Books and Giggles
Fun activities for kids
Making sidewalk chalk paint is a classic summer activity. Messy and fun, it’s a great way to get kids writing as well as exploring color and creativity. Even better, it’s easy to make! When the days are warm and sunny, but not too hot yet, we love to spend time outside with sidewalk chalk. When…
This smores sequencing activity is cheap and simple to prepare, and it makes for an engaging pretend play activity. Plus, I’ve made you a free printable crown that’s perfect for preschool or kindergarten camping theme literacy centers. (Disclosure: Books and Giggles is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program…
I have two friends whose kids adore making all kinds of slime. I can’t believe we waited as long as we did to try mixing up our own. It wasn’t nearly as messy as I expected, and my kids enjoyed it. Right away I realized how slime could be an activity to go with children’s books….
Today we’re sharing a fun counting book along with an easy yet engaging Pete the Cat activity. When you play with this sleek yellow slime you won’t want to put it down again. It’s filled with bright, smooth plastic buttons clink together pleasantly. You can s-t-r-e-t-c-h the slime out and watch some of the buttons pop…
Your kids will love to get their hands on these creative playdough activities. Each one is inspired by a favorite children’s book. First, a little note unrelated to playdough — My house flooded in Hurricane Harvey. In the storm’s aftermath, help descended on us in so many amazing ways. First, a group of teachers, complete…
This fish theme felt board activity was inspired by a wonderful story for preschoolers called Fish Wish. The book is filled with simple text and large colorful images that take you on an ocean adventure with a little friendly fish. Extend the story with this fun, hands-on activity on the felt board. My house…
These water learning activities are a fun way to work on letter recognition or sight words over the summer! I love hot weather, and so do my kids. Every year we look forward to playing in water in the summer time. From water table to swimming pool, they’ve always enjoyed water play in our hot Texas weather. So if…
These fun sandbox learning activities are an engaging way to take education outdoors. Whether you’re looking for a literacy, STEM, sensory, or even geography sandbox learning activity, we’ve got you covered. Sandbox Learning Activities Give preschoolers a fun introduction to maps with our sandbox geography activity. Sensory play with pine cones in the sand box has all…
This story extension activity is just right for warm weather! I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own. Books and Giggles is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and…
Spring comes early in Texas. Last week, I decided to take advantage of the perfect weather and take the kids on a nature hike with me. The twins are 7 now, and Liam is 10. They definitely have their own ideas about how to spend their time. But I had a great plan! When…
If you have kids who’ve been swept up in the water bottle flipping craze, this is the Valentine card for them! My tween has been known to try his hand at bottle flipping, and so we made up these crazy straw kids Valentine cards for him to give to his classmates. Kids Valentine Cards I’ve been thinking…
My three kids argue with each other about as much as most siblings do. Which is to say, a lot. So when we all pile in the car for a long drive to visit family, I need a plan. Keeping sibling peace in the car is critical for my sanity! We’re a road-tripping family….
This Brazil bingo game is a fun way to learn about or review facts about the country. UPDATE – I created this Brazil bingo activity in 2016 when the Summer Olympics were in Rio. It turns out, though, that the game is timeless. Teachers can use this with their South America geography lessons or units about…
If you have high-energy kids like I do, they’ll love this collection of summertime jumping games. You may remember some of these from your own childhood. They’re all serious outdoor fun, and they’ll all wear out your little jumping beans. Jumping Games… Ready, Set, Jump! 1. Leap Frog – This classic game is the most fun when the…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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 up in a circle. It ends where it begins, with a moose and a muffin. The silliness in between will draw giggles and…
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…