Activities

Make file folder puzzles by gluing a picture inside. Cut the front cover of the folder into three sections, cutting from the long edge all the way to the fold. This will make three lift-up flaps that can reveal parts of the picture underneath.

Use picture cards to introduce adults in various job roles, such as firefighter, chef, police officer and mail carrier.

Read the story, Whose Hat is This? by Sharon Katz Cooper. Have the children make a hat to represent what they would like to be when they grow up. This can be done in small group.

In a small group, have the children remove one or both shoes. One at a time, give each child a shoe or pair of shoes that does not belong to him/her. Have him/her identify who the shoe belongs to and give it to the owner.

Line up a variety of shoes on the floor (lace-up shoe, buckle shoe, slip-on shoe, sandal, VELCRO® shoe.) You can also use pictures of these types of shoes. Give all the children a small photo of themselves.

Read the book Whose Toes Are Those? by Jabari Asim. Have the children take off their shoes and socks and observe each other's toes as you read the book.

Gather pictures of events such as a girl putting on a coat or a dog barking.

Show the children an apple that has turned brown. Ask if that has ever happened to them. Tell them apples turn brown because oxygen in the air combines with iron in the cut apple to form iron oxides. Enzymes in the fruit make this process go faster.

Show the children an apple that has turned brown. Ask if that has ever happened to their apples. Tell them apples turn brown because oxygen in the air combines with iron in the cut apple to form iron oxides.

Read Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems. Ask the children, “Why do you think the little girl left her bunny at the laundromat?” Encourage them to explain their reasoning using the word “because” to make the link to cause and effect.

Read Under One Rock by Anthony D. Fredericks.

During large group, read Splat the Cat by Rob Scotton. Ask a variety of “why” questions so the children can state answers using cause and effect language. For example, you might say “Tell us why... ... Splat took Seymour to school? ...

Inside of the writing center provide a variety of writing tools so that the children can notice differences in line width or color intensity. Talk about what kind of marker or crayon they would choose for different tasks.

Use a song or chant to get the wiggles out before starting a group activity. Try this one:
I wiggle my fingers, I scrunch my toes,

I shrug my shoulders and wrinkle my nose.

Tune: "The Bear Went Over the Mountain" 
Oh, my hands are starting to wiggle

My hands are starting to wiggle

My hands are starting to wiggle

And....

Use cards with emotion faces on some and wiggle worms on others. One child draws a card and acts out the emotion or shares something that makes them feel that way. If they draw a wiggle worm, everyone gets up and wiggles.

Introduce this song to the children to help them transition to small group time. Sing it to the tune of “Jingle Bells”: Clap your hands, stomp your feet, Wiggle all around. Reach your hands high in the air And now let's touch the ground.

During large group literacy time, display a big book or poem chart. Engage the children in identifying familiar words and letters. Use Wikki Stix to highlight the words and letters. Discuss the initial letter in the word.

Mix five parts red clay, three parts clean mulch and one part wildflower seeds with 16 ounces of water.  Have the children work together to mix the ingredients in a dishpan using their hands.

After reading Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are, take musical instruments outside so that the children can host a wild rumpus during outdoor time.