Activities

For this activity, cut a hole about the size of a child's fist in the side of a shoebox or use a cloth bag with a drawstring at the top. Place several items, such as plastic blocks or wooden beads, in the shoebox or bag.

Read The Book with No Pictures by B.J. Novak. Ask questions about the new vocabulary introduced in the book such as, “What do you think blaggity, blaggity might mean?” This can be done in small group.

Read the book No Two Alike by Keith Baker. Use phrases with the children to help them understand how they are the same or different, such as in hair length, eye color, or gender.

Read Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes. Invite the children to share a time when they were worried about something. The children can be encouraged to draw pictures of a time they were worried during center time.

Read No, David! by David Shannon and encourage the children to provide reasons why David's mother always said no. Act out some of the scenarios from the book.

Use a toy that makes a sound, such as a truck or a squeaky animal. After the toy makes a sound mimic the sound and encourage the child to do the same.

You need chart paper and markers. Choose a sound such as /b/. Encourage the children to create a sentence using words that start with the same sound. Write the sentences on paper. For example, “Bobby Bear bounces basketballs.

Provide Styrofoam® noodles in various lengths to build a structure in the art center. Dampen the noodles to make them stick together. This can be done inside and outside.

Provide a variety of noodles, play dough and pipe cleaners. Have the children create 3-D sculptures and describe what they created. Styrofoam® pieces can be substituted for noodles if desired.

Place different-sized pool noodles in the large group area. Let the children explore making shapes, tools and toys. Ask, “I wonder what you are making?” and “I notice that you formed a circle.

Place a colander with large holes and some pipe cleaners on the table. Demonstrate how the children can place the pipe cleaners in the holes and have them complete the task.

Cut a pool noodle into manageable lengths and provide a small, lightweight ball. Show the children how to strike the ball with the noodle and direct it toward a goal. You can turn a box on its side with the open end acting as the goal.

Place pool noodles on the rug in the large group area. Have the children move from one to the other, jumping over each noodle.

Read Brown Bear, Brown Bear by Bill Martin, Jr. and Eric Carle and add the names of the children in the classroom at the end. This could be done in large group.

Read Not Norman: A Goldfish Story by Kelly Bennett and discuss the characters in the book. Ask the children to name all the characters from the book and write them on chart paper. Discuss which characters are in the story the most and least.

Provide notepaper and envelopes in the writing center. Encourage the children to write notes that can be folded and placed in the envelopes. They may deliver these notes to classroom friends or take them home to their families.

Before reading a book, show the children the title and point out the first letter. Relate it to children's names that have the same first letter.

Create simple sketches of block structures and post them in the Block Area. Have the children recreate the structures by following the plan in the sketch. When finished, take a photograph and place it next to the sketch that is posted.

Sit on the floor with the infant facing you. Givethe infant a small toy to hold in his/her hand. Once he/she has a good grasp of the toy, give him/her a second toy to hold in his/her other hand.

Get down on the infant's level, smile and say, "Come with me to wash your hands. It's time to eat breakfast.