August Activities to Support Kindergarten Readiness

HIPPY Halton
Aug 1
4 min read

At HIPPY Halton, we believe that learning continues all summer long, in every story shared, question asked, and new experience explored. This August, our weekly preschool activities are filled with hands-on fun that supports early literacy, math, science, creativity, and movement.

group of children blowing bubbles outside.

Week 1: Ocean Explorers

Learning Focus: Language, early math, science, sensory play, gross motor development

Activity 1: Under the Sea Storytime & Animal Talk

Read Over in the Ocean: In a Coral Reef by Marianne Berkes. Talk about the different sea creatures and ask your child to imitate animal sounds. Encourage them to describe what they see - colours, sizes, and movements, to build vocabulary.

Activity 2: Shell Sorting & Counting

Collect rocks or shells and sort them by colour or size. Count how many are in each group. This activity supports early math skills like sorting, comparing, and number recognition.

Activity 3: Saltwater vs Freshwater Experiment

Fill one container with salt water and another with fresh water. Float an egg or small object in each and observe what happens. Talk about why objects float in one and not the other. Try this video: Floating Egg Science Experiment

Activity 4: Ocean Sensory Bottle

Create a calming ocean-themed sensory bottle using water, blue food colouring, glitter, and small sea items like shells or beads.Try this video: Ocean Sensory Bottle DIY

Activity 5: Wave Dance Freeze

Put on music and encourage your child to move like ocean waves, using slow, flowing motions with their arms. Pause the music and freeze in place. This game builds listening, coordination, and self-regulation.

Week 2: Fruit & Veggie Fun

Learning Focus: Literacy, patterning, scientific observation, creative expression

Activity 1: Alphabet of Fruits & Veggies Chat

Read Eating the Alphabet by Lois Ehlert. Talk about the fruits and vegetables shown, their colours, shapes, and tastes. Ask your child to share their favourites and describe why. Here are some great resources!

Activity 2: Fruit Pattern Making

Create simple patterns using real fruit or cut-out pictures (e.g., apple, banana, apple, banana). Help your child copy and extend the pattern to develop early math and reasoning skills. Check out these great activities

Activity 3: Sink or Float Fruit Test

Test various fruits and vegetables in water to see which ones float or sink. Ask your child to guess before testing and talk about what they notice.

Activity 4: Vegetable Stamp Painting

Cut fruits or vegetables in half and dip them in paint to stamp shapes onto paper. This creative activity supports fine motor skills and early printmaking. Check out this great activity from Entertain Your Toddler.

Week 3: Construction Zone

Learning Focus: Language development, measurement, physical science, creativity, sensory awareness

Activity 1: Building Dreams Storytime

Read Iggy Peck, Architect by Andrea Beaty. Talk about what it means to build and create. Ask your child what they would build and what materials or tools they might use.

Activity 2: Block Counting & Comparing

Stack blocks together and count them aloud. Compare the height of two towers to explore early math concepts like more, less, taller, and shorter. Check out 30 Block Activities Kids Will Love!

Activity 3: Testing Tower Stability

Build towers with different objects and test how many blocks or items they can hold before falling. Talk about balance, weight, and structure.

Activity 4: Construction Collage

Cut and paste pictures of buildings, machines, or tools from old magazines to make a collage. This encourages creativity, fine motor practice, and visual storytelling.

Activity 5: Walk & Senses Exercise

Take a walk as a family. Talk about what you see, hear, smell, and touch. Ask if there’s anything they can taste. Reflect together on what senses you used while walking.

Week 4: Picnic Playtime

Learning Focus: Storytelling, sorting, sensory exploration, self-help skills, gross motor coordination

Activity 1: Picnic Storytelling

Read My Garden by Kevin Henkes. Ask your child what they would grow in their own garden. During your picnic, invite them to describe their dream garden or the foods and surroundings using new words.

Activity 2: Snack Sorting & Counting

At snack time, sort food items like fruits, crackers, or veggies by type or colour. Count each group and compare which has more or less. Fun Picnic Preschool Theme Ideas & Picnic Lesson Plans

Activity 3: Fruit Taste Testing

Sample a few different fruits and describe the taste using words like sweet, sour, soft, or juicy. This encourages sensory awareness and descriptive language. Try this Blindfolded Fruit Tasting Game

Activity 4: Napkin Folding Practice

Practice folding napkins or small cloths into basic shapes. This supports fine motor skills, independence, and early life skills. Three Kid-Friendly Napkin Folds to Make Mealtime Fun

Activity 5: Picnic Obstacle Course

Set up a simple obstacle course with crawling, hopping, and balancing before settling down to eat. This activity builds coordination and helps children transition between active and calm play. Check it out!

Mom laying on the floor with baby reading a book

Ready to Keep Learning Going All Year?

HIPPY Halton is a free, home-based school readiness program for families in Oakville, Milton, and Burlington. We provide books, learning materials, and weekly support from trained Home Visitors who help you prepare your child for success in Kindergarten and beyond.

If you’re looking for a welcoming, supportive program that builds early literacy, math, and life skills through play and connection, we’d love to hear from you.