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 and letter home at the end of the school year so children can do the activities with their parents over the summer.
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)
Sample Activities:
*You can download 100 of these at drjean.org/May, 2009!
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?