For today’s edition of Things That Grow, we’ll focus on one of the things that helps us grow: rest! We’ll learn about day and night with Word Party, make a bedtime routine chart, play a silly game using only a light switch, and do a fun sorting activity.

Watch Together

In order to grow, we need to rest! In this episode of Word Party, (Season 2, Episode 3: “Nighttime is for Sleeping,”) Lulu wants to play at night and the babies teach her that nighttime is for resting. After watching, ask your child:

Why couldn’t Lulu play with the train at night?

Did she get a chance to play with it again? When?
Do you ever feel like Lulu and want to keep playing when it’s time to rest?
What are some things that help calm your body down at nighttime?

Watch the episode here.

Make a Bedtime Chart

One of the best ways to help your child ease into the nighttime transition is by developing a consistent bedtime routine. Displaying a simple chart with a picture for each step of that routine helps foster independence in kids and empowers them to know what to expect.

Whether you already have a routine or are haven’t developed one yet, your Henson friends can help you out with this customizable bedtime routine chart! Click below to download your own copy.

Download the sheet here.

Lights Out! Game

Young children often enjoy playing games that turn daily routines on their head. This fun game gives them the chance to do just that…and best of all, it doesn’t require anything more than a light switch!

Tell your child you are going to play a game about daytime and nighttime. When you turn the lights on, they can dance, sing, wiggle around, laugh, and whatever other rambunctious daytime activity they’d like. When you turn the lights off, they will quickly “fall asleep” wherever they are.
Position yourself near the light switch, turning it on and off every 30 seconds or so. You might say “It’s morning!” or “Time to wake up!” when the lights are on, and “Bedtime!” when they’re off.
Invite your child to switch places with you so they are now in control of making it “daytime” and “nighttime.” They will likely jump at the chance to be in charge of you!
Explore the concept of opposites with your child by switching the actions that correspond with lights on and lights off: now they will sleep when the lights are on and play when they’re off.

Daytime or Nighttime?

Give your child some sorting practice with this fun activity.

Gather 10-20 items from around the house, strategically choosing items that are used during either day or night. You might even throw in a few items that are used at both times to stretch your child’s thinking a bit!
Invite your child to sort the daytime items into one pile and the nighttime items into another. If you included items that fit into both categories, they could make a third pile for those.
For some bonus language practice, ask your child to tell you what they put into each pile after they finish categorizing everything.

Coming Up Next…

Things That Grow week wraps up with germs, crystals, and more!

ACTIVITIES

Curated educational activities from Early Childhood Specialist Leslie Gaar.

Things That Grow Part 2

Watch Together

In order to grow, we need to rest! In this episode of Word Party, (Season 2, Episode 3: “Nighttime is for Sleeping,”) Lulu wants to play at night and the babies teach her that nighttime is for resting. After watching, ask your child:

Why couldn’t Lulu play with the train at night?

Did she get a chance to play with it again? When?

Do you ever feel like Lulu and want to keep playing when it’s time to rest?

What are some things that help calm your body down at nighttime?

Watch the episode here.

Make a Bedtime Chart

One of the best ways to help your child ease into the nighttime transition is by developing a consistent bedtime routine. Displaying a simple chart with a picture for each step of that routine helps foster independence in kids and empowers them to know what to expect.

Whether you already have a routine or are haven’t developed one yet, your Henson friends can help you out with this customizable bedtime routine chart! Click below to download your own copy.

Download the sheet here.

Lights Out! Game

Young children often enjoy playing games that turn daily routines on their head. This fun game gives them the chance to do just that…and best of all, it doesn’t require anything more than a light switch!

Tell your child you are going to play a game about daytime and nighttime. When you turn the lights on, they can dance, sing, wiggle around, laugh, and whatever other rambunctious daytime activity they’d like. When you turn the lights off, they will quickly “fall asleep” wherever they are.

Position yourself near the light switch, turning it on and off every 30 seconds or so. You might say “It’s morning!” or “Time to wake up!” when the lights are on, and “Bedtime!” when they’re off.

Invite your child to switch places with you so they are now in control of making it “daytime” and “nighttime.” They will likely jump at the chance to be in charge of you!

Explore the concept of opposites with your child by switching the actions that correspond with lights on and lights off: now they will sleep when the lights are on and play when they’re off.

Daytime or Nighttime?

Give your child some sorting practice with this fun activity.

Gather 10-20 items from around the house, strategically choosing items that are used during either day or night. You might even throw in a few items that are used at both times to stretch your child’s thinking a bit!

Invite your child to sort the daytime items into one pile and the nighttime items into another. If you included items that fit into both categories, they could make a third pile for those.

For some bonus language practice, ask your child to tell you what they put into each pile after they finish categorizing everything.

Coming Up Next…

Things That Grow week wraps up with germs, crystals, and more!

Henson at Home

ACTIVITIES

Curated educational activities from Early Childhood Specialist Leslie Gaar.

Things That Grow Part 2

Watch Together

In order to grow, we need to rest! In this episode of Word Party, (Season 2, Episode 3: “Nighttime is for Sleeping,”) Lulu wants to play at night and the babies teach her that nighttime is for resting. After watching, ask your child:

Why couldn’t Lulu play with the train at night?

Did she get a chance to play with it again? When?

Do you ever feel like Lulu and want to keep playing when it’s time to rest?

What are some things that help calm your body down at nighttime?

Watch the episode here.

Make a Bedtime Chart

One of the best ways to help your child ease into the nighttime transition is by developing a consistent bedtime routine. Displaying a simple chart with a picture for each step of that routine helps foster independence in kids and empowers them to know what to expect.

Whether you already have a routine or are haven’t developed one yet, your Henson friends can help you out with this customizable bedtime routine chart! Click below to download your own copy.

Download the sheet here.

Lights Out! Game

Young children often enjoy playing games that turn daily routines on their head. This fun game gives them the chance to do just that…and best of all, it doesn’t require anything more than a light switch!

Tell your child you are going to play a game about daytime and nighttime. When you turn the lights on, they can dance, sing, wiggle around, laugh, and whatever other rambunctious daytime activity they’d like. When you turn the lights off, they will quickly “fall asleep” wherever they are.

Position yourself near the light switch, turning it on and off every 30 seconds or so. You might say “It’s morning!” or “Time to wake up!” when the lights are on, and “Bedtime!” when they’re off.

Invite your child to switch places with you so they are now in control of making it “daytime” and “nighttime.” They will likely jump at the chance to be in charge of you!

Explore the concept of opposites with your child by switching the actions that correspond with lights on and lights off: now they will sleep when the lights are on and play when they’re off.

Daytime or Nighttime?

Give your child some sorting practice with this fun activity.

Gather 10-20 items from around the house, strategically choosing items that are used during either day or night. You might even throw in a few items that are used at both times to stretch your child’s thinking a bit!

Invite your child to sort the daytime items into one pile and the nighttime items into another. If you included items that fit into both categories, they could make a third pile for those.

For some bonus language practice, ask your child to tell you what they put into each pile after they finish categorizing everything.

Coming Up Next…

Things That Grow week wraps up with germs, crystals, and more!