We’re in the thick of it, it’s the holiday season! From Halloween until about Valentine’s Day, we’ll be in a revolving door of autumn and winter holidays, and you know what that means—your favorite candies and desserts!

I know what you’re thinking, so what’s the activity and what does candy have to do with it?

Well you’re in luck, it’s not just one activity it’s three that you can rotate and play throughout these colder months that will undoubtedly have an amazing impact on your child’s progress as you play together.

Describe The Mystery Candy

While it may sound simple, this activity helps your young one with formulating questions, taking turns, inferencing and using adjectives to describe objects.

So how does it work?

Easy as pie is how it works! With your young one and their friends or siblings, select one piece of candy and place it in a brown paper bag. Then let one of the children peek and see what the candy is, or take on the roll yourself, just be sure not to say it out loud! Now encourage the other children to ask questions: “Is it chewy?” “Is it striped?” “Is it chocolate?” Whoever is holding the bag answers the questions and whoever guesses correctly becomes the new bag holder, and so the game goes! Until you all decide to devour your game pieces and enjoy the holidays.

Candy Comparison Taste Test

It should come as no surprise that games with candy are big winners with children, and luckily, the holiday season always comes with candy. So, we’ve found ways to indulge your sweet tooth while promoting your child’s education.

In this activity we’ll be focusing on your child’s ability to compare and contrast, use adjectives to describe, categorization and their sentence formulation.

For this we’ll need a few different types of candy. Whether it’s pieces of butterscotch, candy canes or M&M’s, it will work. Now before your young one can eat their piece of candy they have one task: describe it!

Not just a quick description though! We want them to go into full details. Have them tell you the size, color, and shape. Is it squishy or hard? Can it roll on a table or does it sit in one place? Essentially, you’re going to be talking about candy, a lot. This will give your child ample opportunity to use adjectives they know or have learned from you, and it will encourage them to think differently in how they describe it. By describing what it is and isn’t they’re learning to compare and contrast items, while also grouping and categorizing it with other like candies they may know. Then they can eat it! Continue this for all the candies you have selected, but the game doesn’t stop there!

After they’ve eaten all the candy, have them describe the differences in each piece candy and the similarities. Was one stickier than another? Which ones were sour? Did one taste better than another?

Following Directions Has Never Been Sweeter

For our last activity, the delicious taste of success is going to rely on following directions. In this activity, we’re focusing on your child’s ability to use sequencing, prepositions and follow multi-step directions.

Give your child and their siblings or friends a small mixed selection of candy. Then give them directions of what they’re expected to do with them. That’s it! It sounds super easy, right? That’s because it is!

Directions as simple as “Put the Tootsie Roll underneath the lollipop” or “place the skittles to the left of the chocolate bar after you move the Tootsie Roll” can have huge, beneficial impacts on your child’s ability to follow and sequence directions. As with any child, if it involves eventually getting candy, you’ll be surprised just how well your little ones can follow directions.

The key to success with these activities, as with any other involving your children, is to have fun and make it an enjoyable experience that your child will want to do again! By making learning fun, you’re allowing yourself time to bond with your child while positively impacting their speech and language skills!

If you’re wanting more tips and professional help, then find a passionate, dedicated professionals like the staff at Greater Learning LP. We’re here for you and your family in your journey toward healthier living.

Visit www.greaterlearninglp.com or call 210.349.1415 to start investing in your child’s future today.