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First 5 CA: Activities for the kids

First 5 California's "Talk. Read. Sing.” campaign teaches parents and children about the the importance of talking, reading and singing to your children. Here are some fun and easy tips on how you can incorporate these into your daily routines:

We’ve all been there – stuck in the waiting room at the doctor’s office, waiting for food to arrive at a restaurant, or stuck in the car on a long road trip. Without activities to keep your kids busy, these situations can often seem endless! Be prepared next time you head out with easy activities – here are a few of my favorites, and they don’t involve your smartphone or tablet:

Next time you’re at a restaurant:

· play “What’s missing?” Set out a few items from your table – say a spoon, a napkin, a bottle of sauce and a salt shaker. Ask your child to take a look at the scene and then close their eyes. While their eyes are shut, take away one of the items and ask them to guess which one is missing. Super fun for the whole family!

Next time you’re on a long road trip:

· play “Storytelling.” Start with a sentence, “Once upon a time, there was a big, brown bear that lived in the woods.” The next person continues with a second sentence, and each person continues to add more to the story. Our stories are usually really silly and fun and get the entire car laughing.

Next time you’re waiting at the doctor’s office:

· play “I Spy.” Tell your child, “I spy with my little eye something…” and then describe a clue to the object you’re “spying” and let your child try to guess what it is. For example, if there is a blue rug in the office, “I spy with my little eye, something blue.” Once your child guesses what it is, it’s his turn to “spy.”

First 5 California has helpful free resources that you can access through their website – including coloring pages and activity sheets that you can print out and bring along anywhere you go: first5california.com

Talk. Read. Sing. It Changes Everything ®

Sponsored by First 5 California.

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