Every Day is a Chance to Learn: Learning with HANDS, Make Your Own Parachute and Scissor Skills Fun! :)

The weekend is here again! So here are some of the activities C and I have done together, besides heading outdoors to enjoy the wonderful nature (I'm always thankful for the days when the weather is beautiful)!

Love how happy C is here! Always great to have a
good balance of indoor and outdoor fun!

Meanwhile, our recent indoor activities include:

1. Learning with HANDS

Numbers and Number Words
Numbers were written on the front of these cardboard fingers, and on the back of each finger, I wrote down the respective number words, so that C can learn to read and spell them!

Hand Swat Game!

This was a really fun way for C to learn math! We printed out some hands and attached straws to them, to act as handles. A game board of numbers on hands was also printed out, so we can "swat" the correct answers to math equations.

C got the correct answer!

This game can be played with more players to make it even more fun, to see who can solve the math equations, and swat the correct answers first!

I've included this game in the free printable (also includes math equations plus LEFT and RIGHT Hands Worksheet):

Download Learning with HANDS!

2. Make Your Own Parachute!

C also made her own parachute the other day! It was a cool way to show C the effects of air resistance, which slows down the fall of the parachute.

We used:

- A biodegradable plastic bag, cut into two octagons (one big and one small)
- Scissors
- Ruler
- 8 strings for each parachute (attached to each corner of the octagons)
- hole puncher (to create holes or cut small slits with scissors, to attach strings)
- tape (optional)

Watch this video to see how to cut an octagon from a square.

Attached strings in each corner of the octagon.

We made two parachutes of different sizes, as I wanted to show C the difference in the falling speed of a big parachute versus a small one.

C observing the differences between the parachutes made.

C quickly learnt that the small parachute fell faster due to less air resistance. We had attached little toys of the same weight (we used the weighing scale for accuracy), and dropped them from the same height at the same time.

The larger parachute took a longer time to fall due to greater air resistance. :)

3. Scissor Skills Fun!

C loves using the scissors, and she has been very proficient in cutting straight lines. So I thought she will benefit from the challenge of cutting curves and circles. Here, C had fun cutting out pizzas and scoops of ice cream, yummy treats that she enjoys as well! Haha.