Educational Games for Kindergarten

What Types of Games Should I Do with My Kindergartener?

Kindergarteners are learning the basics of reading, writing and math. You can help your child practice understanding these concepts through games and activities using items you have at your house. For instance, meals, walks and laundry can be turned into addition or subtraction problems, alphabet games or problem-solving activities.

Cookie Cutter Math

This activity will help your kindergartner's math and fine motor skills. Give your child some addition or subtraction problems, either on a worksheet or using flash cards. Get some cookie cutters and play dough that has been flattened out. Have him solve each of the math problems by cutting out the play dough using cookie cutters.

For example, if your child is solving 3 + 1, he would cut out three shapes and then one more shape. When he was finished cutting out the shapes, he'd be able to count them and see that the answer to the problem is four. This activity can also be done with subtraction problems. Visual and kinesthetic learners will benefit from this approach because they will actually see and feel the problems being solved.

Patterns with Food

Get a box of Fruit Loops and help your child sort the different colors into a muffin tin. Once all the colors are sorted, get some yarn and have your child create various patterns with the Fruit Loops (AB, ABC, etc.). Fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination are also enhanced with this activity. Your child can make bracelets and necklaces with patterns of Fruit Loops and can enjoy a tasty treat when she is done!

Make a Sound Muncher

This game will help your child's phonological awareness, which is the ability to recognize individual sounds in words. Get a medium-sized garbage can with a round lid and decorate it like a monster. For example, the eyes can be on the top of the lid and the opening will be its mouth. Explain to your child that the 'sound muncher' will 'eat' items that begin with the letter that you decide. For example, if you say the letter 'P', your child will have to find items around the house, such as a peanut, pan or pin, to put in the mouth of the sound muncher.