Make your art roll. If your child can’t put down his favorite car to pick up a brush, let him use the vehicle as a brush. Show him how to drive trucks and trains over puddles of wash-able paint on a cookie sheet, then roll off the paint in designs on paper taped to the […]
Budding chemists aren t the only ones who will get a kick out of these experiments. From gassing up a balloon to making quicksand, every project is enjoyable and teaches something about how the natural world works. Â SALT MONSTER Have an adult bring 1 cup water to a boil in a saucepan; remove from […]
Inspire your toddler’s creativity with this clever creature.  • egg carton • scissors • pipe cleaners • glue • felt • tissue paper • markers Cut an egg carton in half lengthwise, so you have a “caterpillar” that is six egg-lengths long. Cardboard egg cartons work best, but Styrofoam will work too.  If you are working with a cardboard egg carton, […]
Make meals more fun with these math mats kids create.  • several sheets of colored construction paper • clear contact paper • Velcro tape (adhesive back) • adult-type scissors • markers, crayons, or colored chalk Invite your child to choose several colors of construction paper. From these, cut out squares, triangles, rectangles, and circles. Name each shape as you […]
Turn on your child’s fascination with how things work with a simple homemade game.  • Catalog or magazine pictures of different types of large and small machines and appliances your child recognizes • small basket or container • oaktag or index cards • large sheets of paper (chart paper or newsprint) • drawing paper • glue stick • scissors • markers • crayons […]
Use a flashlight to see shapes! • flashlight • big piece of white paper • construction paper • tape • pencils • crayons Help your child cut different shapes out of construction paper (circles, stars, hearts, diamonds, triangles, and so forth). Tape the big piece of paper to the wall. Shine the flashlight on the white paper while your child holds up […]
  Make stamps perfect for little hands.  • potatoes (smaller white potatoes work best) • knife (adults only!) • tempera paint • paper plates • construction paper (different colors) • aluminum foil (optional) Prepare for this activity by cutting potatoes to a size small enough for your child to grasp. Next, cut away the outside of the potato so that […]
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 […]
