# data[].attributes.headline
What we know about 'lost' learning during COVID-19

# data[].attributes.subject
What we know about 'lost' learning during COVID-19

# data[].attributes.body
A short guide for parents

# data[].attributes.body
Top tips for supporting communication and language, independence skills and social skills at home.

# data[].attributes.body
Home reading challenge, celebrating National Storytelling Week (beginning 30th January 2021)

# data[].attributes.body
Learning Together at Home

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Autumn 2020 Parents Supplement EY eMag (1).pdf

# data[].attributes.headline
Coronavirus social stories and Easy Read communication boards

# data[].attributes.subject
Coronavirus social stories and Easy Read communication boards

# data[].attributes.body
Easy Read communication boards and social stories using Widgit symbols

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Coronavirus social stories and Easy Read communication boards - Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Helping children and young people cope with the information and changes related to the Coronavirus can be a huge challenge. Our experts in children's clinical psychology, speech and language therapy, and emotional wellbeing are building a collection of resources to make this process a little easier.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Chat, play, read!

Here are some tips and activities to help your child develop their speech skills:

use things your child is interested in for play, follow their lead and make sure you're physically at their level while playing

if you notice your child looking or pointing at something, talk to them about it before they lose interest in it

picture books introduce your child to new things they haven't seen yet in real life - ask them to tell you the story, or talk about what the characters might be thinking and feeling

make reading, singing and playing even more fun by using lots of actions and different voices

take turns to make noises or speak - your child will be able to hold longer conversations, so slow down your speech, give them plenty of time to respond and listen carefully to what they have to say

talk to your child in short, simple sentences, as it's easier for them to understand you and have a go at copying when they are ready

try to use the same book or sing the same song, as young children learn a lot from repetition

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Find out how you can help your child with their speech & language development. If you have any concerns, talk to your doctor or health visitor.

# data[].attributes.headline
Top 10 Tips for Parents and Support Children to Read

# data[].attributes.subject
Top 10 Tips for Parents and Support Children to Read

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
10 top tips for parents to support children to read

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Short tips for parents of primary-aged children to make reading enjoyable.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Tiny Happy People is here to help you develop your child's language skills. Explore our simple activities and play ideas and find out about babies and toddlers' amazing early development.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Children’s language development and parenting advice - BBC Tiny Happy People

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A chatty child is a happy child, so Tiny Happy People is here to help you develop your child’s communication skills through simple interaction and play.

# data[].attributes.headline
Educational and fun video for the under 5s, showing them life on a farm with cute newborn lambs.

# data[].attributes.subject
Educational and fun video for the under 5s, showing them life on a farm with cute newborn lambs.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Down at the Farm - Children's Centres West Northumberland

# data[].attributes.headline
Lockdown Activities and Ideas for Toddlers and Preschoolers

# data[].attributes.subject
Lockdown Activities and Ideas for Toddlers and Preschoolers

# data[].attributes.headline
Government Guidance on How to Help Children Aged 2 to 4 to Learn at Home

# data[].attributes.subject
Government Guidance on How to Help Children Aged 2 to 4 to Learn at Home

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Nurseries and other childcare providers, including childminders, have been able to welcome back children of all ages since 1 June 2020.

We will continue to prioritise keeping early years settings open in full due to the clear benefits to children's education and wellbeing.

While children gain a lot from nursery, things that parents do at home can also help with their development.

Updated information on what parents and carers need to know about nurseries and childminders during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak is available.

How to help young children learn at home

You can help your child to learn through the little things you do with them, for example:

everyday conversations

make-believe play

games with numbers or letters

reading together

involving them in the things you are doing, such as household chores, and talking with them about it

Find ideas for new things you can try at Hungry Little Minds.

You do not need to set separate time or plan complicated activities dedicated to learning. These activities can be built into everyday life and play.

You know your child best. Avoid forcing them into lengthy planned activities if they naturally respond better to a mix of shorter activities. This can stop them getting bored or frustrated and keep them active, interested and learning through things they enjoy.

Keeping a routine

Children will feel more comfortable with a predictable routine, so try to make sure they:

get up and go to bed at the same time each day

have regular meal times

turn off any electronic devices, including the television, at least one hour before bedtime

Keeping active

Young children should be active for at least 3 hours a day in total.

It's also good to get some fresh air every day. If you do not have a garden and are taking children outside to exercise, make sure you follow the rules on social distancing.

While inside, there are plenty of things you can do to keep children active, such as:

playing hide-and-seek

seeing who can do the most star jumps

making an obstacle course

playing music and having a dance-off

Television and digital devices

There are lots of ways to help your child to learn such as reading together and make-believe play. You can also use what they have watched on television or the internet to help their learning. Talk with them about what they are watching or use their favourite television characters in other games and activities.

Digital devices such as a laptop, desktop, tablet or smartphone can help some children learn. If your child does use them, try downloading some apps that will help them learn.

Set age-appropriate parental controls on any devices young children are using and supervise their use of websites and apps. See advice on keeping them safe online.

Try sharing things your child makes with your friends and family online and encourage others to do the same. Your child might enjoy seeing things they have made on the screen or seeing what other children have done.

You can also visit Hungry Little Minds for ideas of activities to do together without using a device.

Socialising while social distancing

Spending time with other children is important for your child's development, but at the moment it is important to follow the rules on social distancing.

While you are spending more time at home together, it will help them if everyone in the home talks with them through the day, responding to them and being led by the things they are interested in.

Visit Hungry Little Minds for more information about talking with your child.

If you can, try a video call with other children. Younger children may not have a conversation as you would, but they can share activities or show each other things they have made or like.

Try a call with other people that your child knows, such as grandparents.

Sit and do the call with them to help. If your child does not like it try again another time, or have a call with family members while you are sitting down and eating a meal.

Try sitting with your child and looking at pictures of their friends or family. Talk about them and the things you have done together.

Mental health and wellbeing

Staying at home more and the change of routine may make this a difficult time for some children and they may be feeling a range of emotions about it.

They might get upset more often or return to some behaviours they had grown out of. It's understandable and other families will be experiencing this.

Try to keep your child away from news broadcasts that might scare them, take time to reassure them and be open to talking about their feelings.

It's normal for everyone to be feeling the strain in the current situation and for there to be some disagreements in the home. It will help your child's wellbeing if they see those disagreements resolved in a healthy way. This will also help them learn how to resolve their own disagreements in the future.

Read guidance on how to support your child's wellbeing.

Guidance is also available to help you look after your own mental health.

Your child may ask you about what's happening. They might be upset that they cannot do things they usually would, like see family, or some children may ask you about coronavirus (COVID-19) itself.

These are difficult things to talk to young children about and you may be worried about upsetting them. However, ignoring the subject could upset them more. Be open to talking to them about it.

Conversations will be different depending on the age of the child, but generally you should try to:

get down to your child's level so they can see your face close to them

let them know it's alright to be worried, do not dismiss their concerns or try to tell them how to feel about it

avoid words they have not heard before as this might confuse them further

listen to them carefully and answer the question they ask rather than giving them information they do not need

be truthful, it's okay to say you do not know the answer

help them give a name to what they are feeling

If you are talking about coronavirus (COVID-19) itself try to:

reassure them that:

you are there to keep them safe

they are unlikely to get poorly and you will look after them if they do

you would be looked after if you got poorly

give simple reasons for why you are doing things such as washing your hands and staying at home

show them how they can help, for example by washing their hands, to make them feel more in control

use examples and comparisons they understand, for instance comparing it to a cold or staying off nursery if you are poorly

get your information from reliable sources such GOV.UK or the NHS

Talking about their feelings and concerns is healthy and will help your child's development.

You can also download a picture book called Staying Home to read with your child.

Read advice for parents of children in other age groups.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
[Withdrawn] Help children aged 2 to 4 to learn at home: coronavirus (COVID-19)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Nurseries and other childcare providers, including childminders, have been able to welcome back children of all ages since 1 June 2020. We will continue to prioritise keeping early years settings open in full due to the clear benefits to children's education and wellbeing.

# data[].attributes.headline
Oak National Academy Daily Lessons for Reception

# data[].attributes.subject
Oak National Academy Daily Lessons for Reception

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
All subjects - Reception - Oak National Academy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Free online lessons for Reception students across a variety of UK school curriculum subjects

# data[].attributes.headline
Free Resources to Celebrate Books and Reading

# data[].attributes.subject
Free Resources to Celebrate Books and Reading

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
We worked in partnership with World Book Day to create free resources which can be used in all year groups to celebrate books and develop reading. Each resource contains easy and fun activities based on key themes: Create, Discover, Experience, Explore, Imagine.

There are some suggested titles on each activity sheet but you don't need to do these with a particular book. Every activity can be done with children from Early Years through to Y6.

The 'Create' activities focus on creative approaches to literacy such as visualisation through art that enable children to respond more deeply to texts.

The 'Discover' activities allow children to find new books, authors or ways of engaging with texts more widely.

'Experience' activities give children first hand experiences that enhance comprehension and ideas for writing.

'Explore' activities encourage children to look at certain aspects of key texts, such as language or illustration in a more focussed way,

The 'Imagine' activities work on broadening children's imaginative ideas, developing language and ideas in preparation for writing.

These activity sheets are ideal to share with parents as home learning ideas - or to use in your classroom to celebrate books and reading throughout the year.

There are some summary activity sheets which are specifically aimed at parents of children at different ages which could also be useful to support parents working at home with children. They were developed with World Book Day in mind but are just as relevant on any day of the year.

We hope you find them useful.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Free resources to celebrate books and reading

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We worked in partnership with World Book Day to create free resources which can be used in all year groups to celebrate books and develop reading. Each resource contains easy and fun activities based on key themes: Create, Discover, Experience, Explore, Imagine.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The hand washing rap made with the Purple All Stars. Learn how to wash your hands - All together now here we go!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Texture book - Make a texture book using different textures - like wall paper, sand paper, bubble wrap, washing scourers, foam wash cloth etc

Smell tour - Take a 'Smell tour' past places like the fishmongers, fish and chip shop, the body shop/Lush soap shop, pet shop, etc

Borrow equipment - If you need equipment during the holidays, ask your school/college or day centre if you can borrow equipment from them, rather than hiring it.

Disability friendly park equipment - Many public parks offer special integrated play equipment. There is a wheelchair-friendly roundabout, Called the Mobility Whirl, in over 200 British parks. To find out more, call: 01248 600372.

Foil play mat - Use a foil emergency blanket as play matt. Great for sensory stimulation.

Dance competition - Put on music and have a dance competition!

Dress yourself - Using either a large piece of card or lining paper, draw around each other to create life-size figures. Then cut up old clothes to dress your portraits up.

Toy libraries - Toy libraries provide toys and play opportunities for children with special needs and also information and support for parents, carers and their siblings. To find your nearest toy library, contact the National Association of Toy and Leisure Library's Helpline Services: tel: 020 7255 4616 or email: helpline@playmatters.co.uk

Ideas book - Roma Lear has written a range of books full of ideas of activities for people with special needs, look out for her on Amazon.

Sensory flour games - Mix cornflour and water together and it makes a great sensory play tool. Also put flour into a plastic bag and seal it with some food colouring. As it gets squished round it will change colour.

Substitute sand - Moonsand,for indoor play, made by Spin Master Ltd ™ is available at most toy stores, including the Early Learning Centre. It's a soft medium that trickles like normal sand, but moulds like dough. Lots of colours. Great fun!

Graffiti wall - Stick some blank paper on a wall and turn it into a 'graffiti wall'. You can also paint a wall with blackboard paint or put up a big white board for graffiti fun.

Home skittles - Use guttering to make a chute to play skittles.

Sensory tent - Kit out a play tent with everyday items, such as old CDs, tinsel, fairy lights - for a great sensory space.

Sensory indoor tray play- Use a plastic box, filled with different things, like dried beans, sand, shaving foam, even toothpaste, for sensory play.

Matching pairs game - Use a digital camera to photograph and make your own matching pair cards, eg: your dog, your home, family.

Concessions - Always ask about discounts for disabled people and their carers. Some major venues have generous discounts. Always ring the theatre and ask, or call in personally if possible, as concessions are not available online.

Aromatherapy - Put on some relaxing music and have a home-made aromatherapy session. Dilute aromatherapy oils in a special carrier massage oil. Different people like different pressure so experiment a bit according to personal sensory needs.

Favourite memories scrapbook - Use a camcorder or camera phone and make a scrapbook to record special moments when you are out and about, that you can look at together at the end of the day. Use a scrapbook to tell other people about favourite days out.

Smelly socks game - Use old socks or buy some from a charity shop. Scent some cotton wool balls with different smells like tea, coffee, lemon, apple or tomato ketchup etc. When the cotton balls are dry, put them in the socks, tie them up with a ribbon, and play a game of 'Guess the smell'.

This article was kindly provided by Netbuddy.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Fun things to try with disabled children

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Texture book - Make a texture book using different textures - like wall paper, sand paper, bubble wrap, washing scourers, foam wash cloth etc Smell tour - Take a 'Smell tour' past places like the fishmongers, fish and chip shop, the body shop/Lush soap shop, pet shop, etc Borrow equipment - If you need equipment during the holidays, ask your school/college or day centre if you can borrow equipment from them, rather than hiring it.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Khan Academy Kids is a free, fun, educational program designed to inspire young children to become learners for life.

The robust Khan Academy Kids curriculum and original content make learning engaging and fun for children ages two to eight.

While most early learning apps focus on a narrow skill, our free program contains a breadth of learning materials across math, language arts, and social-emotional learning, aligned to the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework and Common Core.

Questions? Get in touch at khankids@khanacademy.org.

Available for iPhone and iPad, Google Play and Amazon Fire.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Khan Academy Kids is a free, fun, educational program designed to inspire young children to become learners for life. The robust Khan Academy Kids curriculum and original content make learning engaging and fun for children ages two to eight.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
makaton songs rhymes sign language "makaton pop songs" "makaton charity" "mr tumble" "something special" cbeebies "makaton nursery rhymes" "makaton early yea...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Come and join us here on the Singing Hands YouTube channel to learn more about how to sign with Makaton for users of all ages! We have everything from nursery rhymes, stories and games through to pop songs for older learners!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
At CBeebies we believe passionately that what we do should be enjoyed by all children, including those with additional needs. We believe that it's important for children a disability to see themselves positively represented on the channel, so we make every effort to do so. We also produce shows, activities and parenting resources for children with a range of different needs.
Communication difficulties:
Problems with speech and language are the most common developmental difficulty in the UK where studies indicate that as many as 1 in 10 children may be affected in some way. Children with communication difficulties may have problems understanding language, using spoken language, producing the sounds needed for spoken language or problems with their listening and attention skills.

The impact of these difficulties can be profound, affecting children's ability to follow instructions and understand information, making it difficult for them to develop social skills and form relationships and making them frustrated at not being able to express themselves, sometimes leading to tantrums.

There are lots of strategies parents can use to help children with communication difficulties, you can find out more about these on our communication difficulties page.

Something Special, featuring Mr Tumble, AKA Justin Fletcher, is designed to be enjoyed by all children but is particularly aimed at children with communication difficulties. The show gives children an introduction to using Makaton signing, which can help support communication and language development. You can find out more about using Makaton signing and how it could help your child in this Makaton resource for parents.

The Something Special website also has a range of games designed to be suitable for children with communication difficulties and many Makaton signs to watch and print out.
Health and Medical Needs
Looking after a child with a long term health condition can be incredibly hard. It can mean frequent medical appointments and hospital visits which can be stressful both because you're worrying about the outcome and because it can be very hard to fit it around a 'normal' life, especially if you're trying to hold down a job or have oter children as well.

Our page on dealing with health problems and operations has lots of practical suggestions and strategies for making hospitals and medical conditions less stressful and easier to fit in to your life.
Physical Disabilities
Children with physical disabilities may have problems with gross or fine motor skills, balance and co-ordination, or muscle tone. They may need extra help and support with everyday activities like walking, feeding themselves or holding a pencil.

CBeebies has a range of games which are 'switch' compatible, including Something Special's 'The Looking Game'.

'Switch' is the name of the technology which makes access to computers easier for children who have difficulty using a mouse or keyboard.

'Switch compatible games' are those which have been designed to be controlled by just one or two keys - usually 'Enter' or the spacebar to select, sometimes 'Tab' as well in order to move between options. This makes the games easy to control and suitable for children who don't have a high level of mouse or keyboard skill.

CBeebies' show Tree Fu Tom has been specially designed to encourage children to develop movement skills, especially those with Dyspraxia - a developmental coordination disorder that causes difficulty in acquiring foundation movement skills. You can read more about how the movements in Tree Fu Tom can help children with movement difficulties and Dyspraxia in this article.
Deaf children and children with a hearing impairment
If you or your child uses BSL, check out Magic Hands, a ground-breaking show on CBeebies featuring poetry translated into BSL. Magic Hands features an entirely deaf cast of presenters interpreting a selection of classic poems through BSL and animation.
Children with a visual impairment
Melody is a show designed to introduce preschool children to a variety of classical music through stories and animation. Melody, the title character, is a partially-sighted girl with an incredible imagination. CBeebies worked with the RNIB to make the show as accessible as possible for children with a visual impairment, by working with high contrast colours, having centrally-focused action, bigger movements, longer shots and telling the story as much as possible with voiceover and sound effects.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Something Special - Does your child have special needs?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
CBeebies has lots of help and resources for children with additional needs incuding Dyspraxia, Autism, visual impairment, learning disabilities, hearing impairment.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Use BBC Bitesize to help with your homework, revision and learning from KS1 to GCSE. Find free videos, step-by-step guides, activities and quizzes.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Helicopter Stories at Home for parents and carers of the children

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Helicopter Stories at Home is a BUY ONCE OWN FOR LIFE programme, containing all the training, information and resources needed

# data[].attributes.headline
How to Teach Your Child to Ride a Bike Without Stabilisers

# data[].attributes.subject
How to Teach Your Child to Ride a Bike Without Stabilisers

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Teaching a child to ride without stabilisers - a how to guide for parents and teachers

# data[].attributes.body
Early Play Skills

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Is this your domain?Connect it to your Wix website in just a few easy steps:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Read, draw, and play games in an interactive video-call.

Read, draw, and play games in an interactive video-call.

Check Out Caribu On The TODAY Show!

How To Caribu: A Pocket Guide

Learn More About Caribu

This Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month, the award-winning EdTech startup Caribu is partnering with Teach For America and Hispanic Unity of Florida to donate over 300,000 Caribu subscriptions to Latinx families.

Does your child want to know how to draw a fish? Fish are such fascinating cre...

As a parent, you want the very best for your children. Their happiness and saf...

MORE ON OUR BLOG!

We've Joined the Mattel Family!

This Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month, the award-winning EdTech startup Caribu is partnering with Teach For America and Hispanic Unity of Florida to donate over 300,000 Caribu subscriptions to Latinx families.

Does your child want to know how to draw a fish? Fish are such fascinating cre...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Caribu is the best family video-calling app integrating children's books and activities - a truly engaging experience for kids and their families.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Virtual Interactive Music Making Interactive and multisensory music sessions led by our extremely talented team of practitioners. Designed to keep children and young adults with PMLD or SLD engaged, educated and entertained. Soundabout Live sessions are livestreamed to Soundabout Family Members via a private Facebook group on Saturdays at 2pm before being shared to our [...]

# data[].attributes.headline
Activities for Children with Sensory Processing Disorders

# data[].attributes.subject
Activities for Children with Sensory Processing Disorders

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Sensory Spectacle | Sensory Processing | Shop | Courses | Podcasts

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Sensory Spectacle offer workshops, online training and immersive learning experiences to give a unique insight into the lives of people with Sensory Processing Difficulties (SPD).

# data[].attributes.headline
Everyday Learning Opportunities to Support Language Development

# data[].attributes.subject
Everyday Learning Opportunities to Support Language Development

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Learning opportunities for children up to age 4

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
65 video clips on everyday learning in early childhood

# data[].attributes.headline
Small Talk - Activities to Support Language Development

# data[].attributes.subject
Small Talk - Activities to Support Language Development

# data[].attributes.headline
49 Fun Physical Activities to do with 2-4 Year Olds

# data[].attributes.subject
49 Fun Physical Activities to do with 2-4 Year Olds

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
If you have a little one under 5 years old at home, then you've experienced what it's like to try to keep up with an energetic toddler or preschooler. But did you know that kids this age need three hours of physical activity a day?

Children between 2-4 years old don't only need a lot of movement, they also need a lot of variety of movement. This age group is ready to move in new and exciting ways! So while it's essential to make time for unstructured, active playtime, it's also important to have access to plenty of fun, simple activities that you know will help them get active and develop skills in many different ways.

This list of 57 fun activities for kids is the ultimate go-to for any playdate, home child care setting, or a morning or afternoon with a caregiver. Whatever the situation, short attention spans mean that it's a good idea to have a few of these up your sleeve.

1. Animal Walk

Inside or out, encourage your child to slither like a snake, hop like a frog, gallop like a horse, or walk like a bear on all fours.

2. Keep the Balloon Up

Outdoor on a calm, windless day, or inside, have your kids use their hands or half of a pool noodle to keep a balloon afloat. How long can they keep the balloon off the ground?

3. Puddle Jumping

Preferably outside in what our two year old called "chocolate water", throw on your kids' most waterproof gear and let them jump in, out, and over puddles.

4. Wet Sponge Designs

On a hot, summer day, gather up lots of sponges, provide a tub of water for endless resoaking, and have your kids throw their sponges on a wall or on a cement surface to make designs. Sponges can also be used to "paint" walls.

5. Digging for Treasure

Whether it's an inside or outside sandtable or sandbox, kids love to dig for treasure. Hide small toys like plastic dinosaurs, small cars, or marbles, and let your child release their inner pirate as they search for booty!

6. Run Away From the Monster

Kids love a game of chase, especially with a parent or other adult they trust. A game of running from a "scary" monster will involve much squealing with delight.

7. Simon/Simone Says

While the rules are simple, the options for movement are endless. Simon can have kids jumping like a kangaroo, standing as tall as a house, making funny faces, standing on one foot, or waving their hands over their heads.

8. Leaf Play

Not everyone loves the raking jobs that come in autumn, but kids love leaves. Rake them up and let kids jump into the piles, throw the leaves in the air, and crunch the foliage in their hands. If you don't have a garden or a tree, go for a walk and let kids make music as they crunch through the leaves on the ground.

9. Hopscotch

A favourite with kids of all ages, hopscotch is a game that can be played inside or out. Inside, use painters tape on the floor to pattern your own board and use buttons, rolled up socks or bean bags instead of rocks. Outside, use chalk to make a court and use rocks or the chalk itself as a marker. The rules [PDF] are simple and the game can be played alone or with friends.

10. Fly a Kite

Find a wide open space in a park, a beach, or a field, make or purchase a kite, pick a day which is breezy but not too windy, and head out to watch your child delight in running with their colourful toy.

11. Throw Snowballs

Snowballs are the perfect antidote for cabin fever! Have your kids throw snowballs against a surface to make designs as they did with sponges in the summer (see #4) or make a circle or other target in the snow and see how close they can get to a bullseye.

12. Ball Kicks

Balls are a staple for so many games and activities. Using different types and sizes of balls, have your child see how far they can kick, or play goalie in front of a wall or fence and see if your child can kick the ball past you.

13. Dance Party

Indoors or outdoors, turn up the music, use lights or decorations for ambiance, and let your kids twist, macarena, floss, dance like their favourite animal, or freestyle their way to fun.

14. Mini Sticks

Pass a ball back and forth with your child or have them shoot at a target while teaching them to keep their stick on the ice (the floor) and to hold their stick with two hands.

15. Bubble Play

Ideally an outdoor activity, use various sizes and types of bubble wands and have kids blow their own bubbles or blow them yourself and have kids chase and pop them.

16. Ride a Bike

Whether it's a tricycle, a balance bike, a bike with training wheels, or a two-wheeler, kids love to zoom around under their own steam.

17. Freeze Tag

If you've got a group of four or more kids looking for some fun, look no further than a good old game of freeze tag. Pick one child to be "it," and have them chase the other kids around. When "it" touches a player, they must freeze (stand still) until another player "unfreezes" them by touching them. When "it" freezes all players, the game begins again with a new child as "it."

18. Fill the Bucket Water Game

Provide your child with a cup and two buckets (one smaller, one larger). Place the smaller bucket a short distance from the larger bucket and fill the larger bucket with water. Have your child scoop water from the larger bucket and fill the smaller one. To make the game more challenging, put small holes in the cup or have your child dance as they move from bucket to bucket.

19. Paper Airplanes

There are so many ways to make paper airplanes at home. Throw them inside or outside and see how high they can fly, how far they can fly, or if your child can throw them through an object such as a hula hoop.

20. Avoid the Shark

Cover your living room floor (the shark-filled ocean) with foam floor tiles or towels (taped to the floor with painters tape) and have your child jump from one to the next without getting nabbed by a shark.

21. Bean Bag Toss

Bean bags are an easy-to-grip and throw item for kids. Indoors or out, have kids throw them into targets such as laundry baskets or hula hoops.

22. Egg and Spoon

For this ultimate hand-eye coordination and balance game, give kids a spoon and have them balance a hard-boiled or plastic egg from one point to another either indoors or out. How quickly can they go? Can they dance as they move?

23. Ribbon Sticks

Tie a length of ribbon to the end of a stick or baton and watch as your kids dance and swirl their ribbons in the air.

24. Pillow Walk

Set up a line of couch, throw, or bed pillows on your floor, and have your child walk from one end to the other. It may sound easy but their balance will be challenged!

25. Kick Bowling

Switch up regular bowling inside or outside by having your kids use different sizes of balls to kick down different objects such as empty bottles or rolls of paper towels.

26. Climb a tree

Pick a tree with low branches and let your child climb. Be close by for help but let your kids see how far they can get on their own.

27. Bean Bag Balance

Have your child balance a bean bag on their head and walk from one point to another without dropping it. As they master the walk, move the points further apart or make the course a bit more challenging by adding zig zags or circles, or objects around which they have to maneuver.

28. Jump Waves

Take a day trip to a local beach or lake and simply jump waves as they roll on to the shore.

29. Bubble Wrap Jump

Bubble wrap is not just for packing fragile objects. Purchase a roll of wrap and on an inside day, have your child jump and pop to their heart's content.

30. Helicopter

Turn a jump rope around in a circle low to the ground while your child hops over it without touching it. Be prepared to be the jumper when your child wants to turn the rope too!

31. Obstacle Course

Indoors or out, let your imagination run wild as you set up an obstacle course for your child. Have them crawl under tables, climb over chairs, jump over ropes, hop from cone to cone, crawl through a cardboard box, jump through a line of hula hoops, throw a family of stuffed animals into a laundry basket, etc. etc.

32. Hike

Get into nature and encourage your kids to climb hills, jump over sticks, and balance on tree stumps.

33. Neighbourhood Search

Prepare a list ahead of time of items to search for as you and your child leave the stroller at home and take a walk through your neighbourhood. Can they spot a stop sign, a blue flower, something with a tail, something round, a fire hydrant, etc.? Check off the items on the list or use your phone to take pictures to review later.

34. Jump in the Sprinkler

Set up a sprinkler in your yard and have your kids jump through using animal movements or dance through (singing along may cause hilarious water in mouth incidents!)

35. Catch

Kids learn to catch at different rates but working with them on the skill can begin with throwing them a balloon or a soft object such as a rolled up pair of socks or a light ball will be less intimidating than a heavy or small ball. Start by standing close to your child and as they master the catch, move further away.

36. Indoor Skating

Have your kids place each of their feet on paper plates, face cloths, or felt squares, and let them slide along like skating pros on hardwood or carpet. Turn on the music and let them skate to the rhythm!

37. Skating

Find your kids proper skates and a helmet and head to your local rink either indoors or outside. Fresh air and perhaps hot chocolate afterwards will make any skating time a great time.

38. Tee-Ball

With a plastic tee-ball stand, bat, and balls, kids can practice their swing indoors or out. Batter up!

39. Long Jump

Just how far can your child jump? Challenge them indoors by having them jump on lines made by painters tape on the floor or outdoors on grass or in the sand.

40. Yoga

Kids can learn all kinds of yoga movements at this age. Look for classes at your local community centre or yoga studio, or teach your children some movements such as a tree pose, downward dog, or sun salutation.

41. Tobogganing

The feeling of whizzing down a hill on a sled is unbeatable for kids. In order to make the activity last, though, remember that your child will not only slide down the hill but will also have to climb back up it. Keep the hill to a height they'll want to climb again and again.

42. Music Parade

Whether you have traditional instruments or pots and pans, kids love to make noise. Gather a bunch of kids and with different instruments in hand, celebrate a real or a made-up holiday while entertaining friends and neighbours.

43. Action Songs

Sing together or find recordings of songs that have kids moving their bodies in different ways. Hokey Pokey, Shake My Sillies Out, I'm A Little Teapot, and Zoom, Zoom, Zoom are all examples of fun ways to get kids moving and shaking to sing along songs.

44. Colour Run

This one is best done in a group! Gather three or four kids together and, on a driveway, sidewalk, or in a park, colour four areas (draw circles or squares) with different colours of chalk. Call out a colour and have the children run to that coloured area. Make it a competition and see who can get to it first! Continue to call out different colours in varying order.

45. Door Fringe

Purchase a door fringe from a dollar or party store or hang streamers from a door frame. Make sure no one is on the other side of the door as your child runs, hops, or dances through the fringe.

46. Beach Ball Blanket Toss

Have two or four children hold the corners of a blanket (or towel). Throw a beach ball onto the blanket and listen to the kids giggle as they bounce the ball up and catch it.

47. Hide and Seek

Kids can hide either themselves or objects such as their stuffed animals in this favourite game played by kids around the world.

48. Limbo

How low can you go? A fun game indoors or out, use your imagination when it comes to using objects under which your child must go under without their hands touching the floor. Objects could include a pool noodle, a broom, or a rope.

49. Outdoor Picasso

Get together some paint brushes or rollers of any size, fill buckets or paint trays with water and let your little artist's creativity go wild. Perhaps they'd like to "spruce up" your fence, a wall, a garage door or a sidewalk.

50. Snow Angels

Find a clear patch of snow and have your child lie on their back. Show them how to move their arms and legs like they're doing jumping jacks. And when they stand up and move carefully away ... voilà.

51. Squish and Walk

Amongst the games to play with 4 year olds at my kids' birthday party, this one was a huge hit! Find a ball that isn't fully inflated and have your child place it between their knees. See how far they can walk while keeping the ball from falling out. Can they run with it? Hop?

52. Pooh Sticks

A fun game Winnie the Pooh and friends loved to play, kids will love it too. Find a bridge and have two or more kids find sticks. Each player drops a stick on the upstream side of a bridge and the one whose stick first appears on the downstream side is the winner.

53. Shadow Catch

Find an open space on a sunny day and get ready to play a fun twist on the old standby game of tag. Choose one player to be "it." That person chases the other players and tries to step on their shadow. Once they've "tagged" that player's shadow, that person is now "it."

54. Golf

The game of golf can be played by kids in so many ways. Head to a mini golf course or even better, design your own at home inside or out. For a club, have your child use a toy golf club or hockey stick. Your home course can be as simple as using cups or bins on their sides to putt balls straight into. Make the course more fun by creating ramps out of cardboard boxes or obstacles to be putted around such as pylons or empty items from your recycling bin.

55. Stuffie Wagon Ride

Put out a wagon or sled for your kids and let them fill them with stuffies or other toys. Kids can take their friends for a spin around the neighbourhood or their own backyard.

56. Hill Roller

Whether you find a hill that's grassy, muddy or covered in snow, kids love to roll down hills! And run right back up them to roll down again.

57. Car Wash

Pull out your kids' bikes, ride-on toys, and any other items they can wash and prepare for some splashing good fun. Pour water into a tub (or tubs), provide your kids with sponges, cloths and scrub brushes and have them get cleaning! Balls, toy cars, plastic animals and any other toys which are waterproof can also be scoured.

Find more great resources and fun activities for kids:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
57 fun physical activities for kids aged 2 to 4

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This updated list of 57 activities offers plenty of fun and simple ideas that will help your young ones get active and develop skills in a variety of ways.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Learning to Count with these fun Counting Games

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Children will love learning to count up to 10 with these free, fun counting games.