Activities

During outdoor time, give each child a hula-hoop, and offer challenges that use positional words: “Step inside the hula- hoop. Hold the hula-hoop up in the air. Place the hoop on the floor.

During outdoor time, provide a hula-hoop for each child. Ask the children to hold the hula-hoops up in the air, place the hoops down on the floor, place the hoops behind them and place the hoops beside a friend.

Place several hula-hoops on the floor. Give each child a beanbag. Have the children listen for directions and toss or place their beanbag inside the hula-hoop, beside the hoop, in front of it, next to it, and so on.

During outdoor time, have the children work cooperatively to form letters and shapes with their bodies. Encourage them to come up with as many as they can.

Encourage the infants to participate in nursery rhymes. For example:
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall

(Sit child up on your knees).

Humpty Dumpty had a great (Pause and wait)
...

At the top of a piece of chart paper, draw a picture of Humpty Dumpty. Write the poem underneath. The children will help to build the brick wall that Humpty sits on.

During large group tell the children, “We are on a special diet – we can only eat things that start with the /k/ sound.” Fill a lunch box with objects that begin with /k/, such as carrots, corn, cucumbers and ketchup.

Create a “monster” or other character that the children can “feed.” Provide dice or number cards and fruit counters or other counting objects.

Read The Hungry Thing by Jan Slepian. Create your own “hungry thing” by drawing on posterboard and cutting a space for the mouth. You may want to add some textured fabric for the fur.

Tape teeny-tiny pictures or stickers to various sized hollow blocks in the block center. Encourage the children to go on a sticker hunt. Provide magnifying glasses so the children can spy the stickers.

Read The Big Green Pocketbook by Candice Ransom. Encourage the children to explain in detail the many places they visit within their own communities.

Begin by saying, “I am a magician and turn you all into...” Say two adjectives and a noun. For example: slimy slippery worms, warm fuzzy bunnies or crisp colorful leaves. Encourage the children to act out the descriptions.

Sing "I Am Special" with the children to the tune of "Are You Sleeping?":
I am special. I am special.

If you look, you will see.

Someone very special,

Someone very special.

That is me. That is me.

Create a chart with the headings “I Am,” “I Have” and “I Can.” You will need to model the activity before beginning. For example, say, “I am a teacher, I have brown hair and I can jump really high.

Tune: “I've Been Working on the Railroad” I came to school this morning
To learn and grow and play
I came to school this morning
Just to have a great new day
Can't wait to play with all my friends

Provide small pots, utensils and aprons for the children to use to pretend to cook. At mealtime, talk about how the meal was cooked, such as on the stove or in the oven.

Play the song “I Can Do It” by Patty Shukla. Have the children follow along with the song to jump, balance on a log, boogie and other actions.

After reading the book I Can Do It Myself! by Diane Adams, have each child show something he/she can do by him/herself. The children will take turns during large group showing their peers what they can do by themselves.

Read a book about toddler independence, such as I Can Do It Myself by Stephen Krensky. Ask the children what tasks they can do without help from adults. Encourage the children to perform tasks independently throughout the day.

Sit facing the infant. Make exaggerated sounds and facial expressions. For example, slowly stick out your tongue or say, “Ba-ba-ba.” Repeat the action or sound many times. Watch for the infant to copy your motions or sounds.