Use a bucket of water and a paintbrush and let your youngster have a great time “painting” sidewalks, trees, and even buildings and cars!
Use a set of alphabet cards. Lay them around the play area face up and have the kid or kids take turns running/jumping/crawling to the letter you name.
Choose two items (or even more) that you have multiples of around the house. Have a “contest” to see which item scores the most by having the most of them. Are there more buttons or more spoons?
For Young Elementary (Grades K-3):
Have kids read a book and write a paragraph about one character. Describe the character’s appearance, his or her actions, and so forth.
Complete the 100 facts test for subtraction (free printable HERE). Grade 1 should be able to complete untimed, grades 2-3 should take no longer than 5 minutes to complete with 100% accuracy. If not, time to practice!
Read some poems. Find them online or in books. Practice reading out loud until the rhythm is smooth, then perform for parents or other audience.
For Upper Elementary (Grades 3-5)
Make a list of describing words that tell how warm or cold something is. Find at least 20 words. Now, use 10 of them in good sentences.
Find 5 articles on the internet or in magazines that seem interesting. Read each one, and create a new title for it.
Complete the 100 facts test for subtraction (see link above). Grades 3-4 should be able to 100% in five minutes. Grades 5 and up should be under 5 minutes. If not, be sure to practice each day!
For Middle/High School (Grades 6-12)
Complete the 100 facts test for subtraction. Grades 6-8 should be able to do 100% in 4 minutes, and grades 9-12 should be finished in 3 minutes or less. If not, take time to practice each day.
Be sure to read at least 30 minutes today. Make a journal entry (or more than one!) for the main character.
Make up at least ten story problems that have two or more steps. Make an answer key, then see if a parent, friend, or sibling can solve them.
