Three fun activities for the Fall

The school year has started and it is a little cooler than it has been. We often get caught up in the work of school and forget to play. Many studies have shown that a happy mind is more open to learning. Incorporate learning into  your play time and play time into your learning time.

Here are three suggestions:
1. Write and draw a poem or a prayer for a grandparent or special older person. Much in the way of beginning reader books, write the prayer but instead of using words for the nouns and verbs have your child draw a picture or use a found object to glue on the page to represent the missing word.

2. Why wait for Christmas to decorate cookies. Bake cookies and shape them like fall leaves. Get a book about leaves and label your edible leaves with icing, writing "Maple" or " Oak" on the appropriate shaped leaves. A botany lesson or a God's creations lesson that is yummy.

3. Make homemade playdough. The recipe can be found on the internet or any children's craft book. The math of measuring, the miracle of plain kitchen ingredients turning into hours of fun and the fun of creating are wonderful lessons.

These are simple ways to be with your child, have fun and learn at the same time.

Remember that the best lesson of God's love is what your child learns in his day to day life with you.