. 0ind the (etter 1 :o to my website at http:,,www.homes!hool*how*to.!om,free*

homes!hool*worksheets.html and print off the JFind the &etterK page there. Put a letter of your !hoi!e in the bo@ at the top right. Your !hild then needs to find that letter on the page and !ir!le ea!h letter that mat!hes the letter you put in the bo@. You !an either keep printing off this page, or put the paper in a sheet prote!tor and use a vis a vis marker that !an be wiped off with a damp !loth after ea!h use.

<?. 0ollo! the Dots 1 :o to the same website as above and print out the Follow the
Dots page. "his will help your !hild develop early reading and writing skill by moving a!ross the page from left to right. You !an either keep printing off this page, #ust follow along with your finger, or put the paper in a sheet prote!tor and use a vis a vis marker that !an be wiped off with a damp !loth after ea!h use.

<A. .a)e bread or rolls 1 Find a good yeast bread or roll re!ipe that you !an make
with your !hild. "his will take a few minutes over the !ourse of several hours. It's really fun to talk about yeast and what effe!t it has on the dough. "hen it's fun
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to !ome ba!k and see how mu!h it has !hanged your dough, and then the final produ!t. If you have a mi@er with a dough hook, then the #ob be!omes even easier.

<B. Pe$$er e/$eriment 1 Fill a !up or bowl with water. 0prinkle some pepper on top.
Put some soap on the tip of your finger and tou!h the top of the water where the pepper is. 0ee the pepper Jrun awayK from your finger. "alk to !hildren about how the soap repels the pepper.

=). .a$ find 1 Find 6ngland, Fran!e, :ermany, Italy, and the .editerranean 0ea on a
map or globe. "alk about how far they are away from where you live. "alk about what time it is in those !ountries right now. If your !hild wants to know more, you !an get a referen!e book out of the library or sear!h for information online.

=9. <isit a farm or local $lace of business 1 Fisiting a dairy farm at milking time !an
be fun to wat!h. If you have already been to a farm or live on a farm, then pi!k another business in your area that your !hild might like to see su!h as a florist, gro!ery store, restaurant, et!. /all ahead and ask if they will take a few minutes to give your !hild a little tour of the behind*the*s!enes workings of their business. !an of frosting Dstore bought works bestE and have fun making some houses. You !an make small or large houses of different designs.

=(. Graham crac)er houses 1 :et a bo@ of graham !ra!kers, a small spatula, and a

=+. .ovin% raisins 1 If you happen to have some !lear !arbonated soda water handy, =<. Sun fadin% 1 "ra!e some ob#e!ts on dark !olored !onstru!tion paper and !ut
drop some raisins into a glass with the soda water. -at!h how the raisins rise and fall be!ause of the air bubbles. them out. 0ave the original paper and put the !ut outs out in the sun for a few hours. "hen !ompare the sun faded !utouts with the original paper and see how mu!h the !olor !hanged.

==. Dra! a $icture 1 0ometimes young !hildren don't want to take the time to make
a drawing, but if you give them the idea to send it to a distant relative, they might be more motivated. Pi!k a relative and some spe!ial paper and !reate away. "hen help them find the address and put it on an envelope with a stamp and their spe!ial pi!ture inside and take it to the post offi!e.

=>. Chemistr in the Sin) 1 .y son absolutely &8F60 doing this. $e's B and still
loves doing this a!tivity. :o to any sink or bathtub in your house. Pour about I to 9 !up of baking soda on the drain. "ake a bottle of vinegar and pour it over the baking soda and wat!h the rea!tion. "his is really fun to wat!h and !leans your drain at the same time. You !an keep pouring vinegar in the drain until all the baking soda is dissolved. -ait at least 9= minutes before running water down the
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drain in order to let the rea!tion work the best. If you want even more s!ien!e a!tivity ideas, you !an get books like 0!ien!e in 0e!onds with ;ids. You !an make a vol!ano out of playdough with baking soda and red food !oloring inside. Pour vinegar inside and see the JeruptionK.

=?. Calisthenics *"ea!h your !hild how to do #umping #a!ks, run in pla!e, and step
from side to side. "urn on some musi! and set a time and have a little e@er!ise time ea!h day if you like.

=A. S!eet Potato $lant 1 Pur!hase a sweet potato and put <*= toothpi!ks in it around
it's middle. "ake a glass #ar or !up that is wide enough for the sweet potato to fit in, but narrow enough for the toothpi!ks to rest on it's rim. $ave your !hild pour water into the #ar !overing at least a !ouple of in!hes of the bottom of the sweet potato. Put the #ar in a ni!e sunny pla!e and wat!h it grow over the ne@t !ouple of weeks. Your potato should grow roots out of the bottom and leaves and then vines from the top. You should transplant the potato into a pot or the ground !overing the whole potato with soil. Your !hild will now have their own sweet potato plant. bo@es down for a total of (A bo@es. Find out when the full moon o!!urs. "hat night, go outside and look at the moon with your !hild. $ave them draw a !ir!le in the first bo@. "hen go out ea!h night and look at the moon and draw what you see. Your !hild will learn that the phases of the moon !hange during this (A day !y!le. %ustralia, and the %tlanti! and Pa!ifi! o!eans. "alk about how far they are away from where you live. "alk about what time it is in those !ountries right now. If your !hild wants to know more, you !an get a referen!e book from the library or sear!h for information online.

=B. Chan%in% of the .oon 1 "ake a sheet of paper and draw ? bo@es a!ross and <

>). .a$ finder 1 :et out your map or globe and find the !ontinents of %fri!a and

>9. Po$corn e/$eriment 1 .i@ ( tablespoons baking soda in a small glass filled about N
full with water. %dd 9)*9= pop!orn kernels and 9 or ( drops of food !oloring. %dd a few drops of vinegar and after a minute or two the pop!orn kernels should move around.

>(. .a)e $a$er air$lanes 1 .ake your planes in various shapes and si7es and see
whi!h designs and si7es fly the best. "here are lots of good paper airplane books you !an use if you need help.

>+. Teachin% (eft14i%ht and Colors 1 Your !hild doesn't have to do =) workbook
pages on !olors and knowing their left from their right to be able to learn these fa!ts. "hey #ust need parents who will talk to themH -hen your !hild is rea!hing for something or asks you where something is, #ust tell them to look to the right,left or tell them that the item is in a right or left hand drawer. -hen they
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ask you for a !up or a bowl, ask them if they want the green one or the red one. "hey will Cui!kly learn whi!h !olor is whi!h. In this natural intera!tion with you bringing up !olors and the !on!ept of left and right, they should be able to master the !on!epts pretty easily. 0ome !hildren will take longer than others, but if you keep working at it slowly and without pressure, they will follow your lead eventually.

><. Disa$$earin% 5n) 1 :ive your !hild a pie!e of paper, a !otton swab, and a small
bowl of lemon #ui!e. &et your !hild dip the !otton swab in the lemon #ui!e and write anything they want on the white paper. 8n!e it is dry, take the paper and hold it up to a light bulb until the writing turns brown. spy something Dand then say a !ertain !olorEK. "he !hild needs to guess what the parent sees that is that !olor. It's fun to take turns with this game. it. $ave your !hild draw pi!tures, draw %5/s, or spell different words that he knows how to spell. "his might be a good time to tea!h the names of friends or family members.

>=. Pla 85 S$ 9 * You !an play this game #ust about anywhere. "he parent says JI

>>. Writin% Tra 1 0pread !ornmeal or ri!e in on a !ookie sheet or tray with sides on

>?. =as 0ort 1 %rrange ( kit!hen !hairs with their ba!ks to ea!h other standing
about four or five feet apart. Drape a blanket over the !hairs and allow your !hild to play inside the new fort. 2sing < or > !hairs would make the fort even bigger and more fun. If you have a !ard table, you !an throw a blanket over that instead. although you !an get mu!h more elaborate than that. 5low lots of bubbles and have fun !hasing them around the yard.

>A. 7ubbles 1 I think all !hildren like blowing bubbles. %ll you need is one #ar,

>B. .easure 5t 1 :et a !loth or plasti! measuring tape and show your !hild what the
numbers mean and how to use the tape. "hen let your !hild !hoose different things that he,she would like to measure around the house. You !an even have a pie!e of paper handy and write down how long ea!h item measured and then !ompare the numbers.

?). Tooth$ic) Dra!in%s 1 Fold a bath towel and lay it on a table with a pie!e of paper
on top of it. :ive your !hild a toothpi!k and let them poke holes in the paper to make a design. You !an also draw a shape on the paper in dark marker and let your !hild poke the toothpi!k along the line to make the shape.

?9. S$ra a!a 1 Pres!hool !hildren often like to use spray bottles. If you have a
sliding glass door, low windows or mirrors, give your !hild a spray bottle with water in it and a dry !loth or paper towel. &et them spray and wipe. "he surfa!e might not look spotless when they are done, but it will be tea!hing them eye hand
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?(. .ailbo/es 1 2se any type of bo@ you have around the house and make a mailbo@
out of it. You !an tape it up and make a slit for letters or leave one end open. &et your !hild de!orate it however he,she likes. You !an save your #unk mail and put a few pie!es in the mailbo@ ea!h day or have you and your spouse write little notes to your !hild and put them in the mailbo@ too. some marshmallows or raisins and see how many letters of the alphabet they !an make. 6verybody 0erves 0oup, /ranberry "hanksgiving, or "hunder /ake, make sure you take the time to make the re!ipe in!luded in the book with your !hild. anything from the alphabet, 5ible verses, addition and multipli!ation fa!ts, states and !apitals, and mu!h more. .y teenagers still sing the states and !apitals songs to help them remember them for tests.

!oordination and beginning !leaning skills.

?+. .arshmallo! (etters* -hile sitting at a table or at a flat surfa!e give your !hild ?<. Coo) from 7oo)s 1 %nytime you are reading a !hildren's pi!ture book like

?=. Sin% ever chance ou %et. /hildren learn so mu!h from musi!. "hey !an learn

?>. Al!a s Count 1 umbers are all around us. If you're always !ounting things, then
your !hild will !at!h on to !ounting very Cui!kly. If they are helping you set the table, !ount how many plates you need. If they are having a sna!k, !ount how many items are on their plate. -hen you make !ounting fun and a natural part of life, your !hild will en#oy numbers and !ounting.

??. .a)e a Pu$$et 1 2se a small paper bag or a lone so!k to make puppets. Your ?A. Go on a Picnic 1 If the weather is ni!e outside, take a blanket and your lun!h and ?B. .a)e a Sno!man or Shee$ 1 "ra!e ( !ir!les on a pie!e of paper, forming either
a snowman or a sheep, using a mug or !up as your template. Provide your !hild with some !otton balls and glue and let them glue the !otton balls inside the !ir!les. "hen they !an draw the legs or hands and glue some raisins for eyes. find a ni!e spot to eat a pi!ni! lun!h. If the weather is nasty, then lay out a blanket somewhere in your house and have an indoor pi!ni! for lun!h. !hildren will en#oy hiding behind the !ou!h and performing their puppet shows.

A). .arshmallo! Sha$es 1 :ive your !hild some marshmallows Dsmall or largeE and A9. To Washin% 1 8n a ni!e warm day, take a large bowl or bu!ket and fill it with
some toothpi!ks. &et them !reate any kind of stru!ture or animal with these tools. water and a bit of dish soap. 5ring a bun!h of your !hild's washable toys outside and let your !hild Jgive them a bathK. "heir toys will get a good washing and they will have lots of fun doing it.

A(. 4oc) Paintin% 1 Find some ni!e ro!ks outside and let your !hild use their washable
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A+. 0in%er Paint 1 .ost !hildren en#oy finger painting. If you want to make your own, A<. Po$sicle Stic) Pu$$ets 1 Your !hild !an either make their own people or they !an
you !an use this re!ipe: 9 ! flour, 9 ! water, ( t salt. .i@ together and separate into bowls. "hen add food !oloring to ea!h bowl.

paint to !reate any kind of animal or !reature. "hey !ould also paint their name on the ro!k or make a doorstop for the house. "here are some fun painted ro!k books available too.

!ut fa!es or bodies out of old maga7ines. "hen they !an glue the image to a popsi!le sti!k. If the image is flimsy, you might want to glue it to a heavier pie!e of paper before you atta!h it to the popsi!le sti!k. "hey !an either make up their own story for a puppet show or reena!t a !hildren's pi!ture book story that you re!ently read to them.

A=. (etter of the Da 1 For a month or two, pi!k a letter ea!h day. $ave your !hild
write the letter, look for items that start with the letter, look for things in books or maga7ines that start with the letter of the day. If you want to introdu!e animals along with the letters, #ust !hoose an animal that starts with the letter of the day and emphasi7e both. You !an !asually talk about letters all the time. .ention that letters make up words and words make up books. :ive them a sense of wonder that when they learn to read they will be able to learn about even more things than they already know. all kinds of !reations with them by taping them together. "hey !an make a very long tube and put boun!y balls, !ars, or marbles in them and see what happens. berries or ri!e along with a few toys that have to stay in the bo@ like !ars, wagons, animals, et!. :et a table!loth and lay it on the floor somewhere in your house or outside. &et the kids play with the wheat or ri!e mi@ture and the toys on the table!loth. -hen it's time for !lean up, #ust s!oop up all four ends of the table!loth and dump everything ba!k in the tub.

A>. Tube Creations 1 0ave toilet paper and paper towel tubes and let your !hild make A?. 5nside Sandbo/ 1 In a re!tangular plasti! !ontainer with a lid, store wheat

AA. Water 0ractions 1 You !an do this a!tivity with a tub or in a sink full of water.
:ive your !hild several different si7es of measuring !ups. 0how them that if they pour four O !ups that it eCuals a one !up measure. &et them !ontinue to e@periment with how many !ups fill up other !ups. drawer and your !hildren like building things, you !an let them build stru!tures with these items provided you have the lids on them.

AB. Tu$$er!are To!ers 1 If you have a "upperware or plasti!ware !upboard or

B). Water and its Pro$erties 1 $ave your !hild fill up a bowl of water and either put
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it outside on a very !old day or put it in the free7er. "hen have them !he!k on the water after an hour or so. "he water might be partially or !ompletely fro7en. 8bserve the fro7en parts and then, if it's not !ompletely fro7en, !he!k ba!k when you think it will be fro7en. -hen the water is !ompletely fro7en, take it out of it's !ontainer if possible, and put it on the stove in a pan and heat it. Your !hild !an wat!h the i!e turn ba!k into water, and if you bring it to a boil, they !an see it turn to steam. "alk about all the ways that water !an !hange depending on the temperature.

B9. 0lashli%hts 1 Pres!hoolers love to play with flashlights. &et them use them in the
forts they build or let them take the flashlight into a !loset. 0how them how they !an read a book in a dark pla!e. You might even use a ball representing the moon and the flashlight representing the sun and talk about how we don't always see the whole moon. Your !hild might en#oy taking the flashlight outside in the evening and looking around the yard. they !an be felt. "ell them that there is air in our lungs. 5low up a balloon and show them that there is air in the balloon that they !an't see, but it's still there and takes up spa!e. 0how them a bowl of water and how you !an blow at the water and make it move. 8bserve the wind blowing leaves, trees, and even their hair when they go outside. "alk about the different ways that air affe!ts our lives.

B(. Air and Wind 1 "alk to your !hild about how air and wind !an't be seen but that

B+. 7alloon 0loat 1 5low up a balloon and see how long you !an keep it up in the air B<. Gravit 1 "alk about gravity and how it affe!ts our lives. -hy do balloons float to
the ground when we blow them upM -hy do we !ome down a slide when we push ourselves downM 4ump up and down and talk about why you keep !oming ba!k down to the ground. "hrow a ball in the air and talk about why it doesn't stay up in the air. ob#e!ts like a penny, a balloon, a magnet, a !rayon, a leaf, paper money, et! and see whi!h items float. You !an even write down your predi!tions on a pie!e of paper before you start. hitting it ba!k and forth to ea!h other.

B=. What 0loats 1 Fill either a big bowl or a sink with water. :ather different

B>. 0in%er$rint .atchin% 1 -rite down all your family members names on a pie!e of
paper with plenty of spa!e left between ea!h name. :o to ea!h family member with your !hild and put some lipsti!k or paint on one thumb. "hen have them press their thumb print ne@t to their name on the paper. /ompare the fingerprints and see how uniCue ea!h of them are.

B?. Taste Test 1 :ather ( similar types of food like a potato and an apple and !ut a
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sli!e from ea!h that is about the same si7e. 5lindfold your !hild and have them plug their nose so they !an't smell anything. :ive them ea!h item of food and see if they !an tell whi!h one is whi!h. "hey will soon find out that it's not easy to tell what kind of food they are eating without their sight and smell.

BA. =%% S$in 1 5oil 9 egg so that it is hard boiled Dfull rolling boil for = minutes, then
let egg sit in !old water for = minutesE. :ather an un!ooked egg and a plate. 8n!e the hard boiled egg is ready, try spinning ea!h egg on the plate. -hi!h egg spins easierM "he hard boiled egg should spin easier be!ause it is a solid. "he inside of the un!ooked egg has liCuid inside whi!h is sloshing around making it harder for the egg to spin without wobbling. to one glass, and stir until all the salt is dissolved. "alk about what you think will happen when you drop an egg into ea!h glass. "he glass with the salt in it should allow the egg to float. %dding salt to the water makes it heavier whi!h makes it able to support the egg. 0tates pu77le in hour house. If you're from another !ountry, then get a pu77le of your !ountry. %t first you will have to do the pu77le with your !hild. .ake sure you say the name of ea!h state as you pla!e it in it's spot. "alk about where you live in relation to the other states. If you have friends or family members in other states you !an mention where they live too. If you pur!hased the states and !apitals /D, you !an sing the songs after your pu77le is done. %s your !hild learns to do the pu77le on his,her own, have them say the names of the states as they put the pu77le together. -hen they get really good at it, you !an time ea!h other to see who !an get the pu77le put together the fastest.

BB. 0loatin% =%%s 1 Fill ( !lear drinking glasses with water. %dd > tablespoons of salt

9)). 3nited States $u;;le 1 If you're an %meri!an, then you should have a 2nited

9)9. 7alance 7eam 1 "ape a long pie!e of masking tape on the floor. "ell your !hild
that you are pretending that this is a balan!e beam. &et them walk along the tape heel to toe and help them learn how to develop balan!e and !oordination. If you have a (@< pie!e of wood laying around, this might work even better for a wider balan!e beam.

I hope you have en#oyed reading this list of 9)9 a!tivities you !an do with your !hild and that it has inspired you to reali7e that you /% tea!h your !hildren lots of things that they need to know. You don't need an e@pensive !urri!ulum, #ust the list of items at the beginning of these pagesH You !an do these a!tivities when your !hildren are elementary age too.
2011 Heidi Johnson http://www.homeschool-how-to.com

.ore Preschool 4esources You Can Purchase'

5and in a 5o@ 5ug Fiewer Do a Dot .arkers $uman 5ody .odel 2sborne 5ooks 1 "$6 560" edu!ational books that I have found 1 espe!ially for pres!hoolH "he best !olored pen!ils ever. Don't waste your money on anything else 1 Prisma!olor Pen!ils

.ath 4esources'
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(earnin% (etters and Writin%'

"hese are great little books for helping !hildren learn the sounds of letters and how to form them too :et Geady for the /ode

Teachin% 4eadin%' 1 -e used "ea!h Your /hild to Gead in 9)) 6asy

&essons and the :et Geady for the /ode books for all < of our !hildren. "hey are all su!h different individuals, but these worked for all of them somehow.

Wor)boo)s if ou reall need them'

If you absolutely have to find some workbook pages for your !hild, this is the best free site that I have found. http:,,www.first* s!hool.ws,I D6P.$". I wish I would have !ome up with these myself. "hey give you plenty of printable alphabet and number pages plus lots of
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other a!tivities too. 0ome !hildren en#oy workbooks and writing and others do not. 0pe!trum workbooks are also very useful and simple. Child Trainin% and Disci$line * If you are planning on homes!hooling, make sure your !hildren listen well to you and that you don't have any dis!ipline issues. 0ome great books to help with this are 5oundaries -ith ;ids, .aking /hildren .ind -ithout &osing Yours

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Internet Gesour!es for $omes!hooling $ow to $omes!hool ;indergarten 0mart -ay /ooking /ooking From Your /upboard :etting it %ll Done and 8ther .yths -omen 5elieve
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