Activities

Young children learn through play. When young children are actively involved in their own learning and having fun at it, they learn better. You can support their learning by engaging them playfully in everyday activities. The activities on our site are based on everyday experiences, use materials commonly found in the home, and most importantly designed to encourage children’s healthy development in all areas (physical, social emotional, language and literacy, and cognitive).

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Xylophone Snack PDF FACEBOOK SHARE ICON.

Make a delicious and healthy xylophone snack!

What You Need:

• Whole wheat bread (1 slice)


• Carrot (2 sticks) 


• Cucumber (2 sticks) 


• Grape tomatoes (2, cut in halves) 


• Blueberries (16pcs)


• Pears (1pc)


• String cheese (1pc, cut in half)


• Breadsticks (2pcs)

What To Do:

1. Cut the bread into 8 different-sized slices to make the base of the xylophone bars.


2. Cut the carrot, cucumber, grape tomatoes, pears, and string cheese into slices to put on the bread slices. Make sure they match the size of each xylophone bar. 


3. Place blueberries on top of the xylophone bar edges as the pins of each bar. 


4. Use the breadsticks as the mallets of the xylophone.

Enjoy playing and eating the xylophone!

 

Adapted from https://laurieberkner.com/blog/make-a-xylophone-veggie-snack-in-5-mins 

Panpipes PDF FACEBOOK SHARE ICON.

Create a Panpipe iinstrument using straws of different sizes.

What You Need:

• Straws (approx. 8)


• Glue


• Popsicle stick (optional)


• Scissors 


• Pen 

What To Do:

1. Lay the straws flat next to each other on a table with the top edges lined up. 


2. Mark them with a pen, then cut them to different lengths. 


3. Glue the straws together side-by-side from longest to shortest. If you are using a popsicle stick, then apply glue to the popsicle stick and place straws on it in order from longest to shortest. Make sure every straw touches. Let it dry.


4. Show your child how to create different tones by blowing across the top of the different-sized pipes. To create a louder sound, hold your finger on the bottom of the straw.


5. Make a few and your family can create music together. 

Finger Cymbals PDF FACEBOOK SHARE ICON.

Encourage your toddler to reproduce rhythms by clapping or tapping objects. Homemade instruments like finger cymbals support eye-hand coordination by encouraging communication between the brain and body.

What You Need:

• Frozen juice lids or jar lids (4 lids)


• Cardboard 


• Glue

What To Do:

1. Cut cardboard into 2 long strips, approximately 6 inches in length by 3 inches in width. Then fold the cardboard strips in half.


2. Glue the lids in the folded cardboard strips. One on each inner side of the cardboard strips. 


3. Once the glue has dried, your child can tap away to the beat.  

Cardboard box hand drums PDF FACEBOOK SHARE ICON.

Create a hand drum with a recycled cardboard box that allows infants to bang or shake, stimulating their auditory and eye-hand coordination.

What You Need:

• 2-3 different sizes of cardboard boxes


• Clear packing tape

What To Do:

1. Seal the openings of the cardboard boxes.


2. Drum by using your hands to tap rhythmic beats while singing.


3. Encourage and assist your infant to mimic you.


4. Show your infant the different tones it makes when you drum the different-sized boxes.