X is for X-Factor: themed activities

X-Men, X-ray, Xylophone, Xenus, X's and O's, and X-Factor are some of the X words we could explore for themed activities.  However, we could also consider words with an X in the middle (such as extra, expert, axle, oxen, tuxedo and saxophone) or with an X at the end of the word (box, mix, fox, wax, T-Rex).  There are many options!

Music:  March in a band.  Will you play the saxophone, the xylophone or will you choose    another instrument?

Dramatic Play:  Are you the Tyrannosaurus Rex or did you choose to be another dinosaur?

Math:  Can you count to six? sixty? six hundred?  Can you draw a six point star or a            hexagon?

Reading books:  Fox in Socks, Not a Box, My mom has X-ray Vision, Xavier's Xylophone, The Day X Ran Away, X-Men, and Hattie and the Fox are some options to choose from.

Crafts:  Use boxes of different sizes to make things.  You could make a home for bugs, a robot costume, a doll house, an instrument, a diorama, a treasure box and more.  The only limit is your imagination!

Science:  Colour-mixing is a great science activity.  Maybe you are blending paints on a tray or stacking clear coloured tiles on top of each other or doing a carnation flower experiment to see what happens when you add yellow die to the water? and then if you add blue too? What colour do you expect the flower to become?   Another science activity is to study a real x-ray...even cooler if it is their own, but stores do sell a set of x-rays for kids to study or you can look at them in a library book too and build on that to a study of the human or animal skeletal system/body.

Games:  "X's and O's" is top notch whether done with 2x2 sticks on the ground and rocks as the markers or you draw it with chalk on the ground or with markers on paper.  It is a versatile, interactive game with quick back and forth turn-taking to build up those social skills.   "X Marks the Spot" is another easy game.  Select a spot on the ground and put a X to mark the spot and then try to toss an object in a manner that allows it to land as close to the X as possible.  You could draw expanding rings around the X to differentiate the points that could be earned based on proximity to the X.

Writing Activities:  To practice the X sound, try writing sentences with X words or use a story-starter activity such as the ones that follow.  The day the six oxen escaped was the worst in my life! or Pirate Jax's map said X marks the spot so we went off on a new adventure!  or The box had a T-Rex on the cover so I was curious to look inside!

X-Factor:  There is a TV show by the same name that you could use for inspiration to help people explore their talents but what I really want to point out is that the X-factor is the wow factor of something or someone.  Be sure when you are interacting with the child(ren) in your life that you are looking for their special qualities and skills.  Be sure to encourage them in their areas of interest and ability.  Help them explore what they are capable of doing and let them shine!  


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

W is for Water: Themed Activities

  Water: As a fundamental necessity for life, water is highly esteemed. Without it, we cannot survive. But more than a basic requirement, it is also the source of many fun activities that you may enjoy with the child(ren) in your life.  Here are a few suggestions but the list is extensive! Be creative! Add rice or beads or coloured water to a water bottle and seal it to make a sensory bottle or shaker. Bob for apples in a bucket of water. Saturate a sponge and wring it out in another bucket 20 feet away. Which relay team will reach a set limit first? (ie. fill a glass to the brim) Learn to swim. Add food colouring to glasses of water and add in white carnations and wait. Watch how they change colour. Practice a thorough hand-washing routine. You can use a GloGerm kit to find out if you managed to get rid of all the germs! Learn about the water cycle. Do a science experiment to test different paper towel brands. Which one is the most absorbent when placed on a spill of 1/4 cup ...
Read more

S is for The Snowy Day: Library Notes

Image
We have had a snowy winter so perhaps this book has already been well-read and loved by the child(ren) in your life!  I wanted to be sure you know it exists because it is a classic. It covers the winter season, clothing for cold weather, and it suggests things to do on a snowy day...all in one book! Not only that, but it also helps children know that snow melts too and as the boy goes through that disappointment they think through what to do when they face that scenario too. Ezra Jack Keats wrote and illustrated this picture book in 1962 about a boy named Peter. His illustrations won him the Caldecott Medal. He layered fabrics and decorative paper and then added to that to create his illustrations.  A great follow up activity for children would be to attempt a picture using various materials such as those used in this book. The scenario is simple and familiar.  What do you do on a snowy day? Crunch in the snow. Make patterns as you walk and leave footprints behind. Make s...
Read more

Library Notes: Clap Your Hands

Image
One book that has proven the test of time is called "Clap Your Hands" by Lorinda Cauley.  The sheer number of lessons that can be covered by reading this book are incredible.  You can find the book online to purchase and/or to listen to in a recorded storytelling  Here are some accompanying thoughts. Expression: With body and words this book helps you express ideas in a fun manner alone or in a group Engagement: It is an interactive book to entice reluctant readers and engage children in the class. Understanding Emotions:  Build on the phrase, "Show me a smile. Show me a frown." Connection to the world:  Connect to people ("Tell me your name.  How old are you?") and to the animal world by making animal sounds and copying their actions ("roar like a lion, growl like a bear") Language Skills:  Study verbs (action words) such as clap, stomp, shake, wiggle, wave. How many are in the book? Vocabulary: Label body parts ("clap your hands, stomp you...
Read more