Activities

Encourage the children to cut out favorite pictures from magazines and glue them on a sheet of paper. Ask the children to identify their picture and write that word on the page. Bind the pages together to form a book.

During outdoor time, take a few big books outside. Tell the children that you will point to different parts of the books, and when you point they should do particular actions.

While reading a book, be silly with the children. Point to different places on the page and ask the children, “Is this where we begin reading?” They should reply “No!” until you point to the first line of the text.

Place baskets of books wherever infants may be so that they can freely explore.

Provide an opportunity for the children to respond to a previously read book by drawing or writing.

Include books about healthy foods in your reading center, such as Eating the Alphabet: Fruits and Vegetables from A to Z by Lois Ehlert or I Eat Fruit, I Eat Vegetables by Hannah Tofts.

Include books about shapes, in the reading center, for children to listen to on tapes such as The Shape Song Swingalong by Steve Songs or It Looked Like Spilt Milk by Charles G. Shaw.

Here are some books to add to the reading center that help children learn more about taking care of the environment.

Encourage the children to get a book and a baby doll so they can read to the baby.

Place several board books in a small laundry basket to take to the playground. Add a small blanket or beach towel. Encourage the children to select a book to enjoy reading outdoors.

Lead the children in the song “Boom, Chicka, Boom.

During large group lead the children in the song “Boom, Chicka, Boom.

Ahead of time, create picture cards with movements and things to do, for example, three jumping jacks, five donkey kicks, count to three, crawl, tell a joke. This activity can be done inside or outside. Gather children in a group.

Show the children a variety of objects such as empty coffee containers, cardboard tubes from dry cleaner pants hangers or empty bottles with a few beans inside. Ask them to brainstorm how these items could be used as instruments.

Add bottle caps of different sizes and shapes to the block center to encourage children to add accessories to their buildings.

Provide a container such as a plastic jelly jar or water bottle and a variety of objects for the children to fit into the container. Encourage the children to add and remove the items.

Cut the tops off empty water bottles and tape over the cut edge with masking tape. Help the children fill the bottle about a third of the way with soil. Have the children drop a variety of plant seeds in the bottle.

Add several water bottles and lids to the science area. Have children count the number of bottles they have and then count out the number of lids that they need.

Provide a sturdy bottle with a medium-size top and some wooden clothespins (without springs). Show the children how to turn the clothespins lengthwise and drop them into the bottle.

Invite children to participate in an outdoor bowling game using water bottles filled with water.  Change the amount of water in the bottles.  Ask what might happen to the bottles when the amount of water changes.