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
Spread shaving cream or sand on a tray. Children trace letters with their fingers.
15 min
3
Read a word aloud and ask the child to think of a rhyming word. Use picture cards to make it more concrete. Celebrate each correct rhyme with a high-five.
10-20 min
4
Use two-color counters to explore how numbers can be split. For example, show that 5 = 3 + 2 and 5 = 4 + 1. Record each combination on a number bond diagram.
15-25 min
5
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
6
Place 3 apples in one group and 2 in another. Count both groups together to find the sum. Repeat with different objects and quantities up to 10.
15-20 min
7
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
8
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