Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Age or Ability Specific Forums Pre-school Natural learning/ stimulating activites

Stimulating things I see my DD doing:-

Learning to ride a bike, swings and monkey bars

Foraging for wild edibles - tons of wild flowers, insects, amphibians, bones, feathers etc are incidentally discovered and researched

Canoeing

Bird watching and visiting a local nature centre

New foods, especially cheeses - you can almost see the 'spinning hourglass' as she goes unresponsive to all other stimuli while tasting/savouring something for the first time

A bucket of 'Polly pockets' that family friends gave us when there daughters were done with them and an entire cuddly bestiary

Music - piano, recorder, xylophone ( got a great one complete with sound box for $2 at a yard sale!)

Magnifying glasses, binoculars and prisms

NYC Natural History Museum
Metropolitan Museum - especially the Egyptian section
Franklin Institute
Philadelphia Zoo

Rainbow loom - DD is now starting to 'invent' new ones

The local library

Ikea toy indoor tent - amazing role playing games ensued

Story telling - DW was amazing at this, conjuring new adventures starring DD as the heroine involving the whole family including the dog and her friends etc

Reading for fun

Listening to music, studying famous art and just day dreaming

Staying still and just observing

Discussions about anything whatsoever

Lego, snap circuits, little digital camera ( they are so cheap now )

Karate, swimming, soccer

Now that it's getting cold out, my kids are practically living on their Prince Lionheart Wheely Bugs (an indoor ride-on toy.) DS3 has the large and DS1.5 has the small, but they switch up occasionally. They are built with those office chair casters, so they work well on hardwoods or a basement floor. My boys have A LOT of energy, so this splurge was well worth it for our family.