Tag Archives: coordination

Make a pinwheel!

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Making a pinwheel is easier than it looks and the fun is in watching them spin once they are finished.

It can also be really therapeutic for you and your children. Pinwheels can be used in mindfulness activities, to help you to concentrate on your breathing. Or just watching the spin and feeling how it changes as you blow helps with focus and calm

The patterns can be as simple or creative as you like. There are a couple of templates on the attachment below, but if you prefer you can start with a plain piece of paper and get arty! 

Pinwheels make a super rainy day activity, but if you are lucky enough get a dry day why not take them outside and see if you can get them spinning in a breeze?

Click here for easy instructions and ideas!Download

Story sticks

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Today you’re going to find out what a good imagination your child has – and you too! 

As you know, children love listening to and making up stories and they can do both in today’s activity, using only a few interesting everyday items they choose from around the house or garden.

Attaching their items to the sticks will certainly help to develop your child’s fine motor skills as it’s quite tricky! 

Talking with you about the different items and describing them together is a great way to grow their vocabulary and ideas too. Then they can start to create their own stories with your help. This will help with ideas of sequence and develop memory too!

It’s also great fun to make up silly nonsense stories! 😊

Click here for ideas how to playDownload

Ten pin bowling

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You don’t need special kit for this – you can make a bowling game out of old bottles and a ball

Be warned this is a game that could last all day – you can do it indoors or out, and involve the whole family in a tournament (but make sure your young child has a chance!)

A great way for your child to learn without even realising – about coordination, concentration, weights, movement, counting and turn taking

If you want, you can make the “pins” more special – your child might want to decorate them.

And there are chances to talk to your child about useful maths words like near and far, quick and slow, in front and behind, left and right, forwards and backwards

But it is mainly about having a happy time and forgetting any worries for a while

Click here for ideas how to play & take it furtherDownload

Copy Cats!

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Children learn a lot from copying us – more than we think, and sometimes more than we’d like them to!

A very simple game today. All you do is some simple actions, say what you are doing, and see if your child or children can copy you.

It may not sound much, but it is great for building a bond, developing attention and growing your child’s vocabulary. And they are also developing executive function – the ability to choose and control actions

This is a good game to play on video calls with anyone your child is missing – grandparents, a brother or sister or a parent who is away.

Click here for how to play & how to take it furtherDownload

Safety note: make sure you avoid actions that involve touching the face so we all follow the current public health guidance

Incy Wincy Spider

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An old favourite today that is great for developing ideas of up and down, finger movements, learning about weather …

But most children will want to know about the creepy crawlies, so we have some ideas for how you can explore that too!

Remember it does not matter if you sing like a drainpipe – your child will love to do this song with you. Words and actions are on the sheet, or you can find them on this link too

Click here for words and ideas for playDownload

Plop Bucket

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Today’s idea is very simple – all you need is a bucket of water and some cleaned coins

But from this play, children can learn about taking turns, can develop their hand-eye coordination (really useful for writing later on, not to mention sports)

And they can count out their winnings, learn about different coin values – all the while doing some science as they watch the way coins float and fall in water!

All the family can play – you can even challenge the grandparents over a video-call …

Click here for how to play & extendDownload
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Laundry looking!

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Did you know that helping you sort the clean clothes can be good for your child’s maths?  Or that it helps them learn how to concentrate or learn new words?

This idea is all about how to turn a bothersome daily chore into something you might enjoy together

As with everything, don’t feel you have to, and don’t force your child.  Stop when you’ve both had enough!

Click here for how to do itDownload