Read.Giggle.Hug.
Kids don’t need fancy toys to learn and grow, all they need is you! Read.Giggle.Hug. makes it simple to have quality interactions and spend engaged time with your kids, even if it’s just a few minutes at a time.
Books are fantastic, but so are street signs, receipts, cereal boxes, or anything you have in your pocket! Singing is great, too. So is making up stories. The point is to communicate by sharing ideas and feelings, making connections with your kids and the world you are living in!
Giggling is good for you! Did you know that laughing activates the brain? It causes extra endorphins to release from the brain, and it also stimulates the heart!
Need to add to your kid jokes repertoire? Check out our curated Pinterest board and get giggling.
ON-THE-GO Fun
Try these brain-boosting activities!
Handshake
Make up a special handshake that is unique to you and your kid!
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Rawr!
Teach your kid what a “bear hug” is!
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Kid Joke #1
What do you call a duck that steals? A robber duck!
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Share a Memory
Sit together and tell your favorite nice story about each other
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Read with Sound Effects
Choose a funny story to read together and add your own sound effects!
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Balancing Act
Tape a line on the floor in different ways (zig zag, curvy or straight). Ask your child to walk and balance on the line!
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Thoughtful Thinking
Encourage your child to think of a thoughtful thing they can do for someone else today.
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Story Time Surprise
Make up a new ending for your kid’s favorite book!
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What a World!
Take turns pointing out interesting things you see, hear and feel in the world around you.
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Riddle Me This
What has 2 hands but no arms? A clock!
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Heart-Felt Prompt #3
Ask your child to finish the sentence: “I feel good when…”
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Dig in the Dirt
Let your child dig in the dirt while you explain what they’re seeing and feeling.
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Bending and Twisting
Put on some music and try simple yoga moves together. Let your kid lead!
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A is for…
How many animals can you think of that start with the letter A?
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Grocery Shopping
Let your child feel and describe the items that you buy — a cold carton of milk, or the skin of an orange.
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Love Language
Tell your kid you love them more than their favorite thing: “I love you more than chocolate cupcakes!”
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Funny Ha-ha
Giggle together about something funny you saw today.
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Song Mix Up
Give your kid a famous nursery rhyme and have them sing it like a famous singer: Sing “Row Row Row Your Boat” like Elvis
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Talk This Way
Ask your child to make an animal noise, then imitate them!
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G is for…
G is for… the color green! Ask your to child point out items around the house that are green.
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Put it on the Map
Take a walk around the block and when you get home, draw a map of what you saw.
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Name Game
Spell your kid’s name with them!
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Heart-Felt Prompt #4
Ask your child to finish the sentence: “I can help others by…”
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Kid Joke #26
How do you make a tissue dance? You put a little boogie in it!
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Kid Joke #5
Why was 6 afraid of 7? Because 7, 8, 9!
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Kid Joke #30
What do you call cheese that is not yours? Nacho cheese!
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Twinkle, Twinkle
Sing “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” with your child while stargazing.
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Pretend Dinner Date
Role-play a restaurant visit. What do the server and customer do and say?
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Red Light, Green Light
Play “Red Light, Green Light” with your child outside.
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Jumping Jacks
Do 10 Jumping Jacks together, and count them!
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H is for…
Home. Practice writing your home address together!
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Colorful Nature
Make a nature color palette! Go for a walk and collect something of each basic color.
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Favorite Thing
Have your kid tell you about the best part of their day. Then tell them yours!
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Make Music
Clap your hands, stomp your feet, play drums on objects around you, make up words to go along!
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Snuggle Time
Pick a favorite movie and snuggle up together!
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Picture Book
Have your kid “read” a story to you by describing what’s in the pictures.
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Moo moo!
Sing “Old MacDonald” while tickling your baby when you make an animal sound.
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Head Shoulder Knees and Toes
Teach your child “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes” and indicate the parts of the body as you sing.
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Just Joking
What do you call a pig that knows karate? A pork chop!
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Walk This Way
While you’re on a walk, read all the street signs you pass – out loud!
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D is for..
Dinner. At the dinner table, help your child spell out the foods that you’re eating!
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E is for…
Exit. Running errands together? Help your child find the EXIT sign.
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Kid Joke #28
What do you give a sick lemon? Lemon-aide!
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Day Dreamer
What shapes can you see together in the clouds?
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What’s in a name?
Together practice writing your child’s name and your name. Ask your child to circle any letters you have in common.
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Muddy Footprints
Leave your tracks in the mud outside and talk about the differences between their footprints and yours!
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I Spy
I spy, with my little eye, something … fun! Play “I Spy” with your kids!
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Sing-A-Long
Look up the lyrics to your child’s newest favorite song and learn the words together.
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Up in the Clouds
Ask you child, “Imagine you could fly, where would you go?”
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Love Notes
Have your child write a letter to their favorite stuffed animal, and then read it aloud!
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Heart-Felt Prompt #4
Ask your child to finish the sentence: “I can help others by…”
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Kid Joke #2
What has a head and tail but no legs? A penny!
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Kid Joke #14
What music are balloons scared of? Pop music
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Wonder
Start a conversation by asking, “What did you wonder about today?”
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Kid Joke #14
What music are balloons scared of? Pop music.
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Code Word
Pick a book, and then pick a code word. Every time you read the code word have your child do a jumping jack.
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Where’s That?
Sing “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes” and point to the right body parts.
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Favorite Quotes
Make a list of the most interesting things your child says this week, and read it to them over the weekend.
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Let’s Race!
Make up silly relays for teams of two and race against each other.
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Heart-Felt Prompt #2
Ask your child to finish the sentence: “My favorite animal is…”
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Giddy Up
Give your child a piggy-back ride around the house or the yard.
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Grand Tour
Ask your child to give you a tour of your house and show you their favorite spot to play.
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Would You Rather?
Give your kid two statements and have them choose which one they like best: “Would you rather have your own personal magic carpet or your own personal robot?”
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What’s that Feeling?
Have your kid make a face, then guess what feeling they’re expressing. Then it’s your turn to make a feelings face!
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Throwback
Connect with your kid on a deeper level by showing them your old baby pictures!
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Kid Joke #25
What does a cloud wear under their raincoat? Thuderwear!
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Just Dance
Have your child make up a silly dance and teach it to you.
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Kid Joke #29
Where do cows go on Friday nights? To the moo-vies!
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Hmmm…
Play a guessing game: 20 Questions or I Spy.
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Once Upon A Time
Make up a fairytale with your kid in the starring role. Tell the story or try acting it out!
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What’s That Smell?
Go outside together with your eyes closed and name everything you can hear and smell.
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Kid Joke #7
Why do fish live in saltwater? Because pepper makes them sneeze!
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Taste & Texture
Let your baby touch and taste different food textures! Talk about each one.
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Silly Songs
Make up a silly song for your baby, describing things you are doing.
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Alphabet Song
Sing the alphabet song together!
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Alternate Beginnings
Before starting to tell or read a story, have your child make up something new to replace “Once upon a time.”
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B is for…
How many objects can you think of that start with the letter B?
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New Tastes
Taste a new food. Talk to your child about what it is and what it tastes like.
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Outfit of the Day
Have your child get dressed on their own today, then tell them everything you like about what they picked out.
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Kid Joke #8
What do you call a cow on a trampoline? A milk shake!
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Kids Joke #10
Why are frogs so happy? They eat whatever bugs them.
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Guess that tune
Take turns humming a song and guess that tune!
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Imitation Game
Watch the faces your baby is making, and imitate them.
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Rodeo
Hold your own rodeo with a big bouncy ball! Take turns “riding” the ball, and see who can stay on the longest.
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Pocket Prose
Read something aloud from your pocket.
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Frog Hop
How many times can you hop like a frog! Can you ribbit and hop at the same time?
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Kid Joke #12
What bow can’t be tied? A rainbow!
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Kid Joke #14
What music are balloons scared of? Pop music
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Kid Joke #13
What dog keeps the best time? A watch dog.
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Body Language
Touch parts of baby’s body like their nose, toes, and belly button, and name them as you go!
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Heart-Felt Prompt #4
Ask your child to finish the sentence: “I can help others by…”
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Which Lid is Which
Collect 4 empty storage containers with matching lids. Show and explain how to take the lid off and put it back on.
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Stop and Read
Talk about street signs while you’re in the car.
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Spelling Bee
Challenge your child to spell words they know out loud!
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Heart-Felt Prompt
Ask your kid to finish the sentence: “A friend is someone who…”
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Heart-Felt Prompt #3
Ask your child to finish the sentence: “I feel good when…”
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What Are You Up To?
Describe to your baby everything you’re doing as you do a chore.
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Self Portraits
Draw two self portraits, one with a happy face and one with a sad face. Talk about feelings.
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Thanks!
Write a Thank You note together!
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Show and Tell
Give your kid a topic, like his favorite fruit, a favorite book, or a road trip with the family. Have them share an item related to that topic.
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C is for…
Can you spell your favorite color?
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Sing me a Song
Pick a favorite, appropriate song and teach your child to sing along to the melody.
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Kid Joke #11
What is the tallest building in the world? The library! It has the most stories!
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Driving Alphabet
On a long drive, find all the letters of the alphabet on billboards and license plates, and point them out to each other.
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Kid Joke #6
What do you call a fake noodle? An Impasta!
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Rhyme Time!
Help your child think of words that rhyme with their favorite animals!
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Nature Walk
Go for a walk together, taking time to feel tree bark, hold a leaf, pinecones or rock, and make scratches in the dirt.
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Kid Joke #12
What bow can’t be tied? A rainbow!
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Guess How Many
Guess how many windows and doors are in your house, then count them.
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Kid Joke #15
What do cats eat for breakfast? Mice Crispies!
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F is for…
Fruit. Help you child spell their favorite fruits!
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Look Up!
What shapes can you see together in the clouds?
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Kid Joke #11
What is the tallest building in the world? The library! It has the most stories!
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Feels
Make a feelings book together. Draw pictures that make you feel happy, sad, and silly, and talk about them.
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Finish the Story
Start a story and then ask your child to create their own ending!
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Counting Swings
At the park, count together how many times you push your child on the swings.
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Kid Joke #27
What do you call a fake noodle? An im-pasta!
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Secret Handshake
Create a silly handshake and practice it!
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Kid Joke #9
How do you make a tissue dance? Put a little boogey in it!
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Kid Joke #3
What do you call a pig that knows karate? A pork chop!
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Kid Joke #4
What do you call cheese that’s not your own? Nacho cheese!
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Let Me Count The Ways
Hug and tell your child what you love about them!
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Find More Activities
Need more ideas for engaging activities? We have even more activities that make it simple to Read, Giggle, and Hug.