Dec 30, 2013 by Yolanda Fontanez-Coleman | Learning Activities
2014 is almost here! Celebrating the new year is a great time to remember the past year and to look forward for the upcoming year. Here are some simple ideas to help your child capture the memories of the past year and to set goals for the upcoming year.
Time Capsule:
Create a time capsule with your children. You will need an empty box or any empty holder will do just fine. Ask them to remember memorable things that happened during the past year. Did they play a new sport? Get a new pet? Make new friends? Ask them to gather mementos of those special moments. If they don’t have any handy, have them draw a picture or write about it. You will want to include as many cool memory tokens of the year. Once you have them all together, you will want to put them in this empty holder. Make sure you decorate the box (include the year too). Once everything is in the box, hide it in your home. This time capsule should be placed in a hidden area that no one will find until next new year!
Jar of Goodness:
This is an activity that you will prep for the new year. Begin the new year with this “jar of goodness.” Place an empty jar in a place in your home that will remain there all year long. Everyone in your family will place notes of “good things” that happen throughout the year. For example, scored a goal, made a new friend, got an A on math test. Whenever a “good thing” occurs, write it down, date it and place it in the jar. At the end of the year, open the jar and read about all the good moments that occurred in 2014!
Setting Goals Not Resolutions:
It is never too young to set goals for the new year. Ask your children to set some goals for the new year. They can make 1 school goal, 1 home goal and maybe 1 goal for sports/extra-curricular activity. Have them write their goal and post it in an area that may be seen on a daily basis. This will be a constant reminder of their goals and they will be accountable for their goals.
How will you celebrate the New Year with your children? We would love to hear your ideas.