Activities

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.

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

During outdoor time, use sidewalk chalk to create a hopscotch board but in place of numbers draw shapes. As the children jump throughout the hopscotch board have them identify the shape they land on.

In small group, read the book, What Is A Scientist by Barbara Lehn. Explain to the children that they are going to be scientists and will find out what actions can produce heat. Give the children a small wooden block and sand paper.

To play Hot Potato, ask the children to sit in a circle. Give one child a potato or other prop. When the music starts, have the children pass the potato around the circle.

Have the children use their feet instead of hands to work together to pass the "hot potato.

Say the words to a simple song such as “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.” Give the children a prop to pass, such as a potato or a star, to go along with the song.

Heat applesauce in a slow cooker. Read the book, Melting Matter by Amy Hansen.

Read the book How a House is Built by Byron Barton. Create a First, Next, Then, Last chart and have the children recall what you do first, next, then and last when building a house. This could be done in large group.

Read How a Seed Grows by Helene J. Jordan. This book goes into great detail about how a little seed grows into a plant or tree. Invite the children to ask questions about how plants grow.