Mind and body games

Knock 'em down, count 'em up

• Set up a bowling alley in your hallway with six empty water bottles and a tennis ball.

• Have your child help you arrange the pins in a triangle, and count them out loud together as you stand them up.

• After he rolls the ball, ask him, "How many pins did you knock down?" Then count together how many pins are still standing.

• Set them back up and let him roll and count over and over.

The hidden lessons: He's honing his hand-eye coordination and learning principles of addition and subtraction.

Feelings fling

• Working together, draw happy, sad, mad, surprised, and silly faces on separate pieces of paper.

• Make beanbags by filling up socks with dried beans and tying them tightly (the beans can be a choking hazard).

• Spread the faces on the floor.

• Ask your child things like "How do you feel on your birthday?" or "What does it feel like when your sister takes your toy?"

• Have her toss the beanbags to the face that matches her feelings.

• Let her ask you things.

The hidden lessons: She's learning to put names to feelings, as well as practicing her throwing skills and using her writing hand.

Balancing act

Form straight, zigzag, bent, or curved lines on the floor using long strips of colored masking tape. Then come up with fun and interesting challenges like:• "Walk along the straight line"

• "Walk on your tiptoes on the zigzag line"

• "Now, take three giant steps backward on the curved line"

See how many crazy combinations you both can come up with.

The hidden lessons: Her body is focused on balance and coordination while her brain is concentrating on following a multifaceted direction - abilities that will take her far, whether she's listening to her teacher, piecing together a Lego set, or doing her first wobbly pli¿¿s at ballet class.

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