We know that during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, there may be periods of time when a child is not attending school due to family choice, quarantine, or isolation requirements. The wonderful thing about learning is that it doesn’t stop when a child is out of the school building! Below are some suggested low-prep and no-tech activities you can do with your child, or your child can explore independently, to continue to develop their growing minds and bodies when they are home from school.
Children’s House Activities (or jump to: Elementary)
Food Preparation
- Spreading crackers
- Peeling and cutting bananas
- Squeezing orange or lemon juice
- Prepare applesauce in a Crock-Pot
- Peeling vegetables for dinner
- Make some snow ice cream for dessert
- Pouring water (tip: add food coloring to different glasses of water to allow for color mixing)
Some of these ideas are from: https://www.themontessorinotebook.com/montessori-activities/
Practical Life
- Making beds and changing pillow cases
- Sweeping
- Carpet vacuuming
- Shake out rugs, runners, or placemats
- Wash dishes in a sink.
- Replace towels in the bathrooms and kitchen
- Pet care and plant care (tip: you can dust a plant with a cotton ball)
- Organizing shoes, coats, and hats for colder weather
- Folding simple laundry and matching socks
- Organize toys and books
Fine Motor Practice
- Scissor work: trace shapes on paper to cut out, make paper snowflakes, cut zig-zags
- Use a set of tongs to transfer pom pom balls, bells, or anything else you have from one cup or bowl to another.
- Spooning work: transfer beans, rice, small noodles, etc. from one bowl to another.
- String beads or noodles onto a string or piece of yarn for instant jewelry.
- Write letters or numbers or draw pictures on a chalkboard. Smaller pieces of chalk are better for fine motor development.
No-Tech Activities
- Work with clay, Play-Doh, kinetic sand, or Model Magic.
- Create an ice ornament out of leftover pieces of winter garlands or flower arrangements.
- Listen to music and dance to the rhythm.
- Make a paper plate tambourine.
- Teach your child a new card game: Go Fish, Uno, or War are fun for children 3-6.
- Create a marble track.
- Write a letter or draw a picture and mail it to a loved one.
- Make your own “Mystery Bag” at home.
- Enact a “Quiet Reading Time” for non-nappers. Full-day students are used to practicing cursive or reading after lunch and recess. You can offer a similar, quiet period for concentration at home.
Elementary Activities (or jump to Children’s House)
Food Preparation
- Preparing pancakes on a griddle
- Scrambling eggs and cleaning egg shells
- Squeezing orange or lemon juice
- Prepare applesauce in a Crock-Pot
- Peeling vegetables for dinner
- Make lunch for the family (sandwiches, veggie sticks, apples)
- Make some snow ice cream for dessert
- Scrubbing and oiling cutting boards
Some of these ideas are from: https://www.themontessorinotebook.com/montessori-activities/
Practical Life
- Making beds and changing pillow cases
- Sweeping
- Carpet vacuuming
- Shake out rugs, runners, or placemats
- Wash dishes in a sink or dishwasher
- Replace towels in the bathrooms and kitchen
- Pet care and plant care (tip: you can dust a plant with a cotton ball)
- Organizing shoes, coats, and hats
- Folding laundry and matching pairs of socks
- Organize toys and books
- Create a pile of clothes/shoes that no longer fit and decide to donate or pass along to family members
No-Tech Activities
- Work with clay, Play-Doh, kinetic sand, or Model Magic.
- Decorate your home with paper snowflakes, including this jumbo sized one.
- Listen to music and dance to the rhythm.
- Make a paper plate tambourine.
- Teach your child a new card game: Apples to Apples, Uno, or War are some examples
- Create a marble track.
- Write a letter or draw a picture and mail it to a loved one.
- Make your own “Mystery Bag” at home.
- Enact a “Quiet Reading Time” for your children. This will reflect silent reading time or quiet work periods, which sometimes occur in the classroom.