Social-Emotional Development
Balloon
This is always a favourite with the children.
Place hands on head and interlock fingers together. Breathe in deeply and raise your hands over your head like your air is filling up a balloon. Sniff in more air. Sniff in one more time. Then let the air out as you drop your hands back down to your head. Make a “pppbbbbbbb” sound as the air empties from the pretend balloon. Repeat 3 times. On the last time, it is fun to pop the balloon with a clap of your hands.
Cognitive Development
Concentric Circles
Explain and show an example of concentric circles. Concentric circles are circles that share the same centre point and fit inside each other.
Gather a collection of various sized lids, buttons, paper circles of various sizes and other flat circular items from around the house. Encourage your child to create concentric circles with these items. These items can also be arranged by your child to create a transient art piece. Take a photo of your child’s creation before putting the items away.
Language Development
About Wassily Kandinsky
Talk with your child about Wassily Kandinsky.
Kandinsky was a Russian abstract (art that does not portray any actual objects) artist who lived 100 years ago. He is known for his inventive use of colour and his representation of music through his art. He had a neurological phenomenon that allowed him to see colours when he heard music and hear music when he painted. Ask your child, “What do you think it would be like to hear colours?” “How would your favourite colour sound?”
View some of Kandinsky’s art on the Internet, particularly noting Color Study: Squares with Concentric Circles. https://www.wikiart.org/en/wassily-kandinsky
Physical Literacy
Wet Sponge Bullseye
You will need a couple of wet sponges for tossing and some sidewalk chalk to draw a bullseye on the sidewalk. Using the sidewalk chalk draw a bullseye of five concentric circles. Write the numerals 1-5 in the circles, starting with the 5 in the middle and working out with the 1 in the outer circle. Invite your child to join you in throwing wet sponges at the target using the numbers to keep score. First one to 10 wins.
Creative Activity
Concentric Circles Art
Make 4 concentric circle templates approximately 12.5cm, 10cm, 7.5cm and 5cm out of cereal box cardboard. Have your child choose a colour of paper for the square background. Cut the paper into a 15cm square. Encourage your child to trace one of each size of the circle onto paper in the colour of their choice. They can then cut and glue their circles onto the square background. If your child makes a few concentric circle creations, they can be put together into one larger work of art. If you don’t have coloured paper this activity can be done by drawing the circles with crayons, markers or paint.
Additional Resources
https://www.coolmath4kids.com/math-games – Head to this site to find math games for children grades K-6. Games can be chosen by topic and grade. There are also math lessons, quizzes, manipulatives and brain teaser sections.
http://spatulatta.com/ – Take a visit to this site for recipes to get your child cooking.
Learning at Home Toddler Week 18
Learning at Home Infant Week 18
