Back to School Series Day 3 - 'Learning on the Run'

We have a houseguest for the rest of the week, and I have plans tonight, so I'm on the run! (Like usual). I thought what better time to do a quick post on how we fit in learning activities while on the go!

Let's say it's Friday evening, and you are sitting at Chili's restaurant waiting for your fajitias and kids' meals. Perfect opportunity for a quick educational game! Draw a number line (zero to ten) on a napkin or piece of paper. Then play this game - Guess the Number. The idea is to give clues that require your child to use problem solving skills, basic knowledge, and their number line as a resource. Your clue might be something along the lines of..."I'm a number that is smaller than 10, but bigger than 7, and I look like two donuts on top of each other." The game might challenge higher order thinking skills - "I'm a number that equals the same number of sides a triangle has." You can also mix in language skills. "I'm a number that means diez in Spanish." You get the idea.

Of course this game can be modified to be much easier or more difficult. With younger friends, we've played 'What color am I.' With older kids you could play, 'What 3-dimensional shape am I?'

How do you keep your kids' minds in shape over the summer?