Architect/Artist
Thinking visually and planning spatially are strengths for your Architect/Artist. Most Architect/Artists are visual learners and benefit from seeing what is desired or expected. Try some of these activities that will cater to your child’s orientation to learning.
- Support visual learning opportunities: Visit museums, walk through the woods, explore interesting buildings downtown, all while investigating visual elements. Think about finding hidden triangles or noticing architecture that looks likes letters. What about exploring these same areas at dusk or after dark?
- There are an increasing number of visual games that will engage your Architect/Artist. Think spot-the-difference games, or get some hidden picture-type books.
- Give your child a durable digital camera. Let them show you their world through images and pictures!
- Make math visual:
- To help your child learn her “fact triangles” (e.g., 7+8=15; 8+7=15; 15-8=7; 15-7=8), make mats with 3 circles. Using fun counters (e.g., small dinos), have your child solve math problems using the circles and the counters. For example, for the equation 15-7=?, she would place 15 counters in one circle. She would move 7 counters to one of the empty circles. Ask her how many they still need to move to the “?” circle. This is a great introduction to algebraic thinking.
- Grab a 10: Set up 16 or 20 cards, face down, in even rows (e.g., 4x4 or 4x5). Turn over 2 cards—if they add to 10, you get to keep them; if not, flip them back over. Add up your point value at the end; highest points wins.
- There are many online resources for Architect/Artist children. Check out some of these:
- Explore the body and all of its systems virtually with this amazing 3-D anatomically correct human body! http://www.zygotebody.com/#
- Learn more about how shapes influence the strength of a frame with simple kitchen supplies: http://www.ontariosciencecentre.ca/scizone/homelab/build.asp
- Virtual field trip: http://www.moma.org/interactives/destination/destination.html So often children feel their art has to be “right” and “perfect” and look like something real. Support your child’s creativity by exploring the Museum of Modern Art in NYC through this virtual field trip interactive (Really! There is fact learning and child-doing throughout!). Kids will be inspired to learn new facts, see art in a different way, and experiment with lots of ideas!
- Visual dictionary: Nice way for children to see (literally) the connection between words. Just type the word into the box and click “Draw Thesaurus” Your child can see how words are connected by clicking on any of the bubbles that appear. http://graphwords.com/
- TheKidShouldSeeThis: Wonderful site that will help your child develop schema around historical events and interesting discoveries. I love how each short video is placed in an interesting context. Use this as a springboard to talking about small stories being steeped in context. Can your child tell you a simple story that is lodged in meaningful context? http://thekidshouldseethis.com/
- For a fun visual way to tell a story, try: http://www.drawastickman.com/
- Check out the National Gallery of Art interactives: http://www.nga.gov/kids/ (WOW!) or take a look at http://www.picassohead.com/?id=ff4f3ef where your child can look at Picasso paintings and then make their own!
- Take advantage of the incredible Into the Book site (get a “key” and click on the book, then drag the magnifying glass into the book and enjoy!) http://reading.ecb.org/student/index.html. Don’t forget to also check out this great site: http://www.pspb.org/blueribbon/interactives.html.
- Who Pooped? No way not to get engaged in the visual aspect of this site! http://www.whopooped.org/
