Our latest from Early Explorers was all about jobs around the world. Compared to other packages, this theme had less of an international feel, since nearly all the jobs can be done in the United States. But it was nonetheless a fun set of activities and learning!
As always, our package included stickers for Travis’s map and suitcase, the activity booklet, and a “flashlight adventure.”
Jobs Craft:
For his first occupational hat, Travis was an artist for the day and put on an art show! I set him up with a variety of materials, including watercolors, dot markers, and puffy paints.
He loves squirting puffy paint into big globs, and this time added the innovation of a paint roller to make neat pictures.
Could we roll over dot markers? Only if they are still very wet and runny on the page – a neat experiment!
After my little artist was done, we hung his pictures in the living room with an index card caption for each – his very own art show!
Jobs Science:
For a scientific career, play chef of course… for what is baking if not chemistry? Heat works its magic in the case of fruit leather and apple chips… Travis even wore a toque from a recent Koala Crate on baking.
Encourage your little chef to join you in any baking recipe, or to help make dinner one night over the course of the Jobs unit.
Jobs Keepsake:
The keepsake in our package was a mix-and-match book, and this one had him in gales of laughter! We’ve played with mix-and-match books before, but he got the biggest kick out of shuffling around the career outfits on “Max and Mia”. “Look, Mom, it’s a chef-a-judge-a-firefighter!”
Jobs Visit:
The booklet suggested touring a local fire station, an activity we did almost exactly a year ago.
But this boy never tires of fire stations, and hopefully you’ll find that your firefighters are as happy to oblige a small tour as ours, especially if you explain you’re doing a home school unit on community jobs.
Thanks for letting us see the station!
Jobs Further Activities:
This month’s package came with an add-on option: a school/teacher kit, which was perfect for role-paying teacher in the month Travis began preschool.
Here he is giving me a lesson on bees:
Next, head to the library and encourage your child to ask a librarian about their job and what they do. I was so proud of Travis marching up to ask for books on a particular topic, and seeing how the librarians were able to help.
As you can see, bees were the hit of the day, today!
Over the couple weeks that we played with this package, we talked about all the different jobs a person can be, pointing out occupations wherever we went, or as we drove in the car. Point out adults in different careers in your child’s life: music teachers, pet sitters, sports coaches etc.
One important one to talk about? Babysitters! Although this list is more for parents than kids, Little Passport’s blog features a fantastic set of questions to ask any potential babysitter. Show your kids the list, and see if they have any to add!
Finally, the booklet suggested visiting the workplace of a family member to see a job in action. If you’re able to, this is a great learning experience for kids. We’re lucky enough that Travis’s dad works from home some days, so he got to help daddy with a big computer project.
joyful parenting 