Monday, April 27, 2009

Summer Preschool Activities - Bubbles and Water Play

Here in the US the weather is better and better every day for taking your preschoolers outside. Here are a couple of summer preschool activities to try with your children.

These preschool ideas are good for all ages from the youngest on up.

Water Play...

Purchase the restaurant style ketchup and mustard squeeze bottles with water. Let your preschoolers use these to make designs, draw a letter of the day on the sidewalk or "clean the walls" or toys with their squirt bottles. YOu can ask them to make a certain number of dots on the ground, spray a set number of items, and use this in so many ways with your theme of the day.


Bubbles...

Most children love bubbles! Use this formula for a safe way to have fun, chase bubbles and try to catch them.

1 part water 2 parts tearless baby shampoo. They make great bubbles and it is easier on the children's eyes.


I hope you enjoy these ideas. They are simple, fun and your preschoolers will love them.

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

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Friday, April 24, 2009

Preschool Activities on Nutrition - Very Hungry Caterpillar

Preschool nutrition is a topic all parents, preschool teachers, caregivers, etc are concerned about. I love to do preschool activities on nutrition by tying it into what we have read or done on a particular day or lesson.

A favorite book is the Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. It is filled with lovely colorful illustrations and simple, reassuringly repetitive prose. The book follows a caterpillar that eats and eats his way through the week, with holes appearing in the thick pages as he steadily munches.
Try the idea below; it can be used at circle time, snack time, lunch time...whatever fits best for your schedule.

Healthy Eating with the Very Hungry Caterpillar

Use the book “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” to talk to the children about healthy and unhealthy food.
Ask what happened to the caterpillar when he ate the healthy food versus the unhealthy food, and see if anyone has experienced the same thing themselves.
Teach the children to make healthy food choices more often, like strawberries, plums, oranges, or apples, instead of cakes, cookies, and chocolate.

For Reasoning Skills- based on today’s story, they learned that caterpillars like to eat leaves. Ask the children what they think insects eat, and if there are any creatures they can think of that eat insects.


Mary
marys.plans@gmail.com


P.S. If you like these ideas be sure to check out my Preschool Lesson Plans:

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

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Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Preschool Science Activities - Earth Day Fun Project

April, springtime and Earth Day all go hand in hand! Here is a simple and fun-for-all-ages preschool science activity to try.

Preschoolers love planting things and watching them grow. They do however prefer to see this occur quickly so here is an idea for a fast growing plant for them to try--grass! They can take them home, plant them outside and have learned how to recycle as well. What could be better for Earth Day!

One of my subscribers sent this to me and it is perfect to share here with you today!


Growing plants in earth friendly "pots"

Need: egg shells, cotton balls, grass seed, water

I wanted the children to explore the processes of being able to plant something. So we planted grass inside an egg shell.

We saved egg shells from home and washed them so there would be enough for all the children. We used a cottonball and grass seed in 15 days we had hair growing inside the hollow egg! The children loved watching the process daily as we shared and charted together.

I thought this was such a sucessfull activity and would recomend everyone to try.

Keep the ideas coming and I will post them here.


Have fun with this Earth Day preschool activity!


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

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Friday, April 17, 2009

Preschool Art Activities - Cinnamon Sugar Bears

Are you looking for some new preschool art activities? Here is an idea I have used often and it's always a hit with my preschoolers.

It's fun and smells good too! Have the kids make their own Sugar Bear picture.

Cinnamon Sugar Bears

Have students cut out a bear shape if they are able to do so or pre-cut them if this is too difficult for your students.

Next they should cover the bear in liquid glue and dip it first in cinnamon, then in sugar. It will smell delicious and look just like the real thing!

Hang them on the bulletin board for a Teddy Bear Parade!
Always a hit and just a little different to make it unique.

I'll be sharing more ideas with you soon.

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

Check it out:
http://www.preschoolplanner.com/thefullstory.html

Enjoy and remember to send in any ideas you wish to share and I will post them here.

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

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Sunday, April 12, 2009

Preschool Science - Magnets and Art

As preschool teachers we are always searching for new ideas for our classes. Preschool science activities provide the perfect opportunities for hands on learning.

It is my firm belief that children learn by doing--holding things, making things happen, wondering why and figuring out the answer.

Try the art project below that Kimberly sent to me to share here on the blog. It uses art and the science of magnets to create a fun project for all age preschoolers from 2 years old and up.

Marble Magnet Art
Need:

magnetic marbles and a wand
Paint
empty box

Using the magnetic marbles and wand I came up with this idea for my preschoolers to use during science time.

We love to marble paint, so I decided to use these magnetic marbles. I placed the paper, paint and marbles in the box. Then I held the box up in the air while they used the wand to move the marbles around their paper. They really enjoyed it so the next day I used it with my 2 year olds and they enjoyed it as well.

This is a new take on marble painting and a preschool science lesson all in one.


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

Check them out:

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

Enjoy and remember to send in any ideas you wish to share and I will post them here.

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

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Sunday, April 5, 2009

Preschool Bulletin Boards - Springtime Lily Pads


The easiest way to revive your space is to plan a new preschool bulletin board. We all need a change after being inside all winter and springtime is saying RENEW to us all--teachers and kids!

Special thanks to one of my subscribers for sending this recently. It is a wonderful way to involve your children in this rite of passage to a new season.

Give as many tasks as possible to the children to do. The older they are the more they can do. It is something all of them will enjoy and learn from by working together to make a special classroom.


Springtime Bulletin Board - Leaping Into Spring

My idea is for a Spring Bulletin Board. I just put mine up today.

Frogs on lily pads (paper plates painted green) with pipe cleaner attached to both so it's a spring. The children can paint the plates. It's made to look like the frog is jumping off the lily pad.

I cut green construction paper in long strips to make grass. I also cut brown construction paper to make cat tails. I cut blue Bulletin Board paper in a circle to make a pond. I place all the lily pads around the pond. I place the grass and cat tails all around the pond. 2 or 3 in a bunch to give it a swamp effect. I placed foam butterflies and flowers around to make it Spring like.

I chose the wording, "We're Leaping into Spring" for my title. The letters in Leaping I placed going up so it was "leaping" like the frogs. I received LOTS of compliments already on it while I was assembling the board.

Fun for any age of preschooler from the youngest to the oldest.


Have fun with this and remember to send in your ideas! We all learn together; teachers sharing ideas just reinforces what we are teaching our preschoolers.

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

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Friday, April 3, 2009

Preschool Ideas for Easter - Easter Craft and Activity

I want to share these two with you since they are easy to do, colorful and fun. These are always a hit with my kids.

Porcelain-Like EGGS
Need cutouts of egg shapes on card stock or heavy white paper.
Tempera Paint
Cornstarch
Easter grass
glue

Put a small amount of each paint into a separate bowl and then add a small amount of cornstarch to the paint and mix well.

Give each child a few egg cutouts. Let them paint the egg shapes. Set aside to dry and when the paint dries, it will have a porcelain-like finish. Next have them glue their eggs onto a paper plate and add some Easter grass.


Match the Patterns

Cut out egg shapes from different colors of paper with 2 eggs for each color. Hide one each of the different color eggs in the classroom. If you don’t have enough colors you can always decorate eggs with matching decoration (for example, some a squiggle design, some with zigzag, some with stripes. Give each child one egg and have them find their matching egg in the room.

To increase the difficulty, you can make large egg shapes then cut them in half using a puzzle type cut, such as zigzag or interlocking puzzle pieces. Give each child one half of an egg, and then ask them to find the person with the other half that fits theirs.

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

Check them out:

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

Enjoy and remember to send in any ideas you wish to share and I will post them here.

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

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