Simple Lessons for Preschoolers

I am always looking for ways to make our time together "count".  I want to spend time with my kids, but I want them to learn something from me too.

Take this morning for example, since having Jake, I have probably not been as diligent about "teaching" Andy.  While feeding Jake his cereal and baby food, Andy was sitting at the kitchen table beside us and I started asking him some questions.  I quickly got up and picked up this book - Brain Games for Kids (preschool edition).  Each page has 4 activities on it.  For example, one asked him to fill in the blank 1 2 _ and he said 3.  Another had a picture of a car and asked them to name the picture and then say what letter it started with and had a _ a r under the picture of the car.  One picture showed 4 objects and asked which ones started with a B.  The last had a picture of morning and night and the Spanish phrases "buenas dias" and "buena noches".  It asked him to show which phrase went with which picture.  VERY simple activities.  We went through 5 pages while I was feeding Jake.

Here is a picture of the book:

Then I pulled out some shapes I have laminated.  First, I had him pull out different shapes and say what they were.  Then, I laid them all out in a Memory game fashion (I have two of each shape) and had him match the two that were alike.  I also have each shape in a different color so we could do a color activity if I wanted as well.

Here are the shapes:

Lastly, I pulled out a folder game or lapbook.  It is all about counting and patterns.  I used patterns from different homeschool resources to print them out, laminate and put it all together.  First we used the dalmations and number cards.  He matched the numbers to the dog's spots.  We counted the spots on different dogs.  Then we used the fireman and fire extinguisher cards to do pattern blocking.  I laid out a fireman/fire extinguisher/fireman/fire extinguisher and then asked him what came next.  SO EASY, yet already teaching simple math concepts.  Then he asked if he could make his own pattern!

Here is a picture of the folder game:

I have so many little coloring books, activity books, flashcards, dry erase activities, and manipulatives that it is simply inexcusable to not do this with Andy each day.  We only spent 20 minutes this morning going through these.  Then he asked if he could color and cut paper (he LOVES to cut paper).  He doesn't know that practicing with scissors is a good skill - he just thinks it is fun!

What kinds of simple learning activities do you do with your kids at home?