Literacy – take a picture walk through a book before reading it. Look at the illustrations and redit what is happening in the story. What does the cover illustration suggest about the story?

Mathematics – write on index cards the numerals 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Write one numeral per card. Ask your child to place the correct number of beans or pieces of cereal on each card.

Language development – introduce the words “large” and “small”. For example, have your child find a large shoe and a smaller shoe, a large rock and a smaller rock.

Learning development – sort objects by color using a collection of buttons.

Problem solving – make a pattern paper chain. Cut sheets of colored paper into 1″x9″ strips. Use no more than 3 colors. Help your child start a color pattern by gluing the strips of paper to form a chain. Encourage your child to continue the pattern.

Personal information – practice writing words: mom, dad, dog, cat.

Small muscle development – draw with markers on wet paper. This has the effect of painting with water color paints without the mess.

Large muscle development – Toss rolled up socks, bean bags or rolled up paper balls into a basket, a hula hoop or a masking-tape circle on the floor.