Pattern Play
Teach kids to create patterns with the help of Bert and Ernie.
- Watch the video together, saying the name of each object out loud (“paperclip, paperclip, paperclip, bottle cap, bottle cap…”) to help kids notice the pattern. Invite them to join you in saying the pattern out loud. (Older kids may like an extra challenge: Pause the video after the bell rings to see if they can extend the pattern on their own.)
- Make patterns together with an assortment of small everyday objects (coins, pens, colored sticky notes, and so on). Take turns starting and completing each other’s patterns (saying the pattern out loud helps hear the rhythm and follow along).
- Help kids notice patterns all around them—in clothing, in artwork, in books, and more. Whenever they spot a pattern, invite kids to guess what would come next in it!
Reuse!
Ernie shows Elmo ways to turn a used water bottle into art.
New Friendships
Children need the support of the adults in their lives to help ease them back into familiar routines.
Questions, Questions!
An article about using children’s questions as a springboard into playful learning.
Friends: Old, New, and Kind of Oldish-Newish
A year is a long time in a child's life. Children need the support of the adults in their lives to help ease them back into familiar routines—and into friendships that have been restricted over the past year.
New Friendships: We’ve Been Waiting
A year is a long time in a child's life. Children need the support of the adults in their lives to help ease them back into familiar routines—and into friendships that have been restricted over the past year.
Playing With Numbers
An interactive game to build the basic skill of number recognition.
Make Believe With Math
You can create math moments in young children's lives, especially during pretend play.
