Books and Giggles
Playful learning activities for young children
We had so much fun with our ladybug theme, I decided to make a ladybug learning game. We’re going to use it to practice sight words, but you can also use it to work on math facts or ABCs. Even better, kids of differing abilities can play together. Ladybug Learning Game Materials You can print your own copy…
This post is part of the Learning with Manipulatives blog hop. This week we’re sharing ideas for pattern blocks. I started working on this post thinking I’d do something with a space theme, since Sophie is still obsessed with space. I challenged all 3 kids, even Liam, to create something. They were eager try….
We recently took the kids to a bird rookery in High Island, Texas. I know it’s a departure from my usual posts, but it was too amazing to keep to myself! Birding With Kids – Part One My kids’ excited voices broke through the chorus of nesting birds and frogs. I imagined dirty looks…
Learning basic geography can be fun for kids if you present it well. Hands-on activities like puzzles are one way to make maps interesting. Today I’m sharing 3 free continents puzzles that you can print on card stock and cut out yourself. Age 4 or 5 isn’t too early to learn the continents if you…
Learning doesn’t have to stop at snack time. Over here we love playing with ABC pretzels. Here are ten little literacy games you can play with your kids while they eat. The games are listed from easiest to hardest so that you can easily find one at the right level for each child. 10…
Road trips are hard enough, but throw in a car-sick-prone kid, and you’ve really got a challenge. How will you entertain your child in the car when she gets queasy reading, watching movies, or even coloring? How to Entertain Kids Who Get Car Sick It is possible. Here are three easy groups of ideas. Audiobooks…
Kids love watching caterpillars transform into butterflies – it’s a fun and educational activity — even more so when they keep a butterfly journal. Since I’m not much of a gardener, butterflies for kids in this house means a special cage bought just for observing butterflies up close. (Disclosure: Books and Giggles is a participant…
If you’re looking for an easy way to give your kids the chance to hammer and saw, for not much money, this easy kids’ pallet project may fit the bill. It all started when we visited an old friend who’d moved across town. She’d had something delivered that arrived on a wood pallet. Rather…
This bubbles sensory bin can be an engaging way to get kids interested in learning their ABCs. This post shares tips on how to set up a fun activity with bubbles and foam letters. Bubbles & Letters Sensory Play If you’re looking for things to do with a 2 year old, this sensory play activity…
The picture book One by Kathryn Otoshi has a simple yet powerful anti-bullying message. While it’s appropriate for younger kids, the concepts are a little abstract. Here is an activity box that children can use to retell the story and begin to internalize its lessons. I remember when Liam first started kindergarten at our local public school….
Here’s a fun, Easter time activity for learning letters, sight words, spelling words, or math facts. It’s perfect for kids who crave movement. Pretty much all you need are plastic Easter eggs and the free printable in this post. You can have multiple kids play it together, even if they’re working on learning completely different things. If you’re a…
Inside: 8 fun and educational activities to do after reading the book If You Give a Moose a Muffin by Laura Numeroff. If You Give a Moose a Muffin by Laura Numeroff is fun for kids of all ages. The story is a sequence of events that fall in place like a row of dominoes set…
Learning ABC’s and their sounds takes time and practice. If your child likes stickers, he or she might enjoy this simple letter sticker activity. I chose foam stickers because children can feel the shape of the letters as well as see them. All you need are some foam alphabet stickers and paper. You can…
I originally wrote this pretend play library post way back in 2016. Amazingly, people are still finding this and reading it. So, I decided to give it a little update… and brand new adorable library dramatic play printables. When your kids are stuck inside on a lousy weather day, the last thing you want to…
Alphabet stamps are a fun way to practice all sorts of literacy skills, from ABCs to phonics, sight words, and writing. You can make stamping even more fun by letting the kids make their own stamp pads. It’s easier than you think. All you need is a sturdy paper towel and some paint. Oh,…
Here is a fun little Valentine’s Day game you can play with little kids. You can play it during a classroom party or at home. The idea is to get kids talking about what they LOVE. I tested this game out on my girls, and they adored it. I wish I had a picture of…
Here are some fun rhyming games just right for kindergartners. Each game has a snow theme. Learning to read is so much more exciting when it looks like playing, don’t you think? Rhyming games, besides being fun, help kids learn phonics. So, for winter, I’ve come up with a few simple rhyming games using snowflake cutouts. All you…
Here is a simple way to bring literacy into your home at Christmas time. I’ve put together a free printable mini word wall for your little reader’s room or playroom. Kids who aren’t quite reading may like to look at the holiday words and pictures too. My girls made a stack of shiny Christmas cards last…
When you have an active child who needs to move, practicing sight words can be challenging. Santa Claus can help! This activity for kinesthetic learners is a fun way to motivate kids at Christmas time. My son, Liam, needed extra motivation to work on sight words. He isn’t the type of kid who will sit…
If your toddler or young preschooler loves The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle, I have a fun, educational toddler Christmas activity for you. It will help them learn about numbers and one-to-one correspondence. It will also introduce them to Christmas and winter themes. (Books and Giggles is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program,…
Open-ended toys make great gifts! They often can outlast other toys with more bells and whistles. You can’t always tell on Christmas day which toys will be the winners. Sometimes the toys that allow open-ended play are what get played with the most over the long haul. Toys that only do one thing can get boring quickly. That’s because kids…
Today I’m sharing another one of our favorite picture books, and a storytelling basket to go with it. There’s a free printable template, too, so that you can make your own. These pieces could also be used on a felt board. (Books and Giggles is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate…
Halloween is coming up quickly! Wouldn’t it be fun to plan a last-minute kids Halloween party? If you keep your preparations simple, you can do it! I’ve got you covered with simple kids’ activities, easy Halloween food ideas, last-minute decorations, and no-fuss invitations. (Books and Giggles is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an…
I’m super-excited about the special Halloween sight word activities I have for you today. If you have a child who needs a little extra motivation to work on sight words, this may do the trick. I had to get pretty inventive to hold Liam’s interest back when he was working through his kindergarten word list,…