Activities

Sit on the floor with the infant, with a large piece of paper and fingerpaint (commercial or homemade). Encourage the infant to explore the paint with his/her hands and fingers while you describe how it feels and looks.

Provide ample paint and various painting tools such as brushes, feathers, cookie cutters and popsicle sticks for self-expression in the art center.

Cut easel-sized paper in the shape of large block letters in the art center. Invite the children to paint “their” letter in any way they choose. Colorful masking tape makes a great addition to easel painting.

Use round found objects such as wheels, spools, bottle caps, plastic gears and toy wheels in the art center. Encourage the children to paint with the objects by putting them in paint and rolling them on the paper.

Provide a variety of painting tools such as brushes, rollers, stamps and sponges. Show the children how to dip them into the paint and then press them on the paper. Talk about the different marks the tools make on the paper.

Place paint on paper plates. Give the children cars to roll through the paint. Make tracks on paper with the car after it is rolled through the paint.

You will need shallow box lids, marbles, paper and paint. Place the paper in the box. The children dip marbles in the paint and then on to the paper and move the box lid back and forth, tipping it to roll the marbles around.

Give the children small containers of water and some paint brushes. Encourage them to "paint" on paper or on the sidewalk.

Provide different items that have wheels and axles for the children to dip in paint and roll over paper in the art center.

During otdoor time, set up bones that have been cleaned and bleached, shovels and plastic tools in a sand box and talk about a paleontologist and the work he/she does.

Provide small cups of glue and paintbrushes in the science center. Have the children paint a thin layer of glue on one hand. Once the glue is dry, peel it off and have them observe this imprint of his/her palm.

Read Pancakes, Pancakes by Eric Carle. Encourage the children to create their own pancakes by following a recipe. Talk about how to cook pancakes and what they taste like.This could be done in small group.

Create paper airplanes, experimenting with folds, tears and paperclip weights that can affect flight. During outdoor time, try flying the planes off of tall equipment or near an outdoor fan.

You will need some medium-sized paper bags, newspapers and duct tape. Ask the children to help you tear the paper into strips. Stuff the bags about 3/4 full with the newspaper strips. Mold the bags so they are a roundish shape.

Use a variety of shapes and sizes of paper clips. You will also need small bowls and pipe cleaners. Ask the children to come up with diff erent ways to use the paper clips, such as hooking them together, or making a long chain.

Provide a basket with a variety of types of paper for the children to crunch up into balls when they feel frustrated or mad. Place the basket in a safe place in the classroom, away from other activities.

Ahead of time, the teacher will fold a piece of paper into thirds. Draw an outline of a doll on the paper. As the children are able, encourage them to cut out the paper doll without cutting the edges, so the paper doll will stay linked together.

Ahead of time, the teacher will fold a piece of paper into thirds. Draw an outline of a doll on the paper. As the children are able, encourage them to cut out the paper doll without cutting the edges, so the paper doll will stay linked together.

Cutting folded paper gives children even more practice in visualizing shapes and spatial relationships. Fold paper in half and draw a half- heart shape on the fold. Show children how to cut on the line you have drawn and open it up to reveal a heart.

Place a small paper plate in the center of a larger one and attach them together with a brad so that the top plate can turn. Write letters in random order around the outside of the plate.