Day Of Play Family Festival Newsletter

Day of Play Family Festival NewsletterThis newsletter isbrought to you by:Worcester FamilyPartnership &Edward Street ChildServicesSee highlights onthe Day of Playwebsite!September 2017 Newsletter!Here you will find activities in each of the 6 importanttypes of play: reading play, construction play, STEMplay, creative arts play, active play and music &dance play that will allow you to continue the learningfun at home! To find out more about the benefits ofplay,visittheDayofPlay websitewww.worcesterdayofplay.org!Reading Play1. Rhyming Game! This is an interactive game that helpsyour child learn rhyming words and develop overallliteracy skills. On a large piece of paper write somethingalong the lines of "These words rhyme with (chosenword)." (Make sure to use a word that your child can readfor the main rhyming word on the paper). For the otherrhyming words, write them on the backs of old puzzlepieces. Trace the puzzle pieces onto the piece of paper asa clue for the matching words. Your child must place therhyming words in their correct locations as dictated by theshapes of their puzzle pieces.Try incorporating a fewpuzzle pieces that have words that do not rhyme to makethis activity more difficult!2. Simple Stories! On index cards write out simple wordsthat could be used to tell a story. Think of topics that willinterest your child; it will make this activity more exciting forhim or her which will help the learning process go moresmoothly! Pick out a few words to begin a sentence andthen ask them to pick the next word in the sentence. Youcan add words that don't make sense as well to have

them be able to figure out what works and what doesn't.This activity helps your child learn how to develop simplesentences.3. Scrabble Your Words! With this twist to scrabble,create letter tiles using flash cards by writing one letter oneach card (or if you already have scrabble pieces youcan use those). Ask your child which words they would liketo learn to spell. This is helpful because it is important tomake learning letters and writing interesting for your child.Do this by using words they are either interested in orfrequently encounter (like their name). This makes wordsmore memorable, which increases the chances that yourchild will remember them better. Write the words down andhave your child copy them with their scrabble pieces.Once your child had re-created the words with their tiles,go over the words with them. Start again with new words!Construction Play1. Building with recycled materials. Save paper towel andtoilet paper rolls, foam meat trays (washed of course!) andany and all cardboard. Place the supplies on the table or floorand tell your child to build "something" using their imagination.As they build they will learn how to balance and how to maketheir structures more sturdy. The fun is when it topples downand they have to try again. This will let them use their criticalthinking and problem solving skills.2. Tee it Up! For this activity you will need plastic golf tees, asturdy cardboard box or large piece of styrofoam, and simpletools like a hammer and wrench. Start the activity by placingseveral golf tees into the cardboard or styrofoam. Let yourchild use the tools to hammer the tees in and pull them out.This activity is great to build eye hand coordination!3. Build with Boxes! Over time, collect old boxes from cerealand other items. Have your child decorate these boxes andthen use them to build! Allow your child to get creative whilebuilding. How high can they stack the boxes? Can they makea fort for their toys with them? Building with boxes promotescreative thinking and design, both of which are helpful skills forchildren.STEM Play(Science, Technology, Engineering,and Math)1. Re-created Crayons! Use old, broken pieces ofcrayons to make new ones! Thoroughly coat an old muffinpan with nonstick cooking spray. Have your child placebroken crayon pieces of different colors into the muffin

cups. Place the tray in a low-temperature oven and allowthe pieces to melt together. After the crayons coolcompletely, turn the pan upside down to remove the new,multi-colored crayons. Let your child express theircreativity as they use their new crayons to draw!2. Talk on a Tin Can Phone! Create a small hole in thecenter of the bottom of two tin cans. Cut a long piece ofstring and thread one end through the hole of one of thecans, then tie a knot in the string to secure it (use tape ifneeded). Repeat this process with the other end of thestring and the second can. Have your child decorate thecans however he or she would like. Try out the tin canphones by standing on opposite sides of a room andtalking into the can and listening for your child's response!Discussing this activity helps give your child a basicunderstanding of how sound waves travel.3. Get Down and Dirty! Dress your child in old clothes sothat they can get messy. Bring your child outside andexplore different aspects of nature. What creatures arefound living in the dirt, living in the bushes or flying in thesky? What does bark feel like? Are leaves differentshapes? What does the sky look like? Keep a journal of allof the things they discover. The possibilities are endlessand this activity allows your child to explore their outsideenvironments. Keep your journal and add to it onsubsequent nature explorations.Creative Arts Play1. Toilet Paper Roll Cuff Bracelet! Cut toilet paper rolls inhalf and give them to your children. Have them cut a slitthrough one side of the toilet paper roll (so that it canexpand to fit on their wrist). Let your children paint or colorthe tubes. Once the tubes dry, decorate them by gluingsmall objects such as old buttons and jewels onto them.This activity incorporates the development of fine motorskills. Now it's time to put on the bracelets!2 . Torn Paper Collage! Your child will need glue and apiece of base paper for this activity. Collect various typesof paper of all different colors. Help your child tear thepapers into assorted sizes and shapes. Using glue, helpyour child paste the different pieces of torn paper onto thelarger base paper, making designs and scenes for theircollage! Naming and identifying colors with your childrenoccurs frequently during this project which improves theircolor recognition skills.3. Make Your Own Flag! Using various art supplies, haveyour child make a flag that represents them as a person.Add features such as their favorite sport or book to thedesign of the flag. After they have completed the creationof their flag, attach it to a paper towel tube. Hang it up and

have them describe their flag to you, helping them practicea more sophisticated vocabulary as well as use selfreflection skills!Active Play1. Get 'Em Out of Here! Divide a group of children into twoteams. Give each team an area to patrol, clearly markedwith boundaries (use cones or other objects to do so).Provide each child a piece of paper to crush into a ball. Onthe signal "go" let the children throw their paper wads (andother wads that have already been thrown into their area)over into the other team's area. On the signal "stop" havethe children count up the number of wads on each side.The team with the fewer number of paper wads in theirarea wins! Friendly competition and teamwork can belearned using this active game.2. Pebble Chase! Have the players stand in a line facinga "safe area" that is a short distance away. The child inline closest to the "safe area"(AKA the "leader") takes apebble, presses it between his or her palms and movesfrom player to player, pretending to drop the pebble intothe outstretched hands of each. When the "leader" actuallydoes drop the pebble into a person's hand, the receiver,AKA the "Pebble", runs to the safe area and then back tothe "leader", chased by all the others. The player who tags"Pebble" before he or she returns to the "leader" gets thepebble and becomes the "leader". If the "Pebble" returnssafely, he or she becomes the new "leader". This activityhelps children learn how to follow game rules while alsohaving fun and exercising.3. Crazy Legs! Children stand in a big circle an arm'slength from each other. One child is chosen to be "CrazyLegs", the player who kicks a ball around the outside of thecircle. At some point "Crazy Legs" kicks the ball throughthe other players into the circle and touches someone whobecomes "Speedy". "Crazy Legs" tries to run around thering of children and back to the empty spot before"Speedy" catches him or her. While this is happening, theplayers in the circle kick the ball back and forth, trying tokeep it moving. Make things more challenging by adding asecond ball and a second "Crazy Legs". (This is a twist tothe classic game "Duck, Duck, Goose"). The importanceof outdoor play is reinforced with this game.Music & Dance Play1. Prehistoric Puppets! Help your child to drawdinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures on constructionpaper. Let them decorate their dinosaurs and once theyare done cut them out. If the paper is too flimsy, glue it to a

cardboard backing and cut the cardboard out in the sameshape as the dinosaur or creature. Glue the cut-outs topopsicle sticks. Once the glue has dried, the roaring goodtimes can begin! Children can make up puppet playsstarring their dinosaur creations, or create funny songsand dances that the dinosaurs can act out with a littlefancy finger work. As your child completes this project,teach him or her about dinosaurs and prehistoric times.2. Make Your Own Song! Help your child create lyrics totheir very own song! Incorporate lyrics about their friendsand family and other things they love! Creative thinkingand self-reflection play important roles in this activity.3. Dance Recital! Using a bed, help your child make astage for their toys and stuffed animals upon which tohave a dance recital. Have your child sing some of theirfavorite songs and use their toys to create dances. Put ashow on for the whole family! Try incorporating ideas andtopics that your child is learning into their recitalperformance. Performing in front of an audience will helpyour child grow socially and emotionally as they becomemore self-confident.Edward Street Child Services50 Portland StreetWorcester, Massachusetts 01608

2. Pebble Chase! Have the players stand in a line facing a "safe area" that is a short distance away. The child in line closest to the "safe area"(AKA the "leader") takes a pebble, presses it between his or her palms and moves from player to player, pretending to drop the pebble into t