Printables

Spending time with your preschooler strengthens your family bond, encourages positive behavior, builds communication skills, boosts self-esteem, and so much more. All good, right? So next time you have a morning free, surprise your sweetie and spend a few straight hours playing – together! Below, the Play Experts at EI share some of our favorite games, activities, and songs perfect for whiling away the winter hours with your little one, like:

Games to Play Together:

I Spy with My Little EyeSnuggle up and see what you can see – together! Spy things that are big, small, short, tall, square, circular, soft, hard, things that are certain colors, things with wheels or paws… you get the idea! This is a great way to build your little one’s vocabulary and introduce early math skills like shape and size.The Sneaky, Snacky Squirrel Game!Spin the day away with everyone’s favorite preschool game! Celebrating its 10th anniversary as one of Amazon’s best-selling preschool games, The Sneaky, Snacky Squirrel Game! helps kids master colors while building fine motor and pre-handwriting skills.Bean Bag TossStand close together and see how many times you and your cutie can toss and catch a beanbag or balled up sock. Add a bit of a challenge by taking a step backwards every so often, taking turns tossing your beanbags into a laundry basket or mixing bowl, or balancing a beanbag on your heads while you play. A fun way to develop those gross motor skills! 

Activities to Do Together:

Sensory BinsPreschool teachers trust these bins to build their students’ brains, including developing nerve connections, building language skills, enhancing fine and gross motor skills, and encouraging problem solving. Start by filling a large bin with Playfoam Pluffle, the mesmerizing, mixable, can’t resistable, feel-good fluffy stuff that never dries out. Then add a variety of objects for you and your little one to find, feel, describe, sort, match, and more. Find some fabulous Sensory Bin ideas on our blog and our Sensory Play Ideas Pinterest board.ColorWho doesn’t love to color? Grab some printer paper and a new box of crayons and let your inner artists loose or print some of our free, downloadable coloring pages featuring your kiddo’s favorite EI characters. The trick here is that you need to color, too. Talk about the colors you’re using, give your creation a name, and make up a backstory – where does this creature live? What does it eat? What does it do all day?LearnLearning is more fun together! Our free, downloadable preschool packet includes colorful and engaging early literacy, math, and art activities perfect for sneaking some learning into your together time. 

Songs to Sing Together:

I’m a Little TeapotTeaching your kiddos a new tune is always a blast. Here are the words, in case you need a refresher (or didn’t know there were actually two verses!). Don’t forget to show your little ones how to make their handles and spouts!5 Little MonkeysWarning – this little ditty may lead to some jumping on the bed. But it’s a classic every kid should know. Find the words here and encourage your kiddos to act the story out, complete with 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 countdown on their fingers.Itsy Bitsy SpiderThis sweet sing-along story has a happy ending – and helps develop those fine motor skills with specific hand movements, shown here. Sing the song a few times, then see if your little one can remember the words – and the moves!Photo Credit: pre-kpages.comIf You’re Happy and You Know ItGet ready for some hand clappin’, palm-tingling good times! Show your sweetie how it’s done, then take turns calling out what to do if you’re happy – clap your hands, stomp your feet, nod your head, shake your tush, etc.Whatever you choose to do together, time spent playing with your preschooler has a host of benefits – for you both. So get out there and play, sing, dance, craft, read, tickle, snuggle, and love on your little one right now!

As the holidays approach, many families are looking for ways to teach the joy of giving. At the same time, we’re all looking for ways to feel more connected with our community, even though we can’t get together in the same ways we used to. Below are a few of our favorite ideas for introducing the spirit of giving and community!Donate ThingsExplain to your kids that some parents in your area have not been able to go to work because of Coronavirus and may not have the money they need to make the holidays special for their families. One way your kids can help is to donate some of the clothing and toys they’re not using anymore so that those parents can give them to their kids. Both The Salvation Army and Goodwill are accepting donations again – visit their websites to find your local drop off location.Ditto food items! Feeding America can help you locate your nearest food pantry. Help your kids choose a few favorite, unopened items from the cupboard and perhaps supplement with a few picks from the grocery store, then deliver your donation. Explain to your kids that some families are having a really hard time and don’t have enough money to buy food, but that your donation will help feed those families for free!Books also make great donation items, particularly since many libraries are still closed. Have your kids choose a few they’re finished with, give the covers a quick once over with an antibacterial wipe, then wash your hands, put on your mask, and walk them over to your nearest neighborhood Little Free Library.Photo credit: littlefreelibrary.orgDonate TimeSome neighbors, particularly the elderly or those with compromised immune systems, may be reluctant to go out these days. Your family can help by offering to pick up groceries or prescriptions. Depending on your kids’ ages, they may also be able to help with things like mowing lawns, weeding, bringing trash cans in/out, and dog walking.Your family can also volunteer time unloading trucks and stocking shelves at your local food bank or even create your own neighborhood pop-up pantry. This can range from a cardboard box on your curb with a homemade sign saying “Help Yourself” to a permanent fixture like the Little Free Library that’s stocked with non-perishable canned and boxed goods. Follow @LittleFreePantry on Instagram for some great ideas and inspiration.Photo credit: littlefreepantryIf you aren't sure how to choose the best option for your family, check out Project Giving Kids, a non-profit whose core mission is to help teach empathy and social responsibility to young people. They connect families to high-quality, age-appropriate volunteer activities with a network of charitable partners across the country!  How cool is that? You can also sign-up for a special Create the Change Week (November 7-15, 2020) that provides free virtual activities for kids and families to give back!Your kids can also easily brighten your neighbors’ days with a chalk drawing or positive statement on the sidewalk, a coloring sheet in a neighbor’s mailbox, or a smile on an evening walk. Download our free greeting cards for loved ones here. Or our adorable birthday greeting cards to make someone feel extra special on their day!Donate MoneyAn easy rule of thumb is that kids should save about 20% of what they earn, spend about 70%, and give 10% to charity. Even the littlest kids can earn a bit of money helping with simple chores like emptying trash cans and feeding pets, while older kids may have more complex chores or earn money outside the home with paper routes or mowing lawns. Encourage them to set some of their earnings aside to help those in need – then offer to match what they’re willing to donate.Charity Navigator has lots of options ranging from national to local charities. Work with your child to decide who should receive your donation. Read the charity’s description to your kids and talk about how much the recipients of their donations will appreciate their help.Or maybe they’d like to contribute locally, via a small bonus and thank you card for your mail carrier, street sweeper, or waste management crew. If your kids aren’t aware of the hard workers that come together to ensure your mail deliveries, empty trash cans, trimmed trees, and clean streets, play is a great way to teach them! EI’s Design & Drill® Bolt Buddies™ Recycle Truck is great for pretend play.Kids are natural givers and caring by nature. Set them down the road to giving and they’ll likely continue to do so as adults!

This pandemic has touched every corner of our lives, from work to school to home – and now it’s messing with some of our most favorite holidays! Since many cities across the country may not be allowing trick-or-treating, we’re sharing some spooky ideas (six to be exact) for celebrating Halloween at home. Whether you’re gathering your small, COVID-careful pod of people together to party in your backyard or keeping the fun to family only, check out these ghoulishly great activities and make this Halloween one to remember!1. Carve A Pumpkin (or just decorate it)!Nothing says Halloween quite like carving a pumpkin. Younger kids can paint a spooky face using non-toxic tempera or acrylic paint or try a totally awesome drip design using glow-in-the-dark paint!  Older kids and grown-ups can use stencils, cookie cutters, lemon zesters, and pumpkin carving knives to carefully carve their own creepy creations. Need some inspiration? Check out these ideas for no-carve pumpkins or carving pumpkins– extra points if your pumpkin is wearing a mask!2. Bake Some Scary Snacks!Your kids may not be bringing home pillowcases of candy, but you can still make the day super sweet with Halloween-themed nummies including voodoo doll cookies, cupcake witches, Halloween candy bark, and more! We especially love these simple chocolate chip spider cookies ???? For more fun, check out these delicious Halloween spooky snack ideas on our Pinterest board.Photo credit: https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/3. Play Some Ghoulish Games!Have an in-home scavenger hunt (find free, printable clues on PlayPartyPlan.com!), set up your own spider-and-straw races, and make a Witch Pitch out of goodies from the Dollar Store, and get gaming! Find tons of great Halloween-themed games to make and play at home, on our Pinterest board.Photo credit: onecrazyhouse.com4. Make Some Creepy Crafts!Crafts are perfect for a Halloween party! Set up a table with construction paper and paint and make handprint vampires and witches, make vanishing ghosts out of biodegradable packing peanuts, or construct your own haunted house out of toilet paper tubes. Or, for a less messy but totally tactile Halloween activity that doubles as a great guest gift, grab a 24-pack of Playfoam® Pals™ Surprise Party or a case of 64 Playfoam^® pods from educationalinsights.com. Order now and SAVE 50% for a limited time! WOW!  Each pod includes squishy, squashy Playfoam – perfect for sculpting everything from pumpkins to black cats, as well as a surprise, neon-colored Pal, and mystery party backdrop.Click to shop & SAVE 50%!5. Take It on Parade!Just because you’re not trick-or-treating doesn’t mean you can’t get out and about. Spread the word in your neighborhood that the kids are going to be on parade, dress them up as their favorite celeb or superhero (you can find some super fun DIY costume ideas on our blog and some fun make-your-own mask printables on our Pinterest board!), wait till dusk, then hit the sidewalk! Keep a socially distant six feet between families and leave an adult at home to wave and holler as the parade goes by.Photo credit: gigglesgalore.net6. Watch Some (Not-So) Scary Movies!Wrap up your Halloween-at-Home with some not-so-scary movies (and Halloween popcorn balls, of course!). Toddlers will love Room on the Broom; Toy Story of Terror and Goosebumps are good scary fun for little ones, while in-betweeners might be ready for Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark or The House With a Clock in Its Walls. Click for Good Housekeeping’s list of 40 Halloween Movies That Won’t Keep Them Up All Night.