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April Learning at Home with HIPPY Halton
- Apr 1
- 3 min read
At HIPPY Halton, we believe children learn best through play, conversation, and meaningful family moments. Each month, we share activities that build important early childhood education skills in language, math, science, physical development, and social and emotional growth. Our home based program supports parents as their child’s first teacher by providing simple, practical tools that help children feel confident and ready for kindergarten.
This April, we will focus on important school readiness skills including counting and numbers, learning about plants, sorting and comparing objects, and caring for our Earth. These activities help children observe the world around them while building confidence in early learning skills through play and family interaction.
Week 1: Counting and Number Practice
This week children build early math skills by practicing counting, number recognition, and matching numbers to objects. These activities help children understand quantities and develop confidence with numbers.
Activities to Try
Language and Reading
Read Ten Black Dots by Donald Crews. Talk about the numbers in the story and count the dots together. Ask your child what pictures they can make with different numbers of dots.
Math
Raindrop Counting. Cut out paper raindrops labeled 1 to 10. Invite your child to place the correct number of drops onto an umbrella drawing.
Science
Rain in a Jar. Fill a clear jar with water and place shaving cream on top to represent clouds. Add drops of food colouring and watch the “rain” fall through the cloud. Try it here: https://youtu.be/x4GePPTUAjI?si=ANe2YLX_US09waE9
Social and Emotional
Celebrate Small Successes. When your child counts correctly or tries again after a mistake, praise their effort and persistence.
Make It Work for Your Child
Use larger counting objects such as cotton balls, buttons, or blocks that are easy to pick up. Children can also count while seated at a table or on the floor depending on what is most comfortable.
Week 2: Learning About Plants and Flowers
This week children explore how plants grow and learn new vocabulary related to nature. Observing plants helps build curiosity, patience, and early science thinking.
Activities to Try
Language and Reading
Read Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert. Talk about the colours of flowers and the different types of plants shown in the book.
Math
Flower Petal Counting. Look at flowers outside or in pictures and count the number of petals on each flower.
Science
Celery Colour Experiment. Place celery stalks into cups of coloured water and observe how the plant absorbs the colour over time.
Social and Emotional
Caring for Living Things. Talk about how plants need water, sunlight, and care to grow strong.
Make It Work for Your Child
If outdoor access is limited, use pictures of plants or create paper flowers. Children can also water plants using a spray bottle or small cup to support independence.
Week 3: Sorting and Comparing Objects
This week children develop early math and thinking skills by sorting objects into groups. Sorting helps children notice similarities and differences and builds problem solving abilities.
Activities to Try
Language and Reading
Read The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle. Talk about the different animals and what they do.
Math
Sorting Game. Provide small objects such as buttons, blocks, or toy animals. Invite your child to sort them by colour, size, or type.
Science
Bug Observation. Look for insects outside or in books and talk about how they move and where they live.
Social and Emotional
Working Together. Sort objects together and talk about how teamwork can help us finish a task.
Make It Work for Your Child
Use containers or bowls to help organize sorted objects. Children can sort large items if small objects are difficult to handle.
Week 4: Caring for Our Earth
This week encourages children to learn simple ways to care for the environment and their community. These activities build responsibility and awareness of the natural world.
Activities to Try
Language and Reading
Read The Earth Book by Todd Parr. Talk about simple ways families can help protect the Earth.
Math
Recycling Sort. Gather recyclable items and sort them into groups such as paper, plastic, and metal.
Science
Plant Something Small. Plant seeds in a cup or container and watch how they grow.
Social and Emotional
Helping the Earth. Take a short walk and pick up small pieces of litter with adult supervision.
Make It Work for Your Child
Use lightweight tools and containers for planting or sorting activities. Encourage children to participate in ways that feel comfortable and manageable for them.
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