While You Wait for Your Curriculum

If you're waiting on your curriculum order but would like to start a school routine, here are some easy-to-implement learning activity ideas!

Please don't feel you need to do something in every category. Many families prefer to start the school year with a lighter schedule and gradually add more subjects as they get used to the routine.

Here are some ideas of substitutions you could use until you receive your actual curriculum:

Language Arts

Preschool and PreK

Check your public library for Look & Find or I Spy books. Vocabulary-building books such as First 100 Words would also be great.

Your dollar store may have some simple alphabet workbooks or flashcards.

Grades PreK - 2nd

All About Reading has some excellent free activities for download. Not only are they great prep for the lessons, but they can help with the reading routine. I'd combine that with reading together and use that for your lesson plan these first weeks.

All Grades

Go ahead and get started on the Reading Challenge. The Handbook sample includes some categories and suggested titles, which should get you started. If you need more, feel free to read books of your choice. Chances are they can fit into one of the reading challenge categories later.

Math

Preschool and Pre-K

Practice counting and sorting objects you have around the house. Look for counting books at the library.

Your dollar store may have some simple preschool math workbooks or flashcards.

Grades K - 12

Math-U-See offers free printable worksheets and online drill activities. It wouldn't hurt to start the year brushing up on skills your student has already learned.

Thinking Skills

What games do you already own? Some games are better than others for developing thinking skills, but almost all games offer some critical thinking element. Familiar games that come to mind include checkers, chess, dominoes, Uno, Scrabble, Clue, and Monopoly.

Don't own any games? You can find classic kids' card games such as Go Fish or Old Maid at the dollar store... or a regular deck of playing cards for older kids.

Check your dollar store for age-appropriate puzzle books. Kids' activity books are great for younger kids, and older kids might enjoy word search or crossword puzzle books.

History & Social Studies

Preschool

Look for Richard Scarry's books at your public library. These highly visual books are almost all about neighborhoods and communities.

All Grades

Look for books and/or videos that tie in with the era or topic of history you'll be learning about this year.

Science

Look for age-appropriate science books at the library. There are also many, many ideas for science projects, experiments, and videos available online.

STEM Learning

Do you have Legos? Google "Lego challenge" for ideas on how to incorporate them into your learning activities. Other types of construction sets could also substitute for the STEM Learning category.

Art

Make play dough or slime. You can find dozens of recipes by Google search: "homemade play dough" or "homemade slime."

Browse Pinterest for kids' craft ideas.