Learning Games

The 2nd Shareworthy Game from Casey’s Top 5

Hi! It’s Casey stopping by from Kidspired Creations once again!
Here is the second of my TOP 5 (scratch that) 6! games for Pre-Schoolers:
Recommended for Ages 5+ (according to the box)
This classic game is great for so many reasons! Not only is it great for your child’s development, but the timer doesn’t need batteries AND it has the perfect little compartment to store all of the pieces!!! Now THAT is my kind of game!
I know it says “5+” on the box, but if you don’t use the 60-second timer at first, I think you can start at the age of 3 (the parts are small, so I wouldn’t start younger than that because they are a choking hazard).
I even have yet to finish putting all the pieces in within 60 seconds, so James doesn’t use the timer. Eventually I may use a kitchen timer to set at 2 or 3 minutes, then we can work our way to 60 seconds. Right now we just have fun naming the pieces and finding out where they go. Some pieces we have made up fun names for like the “hurricane” that looks like an S, or the “macaroni noodle” that is different from the semi-circle.
Pre-School learning skills:
  • Hand-eye coordination
  • Fine motor skills (turning the shapes between the thumb and index finger)
  • Spacial awareness
  • Simple shapes (square, circle, triangle)
  • Complex shapes (trapezoid, parallelogram, hexagon)
  • Imaginary play (What does this shape look like?)
  • Time management – racing the clock (eventually)

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The First of Casey’s Top 5

Hi! It’s Casey stopping by from Kidspired Creations! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas season like we did! I say “season” because with the amount of different families that we spend Christmas with, it doesn’t just last the one day for us. My boys got way too many gifts, as usual, and so we are still trying to find spots for all of them. (Sound familiar?)
While the boys got super excited to open all of the toys at each Christmas event, I got really excited about the number of GAMES my 4-year-old son, James, received this year! This Mommy goofed and thought James’ school started today, when it actually starts tomorrow. Oops! So we had to change our plans around and instead played games all morning! (Hence my inspiration for this post.) Yes!
Here is the first of my TOP 5 (scratch that) 6! games for Pre-Schoolers:
Recommended for ages 4-8 (and Mommy and Daddy too!)
This game is amazing and so much fun for all! On each turn, a player picks 3 cards numbered 1, 2 and 3 and when you piece them together, they create a full sentence with a fun, get-up-out-of-your-chair challenge!
The first card you choose tells you to jump, walk backwards, take giant steps, skip, crawl, etc. The 2nd card asks you to grab a specific prop from the box, and the 3rd card tells you where to put that prop (between your elbows, under your chin, on your stomach, on top of your head). James was sometimes better at the challenges than his 6-month pregnant mommy (though I was pretty good at the challenges that asked me to balance things on my belly).
After all the cards are chosen, each player counts the number of stars on his/her cards. Game 1… James: 35, Mommy: 28 (and he won fair and square!)
Pre-School learning skills:
  • Following 3-step directions
  • Knowing right versus left
  • Gross motor skills such as walking, jumping, skipping, walking backwards and balancing
  • Pre-reading skills (making complete, complex sentences)
  • Ordinal numbers (first, second, third)
  • Number recognition (1, 2 and 3)
  • Directional vocabulary (on top of, under, over, right, left, etc.)
  • Counting (to at least 35… that’s the highest score any of us have gotten. Good job, James!)

 

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Simple Pumpkin Game

Today I thought I would introduce a “card game” that you could play with your kids using a  simple pumpkin template that I made.

For this game, print the pumpkin template onto orange paper (or cardstock) and cut them out either in squares or on the outside of the bold, black outline.  Then write a number, sight word, letter, shape, or any skill you are focusing on at the time on the back of most of the cards.  On about 1/5 of the cards write the word “boo” or some other fun seasonal word that is memorable for your child.  Place the cards down with the pumpkins facing up.  Your little one will pick up a pumpkin and tell you what is on the back of the pumpkin. If your little one names it right, he/she will keep the card and then you, or another player, will take a turn. But, if he/she cannot identify what is on the back of the card, he/she will have to put the card back (after you have re-taught him/her what that skill was). If your little one picks “Boo”, encourage your little one to put ALL of his/her cards back; making it very light-hearted and funny that he/she has to “start over” because of that silly “boo.”

Game Tip* Explain the rules FIRST, have a practice round second, and then play a real game third so that the rules are understood and applied by your little one before the game officially starts.

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