100+ Engaging Learning Prompts for 4-6 Year Olds

Whether you’re planning on home educating your child and feel ready to start incorporating some learning into your daily lives or are just looking for some fun and engaging ideas to keep your 4-6 year old happy and occupied, these 100+ learning prompts are sure to do the trick!  

Here are 100+ learning prompts for literacy, maths, science, imagination, and more! Let’s keep those young minds busy! 

Learning Prompts to Spark Imagination

Story starters

• Once upon a time, a little squirrel found a shiny key. What do you think it opens?
• If you could talk to animals, what would you ask them?
• A brown bear and a polar bear meet. What do they ask each other?
• Imagine you found a tiny door in the woods. What is behind it?
• What would you do if you woke up with wings?

Creative scenarios

• Your toys are hungry. What are you going to cook for them?
• Let’s go outside and pretend the world lost all its colour. How will we get it back?
• You’re about to build your own castle! What will it look like, and who will live there with you?
• You discover a cave full of sparkling jewels and a friendly dragon. What happens next?
• You’ve just discovered a new species of animal! What does it look like, and what will you call it?

Fun and silly

• If you could be any object, what would you be and why?
• Your socks have come alive! Where do they go, and what do they do?
• Everything in the world has turned into food! What does everything look like?
• Some naughty aliens have landed on earth. What do they get up to? How will you convince them to go back to space?
• You have a very unusual superpower. What is it, and how do you use it?
• Let’s pretend we’re an animal with a tail! What would it be like? 

Language and Literacy Prompts

Letters and words

• Can you find something in the room that starts with the letter D?
• What words rhyme with:

– dog 

– sheep

– tea

– bubble 

– book

– coat

– bright

– cloud

– hair

– cherry 

– pet 

• Can you find all the letters in your name in this book?
• Can you name three things that are the colour green?
• Can you think of an animal that starts with S?
• Can you think of an object that starts with C?
• What’s another word for angry?
• What words can we use to describe a cat?
• What word sounds like dog but means to run fast?
• How many letters are in your name? Can you spell it?
• What letters are in your favourite colour or favourite food?
• Find some things around the house. Can you spell out what they are?
• Let’s read this story and find all the words that start with B.
• Let’s name a word for every letter of the alphabet.
• I’m thinking of a word. It’s something that you wear on your head. What is it?

Reading and storytelling

• Let’s read a book about a dinosaur and describe what we see in the pictures.
• Who was your favourite character in this story? What did you like about them?
• A little mouse finds a piece of cheese. What happens next?
• I’ll start the sentence: ‘The big whale jumped out of the sea and . . .’ Now you finish it!
• Can you describe all the colours and shapes in this picture?
• Let’s pretend you’re a character from this book. What would you do in the story?
• Can you point to all the words that start with C in this book?

Maths and Problem-Solving Prompts

Counting

• Can you count how many pairs of socks are in your drawer?
• If you have 5 toys on your bed and I take 2 away, how many toys are left on your bed?
• Let’s count all of the books on your shelf. Then let’s see how many are your favourites. 

Shapes, patterns and numbers

• Can you find something in this room that is shaped like a circle?
• Let’s make different patterns with your toys. 
• Let’s go outside. What shapes can you see?
• Look at the sky. What do the clouds look like?
• What numbers are on a clock?
• Let’s look around the house and find things with numbers on.
• Are there any shapes or patterns on your clothes?

Sorting and grouping

• Can you group your toys by size? Which pile has the most?
• Let’s find things of the same colour. How many things do we have?
• Let’s look at some coins. Let’s sort them by colour and then size.
• Can you organise the shoes? Which size belongs to who?

Problem-solving

• How can we build a tower that won’t fall over? Let’s practise with some blocks.
• Let’s fill some different cups with water. Which cup do you think holds the most water?
• We have a banana, an apple, a cup, and some grapes. Which is the odd one out? 
• We have the numbers 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6. Which number is missing?
• There are 3 ducklings in the pond and 2 more join them. How many ducklings are there now?

Measurement

• Let’s see how many footsteps it takes to cross the room!
• Gather all your toys. Which toy is the tallest? Which toy is the biggest?
• Let’s fill up a jug of water and measure how much needs to go into each cup.
• Let’s get a tape measure or ruler and measure things around the house. What was the tallest thing you measured?

Science and Exploration Prompts

Experiments

• What happens if we mix blue and red paint together?
• We’re going to create a volcano. What do you think will happen when we mix the vinegar and baking soda together?
• Let’s get a straw and put some water and washing up liquid in a bowl. What do you think will happen when we blow through the straw? 
• Let’s freeze some water. How long do you think it will take to freeze? 
• How long do you think it will take for our ice cubes to melt when we take them out? What will help them melt faster?

Five senses

• Close your eyes and focus on what you can hear.
• How can you tell the difference between a good smell and a bad smell?
• I’m going to put some things in a box and you have to guess what they are only by touching them. 
• Let’s try some different food. What is the difference between sweet and savoury flavours? 
• Let’s go outside and make a list of all the things we see. 
• Why is it harder to see things in the dark?

Animals and habitats

• What animals live in cold climates, and what animals live in hot climates?
• Why do some animals only eat plants and other animals eat meat?
• Which animals eat both plants and meat?
• What are the differences between land animals and sea animals?
• If we were to make a habitat for a turtle, what would it look like? What about a hedgehog?

Nature and exploration

• Let’s go on a walk and find something that is smooth and something that is rough.
• Let’s collect some leaves. What patterns do you see?
• Why do you think flowers are different colours and sizes?
• Look at the trees. What makes them different?
• What do birds use to make their nests? What are nests for?
• If we dug up some soil, what bugs might we find?

Weather 

• What is the weather like today? How does it feel outside?
• Why does it feel warmer when the sun’s out?
• What do you think happens to the ground when it rains?
• What do plants need to grow?

Art and Creativity Prompts

Arts and crafts

• Let’s pick a material and make something out of it!
• What things can we make out of paper?
• Can you draw a picture of what you want to be when you grow up?
• Let’s look for inspiration outside and then paint something.
• Let’s collect some natural materials and use them to make a craft. 
• Can you find some stones outside and paint different faces on them?
• Let’s find an old piece of clothing and draw a design on it. 
• Let’s see if we can make a bridge out of sticks or straws.
• Can you paint with your fingers and make a rainbow?

Music

• Can you clap to the rhythm of this song?
• What instruments do you hear in this song?
• What sounds do different instruments make?
• Can you make up a song about an animal?

Performing 

• Let’s act out your favourite story or song!
• Can you make up a new dance move and teach it to me?
• Can you pretend to be a superhero and save me?
• Can you dress up as your favourite character?

Social and Emotional Learning Prompts

Feelings and expressions

• What makes you happy? What makes you sad?
• How do you feel when you play with your friends?
• Can you show me a happy face?
• Why might someone be excited?
• If someone is frowning, how might they be feeling?
• What makes you smile?
• Why do we feel certain emotions?

Taking turns and scenarios

• Why is it important to share?
• Let’s play a game and take it in turns.
• If someone was feeling left out, how would you involve them?
• What would you do if you broke something? Who could you ask for help?
• If your friend wanted to play with your favourite toy, what could you do?
• How would you help someone who made a mistake?

Kindness and empathy

• How can we help someone who feels sad?
• What do you think a puppy would feel if it was left outside?
• If someone was being unkind, what could you do?
• What could you do to make someone laugh?
• Can you put yourself in someone else’s shoes and imagine how they are feeling?

Role play

• Can you pretend you are a teacher? What would you teach me?
• Pretend you are a doctor. How will you help your sick teddy bear?
• You’re a chef! What are you going to cook for me?
• Pretend you are a pilot. What places would you fly to?

Physical Activity Prompts

• Let’s see how many laps of the garden you can run in 2 minutes.
• Can you hop like a bunny and roar like a lion?
• How many star jumps can you do until you feel tired?
• Can you walk across the room and balance this book on your head?
• Copy what I do! Then I’ll copy you!
• Let’s pretend the floor is lava. Where can you step safely?
• Let’s create an indoor obstacle course and time how fast you can complete it.

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