Don’t throw out the toy catalogs!
If you are like us, I’m sure you recently received the new holiday toy catalogs in the mail. Our girls love circling all of their “must haves” and I remember doing the same when I was a kid. My favorite was picking out new bedding from the JcPenny Catalog.
Did you know that instead of just letting the kids look through them, they can actually be used as a valuable teaching tool? Below you will find several ideas to add to your homeschool lessons or as an at-home enrichment activity.
1. Play An Eye Spy Game (Observational Skills & Vocabulary)
Search for letters, numbers, words you know, & shapes. Point to different items like toys, dolls, electronics, clothes, shoes, books, crafts, games, etc. Find something you would give to a baby, a child, a teen, and an adult.
2. Create a Wish List (Handwriting or Typing Skills)
3. Create a Photo Collage (Art)
4. Math & Technology Skills
Locate prices. Add prices of items on their wishlist.
Discuss percents. What does it mean when a toy is 25% off?
Locate a QR. Teach how to use the QR Code.
5. Create a Discussion
Discuss wants & needs.
If you could, what would you purchase for someone else? Why?
How can you purchase the item in the catalog?
Why do you think they chose to advertise these toys in this catalog?
What is similar among all of the toys advertised?
Compare/Contrast different catalogs.
What are some other topics you could teach from these catalogs? I really enjoy being intentional with the items I have and like using them as teaching tools as much as possible. I hope the ideas listed here help spark some ideas when you are teaching your children.
