• family photos • postcards, tickets, and greeting cards • 8″ x 10″ piece of cardboard • picture frame for an 8″ x 10″ photo, with mat • crayons • fabric, paper scraps, or other decorative items • child safety scissors • glue Read a book about families, such as The Family Book, by Todd Parr. Talk about your own family. How […]
Write a story and make a moving picture book to display it. • four paper-towel tubes • one narrow cardboard box • roll of brown paper • washable paint, markers, glue, and masking tape • adult-size scissors and utility knife • child safety scissors • ruler • old magazines First you and your child can create the “case” for his moving picture book. […]
Make your baby his very own book.  • cardboard • pictures from catalogs or magazines • glue • markers • clear contact paper  Cut a long strip of cardboard — approximately 24–30 inches long by 8 inches high. Fold the cardboard back and forth like an accordion (or a paper fan). Glue pictures cut from catalogs or magazines onto […]
Try a different kind of finger painting.  • shaving cream • newspaper • powdered tempera paint or watercolor (optional) • washable surface such as plastic table or high chair tray Seat your child at a table (or in her high chair) and spread newspaper on the floor — this is messy! You might want to have your child […]
 A new way to teach “hot” and “cold.”  • several smooth stones • old crayons • ice cubes • newspaper • box Take your child outside and find a few rocks. Point out their various shapes and sizes. Help your child select 7 or 8 smooth rocks about the size of your fist and bring them into the […]
Do you always have to use a brush to make great paintings? • construction paper • tempera paints • clean plastic-foam vegetable or fruit trays • child’s paintbrush • assorted items: pine needles, feathers, twists of paper towels, yarn, plastic flowers, pipe cleaners, and so on Have your child put on a smock. Cover the table with newspaper. Pour some […]
 Take a big bite of math, science, language arts, and more on your next trip to the grocery store.  Add it up. Take a look at your shopping list. As you place items in your cart, ask your child to add up the prices to see how much of the list you can […]
 Babies learn by listening – here’s what to say. No textbooks required!  Most likely, you are teaching your baby language without even knowing it, just by talking to her and responding to the sounds she makes. Taking turns is a cardinal feature of language. When your baby coos or gurgles, be sure to […]
