Ask your
students to bring an empty can made from plastic or cardboard (Crystal Light,
Pringle’s, icing). Select 25-30 of
the activities below (or create your own) and run off copies for each child. Children can decorate their cans and then
cut the activities apart and put them in the can. Send the can home at the end of the school year so children
can do the activities with their parents over the summer.
Note: You can download these at
drjean.org/May, 2009 monthly activities.
Read a story with your
parents. Tell what happened at the
beginning, middle, and end of the story.
What do you think will happen next?
Play a rhyming game. How many words can you think of that
rhyme with “can”? “Pot”? “Book”? “Coat”?
“Sheep”? “Like”?
Trace around your hand and
your foot. What can you make out
of them?
Count as high as you
can. Can you count by 2’s, 5’s,
and 10’s?
Ask your parents to teach
you a song they learned when they were your age.
Look in your kitchen
pantry. How many labels can you
read?
How many ways can you
move? Can you hop, skip, jump,
gallop, tiptoe, walk backwards?
Can you draw a circle,
oval, square, rectangle, and triangle?
What other shapes can you draw?
Write a special letter to
someone in your house.
Look at some of your baby
pictures. How have you changed?
Find something that begins
with these letters: B, H, S, M, L.
Draw a picture of your
neighborhood.
Make a list of 5 things
that are non-living. Make a list
of 5 things that are living.
Do you have a library
card? Visit your library and check
out some books.
Do a job around the house.
Write your name on a piece
of paper – first, middle, and last.
What are your initials?
How many toes does your
family have? How many thumbs? How many noses?
Read a book together. Retell the story in your own words.
Tell someone your whole
address. What city do you live
in? What state? What’s the name of your country?
Have someone call out
these letters, and see if you can write them: W, J, B, K, N, S, T.
How many eggs are in a
dozen? How many days in a
week? How many months in the year?
Act out the opposites of
these words: hot, up, tall, fast,
loud, front, sad, over, top.
Draw a person and put as
many body parts as you can.
Can you say your phone
number? Can you write it?
Help your parents cook
something for dinner.
Sing the alphabet
song. Can you sing it backwards?
How many nursery rhymes
can you say? Can your parents
teach you a new one?
How many months are there
in a year? Can you name them? When is your birthday?
Count backwards from 10 to
0. Can you write the numbers?
Ask your parents to teach
you a game they liked when they were your age.
What does a plant need to
live? What do animals need to
live?
Find an interesting
picture in a magazine and make up a story about it.
Line up five of your
favorite toys on the floor. Tell
someone which is first, second, third, etc.
Ask your parents to tell
you what you were like when you were a baby.
How many days are in a
week? Can you name them?
Name five different
vegetables. Name four fruits. Can you think of three things made from
milk?
Guess how many doors are
in your house, then count to see if you are right.
Finish this sentence: “When I grow up, I want to be
____________.”
Make a pattern using
silverware: for example, fork,
spoon, fork, spoon, fork, spoon, etc.
Share a puppet show or
story you have made up by yourself with someone at your house.
Look in the mirror. What do you like about yourself?
Draw a picture of the
city. Turn your paper over and
draw a picture of the country.
Take a walk and use your
senses. What do you see? Hear? Smell? Touch?
How many seasons are there
in a year? Name them.
Name three things in your
house that are shaped like a rectangle.
Find four things shaped like
a circle. Find five
things shaped like a circle.
How many numbers can your
write on a sheet of paper?
Act out how different
animals move. Can you fly like a
bird? Can you swim like a
fish? Can you hop like a kangaroo? Can you walk like a bear? Can you wiggle like a snake? What other animal can you be?
Draw a picture of
something you like to do with your family.
How many hours are there
in a day? Can you tell someone the
numbers on a clock?
Work a puzzle with your
parents.
Make word labels for five
things in your house.
Look at a book and show
someone these things: a letter, a
word, a sentence, and a capital letter.
Ask your parents to tell
you three things they like best about you.
Count and see how many
spoons are in your kitchen.
How many glasses?
Finish this sentence: “I wish I were _________________.”
Play the “what if”
game. “What would you do if a
stranger tried to take you for a ride in their car?” “What would you do if someone tried to give you drugs?” “What would you do if your house caught
on fire?” “What would you do if
you found $20?”
Sing a song to your
parents.
Find five objects that
will fit in the palm of your hand.
Can you name five things that are larger than you?
Read a story together. Can you tell who the characters
were? What was the setting? What was the problem? What was the solution?
Ask your parents how they
use math in their job.
Watch the weather report
together. Pick out the clothes
that you think you will need to wear tomorrow.
Get a ball and throw it
with your parents. Can you think
of a game to play with the ball?
Say “please” and “thank
you” all day.
Ask your parents to show
you the coins in their wallet. Can
you sort the ones that are alike?
Which one is a penny?
Nickel? Dime? Quarter? How much are they worth?
Find something that feels
soft. Can you find something that
feels hard? Rough? Smooth? Bumpy?
Draw a picture of a family
vacation or holiday that you remember.
Hop 10 times on your left
foot. Hop 10 times on your right
foot. Can you walk forwards 8
steps? Can you walk backwards 8 steps?
Can you skip? Gallop? Can you jump up and down on two feet
20 times?
Play a board game or card
game with your parents.
Get a paper sack and make
a puppet out of it. Use your
puppet to sing a song or say a rhyme.
Look at a book with your
parents. What is the title? Who is the author? Who is the illustrator? Can you tell what the story will be
about by looking at the cover of the book?
Make a book. Draw pictures of your favorite things
in the book.
Play the game “I Spy” with
your parents. You can say, “I spy
something (color),” and have your parents guess what it might be. You can also play “I Spy” with shapes
or beginning sounds.
Can you tell a joke to
your parents? Do you know a
“knock-knock” riddle?
*Here’s an
example of a note you could send with the Fun Shine Can.
Dear
______,
Lucky
me to get to spend this special year with your child!
(Child’s
name) has worked hard and has grown in many ways. One of my favorite memories is (something unique about the
child).
I
appreciate all the support and encouragement you have given
(child’s
name) at home. Behind every great
student is a great family!
Saying
good-bye is bittersweet. “Bitter”
because I will miss (child’s name), but sweet because I am so proud to have
been a part of his/her life!
Please keep in touch because I know the future holds many wonderful
things for your child and your family!
Here’s
a “Fun Shine Can” with lots of great activities to do with your child this
summer. Remember to read and laugh
every day!
Fondly,
(Teacher’s
name)
