Learning Activities for Kids

IN Word Family Game: Hide and Seek Words

April 24, 2019 By Terri Thompson

How many ways are there to practice word families?

I can’t even count them all. The possibilities for word family games are endless.

We’ve done some Highlighter Words and even made an AT Hat. This time, we’re going to play a fun IN word family game: Hide and Seek Words.

Hide words, find them, and read them with this fun IN Word Family Game: Hide and Seek Words. Post includes printable word cards.

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Prep your IN word family game

Before you begin, you’ll need a set of words. I’ve prepared a batch of IN words family printable flashcards you can use. Click here to download and print.

There are 15 words that print on two pieces of paper. Print them out on regular paper or card stock for durability.

Cut apart all the cards.

It’s time to play hide and seek words!

You need at least two people to play this game.

You need one person to hide the words. (This is a great job for a parent!) And, you need at least one other person to find the words. You can have as many seekers as you would like.

Take all the IN words and hide them. You can play this game indoors or outdoors. Anything goes!

Play hide and seek words outside with your kids to help them learn word families.

Once all the words are hidden, it’s time to seek. The job of the seeker is to find a word, read the word, and say the word. Can you find them all?

This IN word family game can be played over and over until you’ve mastered all the words. It’s such a fun way to practice reading.

More fun variations of this IN word family game

Are you working on a different word family? You can just print out a different set of cards to use with this game. You can go here to find all my word family flashcards.

Try this game with sight words or spelling words instead of word families. Just write your your words on index cards to hide.

How would you play this game?

Learn reading with fun games!

In addition to this fun word family game, here are some other fun games to have on hand to practice reading at home with your child.

Do you want to do more activities with your family?

Join our fun Facebook community, Creative Family Fun for Busy Families, for daily activities that are great for kids and families. We’ll chat, share, and have fun. It’s a safe and private place to share ideas for family and kids activities.

I’d love for you to join me! Just click the link below, request to join, and answer the questions (they’re easy, I promise). Come join the fun! Join the Creative Family Fun for Busy Families community here.

Flower Name Recognition Activity for Toddlers

April 9, 2019 By Trisha

Is your child interested in learning letters?

It’s always fun to start with the letters in their names. Our flower name recognition activity for toddlers is the perfect way to practice learning the letters in a name. Use the idea to work on learning the alphabet or matching uppercase and lowercase letters, too.

Help your child learn their name with this fun spring activity for toddlers - Flower Name Recognition Activity. It's so easy and so much fun!

Flower Name Recognition Activity for Toddlers

Supplies Needed for the Name Activity

Craft foam sheets
Permanent makers
Scissors
Large dry erase board
Spray bottle filled with water

How to Set Up the Flower Themed Name Game

Since this activity involves spraying water, it’s a good idea to take it outside. Or at least have some towels handy and your floor protected. The spray bottle adds in some bonus hand strengthening. See my alternative materials for other options.

Use a permanent marker to write your child’s name on a large dry erase board. (Permanent markers will erase from a dry erase board with rubbing alcohol. Or scribble over the permanent marker with a dry erase marker and then wipe clean.) I used the dry erase board side of our easel. This makes for an easy set up. A piece of tile board from the hardware store is also a good option for a large, inexpensive dry erase board.

Cut out flowers from the craft foam that will cover the letters on your dry erase board. I drew the flowers on the board as well. Use a permanent marker to write the letters on the foam flowers.

Place the foam flowers and the spray bottle next to the white board. Have your child spray each letter on the board with water. Talk about the letters. What do the letters spell?

Next, encourage him to match the letters in his name. Find the foam flower that matches the letters on the board. The water will allow the foam to stick to the board.

Talk about the letters as your child is matching them. Help her turn the flowers so that the letters are facing the correct way.

Alternative Materials to Use for the Flower Name Recognition Game

You could try this same activity in the bath tub. The foam will stick to the walls when wet. Use bath crayons to write your child’s name.

Instead of using a spray bottle, use a wet wash cloth to get the white board wet.

Instead of using foam, use magnetic sheets to create your flowers. (Small magnets shouldn’t be used around toddlers and children who like to put things in their mouths.) Build the flower name on a magnetic surface like a magnetic dry erase board, a metal drip pan, or a magnetic cookie sheet.

Create a sticky wall using contact paper. Tape the contact paper sticky side out to the wall (or table). Use paper or foam flowers to build your names.

More Flower Themed Name Recognition Activities to Try

Stir the Wonder used foam flowers and alphabet stickers to make spring flower names on the window.

Get kids moving with these 2 spring themed name recognition games from Toddler Approved. Go on a flower name hunt and play a water the flowers game.

Use the printable from Totschooling to make a name recognition flower garden.

More Name Recognition Activities for Toddlers

Make a Name Recognition Sensory Bin

Try these Farm Themed Name Recognition Activities

Play a Name Practice Water Game

Do you want to do more fun activities with your kids?

5 Fun Ways to Learn With a Daily Weather Report

April 1, 2019 By Terri Thompson

I don’t know about you, but I check the weather app on my phone every single day. Sometimes, I’ll check multiple times.

But, do you ever share this habit with your kids? You should. It’s a great way to learn.

There’s more you can do than just simply checking in the weather. Check out these fun ways to learn with a daily weather report.

This simple STEM activity is fun and requires absolutely no prep time!

Get out your phone for this simple weather report activity. You can learn so much with a daily weather report. Here are a few ideas to try.

Five Ways to Learn with a Daily Weather Report

Compare temperatures

Use your math skills to discover the difference in temperatures. Find the difference between a day’s high temperature and its low temperature.

For example: Today’s high is 88 degrees and the low is 59 degrees. I use subtraction to find the difference. There will be a 29 degree difference today!

You could compare temperatures over the week. Record the temperature at the same time everyday. For example: What was the temperature at 3:00 pm every day? Find the temperature difference over the week. Find the difference between the week’s highest temperature and the lowest temperature. Or, simply find the difference between Monday’s 3:00 pm temperature and Tuesday’s 3:00 pm difference.

Learn to read a radar

Nowadays, we carry a weather report around in our pocket and can access it anytime. Because of that, I consider it a life skill to be able to click on the radar and know what it is telling you.

Do you know what all the colors mean? Do you know how to make the radar move and understand what it tells you?

Share this information with your kids and teach them how to understand what you’re seeing on the radar.

Note: You will want to pick a rainy or snowy day for this. There’s not much to see on the radar on a clear day!

Learn about predictions

Weather forecasting is all about making predictions. But, these predictions are pulled out of thin air, they’re based on a lot of information like weather patterns, radars, climate, and more.

You can learn more with one of these informative books:

Weather Forecasting by Gail Gibbons

Weather Words and What They Mean by Gail Gibbons

What Will the Weather Be? by Lynda DeWitt

Or, you can try this activity to learn more about weather prediction. Record the weather first thing in the morning. At the end of the day, go back to this prediction. Was the weather forecast correct? What changed?

Next look at the extended forecast and find the prediction for three days from now and five days from now. Was the forecast correct? What changed? Can you come up with some reasons why?

Use the weather report to plan the week

How does the weather report help you plan for the day or for the week? It can tell you whether you need to wear a winter coat or a light jacket. Or whether or not you need to grab an umbrella.

Are you planning a trip to the pool? Sit down with your kids and the extended forecast and have them help you pick the best day to go.

Look at the weather report before picking out your clothes for the next day. How did the weather report help you plan?

Other weather report activities

What else can you learn with a daily weather report?

You can find all sorts of information: rain totals, wind speed, air pressure, pollen count, etc.

You can look up cities around the world and see how it is different from what where you live.

Can you come up with some more ways to learn with a daily weather report?

Get ready to learn with these fun daily weather for kids activities. Learn to read a radar, use the weather forecast, and more.

Learn More With a Book About the Weather

Combine this weather activity with a fun book to learn even more. Here are some great weather books that I’d recommend:

Do want more STEM activities?

Wouldn’t it be so much fun to get STEAM family activities delivered to your inbox? I think so! That’s why I’ve created this fun series, STEAM Family Fun, to be delivered to your inbox. After going through all the letters in STEAM each week with a fun activity devoted to each, you’ll start receiving a fun STEAM activity once a month. (And I’ll also pop up in your inbox occasionally if I’ve got other fun things to share.)

Fill out the form below to start receiving STEAM Family Fun in your inbox.

Balloon STEM Activities for Kids

March 22, 2019 By Terri Thompson

STEM activities don’t have to be complicated. In fact, all of these fun ideas use simple supplies and have one thing in common – balloons!

So, swing by the party supplies and pick of up a pack of balloons so you can get started on these fun balloon STEM activities.

Have fun learning with the simple Balloon STEM Activities. Your kids will learn so much and have a lot of fun while they're at it.

Fun Balloon STEM Activities

The ideas below are great for learning after school and on the weekend. And, any of them would make a fun family activity.

Are you ready to have some fun?

Check out all these awesome activities, choose your favorite, gather some supplies, and get started learning.

Balloon STEM Activities

Fun STEM activities that you can do with balloons!

Grow the Grinch's Heart Science Experiment

Use a chemical reaction to blow up your balloon! Hint: You can do this any time of the year, just change the design on your balloon.

Balloons over Broadway: Book and Craft

Make your own parade balloon with this fun STEM project.

Cool Balloon Experiments

Photo Credit: www.teach-me-mommy.com

Try one (or all) of these 3 fun experiments.

Cupid’s Arrow Balloon Physics Challenge – STEM Activity

Photo Credit: www.steampoweredfamily.com

Get out the balloons for a fun physics challenge that's not just for Valentine's Day!

Confetti Cannon STEM Challenge – 2 Design Challenges For Young Engineers

Photo Credit: www.steampoweredfamily.com

Use balloons to make a fun confetti cannon!

H is for Hovercraft

Photo Credit: inspirationlaboratories.com

Use a balloon to power a hovercraft.

LEGO Balloon Car DIY Lego Building Kit

Photo Credit: littlebinsforlittlehands.com

Use balloons to power a LEGO car with this fun idea.

Balloon Air Pressure Experiments for Kids

Photo Credit: www.darcyandbrian.com

Learn about air pressure with this simple balloon experiment.

Magic Light Bulb Balloon Science Experiment

Photo Credit: happybrownhouse.com

Try the magic light bulb experiment.

Balloon Rocket STEM Activity

Photo Credit: happybrownhouse.com

Make a simple balloon rocket.

Make a balloon powered sponge boat

Photo Credit: www.thecrafttrain.com

Use a balloon to power a simple sponge boat.

How To Make a Solar System Model

Photo Credit: creeksidelearning.com

Use balloons to make a model of the solar system.

Which one of these fun ideas are you going to try first?

If you’ve got a whole pack of balloons, I bet you’d have enough for all the projects!

My must-have STEM Resource

I don’t know about you, but I don’t always have time to prep a fun science project. That’s why I love Green Kid Crafts Discovery boxes. The boxes are packed full of projects that are fun and inviting. You can choose to get a subscription or a one-off box based off of a specific theme. Any one you choose would be a lot of fun!

Try the Kitchen Science Box
The Green Energy Box
Or try a monthly subscription.

Do more activities with your kids!

Word Family Sort Game

March 8, 2019 By Terri Thompson

Learning to read is a bit part of the early elementary years. My kids tackled sight words, phonics, reading comprehension and word families.

I like to help support this learning at home, so I made a simple word family sort game to help us review at home.

This fun word family sort game takes just a few minutes to make and it's a fun way to help your kids practice word families.

How to make your Word Family Sort game

My first grader and her class have been reviewing the short “a” and long “a” vowel sounds, so I set up our game using a few short “a” word families; -ad, -an, and -at.

(I found a comprehensive list of word families at Enchanted Learning. I plan to reference this again and again.)

Next, I drew three large circles on a sheet of construction paper and wrote a separate word family at the top of each.

Then, I used my circle punch to create many smaller circles. Using the lists at Enchanted Learning, I wrote about 10 examples for each word family on the circles.

How to Play Word Family Sort

Start by reviewing your word families. Practice the sounds and read the word families on your game board.

When it’s time to play, mix up your piles of circles with words. Set them next to your game board.

Now it’s your child’s turn. My daughter’s task was simple. She needed to say the word out loud and place it in the correct circle.

This game was not too difficult for her, but since my goal was to increase her comfort level with the short “a” sound, it worked perfectly.

You can make many variations on this game. If you plan on using it over and over, laminate the game board before you write your word families in the circle. Once laminated, you can write and erase many word families as you go along.

Other ways to play Word Family Sort

Use blank circles and have your child write their own words on them to increase the difficulty of this game.

Use beginning sounds instead of word families for a child that needs a different level of review

Make it more challenging by leaving the word families off the game board. Have your child sort the words then determine their word family.

Must Have Reading Resources

In addition to this DIY game, there are some other great reading games you may want to have one hand for practice at home. Here are some I recommend:

Learning Activities for Kids

Prep your IN word family game

It’s time to play hide and seek words!

More fun variations of this IN word family game

You may also like one of these fun reading games:

Learn reading with fun games!

Do you want to do more activities with your family?

Flower Name Recognition Activity for Toddlers

Supplies Needed for the Name Activity

How to Set Up the Flower Themed Name Game

Alternative Materials to Use for the Flower Name Recognition Game

More Flower Themed Name Recognition Activities to Try

More Name Recognition Activities for Toddlers

Do you want to do more fun activities with your kids?

Five Ways to Learn with a Daily Weather Report

Compare temperatures

Learn to read a radar

Learn about predictions

Use the weather report to plan the week

Other weather report activities

You may also like one of these fun STEM activities:

Learn More With a Book About the Weather

Do want more STEM activities?

Fun Balloon STEM Activities

Grow the Grinch's Heart Science Experiment

Balloons over Broadway: Book and Craft

Cool Balloon Experiments

Cupid’s Arrow Balloon Physics Challenge – STEM Activity

Confetti Cannon STEM Challenge – 2 Design Challenges For Young Engineers

H is for Hovercraft

LEGO Balloon Car DIY Lego Building Kit

Balloon Air Pressure Experiments for Kids

Magic Light Bulb Balloon Science Experiment

Balloon Rocket STEM Activity

Make a balloon powered sponge boat

How To Make a Solar System Model

You may also like one of these fun STEM activities:

My must-have STEM Resource

Do more activities with your kids!

How to make your Word Family Sort game

How to Play Word Family Sort

Other ways to play Word Family Sort

You may also like one of these word family games:

Must Have Reading Resources

Do you want to do more activities with your kids?

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