Activities

Play with small blocks or stacking cups with an older infant. As the infant adds more blocks or cups to the stack say, "One more.

Tape a piece of butcher paper to the table. Provide the children with one crayon or one marker each.

During large group, ask the children “Does our planet Earth contain more land or more water?” Toss an inflatable globe to a child in the group. Encourage the child to catch it with both hands and then spread his fingers.

After reading If You Give a Moose a Muffin by Laura Numeroff, have the children think of more things for the moose to do. Chart the children's ideas. This can be done in small group.

During large group, create two groups of children, and compare them. Say, “Look at your shoes. If you have laces, stand on this side. If you don't have laces, stand on that side.

While doing a morning activity call a number of children up front and sort them. You can sort by boy/girl, short pants, long pants, blue eyes, brown eyes and more. Ask which group has more or less. Have a child explain how he/she got the answer.

After reading Splat the Cat by Rob Scotton, introduce the book Back to School, Splat and encourage the children to make predictions of what they think will happen in this book. This could be done in large group.

When feeding an infant, say "more" when giving another spoonful. After several times, pause before giving more, encouraging the infant to ask for more. In younger infants this may be just a look or an outstretched hand.

Give the children a few pieces of cereal for snack. When it is all gone, model for the children how they should ask for more. Say, "More, please." Teach them to sign "more" in sign language.

Reinforce the meaning of "more.

Use facial expressions and hand gestures along with the word "more" to demonstrate this concept to the infant. You can say things such as, "I think you want more fruit.

Each morning, offer the children the opportunity to answer a question or make a choice on paper. Drive your plans for the day by asking something that is related to what you will be doing later. Then, begin the day by reviewing the answers.

Establish a morning greeting that you use with the infants each day as they arrive. Use the infant's name in the greeting so the infant recognizes arrival at school. The greeting should be simple, such as, "Amy, Amy, I see you.

Begin the day by writing a simple message on chart paper or on a sentence strip such as “Today is Groundhog Day. Do you think he will see his shadow?” It is important for the children to see you model writing.

Freeze colored water in ice cube trays. As the water begins to harden, place popsicle sticks in them so the children can use the cubes later for ice cube painting. Attach white butcher paper to a long table.

During outdoor time, have the children use positional words while playing Mother May I. For example, the child will ask, “Mother May I go under the bridge,” “Mother May I go down the slide” or “Mother May I go over the bridge.

Read Move It!: Motion, Forces and You by Adrienne Mason. This is a great book to introduce the concept of physical science to young children. Plan meaningful activities to do in small group and centers after reading to teach this concept.

Read If You Take a Mouse to the Movies by Laura Numeroff. This book sends Mouse to the movies in an adventure that introduces the concept of cause and effect.

After reading Ellen Stoll Walsh's Mouse Shapes provide the children with a variety of cut paper or foam shapes to play with and to use to create new shapes.

After reading Ellen Stoll Walsh's Mouse Shapes provide the children with a variety of cut paper or foam shapes to play with and to use to create new shapes. This could be done in small group.