Parent-Child Home Program Guide Sheet

GUIDE SHEET: TOY

BEAN BAGS

Program Year: 1

Supporting Your Child’s Development:

Playing with bean bags by tossing them into a target or playing “catch” will help your child develop her/his gross motor skills, an important part of your child’s development. In addition, by talking while playing a game with the bean bags, you will support your child’s language development and listening skills, essential components of early literacy. And, by showing your child how to follow directions and take turns, you child is developing social-emotional skills that are basic to school readiness.

Here are some learning ideas for you and your child:

· Count and identify the color and shape of beanbags. Sort them by color and/or shape.

· See if your child can hold all the bean bags.

· Throw them into a laundry basket or other target.

· Play hide-n-seek with the bean bags.

· Balance the bean bag on you head, shoulders, etc. and walk around.

· Practice tossing the bean bag to each other.

· Establish rules with the beanbags. (Example: Do not throw at the dog or baby brother.)

Name, and encourage the child to name:

· Labels: Bean bag, felt, target, basket

· Colors: Red, blue, yellow, green

· Size: Small bean bag, large basket (or target)

· Texture: Soft, squishy

· Relationship: Throw the bean bag INTO the basket or INTO the circle. The red bean bag fell OUTSIDE of the basket. Balance the bean bag ON TOP of your head.

· Number: 1-5 in each color

· Causing things to happen: If you throw the bean bag gently, it will fall into the basket. If you throw the bean bag to me, I will catch it.

· Words that classify: Target, bag

Describe your actions. Encourage the child to describe his/her actions:

· General: This is how you throw the bean bag.

· Matching: Can you throw all the green bean bags to me?

· Fitting: Let’s see if all the bean bags will fit into the target.

Remind the child to think about what he/she does:

· To give her/his attention: When you are balancing the bean bags, try walking very slowly or else they might fall.

· To make a choice: Do you want to balance the bean bag on your head or on your shoulder?

· To have self-control: If you throw too hard, your bean bag won’t land in the basket.

· To remember other experiences: Do you play with any other toys that involve throwing? What sports involve throwing?

· To pretend: Let’s pretend the bean bags are food we are buying in the supermarket.

· To do things in the right order: First you can toss the bean bag, and then it is my turn.

Remember, throughout the home visit, to:

ENCOURAGE the child to talk. PRAISE the child for doing well.

ASK the child questions. HELP the child when needed.

LISTEN to the child’s answers. RESPOND to the child’s answers.

Words to grow on:

Bean bags toss balance throw catch target