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Kindergarten Activities on Family Units

Family units come in many shapes and sizes. From traditional families to broken families and blended families, not all children have a family unit that resembles everyone else's in their classroom. Teaching children to respect and appreciate the diversity of families is an appropriate topic in kindergarten. Several activities can help pupils to understand their families and appreciate those that are different.
  1. Family Crest

    • Pupils can complete their own family crest by selecting activities that are important to them.

      Explain to pupils what a family crest is and the significance of the items and colors on the symbol. Have pupils pick out three or four activities or items that are important to their family. Pass out an outline of a family crest symbol for pupils to decorate with symbols and colors. Make sure that each pupil places his family name on the project and completes it with a saying or family motto. Ask each pupil to explain his finished product to the class. Display everyone's crest in the room.

    Family Graphs

    • In this math lesson, pupils complete a list at home of all family members that they can think of, including immediate and extended family. Create a chart that contains five boxes, for parents or guardians, siblings, aunts and uncles, grandparents and cousins. Have children complete a family graph by stamping pictures of men, women and children into the corresponding boxes. Have children compare their graphs with each other to see the differences that exist within the family units.

    Who Does What?

    • Create a table with at least 10 rows and two columns. Label the columns "Person" and "Contributions." Pass these tables out to the children and instruct them to list the names of the people who live in their house in the first column. Then have them list in the second column the different contributions or activities for which the people are responsible. This activity will help pupils understand the dynamics in the family and how everyone plays a part in the daily activities.

    Create a Family Story as a Class

    • Create a class story about a family of bears.

      Have pupils sit together in front of the chalkboard. Explain that you will be creating a story about a 6-year-old bear and her family going on a picnic. Have pupils contribute to the story, adding details about brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles joining in on the picnic. Explain the terms "immediate family" and "extended family" to them. Allow pupils to come up with all of the details, encouraging imagination when selecting food to bring and names for the family members. Record the elements on the board and then read the story back to the pupils.

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