Preschool Nursery Rhymes - Activities for Nursery Rhymes

If you're planning a Unit on preschool nursery rhymes, be sure to involve your preschoolers physically as well. Nursery rhymes are an excellent tool for teaching sound awareness, memory skills, and listening skills.

Children usually know at least a couple of nursery rhymes when they begin preschool. Use their knowledge base and expand upon it.

Involve them in acting them out, dancing to them, or clapping out rhythms.
Here are some ideas I've received recently to try with your class.


Jack Be Nimble

When we were doing a theme week on Nursery rhymes I made 3 different sizes of candle sticks for the children to jump over. I started with a toilet paper roll then went to a paper towel roll and then a parchment paper roll. What ever size they could successfully jump over was the one that they got to make and take home. (If you are in a state that has banned the use of toilet paper rolls, you can use the paper towel rolls and cut them in half.)

Cover the roll with plain paper and let the children decorate as desired, then either tape or hot glue the roll to a small paper plate, add a red yellow and orange tissue paper flame.

We sang:
Child's name be nimble
Child's name be quick
Child's name jump over the candle stick
Child's name jumped high
Child's name jumped low
Child's name jumped over and burnt his/her toe.

They had a blast and often ask to play that game. They are also learning directions of over, high, low.

Humpty Dumpty

I cut out little red bricks so the children could build a wall for Humpty Dumpty.

Then I game them each an egg shape to put on it. They drew on the face and added arms and legs. They all came out so different and cute and I got so many great comments on this activity.

There are so many ways to use classic nursery rhymes to teach your kids. Give these a try and send me ones you would like to share.

If you like these preschool nursery rhymes and activities, 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

Gross Motor Activities for Preschool - Letter Hunt and Let's Pretend

As all preschool teachers and parents know, preschool and energy are synonymous. Here are some fun gross motor activities for preschool that are so much fun they will ask to do these again and again.

You will be enhancing their motor skills and teaching coordination, letters and numbers at the same time. Give them a try.

These were both sent to me to share here. Thanks so much!

Let's Pretend

Have the kids stand up tall with their arms up and say "be as tall as a giraffe". Then say "be as big as an elephant" and have them put their arms and legs out wide. Repeat this slowly and then get faster and the kids don't even know they are doing jumping jacks!


Find the Letter

I like to play the "Number Find Game" or the "Letter Find Game".
Tape up numbers or letters all over the room and then draw one of them on a dry erase board and have the kids go running to find the number or letter that I've drawn on the board.
It gets them moving and it also helps them to become more familiar with their numbers and letters. You can use colors or shapes for your hunt. All children love a hunt!

If you like these gross motor activities for preschool, 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

Preschool Fathers Day Idea - Golden Shoe

June is here and in the US it means summertime and our celebration of Father's Day. We all try to come up with ways to show dads how much they mean to us. Try this preschool fathers day idea with your kids; dads will be pleased for sure!

It doesn't have to be a father; it can be any male figure who is important in the lives of a child--grandfather, uncle or friend.

This preschool craft idea was sent in by one of my readers recently to share here with everyone. Thanks for the emails!

Father's Day Idea - Golden Shoe
Need: one old shoe for each child, glue, gold spray paint

I send home a request for an old shoe that the child has recently grown out of.
Let your preschoolers paint it with watery glue.
When it's dry I spray paint the shoe gold.
I glue some felt on the bottom if needed.
They give it as a gift to dad at our "donuts for dads" day.
I include a poem on a paper tucked inside the shoe that says: "I love you so much I wish you knew, think of me each time you look at my shoe."

It's a wonderful fathers day gift ideas preschool for all to enjoy.

Keep your ideas coming in and I'll share them here for all.

If you like this preschool fathers day idea, 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