Learning activities

Coupons, ads, catalogs and magazines can be used as learning tools.

When our children were growing up we were always looking for fun ways to help them learn. Educational materials can be expensive to buy but there are other materials that work just as well.

Sometimes simple things like magazines, catalogs, the ad papers and coupon pages that come in the newspaper can be good learning tools. First the magazines can be used for making collages for art projects and finding recipes to make meals or snacks. When children help pick out recipes they are more likely to want to help prepare the food and more likely to eat it.

Magazines are also a good resource to use when making cards for special occasions. With Valentine’s Day coming up a card with a large “I,” a picture of a heart and a large letter “U” can say I love you. Other pictures, letters and words can be used to make other messages to give to a loved one or friend. Grandmas and moms would find a card full of flower pictures very special. We think handmade cards are more special than store bought because it shows that someone took the time and thought to make them.

The coupon pages are good for children to learn many skills. First they can learn to cut straight lines when cutting out the coupons. Second they can sort them by category such as snacks, cereals, soap, toothpaste, shampoo, lotions and so on. Then sort them by expiration date starting with the shortest to the longest, so they can practice putting things in sequence.

When making out a shopping list the children can look through the sorted coupons to find ones that match the items on the list. Next they can look through the store ads and find which items on the list are on sale, at what stores and which one has the best prices. All these activities help them learn plus they can feel they are being helpful.

For children learning their alphabet, have them cut out pictures that start with each letter. They can print out the alphabet, one letter per sheet of paper and glue the pictures that start with that letter on them. Those that are learning phonetic sounds can write those sounds on individual sheets of paper and then find pictures that start with those sounds.

Older children that are learning to spell can look for pictures that match the words on their spelling lists. Also cutting out letters and pasting them in the correct order to spell the words is a fun way to help memorize their list.

When the children are done making pages of pictures to match the alphabet, phonics sounds or spelling their words they can be sent or given to grandmas and grandpas. They always like to see what the children are doing.

All these activities are good things to do indoors on rainy days like we have been having. Our favorite is finding a recipe that requires baking. That way the house gets warmed up as well.