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

Bath time is a natural time for messy play. Children naturally explore the water, and you can help by narrating what you see. Sponges and shampoo bottles make fun and interesting tools to explore floating and sinking. If you have shaving cream, spray a bit on the wall and help your child spread it around.
Construction of Knowlege: Thinking and Reasoning Goal CD-1

Oobleck is naturally taste safe. When you know that there's a good chance at least some of this will go in their mouth you want to make sure it's safe. This is such an easy to make oobleck recipe - you really can't go wrong!
Scientific Exploration and Knowledge Goal CD-8

Make a Gel Sensory Bag. Lay on floor during tummy time or if your child is sitting up consider taping it to the window.
Scientific Exploration and Knowledge Goal CD-8
Toddlers

Set out rocks, sticks and pieces of wood in your sensory table or bins and then add either water or sand.
Scientific Exploration and Knowledge Goal CD-8

Do you every cook too much pasta. Don't throw it away but use it to create fun activities to keep your toddlers busy.
Construction of Knowledge: Thinking and Reasoning Goal CD-1

All you need is some glue, googly eyes and markers to invite your toddler to be creative.
Creative Arts and Expression Goal CD-12
Preschoolers

Simple math can be fun using colorful pom poms and two cups to scoop and add.
Mathematical Thinking and Expression Goal CD-4

Create your own crazy rock faces and let the fun begin.
Creative Arts and Expression Goal CD-12

This STEM Challenge for kids is a great extension activity to the book, Owl Babies. In reading the page that discussed the owl babies’ home, it was made of ‘twigs and leaves and owl feather."
Scientific Exploration and Knowledge Goal CD-8
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OUTDOOR FUN
Infants

Babies love bubbles. They are easy and cheap and you are sure to get some giggles!
Scientific Exploration and Knowledge Goal CD-8

To encourage your baby to crawl outside, try collecting a few of his favorite toys and take them and the baby outside. Let him play with one toy while you spread out the rest of the toys nearby where he can still easily see them. Walk over to the closest toy and start playing with it to encourage him to scoot over there to retrieve it. Continue this method until the baby has found all of his toys and he’s ready for a break!
Motor Development Goal HPD-4
Toddlers

Miniature Nature Collages are a great outdoor art activity for children. They are a creative way for children to explore properties and colors.
Creative Arts and Expression Goal CD-12

Research shows that children learn best when they are actively involved in learning, and have the freedom to try things out and problem solve on their own. Making shapes with sticks is a fantastic hands-on way for children to explore the properties of shapes. 
Mathematical Thinking and Expression Goal CD-5

This is a fun and easy way for children to explore and learn about the properties of water and ice and discover how ice changes from solid to liquid. It is fun to play with ice but having some flowers or other natural objects inside makes it even more exciting!
Scientific Explortaion and Knowledge Goal CD-8
Preschoolers

Get children to order objects that they find by length – shortest to longest they can order leaves by length. Children could also practice measuring things they find in nature with a ruler or measuring tape. They might want to measure how tall a plant is or measure the circumference of a tree.
Mathematical Thinking and Expression Goal-6

This letter formation for preschoolers activity is a fun way to teach writing outside! Children get really excited about painting with water, especially with glitter in it. 
Foundations for Writing Goal CLL-9

Holes in buckets and corn to scoop is fun but how about adding a pully to experiment with!
Scientific Exploration and Knowledge Goal CD-9
EVERYDAY MOMENTS
Infants

Hold your baby up to the mirror while dressing. Describe your baby’s face. Let your baby touch the mirror to discover that what is being seen is not “the real thing.”
Communication and Oral Language Development Goal CLL-2
Toddlers

Running errands (e.g., going to the store, bank, etc.) is one of those essential household routines that all families experience. It is often thought of as a “maintenance” activity that is necessary for the family, but not enjoyable for young children. However, there can be huge benefits in taking your young child along. He learns about his community while spending time with someone he loves and trusts, someone who can help him understand the world beyond home and family. The article below will give you tips on making running errands easier.
Self-Regulation and Pro-Social Behaviors Goal SED-4
Preschoolers

Do you struggle with stressful mornings when you want to lay your head down and cry before 8:00 a.m.? Do you often leave the house in an angry, frantic rush? Mornings can be a particularly challenging time for parents. Getting your entire family up and out the door is no easy task! The article below will give you tips on how to help your child have a good morning.
Self-Regulation and Pro-Social Behaviors Goal SED-4
LITERACY
Infants 

Babies develop a close bond with those who quickly respond to their needs and distress calls. Bonding makes babies feel safe and this type of relationship fosters positive brain development. Don't believe that old wives tale that responding to baby's cries will create a "spoiled" baby. Crying is a way a baby has to communicate.
Communicating and Oral Language Development Goal CLL-1

Hand your baby a rattle or soft ball. Then see if she will hand it back to you. See if you can exchange the toy a few times. This “back-and-forth” is practice for having a conversation later on.
Communicating and Oral Language Development Goal CLL-1

Tape down a large piece of sticky paper or Velcro on the floor. Or make your own Velcro board. Put objects on top of the sticky paper and then, with your baby, try to pull them off. Use words that describe what’s happening. “That sticks!” “The ball is hard to pull off.”
Communicating and Oral Language Development Goal CLL-1
Toddlers

Water play meets the alphabet! Kids love to play in the water so build on that interest and have them wash the letter dishes.
Foundations of Reading Goal CLL-8

Create an easy Alphabet matching game for toddlers. Write letters on construction paper and tape them to wall. Write the same letters on sticky notes and have them match to the ones on the wall.
Foundations of Reading Goal CLL-8

Use a white crayon to print letters on white paper and let your toddler paint with water colors to find the secret letters.
Foundations of Writing Goal CLL-9
Preschoolers

Take a book and some writing materials outside. As you read encourage your kids to draw what is happening in the story or something that sticks out for them from the book. Their favorite part, the saddest or happiest part … they can or you can choose. This is a simple reading comprehension activity and can be done with kids of any age.
Foundations of Writing Goal CLL-9

Using permanent markers or paint pens, you can turn small loose parts (like rocks, glass gems, bottle caps or tree cookies) into alphabet manipulatives! These can be used in a variety of ways to introduce letters. Place them outside and go on a letter hunt.
Foundations For Reading Goal CLL-8

Encourage your preschool to aim for certain letters by blowing a pom pom using a squeeze bottle.
Foundations For Reading Goal CLL-8