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November 21, 2024 by Admin 0 Comments

Practice Gratitude Through Play

Sparkler has thousands of activities designed to help children (5 and under) build important early skills and spark passions. Here are a few (off-screen) Sparkler activities that can help families help their children practice gratitude. Families can find these activities in their Sparkler mobile app, and providers using Sparkler can share them with families via Sparkler’s dashboard. All activities are available in English, Spanish, and Chinese. 

Filled With Gratitude (for children 3-5)

This is a collaborative game to share things we’re grateful for, played with a jar, plus paper and crayons/markers/pencils.

  1. Let’s write or draw people, places, and things we’re grateful for on small pieces of paper.
  2. Now let’s say a few words about each one, fold it, and put it in a jar. Let’s take turns, adding more and more things we’re grateful for into the jar.
  3. Is the jar full? What else are we grateful for?
Family Gratitude Quilt (for children 3-5)

This is a family art project, creating and assembling a paper “quilt” of gratitude.

  1. We’re going to create a family gratitude quilt. Let’s each count out six squares of paper. 
  2. On each, let’s use pencils or crayons to draw something we’re grateful for: (1) something from nature, (2) something related to family, (3) something related to friends, (4) an experience we’ve had, (5) something related to our home or neighborhood, (6) a toy or stuffed animal we have.
  3. Now let’s create our quilt by arranging the squares in a grid and taping or stapling them together. 
Thank You Cards (for children 3-5)

This is a craft activity that can help children to express gratitude. 

  1. There are so many reasons to say thank you! Let’s make and send a thank you note to someone for whom we are grateful. They may have given us something, helped us in some way, or simply been kind. 
  2. Tell me about your gratitude. I’ll write down your words in a card. Then you can decorate it!
  3. Let’s send our thank you note. How do you think the person will feel when they receive this wonderful card?
Thank a Helper (for children 1.5 years old - 5 years old)

Thank people in your community!

  1. Let’s take a walk and look for helpers in our community.
  2. Let’s look for crossing guards, sanitation workers, delivery people, neighbors cleaning the sidewalk, and anyone else who is helping to make our neighborhood better.
  3. When we see a helper, let’s thank them for their hard work!
Thanksgiving Tale (for children 1.5 years old - 5 years old)

Make up a story about foods you love to express thanks for them.  

  1. Let’s think about all the foods we love to eat!
  2. Every time I say a food I love to eat, I’ll say, “mmm-mmm!” and rub my belly.
  3. You do it, too, if you love the food!

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STEM
Blog PostsParentingPlay Activities
September 25, 2024 by Admin 0 Comments

Start Your Engines! Sparkler Activities for Little Engineers

Sparkler has thousands of activities designed to help children (5 and under) build important early skills and spark passions. Here are a few (off-screen) Sparkler activities that can help families help their children learn the building blocks of engineering and programming. Many of these activities include early math skills (like patterns and operations), and they also focus on children’s memory, problem-solving skills, and curiosity! 

Follow the Program (for children 3-5)

This is a coding game for littles that helps children give and follow instructions. 

  1. Let’s play a coding game! First, let’s use tape or chalk to mark a path on the floor. Our path should have straight lines and 90 degree corners.
  2. You go first! Stand at one end of the path and close your eyes (or wear a blindfold). I’ll guide you along the path by tapping on your body. I’ll tap your forehead to tell you to take one step forward, tap your right shoulder to tell you to turn right, or tap your left shoulder to tell you to turn left. Let’s try to get to the end of the path without talking or peeking!
  3. Now let’s switch roles! I’ll put on a blindfold and you can help me follow the path from beginning to end. (If my forehead and shoulders are too high, you can tap my knees and toes!)
Machine Maker (for children 3-5)

This is an invention game, using your MIND — plus your crayons and paper. 

  1. Let’s invent a machine! What should our machine do?
  2. Let’s draw a picture of our machine and name it.
  3. What else does our machine do? I will write down the words.
Sock Sort (for babies 0-18 months)

Start to understand patterns with this fun sorting game. 

  1. Help me sort this pile of socks!
  2. Here is a yellow sock. Can you find the other one? I’ll put the matching pairs together.
  3. Here’s another sock – let’s find the match. Let’s keep going until all of our socks are sorted!
Painting Machine (for children 3-5)

See what happens when you put paint on a ramp to grow children’s curiosity and focus!

  1. Let’s paint on a ramp! First, let’s tape the paper to a cookie sheet or other firm, flat surface and water down the paint so that it can drip.
  2. Let’s go outside or into the bathroom and lean the cookie sheet against the wall at an angle. Now let’s use the brush to drip watery paint at the top of the ramp and watch the colors run down the paper!
  3. Let’s change the angle of our ramp and try again with another color. Do the colors drip faster or slower this time?
Catapult (for children 3-5)

Launch a ball into the air to build connection-making and self-regulation skills.

  1. Let’s build a machine to launch a ball. Take a ruler and put it on top of a can so one end of the ruler touches the ground and the other is in the air.
  2. On the end of the ruler that is touching the ground, tape a small paper cup.
  3. Now, let’s put the ball in the cup and press down on the other end of the ruler. How far does the ball go? Let’s do it again!
Rhythm Patterns (for toddlers and littles 2+)

Drum and count the rhythm to start recognizing patterns.

  1. Let’s make a pattern by counting beats. Let’s start by clapping and counting one at a time: 1, 1, 1, 1!
  2. Now let’s try making a pattern by counting beats in twos. Stomp your feet in rhythm: 1, 2; 1, 2; 1, 2…
  3. We sound like drums!
Where are the Wheels? (for children 3-5)

Search for wheels to build focus and expression/storytelling skills. 

  1. Let’s go for a walk to look for wheels. What vehicles have wheels?
  2. The wheels spin around and carry vehicles from place to place.
  3. Let’s pick one vehicle with wheels. Let’s make up a story about where it has been and where it is going!

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