How to Keep a Six-Year Old Busy
Your six-year old is active, inquisitive and easily bored, a difficult combination when your child has time on its hands. Play off of this natural curiosity to engage his imagination (and keep him busy) with activities that are fun and educational.
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Instructions
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Take a trip to the mall for some enlightening window shopping. Play "I Spy" to find specific words, shapes and textures. Read the signs and use the directory to locate different shops. Practice simple math by adding the cost of 2 items.
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Play school, but reverse the roles to put your child in charge. Read a simple book together and let him ask you questions about the plot. Buy a small chalkboard so he can write out and solve a few math problems. Gather craft supplies so he can devise and help you complete a creative project.
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Head to the playground to play, exercise and burn off some energy. Explore to find objects like the tallest tree in the park, a four-leaf clover or a cloud of a certain shape.
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Conduct a scavenger hunt in your home. Hide objects in different locations and provide clues to their whereabouts. Give your child a magazine and ask him to find specific words, numbers and images.
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Ask him to be your assistant for the day. Six-year olds love to help open mail, fold clothes, dial the phone and stir the cookie batter.
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Allow video games (in moderation) to increase hand-to-eye coordination. Consider practical consoles like LeapFrog's Leapster that features engaging games designed to teach math, reading, writing, music, art and problem solving (see Resources below).
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Use your imaginations. Make up stories about one another, rewrite the ending of fairy tales or buy a karaoke compact disc and make up new words to fit the melodies.
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