Kids Learning Activities To Try at Home

I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. ~Maya Angelou

You've always had the power, my dear. You just had to learn it for yourself. ~Glinda the Good Witch, The Wizard of Oz

Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible. ~ Dalai Lama

You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. ~Wayne Gretzky

Play dress-up. Few things delight a child more than seeing grown-ups wearing a ridiculous variety of wigs, masks and accessories, so join in on the fun!

Bounce a balloon in the air without letting it touch the floor.

Read together. I love how it gives us a chance to cuddle up and be together without having to chase anyone around. Even my very active boys enjoy it.

Save a cardboard box or two from the recycling bin for your toddler to transform into a rocket ship, a playhouse, a sword and shield, a doll's crib...whatever they can imagine! I highly recommend getting cardboard scissors (to be used by an adult!) if you think this might become a regular thing, as they make it SO much easier to cut shapes out of your cardboard.

Placing letters on a letter board. I discovered this one by accident, but I love how it keeps my 4-year-old sitting quietly for long stretches of time while he tries to get the plastic letters to stay in my felt letter board.

Peeling and placing stickers. Sticker books are great for this - we like the "paint by sticker" series, though it may be a little challenging for some little ones. My 4-year-old is awesome at it, but my 6-year-old (whose fine motor skills definitely need work) struggles a bit. I also really like the Phidal line of reusable sticker books - the quality is such that they truly are reusable!

Dressing dolls, especially barbies. When my kids were really little this usually involved me sitting and playing/dressing dolls with them and then they gradually learned to do more and more on their own.

Doll houses are great for both boys and girls. It teaches them to be gentle as they try to set things up and play without knocking things over.

Picking weeds outside, watering flowers/plants/herbs and raking leaves is a chore that my kids find fun. (Added bonus if you buy their own gloves/watering can).

Putting away groceries is one chore that my teen and tween don't mind, because they like to check out the grocery haul when I bring it home.

Clearing the dishes after a meal, loading and unloading the dishwasher, and making sure that the dogs have their food and water.

Straightening the family's shoe area is a good chore that I'm about to assign to our tween, but any age could do it. Our shoes are on shelves in the bottom of our coat closet, but it becomes a disaster so quickly when the kids just kick them off into a pile and shut the door! Organizing the shoes every day will only take a couple minutes, and will make it so much easier for everyone to find their shoes on the way out the door.

The Chinese soft-shelled turtle pees from its mouth.

Frogs eat their skin after they shed it.

Butterflies taste with their feet.

Tigers have stripes on their skin, too.

My husband and I will usually take the day off work (when we can) so we can be there for drop off and pick up on the first day, which makes it feel extra special for all of us.

First day of school photos on our front steps, and couple more in front of the school too.

First day of school traditions in my house include a pancake breakfast and upbeat music. I usually include a special treat in their lunch boxes, too. When the kids return, a large after-school snack awaits them at the table to help unwind the exciting day.

We have our daughter do a quick video of how her first day of school went and what she is most excited about for the year. Also, of course the first day of school sign.

The Chinese soft-shell turtle pees from its mouth.

The horned lizard can shoot blood out of its eyes to defend itself! Check out this crazy video from Nat Geo Wild, https://youtu.be/xodVcgJ8bc0?si=xm1f_9ElTs3DRzFP

A mantis shrimp can throw a punch with the same acceleration of a .22 caliber bullet.

A group of pandas is called an embarrassment.

The kids are responsible for getting their backpacks ready before going to bed, and making sure they have all their homework, books, permission slips, etc in there, and that it is zipped up and ready to just grab and go in the morning. We sometimes need to remind them to do this, but as it becomes part of the nighttime routine it gets easier and easier!

My boys pick out their clothes the night before, and always check what the weather will be like to plan for it, as well as if they have gym or not. It makes getting dressed in the morning much easier!

Prepare lunches the night before. I have a fruit bowl and baskets with healthy snacks, so the kids can help prepare their lunches, too. If they help with preparation, they're more likely to eat it, too.

My kids also charge up their chromebooks after school/after homework so they are packed up fully charged for the next day.