Showing posts with label Cognitive Development. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cognitive Development. Show all posts

Wednesday, 15 January 2014

Linking Cubes Math Game

Here is a fun game your active child will love...and they won't even realise they're doing math!!

What you need:
Linking cubes
Paper
Pen

What you do:

  1. Place a large bowl with linking cubes at one end of the room.
  2. Write a number on a piece of paper and get your child to run to the bowl, make a tower with that many cubes and bring it back to you.
  3. You could also do this with simple addition or subtraction.  Hold up the sum and your child brings back the answer (ie. 4+2 ... your child brings back a tower of 6 cubes).


Linking Cubes

Monday, 29 July 2013

Celery 'Drinking' Experiment

The kids really loved this experiment and it let them discover for themselves how plants 'drink'.

Some great thought processes were witnessed and interesting conversations were had, some of which are documented below.



Day 1 Celery Experiment

Day 1 - When we placed the celery in the coloured water (black, yellow and green), I asked my 6 year old;
"What do you think will happen?"
There was a bit of a blank look on her face and she really didn't know what to say.  When I prompted her to make a random guess she said "They are going to turn that colour?"
Lets wait and see I said...




Day 2 Celery Experiment
Day 2 - As the celery started to change colour, the excitement grew!  
"Oh my gosh... look at the celery!" 
 I asked "How did the colour get to the top of the stalk when only the bottom is in the water?"  
This question provoked much thought and eventually, after a little giggle came the response; 
"Through the air?" 
 I said  "Good try... have another guess."  
After more thought came the response "It goes up the celery stick."
I asked "How does it go up?"
"On the outside"
We felt the celery stick.
"Is there any colour on your fingers?
"No."
"So, the colour doesn't go up on the outside.  How else could it get to the top?
"On the inside!"  
"Yes!  Why would the water go all the way to the top of the stalk and through the leaves?"
"Don't know."
"Have a guess."
"Mmmm, because it's drinking it."
"Exactly!"

This was a great  conversation and I loved the way she really thought about her answers.  The look on her face when she figured out the process was remarkable.  She was so proud!  






Day 3 Celery Experiment

Day 3 - We continued to watch the celery changing colour even more dramatically on the 3rd day.


Overall, this was a very successful science experiment and my kids enthusiasm made it very enjoyable.  I highly recommend trying it!!!!



Monday, 8 July 2013

Sock Matching Game

This game gets children involved in chores while having fun!

1.  Get all your unmatched socks.


2. Children find as many matching pairs as they can.  The person with the most matching pairs is the winner!




3. The result... a beautiful pile of matched up socks!  Gives the children something to do and gets your socks sorted at the same time.  Win-Win!!


Monday, 24 June 2013

Funstix Activity


Educational Activity using Funstix

Taken from the Early Childhood Shop newsletter.  To receive a copy of this monthly newsletter, register here.