Activities

Read Clifford the Big Red Dog by Norman Bridwell. Stop several times during reading to emphasize the words "big" and "biggest." Encourage the children to use the word "big" in other contexts.

Turn Styrofoam® deli trays upside down and trace pictures on the bottoms using toothpicks. You can also try this with aluminum foil.

Show the children photos of a variety of objects, such as a dump truck, a tennis ball, a tree or a goldfish.

Provide picture cards with various big and little items. Have the children assist in placing the cards in piles according to size. Use the words “big” and “little” often as you talk to the children.

Serve two of the same kinds of crackers in different sizes, such as one small cheese cracker and one large cheese cracker. Give each child a few of each size. Name the size as you distribute them.

Read a book, such as My Big Truck Book by Roger Priddy, that shows a lot of different types of trucks and what they are used for. Talk with the children to see which trucks they are familiar with.

Provide each child in your small group a sheet of paper and a paint dotter filled with paint. Have a few extras on hand. Spin a spinner or draw number cards, and call out a number. Each child puts that many dots anywhere on his/her paper.

Provide the children with empty water bottles, wooden spoons, yarn and bird seed in the science center. The teacher should pre-cut two holes across from each other towards the bottom of the bottle to put the wooden spoon through.

Add a small bird feeder near the class window. Have the children help add bird seed. Draw the children's attention to birds at the feeder and talk about how birds need food just as people do. Then read Birds by Kevin Henkes.

Fill a plastic container with birdseed and take it outside, during outdoor time. Add simple tools such as scoops, funnels, cardboard tubes and a milk jug made into a scoop. Encourage the children to explore.

During outdoor time, hang a bird feeder outside the classroom window or on the playground for the children to observe the variety of birds that come to visit. Consider using different types of seed throughout the year to bring different birds.

Place several bird feeders in a safe area outside a classroom window. Provide binoculars and encourage the children to watch the birds come and go. Provide paper and colored pencils so the children can maintain bird journals.

Start with a baby pool covered in brown paper. Add shredded paper and paper maché eggs or large plastic eggs. Have the children sit in the pool and pretend to be birds. Read Are You My Mother? by P.D.

Have the children create cakes out of sand during outdoor time. They can use sticks for the candles and count the number of candles on their cake.

Use a simple calendar to record the children's birthdays. Then create a chart showing which day of the week each child was born. Have the children tell who helps them celebrate their birthday.

Set up a pretend birthday party with streamers, decorations and a pretend cake. Play upbeat music and have the children role play having a party.

After examining and discussing the black and white photography of Ansel Adams during large group time, provide the children with only white paper and black paint or vice versa and encourage them to create their own black and white pieces of art in th

Arrange furniture, such as chairs, in a manner that will allow you to drape a blanket or sheet over them and have space inside for children to play.

Have small group during outdoor time. Give each child a snowflake and have them move like snowflakes in a blizzard. Use phrases such as “trudging,” “swirling,” “feathery,” “powdery,” “heavy,” “melting” and “slushy.

Have small group during outdoor time. Give each child a snowflake and have them move like snowflakes in a blizzard. Use phrases such as “trudging,” “swirling,” “feathery,” “powdery,” “heavy,” “melting” and “slushy.