by Meredith Brustlin, CMNH Educator

Sorting: Exploring playing cards

• Find a deck of playing cards and spread them out
• Raid your recycling bin and find 2-4 containers (depending on child’s age, see below) and cut slits in the top so the cards can be dropped inside. 
  • I used large clear plastic baby spinach/mixed greens containers for this.
  • Some children will just have fun putting the cards into the slots - and that’s okay!
  • Younger children can sort them by color (2 containers)
  • Older children could sort them by their suit! (4 containers)

• Invite your child to sort the cards! 

Art: Evaporation Science Art

• Find a plastic container and a paintbrush 
  • The paintbrush should be one you don’t mind getting a bit dirty!
• Fill the plastic container with water and go outside!
• Paint designs on your driveway/sidewalk using the water
• Watch and see how long it takes the drawings to evaporate
  • This activity is best done on a sunny day :) 

Sensory: Floating splashy transfer

• Put out two mixing bowls
• Fill both with water
• Put items that float in one bowl
  • I used marker caps
• Invite your child to use a spoon or scoop to move all of the items from one bowl to the other!
  • You could put items that sink and float in the bowl and chat about how moving them is different if they sink or float. 

Building: Recycling Bin Wonders

• Raid your recycling bin and find a variety of items
• Use them to build!
• Give your child prompts like “Make a bridge!” “Make a house!” “Design a rocketship!” and challenge them to just use the items from the recycling bin
  • It’s fun to add little toys or other manipulatives to this challenge