In these days of social distancing to avoid the pandemic running around the planet, a lot of us have kids at home full time.
Though most of us know too much screen time adversely affects kids’ brains, we may run out of alternatives to keep them busy, much less learning—especially if we’ve had to bring our work home or we have a home-based business.
Still, we want our kids to have fun during this break from school.
And wouldn’t it be great for them to learn new things and sharpen skills while having fun?
To this end, I started posting fun learning games this week that kids can do at home on Facebook and Instagram, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Below are this week’s games.
I decided to continue posting games your kids can play for fun and learning until they go back to school—much better than buying a workbook and assigning pages. The games have been adapted for different age groups, from preschool through eighth grades.
It turns out that our brains learn best through play anyway. You might as well take advantage of this time with your kids at home.
This week’s theme was about coins: identifying them, categorizing, counting, making up stories, mental math, and jumping rope.
There’s even a video of world champion jump roper David Fisher doing his BRAND NEW “Coins” jump rope rhyme with his kids.
It’s one of the 60 rhymes that will go into the Brain Stages Book of Jump Rope Rhymes (publication date pending—I’ll let you know when it will be released as soon as I know).
If you follow me or you’ve been to one of my workshops, you’ve likely heard about the amazing connection between learning, rhythm, and movement. If not, you can watch Helen Raptis, on KATU in Portland, interview me about the learning and movement connection here.
The games are numbered as I’ve posted them on social media.
Game #1: Coins in the Family Dish or Jar
Most of us have a change dish, bowl or jar somewhere in the house. Either you, or if your kids are old enough, they can dump the coins into a bucket with laundry detergent (money is dirty). After soaking the coins for about 15 minutes, rinse them, toss them on a hand towel to dry, and try the activities below.
Age 3-5: Line up coins in order of size. Put the same kind of coin in a line until you run out of them. Do that for each coin. See which coin there is the most and which there is the least. If your child is ready, have him or her put the columns in order from most to least. Help you child identify the name and value of each coin.
Age 5-7: They can do the above things plus count the pennies. See if they can count the nickels too—Maybe dimes if they’re ready. Some will be able to count quarters too. Whatever they can do is great!
Age 8-11: Kids this age can start with the things above and likely be able to count the amount of money in all. If they can calculate a total, have them brainstorm things this amount of money would be enough to buy. They can check their ideas on websites like Target and Walmart. If you have more than one child at home, they can work together to see how many items they can come up with.
Middle school: These kids can do a combination of the above, plus if they would like to “buy” something that costs more than they have, they can figure out how much more money they need and set up a plan to earn the money to purchase it—hypothetically or in real life—your choice.
For more information and coin game ideas, if you have a copy of Brain Stages, check out pgs. 58, 95, 96, 99, 141, 142, 143, 188, 192, 241, and 294. 😁
If you don’t have a copy, click on the link. Amazon has it on sale right now for $14.68, reg. $16.95.
#BrainStages #positiveparenting #happykids #kidsatplay #simplifytribe
Game #2: The Treasure Hunt Game
A friend and her son let me record them playing “The Treasure Hunt Game” several months before the pandemic, so I talk about playing the game at the store or waiting in the doctor’s office, but this game is perfect for having some fun at home!
You make up a story where you find and earn money. Keep it super simple for small children (find pennies and nickels to add).
This game easily adapts for all ages as the stories and amounts automatically get trickier and more advanced as kids get older.
When you first start to play this game, you and your kids might want to use a calculator until you get the hang of it. Also, if you have coins around (maybe from the first game?), it helps for younger children to pick up the actual money and count it until it gets easier for them to add in their heads.
If you have a Brain Stages book, you can find more info. on pages 143-44, 163, 188-89, and 240, with more great ideas for enhancing the game as kids get older. If you want to get another example of a mom and her son playing the game, you’ll find one on pgs. 172-75.
Watch 2-minute video for an example of how to play.
Game #3: Rope Warrior David Fisher’s “Coins Jump”
David not only chants the “Coins Jump” rhyme while he and his older son turn a long rope and his younger son jumps, they do some fun, trickier stuff at the end of the video. You don’t want to miss it! Click to watch.
COINS JUMP by David Fisher
PENNY, NICKEL, QUARTER, DIME
Let’s count coins and jump and rhyme.
Here are things to learn if you want to be a sorter. Five pennies make a NICKEL; five nickels make a QUARTER
Ten PENNIES make a DIME; ten dimes make a DOLLAR. Two nickels make a dime, even through the dime is smaller.
Now by coins is how we’ll count.
One hundred is the end amount.
Start – With – Pennies – Go! (jump for each penny to 100)
1 – 2 – 3 . . . 100
Next – comes – nickels – Go! (jump for each nickel to 100)
5 – 10 – 15 . . . 100
Next – comes – dimes – Go! (jump for each dime to 100)
10 – 20 – 30 . . . 100
Next comes – quarters – Go! (jump for each quarter to 100)
25 – 50 – 75 – 100!
Enjoy!
Join me next week on my Patricia Wilkinson Author Facebook page Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for three new games your kids can play at home for fun and learning!
May your family remain healthy and happy!
Trish Wilkinson
Coauthor Brain Stages: How to Raise Smart, Confident Kids and Have Fun Doing It
