Magnets aren't just for hanging your child's artwork on the fridge. Magnets can also be an educational tool for little ones. Use letter, number, and shape agents to learn about the alphabet, colors, your name, numbers, counting, patterns, and shapes!
WHAT YOU NEED:
- Masking tape or sticky notes
- Marker
- Alphabet magnets
**If you don't want to use the fridge, use a magnetic whiteboard or a baking sheet.
ALPHABET
- Cut strips of masking tape and tape them to your fridge, making sure they are at your child's eye level. You can also use sticky notes instead of tape. Write several letters on each strip of tape or one letter per sticky note. Start with writing in the same case that the magnets are in. Scatter the alphabet magnets on the fridge and encourage your child to match the magnets to the letters on the tape or sticky note. Once your child starts getting the hang of it, mix in upper and lowercase letters. As they make matches, have them say the letter out loud and its sound.
- Another option is to set out various uppercase and lowercase magnets and let your child match the magnets.
- Tape Sound Flashcards to the fridge and have your child match the correct magnet with the correct flashcard based on the image's beginning sound.
COLORS
- As your child is playing with the magnets, talk about the colors of the magnets and other things we see that are the same color.
NAME
- Set out the letters of your child's name. You can also mix in a few extras. Start with writing their name for them on the side so they can copy it. As they begin to memorize their name, take away the written name and have them build their name on their own.
- Make sure they use a capital letter for the first letter of their name.
- Have them say the letters as they put them together.
NUMBERS & COUNTING
- Cut strips of masking tape and tape them to your fridge, making sure they are at your child's eye level. You can also use sticky notes instead of tape. Draw several clusters of dots on each strip of tape or one cluster per sticky note. Scatter the number magnets on the fridge and encourage your child to count each cluster of dots and match the number to the correct cluster of dots on the tape or sticky note.
PATTERNS
- Using shape magnets, have your child build a pattern or complete patterns you start for them.
SHAPES
- Create designs using the shape magnets. Talk about the shapes as you are creating your design.
- Cut strips of masking tape and tape them to your fridge, making sure they are at your child's eye level. You can also use sticky notes instead of tape. Draw shapes on each strip of tape or one shape per sticky note. Scatter the shape magnets on the fridge and encourage your child to match the magnets to the shapes on the tape or sticky note.
SIGHT WORDS
- Set out the sight word poster and have your child build various sight words with the letter magnets.
MAKE IT CHALLENGING!
Once your child has gotten the hang of the game, you can make it more challenging by introducing a timer. Set a goal for them to match all of the magnets you set out, in a certain amount of time. You can also try rearranging the sticky notes each time you play to keep it challenging.
If your child is having trouble with specific letters, numbers, shapes, etc., you can create a separate set of tape with just those. This allows them to focus on what they are struggling with.
So give it a try and see how much you and your child enjoy this simple yet effective learning activity!
This is one of the activities from my activity book: Pre-K The Fun Way.
The book contains many fun and engaging activities that help your child learn while having fun.
Xx Jeni
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