Find awesome activities for kids in the Make Your Mark e-book

Our new book, Make Your Mark, brings you 30+ projects that will help your child develop a love of writing, creative storytelling, self-confidence and compassion.

I really wanted to give my kids one good activity before lunch, but my creative juices were feeling drained. We've been to the doctor for strep throat so many times, that she asked me to pull a well child out of school, to check him too. I'm helping plan school parties, and trying to accomplish Christmas for my family. Yesterday, I'd been pushing all morning to try to recover from the havoc illness and holiday busyness had wrecked on the house, as my sweet toddlers just watched.

Flower petal drawing for Toddlers: Sweet and simple mark making you'll always treasure

Simple fine motor art with flowers.

How do I make these moments last forever? Two golden heads bend over a project. Four tiny hands trace smooth acorns. Two little noses sniff the sweet roses on a misty moisty morning. 

20+ Captivating Preschool Science Activities

Tiny fingers grasp a piece of cereal, deliberately holding it over the floor below. The fingers part. The cereal falls. The scientist resets for another trial. You have probably seen your toddler perform this experiment. Preschoolers love doing science! I am excited share some of my preschoolers' favorite science activities.

Lovely Valentine Experiment for Kindergarten

This is simple science experiment that will dress up your Valentine cards.

My kindergartner and I had the best time experimenting with these home made Valentines. We made some beautiful designs, and got just a little messy. This would be a great way to spend time with your favorite kids.

How to Use an Obstacle Course to Give Thanks

"We need to hang a pumpkin from the tree."  On a recent bright fall day we had some friends visit. They kindly brought us lunch, and T-Rex was excited to set up this Thanksgiving obstacle course our friends to try. Of course a hanging pumpkin was high on his list of obstacles.

How to Prepare Your Preschooler to Excel in Algebra and Beyond

We all want our children to excel at things that matter.  If you read this blog, you probably believe that math matters.  So, what are you doing to help your preschooler succeed in math over the long term?  Drilling arithmetic? Subscribing to the best possible set of worksheets?  

If your child is exceptional at the skills you drill with flash cards and find on worksheets, he might be able to add or even divide three digit numbers perfectly someday.  Do you know how much that skill is worth?  About $1 per year.  

Go down to your local dollar store, pick up any calculator, and it can add, subtract, multiply, and divide huge numbers, and will probably last for a year.

I want better skills than that for my children, and I am sure you want the same for yours.

How can you give your child the skills to succeed in algebra, calculus, and beyond? 

How to prepare preschoolers to excel in algebra and beyond

I will tell you one thing I have done for my preschoolers to prepare them to excel in math. Pattern work.  Lots and lots of hands-on pattern work.  I did pattern work with them, because I read education literature and advice from experienced pre-k teachers.  They all prescribe pattern work. 

Last week, it dawned on me why excellent preschool teachers do pattern work. I bet some of them do not even know. 

"Hey, Mom, It's a pattern!"  I had just finished reading Eric Carle's classic, "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" when my preschooler made this observation.  She continued, "One, two, three..", pointing to the foods the caterpillar eats.

"Yes, " I agreed, "How much do they increase each time?"  She thought for a moment.  

"One."

"So, it is a 'plus one' pattern?"

"It is," she answered, and her eyes glowed with the pleasure of knowing something valuable.

That is exactly what I want for my children.  It is what I always wanted for my students.  Witnessing that look in your child's eye is what I want for you, my readers.

No dollar store calculator could find that pattern. A computer might be able to recognize such a simple pattern, but only if it is programmed to look for it. The human mind can identify patterns it has never seen.  That's valuable.  That's fun.

Do you know how to write a "plus 1" pattern in math?  There are several ways.  y = x + 1 is one that you may recognize from algebra class.  When the time comes to study algebra, I think my daughter will be ready, because she is already familiar with the basic concept. Advanced math, such as algebra, depends on the ability to work with patterns. Preschoolers can practice that skill now.

Have I convinced you to try some pattern work with your preschoolers? There are many fun ways to work with patterns.  I hope to share some of them in the coming months. 

 Here is just one hands on  project to get you started. 

You will need string and some beads.  

(If your child is still putting things in his mouth, opt for beads too large to swallow. Use your judgment for appropriateness and surprivise your child.)

  Let your child pick his two favorite colors, and make a necklace by alternating them on the string. Later you can move on to more complicated patterns.  If you are like me, you will be surprised how much your preschooler enjoys this simple task.

Invest your time in doing hands on pattern activities like this, and one day you may be surprised at how your child has excelled in algebra, or calculus, or research, or business, or medicine, or some field yet to be invented.

Other Posts You May Enjoy

Does your child know how to get the fastest ride from a merri-go-round?

I Spy: A Little Stream of Light

Through this I Spy Science Series, I remind myself and my readers to find the wonder in the physical world around us.  Lately, my kids do the finding, and I just enjoy joining them on a journey of inquiry.

I love watching my children discover the world in those in-between, unstructured moments.  My daughter noticed light diffracting the other day.

What We Saw

The Pony Artist discovered the special way a stream of light that comes through her fingers when she holds them very close together.

What We Asked

We wondered if you could get the same effect by holding your fingers wider or by using two peoples' hands.

What have you and yours noticed recently?  We would love to read it in the comments or on the Thriving STEM Facebook page!




I had this post ready to publish when I came across Mary Anne's post at Mama Smiles, where she talks about doing something similar with Christmas lights.  Take a minute to read it, then spend a little time enjoying the wonder of light this Holiday Season.  Merry Christmas!


Other posts you may enjoy:

I Spy: Rainbows in the Bedroom

The Classic Winter Time Experiment Every Kid Should Do (At Least Once!)

Winter time is a wonderful time of year to enjoy with children, especially preschoolers.  It can also be the time of year when parents could use a few extra activities in their repertoire! Today, I have a classic winter science experiment for you, one every kid should try at least once.  This experiment involves snow, and we are hoping to get some.  However, if snow is the rarity for you that it is for us, you can always substitute ice.

Let your preschooler get some snow

My kids are always eager to do this part. Again, if you do not expect to get snow, use ice.

Make a hypothesis about how snow melts

We actually did this experiment for the first time after my preschooler made a hypothesis about how snow melts.  "I think pouring water on snow will make it melt."  Now, before you judge, we live in the South where some adults believe this myth too. The results can be tragic for their windshields!

Set up your experiment

Set up one container of snow in the circumstance that your child believes will melt the snow, and one in the opposite circumstance.  You may also want to set up one trial of each type in the freezer, and one outside of the freezer. (Wink!)

Check out your results

Let your child check the results.  Talk about what you see. Use the terms "liquid snow" and "solid snow."  You might encourage them to draw a journal about their experiences.

My daughter saw these pictures from last year as I was prepping this post.  She immediately asked, "If we could please do that experiment again?" It is always a treat to re-enjoy these simple activities with an excited preschooler!

Once your child gets bored repeating this activity,  challenge them to find new ways to melt the snow, or measure the volume and mass to see if they are the same very time.  Do you know exactly what temperature is the melting point for snow?

If you decide to try this experiment, I would love to hear what your preschooler decides to try!  Leave their ideas in the comments or on our facebook page.  Who knows, maybe you will discover a new way to melt snow!

This post is part of a blog hop hosted by  Preschool POWOL Packets. Each day a different blogger will share one fantastic winter time fun idea for preschoolers.  Be sure to check in for another great Preschool Winter Fun idea tomorrow!

Other Posts You May Enjoy:

I Spy: An Echo Chamber!

How to Learn Shapes while Enjoying the Holidays: Guest Posting at ALLterNATIVElearning

The Christmas holidays are here and there are so many wonderful things to do with our little ones!  You should not waste your time “accomplishing preschool” when you could be enjoying the beauty and the stories of the season.  Really, you shouldn’t. 

That does not mean your preschooler needs to stop learning.  You can easily study all kinds of things, including shapes, while thoroughly enjoying Christmas.  

Read my tips for learning about shapes while celebrating to the fullest  at ALLterNATIVElearning.

You may also enjoy.

Ocean habitat lesson that your children will love

The other day the Pony Artist found a box of shells I had been saving.  She spent most of an hour just looking, then announced that she had thought of a great activity to share with you! The result was an amazing sensory play set. Here's how you can set up this lesson for your kids as well.

(This post does not include affiliate links as originally written, but I may add them in the future.)

25 Christmas Science Projects for Kids: a Review

Thanksgiving has passed.  It is officially the Christmas Season!  Of course, schools still need to get some work done before they break for the holiday.  And, once those kids are home for the holidays, we parents will need a way to keep them busy while we finish up a few last projects.  Would you like a set of activities that uses easy to find materials, and that will hold your children's attention?  Then I know where to find what you are looking for!

Karla Jansen of Preschool Powol Packets offered her new e-book 25 Christmas Science Projects for Kids  for free a couple of weeks ago, and I took the opportunity to grab a copy. (I am not getting paid for this review.)   My four-year-old and I took time to look through it together.  I noticed that the supplies where mostly things that I have in the pantry, or that I will be picking up anyway as I shop for the holidays.  I love simple!  My daughter noticed that the activities looked "interesting".  In fact, she insisted that we do one immediately.

After her recent experience with heavy things floating, it is not much of a surprise that she wanted to test which fruits would float.

I put some water in the bowl, and she grabbed all the fruit she could find from the refrigerator.  We started with just a couple of pieces, and added more.

One of the interesting things we noticed is that the fruit that floated did not float on top of the water.  Different pieces of fruit sank to varying degrees.

Notice that the raisins sank all the way to the bottom?  The Pony Artist and I thought that was very interesting.  When we were finished adding fruit, she played with it for quite a while, pushing the fruit further under and watching the water push it back to the surface.

We definitely recommend this book. In addition to being simple to prepare and fun to do, these activities provide a fantastic way to engage your children in real science exploration. At a price of only $2.99, it is a great deal!  If you are looking for some hands on learning opportunities or just some quick ideas for keeping your kids happily busy during the holidays, you should check out 25 Christmas Science Projects for Kids.

Other Posts You May Enjoy:

I Spy: Heavy Things Floating!

I Spy: A Rainbow in the Bedroom

I have to admit I almost missed this one.  It was one of those mornings where I busy, but my daughter found the wonder.  And wonderful it was!

What we saw

Little rainbows spread across the ceiling and along the wall.  We noticed that they had the same order every time, and seemed to be made of light.  The photos do not begin to do them justice.

Our Question

"Where did they come from?"  

Here's a hint;)

Other posts you might enjoy:

I Spy: Heavy Things Floating!

Does your child know how to get the fastest ride from the Merri-go-round?

How to Teach Geometry through Play

We love building toys at our house.  (These particular toy were received as gifts.  No compensation was received for this post, but an affiliate link may be added.) It was no surprise that my daughter chose to play Tinker Toys on a recent morning, and it was the perfect opportunity to talk about shapes.  I wish you could see how excited she was!  Here is how you can teach geometry through play.

Play with quality building toys 

Make sure quality building toys are available to your preschoolers, and take time to sit down and play with them.  It will be good for you to go back and spend some time creating something interesting.  Your interest in working with the toys gives credibility to the child's work and opens the door for you to have future conversations.

Notice the Shapes your Child Chooses to Make

On this particular morning the Pony Artist was into triangles, so we learned about triangles.  Child led learning is always fun, and surprisingly productive.  Since she had chosen the triangles, she was ready to discuss them in detail.

Notice the Characteristics of the Shapes

Point out the attributes of the triangles by saying something like, "Look, all the sides on this triangle are the same length!"  Or ask a question like, "Do you think those sides are the same or different?"

Do you see which triangle is different in the picture below?

Noticing that the triangles on the right have the same proportions even though they are different from each other set the child up for understanding that they are "similar" later.  Noticing that angle sizes and side lengths are related is useful too.  Concentrate on the exercise of noticing things.  You may find yourself pulling out facts you thought you had forgotten, and that is great!  Do not feel like you need to produce a middle school level class though.  

Encourage Combinations of Shapes

Say something like, "What happens if...?"  Try out one combination, then let the child try out whatever combinations interest her.  The understanding of how two triangles make a square goes much deeper when it is discovered on its own than when it is forced.  

Point out sets of shapes.  

My daughter made the two shapes below, so I suggested that we put them all together.  I asked what is the same about all of these?  What is different?  I was interested the contrast between a line, a plane and a solid.  She noticed how the the squares and circles related to one another. 

Remember, it all starts with play.  Go find some great building toys and set them where your child will find them.  Better yet, take five minutes, and sit down and play with them yourself.

Other Posts You May Enjoy:

This one talks about chaos theory!

Three Ways to See Animals Without a Zoo

Last week, my child wanted to see a turtle.  Our city, like many, does not have a zoo of its own.  We did see some turtles though! Traveling to the zoo is definitely worth the effort, but not an every day excursion. Here are three ways we can all make opportunities for our children to develop their love of nature by watching animals.

Hang out out of doors

If you have a yard of your own, pay attention to who shares it with you.  Consider adding habitat and food sources that will attract and support insects, birds, and other creatures of interest. The National Wildlife Federation has some good information on making your yard into a habitat. The turtle above actually showed up in our yard one Sunday.

Even if you do not have your own yard, you can sight animals in the wild. Find a quiet corner of the park and sit still and quiet for ten to twenty minutes.  Keep your eyes open as you ride down the trail.  You might be surprised at what creatures you can sight even in major cities.

Visit a Pet Shop

This is how we found turtles to watch last week.  The great home town business we visited actually keeps a few animals just for display.

We have visited several shops over the years, and staff have always seemed pleased to let children wander and gawk.

Watch videos on-line

When we lived in the Middle East we did not go anywhere much.  I would ask what my children wanted to learn and find videos about it.  If you are stuck in doors or want to see something particularly exotic, videos a great free way to watch animals from home.  National Geographic and Animal Planet have good You-tube channels, but be sure to do your own search too.  There are some fantastic amateur videos out there that give your child the opportunity to simply observe animals in their natural habitats.  

If we want children to take good care of nature, we must give them the opportunity to fall in love with it.  Simply making time to observe creates that opportunity.  How are you going to see some animals today?

You may also like:

How to Attract Butterflies: Finding the Question

Easy Windsock Project for Kids