Chalk, Swings, and Beach Balls ='s LEARNING TIME!!!

Here’s to what’s around the corner when all the snow melts! Spring and Summer Learning!

Sidewalk Chalk =’s learning… Did you realize all the fun that could be had with a box of chalk from the dollar store? Better yet, did you ever think of the summer learning you could trick your kids into with a box of sidewalk chalk.

Counting and Sorting:

First, you can count the pieces of chalk. Then have your child sort the pieces into colors. Ask show your child:

How many whites are in your box? Do we have equal amounts of white and blue? How many whites and yellows do you have?

Jumping Path;

Make a line with things your child is working on. For my daughter (who is three), I would draw a star, triangle, the sound /b/, the number 3, her name, the sound /a/. I would draw this in a path form. Then I would show my daughter how much fun it is to jump on the path. When you jump, make sure you shout out what you land on. My daughter loves this!

For older kids you could have them jump on sight words you write on the driveway. Or you may want them to jump on math problems and give the answer after they jump on the problem.

Shoot and Score;

You will need a basketball hoop and ball for this and of course, chalk! I draw three numbers on the driveway; 2, 3, 5. I place them in random places where my son can stand on the number and then shoot a basket. She stands on a number of his choice and tries to shoot a basket. If he makes the basket, he writes the number he was standing upon on the driveway(as seen in the picture). Repeat five to ten times. Add up your numbers to get your score.

Toss Game

Draw a board with three rows and three columns. In each square place a sight word. For the younger kiddos, place a number or letter sound. Have the children take a rock and toss it in the box. Whatever square it lands on, the child must read, if they read correctly, they color in the square. Play till all squares are colored/

Draw a Road

My son can spend hours drawing streets and then driving either his bike or a toy car on the street. For the younger child, draw a street for them and encourage them to drive their toy car on the street.

Water Bottle Squirt Gun Erase Game:   Draw stars on your driveway. Have you children or two teams of children race to squirt their star off the driveway.

Here are a few ideas to help with taking turns on the swing as well as throwing in some learning fun!

Counting: one person's turn end after the swinger counts backwards, 5-1, counts in Spanish, counts by 5’s, counts by 10’s.

Spelling: Sometimes turns are over after a swinging kiddo spells first and last names (we help each other out and yell out a letter with each push), sometimes we spell our family's names, our friends' names, or our dog name.

Rhyming: The waiting person calls out a word and the swinging kid calls out a rhyming word with each push, or we all take turns yelling a rhyming word with each push.

Grouping: The waiting person calls out any word (colors, sports, cars, tv shows) and the swinging person yells out words that go with that topic with each push.

The dollar stores have out all of their summer fun treats; like, BEACH BALLS! Here are a few ideas of ways to use those beach balls.

1.) Write out the numbers on the top and bottom sections. Throw the ball gently to a child and they have to add the numbers where there thumbs are.

2.) Another game is to sit in a circle and count to a specific number. Whoever says that number has to go to the center of the circle. Keep going till there are two left. Everyone yells showdown and they play till we we have a winner . I have done this with counting by 2's, 5's, 10's, days of the week, months, etc. Easy and quick and they really like it a lot!

3.) Today my son and I tried to see how many times we could throw it to each other without dropping it. We set a timer for one minute to see how many times we could throw it to each other.

4.) Like musical chairs, but with a beach ball. Pass the ball around the circle, when the music stops the person holding the ball is out!

5.) Write your child's site words on the ball. Throw the ball to your child, whatever their right hand is on is the word they need to read.

6.) See if your kiddos can make a basket with the balls. Use laundry baskets. Can they make a math problem? 2+1 = 3