Educational Game and Activity Ideas for Kids

As nannies, our crew at Tried and True Nannies and Sitters are experts in a lot of things – kids’ health, early childhood education, child development, child safety, and so much more. We do what we do because we want to help more kids have happy, healthy childhoods and help more parents to enjoy a positive balance in their lives while knowing their kids are in good hands.

As part of that mission, we want to use our blogs to not only help parents learn more about nannying but also share some tips to help parents and kids alike. That’s why we’re sharing some of our favorite educational games and activities for children.

• Make a Word Wheel

Infuse a touch of arts and crafts into helping your child improve their reading, spelling, and pronunciation skills by making a word wheel with your child.

The project is quick and simple! All you need are two cardboard circles (paper plates can work too), 26 popsicle sticks, a marker, glue, and a brad or another fastener that joins the cardboard circles together while letting them rotate.

On one cardboard circle, write each letter of the alphabet going around the circle. Then, write a syllable on the end of each popsicle stick (like “-at,” “-ear,” and “-ench”) and glue the popsicle sticks to the back of the second cardboard circle. Poke a hole in the middle of the two cardboard circles and fasten the brad in the middle.

That’s it! Now your child can turn the front circle and see the words that they make by mixing up each letter of the alphabet with a different syllable. For example, for the syllable “-at,” they’ll rotate the front circle through the alphabet to learn the words “bat,” “cat,” “eat,” and so on.

• Home Treasure Hunt

Want your child to hone their critical thinking, problem-solving, and direction-following skills? Make it fun with a treasure hunt!

You can make them a map and leave them clues at various points around the house. This will guide them to different parts of the home and eventually to the place where you have hidden the treasure. That treasure can be anything your child would like – a toy, candy, a “coupon” for 30 minutes of TV time, and so on.

• Memory Card Games

Memory card games are classics but they never go out of style. These games work by having a stack of cards, with each card having a picture that matches another card. For example, your cards could include two cards with a picture of a snake, two cards with a picture of a house, and so on.

You lay the cards upside-down in a grid. Your child can only flip two cards at a time, and if the cards don’t match, they have to flip them back over. The goal is for your child to remember where the cards are so they can identify the matches.

There are plenty of these memory games available for you to buy or you can make your own with your child as a way to combine two fun activities. Either way, your child can keep track of how many turns it takes them to find all the matches so they can keep trying to beat their record.

• Math Bingo

Bingo is a fun game for kids of any age to enjoy, and in its original form, it can help them hone their visual processing ability. If you get creative, though, you can also use it as a way to enhance their quick math skills.

You start with a traditional Bingo card that has numbers in each square. Instead of drawing and calling out a number from the cards, though, you have a math problem for each number. For example, instead of calling out B9, you could call out “B 15 minus 6.” Your child has to first solve the math problem to figure out what number they can mark on their cards.

Planning Your Own Educational Games and Activities for Your Kids

Kids’ brains are always growing and learning from whatever they’re doing. With some planning and creativity, you can turn any quality time you spend with your kids into a healthy learning opportunity. They’ll be having a fantastic time and setting themselves up for more academic success at the same time – it’s a win all the way around!

If you’re looking for a nanny who can provide the responsible, knowledgeable, and even educational childcare you want for your kids, we’re here to help. Contact Tried and True Nannies and Sitters today to start the search for your perfect fit.