Things worth knowing how to do.

You need: Just your hands.

1. Hello: hold a flat hand with your fingertips near your forehead, then move it outward, like a small salute.
2. Thank you: touch the fingertips of a flat hand to your chin, then move your hand forward and down toward the person you’re thanking.
3. I love you: hold up your thumb, index finger and pinky, with your middle and ring fingers folded down, palm facing out.
4. Practice each one until you can sign it to each other across the room.
5. Use them at dinner tonight.

Dad tip: Learn more from Deaf teachers. Many share free lessons online, and signing is a whole language, not just gestures.

Make it work for your kid: Great for every kid. Kids with limited hand movement can sign with one hand or approximate the shape; what counts is the meaning.

Seated-friendly · Deaf / hard of hearing friendly

With two grown-ups: Each of you teaches the other one sign, then quiz each other.

You need: Thin paper, chunky crayons with the paper peeled off, and leaves or a tree trunk.

1. Collect a few leaves with bumpy veins.
2. Put a leaf under the paper, bumpy side up.
3. Rub the side of the crayon gently across the paper. The leaf appears like magic.
4. Try a tree trunk: hold the paper against the bark and rub.
5. Label your rubbings with the tree names if you know them.

Dad tip: Tape the paper down to the table so it doesn’t slide.

Make it work for your kid: Taping the paper down and using chunky crayons makes this work for small or less steady hands. For low vision, feel each leaf’s ridges before rubbing it.

Seated-friendly · Low vision friendly · Fine-motor friendly · Deaf / hard of hearing friendly

With two grown-ups: One holds the paper steady, the other rubs, then swap.

You need: A clear jar, paper towels, water and a few dry beans.

1. Crumple paper towels and stuff them into the jar.
2. Slide two or three beans between the towel and the glass so you can see them.
3. Add water until the towels are damp but not soaking.
4. Put the jar in a bright spot and keep the towels damp.
5. Check every day. A root shows up in a few days, then a sprout reaches up.

Dad tip: Draw what you see each day to make a growth diary.

Safety: Dry beans can be a choking hazard for very young kids, so a grown-up handles them.

Make it work for your kid: A seated activity with big rewards for small effort. For low vision, your kid can gently feel the root and the sprout as they grow.

Seated-friendly · Low vision friendly · Fine-motor friendly · Deaf / hard of hearing friendly

With two grown-ups: Plant one jar each and race the sprouts.

You need: Toys or pantry items, sticky notes for price tags, and play or real coins.

1. Set up a shop and put a price on each item.
2. Give your kid a set amount to spend.
3. Take turns as shopper and cashier, counting money and giving change.
4. When the money runs out, talk about choosing what you want most.

Dad tip: Running out of money is the lesson. Let it happen gently.

Make it work for your kid: Use big price numbers and chunky play coins. It works seated at a table.

Seated-friendly · Fine-motor friendly · Deaf / hard of hearing friendly

With two grown-ups: One of you runs the store, the other shops, then switch.

You need: A small treat or sticker.

1. Offer a choice: one sticker now, or two stickers if you wait until after lunch.
2. If they wait, celebrate the patience and give the reward.
3. If they choose now, that’s fine too; talk about it without judgment.
4. Try it again with longer waits as they grow.

Dad tip: Waiting for something you want is the root skill behind saving.

Make it work for your kid: Use a visual timer so kids can see the wait shrinking.

Seated-friendly · Deaf / hard of hearing friendly · Sensory-friendly

With two grown-ups: Both of you play: whoever waits gets the bigger reward.

You need: A shoe with laces. Two different colored laces make it easier to learn.

1. Cross the laces into an X, tuck one under and pull both tight. That’s the starting knot.
2. Make a loop with each lace. These are the bunny ears.
3. Cross the bunny ears into an X.
4. Tuck one ear under and through the hole at the bottom of the X.
5. Pull both ears out to the sides to tighten.

Dad tip: Practice on a shoe sitting on the table before trying one that’s on a foot.

Make it work for your kid: Two different colored laces make the steps easier to follow. If tying isn’t realistic yet, elastic no-tie laces or shoes with Velcro are a great win too.

Seated-friendly · Fine-motor friendly · Deaf / hard of hearing friendly

With two grown-ups: One of you says the steps out loud while the other ties.

You need: A calm moment to practice, before you ever need it.

1. Stop and stay where you are. Grown-ups find kids faster when kids stay put.
2. Look for a helper: a worker with a name tag, a police officer, or a parent with kids.
3. Tell them your name and your grown-up’s name.
4. Say your grown-up’s phone number. Practice it until your kid knows it by heart.
5. Never leave the place with anyone to go look for your grown-up.

Dad tip: For you: at the start of any big outing, pick a meeting spot and snap a quick photo of what your kid is wearing that day.

Safety: Practice by role-playing at home. Keep it calm and confident, not scary.

Make it work for your kid: For a kid who doesn’t speak or uses a communication device, practice showing a card or bracelet with your name and phone number, and add ‘show my card’ to the steps.

Seated-friendly · Deaf / hard of hearing friendly · Sensory-friendly

With two grown-ups: One of you plays the lost kid, the other plays the helper, then switch.

You need: Paper, a crayon and a quiet outdoor spot.

1. Draw an X in the middle of the paper. That’s you.
2. Sit still and close your eyes for two minutes. Just listen.
3. Each time you hear a sound, draw a quick symbol where it came from: a squiggle for wind, a V for a bird, a box for a car.
4. Open your eyes and compare maps.
5. Talk about which sound was closest, farthest and most surprising.

Dad tip: Try the same spot in the morning and at dusk. The map changes completely.

Make it work for your kid: Perfect for low vision: your kid can name the sounds out loud while you draw, or use stickers they can feel. For deaf or hard-of-hearing kids, make a ‘movement map’ of everything that moves instead.

Seated-friendly · Low vision friendly · Sensory-friendly

With two grown-ups: Sit back to back so you can’t see each other’s maps until the end.

You need: A paper towel tube, aluminum foil, a handful of dry rice or beans, tape and paper.

1. Tape paper over one end of the tube.
2. Twist a long strip of foil into a loose spiral, like a spring, and push it into the tube.
3. Pour in the rice or beans.
4. Tape paper over the open end.
5. Tip the tube slowly and listen to the rain.

Dad tip: More foil twists make a slower, softer rain.

Safety: Keep rice and beans away from little kids who might put them in their mouths, and tape the ends well.

Make it work for your kid: A calming, gentle sound that many kids with sensory sensitivities enjoy. It works entirely by sound and touch, so it’s great for low vision.

Seated-friendly · Low vision friendly · Sensory-friendly

With two grown-ups: Make two with different fillings and compare the sounds.

You need: A pinecone, string, sunflower seed butter and birdseed.

1. Tie the string around the top of the pinecone.
2. Spread sunflower seed butter into the gaps with a spoon or craft stick.
3. Roll the pinecone in a plate of birdseed until it’s coated.
4. Hang it from a branch you can see from a window.
5. Keep a list of the birds that visit.

Dad tip: Sunflower seed butter keeps it nut-free.

Safety: Check for seed allergies first, and wash hands after.

Make it work for your kid: A seated, table-height project. A wide spoon or a craft stick with a foam grip makes spreading easier.

Seated-friendly · Fine-motor friendly · Deaf / hard of hearing friendly

With two grown-ups: Each of you makes one, hang them side by side and see which gets more visitors.

You need: A handful of coins and a muffin tin or small bowls.

1. Dump the coins out and sort them by type into the cups.
2. Talk about each one: its size, its color and what it’s worth.
3. Count how many of each you have.
4. Older kids: add them up and trade coins for a bill when you reach a dollar.

Dad tip: Let them keep the coins in a jar afterward. Saving starts with seeing money pile up.

Safety: Coins are a choking hazard for little kids. Stay right there, and skip this with kids who still put things in their mouths.

Make it work for your kid: Coins have different sizes and edges, so sorting by touch works well for low vision. A muffin tin keeps coins from sliding for less steady hands.

Seated-friendly · Low vision friendly · Deaf / hard of hearing friendly

With two grown-ups: One of you sorts, the other counts, then switch.

You need: Three clear jars, labels or stickers, and some coins.

1. Label the jars Save, Spend and Share, with a picture on each.
2. Each time your kid gets money, split it between the three jars together.
3. Talk about what each jar is for: something big later, something small now, and helping others.
4. When a jar fills up, celebrate and use it for its purpose.

Dad tip: Clear jars matter. Kids need to see their money grow.

Make it work for your kid: Use jars with different textures or bands so they’re easy to tell apart by touch.

Seated-friendly · Low vision friendly · Deaf / hard of hearing friendly

With two grown-ups: Each of you keeps your own set of jars and compares progress.

You need: One sheet of printer paper.

1. Fold the paper in half the long way, crease it, then unfold it.
2. Fold the two top corners in so they meet at the center crease.
3. Fold the new slanted edges in to the center crease again, making a sharp point.
4. Fold the whole plane in half along the center crease, with the folds on the outside.
5. Fold each wing down so its top edge lines up with the bottom of the plane’s body.
6. Pinch the body and throw it gently and level, not hard.

Dad tip: Bend the back edges of both wings up just a little for a longer, smoother glide.

Make it work for your kid: Pre-crease the folds for your kid, use slightly thicker paper, and let them do the final folds and the throw.

Seated-friendly · Fine-motor friendly · Deaf / hard of hearing friendly

With two grown-ups: Each of you folds one, then hold a three-round distance contest.

You need: One sheet of printer paper.

1. Fold the paper in half from top to bottom.
2. Fold the two top corners down to meet in the middle, making a triangle with a strip at the bottom.
3. Fold the bottom strip up on the front. Flip it over and fold the other strip up. You’ve made a paper hat.
4. Open the hat from the bottom and flatten it into a diamond.
5. Fold the bottom corner of the diamond up to the top on the front, then do the same on the back, making a triangle.
6. Open the triangle from the bottom and flatten it into a diamond again.
7. Gently pull the two top corners apart. The boat pops into shape.

Dad tip: Rub a crayon over the bottom so it floats longer in the bath or a puddle.

Safety: Float boats in a tub, sink or puddle with a grown-up nearby.

Make it work for your kid: You do the tricky middle folds; your kid does the first fold and the final ‘pop’ open. Float it in a tub at table height.

Seated-friendly · Fine-motor friendly · Deaf / hard of hearing friendly

With two grown-ups: Build a fleet and race them down a rain gutter or across the tub.

You need: A window or a spot to lie on the grass.

1. Puffy white clouds like cotton balls (cumulus) usually mean fair weather.
2. Tall, towering clouds with dark, flat bottoms (cumulonimbus) can bring thunderstorms.
3. Thin, wispy, feathery clouds high up (cirrus) can mean the weather will change in a day or so.
4. A flat gray blanket covering the sky (stratus) often brings drizzle or a gloomy day.
5. Make a guess about tomorrow’s weather, then check if you were right.

Dad tip: Keep a weather guess chart on the fridge for a week and see who predicts best.

Safety: If tall dark clouds are building and you hear thunder, head indoors.

Make it work for your kid: Do it from a window seat. It’s all about looking, so it works well for deaf and hard-of-hearing kids.

Seated-friendly · Deaf / hard of hearing friendly

With two grown-ups: One of you names the cloud, the other makes the forecast.

You need: Everyday moments.

1. Instead of “We can’t afford that,” try “That’s not in our plan this month. Let’s see if we can save for it.”
2. Explain a few real choices you make, like why you compare prices or wait for a sale.
3. Let older kids see a bill and how you pay it.
4. Share a money mistake you made and what you learned.

Dad tip: Money stays taboo only if no one talks about it. Normalize it at the dinner table.

Make it work for your kid: Works for every kid, everywhere.

Seated-friendly · Low vision friendly · Deaf / hard of hearing friendly · Sensory-friendly

With two grown-ups: Share your own stories about how your families handled money.

You need: Flat, smooth stones about the size of your palm, and calm water.

1. Hunt for the flattest, roundest stones you can find. Thin and smooth beats heavy.
2. Hold the stone flat, with your index finger curled along its edge and your thumb on top.
3. Stand sideways to the water and crouch down low.
4. Throw sidearm, keeping the stone level, and flick your wrist so it spins.
5. Aim to hit the water at a shallow angle, like a skateboard landing on a ramp, not diving in.
6. Count the skips. Your kid’s first double-digit skip is a big deal.

Dad tip: Spin matters more than strength. A gentle throw with a good wrist flick beats a hard throw every time.

Safety: A grown-up stays at the water’s edge the whole time, and everyone throws away from swimmers and wildlife.

Make it work for your kid: Throw from a bench or wheelchair at the water’s edge, or turn it into a ‘biggest splash’ contest, which needs no technique at all. Hand-over-hand guidance works well for the throw.

Seated-friendly

With two grown-ups: One of you hunts for stones while the other coaches the throw.

You need: A piece of rope, a shoelace or a bandana.

1. Hold one rope end in each hand.
2. Cross the right end over the left, tuck it under and pull it through.
3. Now cross the left end over the right, tuck it under and pull it through.
4. Pull both ends to tighten.
5. Check it: the two loops should lie flat, side by side. If the ends stick out crooked, it’s a granny knot. Untie it and try again.

Dad tip: Say it out loud while you tie: right over left, left over right.

Safety: A square knot is for bundles and bandanas. Never use it for climbing or to hold anyone’s weight.

Make it work for your kid: Use thick rope or two ropes of different colors and textures so each end is easy to tell apart by sight or touch.

Seated-friendly · Low vision friendly · Deaf / hard of hearing friendly

With two grown-ups: Race each other to tie and check five in a row.

You need: A clear night away from bright lights. A blanket helps.

1. Find the Big Dipper: seven bright stars shaped like a big ladle.
2. Look at the two stars that make the outer edge of the ladle’s cup. These are the pointer stars.
3. Draw an imaginary line from the bottom pointer star through the top one.
4. Follow that line about five times the distance between the two pointers.
5. You’ll reach a medium-bright star sitting on its own. That’s Polaris, the North Star, at the end of the Little Dipper’s handle.
6. Face it. You’re now facing north.

Dad tip: The Big Dipper rotates around Polaris through the night and the seasons, so it may be tipped on its side or upside down.

Safety: This works in the Northern Hemisphere only.

Make it work for your kid: Pick a stargazing spot you can reach on a paved path. For low vision, a stargazing app that reads star names aloud lets your kid ‘find’ Polaris by sound.

Seated-friendly · Deaf / hard of hearing friendly

With two grown-ups: One of you spots the Dipper, the other follows the pointers to Polaris.

You need: A storm, watched from indoors, and something to count with.

1. When you see a flash of lightning, start counting seconds.
2. Stop counting when you hear the thunder.
3. Divide your count by 5. That’s roughly how many miles away the lightning struck.
4. If you count fewer than 30 seconds, the storm is close enough to be dangerous. Stay inside.

Dad tip: Light reaches you almost instantly, but sound travels about one mile every five seconds.

Safety: Only do this from indoors. If you can hear thunder, you’re close enough to be struck, so wait 30 minutes after the last thunder before going out.

Make it work for your kid: Counting by sound works well for kids with low vision. For deaf or hard-of-hearing kids, count from the flash to the moment you feel the rumble, or follow a live lightning map in a weather app.

Seated-friendly · Low vision friendly

With two grown-ups: Each of you counts separately and compares numbers.

You need: A wide, flat blade of grass.

1. Pick a wide, flat, unbroken blade of grass.
2. Put your thumbs side by side, with the blade stretched tight between them.
3. The blade should run straight down the small gap between your thumb knuckles.
4. Press your lips to the gap and blow hard.
5. No sound? Pull the blade tighter or try a wider blade.

Dad tip: It sounds like a duck at first. That’s normal. Keep adjusting until it squeals.

Make it work for your kid: It’s loud, so kids with sound sensitivity can wear ear muffs or just be the judge. It works by feel, so it’s great for low vision.

Seated-friendly · Low vision friendly

With two grown-ups: Try to play a call-and-response: one whistles, the other answers.

You need: A tarp or old sheet, rope, two posts or sturdy chairs, and rocks or clothespins.

1. Tie a rope between two posts, trees or chairs at about waist height, using clove hitches.
2. Drape the tarp over the rope so one side hangs longer than the other.
3. Pull the long side out and down at an angle to the ground.
4. Hold the bottom edge in place with rocks.
5. Face the open side away from the wind.
6. Move in blankets, pillows and a flashlight.

Dad tip: This is how hikers make a quick rain shelter. Name your camp.

Safety: Keep rope ends away from necks, and skip tent stakes if little kids are around.

Make it work for your kid: Hang the rope at wheelchair height and make the open side wide enough to roll in. Your kid can be the camp designer.

Seated-friendly · Deaf / hard of hearing friendly

With two grown-ups: One of you rigs the rope while the other gathers rocks and blankets.

You need: A short shopping list and a set budget.

1. Give your kid a list of three or four items and a budget.
2. Compare two brands of the same item and find the better deal.
3. Show them the unit price on the shelf tag.
4. Add up the total before checkout and see if you stayed on budget.

Dad tip: Store brands are the easy win. Let them discover that themselves.

Make it work for your kid: Use a phone calculator with large numbers. Works from a cart or a wheelchair.

Seated-friendly · Deaf / hard of hearing friendly

With two grown-ups: Split the list and race to find the best deals.

You need: Paper, markers and a few chores beyond the everyday ones.

1. List basic chores everyone does for free, because they’re part of the family.
2. List extra jobs that can earn money, like washing the car or weeding.
3. Agree on what each extra job pays.
4. Pay when the job’s done well, then head straight to the three jars.

Dad tip: Separating family chores from paid jobs teaches that money is earned with extra effort.

Make it work for your kid: Pick jobs that fit your kid’s abilities, like sorting recycling, folding towels or feeding pets.

Seated-friendly · Deaf / hard of hearing friendly

With two grown-ups: One of you posts jobs, the other inspects the finished work.

You need: Paper, markers and something your kid wants to buy.

1. Pick something they want that costs more than they have now.
2. Draw a thermometer or a ladder split into steps.
3. Color in a step each time they add savings.
4. Buy it together when they reach the top.

Dad tip: The feeling of buying something with money they saved is the whole lesson.

Make it work for your kid: Use stickers instead of coloring for less steady hands.

Seated-friendly · Fine-motor friendly · Deaf / hard of hearing friendly

With two grown-ups: Set a goal of your own on the same chart and save alongside them.

You need: A clean milk carton or foam tray, two pencils, a rubber band, tape and a small piece of plastic lid.

1. A grown-up cuts a boat shape about the size of a hand from the carton or tray.
2. Tape a pencil along each side so both stick out past the back of the boat.
3. Stretch a rubber band between the two pencil ends.
4. Cut a small square from the plastic lid and slide it into the middle of the rubber band. That’s the paddle.
5. Wind the paddle around and around, set the boat in water and let go.

Dad tip: Wind the paddle the other way to make the boat go backward.

Safety: A grown-up does the cutting, and water play stays supervised.

Make it work for your kid: You do the cutting and winding; your kid decorates the boat and launches it in a tub at table height.

Seated-friendly · Fine-motor friendly · Deaf / hard of hearing friendly

With two grown-ups: Build two and race them across the tub.

You need: Lemonade ingredients, cups, a table and a sign.

1. Add up what the supplies cost. That’s the cost.
2. Decide a price per cup together.
3. Sell, and count the money you made. That’s revenue.
4. Subtract the cost from the revenue. That’s profit.
5. Decide how to split the profit across the three jars.

Dad tip: Ask: “What would happen if we charged more? Or less?”

Safety: Stay with them the whole time, and check local rules for selling.

Make it work for your kid: Kids can run the cash box or count change while seated.

Seated-friendly · Deaf / hard of hearing friendly

With two grown-ups: One of you handles money, the other handles sales.

You need: Rope and a post, a broom handle or a chair leg.

1. Wrap the rope once around the post.
2. Cross the rope over itself, making an X on the front of the post.
3. Wrap it around the post a second time.
4. Tuck the end under that X.
5. Pull both ends to snug it tight against the post.

Dad tip: It’s the quickest way to tie a rope to a post. You’ll use it for the backyard lean-to below.

Safety: Keep ropes away from necks, and never leave young kids alone with rope.

Make it work for your kid: Practice around a table leg or the arm of a wheelchair. Thick, soft rope is easier to grip.

Seated-friendly · Deaf / hard of hearing friendly

With two grown-ups: One of you holds the post steady while the other ties.

You need: A sewing needle, a magnet, a small leaf or a slice of cork, and a bowl of water.

1. Stroke the needle with one end of the magnet, always in the same direction, 30 to 50 times.
2. Lay the needle on a small leaf or slice of cork.
3. Float it gently in the middle of a bowl of still water.
4. Watch it slowly turn and settle. It lines up north to south.
5. Check your result with the compass on a phone.

Dad tip: Stroking in one direction lines up tiny magnetic regions inside the steel, turning the needle into a weak magnet.

Safety: A grown-up handles the needle, and small magnets stay away from little kids who might swallow them.

Make it work for your kid: It’s a tabletop project. You handle the needle; your kid floats the leaf and watches it turn.

Seated-friendly · Deaf / hard of hearing friendly

With two grown-ups: Make two and see whose needle settles first.

You need: Three bean bags or rolled-up socks.

1. One ball: toss it from hand to hand in an arc that peaks around eye level. Do this until it feels boring.
2. Two balls: start with one in each hand. Toss the first. When it reaches the top, toss the second underneath it. Catch, catch.
3. Practice the two-ball toss until the rhythm feels steady.
4. Three balls: hold two in your stronger hand and one in the other.
5. Toss one from your two-ball hand. Each time a ball peaks, toss the next one. Catch, toss, catch, toss.

Dad tip: Stand facing a bed so dropped balls don’t roll away. Everyone drops at first.

Make it work for your kid: Start with silk scarves instead of balls; they fall slowly and are easy to catch. Juggling seated works fine.

Seated-friendly · Fine-motor friendly · Deaf / hard of hearing friendly

With two grown-ups: Pass two balls back and forth between you, then try three.

You need: A deck of cards.

1. Start easy with an overhand shuffle: hold the deck in one hand and use your thumb to slide small groups of cards into the other hand.
2. For a riffle shuffle, split the deck into two halves on the table, short ends facing each other.
3. Hold each half with your thumb at the inner corner and your fingers on the outer edge.
4. Bend the cards up slightly with your thumbs and let them drop so the two halves fall together.
5. Push the halves together into one deck.

Dad tip: Little hands do better with half a deck at first.

Make it work for your kid: Use half a deck, jumbo cards, or a simple card holder. Spreading cards face down on the table and mixing them with both hands is a perfectly good shuffle.

Seated-friendly · Fine-motor friendly · Deaf / hard of hearing friendly

With two grown-ups: One shuffles, one deals, then switch.

You need: A bike with a slipped chain and a rag.

1. Shift to the smallest gear in the back if your bike has gears.
2. Hook the chain onto the teeth at the bottom of the back gear.
3. Hook the chain onto a few teeth at the bottom of the front ring.
4. Slowly turn the pedals backward by hand. The chain climbs back on.
5. Spin the pedals a few turns to make sure it runs smoothly.

Dad tip: Keep a rag in your pocket for greasy hands.

Safety: Keep fingers away from the teeth while the pedals turn.

Make it work for your kid: Works the same on an adaptive trike or tandem bike. Your kid can turn the pedals by hand while you guide the chain.

Seated-friendly · Deaf / hard of hearing friendly

With two grown-ups: One of you holds the bike steady while the other works the chain.

You need: About 3 feet of rope.

1. Make a small loop in the rope a little way from the end. This is the rabbit hole. The long part of the rope is the tree.
2. Push the end of the rope up through the hole: the rabbit comes out of its hole.
3. Take the end around behind the long part of the rope: the rabbit runs around the tree.
4. Push the end back down through the small loop: the rabbit goes back down its hole.
5. Hold the end against the big loop and pull the long part to tighten.

Dad tip: The bowline makes a loop that won’t slip or tighten, which is why sailors love it.

Safety: Practice knots only. Never use a homemade knot for climbing, swings or anything that holds a person.

Make it work for your kid: Tie it around a chair leg on a table at a comfortable height. Thick rope is easier for small or tired hands.

Seated-friendly · Deaf / hard of hearing friendly

With two grown-ups: One of you tells the rabbit story out loud while the other ties.

You need: A tape measure, a sunny day and a tree with a clear shadow.

1. Measure your kid’s height.
2. Measure the length of your kid’s shadow.
3. Right away, measure the length of the tree’s shadow, before the sun moves.
4. Divide your kid’s height by their shadow length.
5. Multiply that number by the tree’s shadow length. That’s about how tall the tree is.

Dad tip: This is the same math engineers use: similar triangles. Your kid just did geometry outside.

Safety: Never look directly at the sun.

Make it work for your kid: Your kid can be the ‘recorder’ and do the math while you hold the tape. Measure their shadow seated if they use a wheelchair; the math still works if you measure their seated height too.

Seated-friendly · Deaf / hard of hearing friendly

With two grown-ups: One of you measures while the other records the numbers.

You need: A 3x3 puzzle cube. A smooth “speed cube” turns more easily than an old stiff one. Plan on a few sessions; most kids get their first solve within a week or two.

1. Learn the language first. Hold the cube with one face toward you. R means turn the right side one quarter turn away from you (top goes back). L means turn the left side toward you (top comes forward). U turns the top layer to the left, F turns the front face clockwise, D turns the bottom layer to the right. A letter with a ’ (R’) means the same turn the other way. Centers never move, so the center square tells you a face’s color.
2. Make the white cross. Turn the cube until the white center is on top. Bring the four white edge pieces up next to it so you get a white plus sign, and line each edge’s second color up with the center below it. Go slowly and figure this one out by feel; there’s no move to memorize.
3. Finish the white side. Find a corner piece with white on it in the bottom layer and turn the bottom until that corner sits right under the spot where it belongs. Hold that spot at the front right and repeat R’ D’ R D until the corner pops into place with white on top. Do this for all four corners. It can take up to five repeats; keep going.
4. Flip the cube so white is on the bottom. Now fill the middle layer. Find a top edge with no yellow on it and turn the top until its front color matches the center below. If it needs to go to the right, do U R U’ R’ U’ F’ U F. If it needs to go to the left, do U’ L’ U L U F U’ F’. Repeat for all four middle edges.
5. Make a yellow cross on top. Do F R U R’ U’ F’. You’ll see a dot, an L shape, a line or a cross. Hold an L at the back left, or a line side to side, and repeat the move until the cross appears.
6. Match the yellow cross edges to their sides. Turn the top until two edges match their centers. Hold one matched edge at the back and one on the right if they’re neighbors, then do R U R’ U R U U R’ U. Repeat until all four match.
7. Put the yellow corners in the right spots (they can be twisted for now). Find a corner already in its spot, hold it at the front right and do U R U’ L’ U R’ U’ L. Repeat until every corner is in the right place.
8. Twist the yellow corners. Turn the whole cube upside down so yellow is on the bottom, with an unfinished corner at the front right. Repeat R’ D’ R D until that corner’s yellow faces down. The rest of the cube will look scrambled; don’t panic. Turn only the bottom layer to bring the next unfinished corner to the front right, and repeat. When the last corner is done, everything comes back. Turn the last layer to finish.

Dad tip: Sticky-note the move for each stage on the table and practice one stage at a time. Solving the first layer is a real win; celebrate it before moving on.

Make it work for your kid: Start with a 2x2 cube, which uses only the corner steps. Tactile cubes with raised shapes on each color work for low vision and color blindness. A bigger, easier-turning cube helps small or weaker hands.

Seated-friendly · Deaf / hard of hearing friendly

With two grown-ups: One grown-up reads the moves out loud while the other turns, then switch. Racing each other to the white cross is a great first contest.

You need: A watch with hands and a sunny day.

1. Hold the watch flat in your hand.
2. Turn it until the hour hand points toward the sun.
3. Find the spot halfway between the hour hand and the 12.
4. That halfway line points roughly south.
5. During daylight saving time, use the 1 instead of the 12.

Dad tip: It works because the sun moves across the sky at about half the speed of the hour hand.

Safety: Never look directly at the sun. This works in the Northern Hemisphere only.

Make it work for your kid: A tabletop activity once you’re outside in the sun. A large-faced watch is easier to read.

Seated-friendly · Deaf / hard of hearing friendly

With two grown-ups: One of you finds south with the watch, the other checks with a phone compass.

You need: A set amount, like $40, and a phone or computer.

1. Give your kid the budget for a family outing.
2. Let them research costs: tickets, food, gas or transit.
3. They build the plan and make the tough tradeoffs.
4. Go on the outing they planned, and talk about what they’d change.

Dad tip: Letting them make a slightly imperfect choice teaches more than you fixing it.

Make it work for your kid: A spreadsheet or a simple list with large text works well.

Seated-friendly · Deaf / hard of hearing friendly

With two grown-ups: One of you researches costs, the other keeps the running total.

You need: Paper and a calculator.

1. Ask: would you rather have $1,000 today or a penny that doubles every day for 30 days?
2. Calculate it day by day together.
3. On day 30, the penny is worth more than $5 million.
4. Talk about how saving and investing grow the same way over time, called compound growth.

Dad tip: This is the most powerful money idea there is. Let it sink in.

Make it work for your kid: Use a calculator or spreadsheet. It’s all math, so it works seated.

Seated-friendly · Deaf / hard of hearing friendly

With two grown-ups: Each of you guesses the final number before you calculate.

You need: A few ads from TV, apps, games or social media.

1. Watch or look at an ad together.
2. Ask: what are they trying to make you feel or want?
3. Spot the tricks: limited-time offers, famous people, happy music, in-game purchases.
4. Decide together whether the product is worth it.

Dad tip: Kids who can spot persuasion are far harder to sell to.

Make it work for your kid: Use ads with captions, or describe visual ads out loud.

Seated-friendly · Low vision friendly · Deaf / hard of hearing friendly

With two grown-ups: Each of you picks an ad and tries to explain its tricks.

You need: A visit to a bank or credit union, and some saved money.

1. Compare a couple of youth savings accounts together.
2. Open one with your kid present, and let them make the first deposit.
3. Look at the balance each month in the app or statement.
4. Point out the interest, the money the bank pays them for saving.

Dad tip: Let them make every deposit themselves. Ownership is the point.

Make it work for your kid: Most banks have accessible apps and staff who can help in person.

Seated-friendly · Low vision friendly · Deaf / hard of hearing friendly

With two grown-ups: One of you compares accounts, the other asks the banker questions.

You need: A notebook and a stock price app or website.

1. Each pick three companies you know, like a favorite snack, toy or game maker.
2. Pretend to invest $1,000 split across them, and write down the prices.
3. Check prices once a week and track the value.
4. After a few months, talk about what went up, what went down and why.

Dad tip: This is practice, not real money. The lesson is that prices go up and down, and patience matters.

Safety: Use pretend money only.

Make it work for your kid: A spreadsheet can track everything automatically.

Seated-friendly · Deaf / hard of hearing friendly

With two grown-ups: Each of you builds a portfolio and compares results.

You need: Examples of scam texts and emails, many are posted on consumer protection sites.

1. Look at a few examples together.
2. Spot the red flags: urgency, requests for gift cards or passwords, prizes you didn’t enter, links that look slightly off.
3. Make a family rule: never send money or codes to anyone who contacted you first.
4. Practice what to do: don’t click, ask a grown-up, report it.

Dad tip: Scammers target teens with fake jobs and game deals. Practice makes them immune.

Make it work for your kid: Read examples aloud for low vision.

Seated-friendly · Low vision friendly · Deaf / hard of hearing friendly

With two grown-ups: Each of you finds an example and quizzes the other.

You need: A pay stub, with personal details covered.

1. Find the gross pay: what was earned before anything was taken out.
2. Find the taxes: federal, state if it applies, Social Security and Medicare.
3. Find any other deductions, like health insurance or retirement savings.
4. Find the net pay: what actually lands in the bank.

Dad tip: Most teens are shocked by the gap between gross and net. That’s the lesson.

Safety: Cover account numbers and personal details first.

Make it work for your kid: Zoom in on a digital copy, or read it aloud line by line.

Seated-friendly · Low vision friendly · Deaf / hard of hearing friendly

With two grown-ups: One of you reads each line, the other finds it on the stub.

You need: A phone or computer and a pretend starting salary for a job they’re curious about.

1. Look up a realistic starting salary for that job, then subtract about a quarter for taxes.
2. Search real rents in a city they might live in.
3. Add utilities, groceries, phone, transportation and fun.
4. Try the 50/30/20 guideline: half for needs, 30 percent for wants and 20 percent for savings.
5. See what fits, and talk about tradeoffs like roommates or a cheaper area.

Dad tip: Do this before they choose a career path. It makes the numbers real.

Make it work for your kid: A spreadsheet template keeps it organized and works seated.

Seated-friendly · Deaf / hard of hearing friendly

With two grown-ups: One of you researches costs, the other builds the budget sheet.

You need: A free online credit card payoff calculator.

1. Pretend a $1,000 purchase goes on a credit card with interest.
2. Enter only the minimum payment in the calculator and see how long payoff takes and the interest paid.
3. Now try paying a bigger amount each month and compare.
4. Talk about why paying the full balance every month avoids interest entirely.

Dad tip: Let the calculator deliver the shock. It sticks better than a lecture.

Make it work for your kid: All digital and seated.

Seated-friendly · Deaf / hard of hearing friendly

With two grown-ups: Each of you tries a different payment plan and compares totals.

You need: A phone or computer.

1. Explain what owning a share of a company means.
2. Explain what an index fund is: owning a small piece of many companies at once.
3. Use Investor.gov’s free compound interest calculator to see how different amounts and time periods change the math.
4. Explain that custodial accounts exist for minors, and that some retirement accounts require earned income. Definitions are in Investing 101.

Dad tip: Compounding means time affects results, in either direction. For definitions of stocks, bonds and funds, see Investing 101 at papitoco.com/investing-101.

Safety: Educational only, not financial advice. Talk with a qualified professional before investing.

Make it work for your kid: Calculators work with screen readers and zoom.

Seated-friendly · Low vision friendly · Deaf / hard of hearing friendly

With two grown-ups: Each of you runs the calculator with a different monthly amount.