The great thing about babies is that they’re easily entertained, which is especially helpful when you’re trying to build a connection between your tot and their older sibling. Babes are obsessed with everything their siblings do, and bigs take great pleasure in making their babies laugh, or showing off their “reading” skills with their favorite nursery rhymes. So before your tot becomes a toddler and turns your big kid’s world upside down, your baby can start bonding with their older sibling by playing sweet and silly games together. These budding connections will only grow as your kiddos get bigger. From classics like peekaboo to anything-goes dance parties, here are our favorite sibling activities for big kids and babies.
1. Peekaboo
This old favorite is a classic for a reason! Peekaboo is an easy, surefire way for an older sibling to put a smile on baby’s face. To add an extra twist to the game, get out a lightweight blanket that your older kid can drape over their head, and then let your little one take off the blanket. Big kids can also play peekaboo with favorite stuffies, hiding them behind their backs before the big reveal. Ta-da!
2. Making the Band
Kids of all ages love to rock out. Gather up musical instruments—xylophones, rattles, even ukuleles for the big kids—and encourage your kids to make beautiful music together. If you don’t have instruments, break out the pots and pans and wooden spoons. If your budding musicians want to make their own instruments, dig into the recycling bin: Make a drum out of an oatmeal canister or a shaker by putting beans in a toilet paper tube and taping over each end. You can find more baby Mozart-worthy DIY instrument ideas here.
3. To the Races
Encourage mobile kids to get out their wiggles and race each other across the living room. To even things out, big kids can do a crab walk or walk backwards while little ones crawl or scoot. Ready, set, go!
Babies adore seeing faces—especially when they belong to beloved older siblings. Big kids can pretend to be mirrors and mimic their little siblings’ expressions, or make an exaggerated face and see if their baby sibling can do the same. The eye contact siblings make when they’re playing a mirror game helps to strengthen their bond as future besties.
5. Echo
The imitation game can also be played with sounds: Have the older sibling mimic the coos and noises their little sibling makes. For a twist, your big kid can even extend those oohs and aahs into words. This back-and-forth is how babies learn to talk and take turns in conversations, so by playing this game your older sibling is creating the building blocks for your baby’s future babbling!
6. Patty Cake
Rhymes, hand-clapping games, and finger-play classics are always a sibling playtime hit. Your older child can teach their little new tricks with patty cake, or throw other preschool favorites, like the Itsy Bitsy Spider or Five Little Monkeys, into the mix.
7. Story Time
Long before kids can read, they memorize their favorite picture books. Older siblings feel oh-so-grown-up when they “read” these books to baby siblings. Don’t worry if your child doesn’t know all the words yet; just reciting the beginning, middle, and end of the story will entertain their younger sibling. To make the story time a little extra special, add puppets, like these from the Etsy shop Frankly Fun Felt ($18).
8. Made You Laugh
Is there anything better than baby giggles? Challenge big brothers and sisters to make the baby laugh without touching them. They can try funny faces, silly dances, pretending to be an elephant, putting their shoes on their head…. Anything goes!
Rolling a ball back and forth is an easy introduction to taking turns, and kids can play this game together almost as soon as little ones are sitting up on their own. Easy-to-grab balls like this one from Oball ($5) help baby play the game. Big and little siblings can also roll cars or trains back and forth. Pro tip: Rolling two similar toys back and forth at once makes taking turns a little easier because each kiddo will have a toy to hold onto at all times.
10. Dance Party
Put on your favorite tunes, pull out some gauzy scarves, and get a dance party started. To make it extra special, just add bubbles. Give your baby a rattle if they aren’t quite big enough for a full-body boogie. We guarantee it’ll give you a few minutes of peace—and you might be inspired to join in the fun.
Make sure to capture all those sweet bonding moments—and share them with your family and friends near and far—with the Tinybeans app. The secure platform puts parents in total control of who sees and interacts with photos and videos of their kids.
Extended school closures means most, if not all, kids will not return to the classroom until the fall. To continue to support literacy during the coming months Scholastic has launched Scholastic Read-a-Palooza. This free program is designed to increase book access and ensure engaging experiences to keep kids reading this summer.
“With the unprecedented closing of U.S. schools, for many through to summer break, supporting literacy at home has never been more important. We know the power of reading and access to books is irreplaceable, and a critical component of combating the summer slide under normal circumstances. With the prospect of a greater slide due to the impact of COVID-19 and a nation of families and educators feeling emotional exhaustion, Scholastic is more dedicated than ever to partner together in inspiring and illuminating joyful, purposeful student learning. Scholastic Summer Read-a-Palooza can serve as a an easy-to-use, engaging bridge for kids to connect with books, both digitally and through book donations this summer, in partnership with United Way Worldwide,” said Pam Allyn, SVP, Innovation & Development, Scholastic.
Starting Monday, May 4, kids can join the Scholastic Summer Read-a-Palooza in the newly created summer zone on Scholastic Home Base, a free and safe digital destination, where they will be encouraged to explore free resources, read select ebooks, engage with fellow readers and favorite authors, and keep Reading Streaks, which also help unlock a donation of 100,000 print books from Scholastic, distributed by United Way Worldwide.
“United Way is proud to partner with Scholastic once again for a dynamic summer program that will encourage children everywhere to develop strong reading skills while improving the quality of learning environments in communities everywhere,” said Suzanne McCormick, U.S. President, United Way Worldwide. “United Way is dedicated to building more resilient, inclusive and sustainable communities and we believe it’s critical all children, especially during this era of distance learning, have the ability to develop essential literacy skills through access to quality books.”
Every child with a free Home Base account can create an avatar and experience the Scholastic Summer Read-a-Palooza by:
Reading free digital books. Exclusive to the summer zone, kids will have access to select full ebooks in their entirety.
Unlocking book donations for home libraries: For every two consecutive days a child checks into the zone they will create a Reading Streak which will unlock a new free print book for a child with limited or no access to books. Reading Streaks are earned when kids check in to the Read-a-Palooza zone to confirm they have read that day. With the goal of unlocking all 100,000 books by July, United Way Worldwide, the world’s largest privately funded nonprofit, will distribute the books across the country to locations where access to more high-quality books is needed most.
Sharing reading progress. Kids will be able to create and print individualized reading reports summarizing their reading progress. These easy-to-download and printable reports can be shared with teachers or parents to show reading accomplishments.
Earning personal reading milestones. Kids will be able to earn accolades ranging from bronze, silver, gold and diamond levels for their reading streak progress while collecting summer-specific accessories to dress up their avatar.
Joining a community of readers. The summer zone offers kids a safe social platform to interact with friends and make new companions along the way. Through this summer reading community kids will share and discover the joy of stories and help provide books to their peers with limited or no access.
To learn more about Scholastic Summer Read-a-Palooza and access free summer reading resources, visit: http://www.scholastic.com/summer.
With parents across the country balancing a lot more time at home with kids and keeping them entertained, many families are coming together to whip up dinner or teach some life skills during remote learning. With some simple tips and tricks, parents can enjoy their time in the kitchen with their kids.
Three to five-year-olds can start by practicing handwashing prior to eating or preparing any foods. Paired with washing fresh produce in the sink and cleaning off tabletops, this habit not only gives kids something to do but teaches them about the important link between food and hygiene. Kids this age have limited dexterity, but can help by brushing or painting oils onto foods or sheet pans, shaking or sprinkling herbs and spices, and scooping foods into bowls or serving dishes. One activity to make food prep exciting for children around this age is to use cookie cutters to cut shapes out of fruits, vegetables, tortillas, or cookies; not only does this give the kids an entertaining and non-dangerous interaction with the food, but the fun shapes may even encourage your child to try a food they were previously averse to.
Along with the above activities, six to seven-year-olds can complete more complex tasks like peeling raw fruits and vegetables, scooping out avocados, and breaking eggs into a bowl (remind them to wash their hands after). At this age, they can also begin to cut fruits and veggies with kid-friendly knives, but must always be under the supervision of an adult. Importantly, they can begin to clear the table and load the dishwasher, enforcing the idea that as much fun as it is to create in the kitchen, we also have to be responsible for cleanup.
Once children are eight to nine years old, they have more developed motor skills and can take over tasks that would be frustrating for a younger child. They can try spinning a hand-held can opener to open canned foods, squeezing citrus fruit to make fresh juice, and transferring leftovers into containers to refrigerate for later. Since reading skills are strong at this point, you can put your children in charge of checking thermometers to ensure food is cooked to the right temperature.
Ten to twelve-year-olds can have some more responsibility in the kitchen, including boiling pasta or microwaving foods. At this age, reading skills are solid enough for children to accurately measure ingredients for more complex recipes. Of course, as always, children should be supervised in the kitchen, and if any task feels like it is too advanced for your child to undertake, leave it until you feel more comfortable.
Cooking or baking together can also be a time to bond, make memories, and teach valuable life skills, as well as incorporate math and more. Looking for some recipes that are kid-approved and family-friendly?
Fruity Energy Bites This is a great option for 12 months plus!
Ingredients:
2 Cups quick oats
1 cup nut butter of choice
1/2 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup craisins or raisins, chopped
1 tsp cinnamon
*No honey for children under 12 months of age
Directions:
1. Mix all ingredients together.
2. Freeze mixture until easier to mold.
3. Form roughly 1-2 Tbsp of mixture into a ball and put on a plate.
4. Freeze balls.
5. Place in a Ziploc baggie, store in the freezer and take out as needed!
PB Yogurt Dip
This is a great option for 6 months plus!
Ingredients:
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt (adds more protein!)
1 Tbsp nut butter of choice
*For any children over 12 months, add 1/2 tsp of honey for a touch of sweetness
Directions:
1. Stir all ingredients together until well mixed.
Perfect for dipping fruits, veggies and crackers into for an extra boost of protein and fat to prevent them from asking for a snack in five minutes.
Kids in the Kitchen Tip: Let your child stir the ingredients together and depending on their age, have them measure the yogurt!
Banana Cookies
Ingredients:
2 ripe bananas
1 cup quick oats
1/4 to 1/2 cup chocolate chips, M&Ms or ingredient of your choice!
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Mash bananas and mix together with oats and mix in of choice.
3. Place roughly 1-2 Tbsp of mixture onto greased cookie tray for each cookie.
4. Cook for roughly 8-10 minutes.
Kids in the Kitchen Tip: Let them have fun mashing the bananas and counting the chocolate chips or M&Ms into the mixture.
Alexandra Turnbull is Jetson's resident Registered Dietitian and mom to a toddler and infant. She obtained her bachelor of science in dietetics from St. Catherine University, obtaining her credentials as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. Alex loves to eat to live and believes that all foods fit within a healthy lifestyle.
When you have three kids in a span of 42 months, a lot of chaos crams into the space of everyday living. My boy, boy, and girl munchkins in that order were eight, six, and four when I lost my mind on an otherwise normal day in March of 2002. In a span of seconds, I fell from the end of my rope into the deep end of the motherhood pool.
My cherubs decided this day to have a group whine session, much different from wine sessions adults partake in. Whining isn’t fun for anyone involved but serves the purpose of black-out inebriation in other ways.
“I’m bored,” bemoaned son one. Followed by, “So am I,” from son two and “Me too, Mommy,” from girl.
The classic, throwback kid complaint.
A mature choice for responding was to ignore the drama and send my kids on their way with a suggestion to use their imagination and find new uses for their toys. But on this day my measured mothering etiquette lay dormant. I’m guessing PMS was in full force or I was in the middle of a week flying solo while hubby worked out of town.
Instead of paying attention to the warning signals my body sent out, muscle twitches and eye ticks, I chose to engage with my kids complaining.
“Why are you bored, guys?”
Son one, always quick on his feet, says, “Because we have nothing to do.”
Nothing to do.
Those three words hung in the air like fall-out from an atom bomb. Within seconds I formulated an obnoxious plan for something to do before losing my grip on the rope and cascading into 30 foot waters.
“I’m so sorry kids. You’re right, you have nothing to do. And because my number one goal in life is to ensure you’re never bored, I’ve come up with a fun mission for all of us. The basement and your rooms are a mess. Spring is around the corner and we need to clean and declutter anyway. So, today we are going to not only pick up your toys, games, books, etc., but we are going to organize them by category. And to make our playtime extra fun, we will count every item and keep a running total, which won’t take long because, like you said, you have nothing to do. Sound good?”
Keep in mind my soaked in sarcasm announcement came through a crazed expression. All tree stared at me pale faced. Either in shock and awe over the transfiguration of my normal loving demeanor into a psychopath or in utter disbelief of the task before them.
“No, Mommy. We don’t want to clean and count toys. That’s boring too,” boy one continued to whine. Boy two and girl just stared.
I grabbed a pen, paper, and calculator before marching all three darlings into the basement knowing full well the enormity of the clean and count project. My kids were clueless, but enlightenment was around the corner.
A sample of our nothing to do collection included the following: puzzles, games, Legos, Lincoln Logs, costumes, toy cars, action figures to name a few. The gluttony accumulated from hand-me-downs, garage sale pick-ups, gifts, and over-the-top Christmas extravaganzas.
The rules of the game were the real kicker in our counting escapade. The kids had to tally every item, not by group. For example, the Hot Wheels collection didn’t count as one toy, but each car added to the total; 50 cars in our case. Before you judge, all 50 were my husbands from childhood. I blame my mother-in-law for the excessiveness.
The only exceptions to the non-grouping rule were Legos and other piece-meal sets. Otherwise we counted books, sports items, stuffed animals, and a plethora of other items one-by-one.
Any guesses on our final inventory numbers?
Try 490 things to play with compiled from 105 line items, and I still have the list fifteen years later.
The truth is, I threw up in my mouth a little when I saw the number. Then I made my kids look at the list for an hour and memorize the totals. Okay, I didn’t do that. But what I did to was hang the list on the kitchen door as an everyday reminder of how they had nothing to do.
Looking back, I’m awed at the underlying lessons of my manic induced plan. Although I didn’t realize at the time, our project ran the full gamut of elementary education and basic life skills.
First, they absorbed the math principles of counting, sorting, and grouping like items. Reading skills improved every time they looked at the inventory list. History took care of itself as they learned right away never to whine again about boredom. The science lesson centered around cause and effect and they learned how to write big numbers. Even better was the social skill of learning how to get along with a Mommy tyrant.
As for me, I got the house clean and organized which did wonders for my spirit. And the experience created fertile ground in my kid’s brains for imagination to sprout about how crazy mommy would act next time.
Parents are looking for new ways to keep their kids engaged while learning at home. Carson Dellosa Education has teamed up with Disney to create a collection to help parents teach their kids essential skills through fun activities that can be completed just about anywhere. These new resources keep students motivated and feature characters from Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars.
The collection is now available at CarsonDellosa.com and Amazon and includes the following products:
Magical Adventures Workbooks: Kids can relive the magic of their favorite Disney movies like Toy Story 4, The Lion King, Zootopia, and more while completing 200+ standards-based math and language arts activities. Includes 140 stickers. Preschool – Grade 3; $12.99
Flash Cards: Characters from Star Wars, Spider-Man, and The Avengers help kids put their early language and math skills to the test while engaging their memorization and active recall skills. Each set includes 54 flash cards and a bonus parent resource card with learning games. Ages 3 – 8+; $3.49
Trace With Me: Elsa, Lightning McQueen, Miguel, and other Disney/Pixar friends inspire children to practice fine motor and early reading skills over and over again on convenient dry-erase pages that magically wipe clean. Ages 3+; $7.99
Take-Along Tablets: Mickey Mouse, Cinderella, Mr. Incredible, and Sulley introduce a variety of writing, tracing, and coloring activities to entertain children while practicing early learning concepts. Ages 3 – 6+; $3.49
With shorter days on the horizon, there’s one foolproof way to keep the fun going after dark: flashlight games. Turn any old night at home into a memorable evening with these twists on old classics. Psst! We threw in a few new inventions, too. Read on to light up your night.
In-the-Dark Treasure Hunt
iStock
They’ve got the treasure hunt down pat. Now throw them for a loop with one staged in the dark. Simple items like pirate’s booty (gold coins) or even figurines will do the trick. For older kiddos, consider making a list of the items being hunted. Be sure to have enough flashlights for everyone involved; it’s a lot more fun when each participant has their own beam.
Flashlight Tag
istock
Hiding in the dark and being spotted by beams of light can be fairly thrilling—just be sure to clear the way for kiddos running around in the dark. You'll need either an outdoor space that isn't well lit or an empty-ish basement or gym. Get all the rules for variations over at wikihow.
Create your very own universe at home with DIY constellations. The crafty masters at Handmade Charlotte dabble in the dark and offer an easy tutorial with materials you’ve probably got in the crafts box already, including black paper, scissors and a pencil.
Take shadow-making fun to a whole new level with puppet theater. With a cardboard box, foam figures and a flashlight an entire fairy tale adventure comes to life. Valerie, of Inner Child Fun, explains the easy steps in creating this awesome activity.
Morse Code Messages
Tima Miroshnichenko via Pexels
Morse code is kinda like the original form of texting (SOS, anyone?) so kids will get a kick out of learning how to flash-chat with buddies. Create little messages and get familiar with the flashlight for easy code clicking. Daddy Mark of My Kids Adventures provides a full Morse Code Alphabet and even offers up other tutorials (like using your iPhone as the light.) Get all the info here.
Play this game, and they’ll be working on their reading skills, too. Find the biggest, most empty wall in your house and sprinkle the space with word cards. There are several variations of play, including having Mom call out a word and finding it, or flashing light on a word and reading it. Be sure to use painters tape to stick up the words, otherwise, you’ll lose some paint in the process! Head over to Kiwi Crate for more ideas.
Turn a dance party into major flashlight fun with shadow dancing. Shine a light against a wall, put on a groovy playlist and get moving! It’s fun to watch shadows boogie or even try to make different shapes. Gabrielle Blair breaks down one of her favorite before-bed activities over at Design Mom.
You don’t need a sandy beach, broomstick or even the classic Limbo song to re-create this game. It’s a classic camp activity that’s perfect for a sleepover. Just flash the beam of light on the wall and have everyone wiggle their way under it. The only real question is: How low can you go? Get the details over at Ultimate Camp Resource.
Do they really know what’s in that room? Try out I Spy in the dark for a chance to spot familiar toys and gadgets. Toni Tui, mama in charge over at Wifely Steps, loves to play this game before bed but we’re betting this would be a blast at any time of night.
What an unprecedented time we are experiencing with the rapid emergence of COVID-19. With entire school districts closed, parents are faced with the task of covering several weeks’ worth of education. Many families are scurrying for last-minute ideas on how to “home” school and dreading the mission.
Don’t panic. Working with your children at home can be easier and more enjoyable than you think. Instead of letting fear control your next move, use this time as an opportunity to get to know your child on a deeper level than ever before. Enjoy it. Savor it. It may never happen again.
Here are my top 5 ways to engage with your child while working on education at home:
1. Become a student of your child. As parents we are in a constant state of decision-making for our kids. We decide what they eat, who they play with, where they go to school and when they go to bed. While working with your kids at home this week, change this perspective. Shift your mindset from being the authority to being a student in your child’s world. Be a “fly on the wall”, silently observing their behavior to uncover little characteristics you never knew were there. Try to get inside of their brains to understand the thought process behind their decisions and behavior. With this approach, you are sure to unveil delightful vignettes and characteristics that make your child unique. Now is the time to indulge in them and let them inspire you in this new role.
2. Look into their eyes. How often do you look deep into your child’s eyes? Busy parents are often doing two things at once or talking to our kids from a different room. Rarely do we have an opportunity to sit face-to-face with them to fully engage. Try being more intentional with your body language and eye contact. Sit directly across from your child. Square your shoulders. Look deep into their eyes as you communicate or respond to their commentary. Smile when you speak to them. Be sure to recognize the glimmer in their eye as a response to your full attention or the subtle enchanting shift in their demeanor. Don’t forget that our eyes are the windows to our souls. Use this point of view to connect with your child.
3. Practice or review foundational skills. Don’t feel responsible for teaching your child the same things they would be learning in school at this time. You don’t necessarily have to advance their skills every day. Becoming more efficient with the basics is just as valuable and can be way more fun. Plus, working on things that are fairly easy for children will build their confidence and reignite their joy of learning. If your child is working on multiplication, practice addition. The faster your child is with addition, the quicker they will be with multiplication. Use a stopwatch or timer to see how many addition facts they can answer in 1 minute. I always recommend a sand timer or hourglass so they can see the time passing. See if they can beat their time or increase the correct answers from day to day. They’ll love it! If your child is not quite ready for addition, download this free e-Book on how to teach your child addition. Hint: It is easier than you think! If your child is working on basic reading skills, go back to letter sounds. The better they know the letter sounds, the easier it will be to read simple words. Have your child make a simple set of flashcards that includes all lower- and upper-case letters.Use the same timer method and watch their excitement soar. This approach is simple for you and fun for them! For additional reading and letter sounds practice, click here for an easy-to-read e-Book.
4. Do science projects to cover every subject. With older kids, I love doing a big project because it keeps them engaged, encourages the use of many skills and spans the breadth of many subjects. Studying dinosaurs or the solar system is always a popular unit. Or have your child choose a topic of interest to him/her. Have the kids read a book or do some research. Then encourage them to express their findings in a variety of hands-on ways. They can write a report, create their own math story-problems, make a clay model or paint a canvas to represent the study, write a poem or even bake a cake into the shape of the solar system or dinosaur. An approach like this can easily last a week and keeps the kids creative and in charge of their own learning!
5. Working with multiples. Do you have two or more children at home? Put the older ones in charge of teaching something to the younger ones. They can create their own lesson plan and prep all the materials necessary. You can even put the younger ones in charge of something like preparing or serving lunch to the older ones. This will help spread the responsibility throughout the whole family. You don’t have to do it all alone!
When all else fails, abort the mission and go for a walk. Explore the woods in a nearby park, hit a trail or simply walk around the block in search of the first signs of spring. Nature is the healthiest place right now and a breath of fresh air will boost your spirits and your health. Just remember to find ways to enjoy this unusual time together as a family!
For additional academic resources and support, join the @grasshopperacademics on Instagram to ask me your questions and follow along as I share lesson plan ideas, educational games, and other tips and tricks in the coming weeks.
Single parent-turned-nanny-turned-preschool owner-turned-curriculum writer, Natalie has worked with toddlers and preschoolers in a variety of settings for 13 years. Her passion is bringing out each child's utmost potential and encouraging their natural joy of learning.
As parents, we all want to raise their children with as many advantages as possible. In addition to a myriad of benefits, there have been countless studies that connect music with a child’s intellectual and social growth, which makes it a fun, joyous way to help our kids grow into healthy, happy grown-ups. So let’s commit to raising a musical child!
The Science & Why Music Is Important
Since the 1990s, a multitude of studies has connected music education with a child’s intellectual and social growth. Our top takeaways:
• Kids who study music have larger vocabularies and more advanced reading skills, as learning music develops the part of the brain that processes language. These kids also tend to score higher on reading and spelling tests.
• Music is closely aligned with math, so even a few years of music-making experience translates into higher math skills.
• Music builds self-esteem as a child sees improvement in their skills – some will enjoy showing off a bit for family and friends!
• Music performance teaches kids to conquer fear and take risks.
• Kids who suffer from anxiety or stress may find that a creative outlet like music is a relaxing, calming activity.
What You Can Do:
1. Create a Musical House. Do babies in the womb benefit from mom listening to music? For sure it helps mom relax! Once out, young minds are better off growing up in a home where music is all around. Young children are naturally drawn to music; this is why apps like Samsung Kids+ (a subscription service featuring safe, educational and entertainment content for kids) use music to teach preschoolers in learning videos, as music is the best way to engage young minds. And the more variety in the music your kids hear, the better.
2. Join Baby/Toddler Music Programs. Two well-known options are Kindermusik and Gymboree, who incorporate music and movement into play. Local city programs, daycare facilities, and learning centers will often have music-based programs. There are also many apps available that expose preschoolers to music learning.
3. Be a Role Model. If you ever played an instrument as a kid, share your experiences with your child, or get that old guitar out of its case! Singing and dancing at home are also musical expressions that will rub off on your kids in a great way. Show them how much fun you can have with music!
4. Explore Your Local Community. Seek out live music of all types. If you’re lucky enough to live in a city with a local symphony, see if they have programs for young children. Local theater groups will stage musicals for kids, or check out those free Sunday afternoon concerts with musicians playing in the park. Live music can be a big influence on how children learn to think about music.
5. When Should I Get Music Lessons? Of course, while listening to and enjoying music is a great start, actually learning to play an instrument is the goal for your child, which is how they can reap those benefits mentioned above. It’s most common to start kids at age five or six. For younger children, there are Suzuki method teachers who offer string lessons to kids as young as three. Some think that’s too young, but like many things, it depends on the child. Some instruments (like the violin or piano) are better suited for small hands than others but talk to a music teacher for their advice. Next, you might ask…
6. Where Do I Find a Music Teacher? Your local music store will have music teachers available for a variety of instruments, and most music stores rent instruments so you don’t have to go all-in to purchase one. You can also contact local chapters of organizations like the Music Teachers National Association or The Royal Conservatory of Music, both of which have online tools that let you search their database for a teacher near you. Or check with the music department at your local community college, the band director at your local high school, or even the music director at your church. You’ll find that musicians form a tight community and are eager advocates for music education.
7. Check Out School Music Programs. Typically these start in third or fourth grade and have the added benefit of letting your child play with a group from the start. School band programs enhance music learning by creating a community of kids who perform together, go on trips together, and form a unique bond through music. While playing an instrument is still a great experience alone, there’s nothing like making music with others.
8. What About Practicing? We all know the joke: How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice! Our advice is this: Music is a journey, not a destination. Successful children come from a home where you don’t quit in the middle of something, and music is no different. But you also need to weigh the costs with the benefits. If it’s a battle and you can only get a few minutes of practice a day, it’s the long haul that will pay off, and a few minutes is better than none at all. You’ve never heard anyone say they wish they had never taken a piano lesson, but many adults wish they had never quit.
This isn’t about making professional musicians. It’s about many things—opening a door to self-expression, bringing opportunities for joy, letting your child be part of a larger community, and allowing kids to get their brain working in a way that will give them an advantage in school. Bonus? You’ll be that proud parent during family gatherings when your child gets to show off their interruption of “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.”
Your mini master builder can take their LEGO creations to a whole new level with E-Blox.
The creative E-Blox kits bring your brick designs to life with sound, lights and movement. The sets feature bricks and modules which are compatible with LEGO bricks and designed to add innovative elements, like a robot with flashing eyes or an animal that makes sounds. E-Blox also come in sets kids can use to create STEAM-based projects like a real working FM radio or an airplane propeller that spins.
E-Blox features three different categories: Circuit Blox, Power Blox and Story Blox. You can also purchase sets of add-on bricks, which you can simply use together with your existing brick sets, like LEGO. The Circuit Blox line helps kids explore concepts like electricity, current and voltage with building projects that involve lights, alarms, switches and LED lights.
The Power Blox line, which can work in conjunction with the Circuit sets, enables builders to add an electrical element to their creations with the use of LED and tin-plated blocks. When they connect to a battery block for power, they’ll light up without any wires.
The Story Blox bring reading skills into use with an interactive storybook that features QR codes. When the codes are scanned they enable kids to research using online learning sources and use that knowledge to complete themed models connected to the story.
You can shop the entire E-Blox collection here, with sets ranging in price from $10.99 to $54.99.
The kids will be spending more time than usual inside during the winter months, but rather than succumb to mind-numbing boredom, why not grab a few activity kits? We’ve curated a list for every age and stave with activities that will not only keep brains sharp, but come with the added bonus of being complete entertainment in one little (or medium-sized) box, so set up is a breeze.
For Everyone:
KiwiCo Summer Camp Crate
KiwiCo
You know and love KiwiCo for their high-quality kits that everyone from your toddler to your teen can enjoy. They’ve just launched their summer camp line, which will send you five to eight weeks worth of supplies for activities and experiments that range from electronics to art. If your kid finishes early? There’s also a magazine and extra activities to deepen the learning experience. Bundles start at $99.95 with free shipping.
Because laying out butcher block paper for your sweet tot isn’t always on your to-do list, there’s Miserwe’s Doodle Mat. Spread it out, fill the included six pens with water, and let your tot have at it—drawing with stamps, stencils and rollers to create a memorable masterpiece. The best part? It dries to a clean slate in just 10 minutes making creating and clean up easy as pie.
Sheer animal magnetism. That’s what makes this toy so engaging for kiddos. The magnetic heads and tails of six of their safari faves (think hippo, lion, elephant and more) click together to make magical new creatures or recognizable everyday animals. The magnets make it easy for tiny hands to create and re-create hilarious animal combos to their heart’s content.
Green Toys and Sesame Street are helping little green thumbs bring a whole garden to life any day of the year with butterflies, critters and flowers galore. As for the flour in this dough, parents will love knowing it’s organic. No toxins in this garden!
Packed with over 200 items, from beads and yarn to stickers and googly eyes, the possibilities for creativity are limitless for your mini artists with this expansive art kit from Kid Made Modern.
Getting kids to engage with the world is important, and teaching small lessons about nature and our environment is a great way to divert attention towards something meaningful. The GeoSafari Jr. Ladybug Garden is the perfect way to bring nature to your young explorers, letting them be up close and personal with the life cycle of a ladybug. The garden comes with a mail-in certificate for ladybugs, and it lets kids watch the creatures grow from larvae to adults, all the while inspiring an appreciation for nature.
You’ll want to join the tea party yourself with this adorable Fox Tea Party set from Djeco. It’s just right for pretend play, with two spoons, two cups, two small plates, one larger plate, one cake sliced into four pieces (with four removable candles), one sugar bowl, one teapot, two tea bags and one tray. Plus, we love the vibrant teal and pink design that's a modern update on the tea sets of the past.
Just in time for the final installment of the classic Pixar series to hit the screen comes this fun art and craft kit. Young kids can make their own version of Forky, dress up as Woody or Buzz, or create their very version of the story with stickers, foam, pom poms and more. For ages 3 and up, $11.24.
Ideal for kids ages 3 and up, these kits are not only aesthetically pleasing to kids and adults alike, but they are also super fun, too. Their line of Free Range Art for Kids kits includes a Collage Box with all kinds of cool pieces like colorful muslin, seashells and buttons; a Print Box with paint, sponges, cork and more; and our favorite, the Build Box which contains a variety of interesting wooden shapes and spools, non-toxic watercolor paint and glue, and more. All paints and glues are vegan, and everything is free from toxins and single-use plastics. Each kit is $24.99.
Little chefs can get creative in the kitchen with this new set that lets you stamp out colorful cookies and frosting topped cupcakes using Play-Doh. The mixer comes with different stamp attachments and tools to create designs and pretend candies for toppings.
Let your little artists get creative with colorful stamps without worrying about the mess. Crayola's Color Wonder Scented Light Up Stamper set comes with several animal stamps and Color Wonder inks. The inks are not only scented, they magically won't work on skin, furniture, walls or any surface other than the special Color Wonder paper. The inks appear invisible until they touch the special paper, but the stamper handle will light up with the color in use.
Tiger Tribe offers an array of small, travel-sized activity kits perfect for kids of varying ages. This one was among our faves; recommended for ages 5 and up, the kit includes everything your junior crime fighter needs to learn some forensic science and mystery-solving skills.
This ingenious STEM toy will provide years of creative and educational play. Young engineers can connect any combination of gears, claws, heads and more to the motorized base to build a robot that can then be controlled by a wireless remote from up to 50 feet away. With 149 pieces to build with, the possibilities are endless.
Your little scientists can create their own slime concoctions with this easy to use kit that gives preschoolers their first lesson in early chemistry and making observations. The kit comes packed with all the tools you need to make slime from common household ingredients. The plastic tools can easily be washed to use again and again.
OSMO has a new kit designed just for preschoolers. The new OSMO Little Genius Kit lets kids get creative with physical objects that will then appear on a connected tablet, with which they can engage in a whole new way. The kit comes packed with four games that help teach letters, pre-reading skills, critical thinking, problem solving and so much more.
Kickstart your Pre-K kid's love of travel with a scratch-off map from Elsewhere Adventures. Not only is it a cheerful map of the United States, but it also comes with 140 special spots to discover, dry erase markers to make notes and travel stickers. If you don't have anywhere to keep it on display, simply roll it up and store it in the provided tube.
Combine two kid faves—LEGO bricks and stop motion—to make a movie featuring your LEGO Minifigs. The included props and scenery along with the instructional booklet will get you started.
Create a 3D design using yarn with this kit that makes the most adorable narwhal to hang in your grade-school kids' room. Thread the Y'Art pen and color the numbered spaces; yarn magically clings to the Grip-N-Stick Y'Artboard for an easy art project.
Kids can discover how lights, alarms, motors and switches work while building fun projects with this kit. Using 25 transparent plastic spacers, children can build a dazzling display of colorful lights that light up in different colors and dance when you play music or speak to it (among other projects).
Assemble this realistic-looking tank out of only cardboard with The Grid Kit. Pop the pieces out on the dotted lines, assemble and glue. Perfect for builders, and easy to transport in your suitcase, The Grid Kit sets come in all sorts of designs like dinosaur, giraffe, butterfly, elephant and dragon. Once you've assembled them, they are fun to paint and display!
Got a budding botanist in your midst? This delightful garden kit from AeroGarden is their first that's designed specifically for kids (6 & up) and takes them on an indoor gardening adventure in 12 weeks: from seed to pizza party! Herbie comes with a 32-page activity book that explains the magic of hydroponic gardening and includes 18 different fun and educational activities. The kit contains everything you need to get started: there's no soil involved, so there's little mess, and the LED lights are safe for children. Kids can even grow in their room!
After assembling the cardboard housing, kids learn what happens when making changes to a sound wave. They record sounds using the keyboard and are taught what happens when stretching and squashing the sound waves. Record music tracks in the online recording studio and share them with friends and family. Get hands-on with how microphones and speakers work, how music is produced and even learn some music theory along the way.
At spy school, kids learn how to use an array of sneaky spy equipment to complete secret missions and tackle surveillance changes while deepening their science knowledge and sharpening their observational skills. The kit includes 11 sneaky pieces, including decoy spy storage case with hidden compartment, decoy pencil box periscope, two-in-one spy scope and decoy yo-yo.
The Boolean Box is the build-it-yourself computer and electronics kit that lets kids code, build, invent and animate. Designed to grow with them, this set is geared toward girls eight and up but can absolutely be enjoyed by boys as well. No coding experience is necessary, you hook it up to your HDMI-enabled TV or monitor, and you're are on your way!
Artists of almost any age will love thinking outside the box with this box full of fun. Art Out Of The Box comes with 80 cards, each with either a subject or technique. Take one of each and let you imagination soar as you create new worlds and creatures beyond your wildest dreams.
The GIRLS CAN! CRATE subscription is perfect for girls ages 5-10 years. The inspirational subscription shows girls they can "BE and DO anything by introducing them to fearless women who’ve made our world better." Every month your young lady will get a box of 2-3 STEAM activities, 20-page activity book, creative play prop, collectible button, and all the supplies needed to complete the activities.
Do you have your own little storyteller? Laurence King's Alice in Wonderland's Storybox is a twist on the classic fairytale, but puts the storytelling in the hands of your little one. Use the oversized story cards to arrange the story however you want in a story that stretches eight feet long!
Tinkering Labs Electric Motors Catalyst, Robotics Stem Kit for Kids
Amazon
This cool kit allows kids to build doodling robots, power electric model cars, add motors to LEGO sets and more. For kids ages 8-12 (we think kids 6-8 could also enjoy it with some assistance) the set comes with everything you need to create including batteries, markers, challenge cards, real wood, motors, hardware and more.
You know and love the Target x Todd Oldham collab line Kid Made Modern, for its contemporary take on kids’ art supplies. This new line was designed by MoMA educators, and many of the kits, including this shadow box set, were inspired by the crafts and art projects for families at the Museum of Modern Art.
Set your budding chefs up with a few kits from new cooking subscription, Harlow’s Harvest. Invented by a mom-daughter duo, this STEM-influenced kit comes with recipe cards, a science project, history on the recipe and an online game that’s related to the theme of the month. Kids will learn how to budget for ingredients, they’ll be reading the recipes, and they’ll be doing fractions when measuring out ingredients. Plus, if you’ve got picky eaters at home, chances are, if they make it, they’ll eat it. You can buy one box for $23 or set up a monthly delivery (six or 12 months) for $21 and $19.99 respectively.
This adorable set comes with fringe, flowers, a plastic needle, string, craft paper and everything else your kid will need to make both a funky case for sunglasses and a butterfly keychain for a friend. An intro to embroidery, this will keep your kinder on up through grade school kiddo occupied for a few afternoons. $19.99.
Pineapples are everywhere this summer, so this fun dreamcatcher kit from JOANN Stores is sure to be a hit. It comes with everything from string to sticky gems, sequins and feathers. Ages 8 and up. $12.99.
My Gnome on the Roam Adventure Kit is a suitcase of memories waiting to be unpacked. It comes with a copy of the My Gnome on the Roam Award-Winning Story Book, a family adventure journal filled with blank pages, a colorless ready-to-be-painted gnome and a magical pen, all beautifully packaged in an adorable suitcase that kids will be in awe about. The kit is designed to encourage families to Explore, Create and Connect and to add adventure to their everyday lives. You can see all details as well as worksheets, downloads, games, articles, the link to their 15-Minute Adventure for Busy Families app and more on their website at mygnomeontheroam.com.
What if you could not only gift your kids with an awesome activity kit but also an interactive game designed to help them connect with friends and relatives far away? Thanks to Kidvelope, you can do just that. You order the kit for your child, and they work together with “players” of their choice to help solve challenges and complete the mission, all through hands-on creative activities (like secret messages written on space slime), online interactions, back-and-forth mail and phone calls. The best part? It’s easy to follow and exciting to play. It’s a perfect mix of offline, creative problem solving and using technology to connect. An excellent way to stay in touch with long-distant grandparents!
Just when you thought a kid with an electronic guitar couldn’t get any cooler, they created this: a guitar set that kids build, program, and customize all on their own. With an accompanying app, this inventor kit suggests over 12 activities with step-by-step instructions—including how to re-build your guitar into a set of air drums using the same littleBits electronic blocks that make a synth guitar. It’s totally splurge-worthy.
New form Hape, preserve the beauty of the outdoors year-round with this cute pressing kit. Paints and brush are included to then transform dried flowers or plants into artwork as original as Mother Nature’s.
The rich colors and ease of twisting the yarn around each bird frame make this fun mobile project rewarding for tweens. Each kit comes with the bird frames, a wooden ring, and even googly eyes. Ages 10 and up.
Conceived as the world’s first consumer 3D printing pen, 3Doodler was a successful Kickstarter project beforequickly growing into a $20 million business. Thanks to its ingenious design, hand-held portability and ease of use, 3Doodler has become popular among school STEM programs and at-home techie creators alike. This year’s new releases include the 3Doodler Create+ 3D printing pen ($79.99) and the 3Doodler Start Make Your Own HEXBUG Kit ($59.99). Combining drawing and sculpture with a dose of 3D magic, 3Doodler is a cool gift for gadget-loving creative types.
Faster than you can say, “Expelliarmus!” the Harry Potter Coding kit will have young wizards learning how to code in no time. Created byKano, makers of kid-friendly, DIY computer kits and programs, the Harry Potter Coding Kit lets users build custom wands that can perform acts of magic when connected to tablet or computer screens. Following a few simple steps, apprentice wizards learn how to code by connecting code blocks that pair with actions tied to their wands. A wave of a wand can make fire flow, pumpkins grow, feathers fly, goblets multiply, and much more, via iOS and Android devices.
Like colorful miniature pieces of stained glass, Creatibles DIY Window Cling Art Kit lets young artists create unique window decals that will brighten any room. The kit includes five colors of cling art paint and 14 simple-to-follow designs. Trace the designs using the black outliner paint, add color, leave for 24 hours, then stick the finished cling art to any window. Additional free printable designs are available for download on the website.
Karina Garcia DIY Squishy Art Bake Shop by Craft City
courtesy of Karina Garcia Collection
Move over homemade slime: DIY squishy arts are the latest trend to spark the imaginations of crafty kids across the country. This well-composed squishy art kit comes courtesy of Karina Garcia, a popular YouTuber who parlayed her online celebrity into a successful line of DIY crafts. Featuring an adorable bake shop theme, the kit includes decorative sprinkles, colored chalk and puffy paint. After making your slow-rise bake projects, simply color, add paint and sprinkles, and squish your original squishy art designs!
Seated neatly at the intersection of fashion and technology, the Sew & Glow Kit lets users design and build glowing badges that light up with electrical conductive thread. In addition to exploring crafting, the kit teaches kids about electrical circuits in a fun and simple way. Light up badges with LED lights and become an electronics master in minutes!
