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How to Entertain Your Child without Handing Over Your Phone!

December 16, 2024
By Toddler/Primary Division Head Cara Friedline

As we get ready for Winter Break in a world seemingly dominated by screens, engaging with your children without relying on technology can be challenging. While it’s tempting to hand over your phone or another electronic device, reducing screen time and employing the simple interactive learning games below are much better for promoting cognitive and problem-solving skills, strengthening the parent-child bond, and encouraging creativity and social interaction. 

Word Play Games

  1. I Spy: This timeless game encourages observation skills and creativity and prepares children for reading. Take turns spotting objects in your surroundings and giving clues like "I spy with my little eye, something that starts with a /c/ sound."  There are endless possibilities!
  2. Rhyming: Have fun enhancing language skills by coming up with words that rhyme. Ask your child for a word that rhymes with "cow."  They may give you "bow."  Now you can make these words into a sentence, the sillier, the better! "I once saw a cow take a bow in the middle of the field."  
  3. Story Starters: Spark your child’s imagination by starting a story with a sentence or phrase and taking turns adding to the story. This promotes narrative skills and creativity. "One day, a monkey ran away from the zoo."  Ask your child what happened next and build the story together.

Numbers Nonsense

  1. What Comes Next?: Start with simple numbers like "What comes after 7?"  As your child gets more proficient, ask for transitional numbers like "What comes after 59?" or vary the challenge by asking for the number before or the second number after or using big numbers like 7,423. 
  2. Count with Me: Reinforce counting skills and numerical recognition by counting everyday objects together - toys, books, steps, etc. Count the squirrels you see on your walk and compare the number to the number from the walk you took yesterday. It’s also a great game to play in the car. "How many red cars do you see?” 
  3. Skip Counting: Start with basic skip counting (e.g., by twos or fives) and challenge your child to continue the sequence. Younger children can start by using their fingers – you and your child each hold up one finger. Start by counting your finger in a whisper and then your child’s finger out loud. Your child will start to see the rhythm, and eventually, you can drop the whispered number. This strengthens multiplication concepts.

Colors, Shapes, & Patterns

  1. How Many Sides/Angles: Explore geometric shapes by identifying their attributes, such as the number of sides or angles. You can look for curved lines and straight lines, too. 
  2. Pattern Play: Create patterns using any objects. Encourage your child to continue the pattern or create their own. This is a great game to play while waiting at a restaurant. Packets of sweeteners have distinct colors and are readily available! 
  3. Tic Tac Toe: This simple yet engaging game promotes strategic thinking and problem-solving skills. The items on a restaurant table make this an easy distraction - use straws to create the board and sugar packets or jelly pods as playing pieces.

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