Table of Contents

 

PLANTS

How do plants grow over time? Try these activities to find out!

 
 

Tell me more about plants!

Two students hold plants. Diagram of plant growth stages.

Plants are living things.

Plants change and grow over time.

Indoor Activities

From Seed to Table

Parent and child reading a book.

How Many Plant Colors

Two children eating fruit.

My Seed Book

Parent and child sorting seeds on a baking sheet.

Plant Part Card Games

Child placing a card on a game board.

Outdoor Activities

Big or Small Plants

Child pointing at a plant outside.

Find and Measure Plants

Child measuring a plant.

Plant Part Hunt

Child pointing at a plant outside.

Digital Activities

Berry Garden

Berry Garden app screenshot.

Farmers Market

Farmers Market app screenshot.

Try More!

  • Use snack time to count, sort, make patterns, and compare. Cut fruits and vegetables and have fun with math!
  • Find a tree near your home and become tree detectives. Measure its trunk with string, do bark rubbings, or look for critters that live nearby.
  • Go outdoors and collect plant parts that have fallen to the ground. Glue each one onto a string. Make plant mobiles to hang from a window.
  • Set up an indoor garden. Plant seeds (like marigolds, sunflowers, or grass) in clear containers. Watch the roots and other plant parts grow!
  • Come up with other ideas as a family!
 

RAMPS

How do objects move on ramps? Try these activities to find out!

 
 

Tell me more about ramps!

Illustrations of pulling, pushing, and gravity. Illustration of kids kicking balls with different amounts of force.

A force is a push or pull that can come from people, objects or gravity. An object will not move unless a force acts on it.

The amount of force will affect the distance an object travels.

Indoor Activities

Act Out a Ramp Story

Parent reading out loud while children act out the story.

Obstacle Course Challenge

Child rolling a ball down an obstacle course.

Roll or Slide

Child rolling a spice jar down a baking tray.

Yoga Ramps

Parent and children stretching.

Outdoor Activities

I Spy Ramps

Child pointing to a driveway ramp.

Ramp Hunt

Child pushing a stroller up a driveway ramp.

Digital Activities

Coconut Canyon

Coconut Canyon app screenshot.

Try More!

  • Have your child sit on different materials (such as a towel, rubber mat, or cardboard) as she goes down a slide. Does she move fast, slow, or not at all?
  • Gather recycled materials (bottle caps, juice cartons, cardboard tubes, etc.). Race them down baking sheet ramps with your child. Notice how each one moves.
  • Find three rolling objects. Have your child guess which one will move fast, faster, or fastest. Then, test his predictions on a ramp.
  • Set up a gentle incline. Have your child roll a ball down it. Challenge her to change the ramp incline so the ball moves farther.
  • Come up with other ideas as a family!
 

SHADOWS

How can we make and change shadows? Try these activities to find out!

 
 

Tell me more about shadows!

Diagram lamp shining on a ball. One photo of children making shadows outside, and one photo of a teacher shining a flashlight on his hand.

A shadow occurs when a light shines on a surface and something blocks some of the light.

Shadows can be made with any light source.

Indoor Activities

Create a Shadow Box Theater Space

Child makes shadows in a shadow box theater.

Create Shade for Your Pet

Child stacks blocks to shade a stuffed animal from lamp.

Story Character Puppets

Parent and child making shadows on the wall with their hands.

Outdoor Activities

I Spy Shadows

Child points to her shadow on the ground outside.

Make Outdoor Shadows

Parent and child making shadows while holding hands outside.

Shadow Dance

Two children making shadows while dancing outside.

Silly Shadow Walk

Child making a shadow while posing outside.

Digital Activities

Puppy Park

Puppy Park app screenshot.

Shadow Cave

Shadow Cave app screenshot.

Try More!

  • Have your child shine a flashlight on different materials (such as plastic wrap, a clear water bottle, aluminum foil, or a towel). Which materials block the light?
  • Find shadows outdoors on the ground together. Trace the shadows with chalk. Return to the same object later and trace its shadow again. What changed?
  • Use building blocks on a sheet of paper to make shapes together. Shine a light on the shape and trace around the shadow. Rotate the block shape. Notice how the shadow changes.
  • Build silly animals or people out of pipe cleaners. Take turns shining a light on them to create silly shadows. Can you make your character's shadow taller? Smaller?
  • Come up with other ideas as a family!
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