Teaching Preschool Color and Shapes with Family Games

>the correct color on her turn all by herself. Then finally
My kids just can't get enough of playing games witha turn came that she didn't have the right color.
Mom and Dad - can yours?"Do you have a card," I asked, pointing to the large
Sometimes we all take a break in the middle of thesymbol in the middle of the card, "that has a circle like
day and play a game together. Most of the time, I justthis one?"
make sure we play games so that we all have funWhile I still had my finger next to the symbol, she went
together. I can get so caught up in things that I'll gothrough each card, one a time. She carefully checked
from one task to the next and forget to have a littleto see if she had a "match" - and when she found
fun.one, she put it down on top of the pile.
Today, after several pleas from my kids, I got out theThe game was a great success--especially since she
Uno cards. Today I would be playing with six-year-oldwon the first round!
Ryan and three-year-old Maegan. In the past, Maegan"That's one point for the team 'My Little Pony' (as she
would sit on my lap and help me with my cards; buthad named her team)," I congratulated her. She
today, she wanted to be her "own team".beamed with pride. She had won and she had done it
Not feeling sure how things would go, I dealt sevenall by herself.
cards to each of us. Maegan picked up her cards andAs I sat there admiring her accomplishment, I realized
held them in her hand.how easy it is to miss opportunities like this that are
I flipped over the first card and asked Maegan to goeducational in nature. This game taught her taking turns,
first. "Do you have a yellow card to put down?"sorting, colors, and shapes.
"Yep," she answered and put down a yellow card onIt's always a great asset as a home school parent to
top of the pile.have one more way to help our kids learn and
Round and round we went, with Maegan putting downpractice what they've been learning. So, "Uno away"!!