Visit the eXtension Alliance for Better Child Care activities database to find hundreds of hands-on, ready-to-do activities especially designed to help young children learn and grow.Welcome to the eXtension Alliance for Better Child Care Database of Hands-On Activities. Here you will find hundreds of hands-on, ready-to-do activities especially designed to help young children of different ages learn, develop, and flourish. The activities can be used in the curriculum of child care classrooms or family child care homes. Parents and grandparents may also enjoy sharing some of the activities with children at home.
Search or browse classroom activities to find what you need for language and literacy, math, science, art, social skills, music, movement, and physical activity. You can search ideas by children’s age, subject, or skills learned in the activity.
There are several different ways to find the activities you need:
- Browse activities to see what catches your eye
- Look for activities by age group
- Look for activities by type of activity (math, art, science, etc.)
- Look for activities by skills learned (reading, creativity, thinking, etc.)
We hope you find these activities fun and useful. Whether you are a seasoned child care provider or just starting out, feel free to try these ideas and adapt them to your specific needs.
For More Information
To learn more about supporting young children's learning in child care, visit the eXtension Alliance for Better Child Care section on Early Learning and School Readiness, or take a look at the following articles:
- Planning Creative Art Activities for Multi-Age Groups
- Helping Young Children Learn to Love Literacy
- Teaching Science through Exploring Smells, Sounds, and Tastes
- Using Sensory Activities to Teach Wonder, Investigation, and Discovery
For more ideas on specific activities to use in your child care program, visit the the database of Story-Stretching Ideas for Child Care to find activities that expand on favorite children's stories.
