Preschool Science Themes - The World through a Magnifying Glass

Teaching preschool science themes always presents fun experiments and skills of observation. One of the more popular science ideas is to look at everyday objects through a magnifying glass.

I have several available so that the waiting time isn't too long. I have the hand held round ones as well as the larger sheet magnifiers.

This is an activity that can be done inside or outside weather permitting.

Show the children the magnifying glasses they will be using. I like to take newspaper or a magazine page and show them how the words and pictures will look different when you hold the magnifying glass over them. Move it in and out to show them how different things appear.

Next you can have them get into groups, each with a magnifying glass and then take turns letting them look at common things around them, for example: fuzz from the carpet, threads in the curtain, cracks on a painted toy, hair. If you are outside, they can look at leaves, sticks, bugs, etc.

Remind them to look closely and notice things they may have missed without the magnifying glass. Ask what is different? Encouraging their curiosity is the key here and increasing their ways of observing the world around them.

If you like these preschool science themes, you'll love the other ideas in the Preschool Planner.

Check them out:

http://www.preschoolplanner.com/thefullstory.html


Mary
marys.plans@gmail.com


PS: If you would like to receive my free newsletter for more ideas for your preschool class, enter your name and address at the site below:

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Preschool Ideas - Listening, Patterns and Counting

If you are searching for some fun preschool ideas to change up your daily routine, try these suggestions.

Listening, Patterns and Counting

I like to set up a special area in the classroom, or if weather permits set up an area outside. This could be an area with a tent, a special water table activity or sand table treasure hunt--whatever works best for your situation. Be creative here and use what you have and what your environment allows.

The next step is to teach your preschoolers that the admission to the special event is to clap out a rhythm. You set the rhythm depending on the ages and abilities of your students. It could be as simple as clapping three times or with older children, it could be a code such as one clap and then 3 fast claps.

This is teaching them to:
1. Listen carefully
2. Develop the ability to keep on trying and not give up
3. Developing memory skills

Children enjoy this so much and it makes for fun times while learning.

Once they master the admission, you can ask them to create their own codes and teach it to the others. They like this challenge!

If you like these preschool ideas, you'll love the other ideas in the Preschool Planner.

Check them out:

http://www.preschoolplanner.com/thefullstory.html


Mary
marys.plans@gmail.com


PS: If you would like to receive my free newsletter for more ideas for your preschool class, enter your name and address at the site below:

http://preschoolplanner.com/preschool-activities.html

Preschool Math Games - Beans and Donuts!

A popular request I get is for preschool math games. I receive so many creative ideas from my readers. Give these a try!

Lisa sent me the two preschool math games below and the best part is that your youngest preschoolers enjoy them as much as the older ones.

Lima Bean Shake

Spray paint one side of large lima beans. Then give each child say five lima beans. Shake them like dice and toss them out like dice.Next have the kids count how many beans are white and how many are the colored beans.

Corner Doughnut Shop

This is a counting and color game. Make donuts out of different colored construction paper then lay them all out on the floor.
Sing a song like--
Down around the corner at the donut shop
there were ten little donuts with some sprinkles on top
and along came (a child's name) with a dime to pay and
[have the child pick out either a color or a number] took the "red" or "two donuts" away. (Whatever you choose a color or number.)

Even the littlest kids love these games!

Thanks so much for sending me your preschool learning activities. Enjoy and remember to send in any preschool ideas you wish to share and I will post them here. Thanks for all the ideas that come in daily.

If you like these preschool math ideas, you'll love the other ideas in the Preschool Planner.

Check them out:

http://www.preschoolplanner.com/thefullstory.html


Mary
marys.plans@gmail.com


PS: If you would like to receive my free newsletter for more ideas for your preschool class, enter your name and address at the site below:

http://preschoolplanner.com/preschool-activities.html

Dinosaur Activities for Preschool - Dinosaur Egg Hunt & Surprise

One of the most popular themes with my preschoolers over the years have been dinosaur activities for preschool.

One of my readers just sent this fabulous week long activity to share with you.


Dinosaur Egg Hunt & Surprise

I like to make a paper mache dinosaur egg to go with the letter Dd. I put dinosaur prints going from the door to where I put the nest with the egg in it.

I paint it a pretty color and fill the egg with dinosaur gummies and glow in the dark dinosaur toys. I tell them the week before we get the visit from Mrs. Dinosaur and she builds a nest out of twigs and leaves a big egg. I break the egg a little each day.

On Friday we have a wonderful treasure box surprise! My children love this and talk about it for a long time.

Thanks so much for sending in all the wonderful ideas. Keep them coming!

If you like these preschool time activities, you'll love the other ideas in the Preschool Planner.

Check them out:

http://www.preschoolplanner.com/thefullstory.html


Mary
marys.plans@gmail.com


PS: If you would like to receive my free newsletter for more ideas for your preschool class, enter your name and address at the site below:

http://preschoolplanner.com/preschool-activities.html

Easy Preschool Art Projects - Paper & Cookie Cutters

If you have younger preschoolers in your school or day care or the parent of a preschooler, you can always use easy preschool art projects.

The preschool art project below is just a starting point for you. Keep supplies of construction paper and cookie cutters on hand and you and your children can create so many things.

These ideas engage your preschooler in using their imaginations, their tracing skills, coloring within boundaries, fine motor with crayons, scissors, etc. Simple but with lots of room to grow and expand on any theme.

Cookie Cutter Art
If you preschoolers in the house, construction paper should be a basic staple. Combine them with cookie cutters and your kids will be entertained for quite some time creating things they couldn't do yet free hand.

Fun plastic cookie cutter sets can be purchased for under $10 and usually include 100 different shapes and sizes. Generally these sets include basic shapes, letters and numbers, as well as holiday shapes, sports and animals.

Show your child how to trace the cookie cutter onto construction paper. Have them decorate their shapes with glue, glitter, crayons, or paint, then when they are dry, cut them out to create a mobile or glue to craft sticks for a puppet show!

If you like these ideas, you'll love the other ideas in the Preschool Planner.

Check them out:

http://www.preschoolplanner.com/thefullstory.html


Mary
marys.plans@gmail.com


PS: If you would like to receive my free newsletter for more ideas for your preschool class, enter your name and address at the site below:

http://preschoolplanner.com/preschool-activities.html

Preschool Learning Activities - Hide & Seek Alphabet

Are you searching for preschool learning activities to teach letter recognition?

One of my readers sent me this Hide & Seek game that she uses to teach letter recognition. Preschoolers love the thrill of active involvement searching for treasures, letters, etc.

Try this activity to teach upper and lower case letters to your preschoolers. I'm sure you'll be reaching for it time and time again.

Hide & Seek Alphabet

Make uppercase letters on fun designed paper (mine were polka dot) about 6 inches in size & cut them out. Then make matching ones in the same fun print, but in lowercase on a small card.

Put the small letters in a lunch sack, and hide the large letters around the room. The children would reach in the bag and choose a lowercase letter card. They then would search the room looking for the matching uppercase letter.

When they locate the letter, they bring it back to circle and tell me what the letters are and then lay them in the center of our circle area. They can then choose another letter from the bag and begin searching again. When all letters are found, review all the letters together.

They loved the "hide and seek" element of this activity as well as reaching into the bag to see what they would get.

Thanks so much for sending me your preschool learning activities. Enjoy and remember to send in any preschool ideas you wish to share and I will post them here. Thanks for all the ideas that come in daily.

If you like these ideas, you'll love the other ideas in the Preschool Planner.

Check them out:

http://www.preschoolplanner.com/thefullstory.html


Mary
marys.plans@gmail.com


PS: If you would like to receive my free newsletter for more ideas for your preschool class, enter your name and address at the site below:

http://preschoolplanner.com/preschool-activities.html