PUZZLE SHARING
To encourage working together try "Puzzle Sharing".
Separate the pieces of a puzzle into two piles. Give one pile to each child. To assemble the puzzle, have the children take turns selecting pieces from their piles.
RIDDLES
Riddles are great fun! Here are some to start you off. See if your children can make some up of their own.
Who am I riddles…
1. I can swim or walk for miles.
I´m big with thick, white hair.
I live up in the Arctic.
I am a ________ POLAR BEAR
2. I´m usually made of colored yarn,
By someone who is knittin´.
Unless one´s lost i come in pairs.
Of course I am a ______MITTEN
3. My antlers tower above my head.
Where I live, it´s cold all year.
I can pull a sled or pack a load.
You call me a ______REINDEER
4. I´m big and white and made of snow,
So I´ll never have a tan.
When the sun comes out, I melt away.
Each year, I´m a new ______-SNOWMAN
5. I´ve got a big mustache.
I dig shellfish with my tusks.
I swim in icy waters.
I am a big ______-WALRUS
10 MINUTE PICK-UP
Control the chaos. Schedule a consistent, ´10 minute Pick-up´ each night. Set a timer to sound an alarm in 10 minutes.
While the clock is ticking, all family members are responsible for clearing out and putting away their belongings from the main family area.
When the timer sounds, you´re all done. Give yourselves a warm round of applause for all you´ve accomplished.
CARNATION SCIENCE
Here is a great little "science" project that will amaze your young child. Get a white carnation. Leave it out of water to 1 - 2 hours until it starts to wilt a bit. Cut 1" from the stem. Place carnation in red-colored water made by adding red food coloring to water. Cover 6" of stem with water. Observe what happens to the carnation.
EXERCISE
EXERCISE
Make sure you have enough floor space for the free movement of arms and legs. Here are simple exercises your kids can do that are fun.
-From a sitting position, sit up as tall as possible, relax. Repeat.
-Place hands on the floor and crawl forward with legs held in a stiff manner.
-Walk on all fours slowly, like a turtle.
-Lie on the floor with hands above the head. Raise right leg, raise left leg. Lower right leg, lower left leg.
-Lie on the floor. Rise up to a sitting position, lean over and touch your right toe with the left hand. Return to a reclining position. Repeat with the right hand.
SIMPLE FAMILY EXERCISE
Make sure you have enough floor space for the free movement of arms and legs. Here are simple exercises your kids can do that are fun.
-From a sitting position, sit up as tall as possible, relax. Repeat.
-Place hands on the floor and crawl forward with legs held in a stiff manner.
-Walk on all fours slowly, like a turtle.
-Lie on the floor with hands above the head. Raise right leg, raise left leg. Lower right leg, lower left leg.
-Lie on the floor. Rise up to a sitting position, lean over and touch your right toe with the left hand. Return to a reclining position. Repeat with the right hand.
