Creating engaging, family-themed activities for preschoolers can be a wonderful way to foster learning while building a strong sense of connection and belonging. Family-themed activities help children learn about the world around them, discover more about the people they love, and understand what makes their family unique.
From storytime sessions featuring family stories to creative arts and crafts that represent family members, these activities can encourage positive communication skills, social understanding, and emotional growth.
Here’s a list of easy-to-implement, family-focused activities that will make learning fun for young children while helping them celebrate the special people in their lives.
How Can Family-Themed Worksheets Enhance Learning for Preschoolers?
Family-themed worksheets are a fantastic way to combine fun with education while introducing young children to concepts of togetherness, support, and caring for one another. They’ll learn family routines and habits they can carry with them throughout life.
These worksheets often include activities like coloring, matching, and simple puzzles that help young children develop fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and early literacy and numeracy skills—all while learning about family roles and traditions.
By engaging with these worksheets, preschoolers can learn about contributing to a family, helping others, and practicing routines like tidying up and sharing. Not only are these activities enjoyable, but they also build positive habits that encourage children to feel connected and responsible within the family.
What Types of Crafts Can Preschoolers Make to Learn About Family Values?
Crafting is an excellent hands-on activity that allows preschoolers to express their creativity while learning about family and the importance of working together.
Projects like creating a family tree, making handprint art for each family member, decorating a family photo frame, or making “helping hands” charts are great ways to reinforce family roles and values.
These crafts also encourage imaginative play and help develop important skills like following instructions and problem-solving while reflecting on family bonds and the joy of togetherness.
How Do Family-Themed Worksheets and Crafts Foster a Sense of Pride and Belonging?
Worksheets and crafts centered around family can help instill a sense of pride and belonging in young children.
By engaging in these activities, children can develop a deeper understanding of the importance of family, empathy, and working as a team to keep a happy home. For example, creating art related to family roles can build a personal connection, helping children appreciate their place within the family and fostering a sense of ownership over family responsibilities like helping set the table, tidying toys, and sharing with siblings.
What Are Some Easy-to-Implement Family Activities at Home?
A family theme is a wonderful way to grab your little ones’ attention and dive deeper into the joy of family togetherness.
Printable worksheets, coloring pages, and family tree templates are easy to find online and can provide hours of educational fun centered around family values and relationships. Combine these with craft supplies like glue, scissors, and colored paper to create meaningful keepsakes that celebrate family!
Reading family-themed books and watching educational videos about family life can also complement these activities, creating a well-rounded learning experience focused on love, kindness, and teamwork.
Did you know?
All the printables included in this plan are free with the Teaching Littles Membership or from other generous bloggers. I’ve tried to include a range of activities to enhance your preschool lesson plans with a family theme, providing options for various skill levels and ages from 2 to 5. You’ll have plenty of choices for each learning level, so you can decide which activities fit your child’s interests and abilities.
Literacy Activities for Preschool Family Theme
Family-themed activities provide an exciting way for preschoolers to develop literacy skills through engaging exercises like sight word books, word strips, and story prompts that center around family members and home life. There’s something for every child to enjoy, creating a warm learning environment that brings family concepts into everyday literacy activities!
My Family Mini Book (Printable) – This Booklet helps students practice their penmanship/spelling while also teaching about families. Students write or trace the family words, color the picture, and read the sentences along with it.
Family Word Strips (Printable) – These word cards are great for emerging readers & spellers. Place them in a pocket chart for easy display or simply paste them to the wall. Then students can copy the word when they need it. Seeing the words repetitively helps to learn sight words faster. The strips also have the option for copying the word right underneath for handwriting practice.
My Family Book (Printable) – Each student gets a “My Family” page. Send the page home and have parents complete it with their kids. Bind them together with string and a hole punch for the whole classroom. If you choose to not make a book, the individual pages can be hung around the classroom or in the hallway.
Family Emergent Reader (Printable) – Print the pages and put together this short book as you read simple sentences about what makes up a family.
Family Letter Match (Printable) – Simply cut on the lines and have students match the upper and lowercase letters to complete the picture.
Math Activities for Preschool Family Theme
Family-themed math activities offer a creative and engaging way for preschoolers to develop their mathematical skills while connecting with family values. By incorporating concepts like family routines, household items, and family members into math exercises, children can learn basics such as counting, sorting, and pattern recognition in a fun and interactive way.
For example, counting family members, sorting family-related objects like utensils or toys, and recognizing patterns in daily routines can make math more relatable and enjoyable. These activities encourage children to see math as part of everyday family life, building both their skills and their understanding of the role they play within the family.
Family Emergent Reader (Printable) – Print the pages and put together this short book as you read simple sentences about what makes up a family.
Family Patterns – Use these cute family counters in different colors to create patterns. Each color can represent a mom, dad, brother, sister, baby, or pet. Modeled a few ABAB patterns and then have them complete it. Once they understand that concept, model and ABBABB or ABCABC pattern.
Design a House Using Triangles – Cut out a bunch of different shaped triangles (make sure some form a square) and have students fit the triangles in different ways to make a house.
Counting Clip Cards (Printable) – Count the number of items. Then use items, such as clothespins, dot stickers, dot markers, play doh, etc. to cover the correct number.
Family Pattern Making (Printable) – Cut out squares of family member images. Have student make their own patterns, or start patterns for them and have them complete it. There is also a grid available to make it easier for students to see how many spots are left.
Arts and Crafts Activities for Preschool Family Theme
Germs and Hygiene art and creativity activities are a neat (and yucky) way to ignite the imagination of preschoolers.
Through artistic expression, children can explore different animals and perform experiments based off this theme.
These activities provide a creative outlet for young minds, encouraging them to think creatively and develop their unique artistic style.
Engaging with Germs and Hygiene themed art projects helps preschoolers enhance their fine motor skills, help with critical thinking and spark creativity while creating their masterpieces.
Family Puppets – Create the members of your family as shape puppets! Use foam sticker shapes to create people by sticking them onto a craft stick. Use markers to draw a face and details and glue to add yarn, buttons, etc. for hair and other details.
Make a Family Tree with Pictures –This is a fun visual way to see who is all in their family and how it branches off. You’ll need photos of student’s family members, large Kraft paper, and a marker. You can make it into a tree shape or just keep it simple and draw lines connecting each member. Reading “Me and My Family Tree” helps them to understand this concept.
Make cards to send to family members – Have students use construction paper, crayons, markers, stickers, and more to create cards for a selected family member. If there is a birthday or holiday coming up, they can make it for that. Otherwise, a simple I Love You card will do.
Family Tree (Printable) – Use this to help children explore their families. Send each child home with a tree background and a sheet (or half sheet) of leaves. Families can write names and relationships on the leaves. This family tree is designed to be unstructured so that it meets the needs of all families. Discuss the similarities and differences between all families.
A Family Chain (Printable) – Give students the correct number of blank people printables as there are number of members in their family. Have them color in each one and cut them out. Paste all the members of their family in a chain connected at their hands.
“My Family” House (Printable) – Fold construction paper in half to create a house, opening on the right side like a book. Cut the top to resemble a roof and make a couple of cuts at the bottom to resemble a door that can open and close. Have students color their house and then cut and paste members of their family inside.
Family Puppets with Paper Plate – Create members of a family with paper plate puppets! Use multicultural paint to paint a small paper plate, add yarn hair to match the color of their own hair, add wiggle eyes, and draw a nose and mouth. These are taped to a craft stick to make a puppet.
Cardboard Tube Family Crafts – Cut tubes down to size to represent the members of your family. Use yarn, paint, markers, googly eyes, and more to create people.
Paper Bag Puppets – Students use paper bags to make people an create a family of puppets to join together.
Matching, Sorting, & Sequencing Family Activities
Learning to sort objects in various ways helps your child develop the cognitive skills needed to recognize and create patterns, think logically, and put things in order or sequence.
Sorting and sequencing activities also support children in daily routines, like clean-up time, and encourage them to understand organization and responsibility. Why not make it fun and family-focused by sorting items related to family activities? You could sort toys by color, size, or type as part of a clean-up game, or sequence family photos by age or event.
These activities not only teach sorting and sequencing skills but also make learning feel like a natural part of family life!
Family Matching – Print out pictures of all the members of a student’s family. Use two copies and have them play the matching game as they pick up each card. Type the word below it if they are learning sight words so that they can get familiar with how to read the family names.
Family Bingo (Printable) – Give each student a board with a free space. Print out the other set of squares and cut them into individual pieces. Once the teacher calls the name of the person in the family, the student must put a marker on that spot on the board. First one to get 3 in a row wins.
Family Mega Blocks – Use old Christmas cards or magazine pictures and cut out individual faces of a family. Assign a color to each family member, ie. mom=red, dad=blue, boy=green, girl=yellow, or simplify it by grownups are all one color and children are another color. Have students create families by making a tower of blocks. You can tell them to make a family with 1 mom, 1 dad, and 2 kids or 2 dads and 3 kids or 1 mom, 1 dad, and 1 son, etc.
Family Color Sort (Printable) – Cut out family members and have students place them onto the correct color house.
Neighborhood Scavenger Hunt (Printable) – This is a fun way for students to learn new vocabulary and language while seeing new sights outside. Also includes the images so you can have them find the neighborhood images throughout the classroom and have them check it off there.
Fine Motor Activities for Family Preschool Theme
Engaging in tasks such as tracing family member names, cutting out shapes like hearts or stars, and creating sensory play crafts with themes like “Family Tree” or “Helping Hands” allows children to practice precision and control with their hands and fingers.
These activities enhance dexterity, hand-eye coordination, and muscle strength in a fun and creative way, while also fostering a sense of connection to family and routines.
Draw a family picture – A simple drawing of their family is a great fine motor activity. This is fun to see how children see their family as they make their drawings.
Cutting and Tracing (Printable) – Have students cut and/or trace on vertical or horizontal lines. Cut in strips for cutting and leave horizontal sheet in full for tracing.
Fine Motor Dot Sticker Task Cards (Printable) – Have student place dot stickers or use dot markers, crayons, or q-tips with paint to fill in the circles on these task cards. Different-sized dots are included for small dot stickers/q-tips vs. large dot sticker/dot markers. Great for a visual motor activity as well as improving pincer grasp skills.
Family Color and Write (Printable) – Have students color the picture and then trace the word below.
Discussions and Charting for Family Preschool Theme
Family-themed discussions and graphing activities offer a structured yet exciting way for preschoolers to understand family roles and routines.
By engaging in family-centered discussions, children develop their language skills, learn to articulate their thoughts, and build a deeper understanding of family dynamics. Talking about who does different tasks in the family—like cooking, cleaning, or caring for pets—helps them appreciate each family member’s role.
You can even create simple graphs together, like charting favorite family meals or tracking family activities throughout the week. These activities challenge their brains and encourage new habits while building a sense of teamwork and gratitude within the family.
Discuss Families
- What are some family traditions
- What makes up a family?
- What are the members of most families-immediate & extended?
- Where do families live?
- How are families all the same/different?
- What can families do together? Create a chart to record responses
Discuss Homes
- How to take care of your home
- What types of homes are there?
- What can you find in a home? Use an anchor chart to record responses.
- What’s important about a home?
Discuss Their Home
- What type of home do you have? Make a chart of everyone’s different homes
- Your address and Why it’s important to learn it
- What you do at home and your chores
- What is your neighborhood like
Discuss Their Family
- Who is in your family?
- What do you do with your family?
- What family traditions do you have?
- Why is your family important to you?
Dramatic Play and Gross Motor Activities for Family Theme
Family-themed songs are a fun and engaging way to introduce children to family routines and strengthen family bonds.
Through catchy melodies and playful lyrics, these songs capture children’s attention and make activities like setting the table, tidying up, or getting ready for bed much more enjoyable! Singing about family roles and routines helps children improve their memory, language skills, and rhythm, while also fostering a love for music and building a sense of connection and teamwork within the family.
Family Puppets – Created the members of their family as shape puppets and then have them play with these puppets as they act out scenes! Have students draw each member of their family. Then, cut out each drawing and tape onto a popsicle stick. And you’re done!
Play “House” – One of the most fun pretend play activities for kids is to play house. Have students themselves take turns being the mom, dad, or baby. It’s fun to see how they depict each role and what they do as each family member. Use pretend food, beds, baby blankets, cribs, etc.
Family House Block Play – Use any sort of play house and dolls or figurines to have students play house. So rather than playing themselves, they can use the figures and blocks to make families and act out family play.
Laundry Basket Toss – Have students fold laundry into a laundry basket. You can also add a gross motor component by having them throw soft laundry (use rolled up socks) into a laundry basket. Create a line with masking tape where children should stand. You can move the basket closer or farther away, depending on your students’ abilities.
Move Around the House – Call out different movements of family members or household movements & have the children act them out. For example: Move like you’re vacuuming the floor, Crawl like a baby, Stretch like you’re waking up in the morning, Pretend to stir something in a big pot, Pretend to drive the car with the family, Lift a heavy bag of groceries onto the counter, Pretend to rock a baby to sleep in your arms, and Pretend to dust the high shelves and low shelves.
Songs for Family Preschool Theme
“Finger Family Song”
:Raise up thumb: Daddy Finger, Daddy Finger, Where are you?
Here I am, Here I am, How do you do?
Repeat with Mommy (pointer), Brother (middle), Sister (ring), Baby (pinky).
“My Family Is Special” Sung to the tune of: “Where is Thumbkin?”
Daddy is special, daddy is special, Yes he is, yes he is.
Daddy likes to (say favorite activity), Daddy likes to (say favorite activity)
Yes he does, yes he does.
Replace Daddy with other family members.
Books to Read Aloud for Family Preschool Theme
Reading family-themed books aloud is a delightful way to introduce preschoolers to the joys of family life and togetherness. These books captivate young minds with engaging stories, colorful illustrations, and relatable tales about family bonds, cooperation, and kindness.
Through stories that explore family routines, sibling relationships, and shared adventures, children learn valuable lessons about empathy, responsibility, and teamwork in a safe and loving context. This read-aloud time not only nurtures a love for books but also strengthens the family connection as they learn together.
“Peppa Pig and the Family Reunion” by Candlewick Press– It’s time for Peppa’s family to get together, and Grandpa and Granny Pig are there with Auntie Pig, Uncle Pig, Cousin Chloe, and Baby Alexander. Peppa wants to teach the baby how to speak and it’s a little loud with so many people under one roof, but what matters is celebrating one another — that’s what family is all about.
“Me and My Family Tree” by Joan Sweeney – In this book, a young girl uses simple language, her own childlike drawings, and diagrams to explain how the members of her family are related to each other and to her. Clear, colorful, detailed artwork and a fill-in family tree in the back help make the parts of the family–from siblings to grandparents to cousins–understandable to very young readers.
“The Berenstain Bears Family Reunion” by Jan Berenstain – The Bears are having a family reunion, and all their relatives are invited. The tree house is ready, the tables are set, and the fun is about to start.
“The Family Book” by Todd Parr – The Family Book celebrates families and all the varieties they come in, whether it’s two moms or two dads, one parent instead of two, or living in a house with other families or grandparents. Whether they’re big or small, look alike or different, have a single parent or two, Todd Parr assures readers that every family is special in its own unique way.
“Love Makes a Family” by Sophie Beer – Love is baking a special cake, lending a helping hand, or reading one more book. Many different families are shown here in happy activities, from an early-morning wake-up to a kiss before bed. No matter what their family looks like, this simple book demonstrates that what’s most important in each family’s life is the love the family members share.
Sensory Activities for Family Theme
Science is a fantastic way for kids to explore another side of learning, and family-themed projects and activities can make it even more relatable for preschoolers.
Giving them the spark for science while engaging their senses helps them become all-around learners. Understanding concepts like growing plants together as a family, observing weather changes, or even learning how ingredients combine in family recipes makes science come to life.
Use everyday items found at home or around the community to explore topics like nature, food, and family routines. This approach not only fuels their curiosity but also teaches them about the world around them in a meaningful, family-centered way!
Family Sensory Bin – Use family figurines and kinetic sand to have students play in a sensory bin. You can also use pictures of family members instead of figurines and use any other sensory modality such as dried beans, rice, and more.
Family Play Doh Mats (Printable) – Simply put the play dough onto the mats and arrange the pieces to make a face. Younger children may have a harder time pressing the play dough on the mat to make the face. You can help them by giving them small pieces to work with or roll the dough into balls for them.
Sponge Paint House (Printable) – This sensory craft pairs well with the book “A House That Once Was,” but can be used on it’s own, as well. All you need is a sponge, acrylic paints, and this printable. Have students dip the sponge into paints and dab it on the house to create their masterpiece.
Washing Babies Sensory Bin – Let students have fun washing baby dolls with water, soap, and wash cloths. They’ll have fun feeling like little mommies and daddies as they take care of their babies.
Gingerbread Family Play Dough Cutters – Add gingerbread family cookie cutters to the play dough area. Children use these to cut out different sizes of people out of play rough to make the family. For example, the largest is the daddy, smallest is baby, etc.
Family-themed activities offer a rich and diverse way to support preschoolers’ development across various domains. From enhancing fine motor skills and literacy to sparking curiosity in science and math, these activities provide endless opportunities for young learners to grow and connect with their family.
By incorporating worksheets, crafts, sensory experiences, songs, and more, educators and parents can create a dynamic and engaging learning environment that fosters family bonds, encourages teamwork, and builds life skills.
As you explore these activities with your preschoolers, remember that the journey of learning is as important as the destination. Embrace the adventure, encourage curiosity, and enjoy the countless moments of discovery and joy that come with learning about family and home.
With each activity, you’re not only nurturing essential developmental skills but also inspiring a sense of independence, pride, and appreciation for family routines and connections.
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