Play & Learn Family Activities

Arts and Crafts

• According to the advocacy organization Americans for the Arts, arts activities and education can help kids to develop critical thinking skills, problem solving abilities and their imaginative sides. Arts and crafts-based family activities can provide a playful way to help your child learn and grow these skills. Instead of all working separately, pick a project that requires a group effort. Create a family portrait together, having each member draw themselves. Another option is to make a group mural. Start with a large-sized piece of poster board or a piece of rolled butcher paper. Choose a theme together -- such as "our family vacation" or "our house," and have everyone contribute in the drawing or painting process. If you have a stack of family photos just sitting around, cut them into different shapes -- which will also help your child to learn about geometry -- and make a family collage on a piece of cardboard.

Dance Party

• Moving to music may seem like a silly activity, but it can actually help your child to learn through play. The National Association for the Education of Young Children notes that creative movement and dance activities can help kids to get physically fit and can provide the opportunity to develop self-expression skills. Additionally, creative dance can help children to learn specific information such as animal names, letters or numbers. Try a family animal-themed dance party in which each member must move to the music like a creature or critter. If your young child is just learning his letters, help him to form alphabet shapes with his body, adding your own letters to make a family word. You can also contribute to his emotional development by having a feelings-based dance party. Play an upbeat tune, a down-tempo song or a slow orchestral arrangement and move together, expressing the emotions of the music.

Trivia

• Does your child have a history or world geography exam coming up, but isn't sure what the best way to study is? Instead of leaving her entirely alone to crack the books, turn her learning into a fun family activity. Read up on her test questions, or the concepts that are covered, and make up trivia questions. Assign one person as the host of your trivia show and give each player a bell to ring. If you don't have a bell, ask the players to raise a hand when they know the answer. Ask the questions and see who can answer them first. Even if your child doesn't know all of the answers, she can still listen to and learn from the other family member's responses.

Science

• Help your little learner to explore and discover the world around him through a few hands-on family science activities. Create age-appropriate experiments that will interest and entertain your child. Try a simple sink or float experiment with your toddler or preschooler. Have each family member gather one item. Fill a tub or pot with tap water and make predictions as to whether the objects will sink or float. Test out the objects and ask your child why he thinks some sank and some didn't. Another easy family science experiment -- for kids of all ages -- is a states of matter activity. Measure how long it takes water to freeze into ice cubes, and then test the ice to see what area of the house -- such as a sunny window sill or a dark basement area -- makes them melt faster.