Fun for Black Hills Early Learners

We are here to bring you fun activities for any child age 0-5 years. Happy learning! At the end of each activity domain and goals for the activities are provided. For a copy of the Early Learning Guidelines click on the photo

FUN ACTIVITIES Infants This Edible Play Dough Recipe for Babies, is a great ‘first time’ play dough for babies and toddlers. It is super easy to make, contains no salt, is gluten free and is safe for babies, toddlers and older children who are more likely to place play dough into their mouths. Link to Activity Here Construction of Knowledge: Thinking and Reasoning Goal CD-1 This is a simple activity to put together! Simply add ice cubes and water to one water bottle and hot water from your sink to the other (I wouldn’t suggest adding anything hotter than that to the bottle! It does not need to be that hot in order to feel the heat through the bottle). Then let your baby explore with hot and cold. Approaches to Learning Curiosity, Information-Seeking, and Eagerness Goal AL-1 Use your own creativity to create Sensory lids for babies to explore. Link to Activity Here Construction of Knowledge: Thinking and Reasoning Goal CD-1 Toddlers Make simple I Spy Bag games for fun that can be taken anywhere! Link to Activity Here Approaches to Learning Curiosity, Information-Seeking, and Eagerness Goal AL-1 Rubbery Goop looks and feels like basic play dough but it is textured differently. It is smooth, soft and slightly stretchy.  Link to Activity Here Construction of Knowledge: Thinking and Reasoning Goal CD-1 Add cardboard tube to playdough play and see what your toddler creates. Link to Activity Here Construction of Knowledge: Thinking and Reasoning Goal CD-3 Preschoolers Make an end of summer time capsule with your kids. Either bury it outside or hide inside and pull out at the beginning of next summer. Link to Activity Here Social Studies, Family and Community Connections Goal CD-10 This is one of my favorite chemistry experiments. Check out what happens when milk, food coloring, and dish soap create a cool chemical reaction. Plus you can use it to make art! Link to Activity Here Scientific Exploration and Knowledge Goal CD-8 The simply amazing motor activities you can create with a just towel! Link to Activities Here Physical Health and Growth Goal HPD-2

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OUTDOOR FUN Infants Taking baby outside doesn't have to be complex. Sit on the grass and roll a ball back and forth. Physical Health and Growth Goal HPD-2 Spread a blanket on the grass and place your baby on his tummy. Pick up one end of the blanket and very gently roll your baby over onto his back. If your baby isn’t rolling yet, this is a great way for him to experience the sensation and help him learn and yearn to do it for himself. Motor Development Goal HPD-4 Take a bug walk with your child. Where do you find bugs? Are they on the sidewalk or the grass? Pick up rocks and look underneath. Talk back and forth about the bugs, such as, "The ants scurry into the ground" or "It's a spider, like in the song 'Itsy Bitsy Spider.'" Communication and Oral Language Development Goal CLL-3 Toddlers Make a simple bubble blower from a toilet paper tube! Link to Activity Here Construction of Knowledge: Thinking and Reasoning Goal CD-1 Use the end of the summer to pick flowers and invite children to use them to make flower prints with paint! Link to Activity Here Creative Arts and Expression Goal CD-12 It’s no secret that my kids love water play – so enjoy it before winter is upon us! Create a river with rain gutter. Link to Activity Construction of Knowledge: Thinking and Reasoning Goal CD-2 Preschoolers Want a cheap and easy way to provide your kids with endless entertainment? Grab a couple of ropes and string up a backyard tight-rope!  Link to Activity Here Motor Development Goal HPD-4 Encourage your kids to move using a hulu hoop. Lay the hulu hoop down and ask them to: jump into your hoop, now out. With hoop on ground, walk around your hoop, repeat with running, hopping and skipping. Motor Development Goal HPD-4 Gather up some recycled materials and things you find in your garage and create a one-of-a-kind miniature golf course in your own backyard! Link to Activity Here Motor Development Goal HPD-4

EVERYDAY MOMENTS Infants/Toddlers Children learn through exploration and are driven by natural curiosity. The tip sheet below will help you understand the importance of everyday moments in your child's development. Link to Tip Sheet Here Curiosity, Information-Seeking and Eagerness Goal AL-1 Preschoolers Turn a grocery tip into a learning opportunity with your preschoolers. The video below will help with ideas! Link to Video Here Initiative, Effort, Engagement, and Persistence Goal AL-3

LITERACY Infants  Does your child point and say "dat"? Ask them, "What do you want?" Have them lead you to what they're pointing at. When you find it, you can say, "That's a spoon!" or "That's the light switch!" Communicating and Oral Language Development Goal CLL-3 Babies communicate from day one by using gestures, sounds and expressions to share feelings and needs like hunger, sleepiness, or joy. Even before their first words they will develop their own unique ways of communicating with you. Learn more about how language development unfolds in the video below. Link to Video Here Communicating and Oral Language Development Goal CLL-1 Toddlers Invite children to draw a picture. Then ask them to tell you about their picture and if it is OK to write what they say at the bottom of their drawing. Foundations For Writing Goal CLL-9 Play a scavenger hunt game by writing notes that send your child to another note and eventually to a surprise. Start with a message that instructs them to go to another part of the house, look for something special, and then look for an additional note. Lead the reader back to the kitchen for an ice cream sundae, or to the bedroom for a book as a present! Foundations For Writing Goal CLL-9 Turn your living room into an "Animal Adventure." Make an animal noise. Can your child guess the name of the animal? Can they copy the sound back? Now it's their turn to make a sound for you to guess. See how many times you can go back and forth: "Woofff! Hissssss! Rooarr!" Communication and Oral Language Development Goal CLL-3 Preschoolers This simple game is the perfect game for letter practice. Set up a traditional Tic-Tac-Toe board. This means a 3 by 3 grid. Instead of using the usual X and O letters, choose other letters your child is learning. For example, one player takes the letter b and the other player takes the letter d. Players take turns putting down letters, and the first player to make a pattern of 3 letters in a row becomes the winner. Foundations For Reading Goal CLL-8 Use pool noodles to make a fun literacy activity. Link to Activity Here Foundations For Reading Goal CLL-8 Using fine motor skills and practicing handwriting can be messy fun with just shaving cream and a tray. Link to Activity Here Foundations For Writing Goal CLL-10