Activities

Have the children draw pictures of how they celebrate various special days, such as birthdays and holidays, such as Halloween, Thanksgiving or Christmas. Once completed, have the children label and explain their drawings.

In a prepared garden bed, have the children plant lettuce, tomatoes and cucumber plants. When crops are ripe, have the children assist in harvesting, washing and preparing the food for a class salad.

Have the children discuss what types of jobs they do around their home. They might help set the table, pick up their toys or make their beds. Create a predictable book using the child's name and their job. Aiden's job is to pick up toys.

Provide the children with pictures of items that are found at home and those found at school. Have the children identify which items belong at school, which belong at home, and which belong in both places.

Provide a variety of homemade blocks such as Solo cups, washed milk cartons, shoe boxes or washed yogurt containers. Have the children build and balance structures with these items.

Have the children create a picture frame using craft sticks, glue and stickers. Use pictures of the children from the photo booth activity to place in the frames. The child can display the picture in his/her cubby.

During outdoor time, when discussing outside homes, teach the children the chant: This is a nest for Mr. Bluebird, (Cup hands together.) This is a hive for Mrs. Bee, (Fists together.) This is a hole for bunny rabbit, (Fingers curled.

During outside play, make a “road” using chalk or tape on the sidewalk. Have the children use cars and trucks on the road. Encourage them to make predictions about the speed and motion of the cars.

Teacher: Hook-a leah

Children echo: (hook a leah)

A-pera-ticky-tomba
(apera-ticky-tomba)

A-maza-maza-maza
(a-maza-maza-maza)

Ohh-a-la-wee-a-la-wah-a-la-wee
(ohh-a-la-wee-a-la-wah-a

Fill a large container with basketballs or larger balls. Have wastebaskets or hoops set up throughout the area. Tell each child to pick one ball. The children will explore bouncing, aiming and throwing the balls into one of the wastebaskets or hoops.

Set up a basket and soft balls. Have the children take turns throwing the balls into the basket. Talk about what they are doing. "Your ball went in the basket. Now take the ball out.

Place hula-hoops outside for the children to play with and explore.

Provide brown paper grocery bags and cut openings in them to make vests. Have the children decorate their vests. They can wear it as their helper vest on a day they are selected to be a helper.

Use chalk to draw five circles in a line on a flat surface outside. Model hopping or jumping into each circle and counting aloud on each jump, “One-two-three-four-five.

We'll hop, hop, hop like a bunny
We'll run, run, run like a dog
We'll walk, walk, walk like an elephant
And jump, jump, jump like a frog
We'll swim, swim, swim like a goldfish
And fly, fly, fly like a bird

Scatter colored paper plates around the play area during outdoor time. Encourage children to jump from plate to plate. Change it up and ask children to only jump on a certain color, such as red.

During outdoor time, draw a hopscotch board on your playground using chalk. Let the children play hopscotch using stones they find on the playground.

You will need chalk and a rock or some item to toss. Encourage the children to play hopscotch and verbalize the numbers as they play.

During outdoor time, draw a hopscotch board on the sidewalk and show the children how to play. Children have to hop on the numerals in sequential order and remember the numerals they are on until they reach 10.

Provide an opportunity for the children to work with you to create a variation of hopscotch. Decide what shapes to draw the spaces and how to lay them out. Create rules about taking turns and points, and play together.