Activities

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.

Provide containers labeled with large photographs or with a real item such as a LEGO® DUPLO® block. As the children are cleaning up, point out the labels and assist in finding the right place for toys to be put away.

Encourage the children to complete a more difficult puzzle.

Provide a variety of puzzles for the children to complete in the math center. Encourage them to talk about their process for fitting the pieces together.

Draw a large picture of an object, such as a bear, boat or duck. Cut the item in parts for each child to have a piece. Outline the picture to use as a puzzle frame. Place the puzzle outline on the floor.

Encourage the children to work cooperatively to complete a floor puzzle. The children will collaboratively complete the puzzle.

Collect a variety of old x-rays. Many hospitals or medical care facilities will be happy to give them to you. Cut them into various shapes.

Create homemade puzzles by cutting a placemat. Cut in as few or as many pieces as needed for your class. Encourage the children to work together to complete the puzzle of their choice.