Activities

Place three food items that the child enjoys in front of him/her.

Tape a large piece of butcher paper on the floor, with a tray of paint nearby. Remove the children's shoes. Have the children, one at a time, step into the paint and make footprints on the paper. As the children step on the paper say, "One, two.

During large group, ask the children “Have you ever seen the footprints you make with your boots when you walk in the mud or snow? We are going to walk in the snow. First, let's pretend we are putting on our coat, now a hat and don't forget mittens.

You will need pipe cleaners and an O-shaped cereal like Cheerios. Have the children make a loop at the end of a pipe cleaner and thread cereal on it until it is almost full. Secure the end so the cereal doesn't fall off .

You will need two plastic berry baskets and yarn. Help the children cut the yarn into pieces 4- to 6 inches long. Place the yarn in a berry basket. Cut the bottom from another basket for a lid.

Help the children make bird feeders out of pine cones by rolling the pine cones in a mixture of vegetable shortening and oats and bird seed.

Tell the children they can paint with many kinds of objects. Provide a variety of items such as forks, straws and toy tires. Talk with them about which were easiest and hardest to paint with.

During outdoor time, play Four Corners on the playground. Label each corner with a different feeling, such as happy, sad, mad and scared. Have the children start in the middle of the playground.

During outdoor time, draw a four-square grid on the pavement with sidewalk chalk. Tape a picture in each square. The children take turns bouncing a ball in the squares and naming a word that rhymes with the picture.

Use flannel-board characters for familiar stories. As you tell the story, substitute a different character for one that belongs. For example, have one of the Three Little Pigs come and sit beside Miss Muffet instead of the spider.

Cut out the center of a paper plate, one for each child. Vary sizes of holes. Have the children view their environment through the frame during outdoor time. The frame helps children focus on specific elements. Have children describe what they see.

Play music and have the children dance freestyle while the music is playing. When you stop the music, show the children a picture of a pose, such as standing on one leg. They should freeze in that pose.

Take large construction paper shapes that have been laminated outside, during outdoor time. Spread out the shapes. The teacher will call out, “Go!” and the children will begin to walk from shape to shape.

Have the children stand in a circle.  Model a motor movement and have the children copy you.  Point to a child to be the new leader.  The new leader models a movement for the class to imitate.  Continue until each child has had a turn.

Begin playing any upbeat song and encourage the children to move in different ways. For example, have them jump up and down or wave their hands in the air. Periodically pause the music. When the music stops, the children have to freeze.

Play music, and encourage the children to dance while the music plays and freeze when it stops. Dance quickly for fast tempo songs, slowly for slow tempo songs. Then reverse the cues. Fast music means slow dancing. Slow music means fast dancing.

Play a game of freeze tag during outdoor time, but change the rules slightly. Instead of just tagging someone to unfreeze them, the children must also say their name.

Inside your writing center provide clipboards made from cardboard, paper, and butterfly clips. Encourage the children to interview classmates or families as they enter the classroom.

Take pictures of the children engaged in a play activity. Print each picture on 81/2" x 11" paper and wrap it around a PVC pipe and place them in the block center. Use these as bowling pins. Provide a ball to knock them down.

The children play bingo, taking turns calling the item to be placed on the game board.