Activities

Give the children a variety of cutout shapes in different colors. Encourage them to create a collage by gluing shapes down on their paper.

Provide the children with sheets of paper with dots in various configurations and amounts up to five. Write the corresponding numeral on each sheet. Count the dots with the children as you point to each one.

Create a Pre-K class counting book. Take pictures of the children and add numerals to each page. The numeral one will have one child on the page and the numeral two will have two children. Bind the pages and place the book in the reading area.

When reciting finger plays that focus on counting, use rhythm sticks or instruments when saying the numbers.

When reciting finger plays that focus on counting, use rhythm sticks or instruments when saying the numbers. Encourage the children to make up different ways to play their sticks, tap together, tap on their knees or tap on the floor.

Create mats to give counting a purpose. Create and collect items to go along with any topic.

Make beach mats using sand paper and blue construction paper. Write a numeral, one through 10, on each mat. Give the children seashells and encourage them to count the number of shells that go on each mat.

Provide a variety of real and found items for counting, sorting and patterning in the math center. Keys, hair barrettes, buttons or shells all help children connect to prior knowledge.

Before reading a book, such as Owl Babies by Martin Waddell, encourage the children to look at the cover of the book. Ask, “What do you think this book is about? What makes you think that?” Talk about the children's knowledge of owls.

Have the children sit on the floor, putting their hands behind them on the floor, then lift their bottom up. Using hands and feet, move body forward or sideways like a crab.

To create a colorful canvas, collect broken crayons and help the children glue crayon pieces along the edge of of a blank art canvas board. Provide a multi-setting hair dryer and give each child a turn to blow heat on the crayon pieces.

Get a variety of crayons to pique the children's interest in writing: triangular grip crayons, glitter crayons, large crayons or small pieces of crayon. Each type of crayon might be appealing to a different child.

Make homemade play dough. Use different spices or extracts such as vanilla or cinnamon for different scents. Add glitter for visual appeal and texture. The children can use cookie cutters and their hands for shaping the dough.

Supply skin-colored paper, bags, markers, paint, yarn and newspaper for the children to create 3-D sculptures of themselves in the art center. Display the sculptures throughout the classroom.

Using the writing center provide pictures of storybook characters, animals, people, and objects and support the children in creating their own books.

Encourage the children to make individual books. In the writing area, provide paper folded in half and stapled. Use tape to cover the staples. The first page should be the title page.

Use play dough and craft sticks to build replicas of the local community in the art center.

Cover a table with butcher paper in the art center. Encourage the children to work together to create a habitat such as an ocean, rain forest or desert.

At the easels, encourage two children to help one another create a masterpiece in the art center. One child is the painter, the other child gives the directions. Encourage the children to draw dots and lines according to the instructions.

Create a recipe book while in the writing center. Ask the children what their favorite food is to eat at home and take dictation on how to make it. Encourage the children to draw a picture to go with their recipe.