Age 3 to 7: Before you read the instructions and teach your child to plan the game or use the device, ask your child to (pretend) ‘read’ the instructions and teach you to play the game! Pretend reading is a reading readiness skill and if your child is starting to or reading, instructions are a challenge and a learning standard!
After you learn your child’s rules, read the instructions together and learn the game’s rules too.
Age 8 to 10: Your second to fifth graders will be able to read the instructions and understand most or all of the game’s rules. Ask your child to read the rules and teach her brothers or sisters or cousins or neighbors, or all, that are at your house for the holidays!
Stand by in case you need to help with a big word or a hard rule..
Age 11 and up! Now these are the kids that can figure out how to operate all of the gadgets you received for Christmas and teach you how to use them. It’s their moment in the sun and you are fostering valuable skills! It really is Christmas, right?
Board and Card Games
Ask your child to read the directions from the manufacturer, learn how to play the game, and then have them teach a family member how to play.
Tired of the new game already? Have your child make up their own rules for the game and then teach the rules of their "new" game to the family.
Have you lost the instructions or game pieces already? Check out this database filled with the original instructions to hundreds of games.
Old School Classic Christmas Presents
Christmas will always be a time to introduce your young ones to classic toys such as bikes, skateboards, and Hula Hoops. Question is...these gifts do NOT come with instructions. Can you remember how to work them and then teach your children how to use them? Don't worry, Knowledge Essentials is here to help. Consider it our Christmas present to you.
Click here for instructions on how to ride a bike. Here is a video version.
Need help with that skateboard? Try out these video instructions.
Look here for directions to refresh your Hula Hooping skills, or just watch an instructional video.
Electronics
Got a new gadget? Let your tween or teen show you how to use it! Hand over the directions and get ready to learn. New computer, new DVD player, what’s a TIVO again??? Your child may be the perfect person to help you out---or at least to teach you the basics before you call up the Geek Squad.
Lost the instructions already? Look on the manufacturers website for a free downloadable one…here is an alphabetical list of popular electronics manufacturers and links to their websites.
Wrap it up!
The Grinch doesn't have to be the only green guy around Christmas time. Have your family go green by recycling all of your wrapping paper, boxes, extra instructions and your tree!
Not exactly sure how to recycle all of your holiday waste? Check out Earth 911's helpful online guide to recycling.
