2026 Summer Learning and Literacy Road Trip

Build & Sort Rock Challenge

Ages: 3–7

What You Need

• A variety of rocks or stones (different sizes and shapes)
• Small containers, boxes, or trays
• Optional: paper, sticks, or blocks

How to Play

• Sort the Rocks
  • Ask your child to organize rocks in their own way: By size, shape, color, or texture
  • Encourage them to explain their choices: “Why did you put these together?”
• Build Something
  • Use the rocks to construct something, such as: A tower, A road, A small house or structure
  • They can also try stacking, lining up, grouping, or placing the items.
• Test & Change
  • Encourage children to try different ideas: “What happens if we use bigger rocks on the bottom?”
  • Let them rebuild and improve their design.
• Apply What They Learned
  • Ask questions like: “What made your tower strong?” or “What worked better this time?”
  • They can also explain ideas by talking, pointing, or demonstrating.

Make It Extra Fun

• Work together to build a rock city
• Add toy figures or cars
• Turn it into a teamwork challenge

This activity helps children organize materials, test ideas, solve problems, and apply what they learn through hands-on play, while ensuring all children can participate in their own way.

Approaches to Learning through Play Skills Your Child is Learning:

• Problem-Solving
• Planning & Organization
• Persistence & Focus
• Flexible Thinking
• Applying Knowledge
• Curiosity & Exploration
• Decision-Making
• Confidence & Independence

Kindness Rocks Activity

Ages: 3–7

What You Need

• Small rocks or stones
• Markers, paint, stickers, stamps, or crayons
• Optional: stickers

How to Play

• Create Kindness Rocks
  • Help your child decorate each rock.
  • Add simple kind words or symbols like:

“Kind” “Share” A heart “Thank you”

• Talk About Kindness
  • Ask: “What does it mean to be kind?”
  • Give examples like helping a friend or sharing toys.
• Play the Kindness Game
  • Take turns picking a rock.
  • Act out or describe a kind thing you can do that matches the rock.
• Spread Kindness
  • Place rocks somewhere special:
    • Give one to a friend or family member
    • Leave one for someone to find (with help)
  • Talk about how kindness makes others feel.

Make It Extra Fun

• Create a kindness jar and add rocks over time
• Celebrate when your child shows kindness during the day
• Use rocks as reminders (“Pick a kindness rock for today!”)
•  

This activity helps children practice kind choices, empathy, and understanding how their actions affect others. These are all key parts of social and emotional development.

Social-Emotional Skills Your Child is Learning:

• Kindness & Empathy
• Positive Social Behaviors
• Emotional Awareness
• Perspective-Taking
• Self-Confidence
• Communication Skills
• Responsibility & Decision-Making

Rock Letter Builders

Ages: 3–6

What You Need

• 10–20 small rocks or stones
• Marker, chalk, or paint
• Paper (optional)

How to Play

• Make Letter Rocks
  • Write one letter on each rock (focus on a few letters at a time).
  • You can use letters from your child’s name to start.
• Find & Name the Letter
  • Spread the rocks out.
  • Ask your child to pick one and say the letter and its sound (e.g., “B says /b/”).
• Build Simple Words
  • Help your child line up rocks to form short words like: cat, sun, dog
  • Say the word together, sounding it out.
• Match Sounds to Objects
  • Say a sound (like “sss”).
  • Ask your child to find the matching rock (“S”).

Make It Extra Fun

• • Let your child decorate the rocks using stickers, paint or other craft materials.
  • Hide them for a letter treasure hunt.
  • Create silly rock words and laugh together!

This playful activity helps children connect letters, sounds, and simple words in a hands-on way.

Literacy Skills Your Child is Learning:

• Letter Recognition
• Phonemic Awareness (Letter Sounds)
• Alphabet Knowledge
• Early Spelling Skills
• Word Awareness
• Sound–Letter Connection (Phonics)
• Vocabulary Development

Rock Counting & Sorting Game

Ages: 3–6

What You Need

10–20 small rocks or stones

A few containers (cups, bowls, or muffin tins)

Optional: marker or chalk

How to Play

• Count the Rocks
  • Place the rocks in a pile.
  • Ask your child to count them out loud as they move each one.
  • For younger kids, count together.
• Sort by Size or Color
  • Have your child group rocks into categories:
    • Big vs. small
    • Light vs. dark
  • Ask questions like: “Which group has more?”
• Number Match (Optional)
  • Write numbers (1–5 or higher) on paper or containers.
  • Have your child place the correct number of rocks in each one.
• Simple Addition Fun
  • Say: “Put 2 rocks here and 3 rocks there.”
  • Ask: “How many are there altogether?”
  • Let them combine the groups to find the answer.

Make It Extra Fun

• • Let your child decorate rocks with faces or colors.
  • Turn it into a scavenger hunt: collect rocks outside first!
  • Use a timer and make it a game (“Can you sort them in 30 seconds?”)

This activity builds early math skills while keeping things playful and hands-on.

Mathematical Thinking and Expression Skills Your Child is Learning:

• Counting & One-to-One Correspondence
• Sorting & Classifying
• Comparing Quantities
• Number Recognition
• Basic Addition & Early Operations
• Fine Motor Skills (Supports Math Learning)
• Early Problem-Solving & Critical Thinking

Sink or Float Rock Experiment

Ages: 3–6

What You Need

• • A variety of rocks or stones (different sizes/shapes)
  • A bowl or tub of water
  • Optional: other small objects (leaf, plastic toy, stick)

How to Play

• Make Predictions
  • Show your child each rock.
  • Ask: “Do you think this will sink or float?”
  • Let them guess before testing.
• Test the Rocks
  • Gently drop each rock into the water.
  • Watch what happens together.
• Observe & Compare
  • Talk about results:
    • “All the rocks sank!” “This one fell faster than that one!”
• Try Other Objects
  • Add a leaf or toy and compare:
    • Which float? Which sink?

Make It Extra Fun

• • Use a chart with “sink” and “float” columns to sort results.
  • Let your child splash and explore safely.
  • Turn it into a guessing game!

This hands-on activity introduces simple science ideas like heavy vs. light, materials, and observing results in a fun and engaging way.

Scientific Thinking and Technology Skills Your Child is Learning:

• Observation Skills
• Making Predictions
• Cause and Effect
• Comparing & Classifying
• Understanding Material Properties
• Asking Questions
• Recording & Communicating Results (Early Data Skills)

Rock Community Builder

Ages: 3–7

What You Need

• Small rocks or stones
• Marker, paint, stickers
• Paper or cardboard (optional)

How to Play

• Create Community Rocks
  • Draw simple pictures on rocks to represent places or people, such as House, School, Store, Park, Helpers (doctor, firefighter, teacher)
• Build a Mini Community
  • Arrange the rocks on the ground or paper to make a town.
  • Place roads, buildings, and people where they belong.
• Talk About Community Roles
  • Ask questions like:
    • “Who works at the school?” “Where do we go to buy food?”
  • Help your child connect each place and person to its role.
• Act It Out
  • Use the rocks to tell simple stories, like going to school, visiting the park, or helping a neighbor

Make It Extra Fun

• Add toy cars or figures
• Take a walk or look at photos and compare your rock town to your real community
• Let your child rearrange the town and explain their choices

This activity helps children understand how communities work, who helps in them, and how places and people are connected in everyday life.

Social Studies Skills Your Child is Learning:

• Understanding Communities
• Awareness of Community Roles
• Connection Between People and Places
• Mapping & Spatial Awareness
• Sense of Belonging
• Problem-Solving & Planning

Communication & Storytelling

Story Stones Art & Imagination Game

Ages: 3–7

What You Need

• Smooth rocks or stones
• Markers, paint, stickers, stamps, or crayons
• Optional: stickers or glue-on materials

How to Play

• Create Story Stones
  • Help children decorate rocks with simple pictures, such as: A sun, A tree, A house, A person, An animal
• Pick & Imagine
  • Place the rocks in a small pile or bag.
  • Each child picks 2–3 rocks.
• Tell a Story
  • Use the pictures to create a simple story:
    • “Once there was a dog who lived by a big tree…”
  • Encourage children to communicate in any way they can: Speaking, Gestures, Acting it out, Pointing to the rocks
• Share & Celebrate
  • Take turns sharing stories.
  • Celebrate every child’s ideas and creativity.

Make It Extra Fun

• Add music or sound effects
• Build a group story together
• Use a favorite rock to inspire the story

Creative Thinking and Expression Skills Your Child is Learning:

• Imagination & Creativity
• Symbolic Thinking
• Storytelling Skills
• Expressive Communication
• Confidence in Self-Expression
• Collaboration & Sharing Ideas
• Creative Problem-Solving
• Artistic Expression

Rock Toss & Move Game

Ages: 3–7

What You Need

• 5–10 small rocks or bean bags
• A basket, bucket, or container
• Open space (indoors or outdoors)

How to Play

• Set Up the Target
  • Place a basket or container a short distance away. Move the target closer or farther based on ability.
  • Give your child a few rocks to hold.
• Practice Tossing
  • Have your child try to toss rocks into the container.
  • Encourage them to aim and throw gently. Allow rolling or placing objects instead of tossing.
• Add Movement
  • After each toss, ask your child to do a fun movement, such as:
    • Jump, clapping, tapping knees, or raising arms three times
    • Spin around, marching in place or rolling shoulders
    • Hop on one foot, turning head or moving arms side-to-side
• Move Closer or Farther
  • Change the distance to make it easier or more challenging.
  • Celebrate effort, not just success!

Make It Extra Fun

• Create a simple obstacle path to walk before tossing
• Play music while moving
• Take turns as a family

This activity helps children build coordination, balance, strength, and healthy movement habits while having fun and staying active.

Health, Wellness, and Physical Development Skills Your Child is Learning:

• Gross Motor Skills
• Hand–Eye Coordination
• Balance & Body Control
• Confidence & Self-Esteem
• Body Awareness
• Positive Attitudes Toward Physical Activity
• Cooperation & Inclusion
• Strength & Endurance