1
Fill a tray with sand, salt, or shaving cream. Call out a letter and have the child write it in the sensory medium. Shake the tray to erase and start again.
15-20 min
2
Plant a fast-growing seed (beans work well). Each day, measure growth and draw what is observed. Discuss what plants need to grow: light, water, soil.
10 min/day over 2 weeks
3
Sit in a circle with a special object. Only the person holding it may speak. Pass it around.
10 min
4
Give the child a clipboard and shape checklist. Walk around the house or classroom to find real-world examples of circles, squares, triangles, and rectangles.
15-25 min
5
Hold up each sight word card for 3 seconds. Child reads it aloud. Make two piles: known and still-learning. Revisit the still-learning pile at the end.
10-15 min
6
Give the child 4-6 picture cards from a simple story. Ask them to arrange the cards in the correct order. Retell the story aloud together using first/next/last language.
15-25 min
7
Give two groups of objects. Children decide which group has more and which has less.
15 min
8
Check the weather each morning for one week. Record temperature, sky conditions, and precipitation. At the end of the week, discuss weather patterns observed.
5-10 min/day over 5 days