6 Ideas to Try Right Now
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#1·10 min
Number Counting Jar
🛒Materials: Jar, small objects (buttons, beans)
- 1Fill a jar with small objects.
- 2Ask your child to estimate how many.
- 3Count together to see who was closer.
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#2·10–15 min
Sorting Game
🛒Materials: Mixed small objects (buttons, coins, blocks)
- 1Mix together a variety of small objects.
- 2Challenge: sort by colour, then by size, then by shape.
- 3Discuss why each goes where it goes.
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#3·15 min
Handprint Monsters
🛒Materials: Paint, paper, googly eyes (or draw them)
- 1Paint your child's hand and press onto paper.
- 2Let it dry — the handprint is the monster's body.
- 3Add googly eyes, teeth, spots with a marker.
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Make a whole family of handprint monsters — great gift idea.
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#4·15–20 min
Sponge Water Transfer
🛒Materials: 2 bowls, sponge, water
- 1Fill one bowl with water and leave the other empty.
- 2Give your child a large sponge.
- 3Let them soak water from one bowl and squeeze it into the other.
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#5·20–30 min
Kitchen Restaurant
🛒Materials: Play kitchen or real utensils, paper for menu
- 1Help your child write a 'menu' with pictures of 3 things.
- 2You are the customer — place your order very seriously.
- 3They 'cook' and 'serve' using pretend or real (safe) items.
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Ask 'What's today's special?' — they love being the expert.
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#6·20 min
Nature Soup
🛒Materials: Bucket, water, leaves, sticks, mud, flowers
- 1Give your child a bucket with a little water.
- 2They collect leaves, sticks, flowers, and mud from outside.
- 3Mix it all together to make 'magic soup'.
