Let's Play!

When your child plays house, builds with blocks, or pretends she's in a submarine, she is doing more than having fun. She is also building language and logical-thinking skills, and she's using her imagination. Here are a variety of ways your youngster can use playtime to learn.

Sand Play
Your youngster can boost math and science skills by playing in the sand. Here's an easy homemade sandbox for him to enjoy anytime.
Find a deep plastic tub, and have your child help you fill it about halfway with sand (or use rice or dried beans). You could also add interesting items to hide and dig up, such as marbles and seashells. Together, gather cups, bowls, and spoons in a variety of sizes and place them on top.
As your youngster plays, he could practice comparing amounts and making estimates. For instance, ask him to fill a 1-cup measure and a ½-cup measure with sand. Which one holds more? (He can pour them out onto a plastic plate to compare.) Or have him estimate how many spoonfuls of sand he could put in a plastic egg--and then count them to find out.
Tip: Keep mess to a minimum by placing the box on a sheet if he's playing indoors.

At work
After getting her hair cut or walking past a construction site, your child might act out what she saw. You can ask questions to help her remember events in order. ("What did the hair stylist do first?" "After the driver scooped the dirt, what happened next?")
Also, help your youngster gather items that will stimulate her imagination. For instance, she can use a large bowl and empty bottles to "wash" her dolls' hair, and brushes and accessories to style it afterward. Or let her use a shovel outside to put rocks or soil in toy dump trucks.
Idea: Read books to your child about different jobs (park ranger, house painter) to give her new scenarios to act out.

Games galore
Games can teach your youngster valuable skills--from recognizing letters and numbers to logical thinking and decision making.
You can use hopscotch to help your child recognize letters or read words. Draw a hopscotch grid with sidewalk chalk, and write one letter or word per square. With each hop, players call out the letter or read the word they land on.
Or play board games that involve strategy, like Chinese checkers, Trouble, and Memory. Also, try games about colors (Candy Land), number recognition and counting (Chutes and Ladders, Hi Ho! Cherry-O!), or words and spelling (Boggle Jr., Scrabble Junior). Idea: Look for board games at yard sales or thrift shops, or swap with friends.