Resources / Activity
Put family pictures on soft blocks. Wrap each block in clear contact paper. Encourage the infant to look at, reach for or touch the blocks.
Read the book Families by Ann Morris. This book of beautiful photographs depicts families from all over the world, showing how they are alike and different.
Read Career Day by Anne Rockwell. Have the children identify family members that may have the same jobs as in the story or different jobs. Discuss the roles of their family members, such as how they do jobs to help the family.
Have the children bring in pictures of various family members or use photos from the family, use magazines and create a family collage. Each child can create a collage of his/her family and identify each family member and his/her role in the family.
Serve meals and snacks family style. Have the children help set the table and serve themselves from small serving bowls. Have the children assist with cleanup after the meal is over.
Read the book The New Baby by Mercer Mayer. Create a family graph with the members of each child's family represented. Discuss the roles and responsibilities of each family member identified. This could be done in large group.
Have the children create a picture that shows the number of people in their families. Create a graph with numbers zero to 10 listed across the bottom (you may not need to go up to 10).
Have the children create a picture that shows the number of people in their families. Create a graph with numbers zero to 10 listed across the bottom (you may not need to go as far as 10).
Ask family members to come in and share what their job is. They might wear their work uniform and tell what things they do throughout the work day.
Ask family members to provide pictures or take pictures of themselves with their child during greeting/departure. Create picture matching cards, one of the family member and one of the child. Have the children match the cards.
Provide sidewalk chalk during outdoor time. Encourage the children to trace each other's outlines and then fill in the details of the outlines Pretend that the outlines are members of their families.
Have the children bring in pictures of their family members when they were young to put in a photo album.
Create a book of family photos. Have the children show each other their families and name the people in the pictures. Hold up the family pictures for a small group. Have the children verbally acknowledge their family when they see the correct photo.
Attach photos of each child's family on a wall or back of a shelf so that they can be seen at the child's eye level. Sit and talk with the children about their families and what they are doing in the pictures.
Ask families to bring in small pictures of the infant's close family members. Laminate the pictures and place them on the sides of a small tissue box. Secure the pictures with clear tape.
Set up a family living center in the dramatic play area with dress-up clothes for men, women, children and grandparents. Have the children act out family roles.
Provide various puppets that represent family members. Encourage the children in the reading center to put on a puppet show about what his/her family likes to do together.
Provide multicultural puzzles in various learning areas like the math center, reading center, or even the art center. You may also make your own puzzles from pictures of the children and their families.
Read The Berenstain Bears' Family Reunion by Stan and Jan Berenstain. Have the children draw a picture and dictate who would come to their house for a family gathering.
