Activities

Read Pumpkin Countdown by Joan Holub, and create pumpkin cutouts with numbers on them. Have the children count the pumpkins by counting forward and backwards.

Read Pumpkin Countdown by Joan Holub, and create pumpkin cutouts with numbers on them. Have the children count the pumpkins by counting forward and backwards. This could be done in large group.

Gather a few large pumpkins. Set them up around the room and encourage the children to crawl around the pumpkins. Model how to weave in and out of the pumpkin maze. Play Hide and Seek around the pumpkins.

In the fall, after the children have explored pumpkins in several ways, place a pumpkin in the sensory table for the children to wash with scrub brushes, sponges and turkey basters.

Use a large cardboard box to create a puppet stand in the art center. Provide puppets for the children to role play. In imaginative play, children easily use puppets to express, explore and work out their own ideas, thoughts and feelings.

Assist the children in creating a puppet show. Ask, “Who will be the characters? What will be the problem?” Help the children in the reading center to create dialogue for the puppets.

During large group, use puppets and guide the children through several scenarios where they may need to problem solve or ask an adult for help.

Identify a conflict that keeps coming up in the classroom, such as hitting. Use a stuffed animal or puppet to talk to the children about that scenario.

Use a large cardboard box to create a puppet stand in the dramatic play area. Provide puppets for the children to role play. In imaginative play, the children easily use puppets to express, explore and work out their own ideas, thoughts and feelings.

Provide animal puppets and encourage the children to use them to retell a story such as Little Owl's Night by Divya Srinivasan.

Choose a day during the week for the children to push and pull a variety of toys. Toys can include baby doll strollers, wagons, popcorn poppers, cardboard boxes, laundry baskets and small shopping carts.

Wash the doll clothes or dress-up clothes from dramatic play. Put them in a laundry basket and encourage the children to fold and put away the clothing in the proper places.

Create a stage in the dramatic play area with microphones, instruments, and sheet music. Encourage the children to perform for each other. Add puppets on some days.

Provide props and materials for children to pretend to have a fire station during outdoor time. Talk about fire hazards and fire safety.

Tune: “London Bridge”
(Child's name) put the toys away

Toys away, toys away.

(Child's name) put the toys away.

It's clean up time.

Tune: "If You're Happy and You Know it"
Put your feet on the line, on the line.

Put your feet on the line, on the line.

Put your feet on the line.

Do they look mighty fine?

Put your feet on the line, on the line.

Tune: "If You're Happy and You Know it"
Put your fingers in the air, in the air

Put your fingers in the air, in the air

Put your fingers in the air,

'how's the weather way up there?'

Put your fingers in the air, in the

Tune: "If You're Happy and You Know it" Put your hands in the air, in the air; 
Put your hands in the air, in the air; 
Put your hands in the air, 
But please don't leave them there! 
Put your hands in the air, in the a

Clap and use this chant with the children prior to using tricycles on the playground.
Put your helmet on your head,
Make sure it fits nice and tight.

Cut up a water hose into 18-inch length for the children to use as fire hoses. Add fire hats, fire jackets and fire trucks. Have the children build a structure and pretend to put out a fire in the block center.