There are many simple and creative ways to provide enrichment and learning for your child at home that will help them have a great start on their journey to lifelong learning. Below are a few activities to try– remember to follow your instincts and observe your child to see what they like. Then, expand from there!

*These activities are designed for toddlers & pre-school aged children & can be adapted depending on a child’s needs

READING ENRICHMENT
A simple way to introduce your child to reading BEFORE they can read is by creating a “Color Reading Sheet”. On a blank page, create blocks of color with 4-5 blocks in a row diagonally across the page. Directly under this row of colored boxes, create another– and then another until the page is filled.Have your child point at each block (beginning at the top left box) and go across the page to the right. As they point, they say the color of the block outloud before moving to the next box. This is introducing the child to the process of reading (from left to right) This activity can be done daily with varrying color block sheets.

MATH ENRICHMENT
Help your child develop a strong math foundation and be active while doing it by playing “Number Dash” with two or more children. In this activity, your child will participate in large motor play, identify numbers by appearance, experience organized game play and rules. Using sidewalk chalk, write large numbers on pavement. Shout out different numbers and watch your child scramble to stand on the number. This game is simple, but it’s a wonderful way to help kids learn their numbers, in a fun, active way.

MOTOR SKILL ENRICHMENT
We all have two types of motor skills; FINE motor skills (small muscles) and GROSS motor skills (big, full body muscles). These motor skills help children with everything from writing and holding a pencil, to body awareness & balance.

Ways to improve fine motor skills are as follows:
*Drawing, painting, and coloring
*Lego building
*Puzzles
*Zipping & unzipping, buckling & unbuckling
*Squeezing “stress balls” or playing with Playdough

Ways to improve gross motor skills are as follows:
*Freestyle dancing
*Balance play (walking on a piece of string, or tape– or a low beam or curb)
*”Magic carpet rides” (Drag your child around the house on a towel, or sleepingbag. As they hold on this builds their core muscles & balance)
*Jungle gym play (climbing, ducking, twisting)