September
Fun activities for you and your preschool child
1. It’s the first day of September! Help your child create a calendar for this month. Challenge her to estimate the day that the leaves will start changing colours and have her mark it on the calendar. Be on the look out for the actual change. How close is her estimate?
2. Help your child create an alphabet tree using construction paper placed against a poster size bristle board. Have him write a letter for each leaf and use as many colours as possible to match the theme of fall.
3. Spend some time every night to read a story to your child. When you feel she is ready, take turn to read the story to each other.
4. The sun comes down earlier during the fall. Take note of when it does and watch the sunset with your child.
5. Help your child make a cube out of paper. On each face of the cube, have him draw a picture of his favourite fairytale. Take turn rolling the cube and tell each other the stories the cube lands on.
6. Help your child make a gift for a special friend. Research online for a craft project that she likes.
7. Join your child in a pretend play today. Let your child be whatever he wishes. If your child is a teacher, you can be the student.
8. Celebrate International Literacy Day by taking your child to a local library. Purchase several used children’s books to add to your child’s collection. Take turn reading her favourite stories.
9. Suggest that your child try a new self-care skill today—putting on his own shoes or brushing his hair.
10. Hide an object and give your child three easy clues to find it. When she finds it, have her hide an object for you to find.
11. Have a paper airplane flying contest with your child. Allow him to use crayons to decorate it. How far does his airplane fly?
12. It’s Grandparents’ Day! Research online with your child about the origin of this special day. Have her make a card for her grandparents or a senior at the nursing home.
13. Is the weather getting colder? Snuggle up with your child under the blanket and read to him his favourite bed time story. Challenge him to come up with an alternative ending.
14. Take a freshly fallen leave and learn the different parts of the leaf with your child.
15. Have your child practise saying her name, phone number and address.
16. Young children thrive on routine. If you don’t already have one, establish a regular and familiar bedtime routine for your child.
17. Involve your child in preparing tonight’s dinner. Have him prepare the ingredients for the recipe and set up the table.
18. Share the ideas of changing season with your child by having her make four different trees using construction paper, one for fall, winter, spring and summer. What are her colour choices for the leaves?
19. Tell your child about the story of Cinderella. To dive right into the fairytale, search online for a pumpkin soup recipe and make it together for the family to enjoy.
20. Make learning the alphabets and numbers fun for your child. Help him cut out the ABC’s and 123’s from sponges to make sponge stamps. Give him safe paints so he can use the sponge stamps to make postcards, posters, book covers, drawings and anything he can come up with.
21. Celebrate International Peace Day by helping your child make a card for someone he may be in conflict with.
22. Today is the first day of autumn! Use freshly fallen leaves and your imagination to help your child make her homemade crown. Snap a photo of it to add to your family album.
23. It may be autumn, but the weather is still warm enough to take your child to the park. Do you have a kite? Fly it with your child and see how far it goes.
24. With the new season here, spend some time with your child to go through his wardrobe. Have him sort out the clothes and items that he does not wear for Goodwill.
25. Help your child make finger puppets. Let her host the puppet show to tell her version of Goldilocks and the Three Bears.
26. Today is World Heart Day. Encourage your child to be physically active. See if you could register him into a sport league that he is interested in.
27. Take on a mini science project with your child. Take her outdoors and let her us a chalk to draw your shadow on the sidewalk every few hours. Ask her if she knows why the shadows constantly change.
28. Make an autumn growth chart with your child. Have him hang it against the wall to keep track of how much he has grown.
29. Take your child to the supermarket. Show her how to read the aisle signs to find the items that she needs.
30. It’s the end of September. Discuss the special memories that your child have shared the past month.
Fun activities for you and your elementary school child
1. Help your child create and decorate a calendar for the month of September. Does she know when the first day of school is? Have her mark it down on the calendar. What is she doing to prepare herself?
2. Go on a walk with your child today. Ask him about his fall activities and what he enjoys most about it.
3. It’s the last long weekend before the start of school. Spend some time with your family to plan a mini trip. Allow your child to take part in the planning.
4. Does your child have a good sleeping habit? Make a point to bring her to sleep early on a daily basis.
5. If your child is going to school for the first time, give him an outlet for his anxiety by giving him a journal to write his thoughts and feelings.
6. Research online with your child to find out the most common Canadian animals and print out their footprints. Go on a hike with her and see if the two of you can spot the footprints.
7. Today is the first day of school. Take your child out to celebrate the new school year. Be sure to speak to him about his first day experience and the friends he hasn’t seen during the summer holiday.
8. Turn your child’s anxiety for the start of school into anticipation and excitement. Help her make a “Study Time” door hanger using foam, construction paper, sharpie pen or anything that you already have. Personalize it to suit your child’s interests.
9. Songs are a great way for children to understand the patterns of words and language, so put on his favourite music and sing along! Print out a copy of the lyrics to a song she loves to sing. Turn the music on and read the lyrics along with him.
10. Not all school supplies have to be bought at the store. Teach your child about the importance of recycling and reusing by helping her make her own ruler out of cardboard. Have your child use a measuring tape for reference.
11. Take some time out every night to play board games like Scramble to boost your child’s language and thinking skills.
12. Celebrate Grandparents’ Day by taking your child to visit his grandparents or a nursing home. Help him make a card before the visit.
13. Help boost your child's self-esteem. Take pride in her achievements and accomplishments today and everyday.
14. Take your child out for a walk. Collect some leaves and have him sort them out by size, shape and colour. Which ones are the most abundant?
15. Plan how to limit television watching this week. Make a schedule with your child and reward her for sticking to her schedule.
16. Homemade food is a healthier option than processed food. Spend the night before school with your child to prepare some of his favourite recipes for lunch. Store it in the refrigerator for the next day.
17. Ask your child to tell you one thing that she learned in school today. Share one thing you learned today.
18. Go over the list of chores that your child is responsible for.
19. Today's news is history in the making. Watch the news together with your child. Talk about current events at the dinner table.
20. Talk to your child about his role models. What attributes do these people have that he admires most?
21. Have your child make a chart of the birds she sees outside the window—by type of bird and time of day.
22. Today is International Peace Day. Help your child make a friendship bracelet for someone she is in conflict with. Encourage her to resolve the problems and discuss the importance of maintaining peaceful relationships on a daily basis.
23. Borrow a book on birds from the library. Have your child make a chart of the birds he sees outside the window. Have her draw the bird, name it and write the time of day he spotted it.
24. Make a point to meet the parents of your child's friends. Other parents can sometimes be a great source of information.
25. Have fun with some paper airplane flying contest with your child. Try to fly them indoors and outdoors. Do the planes fly better inside or outside? How does the wind affect it?
26. Celebrate World Heart Day with your child by playing a one-on-one soccer game with her or go on a bike ride. Living a healthy and wholesome life also includes eating healthy. Help your child prepare a nutritious meal for the family to enjoy.
27. Talk to your child about the importance of integrity and honesty. Can he think of a famous Canadian that upholds these values? What about someone who he personally knows?
28. Practice some math skills with your child by having her pretend she is the store cashier and you are the buyer. Make some fake bills and coins and prepare some store items for the pretend play.
29. Write your child a special note to tell him how much you love him. Leave the note in his lunchbox.
30. It’s the end of September. Spend some time to review the skills and lessons your child has learnt this month. Has she learnt anything new at school? Which subject does she find most challenging? How can she overcome these challenges?
Fun activities for you and your middle school child
1. Help your child create a time capsule of the memories and events of the past summer.
2. Work on a craft project with your child. Help him prepare for the new school year by having him make his own file cabinet.
3. Have your child sort out her wardrobe and put aside the clothes that she no longer wears for charity.
4. Popsicle bridges are fun and easy to make. Help your child create a bridge that can be turned into a holding platform for his school supplies. Use your imagination!
5. Research online or go to the library to borrow a book on origami. Attempt at some origami with your child, and once you have made enough, thread them together with a string to hang on her window.
6. Tomorrow is the first day of school. Talk to your child about his feelings and see if he needs help with anything.
7. Attempt a new recipe with your child. Share the recipe with the family.
8. Make a point to know your child’s friends. Invite them over for dinner or other recreational activities.
9. Sit down with your child to discuss the goals that she would like to achieve this year. Does she want to improve on a challenging subject? Explore new skills? Set these goals on paper and revisit them on a regular basis.
10. Help your child develop good study habits. Encourage him to create study notes every night so when test time comes, he will have plenty of time to review.
11. Thank your child for something she did today. Everyone needs to feel appreciated.
12. Check your child’s knapsack to ensure that it is not too heavy. Encourage the use of both shoulder straps for support.
13. Get creative and take on a craft project today. Research online for ideas to reinvent or personalize your child’s school supplies like his pencils, notebooks, binders and even his eraser.
14. Remind your child the importance of being physically active even during the cool season. Dress appropriately and go out for a walk. What does he like most about the outdoors during fall?
15. Help your child learn tolerance by not judging others on their physical appearance. Always be positive and your child will mirror your respect.
16. Help your child build her reading skills. Subscribe her to an age-appropriate magazine.
17. Make a creative picture frame. Have your child create a picture frame by taking eight popsicle sticks, two for each side, then gluing them to a piece of paper in a square shape to create the frame. If you don’t have popsicle sticks, you can substitute with cardboard. Frame his favourite picture.
18. Mathematics will become more meaningful when your child sees how important it is in real-life situations. Encourage her to use math in practical ways. For example, ask her to space new plants a certain distance apart, double a recipe, or pretend to pay bills
19. Have your child pick out a CD and set him up with paper and paint. Ask him to paint the way the music makes him feel.
20. Cut out articles from a newspaper or magazine that you’ve already read. Ask your child to select a dozen words, more or less depending on her storytelling skills. She can either cut out or circle the words. Have her study the words for five minutes (provide a dictionary if necessary), then have her weave a story using those terms, in any order.
21. Today is International Peace Day. Does your child have any conflict with his friends? Discuss with him about the importance of resolving conflicts peacefully. Remember to model good conflict resolution yourself since your child is likely to observe and learn from you.
22. Celebrate the first day of autumn by writing a poem about the season of fall with your child. To find inspiration, take a walk outdoors to see the changing leaves.
23. Set your child loose on your cookbook collection and have her decide what's for dinner. Let her write down the list of ingredients that are needed from the supermarket and go with her to purchase what is needed. Make the meal together.
24. If your child is having difficulty in a certain subject, create a game with multiple choice or true or false questions that will help him learn about this subject. Remember to keep it fun and if he comes across a question that he doesn’t know the answer to, help him work through the problem.
25. It’s the last weekend of September. Take your child to a local farm to check out the pumpkins.
26. Encourage your child to develop good organizational skills. Suggest she pack her knapsack and choose clothes she wants to wear to school the night before.
27. Create a "wall of fame" in your home where special accomplishments are posted. Ask your child to review the items regularly and update the display.
28. Encourage your child to re-write songs. Take the words from songs that both you and your child like and have him substitute some of the words or re-write them altogether. Don't get too serious, let him have fun with it and you'll be amazed at what comes out. He doesn't always have to rhyme but it is fun to try!
29. Encourage your child to use her time wisely. When she gets home, suggest she make a 'to do' list of all the homework she has. Remind her it's better to study for two 20-minute sessions with a break in between than one 40-minute session.
30. Give your child a journal. Suggest he use the journal to write a few thoughts on her day before going to sleep each night.
Fun activities for you and your teenager
1. Explore your teen’s interests. Explain to her that people are more likely to thrive in their work when they pursue their passions.
2. Today when your teen does something against your wish, give him the opportunity to explain his actions.
3. Has your teen completed her 40 hours of volunteer work? If she hasn’t already, help her find a place to volunteer and help her make a plan of how to fit it into her school and homework schedule.
4. Is your teen interested in having a part-time job? Research with him on the jobs available and help him prepare a resume. Speak to him about the importance of time management and how to balance school, work and personal time.
5. Ask your teen to save the grocery bills for two months. Have her calculate the total spent on different items, for example, produce, canned goods and paper and hygiene.
6. Is your teen’s bedroom messy? Set a timer for a 15 minute clean-up blitz before he goes out with his friends.
7. Ask your teen to help you prepare dinner tonight. Talk about the different classes he is taking in school this year. What are his first impressions of the courses?
8. Sometimes it is hard to get teens to talk. It is important to maintain a relationship with your teen and not expect him to open up to you only when there is a need for it. Set aside some time every night to talk with him.
9. While peers have an influence on clothes, hair and music, parents have a bigger impact on values and career choices. Help your teen research the career choices that corresponds to her passion and interests. Look into the education and work experience she would need to pursue this profession.
10. Is your teen having a writer’s block and cannot complete his writing assignment? Sometimes it does not work to simply brainstorm his ideas on paper or stare at an empty screen. One of the best ways to find inspiration is to go out for a walk. Take your teen to his favourite trail.
11. Help your teen decide on an extracurricular activity to participate in after school. This will keep her busy, meet new friends and build her self-esteem.
12. Today is Grandparent’s Day. Take your teen to visit his grandparents or a nursing home to help bridge the generation gap. Invite him to make a creative gift for his special senior.
13. Is your teen in a school play? A football game? A chess tournament? Take time this month to support your teen by attending her activities.
14. Most teens have poor eating habits. Encourage your teen to eat breakfast everyday and spend some time today to prepare a nutritious breakfast with him.
15. Car crashes are the largest cause of teen death. Make sure your teen knows that driving is a privilege not a right. Discuss the importance of vehicle safety and tell her to buckle up.
16. Does your teen know how to change a tire? Do you? Learn how to do it together.
17. Has it been a long time since you and your teen spent some quality time doing something that both of you like? Make it happen today.
18. Have your teen write major projects and tests on a big calendar. This avoids last-minute panic.
19. Does your teen’s school have its own newspaper? Ask your teen to bring a copy home to read together. Talk about issues that are important to the school.
20. Is your teen a reluctant reader? Improving reading skills does not necessarily mean reading a novel. Encourage your teen to subscribe to a magazine that interests him.
21. Encourage your teen to stop by student services at school and pick up some information about college and university.
22. Take your teen for a walk for the first day of autumn. Use this time as an opportunity to know her better.
23. Do some of your daily tasks alongside your teen – pay bills, write letters or read.
24. Ask your teen to make a trip with you to the supermarket. It is a great way for you to help him make inform choices about his food while spending some time with him.
25. Help your teen identify smaller chunks of time that she can turn into study opportunities.
26. Stop by your teen’s room at bedtime. It’s often a good time for conversation.
27. Collect photos and memorabilia from your teen's high school years. They make a treasured graduation gift.
28. Challenge your teen to stay fit. Set up a fitness plan that includes some things you can do together.
29. Emphasize the importance of school attendance. Attendance is also important in the working world.
30. It’s the end of the month. Take your family out for dinner tonight. Let your teen select the restaurant.
