Activities

Have the children work together to create a structure using a combination of blocks and block accessories. Have the children describe their structure.

Encourage the children to build garages for all the cars to have a safe place to park, by using three blocks each: one on each side and one for the roof. Ask the children to park one car in each garage in the block center.

Add letter blocks to the block center. Provide word cards and encourage the children to spell the words using the blocks. Print large letters and laminate them. The children can use small wooden blocks to cover the letters to form the shape.

Place a collection of wooden blocks on a tray, and ask the children to put them in groups that go together. After they have grouped the blocks, ask the children to tell you why the blocks make a group. Be open to their explanations.

Take pictures of different places in the community and place these on a large shower curtain. Use the shower curtain in the block area to inspire the children to build a city.

Build a maze in the block center using various size blocks. Using toy cars, have the children move their cars from one end of the maze to the other. Time the children to see who can navigate the quickest.

Show five blocks that have been ordered according to height. Arrange another set of blocks to match the first, third and fifth blocks in the five- block pattern. Encourage the children to insert the two remaining blocks so that both sets match.

Display images of sculptures created by Jasper Johns and Robert Rauschenberg in the block area. Provide common household items in the area. Encourage the children to use the blocks and materials to create similar sculptures.

Gather items from your classroom that can be sorted into two groups, large and small, such as LEGO®s and LEGO® DUPLO®s, table blocks, unit blocks, or large and small animal figures.

Encourage the children to measure classmates using large cardboard blocks in the block center. Record their measurements on sticky notes and place the sticky notes on a class chart.

Add small hula-hoops with a basket of small cube blocks. Have the children place blocks in the hoops and describe the sets they have created by telling which hoop has more, less or if they have the same amount of blocks.

Give the children paint, slick fingerpaint paper and straws in the art center. Encourage them to blow the paint into different designs. Talk with them as they are doing this activity to see what they think their painting looks like.

Model for the infant how to blow kisses. Each time you are about to pick up the infant say, "I am coming to get Ryan, kiss, kiss," while blowing kisses.

Help the children use straws to blow items across the table. Have them guess which items will go the farthest. You can use feathers, pieces of paper, pom-pom balls or cotton balls.

Blow bubbles for the children. Giving them turns, place the bubble wand near a child's mouth and encourage him/her to blow a bubble. Say, “Blow bubbles,” or “Blow a big bubble.

Hang wind chimes just outside a classroom door or window or somewhere in the play space. Hold the infant where he/she can see and hear the chimes. Say, "The wind is blowing today. Our chimes are ringing.

Two little bluebirds sitting on a hill

One named Jack

The other named Jill

Fly away, Jack

Fly away, Jill

Come back, Jack

Come back, Jill

Show the children how to make various letters of the alphabet with their bodies, either individually or with a few other children. For example, hold both arms straight out to the side to make the letter “T” or curve both arms around to make a “C.

Sing and dance to “Body Boogie” by The Learning Station. Point out all the body parts that are listed in the song and ask the children to demonstrate how they use that body part.

Help children to use their bodies to build different shapes. Take pictures, and create a classroom shape book. This could be done in large group.