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Count steps up and down stairs, the number of windows and chairs-just about everything your child is interested in that you can count. Count how many times you can bounce a ball or skip rope without stopping.

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Write ABC’s on sticky notes, index cards, or use puzzle pieces,  and have your children arrange them in alphabetical order.  After putting the letters in order,  say a word and have them find the letter that begins with that sound. For example, the parent says apple, and your child finds the A.  Mix the letters up and have your child put them in order again.  

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Here's a fun and super easy challenge you can pose to your soon-to-be Kindergartner:
Choose an object in your house (something that your child can lift easy and is safe to carry-nothing breakable or valuable!)
*Find a way to carry it from one place to another without using your hands!!

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With school, home, and activities in between, life can sometimes feel chaotic to kids. Help your child learn how to stop and relax with handmade peace rocks. This activity encourages them to tap into their artistic side while learning strategies to find peace every day. Visit this link for more information.

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Write ABC’s on sticky notes, index cards, or use puzzle pieces,  and have your children arrange them in alphabetical order.  After putting the letters in order,  say a word and have them find the letter that begins with that sound. For example, the parent says apple, and your child finds the A.  Mix the letters up and have your child put them in order again.

Click on the link for printable alphabet tracing pages - just choose the letter you would like your child to practice!

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Tracing the letter A worksheet. Simple worksheet giving practice tracing the letter A, upper and lower case. Free | Printable | K5 Learning.

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Collect empty jars of various sizes and shapes. Set a dishpan or large pot of water outside and let your child explore the jars. Then have her compare how much the jars hold by pouring water from one to another.

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Reinforce your child’s observation skills with this hands-on activity, Jane Goodall and Nature Journaling, inspired by the pioneering scientist Jane Goodall. By incorporating natural materials and the powers of observation, your child will become a backyard naturalist while building early literacy concepts.

You can listen to the companion book here:

Me...Jane by Patrick McDonnell

If the video doesn't load right away, click the refresh button.

Here is a link to the directions:

Jane Goodall and Nature Journaling

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Have you ever watched your child sort objects into groups without being asked or prompted? Has he divvied up his candy on Halloween night, or put his Matchbox cars in groups according to color? Preschool kids find sorting and classifying objects fun, because it brings about a sense of organization and accomplishment. And the best news is, all this sorting helps with kindergarten math and science success. Before sorting, kids make conscious and unconscious guesses about what group might have more or less, and sorting allows them to qualify or disqualify their assumptions.

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Empathy is a trait that is natural for most people and can be deepened over time. Empathy and understanding others are valuable tools for community and relationships! In this social emotional learning activity for kindergarteners and first graders, your child will be given images that portray different perspectives or emotions. Young learners will practice empathy by writing or describing what each person may have been thinking or feeling, and then creating an art project of their choosing to serve as a reminder to practice empathy. Click here for the activity.

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Practice letter or number formation and strengthening fine motor skills by having your child form letters on a sand tray.
Gather clean sand (if possible). Rice also works. Find a tray (cookie sheets or serving trays work well). Have your child practice letters right in the sand or rice! Gently shake to start over!

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Practice letter or number formation and strengthening fine motor skills by having your child form letters on a sand tray.
Gather clean sand (if possible). Rice also works. Find a tray (cookie sheets or serving trays work well). Have your child practice letters right in the sand or rice! Gently shake to start over!

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This scavenger hunt is like a revamped version of a game you probably remember from childhood: Hot and Cold. Instead of telling the seeker if he's getting “warmer” or “colder” as he narrows in on a hidden object, you’ll use words like up, down, over, and under. Sure it's simple, but it's fun, and it will arm your child with some directional vocabulary he should master in time for kindergarten.

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It's a place designed for squishing, sifting, sorting, digging and pouring, where children can get messy, discover, and play freely. It's a sensory table. And almost every preschool has one. Now you can duplicate this sensory stimulation device at home, too! Here's a link to get you started.

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Knowing how to take a stand for others who may be bullied or picked on is valuable in friendships, families, schools, and communities. In this social emotional learning activity, your child will discuss how to take a stand for others. Then young learners will use pipe cleaners to design a symbol that reminds them to stand up for others. Geared toward kindergarten and first grade students, this activity will help give your child the tools to resist inappropriate social pressures and learn to practice empathy and mindful communication. Click here for the activity.

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Flip-flaps are a fun platform for practicing writing, spelling, sequencing and drawing. A flip-flap is very similar to a flip chart or a weekly calendar. Kids get to explore days of the week, track special and routine activities on each day, practice writing time, and have fun drawing pictures. This is a great opportunity to model and practice spelling and to discuss yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

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Write numbers 1-10 on a card, or use magnetic numbers, or puzzle pieces,  Have your child pick a number, identify the number and then jump, clap, etc that number of times.  Do this until you have identified all the numbers.  Change the actions to whatever you want, Write numbers to 20 and guide your student to identify and count out the actions together.

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Bingo is an exciting way for kids to practice recognizing letters, numbers and shapes. Your kids will have a blast shouting Bingo! when they have completed a row on their cards. Use the colorful bingo cards below to organize this fun family game.

Use these Bingo cards to play!

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Scientists keep track of the weather - that makes you a scientist! Print a copy of this sheet (or make your own) and record the weather today. Record it for a whole week or more and see what kinds of weather patterns you can see!

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Here's a super fun and easy way to get up a move! Grab some dice (one will actually do just fine!). Roll away, and move according to the directions! You never know what move you'll be making next! Click on the link to see the Roll and Move sheets.

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Let your child play with the alphabet! Put them to work, creating a book that will keep them busy, and help them practice their letters, too. Long after all those preschool finger paintings have left the front of your refrigerator, you can look back at this book, for a glimpse at what your preschooler thought was special.

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The Charter Oak Children's Book Award has 4 fiction and 4 nonfiction book choices. Check out the website for past nominees and winners and find them at your local library or independent bookstore!

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Draw numbers 1-10 with chalk on your driveway.  Have your child jump on each number identifying the numbers as they jump.

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It’s that time of year to encourage your students to participate in CONNECTICUT READS, the 2026 Governor’s Summer Reading Challenge!  Click HERE to be taken to  Governor's Summer Reading Challenge page.

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CT.gov - Connecticut's Official State Website

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Overview

It's that time of year again to encourage students to participate in CONNECTICUT READS, the 2022 Governor's Summer Reading Challenge! To support summer reading, the Connecticut State Library's statewide eGo eBook platform is now available through many local public libraries, and provides access to digital resources for all ages. For a list of local public libraries currently offering eGo, visit https://egoct.org/.

Information on the 2022 Summer Reading Challenge Suggested Summer Reading

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It's that time of year again to encourage students to participate in CONNECTICUT READS, the 2022 Governor's Summer Reading Challenge! To support summer reading, the Connecticut State Library's statewide eGo eBook platform is now available through many local public libraries, and provides access to digital resources for all ages.

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This very versatile dough has a lot of names and can be found in all sorts of stores, but it's easy to make at home. This recipe uses baby oil, since it's a simple easyto-find ingredient, and it has a nice smell. Some less fragrant options include mineral oil, or cooking oils like vegetable or canola. This two-ingredient dough, sometimes called "moon sand," is a quick and cheap way to let kids explore their senses, build fine motor skills, and play!

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Choosing healthy snacks is an important skill children should know. With help from an adult,

make a healthy snack to

enjoy. Talk about what

makes it a healthy choice. If you want, print the "My Healthy Snack" recording sheet to keep track of healthy snacks so your child can return to them later:

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Preschoolers are the kings and queens of scribble scrabble. While their “words” don’t quite make sense yet, all that scribbling means that they’re starting to understand that written letters have meaning. You can help your child make the leap to the next level—understanding that letters put together in a certain order make words—by working with a sure-to-be favorite: your child’s own name.

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Durham Public Library’s Youth Summer Reading page! We have many awesome types of activities this summer. Check out our page for more information. Even includes a bingo board for adults so the whole family can participate!

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Levi Coe Library’s Youth Summer Reading event page! We have many awesome types of activities this summer. Visit their Facebook or Instagram page or check out our page for more information.

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Choose your own summer learning challenge courtesy of the Connecticut State Department of Education.  Choose from activities such as Tech Ed  Bingo Challenge, Social Studies Ambassador,  Story of Me Learning challenge and more!  Links to the Governor's Reading Challenge and the Commissioner's Math Challenge also located on this page.

Please click HERE to be taken to the Department of Education Summer Learning Hub page. Enjoy your learning!

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CT.gov - Connecticut's Official State Website

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Summer Learning Hub

Welcome to the Summer Learning Hub! A place to choose your own Summer Challenge.

WHY: The summer learning challenges offer K-12 students engaging options and opportunities to assist in sharpening essential college, career, and civic knowledge while better poising them for academic success in the fall.

WHO: The summer learning challenges offer K-12 students engaging options and opportunities to assist in sharpening essential college, career, and civic knowledge while better poising them for academic success in the fall.

WHEN: The Challenges begin June 12, 2020, with Reading and Mathematics. Over the next month, additional challenges will be released pertaining to a variety of topics.

HOW: The challenges will be introduced by a memo to superintendents and kept on the website for stakeholder access. Challenges include a mix of plugged and unplugged activities that students complete to assist in answering an array of essential questions including: What career am I most interested in pursuing? What role do I play in my community?

OUTCOME: Students will be engaged in high-quality, standards-aligned activities to assist in sharpening essential college, career, and civic knowledge while better poising them for academic success in the fall.

Learn more with a PD Playlist:
Career and Technical Education Bingo Challenge - New! Social Studies Ambassador Learning Challenge - New! Story of Me Learning Challenge - New!

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Welcome to the Summer Learning Hub! A place to choose your own Summer Challenge. WHY: The summer learning challenges offer K-12 students engaging options and opportunities to assist in sharpening essential college, career, and civic knowledge while better poising them for academic success in the fall.

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PebbleGo, PebbleGo Next and a variety of Capstone Interactive books are available June 1-August 31 as part of the CT Governor's Summer Reading! Link - then click on the large blue-ish/purpleish PebbleGo graphic on the left.

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CT State Library - Division of Library Development - Pebble Go