This post is sponsored by Eat and Learn, LLC. All thoughts are my own.
Do you have toddlers or preschoolers? If so, this post is for you! We have partnered with Eat and Learn to bring you some fun ideas for activities to make learning colors, shapes, and ABC’s lots of fun! In today’s post, I share a few of our favorites, give you some extra ideas, and even a chance to win your own activity set! My kids are 2, 5, and 7 and I was able to find a way for all of them to participate in different ways! With Eat and Learn plates, your kids can have so much fun at any age!
I love that these plates can be used for so many different things for kids of different ages. It’s so fun to find things that my kids can do together but still make sure each of them is challenged according to their own age and abilities and Eat and Learn plates were perfect for us!
Here are some of the ideas that I came up with and I would love to hear yours in the comments below! (Also, be sure to read to the end where you have a chance to WIN your own set and a $150 Amazon Gift card!!)
1. Matching Shapes, Colors, and Letters with Play-Doh!
There are 4 types of Eat and Learn plates to choose from: colors/shapes, uppercase alphabet letters, lowercase alphabet letters, and numbers! We received a few variety packs that included an assortment of each. The alphabet plates, both uppercase and lowercase, are really neat since the letters are all mixed around on the plate. It creates a fun challenge for kids to find and learn each letter instead of just knowing them in order.
We started out making Play-Doh shapes in the corresponding colors on the plate. The boys had so much fun with this and I love the idea of incorporating Play-Doh for some hands-on learning fun! The Eat and Learn plates made it so easy! Then, I gave Aidan the uppercase ABC plate and Andrew got the lowercase one. The boys used Play-Doh to create different letters on the plate. Such a fun activity since it can be done over and over again!
2. Matching and Sorting Colors with M&Ms!
Avalynn wanted to be part of this one. She absolutely LOVES M&M’s and couldn’t wait to try out this fun activity! I picked up a couple family packs of M&M’s, poured them into a bowl, and let the kids find and sort colors on the color/shape plate! They had so much fun racing to see who could fill up their shapes with the matching color first. I told them whoever wins could eat a few. Avalynn (age 2) decided she wanted to eat and play along the way so she ended up with a few extra treats and was a very happy girl!
Once the boys finished this challenge, I gave them a Ziplock bag for their M&M’s so they could save them for after dinner. We don’t always do a ton of candy, so I thought this would be a fun treat for my kids. You can definitely try this one with less sugar, perhaps Fruit Loops cereal or colorful Goldfish crackers. You can also try it without food by using water beads (like Orbeez), artificial flowers, buttons, or anything you can think of!
3. Eat and Learn During Meals!
Now this activity is pretty obvious–using the Eat and Learn plates for meals! But, you can add on a bit of your imagination and the possibilities are endless! You can have kids go around the room and find things that match the color or shape on their plate. You could take turns naming animals, food, or things that begin with the letters on their plate. It’s also just a fun way to talk about the colors, shapes, and letters while your child enjoys a meal or snack. The more they see it, the more they will start to remember. Older kids, like Andrew, can use the letters to spell their name or other words!
4. Play the Color Cleaning Game!
This is a game that our family started a couple years ago! When the playroom looks like a tornado came through and it’s too overwhelming for the kids to clean up all at once, we assign them a color and they put away all toys that match that color. “Go clean up all of the BLUE toys!” Once the blue toys are put away, they come get another color assignment. It’s like a game, and it allows them to focus on one smaller task at a time rather than one giant mess. By incorporating Eat and Learn plates into this challenge, you can give kids stickers to mark off the colors they have completed, or put a treat on each color that is complete for them to enjoy after a job well done! It’s a fun way for them to visually track their progress as they work!
My kids reallllllyyyy don’t enjoy cleaning so coming up with ideas to make even cleaning fun is essential for my sanity! Check out this before and after playroom transformation! Yikes!
5. Bonus Ideas!
Here are a few other fun ideas I came up with to enjoy Eat and Learn plates!
Zoo Scavenger Hunt! Older kids will get an alphabet plate and younger kids will get the color/shapes plate. As you explore the zoo, older kids will identify animals that begin with each letter. Younger kids will discover items around the zoo that match the colors on their plate!
Car Bingo! Kids don’t always love driving around on days where you have a lot to get done, or even while traveling! Give your child a plate (letters for older kids and colors/shapes for younger kids) and let them spot signs that begin with the letter or cars that match the color on the plate. (You can also incorporate the plates for airline travel by playing and then using them to eat on when the snacks come around!)
Birthday parties! The Eat and Learn plates are so colorful and fun to match with any party decor! Great for girls and boys, they can bring a lot of fun when used in a group!
Classroom fun! If you know a teacher who plans fun activities for younger kids, let them know about Eat and Learn! There are SO many fun ways to use these plates for learning and having fun in groups, pairs, or individually!
More About Eat and Learn:
Eat and Learn education paper plates are available in variety packs that include: numbers, shapes/colors, uppercase ABC’s and lowercase ABC’s. They are made from high quality materials and are standard size for disposable paper plates. You can take them with you anywhere–the beach, to school, in the car, around the house, etc. Each set includes a variety of 20 plates for meals or activities. They were invented by a mom and are made in America! You can purchase a set of Eat and Learn Plates here on Amazon for only $9.99! Learn more about Eat and Learn at www.eatandlearn.org or follow @eat.and.learn on Instagram!
WIN a Set of Plates + $150 AMAZON GIFT CARD
FOR PLANNING ACTIVITIES!
Love these ideas or want to try your own? I’ve teamed up with Eat and Learn to give one lucky reader a chance to win a set of plates plus a $150 Amazon Gift Card! You can use it for whatever you want, or to purchase fun items to plan out some of the activities shared here! There are several ways to enter below via Rafflecopter. You must be 18 or older to win or have a parent’s permission. This giveaway is open to US residents only and will run for one week until 7pm, August 16th. All entries WILL be verified for eligibility. I will be announcing the winner here on Facebook! Winner will be notified by email so please use a real email address! Eat and Learn will fulfill your plates via Amazon and you will receive an electronic gift card within 2 weeks of the giveaway close.
*Fake accounts or sweepstakes only accounts will be disqualified. This giveaway is not affiliated with Instagram, Facebook, or Amazon* Good luck!
WHICH ACTIVITY IDEA WAS YOUR FAVORITE?
CAN YOU THINK OF YOUR OWN FUN ACTIVITY WITH THESE PLATES?
SHARE IN THE COMMENTS BELOW!
What do you think?