Jul 25 2018

Get Ready for School with Siblings, Twins, and Multiples Reading Activity

Yikes! Brandon’s Twin Sisters Get Ready for Big Girl Preschool!

Hi! My name is Brandon and I have twin sisters who look alike. Their names are Anna and Maria and they love to follow me around and be my best friends! When they were toddlers, their grandma took them to school because they were naughty. Both liked to chew rocks, Maria chewed the arms off her baby doll, and Anna would run and hide from grandma when it was time to eat. Finally, my grandma said they had to go to baby school to learn how to listen and play with others.

Now my twin sisters are turning three and they are getting ready for big girl preschool. Both are excited about what they will learn. They can sing their ABC’s, they know their colors, they can count to 10, and they love to do projects. I have taught them how to draw, paint, and use shaving cream for finger-painting and coloring Easter eggs. We have painted rocks, cooked with plants, and enjoyed many hours of waterplay throughout the summer. We camp, hike, ride trikes, and climb in the park.

Although my sisters have lots of fun with me, my parents want them to go to school to learn how to play with other children. They are best friends and at times get angry at each other. Although they still look the same, they now have very different personalities. Anna likes to explore and wander off while Maria loves to follow me around and play imaginative games with me. Anna will finish her art projects quickly so that she can explore on her own while Maria wants to do projects all day!

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Jul 19 2018

Transportation and Construction Play Activities

When learning about various types of transportation vehicles and how they can be used in the community, suggested materials and activities include the following:

Materials:

Stories or books on transportation and construction that can be discussed include:
- There’s a Hole in the Road (by Mary Ann Burke published on GenParenting.com)
- Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site
- Wheels at Work Construction book
- Find it: Things That Go
- Spot the Difference Building Site
Foam bath vehicles
Transportation and Construction vehicles (i.e. TOMY TOOMies dump truck)
Building materials (i.e. Roylco Straw Connectors)
Vehicle speedways (i.e. Blu Track)

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Jul 18 2018

Transportation and Construction Reading Activity

Transportation and Construction Reading Activities with Kids!

You can read with your children about different types of vehicles, how to construct a road, or you can help your child learn how to identify vehicles when driving on errands. When reading to your children, help them learn critical thinking and problem-solving skills by asking questions and talking about the story. Listed below are stories, discussion questions, and relevant California Common Core Standards used by teachers for early elementary students to develop effective language arts skills.

Suggested stories or books on transportation and construction may include:

There’s a Hole in the Road by Mary Ann Burke reprinted by permission on GenParenting.com
Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site
Wheels at Work Construction book
Find it: Things That Go
Spot the Difference Building Site

A Hole in the Road Story

The story below was created by Grandma Mary Ann and her grandchildren after her car slipped into a sink hole at the bottom of a hill. Although there is some truth to the story, it is greatly exaggerated and can be read to your children with much imagination and humor. After reading the story, you can answer the comprehension questions and submit a comment to GenParenting.com Comments. [Read more…]

Jul 17 2018

Transportation and Construction Play with Kids

Bryce is passionate about visiting construction sites. When walking through the city, we will stop to watch a road being repaired and a new sky scraper being built. My grandson will carefully observe how the various types of construction equipment is used for specific construction jobs. He loves to watch the transformation of earth moving equipment that forms roads and highways.

At home and at the park, Bryce recreates construction sites with his construction vehicles. He has studied books and knows the name and purpose for each type of construction truck. Bryce likes to be the truck operator and will work cooperatively with a pretend crew when creating a road or building. When playing with others, he has learned how to share his toys and take turns when operating the different vehicles. [Read more…]

Jul 12 2018

Nature Exploration Play Activities for Kids

Children love to explore nature and the evolution of nature at a very early age. My toddler granddaughters and early elementary grandkids love to play in the garden and explore nature, smell various flowers, dissect plants, and observe insects and bugs per the following activities:

Materials:

The Very Hungry Caterpillar book
Bug box
Dual lenses magnifying glass
Big Bunch of Bugs kit
Mini rake and scooper
Kits for raising insects (i.e. Lore Original Butterfly Garden)

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