Friday, January 22, 2010
Play and Craft Activities
Please go to http://www.notimeforflashcards.com/ for ideas on craft and play activities for young children.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Gross Motor Development
Activity: Walking on Bubbles
Skills Learned:
- Running, hopping, Jumping
Materials:
- Large sheet of bubble wrap
- Tape
Directions:
- Take a sheet of bubble wrap and tape it to the floor.
- Have your child take off his shoes and walk across the bubble wrap.
- Encourage your child to try walking in different ways such as; tiptoeing, stomping, running, hopping, and walking on heels.
- Ask your child to try walking without popping any of the bubbles.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Mommy. . . I spilled
As your preschooler moves closer to kindergarten it is important that they have a level of independence that will help get them through their day. Unlike at home or in preschool, kindergarten classrooms will not have a low adult-child ratio, there may be only one teacher and one aide to 30 children. This means that your kiddo may not have the help they need to get through snack or lunch.
So now comes the tricky part, how do you practice independent feeding at home without creating a flood of apple juice every time you sit down to eat? Just like previously mentioned in this blog for learning to dress themselves, you can take play time to work on these skills, preferably outside J.
To help your child address the treacherous task of eating with a spoon without the tears, create an activity that involves using spoons to scoop up different types of materials. Lay out multiple bowls and cups in an area, some empty and some with materials like dry rice, dry beans, water, glittery, or beads, and a large pot or bowl. Create a scenario such as making a magic potion or cooking soup for your restaurant and let them practice scooping the ingredients with standard kitchen spoons into the pot. This will allow them to practice the motion of scooping and balancing the materials in the spoon without resulting in mac and cheese all over the floor.
The same activity can be used to practice pouring liquid from one container to another (like pouring juice from a pitcher into a cup). Just modify the materials to be different types of liquids and add some things that float like the glitter or beads to make it interesting, and use all cups and no bowls or spoons. Have the child practice pouring the liquids from one cup to another.
These type of activities give your child the time to practice and develop the fine motor and hand-eye coordination required for independent eating in a fun environment that isn’t as rushed or pressured as meal time. So get out the utensils and let the games begin.
So now comes the tricky part, how do you practice independent feeding at home without creating a flood of apple juice every time you sit down to eat? Just like previously mentioned in this blog for learning to dress themselves, you can take play time to work on these skills, preferably outside J.
To help your child address the treacherous task of eating with a spoon without the tears, create an activity that involves using spoons to scoop up different types of materials. Lay out multiple bowls and cups in an area, some empty and some with materials like dry rice, dry beans, water, glittery, or beads, and a large pot or bowl. Create a scenario such as making a magic potion or cooking soup for your restaurant and let them practice scooping the ingredients with standard kitchen spoons into the pot. This will allow them to practice the motion of scooping and balancing the materials in the spoon without resulting in mac and cheese all over the floor.
The same activity can be used to practice pouring liquid from one container to another (like pouring juice from a pitcher into a cup). Just modify the materials to be different types of liquids and add some things that float like the glitter or beads to make it interesting, and use all cups and no bowls or spoons. Have the child practice pouring the liquids from one cup to another.
These type of activities give your child the time to practice and develop the fine motor and hand-eye coordination required for independent eating in a fun environment that isn’t as rushed or pressured as meal time. So get out the utensils and let the games begin.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Cognitive Development
Take advantage of glorious fall weather to go outside and take a walk with your children. In addition to getting exercise and breathing fresh air, your children will gain understanding of the world as they observe, collect and have fun.
Materials to take along:
Bag or box for found items, such as leaves of different sizes and colors, seed pods, bugs, flowers etc.
Paper or notebook for recording questions, ideas or discoveries
Scissors and pencils or crayons
Tape for securing samples and to put around your child’s wrist with sticky side out to display findings on a tape bracelet.
Magnifying glass for closer looks
What will your child learn from this exploration?
Help your child sort his/her findings by size, color, smell or other attributes. Your child will learn to notice details, likeness and difference and to form categories. These are essential reading and math skills.
Your child will learn new vocabulary.
Your child will explore concepts of texture, color, weight and size.
Your child will use his/her senses as he/she uses observation techniques.
Let your child make a display of findings. In addition to using his/her creativity and hand-eye coordination, he/she will feel that the found treasures are valued.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Social Emotional Development
Expressing "Thanks" through Creative Art
Activity: MANY THANKS GIVINGS!
Objective: To make a "Thankful Turkey!"
Skill/Learning: Appreciation, Gratitude, Holiday Celebrations
Materials:
Activity: MANY THANKS GIVINGS!
Objective: To make a "Thankful Turkey!"
Skill/Learning: Appreciation, Gratitude, Holiday Celebrations
Materials:
- A "Thanksgiving" children's book
- Construction paper
- Pen or pencil
- Paper plate
- Brown paint
- Paint brush
- Wiggle eyes
- Scissors
- Paste/glue
- On construction paper draw turkey parts: face, beak, feet, wattle and 3 feathers.
- Read a book to child about Thanksgiving. Then discuss the meaning of the holiday, what it means to be "thankful," and things your child is thankful for.
- Tell child that they can now make a "Thankful Turkey!"
- Have child paint paper plate brown.
- As the plate is drying, have them cut out the turkey parts: face, beak, feet, wattle, and 3 feathers (if child is very young, pre-cut shapes for them).
- Have child paste/glue the face, beak, wattle, feet, and eyes on the paper plate. Ask that they write 3 things they are thankful for onto the 3 feathers, then paste/glue these on as well (if child is very young, have them tell you 3 things they are thankful for and you write their words on the feathers).
- Put "Thankful Turkey" up on the refrigerator or tape it to a wall in the house!
- Children have a fun art experience while learning all about the true meaning of "Thanksgiving!"
Monday, November 16, 2009
Treasure Bottle
Developing language through exploration.
Materials Needed:
• Clean, dry water bottles
• Funnel
• Sand (colored or plain)
• Small Treasures (golf tee, wooden beads, birthday candles, pom poms, buttons, etc – use materials with names that may be new to your child)
Activity:
Using your funnel, add about ¼ cup of your sand to the water bottle. Add a few of the treasures to the bottle. Pour more sand on top and add a few more treasures. Keep layering your water bottle until it is about 75% full (need room to shake and move the sand and treasures around). Cap the bottle and seal with duct tape, to avoid any spills or potential choking hazards, as the treasures are small items.
As children play with the bottle, model for them to shake the bottle and see what treasures pop up onto the surface as the sand moves around within the bottle. As each treasure appears on the surface, ask the child what they have found and what they think the item is. Encourage enhanced vocabulary words by expanding on the description of each item and introducing new words to your child.
Older children may also enjoy helping to create the bottle (with adult supervision), while younger children will enjoy the finished product.
Domain:
Language Development
Skills Learned:
Language, vocabulary, observation skills, cognitive development
Materials Needed:
• Clean, dry water bottles
• Funnel
• Sand (colored or plain)
• Small Treasures (golf tee, wooden beads, birthday candles, pom poms, buttons, etc – use materials with names that may be new to your child)
Activity:
Using your funnel, add about ¼ cup of your sand to the water bottle. Add a few of the treasures to the bottle. Pour more sand on top and add a few more treasures. Keep layering your water bottle until it is about 75% full (need room to shake and move the sand and treasures around). Cap the bottle and seal with duct tape, to avoid any spills or potential choking hazards, as the treasures are small items.
As children play with the bottle, model for them to shake the bottle and see what treasures pop up onto the surface as the sand moves around within the bottle. As each treasure appears on the surface, ask the child what they have found and what they think the item is. Encourage enhanced vocabulary words by expanding on the description of each item and introducing new words to your child.
Older children may also enjoy helping to create the bottle (with adult supervision), while younger children will enjoy the finished product.
Domain:
Language Development
Skills Learned:
Language, vocabulary, observation skills, cognitive development
Friday, November 13, 2009
Gross Motor Development
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, physical activity reduces anxiety, depression and behavioral problems in young children. It helps children alleviate stress and children learn to manage feelings and gain a sense of self-control.
Activity: Shark-Infested Water
Skills learned:
➢ balancing, jumping and social skills.
Materials:
➢ Newspaper, paper plates, house bricks, or terra-cotta plant pots for stepping stones.
➢ Paths made from cardboard (optional).
Directions:
➢ Set out some stepping-stones. For younger children, use paper plates or some folded newspaper. For older children, use house bricks and/or upturned plant pots (keep an eye on the children).
➢ Stepping stones should be placed close enough for the child to be able to step on them, but far enough to be a challenge.
➢ The child’s task is simple. The Sea is infested with sharks, and the only way across is to step on the stepping-stones. One foot in the water and the sharks will bite.
➢ You can turn the stepping-stones into a real obstacle course by including low garden walls, narrow paths made from strips of cardboard, and barriers that the child can climb over or duck under.
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, physical activity reduces anxiety, depression and behavioral problems in young children. It helps children alleviate stress and children learn to manage feelings and gain a sense of self-control.
Activity: Shark-Infested Water
Skills learned:
➢ balancing, jumping and social skills.
Materials:
➢ Newspaper, paper plates, house bricks, or terra-cotta plant pots for stepping stones.
➢ Paths made from cardboard (optional).
Directions:
➢ Set out some stepping-stones. For younger children, use paper plates or some folded newspaper. For older children, use house bricks and/or upturned plant pots (keep an eye on the children).
➢ Stepping stones should be placed close enough for the child to be able to step on them, but far enough to be a challenge.
➢ The child’s task is simple. The Sea is infested with sharks, and the only way across is to step on the stepping-stones. One foot in the water and the sharks will bite.
➢ You can turn the stepping-stones into a real obstacle course by including low garden walls, narrow paths made from strips of cardboard, and barriers that the child can climb over or duck under.
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