Activities

Create a memory game with human body part cards. During small group, as the children find a match, have them demonstrate how they use the body part.

Provide mats and relaxing music for yoga in dramatic play center. Demonstrate for the the children “earth-like” poses such as the rock pose or tree pose. Have the children think of things they notice in the environment to create their own pose.

Magnets repel one another when like poles are aligned. Provide each student with two magnetic wands or other magnets. Demonstrate how the magnets will stick together one way but not the other.

Engage the children with music and movement by participating in the “Cha Cha Slide” or the “Electric Slide" during large group.

Engage the children with music and movement by participating in the “Cha Cha Slide” or the “Electric Slide. This could be done in large group.

Encourage the children to talk about illustrations as you take a picture walk through Dr. Seuss' Mr.

Create puppets to teach counting skills.  These characters will regularly make mistakes that the children will delight in correcting.  Give you puppet a silly name such as Mr. Mix Up.

During large group sing this chant with the children: I have a hungry friend. His name is Mr. Munch. And what he likes to do all day Is gobble up his lunch. He likes the letter ____.

Cut flannelboard pieces to resemble a large Mr. Potato Head. Have the children add parts to Mr. Potato Head and name them.

Read Mrs. Muddle's Holidays by Laura F. Nielsen. Create a chart of the children's responses to the question, “if you could invent a new holiday, what holiday would you invent?” This could be done in large group.

Read Mrs. Wishy Washy by Joy Cowley. Collect flannel board pieces for cow, duck, three mud puddles and three tin tubs. Retell the story by placing each animal in the tub and then in the mud puddle.

Provide large plastic animals and a tub of dirt. Let the children place the animals in the dirt and observe how they move. Add water to the dirt.

Give children dirt, water and ice cube trays.  Encourage them to mix together the dirt and water to a firm consistency.  Add to ice cube trays to  "set."  Allow to dry some.  Have the children carefully remove the bricks from the trays.

During outdoor time, have the children gather mud, small twigs, dried leaves and grass in containers. Provide water, four or five ice cube trays and multiple dirt samples such as sand, topsoil and gravel.

Read Fossil by Bill Thomson. Use clay and various items from nature such as leaves, sticks and flowers. The children will gently press items into the clay and leave it outside for 24 hours to dry.

Collect raincoats, rain boots and ponchos for the children to wear outdoors to play in a mud kitchen. Provide large containers with lids that can be used as storage and as a play stove. Use a permanent marker to draw circles to represent the burners.

Tape butcher paper to an outdoor wall or fence. Add water to potting soil to create mud. Have the children use their hands and large brushes to paint mud on the butcher paper. Encourage the children to describe how the mud feels in their hands.

Mix soil and water to create a batch of mud paint, during outdoor time. Provide paint brushes and paper or let the children write on the pavement. Encourage them to write their names or other words they know how to spell.

During outdoor time, make a thin mud from dirt and water and add food coloring. Use plastic spoons to pour the mixture over cardboard to create original art work. Let it dry and display it.

During outdoor time, give children the following ingredients to mix together in whatever proportions they want: dirt (this can be purchased from a home improvement store if needed), water, powdered tempera paint or Kool-Aid.