Through playing Oonch Neech (also known as Oonch Neech ka Papada), children build gross motor strength, spatial awareness, problem-solving skills, and self-regulation while learning to move safely and cooperatively in shared playground spaces.

Game Snapshot: Oonch Neech

Age: 4–8 years
Number of players: 4+ players
Space needed: Playground or open space with access to safe low surfaces – benches, curbs/kerbs, logs, stumps, playground equipment
Equipment: None
Skills: Agility, spatial awareness, strategy, gross motor development
Learning outcomes: When playing Oonch Neech, children practise and develop:

• Gross motor skills: running, climbing, balancing, and controlled movement
• Spatial awareness: judging space, distance, and safe movement around others
• Problem solving: deciding when to move, pause, or change strategy
• Self-regulation: controlling speed and movement to stay safe
• Cooperation and social awareness: playing within shared rules and spaces
• Risk assessment: making safe choices when moving on and off equipment

How to Play

1. Agree safe zones:
 Designate safe elevated surfaces in the play area.

2. Choose ‘It’: One child is chosen to be the Danner, or “It.” The Danner chooses to be the Oonch (up) or Neech (down). If the Danner chooses oonch, they must stay on high ground and cannot step on the low ground. All other players must stay on the low ground. If a player steps on high ground, the Danner can tag them. If the Danner chooses Neech, the reverse is true.

Players can’t be tagged while standing on their “safe” surface.

If the Danner tags a child who is off the surface, the tagged child becomes the next Danner.

3. Repeat: Continue rounds until all children have had a turn.

Classroom Variations & Tips

• Indoor Friendly Version: Use taped squares, mats or carpet off cuts on the floor to designate “safe zones.”
• Rotate roles regularly so every child has a chance to be “It.”

Why Play Oonch Neech

Oonch Neech is especially effective for helping children learn to assess risk and manage their bodies in playground environments that include climbing structures or designated “safe” spaces.

Play More Classic Games

Students love playing Oonch Neech? Continue the fun with other active, outdoor group games perfect for preschool and early elementary/primary students with What’s the Time, Mr Wolf?, Red Light, Green Light and Scarecrow Tag.

Or explore all of our classic outdoor games for 3-8 year olds here.

The post How to Play Oonch Neech (Tag Variation -Ages 4–8) appeared first on Childhood101.

Game Snapshot: Simon Says

Age: 3–8 years
Number of players: 5+ players
Space needed: Indoor or outdoor space large enough for each child to have their own space to stand without touching others
Equipment: None
Skills: Listening, self control, body awareness
Learning outcomes: When playing Simon Says, children have opportunity to develop:

• Listening skills: attending closely to and following spoken instructions
• Following rules: understanding and applying simple game rules
• Body awareness and co-ordination: moving different body parts on instruction
• Personal skills: participating appropriately in group activities

These outcomes align well with early childhood movement, social learning, and physical education objectives.

How to Play Simon Says

1. Select ‘Simon’: Choose one player (or adult) to be “Simon.” All other players stand facing Simon.
2. Begin play: Simon gives instructions such as, “Simon says touch your toes” or “Simon says jump on the spot.”

Players only follow instructions that begin with “Simon says.”

If Simon gives an instruction without saying “Simon says,” such as, “Sit down,” and a player follows the instruction, in this case by sitting down, that player is out for the remainder of the round.
3. Repeat: Continue until only one player remains, who then becomes the next Simon, or rotate who is Simon after a set time.

Movement Command Suggestions

Classroom Variations & Tips

Easier Version (ages 3–4 years)

• Remove the “out” rule: simply practise listening and moving
• Slow down instructions and exaggerate actions

Co-operative Version

• No one is out; players just pause and reset if they make a mistake
• Rotate the role of Simon frequently

Challenge Version (ages 6–8 years)

• Speed up instructions
• Add multi-step actions (“Simon says clap twice and jump”)
• Include balancing and cross-body movements, e.g. “Simon says stand on one leg,” and, “Simon says touch your left elbow to your right knee.”

Numeracy Variation

• Simon says jump 3 times
• Simon says count to 5 while marching on the spot
• Simon says make the shape of a triangle with your arms

Teaching Tips & Curriculum Links

• As Simon Says does not require much room to play, it’s ideal as a movement break to reset focus
• Play to reinforce listening and attention before seated learning
• Observe children’s ability to pause, wait, and respond appropriately
• Link to PE outcomes around movement control and co-ordination

More Games Like This

If your students enjoy Simon Says, try:

• Red Light, Green Light
• Freeze Tag
• What’s the Time, Mr Wolf?

Or explore the full Classic Outdoor Games for Preschool & Early Primary (ages 3-8) collection.

The post How to Play Simon Says: Movement & Listening Game appeared first on Childhood101.

Game Snapshot: Freeze Tag

Age: 3–8 years
Number of players: 5+ players
Space needed: Open outdoor area or large indoor space
Equipment: None
Skills: Gross motor skills, self-regulation, cooperation, spatial awareness
Learning outcomes: When playing Freeze Tag, children have an opportunity to develop:

• Gross motor skills: running, stopping, dodging, and changing direction
• Self-regulation: stopping on cue and controlling movement
• Listening & attending: responding to rules and game signals
• Social skills: cooperation, helping others
• Spatial awareness: moving safely around others in shared space

These outcomes align well with early childhood movement, social-emotional learning, and physical education objectives.

How to Play Freeze Tag

1. Select ‘It’: Define the game play space. Choose one player to be ‘It.’ All other players spread out across the play area.
2. Start play: When the game begins, ‘It’ runs with the aim of gently tagging as many other players as he can.
3. Freeze!: Any time a player is tagged by ‘It,’ the player must freeze in place like a statue and remain frozen until another free player tags them to unfreeze them, then they may re-join the game.
4. Repeat: The game is played until all players have been frozen or a time limit is reached, and a new player is chosen to be “It.”

Classroom Variations & Tips

• Easier variation: Use two children as “It” and/or allow frozen players to unfreeze themselves after counting to 5.
• Challenge variation: Frozen players must freeze/balance in the position they were tagged, and/or only one designated “rescuer” can unfreeze others.

Why Freeze Tag Works With 3-8 Year Olds

Beyond giggles and movement, Freeze Tag can:


• Be used as a quick movement break to reset focus
• The game can be paused to discuss fair play and helping others as required
• Achieve PE lesson objectives related to movement control and spatial awareness
• Provide opportunity for teachers to observe a child’s ability to run, stop, and follow game rules

More Classic Outdoor Games for kids

Find instructions for how to play;

• Duck Duck Goose
• What’s the Time, Mr Wolf?
• Simon Says
• Red Light, Green Light

Or explore the full Classic Outdoor Games for Preschool & Early Primary collection.

The post How to Play Freeze Tag (Movement Game for Ages 3–8) appeared first on Childhood101.

Whether you’re planning ahead for classroom displays, theme weeks, or seasonal learning centers, this calendar makes it easy to stay organized, spark curiosity, and keep students engaged through every month of the school year.

2026 School Holidays & Celebrations Calendar with Activities

Designed especially for teachers and homeschoolers, this printable PDF calendar features beautifully designed monthly planning pages with direct links to related learning resources and classroom activity ideas for over 300 student-friendly holidays, awareness days, and celebrations. There’s plenty of space included for planning your activities.

Each special day has been thoughtfully chosen for its classroom appeal across kindergarten, elementary, middle, and high school, making it a time-saving tool you’ll turn to again and again when planning lessons, bulletin boards, and creative learning experiences.

Special Days From Around the World 2026

Below you will find a list of the holidays included in our calendar with links to a range of supporting learning activity suggestions. These activities are also linked within our free printable PDF version of the calendar.

January Special Days

1 New Years Day: New Years Activities for Kids
2 Science Fiction Day
3 Mahayana New Year (Buddhist)
4 World Braille Day • World Spaghetti Day
6 Epiphany (Christian)
8 Bubble Bath Day: Bubble Activities for Kids
9 Word Nerd Day: Word Games for Kids | Spelling Activities
13 Lohri (India)
14 World Logic Day: Logic Puzzles for Kids • International Kite Festival (India)
15 Bagel Day
17 Kid Inventors Day: Mystery Bag Challenge | 5 Construction Challenges | Best STEM Sets
18 Winne the Pooh Day & AA Milne Day • World Religion Day
19 Popcorn Day • Martin Luther King Jr Day (USA)
20 Cheese Lover’s Day (UK): Cheese Puffs Recipe | Alphabet Cheese Matching Game
21 Hug Day
24 International Day of Education • Global Belly Laugh Day
25 Opposite Day: Secret Spy Antonyms Game | Printable Opposites Matching Game
26 Australia Day (Australia): 50 Best Australian Picture Books | 35 Books About Australian Animals
27 Holocaust Memorial Day : Chocolate Cake Day: Slow Cooker Choc Banana Cake Recipe
28 International Lego Day: 25 Lego Learning Ideas | Printable Lego Mosaics | Lego Ideas Books for Kids
29 Puzzle Day: Brain Games & Logic Puzzles for Kids
31 International Zebra Day

Get your 2026 Special Days Calendar now!

SUBMIT

February Holidays

1 Black History Month Starts (USA): Research a Black Inventor Writing Activity
2 World Wetlands Day
4 World Read Aloud Day: 50 Fun Ways to Read Aloud | Best Read Aloud Chapter Books | Best Read Aloud Picture Books
5 World Nutella Day
6 Winter Olympics Games start • Waitangi Day (New Zealand)
9 World Pizza Day
10 Safer Internet Day: Picture Books About Digital Citizenship | Chapter Books for Kids Who Love to Code
14 Valentines Day: Valentines Day Activities for Kids • Global Movie Day: 75 Kids Book to Movie Adaptations | 65 Teen Books That Are Movies
15 Galileo Day • World Hippopotamus Day • World Whale Day
16 National Tim Tam Day
17 Shrove Tuesday (Christian) • Pancake Day • Random Acts of Kindness Day: Random Acts of Kindness for Kids | Loving Kindness Yoga for Kids | Kindness Books • Lunar New Year (Asia): Lunar New Year Resources
18 Ash Wednesday (Christian)
20 World Social Justice Day: Books About Diversity • Love Your Pet Day
21 International Mother Language Day
26 Tell a Fairy Tale Day: Fairy Tale Activities
27 International Polar Bear Day

March Special Days

1 World Compliment Day • International Ideas Month Starts
3 Chinese Lantern Day (Asia) • World Wildlife Day: 21 Kids Nature Movies • Wangari Maathai Day (Africa)
4 Holi (Hindi)
7 National Cereal Day
8 International Women’s Day: Inspiring Women Quotes Coloring Pages | Strong Girls Graphic Novels
9 Barbie’s Birthday
11 World Plumbing Day
12 Plant a Flower Day: DIY Seed Tape | Plants That Are Perfect for Play Spaces
14 International Day of Mathematics: Math Activities
15 Fastelavn (North Europe) • World Speech Day: 10 TED Talks for Kids • Mother’s Day (UK & others): Mother’s Day Activities
16 National Panda Day (USA)
17 St Patrick’s Day: St Patrick’s Day Activities
18 Global Recycling Day: DIY Worm Farm
19 International Digital Learning Day: Coding & Digital Learning Resources • Edi al-Fitr starts (Muslim)
20 World Oral Health Day • World Storytelling Day: Story Telling with Story Stones
21 World Poetry Day • International Day of Forests
22 World Water Day: 10 Fun Water Play Ideas
23 World Bear Day
25 Waffle Day (Sweden)
27 Wear a Hat Day (UK): braintumourresearch.org • World Theatre Day: world-theatre-day.org
28 Earth Hour 8:30pm local time: Earth Hour Books for Kids
30 International Zero Waste Day
31 Crayon Day: Crayon Resist Leaf Art | DIY Rainbow Crayons

April Celebrations

1 April Fool’s Day • Passover starts (Jewish)
2 International Children’s Book Day: Book Activities
3 Good Friday (Christian) • Find a Rainbow Day: Rainbow Learning Activities • World Aquatic Animal Day: Ocean Books for Kids
4 World Stray Animal Day
5 Easter Sunday (Christian): Easter Printables & Activities
6 International Day of Sport for Development & Peace: PE Group Games for Kids
7 World Health Day: Ideas for Teaching Kids About Germs
10 International Siblings Day (USA/Canada): Books About Siblings
13 Scrabble Day: Printable Scrabble Spelling Activity
15 World Art Day: Kids Art Ideas
16 World Voice Day: worldvoiceday.org
17 International Haiku Poetry Day: thehaikufoundation.org
18 World Circus Day: circusfederation.org
21 Creativity & Innovation Day: Mystery Bag Challenge
22 Earth Day: Earth Day Activities • Jelly Bean Day: Jelly Bean Science
23 St George’s Day (Europe) • World Book & Copyright Day: Library Scavenger Hunt
25 Anzac Day (Australia/New Zealand): Printable Anzac Day Learning Pack • World Veterinary Day • International Sculpture Day
28 Global Pay It Forward Day: Books About Kindness | Acts of Kindness for Kids
29 International Dance Day: Dance Ideas for Toddlers & Preschoolers | Dance Charades • International Guide Dog Day
30 International Jazz Day

May World Holidays

1 Vappu (Finland) • Vesak (Buddhist) • Mother Goose Day: Themed Nursery Rhymes
2 Harry Potter Day • Free Comic Book Day (USA): 30 Comic Books for Kids
3 Wild Koala Day (Australia): Books About Australian Animals • World Laughter Day: Funny Books for Kids
4 Star Wars Day: Star Wars Matching Game | Star Wars Lego Mosaics | Star Wars Books
5 Cinco De Mayo (Mexico) • Kodomo No Hi (Japan) • World Asthma Day
6 World Kids Coloring Day: Mindful Coloring Pages
8 VE Day (Europe)
9 Peter Pan Day
10 Mother’s Day (USA/Australia & others): Mother’s Day Activities
12 International Nurses’ Day: International Council of Nurses
14 Dance Like A Chicken Day
15 International Day of Families: 35 Books About Families • Endangered Species Day
16 International Day of Light: Light Themed Learning Activities | All About Light Writing Prompts
17 World Baking Day: Easy Baking Ideas for Kids
18 International Museum Day
20 World Bee Day: Kids Bee Activities • World Metrology Day
21 World Day of Cultural Diversity
22 Sherlock Holmes Day
23 World Turtle Day
24 Scavenger Hunt Day: Fun Scavenger Hunt Ideas
25 Tap Dance Day (USA) • Africa Day (Africa)
26 Edi al-Adha starts (Muslim) • World Dracula Day • Paper Airplane Day (USA)
28 International Burger Day
31 World Parrot Day

June World Celebrations

1 World Milk Day: Magic Milk Experiment | DIY Milk Jug Catcher
3 World Bicycle Day • Global Running Day: globalrunningday.org
5 World Environment Day: Environment Day Books • National Donut Day (USA/Others)
8 World Oceans Day: Ocean Books for Kids | Ocean Sensory Bottle | Ocean Slime Recipe
9 Donald Duck Day
11 International Day of Play: Screen Free Play Ideas | 31 Days of Sensory Play
12 Superman Day
14 World Blood Donor Day
15 Global Wind Day: Make Paper Pinwheels | Windblown Book & Activity
16 Vegemite Day (Australia) • World Sea Turtle Day
17 World Crocodile Day • Eat Your Vegetables Day: Eat the Alphabet: Recipes from A to Z
18 International Picnic Day: Yard Games to Play on Your Next Picnic • International Sushi Day
19 Juneteenth (USA) • Dragon Boat Festival (Asia)
20 World Refugee Day • World Juggling Day
21 Father’s Day (USA/UK/Others): Father’s Day Activities • International Day of Yoga: Kids Yoga Resources for School & Home • World Music Day: Music Games for Kids | The Plate Dance Percussion
22 World Rain Forest Day
24 St John’s Day (Christian)
25 Eric Carle’s Birthday: Eric Carle Picture Book Study
26 Eid al-Adha (Muslim)
27 International Pineapple Day
28 International Pride Day
29 International Mud Day: Mud Play Ideas
30 International Asteroid Day: asteroidday.org

July World Celebrations

1 Canada Day (Canada) • International Joke Day: Sight Word Chatterboxes with Jokes
2 Disco Day: Printable Dance Charades Game
4 Independence Day (USA) • Lewis Carroll Day
5 NAIDOC Week starts (Australia)
7 World Chocolate Day: Make Chocolate Crackles
10 Matariki (New Zealand) • Teddy Bear’s Picnic Day: Bear Hunt Sensory Bin
12 Malala Day
14 Bastille Day (France) • Cow Appreciation Day • Shark Awareness Day: Kids Books About Sharks
15 World Youth Skills Day • Hot Dog Day (USA)
16 World Snake Day: Rainbow Snake Pots Craft
17 World Emoji Day: Emoji Matching Game | DIY Emoji Rock Painting
18 Nelson Mandela Day
19 International Karaoke Day • National Ice Cream Day (USA)
20 International Moon Day: 50 Space Books for Kids • World Chess Day
21 Lamington Day (Australia): Bake Mini Lamington Cupcakes
22 World Brain Day
23 Commonwealth Games start
24 International Self-Care Day • Schools Tree Day (Australia)
25 Christmas in July: Kids Christmas Activities
26 National Tree Day (Australia): treeday.planetark.org
27 Sleepy Head Day (Finland)
28 Beatrix Potter Day
29 International Tiger Day
30 Friendship Day: Books about Friendships
31 World Ranger Day

August World Celebrations

1 Sandcastle Day: Ideas for Sand Play | 35 Fun Things to Do at the Beach | Beach Scavenger Hunt
2 Ice Cream Sandwich Day (USA)
3 Watermelon Day: Watermelon & Strawberry Sorbet Recipe
4 Owl Awareness Day
8 International Cat Day
9 International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples
10 World Lion Day • Bullying No Way Week starts (Australia): Bullying Videos for Kids – Preschool through Middle Grades
12 World Elephant Day • International Youth Day
13 Obon starts (Buddhist) • Left Hander’s Day
14 World Lizard Day
15 National Relaxation Day: Classroom Mindfulness Activities | Social Emotional Learning Printables • International Geocaching Day: Try Geocaching
16 Tell a Joke Day: Sight Word Chatterboxes with Jokes
18 Never Give Up Day
19 World Photography Day • World Orangutan Day
20 Day of Medical Transporters • Bacon Lover’s Day: Bacon, Cheese & Spaghetti Pie Recipe
22 Be an Angel Day
25 Banana Split Day
26 International Dog Day • La Tomatina (Spain)
27 Hungry Ghost Festival (Asia) • Rock Paper Scissors Day
29 Lemon Juice Day: Lemon & Rosemary Scented Playdough | Lemon & Mango Yoghurt Cake Recipe
30 Toasted Marshmallow Day
31 Eat Outside Day

Get your 2026 Special Days Calendar now!

SUBMIT

September Special Days

1 World Letter Writing Day • International Primate Day
2 Health & Physical Ed Day (Australia): Group Games for PE
5 International Day of Charity
6 Father’s Day (Aus/NZ): Father’s Day Resources
7 Threatened Species Day (Australia)
8 International Literacy Day: 30 Kids Writing Prompts | Verbal Literacy Games
9 National Teddy Bear Day
10 R U Okay Day (Australia): Play The Game of Feelings
11 Rosh Hashanah (Jewish)
12 World First Aid Day
13 Roald Dahl’s Birthday
15 International Day of Democracy • International Dot Day: Dot Sticker Drawings
16 Play-doh Day: Playdough Ideas
17 International Microorganism Day
19 Talk Like A Pirate Day: Pirate Books & Activities • International Eat An Apple Day: Simple Apple Slice Recipe
20 Yom Kippur (Jewish) • World Clean Up Day
21 International Day of Peace
22 World Rhino Day • Dear Diary Day: 25 Best Journals for 8-15 Year Olds
23 International Day of Sign Languages
24 World Gorilla Day • Punctuation Day • World Maritime Day
25 World Dream Day • Save the Koala Day (Australia)
26 International Rabbit Day
30 World Stroopwafel Day

October World Holidays

1 International Day of Older Persons
2 World Farm Animals Day: The Three Little Pigs Puppets • World Smile Day: DIY Emoji Rocks | How to Draw Emotions
3 International Astronomy Day
4 World Space Week Starts • World Animal Day
5 World Teacher Day • World Habitat Day
6 Mad Hatter Day
8 World Octopus Day • World Sight Day
10 World Porridge Day • World Mental Health Day
12 Indigenous Peoples Day (USA) • Thanksgiving (Canada)
13 Ada Lovelace Day
14 National Fossil Day (USA)
15 Global Hand Washing Day: Books about Good Handwashing | Teaching Kids About Handwashing Activities
16 World Food Day: 50 Best Pretend Play Food Sets | Eating the Alphabet: 26 Recipes from A to Z
20 International Sloth Day
21 Back to the Future Day
22 Internationall Wombat Day: Books about Wombats
24 United Nations Day
25 World Pasta Day: Slow Cooker Mini Meatballs with Spaghetti
27 International Panda Day (WWF China)
28 International Animation Day
31 Halloween: Halloween Fun for Kids

November Special Days

1 Prime Meridian Day • Dia De Los Muertos Starts (Mexico)
3 World Jellyfish Day
5 Guy Fawkes Night (UK) • International Day Against Violence & Bullying at School: 15 Anti-Bullying Videos for 4-13 Year Olds
8 Diwali (Hindi): Learn more about Diwali • International Tongue Twister Day
9 World Adoption Day
10 World Science Day: Science Experiments & Activities • Sesame Street Day (UK)
11 Remembrance Day • Origami Day (Japan): Origami Heart Bookmarks
13 World Kindness Day: Picture Books About Kindness | Loving Kindness Yoga
15 Shichi-Go-San (Japan) • I Love to Write Day
16 International Day for Tolerance
17 Take a Hike Day
18 Mickey Mouse Day
19 World Philosophy Day
20 World Children’s Day
21 World Hello Day • World Television Day
24 Fairy Bread Day: fairybreadday.com
25 International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women
26 Thanksgiving (USA)
28 French Toast Day • Red Planet Day
30 St Andrew’s Day (Scotland)

December Celebrations

2 Special Education Day
3 International Day of Persons with Disabilities
4 Hanukkah begins (Jewish): Hanukkah Worksheet • National Cookie Day (USA): Sugar Cookie Recipe
5 World Soil Day • International Volunteer Day: Ways to Involve Children in Volunteering
6 St Nicholas Day (Western Christian)
7 Dia De Las Velitas (Columbia) • International Civil Aviation Day
8 Bodhi Day (Buddhist)
10 International Human Rights Day
11 International Mountain Day
13 St Lucia Day (Europe): Learn more about St Lucia Day
16 Las Posadas begins (Christian): Learn more about Las Posadas
17 Wright Brothers Day
18 International Migrants Day • Ugly Christmas Sweater Day
19 St Nicholas Day (Eastern Christian)
21 Crossword Puzzle Day
24 JÓLABÓKAFLÓÐIÐ (Iceland)
25 Christmas Day: Christmas Around the World Worksheets | Christmas Around the World Books | Christmas Activities Collection
26 Kwanzaa Starts (USA): Learn more about Kwanzaa | Kwanzaa Interactive Notebooks
27 Cut Out Snowflakes Day (USA): Name Snowflakes | Snowflakes Memory Matching Game
31 New Years Eve: New Years Eve Activities for Kids

Bring more joy, meaning, and connection to your school year—without the endless search for ideas! Download your 2026 School Holidays & Special Days Calendar today and discover how easy it can be to plan engaging, curriculum-linked celebrations for every month.

Perfect for teachers, homeschoolers, and children’s community groups alike, this printable calendar will quickly become your go-to planning companion for creating memorable learning moments all year long.

More Printable Learning Resources

For more printable learning tools and resources, check out these related posts;

Free Printable Kids Calendar 2026

Printable Book Bingo

Printable Kids Kindness Resource Pack

The post 2026 Special Days & Holidays Calendar with Classroom Activities appeared first on Childhood101.

7 Easy Bubble Activities for Kids

These easy bubble activities use items you probably already have at home, or can easily buy at the supermarket, they are quick to set up, and students of all ages are sure to love them!

My own children, and students I have taught, have enjoyed these simple bubble activity ideas. From toddlers and preschoolers, through to kindergarten and elementary age students, it really doesn’t matter how old a child is, the magic of bubbles is so engaging and super fun.

Bubble Painting

Bubble painting is super cool! Lots of fun to try and the results are really awesome too. I like to use the dried paintings in multimedia art projects with students. Head over to my tutorial to find out more about the bubble painting process.

Bubble Science: What Can You Use to Make Bubbles?

Have fun testing common household and classroom items to see which can be used as a bubble blower to make bubbles – what can you use to make bubbles?

Bubble Play Duplo

Combine bubbles and Duplo for some great imaginative play! Previously shared as part of my collection of 20 Sensory Play Ideas for Toddlers, I made bubbles with dishwashing detergent and a little water in a flat bin (I use an under bed storage tub). Set the tub on a table outdoors, or indoors with some bath towels handy for splashes.

Good, Clean Fun

Toddlers and preschoolers love the process of cleaning plastic toys. And all you need is a little detergent, water and a soft cloth. Animal figurines, toy vehicles, baby dolls and home corner dishes all make for good, clean fun!

Body Part Bubble Pop Game

Great for body part recognition and gross motor development, this game invites children to pop bubbles (blown by an adult) with a specific, named body part. This Colorado Culture of Wellness in Preschools document includes six fun movement activities with bubbles.

DIY Soap Crayons

Involve children of all ages in making this simple soap crayon recipe for sensory play.

DIY Bubble Dough

Playdough that you can put in the bath? Cool! This DIY bubble dough recipe from Picklebums is awesome, and can be used in place of soap!

More Sensory Learning Resources

For more sensory learning tools and resources, check out these related posts;

21 Super DIY Sensory Bottles

12 DIY Playdough Recipes for Sensory Play

15 Mud Play Ideas for Kids

The post 7 Easy Bubble Activities for Kids appeared first on Childhood101.

Before planning what to plant you’ll need to consider if your children have any allergies or are sensitive to pollens. You also need to avoid plants with large spikes or prickles and make sure that what you plant is not poisonous. Think about all parts of the plant, leaves, roots, sap, berries, etc  and always check Google for a list of poisonous plants common to your area.

Allowing kids to play with plants will also mean setting a few ground rules in the beginning and including children in the planting and care of the garden is a great way for them to learn to respect plants. Even very young children can be encouraged to follow a few simple rules. Start with;

• Take only a few of the flowers or leaves for play from a plant (as opposed to stripping the whole plant)
• Only take from safe plants within the designated play area. When playing in other spaces, remind students that natural items should only be collected from the ground and not picked from living plants
• Check before picking and eating produce from edible plants.

Safe Plants for Play Spaces

Below are some suggestions of what to plant in your playful garden. These are starting points only, to get you thinking! Ask local plant enthusiasts and garden nursery staff for more suggestions to best suit your location and climate.

Vines and Creepers


Including some hardy vines and creepers in your garden will provide an endless supply of crowns and necklaces for playing at kings, fairies and the like.

Try Star Jasmin
 or Hardenbergia/Coral Pea


.

Scented Plants


My children spend endless hours in our back yard concocting potions from plants, water, dirt and goodness knows what else! 


Plants with an interesting scent from flowers or leaves are always lots of fun in potions.
 Try Mint (grows like a weed so the kids can pick as much as they like), Lavender and 
Pineapple Sage, Dill and Rosemary

.

Plants with Flowers

Making daisy chains or just picking a bunch of flowers to brighten someone’s day is a simple, lovely way for children to interact with the garden.

Choose hardy flowering perennials that take little maintenance and annuals that easily self seed each Spring. 
Suggestions include:

• Perennials – Daisies and Geraniums
• Self seeding annuals – Cosmos, Forget Me Nots, Calendula, Zinnia, Marigold, Nasturtiums and Borage

Plants You Can Eat

There is no better way to teach children where food comes from than by growing it yourself. Choose easy to grow fruit or veggies that you know your children enjoy, beginning with those your kids can eat right of the plant for fast snacking while playing.
 Suggestions include:

• Cherry tomatoes
• Sugar snap peas
• Beans
• Strawberries
• Lettuce

You can find more kid friendly food garden ideas here.

Weird, Wonderful Plants

It’s always fun to plant a few strange and interesting things if you have the space. Weird and wonderful plants can spark a child’s imagination and provide a little extra magic to the garden.

Gourds come in lots of strange shapes and sizes and you can dry them to make all kinds of interesting things.


Succulents are available in lots of interesting colours, shapes and textures – choose non-spiny varieties like Echeveria, Hens and Chicks (Sempervivum) and Christmas Cactus. Aloe Vera is safe for children, though it is toxic to cats and dogs. 

And for a real novelty, Popping Corn is lots of fun, allowing children to grow and pop their own corn!

RELATED: Discover How to Make a Child-Friendly Fairy Garden

Plants You Can Hide In

A cubby house is one of the best backyard play areas you can invest in but if you don’t have one you can always grow one! 
As simple as a circle of sunflowers or a creeper growing over an arched tunnel, hiding among the plants is lots of fun. You could try:

• 
Giant Sunflowers – plant in a circle to make a hiding spot
• Climbing Beans – set up a teepee support and grow a bean cubby
• Vines and Creepers – build an arched tunnel and grow evergreen creepers over it for a more permanent cubby house

No Garden? No Problem

Even if you don’t have a garden, many of the smaller, playful plants will grow in pots on a window sill or balcony so there is no reason why everyone can’t enjoy playing with plants!

Related Resources

For more related learning tools and resources, check out these related posts;

Garden Matching Game

Garden Yoga for Kids

DIY Seed Tape

DIY Worm Farm

7 Tips for Creating an Outdoor Play Area for Kids

Let Them Go Barefoot & 6 More Rules for Outdoor Play

The post Safe Plants for Play Spaces: Plants that are Perfect for Play appeared first on Childhood101.

About once a month I rotate all the materials on our playroom shelves and create new explorations for Sarah and her older brother (5yrs). Here’s some of the numeracy explorations I have out at the moment. Sometimes Sarah will take a basket or tray off the shelf and play by herself, other times we will work together in a more focused way.

12 Hands-On Math Activities for 2- and 3- Year Olds

All of these explorations are simple to put together. You can use almost any materials you have around the house. I like to use beautiful, natural materials as much as possible – they are so aesthetically pleasing that I just can’t seem to go pass them.

Some use small parts so please use your own common sense when preparing similar explorations for your child.

1. Mark making with numerals (shown above): Present a paintbrush and a set of large format numeral cards alongside shallow tray of coloured sand and invite your preschooler to form the shapes of each numeral by ‘drawing’ in the sand with the brush.

2. Colour sorting: Present an upcycled wooden sorting tray (try your local thrift store or op shop) with a collection of felt balls, coloured pom poms or pretty buttons to sort.

3. Sorting by size: Collect a series of natural items, such as pine cones or gum nuts and invite your preschooler to sort them by size from smallest to largest.

4. Sorting by length: Collect a series of feathers or leaves and invite your toddler or preschooler to sort them by length from shortest to longest.

5. Sorting sets: Invite your toddler or preschooler to sort a series of two or three different types of shells into matching sets.

6. Counting stones: Create a set of counting stones to order and match by drawing numerals and dots onto smooth stones with permanent marker. Use these to play a matching game or to order the dotted stones or numeral stones from one to ten.

7. Counting purposefully: Lay out a series of numerals or number cards and a small basket of manipulatives (wooden tokens, buttons, pom poms) to count and invite your preschooler to count out a set of objects for each numeral.

8. Matching pairs: Present 5 to 8 matching pairs of shapes (these Pattern Blocks are perfect (Amazon link)) for your child to sort into pairs. Using a small felt circle or placemat helps define a dedicated working space.

9. Pattern making: Invite your child to match or continue a simple repeated pattern using coloured Pattern Blocks.

10. Matching pin patterns: Use a cork placemat and coloured push pins to invite your child to match or continue a simple repeated pattern.

11. Making shapes: Use a cork placemat, coloured push pins, rubber bands and a set of simple shape cards and invite your child to make shapes by pressing the pins into the cork and stretching the rubber bands around the pins to form each shape.

12. Making shapes: Invite your child to make shapes from lengths of thin wire.

I encourage you to create some simple math activities for your older toddler or preschooler to explore. When you’re arranging them on your play shelves, present each in a nice thrifted tray or cane basket, including a simple placemat for your child to work on.

More Preschool Math Resources

For more social emotional learning tools and resources, check out these related posts;

15 Preschool Counting Songs & Finger Plays: Printable

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The post 12 Hands-On Math Activities for 2- and 3- Year Olds appeared first on Childhood101.

Father’s Day Coloring Cards

Decorating their own handmade Father’s Day cards is a time honored tradition of children across the world and these print-and-go coloring cards make the task super simple.

Hit the download button below (you’ll find full instructions for downloading and printing at the end of this post) to save ten different Father’s Day cards to color in PDF format. The cards are available for both US Letter and A4 paper sizes.

Each card features a fun Father’s Day inspired design with a fun, heartfelt message, perfect for Dads the world over – the hardest part may be choosing which card to use!

To make, start out by inviting students to decorate the chosen card with your choice of markers, crayons or pencils – you could even use watercolor paints.

Once decorated, cut around the card, then fold it in half and invite students to add a personal message for their Dad to the inside of the card.

More Fun Ideas for Dads

For more fun ideas for Dads, check out these related posts;

Homemade Coasters Gift Idea

DIY Seed Tape Gift Idea

Jenga PLUS! DIY Gift Idea

The post Father’s Day Coloring Cards: Free Printable appeared first on Childhood101.