Activities

Ask the children to bring real and found objects to school to share with the class; for example, something they collected or used during the summer break like sea shells, rocks, beach sand or swim goggles.

Ensure the classroom environment has materials in organized and labeled spots. Use photos of the items in the room, and label the shelves with those pictures, using contact paper. This will help identify where items belong in the classroom.

Read demographic multicultural books to help the children understand how they fit into a much larger world.

Use this fingerplay to show where animals live:
This is a nest for the bird

(Cup hands, palms up.)
This is a hive for a bee

(Put fists together, palm to palm.

Have a basket of items from around the room. Let one child choose an item and hold it up and sing, “Where does the block go, block go, block go? Where does the block go in our room?” The children answer, “On the block shelf.

Collect environmental print from restaurants the children love, such as McDonald's, Wendy's, Papa John's and Red Lobster. Place each logo on a page, bind the pages together and encourage the children to "read" the book.

Use a map of your county and place a star where the center or school is located. Help the children locate approximately where they live and place a dot there. Discuss how some children live close to school and others live farther away.

While reading Mirra Ginsburg's The Chick and the Duckling, provide an opportunity for the children to examine the pictures and discuss the setting of each page.

Sing this song with the children using each of their names. Sing to the tune of "Where is Thumbkin?":
Where is James? Where is James?

There he is, there he is.

James is jumping, James is jumping.

Read the book Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak. Have the children chart what they think would have happened if Max had not created mischief and what Max would have been able to do instead.

Create a boat out of a laundry basket in. Have the children use it to act out a voyage across the ocean similar to Max in Where the Wild Things Are.

Provide each child with logos of several local businesses. Make sure the logos cover specific kinds of merchandise such as fast food, car accessories or pet supplies. Try to avoid logos from “big box” stores that sell a wide variety of merchandise.

Demonstrate directionality using a stuffed animal such as a bunny. Place it in various places in relation to a child such as next to, behind, or in front of. Say the words as you move the bunny. "The bunny is next to Avery.

Demonstrate directionality using a stuffed animal such as a bunny. Place it in various places in relation to a child such as next to, behind, or in front of. Say the words as you move the bunny. “The bunny is next to Avery.

Sit while holding the infant in your arms. Create a bumble-bee finger puppet to fly around the infant as you make a buzzing sound. Tie a short length of wired ribbon around your finger and pull the ends apart to resemble wings.

Sit while holding the infant in your arms. Hold your finger in the air and make a buzzing sound. Move your finger around as you buzz. The infant's eyes will follow the "bee." Land the "bee" on the infant with a slight tickle. Repeat many times.

Sit while holding the infant in your arms. Hold your finger in the air and make a buzzing sound. Move your finger around as you buzz. The infant's eyes will follow the “bee.” Land the “bee” on the infant with a slight tickle. Repeat many times.

Use a small, stuffed bunny and a scarf. Put the bunny under the scarf, and pull the scarf off as you say, “Where did the bunny go?” then, “Here it is.

Use a small, stuffed bunny and a scarf. Put the bunny under the scarf, and pull the scarf off as you say, "Where did the bunny go?" then, "Here it is.

Beginning at about six months, infants can begin pointing to familiar objects.