This week's activities 09/02

Welcome to week 31 of Wonder Weeks: a year of creativity, curiosity and connections. ☀️ This Week’s Theme: All About Me/Self-Discovery!

🌟 All About Me / Self-Discovery Week

Every child is one-of-a-kind — and this week, we’re slowing down to celebrate just that! 💕 These playful activities invite your little one to explore who they are, what they love, and how they fit into your family’s story. From silly mirror faces 😄 to “I Can” shows 🌟, each activity is designed to spark connection, confidence, and joy while building important skills along the way.

Because the best gift we can give our kids is helping them feel proud of exactly who they are. ✨

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Activities

🎭 Face Collage

Ages 3–8 | Skills: 🎨 Art, ✋ Fine motor, 💕 Self-expression
Materials: Paper plates, yarn, buttons, fabric scraps, markers, glue, 🪞 mirror (optional)

How to Play:

1. Give your child a paper plate as their “face.”

2. Invite them to look in the mirror and notice details.

3. Use yarn for hair, buttons for eyes, fabric for clothes.

4. Display the finished faces around your home.

🧠 Why it Matters: Builds self-awareness, confidence, and creativity.
👶 Level Down: Use pre-cut shapes (eyes, nose, mouth) for gluing.
👧 Level Up: Offer multiple skin-tone crayons/paints and encourage labeling features.

📖 My Story Book

Ages 3–8 | Skills: 📝 Storytelling, 📚 Early literacy, 💬 Vocabulary
Materials: Stapled or folded paper, crayons 🖍️, markers, stickers

How to Play:

1. Write prompts on each page: “My name is…,” “My favorite color is…,” “My family is…”

2. Children draw or dictate answers for you to write.

3. Read together at bedtime 🌙 or keep on the bookshelf.

🧠 Why it Matters: Supports language development and identity formation.
👶 Level Down: Use single-page prompts with picture choices.
👧 Level Up: Add extra pages like “When I grow up I want to…”

🖌️ Life-Size Me

Ages 3–8 | Skills: 🧍 Body awareness, 🎨 Creativity, 🤸 Gross motor
Materials: Large butcher paper 📜, markers, crayons, tape

How to Play:

1. Lay paper on the floor and trace your child’s outline.

2. Let them decorate with clothing, hair, and favorite things.

3. Hang it up to admire 🖼️.

🧠 Why it Matters: Encourages positive body image and spatial awareness.
👶 Level Down: Trace just hands ✋ or feet 🦶.
👧 Level Up: Add “inside parts” (heart ❤️, brain 🧠, tummy) with labels.

🌟 “I Can” Show

Ages 3–8 | Skills: 💪 Confidence, 🎤 Public speaking, 🤝 Empathy
Materials: None (props 🎭 or music 🎶 optional)

How to Play:

1. Invite each family member to show something they can do (dance, draw, sing).

2. Celebrate each act with claps 👏 and cheers 🎉.

3. End with a family talent, like singing a song together 🎵.

🧠 Why it Matters: Builds confidence and appreciation for others’ strengths.
👶 Level Down: Let shy kids participate with a sibling or parent.
👧 Level Up: Encourage children to narrate what they’re showing.

🪨 Name Rocks

Ages 3–8 | Skills: 🔤 Letter recognition, ✋ Fine motor, 🌱 Identity
Materials: Smooth rocks, paint pens 🎨, markers, or letter stickers

How to Play:

1. Help your child spell their name, one letter per rock.

2. Decorate each rock with colors 🌈 or symbols.

3. Use rocks as morning greeting stones ☀️ or garden decorations 🌿.

🧠 Why it Matters: Builds early literacy and a sense of ownership.
👶 Level Down: Decorate one rock with just an initial.
👧 Level Up: Spell positive words like LOVE ❤️ or JOY 🌞.

😄 Feelings in the Mirror

Ages 2–8 | Skills: 💬 Emotional vocabulary, 💕 Empathy, 🧘 Self-regulation
Materials: Hand mirror 🪞 or bathroom mirror

How to Play:

1. Say an emotion word (“happy”) and make that face together 😀.

2. Ask: “When do you feel happy?”

3. Try silly 🤪, sad 😢, surprised 😲, proud 🥹, calm 😌.

🧠 Why it Matters: Helps kids connect feelings to words and build empathy.
👶 Level Down: Match simple emotions with picture cards.
👧 Level Up: Explore tricky emotions like “nervous 😬” or “curious 🤔.”

🖼️ Family Collage

Ages 3–8 | Skills: 🏡 Connection, 📖 Storytelling, 💕 Belonging
Materials: Family photos 📷 or drawings, poster board, glue, stickers

How to Play:

1. Gather photos or draw favorite people and places.

2. Glue onto a large poster board together.

3. Add captions or decorations 🎀.

🧠 Why it Matters: Builds family connection and a strong sense of identity.
👶 Level Down: Add just one favorite photo or sticker.
👧 Level Up: Write or dictate short captions under each picture.

🌱 Bonus for Little Explorers (Toddlers)

👣 Handprint Identity Art
Ages 1–3 | Skills: 🎨 Sensory play, ✋ Fine motor, 💕 Identity

• Dip hands in paint, press on paper, and write “This is me!” underneath.

🧸 Toy Parade
Ages 2–3 | Skills: 🗣️ Sharing, 💬 Language, 💪 Confidence

• Let your toddler walk their favorite toy around while the family cheers 🎉.