Preparation for school isn’t just practicing ABC’s and 123’s. There are many aspects to kindergarten readiness and children all have their own unique gifts and talents. Hopefully your weekend has some leisure time so that you can squeeze in an activity to encourage physical development and encourage another part of readiness. It needs an open space, like a basement or yard.
Blow up a couple of balloons–red for valentines. Where there is space, tap them back and forth, trying to keep them up in the air. Just a few minutes will get hearts and pulses up, too. This is good for heart rates and the time together is good for heart feelings. Have fun and may the little ones tucker out before you! Does this sound like an activity you and your child can do?
Q. Why is lettuce the best valentine veggie? A. Because it’s all heart!
I was reminded today of a great resource for numbers that we hardly every think about anymore. What is it? Cards! (the real ones, not the ones on our computers) Regular, ordinary, made-out-of-paper playing cards. I even remember in the ‘olden days’ making sets of them with my sisters and cousins using the thin cardboard from shirts. Why do we forget to let our kids use real decks of cards? Noticing numbers, counting, matching, sorting, making groups and just having fun with numbers is all part of kindergarten readiness.
Kids at all ages love to explore. The challenge for adults is making sure what they are exploring is safe! At a small toy store, I found a horseshoe magnet big enough to be safe and light enough for little hands. It’s just right for some valentine science. After all, magnets are all about attraction. (Some flashlights have a magnetic holder on the handle and an empty one without batteries is much lighter.)