Games on the Go

• Learning the alphabet can be turned into a spying game that involves no special equipment other than the eyes. When you go for a walk or a drive, have the child actively look for different letters of the alphabet in your surroundings. For example, the “S” on the stop sign or the “O” on the open sign of the grocery store. Singing songs on the go can help to keep the youngster occupied and reinforce learning material such as from the alphabet or other similar type of learning songs.
  
  

Helping Out

• Four-year-olds love to indulge their natural curiosity with tasks that make them feel older and more involved. Have your child help you fold the laundry or dry the plastic cups or bowls after you finish washing them. Involve the child in helping to measure out ingredients for a baking project or stirring the contents of the bowl. Let the child lick the mixing spoon for extra enjoyment. Depending on your child's interest, have her help you in the garage with child-size replica tools such as small plastic hammers or tool belts on age appropriate projects. She could hand you the tape measure, a wrench or hand towel.
  
  

Drawing

• Drawing and coloring with your 4-year-old will help foster her imagination and support her ability to develop creative skills. Start with paper of any kind and begin to draw whatever comes to mind. If she suggests you draw a dragon instead of a flower, attempt to draw the dragon no matter how terrible you may make it look. Then have your child correct you on how the dragon should look. This could lead to the need to draw a castle or a princess and other related items. Some children may switch gears entirely and want you to draw completely random objects like a car, then an umbrella or a flower, then something else entirely. Don't be afraid to switch gears during this activity.
  
  

Crafts

• Four-year-olds in particular enjoy stringing objects together. This can be done with yarn, string or fishing line. The objects can be pieces of cereal, beads, small charms, macaroni pieces or paper circles. Stringing popcorn can be entertaining, especially with the several different flavored varieties offered in today's market places. Stringing items together helps the 4-year-old develop fine motor skill and allows her to concentrate on poking an object at precisely the right time.