EXTENDING LEARNING FROM SCHOOL TO HOME
There are many games, activities, and songs to share with your children, but it can often be difficult to come up with an idea right when you need one. To help you during this extended time together, we have compiled the following list of resources, in no particular order. As with all of our resources these days, this list will be evolving, so check back periodically for additional ideas.
Earth Day
Click here to learn a little bit about Judaism's connection to Earth Day.
Make a schedule
These do not need to have times attached. Pictures can help children understand what to expect and referencing the schedule often will help them feel grounded. Check out some examples on the main resource page. AT HOME RESOURCES
Bake Challah
Start from scratch (there are many recipes available on-line) or pick up some pizza dough or frozen bread dough and shape it. Add in chocolate chips, sprinkles, apples, cinnamon, etc. If you want to try Leslie's Mom's recipe - see the link below!
Lego Build Off
Scavenger Hunt
Hide items around the house (stuffed animals, cups, hats, anything!) and find them. Take turns in who hides and who seeks.
Chalk Mural
Indoor Picnic
Backyard Camping
Plant a spring garden/tend your overgrown yard
Organize kids stuff for donation
Find kid podcasts
Eat your Spanish, Wow in the World, Brains On, Stories We Tell, Circle Round
Make Slime
Recipes on line or our favorites to follow
Read stories
Write stories, puppet show
Tie-Dye
Pillow Fort
Teddy Bear Picnic/Tea Party
Make your own Hagaddah
https://pjlibrary.org/beyond-books/pjblog/april-2016/5-short-sweet-kid-friendly-haggadahs
Learn for the 4 questions for Passover
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpxsH3i_zGc
Sock Puppets
These work with or without faces!
Puzzles
Board Games
A favorite cooperative game is Snail Pace Race. You can also create your own games.
Painting
water colors, finger painting
Homemade play dough
One of our favorite recipes is posted below.
Write a letter/draw a picture to a friend
Create a kid-art gallery wall
send them to grandparents and special friends
Make plastic bag ice cream
There are many recipes available on-line. Here’s one: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/258841/easy-ice-cream-in-a-bag/
Rearrange your furniture
Glow Stick bath time
FaceTime with a friend/relative
Write poetry as a family
This is an opportunity to work on the idea of rhyme. Rhyming can be a fun game on its own. Of course, poetry doesn’t have to rhyme.
Learn the Hebrew Aleph Bet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MXib3FH3f4
Make a memory game
When playing a memory game with small children, start with just a few cards at a time – maybe just four pairs for a three-year-old. If that is fun and the child wants a bigger challenge, add one pair at a time. Remember that the object is to have fun, not to have a large board of cards. Less is more!
Alphabet Game
Find something that starts with A, B, C, etc. (Something that starts with the A-sound, B-sound, etc.)
Create carnival games at home
Bean bag toss, use tape or pans to create areas for aiming.
Measuring items
How many shoes-long are the people in your family? How many stuffed animals? Etc.
Create with loose parts
Using stones, shells, beans, beads, yarn, etc, create designs, patterns, faces, trees, etc. https://mericherry.com/2015/03/27/tinker-trays-plus-10-ways-use/?fbclid=IwAR0zgYi9Mk8OA4QqPXF2Y1IHqP5iIgcf1ntkC5JoirU78rgrvFjgI46A2g4
Counting steps
How many steps to cross each room? From the living room to the bedroom? Graph it.
Measuring animals
How long is a dolphin/whale/horse/your favorite animal, etc.? Cut a string to that length. Compare to found objects in the house.
Science Experiments
https://funlearningforkids.com/science-activities-preschoolers/
I-Spy
Exercise/Move
GoNoodle.com, Yoga, Pushups, Sit-ups, Dance Party, Freeze Dance
PJ Library
https://pjlibrary.org/familyactivities
Create an obstacle course with tape
This can be as simple as lines to jump to/over, crawl on, tip toe, spin, etc. Here are some fun examples, but you don’t have to get too complicated to make it fun. https://littlebinsforlittlehands.com/gross-motor-sensory-play/
Click here to learn a little bit about Judaism's connection to Earth Day.
Make a schedule
These do not need to have times attached. Pictures can help children understand what to expect and referencing the schedule often will help them feel grounded. Check out some examples on the main resource page. AT HOME RESOURCES
Bake Challah
Start from scratch (there are many recipes available on-line) or pick up some pizza dough or frozen bread dough and shape it. Add in chocolate chips, sprinkles, apples, cinnamon, etc. If you want to try Leslie's Mom's recipe - see the link below!
Lego Build Off
Scavenger Hunt
Hide items around the house (stuffed animals, cups, hats, anything!) and find them. Take turns in who hides and who seeks.
Chalk Mural
Indoor Picnic
Backyard Camping
Plant a spring garden/tend your overgrown yard
Organize kids stuff for donation
Find kid podcasts
Eat your Spanish, Wow in the World, Brains On, Stories We Tell, Circle Round
Make Slime
Recipes on line or our favorites to follow
Read stories
Write stories, puppet show
Tie-Dye
Pillow Fort
Teddy Bear Picnic/Tea Party
Make your own Hagaddah
https://pjlibrary.org/beyond-books/pjblog/april-2016/5-short-sweet-kid-friendly-haggadahs
Learn for the 4 questions for Passover
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpxsH3i_zGc
Sock Puppets
These work with or without faces!
Puzzles
Board Games
A favorite cooperative game is Snail Pace Race. You can also create your own games.
Painting
water colors, finger painting
Homemade play dough
One of our favorite recipes is posted below.
Write a letter/draw a picture to a friend
Create a kid-art gallery wall
send them to grandparents and special friends
Make plastic bag ice cream
There are many recipes available on-line. Here’s one: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/258841/easy-ice-cream-in-a-bag/
Rearrange your furniture
Glow Stick bath time
FaceTime with a friend/relative
Write poetry as a family
This is an opportunity to work on the idea of rhyme. Rhyming can be a fun game on its own. Of course, poetry doesn’t have to rhyme.
Learn the Hebrew Aleph Bet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MXib3FH3f4
Make a memory game
When playing a memory game with small children, start with just a few cards at a time – maybe just four pairs for a three-year-old. If that is fun and the child wants a bigger challenge, add one pair at a time. Remember that the object is to have fun, not to have a large board of cards. Less is more!
Alphabet Game
Find something that starts with A, B, C, etc. (Something that starts with the A-sound, B-sound, etc.)
Create carnival games at home
Bean bag toss, use tape or pans to create areas for aiming.
Measuring items
How many shoes-long are the people in your family? How many stuffed animals? Etc.
Create with loose parts
Using stones, shells, beans, beads, yarn, etc, create designs, patterns, faces, trees, etc. https://mericherry.com/2015/03/27/tinker-trays-plus-10-ways-use/?fbclid=IwAR0zgYi9Mk8OA4QqPXF2Y1IHqP5iIgcf1ntkC5JoirU78rgrvFjgI46A2g4
Counting steps
How many steps to cross each room? From the living room to the bedroom? Graph it.
Measuring animals
How long is a dolphin/whale/horse/your favorite animal, etc.? Cut a string to that length. Compare to found objects in the house.
Science Experiments
https://funlearningforkids.com/science-activities-preschoolers/
I-Spy
Exercise/Move
GoNoodle.com, Yoga, Pushups, Sit-ups, Dance Party, Freeze Dance
PJ Library
https://pjlibrary.org/familyactivities
Create an obstacle course with tape
This can be as simple as lines to jump to/over, crawl on, tip toe, spin, etc. Here are some fun examples, but you don’t have to get too complicated to make it fun. https://littlebinsforlittlehands.com/gross-motor-sensory-play/
Leslie's Mom's Challah Recipe:
|
Tye dye and braiding courtesy of Leslie's daughter, Naomi. |
Teacher Daniele’s slime recipe –
Mix one cup warm water with 1 tsp borax until it’s dissolved. Add 1/2 cup Elmer’s glue and a couple drops food coloring. Mix together.
Hint- Elmer’s glue works best. Cheap glue doesn’t work as well for some reason. Also instead of glue you can use bio color paint and borax water mixture.
If it’s too thin, add more glue!
PTS Teacher's favorite no-cook Play Dough recipe -