Fun Activities for School Agers

Puzzles, board games and books are always great activities for school age children. Other activities are simply around the house and require very little preparation. School agers desire to be part of adults' worlds. Invite children in and teach a few lessons along the way. Provide a few activities that you can complete together, discuss the outcomes and watch your children bloom.

  1. Preschool

    • Preschool students are active. Capitalize on this to teach them healthy lifestyles at a young age. First Lady Michelle Obama's "Let's Move" initiative stresses that "building in a few minutes of activity periodically during the day keeps energy flowing." Ask your preschooler to race you to the neighbor's yard. Time siblings in a jumping-jack contest. During cold months, do warm-up stretches with your child or turn on music and dance.

      Preschool children have wonderful imaginations. Draw funny faces on paper bags and create a small play. Lay out an assortment of odds-and-ends: noodles, large buttons and ribbon scraps. Provide paper and glue, and let the preschooler create something.

    Early Elementary

    • Prepare dinner with your child. Assign small jobs, such as tearing lettuce or bread. Let him sort measuring cups and experiment (with such food as cheese) how much each cup will hold. "Let's Move" states that "parents and caregivers play a key role in making healthy choices for children and teaching children to make healthy choices for themselves." Turn healthy eating into a fun activity. Look through cookbooks together and find healthy recipes.

      Early elementary students also find baby pictures amusing. Get out his or your baby album. Identify similar features or marvel at different time periods.

    Elementary

    • Capitalize on elementary children's curiosity. Take several different glasses, fill them with water and add food coloring. Let your child mix different colors to discover how more colors are made. Cut long pieces of thin yarn of various colors and tape the ends to a table. Demonstrate how to braid and make friendship bracelets. Encourage your elementary student to read. Have him read to you, or you can read to him. Discuss illustrations and themes from books.

    Middle School

    • Middle school students are fascinated with technology. Use this to your advantage. Send your child on a scavenger hunt on the Internet, focusing on his passions. Provide specific topics to find, like volunteer work done by his favorite musicians. Children this age also appreciate self-expression. Buy a blank notebook or staple papers together. Encourage students to write their experiences. If drawing is their forte, have them reflect through art.

      Complete communicative tasks with your middle school students. Have them write thank-you notes for holiday or birthday gifts. Show them the proper way to address envelopes. Let them adhere stamps and return address labels. No matter how simple the activity, school age children will appreciate it, especially if it's done with a loved one.

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