Activities to try at home
Follow the Leader
It's time to follow the leader! Decide who will be the leader first and everyone has to copy the leader. Try jumping, walking slowly, clapping, pulling a funny face and skipping and everyone has to copy and follow. Take turns so that everyone has a chance at being the leader. Try think of your own ideas and movements.
Stepping Stones
Place cushions, towels, mats or anything else you can find in your home and use them as stepping stones around your home or outside. Make the gaps between the stepping stones different sizes so there are small steps and big steps, or even some that need a long jump. Pretend the floor is the sea and don't fall in!
Fill the Bucket
Fill one bucket or bowl with water and place another empty bucket or bowl close by. Use a cup and see how long it takes to transfer all the water from one bowl/bucket to the another.
Challenge: Have a race and see who can move the water the fastest? Try not to spill the water!
What would happen if you used a bigger cup? Would you be able to transfer the water faster or slower?
Magic Bag
'Magic Bag' is a fun activity we use regularly with the children at nursery for group times and it can used for so many different activities. Find an empty bag and decide on a theme for the magic bag and fill it with toys or items from around your home. Some examples are:
- Farm animals
- Colours (red/blue/yellow/orange objects etc)
- Numbers
- Initial letter sounds (Objects beginning with the letter sound 'S' - socks, scissors, straw, string, soup - don't forget to emphasise the letter sound 'ssssss' when you name each item)
- Healthy and unhealthy foods (Apple, banana, carrot/crisps, sweets, fizzy drink)
- Transport (car, train, aeroplane, truck etc.)
- Textures (Stone, cotton wool, feather, bubble wrap, foil)
Sing with your child, "Magic bag, magic magic bag, what's in the magic bag?"
Encourage your child to place their hand inside the bag and pull out an item. Talk about what the item is, how it looks, what it could be used for, what it feels like?
Sing the 'Magic Bag' song again and continue to pull out items one by one until the bag is empty.
Don't be afraid to repeat the same activity with your child as they will be able to remember it much better the next time you do it, if they found it tricky the first time.
Rainy Days
Rainy days are just as much fun as sunny days! Make sure you wrap up warm with a jumper, coat, hat, gloves, waterproof clothing if you have some and don't forget your wellies! Head outside in the rain and hunt for puddles. Have fun jumping and splashing in the puddles together. How many puddles do you think you can find? How many times can you jump in the puddle? Who can make the biggest splash?
Time to Dance
Dancing is lots of fun and is a great way to exercise. Turn on the radio or play your favourite songs from a CD or even from YouTube. Try to get everyone from your house to join in as you all dance and have fun. Take turns showing off your dance moves and see if everyone else can copy. Make them as silly as you can think of.
Make your own Play Dough
Play dough is easy to make and can provide hours of fun. You will need:
2 cups of plain flour
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil (baby oil and coconut oil work too)
1/2 cup of salt.
2 tablespoons of cream of tartar.
1 to 1.5 cups boiling water (adding in increments until it feels just right)
Food colouring (optional)
Method:
- Mix the flour, salt, cream of tartar and oil in a large mixing bowl
- Add food colouring to the boiling water, and then add the water into the dry ingredients
- Stir continuously until it becomes a sticky, combined dough
- Allow it to cool down then take it out of the bowl and knead it vigorously for a couple of minutes until all of the stickiness has gone.
- If it remains a little sticky then add a touch more flour until just right
When you have finished with your play dough, store it in an airtight container so that it can be used again and again.
You could make patterns and marks in the dough using your hands, fingers or objects from around the house such as forks or spoons. Bumpy or textured objects will leave interesting marks in the dough. Talk to your child about what you can both see as you describe the marks. Encourage rolling and kneading will also help to develop hand and finger muscles.
Obstacle Course
It's time to get moving! You can make your own obstacle course at home using chairs, blankets, tables, boxes or stools. You could set it up in the garden or even inside if you can make room. Work together to set up the obstacle course, talking about where you are going to put each item and how you are going to move around the obstacle course. Here are some ideas to get you started - crawling under the table, jumping over the boxes, balancing along a rolled up blanket or weaving in and out of stools. Try to make it challenging! I wonder who can complete it the fastest? Is there anything you can add to make it trickier?
Talking Time
Try to have some special one to one time with your child every day where you can both listen, share your thoughts and ideas and talk about the nice things that have happened today. Find somewhere quiet in the house together and make sure there are no distractions such as the TV or iPads. You might want to talk about or look at something you have made together that day, there might have been a funny game that you have played that made you both laugh or it might have been a special book you have read. This could be something you can both look forward to each day.
Number Hunt
Choose a special number to hunt for! Take turns looking around the house and see how many different places you can find the number. Look at the wall clocks, digital clocks on the microwave or oven and numbers on food packaging. You could also try standing in the garden or looking down the street from a safe place to see if you can spot your special number on cars, door numbers or on wheelie bins.
Check back and watch the number formation videos and see if you can write your special number.
Bubbles
Make your own bubbles and bubble wand from home
Mix together
- 50ml washing-up liquid (one part)
- 300ml water (six parts)
You can make your own bubble wand using paperclips, straws or pipe cleaners and off you go. How many bubbles can you blow? How many big bubbles can you pop?
Clink on the link below for more ideas -
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/how-make-bubble-mixture
Shopkeeper
Take some food items from your cupboards and place them on the table or sofa or anywhere that would make a good pretend shop. You will need a bag and some coins (remember to wash the coins first with hot soapy water). Take turns being the customer and the shopkeeper and have lots of fun! Talk about what you want to buy and how much it will cost. Count the food items together as you place them in the shopping bag.
What other role-play games can you play at home? Why not try make a hairdressers or doctors?
Toilet Training
If your child is showing signs that they are ready, it could be the perfect time to start toilet training your child while you are at home.
- Introduce your child to the potty/training seat and talk about what it is used for. Let them sit on it so they can become familiar with it. You could even let them stick some stickers on their potty or seat to make it fun and exciting
- Regularly sit your child on the potty throughout the day and use lots of encouragement and praise - letting them hold a book or toy might help them to sit still
- Remember not to make a fuss of any accidents, it will stop them feeling worried or anxious and they are more likely to be successful next time
- Try avoid tight clothing or clothing with lots of buttons or zips
For more tips and ideas
Family and Friends
It is important that we stay home and stay safe but keeping in touch with family and friends is also important for you and your children. You could call family members such as grandparents, aunties/uncles or cousins and talk over the phone, or even video call so you can see each other. Young children could maybe show off some of things they have been doing at home such as drawing a picture or making a sensory bottle.
Health and Wellbeing
During this uncertain situation, it is important to look after yourselves and your families. It can be a worrying time for children with changes to daily and weekly routines so it is important to try maintain some structure at home. Try make a family timetable together, with time slots for meals, exercise, reading and bedtimes.
Feelings and emotions are important - try talking about how you or your child is feeling. It might be helpful to do this using a toy or doll to help them understand or express their feelings. If you or your child are feeling worried, take some time doing things you enjoy to help reduce some of this worry by listening to music, going for a walk, watching a movie together or playing a game.
I Spy
Play ‘I Spy’ something that is red/blue/big/small. You can use lots of different describing words as clues to what it might be. If you’re child is ready, try play the game using initial sounds to help with their phonics. I spy something that begins with a c-c-c/sssss/p-p-p
Jolly Phonics
Try watching and singing along with the Jolly Phonics songs using the video below
Den Building
Work together to build a den! You could build the den indoors or outside. Try using chairs, a clothes airer, sheets/blankets and some pegs to hold everything in place. How big can you make it? Place some pillows inside, get cosy and share a book together.
Listening Walk
Stand in the garden or go for a walk together and stop and listen to all the different noises you can hear. Talk about the sounds and ask questions about them. I wonder what it could be? Is it a loud sound or a quiet sound? How many sounds can you hear?
Sock Matching
Take turns finding matching pairs of socks while helping to do the washing. Look at the socks and talk about their colours and patterns. What kind of pattern does it have? How many pairs can you match?
Collection Challenge
Find an empty box and work together to find 5 blue objects from around the house. Once you have collected the items, take them out of the box and talk about what you have found. You could discuss size, shape and what it is used for. Put the items back where they belong and play the activity again, maybe this time you could look for something yellow or red?
Pass the Ball
Take turns passing the ball to each other in as many different ways as you can think of! You could throw or roll the ball, use your hands or feet, try passing the ball slowly or fast, but try not to drop it! Try to count out loud every time you pass the ball..... can you make it to 10?
Rainbow Scavenger Hunt
Go on a scavenger hunt and see if you can you find something to match each of the different colours of the rainbow. Maybe you could put all the things you have found together to make a RAINBOW
Challenge - Can you name a fruit that is red?
Animal Noises
Have some fun making different animal noises! Who can be the noisiest elephant? Who can be the quietest mouse? I wonder what other animals sounds you can make with your voices?
Simon Says
Play 'Simon Says' using different actions with your body and carefully count each action that the lead person shouts out
Simon says...
Jump on the spot 5 times
Touch your nose 3 times
Hop on one leg 6 times
Pat your head 8 times
Stamp your feet 4 times
Turn around 2 times
What other actions could you add?
Try Something New
Why not try something new to eat that you haven't eaten before? Talk about what the new food looks like, smells like, feels like and tastes like. Is it sweet or sour? Is it soft or hard? Did you like the taste of it?
What is your favourite food to eat?
Painting with Water
Try painting with water outside in the garden on a dry hard floor, on the pavement or on a wall. Just add some water into a bucket or small container, dip your paintbrush and see what different marks you can make. Can you make a long wiggly worm or maybe a scary monster!
Pasta Threading
Use some string, a shoelace or even dry spaghetti and carefully thread dry pasta onto it. This is great for developing fine motor skills to get those little fingers ready for writing. You can even count the pasta pieces as you add each one. I wonder how many you can fit?
Sensory Mark Making Bags
Mix together in a bowl, 1 cup of flour, 6 tablespoons of water and a few drops of food colouring. Place the mixture into a sealable sandwich bag and then seal with tape to ensure no leaks. Use your finger to draw lines, shapes or even letters from your name. I wonder what you will make?
Share a Story
Choose one of your favourite books and find somewhere comfy and quiet to share a story. Look at the different characters and talk about what they look like and think about what might happen next in the story. Which story is your favourite?
CBeebies
Why not watch 'Something Special' to keep up with the signs you have been learning at Nursery or do some exercise with 'Andy's Wild workouts'? https://www.bbc.co.uk/tv/cbeebies
Make a Rainbow
Lots of people are making rainbows to put in their windows as a sign of hope. Perhaps you could have a go at making one?
Splish, Spalsh, Splosh!
Collect some empty containers and let your child play in the bath with them. We find that all children love to fill and empty containers. Add some bubbles for even more fun!!
