Fun for Black Hills Early Learners
We are here to bring you fun activities for any child age 0-5 years. We hope you find this useful and helpful during this very unusual time.
Happy learning!
How to find the right activities for your child. Each activities is marked by dots (•):
• = Infant •• = Toddler ••• = Preschooler
Fun Activities
• Here is 5 easy to make Sensory Bags for your baby. Remember to supervise when baby plays with plastic bags. Link to Activity Here

• Let your baby explore edible paint and tinfoil. Link to Activity Here

• Spread a blanket and place your baby on their tummy. Pick up one end of the blanket and very gently roll your baby over onto their back. If your baby isn’t rolling yet, this is a great way for them to experience the sensation and help him learn and yearn to do it on their own.
•• Before you recycle those empty bottles and caps and turn them into five easy activities for your toddler learning. Link to Activities Here

•• Another great idea to use those clear plastic bottles before you recycle them is to make a simple ribbon fine motor activity for your toddler. Link to Activities Here

•• A simple way to build the muscles in your toddlers hands is to do this peel tape activity. Link to Activity Here
••• Choose a move and see how long your child can perform it while another uses a timer to measure. How long can they balance on one foot? How long will it take to run up a hill? How long can they keep up a balloon?

••• Have your child toss two dice and add up the numbers that are rolled. Write down the total on a piece of paper. Reroll and keep adding up the numbers until one of you reach 100 (or a smaller number for younger kids).

••• A hallway laser maze is easy to set up and will keep kids busy as they jump, crawl, and climb they way back and forth. Link to Activity Here
Outdoor Fun
• It’s simple but so effective. Lay a blanket on the ground, if it’s warm enough, take off their pants so your baby’s legs are as free as possible. And then let your baby kick in the fresh air.
•• With Fall just around the corner here are some creative ways to paint with leaves! There are so many different ways you can create art with leaves. Link to Activity Here

•• For this activity you have to psych up for the mess. If you have a slide you can do slide painting. Link to Activity Here
••• Teach your child a simple way to make an airplane! Let them decorate them and then let them fly! Link to Activity Here

••• I remember how much I loved making mud pies when I was a little girl! Build these memories with another very messy activity that let's preschoolers be creative. Link to Activity Here

••• Get creative and make an obstacle course for trikes or bikes to challenge your preschoolers motor skills. Link to Activity Here
Everyday Moments
For more brain building moments sign up at Vroom.org. Vroom Tips help you do more with your shared moments. Add learning to mealtime, bathtime, bedtime or anytime with over 1000 free ideas
• It’s up to parents to choose what sleep method works best for their babies and their families. Because babies learn through routines, it’s important that parents pick a method that they can use consistently, one that won’t wear them out. Link her to an article on Common Myths About Baby Sleep Challenges
•• Is it hard for your toddler to say goodbye? Work together to come up with a special routine. For example, each time your drop them off to go to work, you can give each other a kiss, a hug and a high five. Before you know it, they will be starting the goodbye routine! When you support your child in coming up with ways to manage their feelings, you help them learn to use self-control in difficult situations.
••• When cleaning up encourage your child to put their toys away as fast as they can. Let them choose which toys they want to clean up first. Say, “Ready! Set, Go!” and time them to make it exciting. Then change the rules and ask them how slowly they can put something away. Time them again. By asking your child to make choices about cleaning up, you’re encouraging them to use critical thinking skills. When you change the rules from fast to slow, you’re asking them to pay attention, remember the rules, think flexibly and not go on autopilot—all important skills for school and life.
Literacy
• Watch how reading to your baby starting at birth can help foster strong reading skills and a growing vocabulary. Link to Video Here

•• Play musical Alphabet with your Toddler. Link to Activity Here

•• Turn off the lights and get learning with a fun in the dark scavenger hunt for kids of all ages. Link to Activity Here
••• This Llama Llama Red Pajama alphabet activity is a great extension for the book. Practice uppercase and lowercase letter matching while making a quilt. Link to Activity Here. Don't have the book here is a YouTube link to a Read Aloud version

••• Make alphabet letters on the floor with painter tape and let your preschooler take aim with the airplanes you made. Link to Activity Here
••• Swat the Balloons is a wonderful way for busy learners to practice their alphabet recognition and letter sounds. Blow up a bunch of balloons and hang them to the ceiling with string and painters tape and swat at the letters. Link to Activity Here