Preschool Science Activities - Earth Science

Hello,

Now that the children are home from school in the US for summer break, parents and caregivers are scrambling for ideas.

Here are a few preschool science activities about plants and gardening that my classes have enjoyed. They involve walks outside, observing, thinking-- stirring the imagination to understand the plants that they see everyday. Best of all--they can create their own snack when they're done!

Flower Hunt
Take students outside and ask them to bring in any flowers they can find. Talk about why flowers are different colors, shapes, and sizes, and why they smell different. Ask students if they like flowers or not and why.

How Plants Work
Walk your students through the life cycle of plants. Ask them if they have ever seen the roots of plants. Show them what the point of roots are and how plants use light to create energy. If you can, pull up a plant and show the roots to students.

Edible Plants
Do your students know that fruits and vegetables are actually plants? Describe how different foods come from the ground, and why that makes them healthy. Show different kinds of fruits and vegetables and ask students to name them. Help them understand that all kinds of edible plants grow just the same as traditional plants like trees and flowers.

Snack Time: Flower Sandwiches
Give students flower cookie cutters and two pieces of white bread. Let them choose their filling. They can pick between jelly, peanut butter, honey, or whatever else you can think of. They can stick a Twizzler in between for a stem if they like.

Give these earth science ideas a try when you hear the famous line--"I'm bored!" Have fun and enjoy!

If you have some ideas to share, send them to me and I'll post them here for all to see and use.

Mary
marys.plans@gmail.com

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

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

Preschool Listening Game - Bears Like Honey

Hi there,

With the end of the school year here in the US I was finding the noise levels in the classroom rising and rising. My efforts to gain control required coming up with some fun preschool listening games.

Thanks to one of my subscribers, Tracy, who sent me the game of "Bears Like Honey"

The kids enjoyed it so much and I want to pass it on to all of you.


Bears Like Honey

A bear listening game I play with my 3 & 4 year olds is called 'Bears Like Honey' and it goes like this...

We all sit in a circle. One child is chosen to be a bear and sits in the center with a musical instrument e.g. sleigh bells (imaginary honey pot).

All the children chant "Isn't it funny how bears like honey, buzz, buzz, buzz. I wonder why he does. Go to sleep Mr. bear, don't peep Mr. Bear." (At this point the child in the center pretends to sleep and a child from the circle pinches the honey pot/bells - and shakes them loudly and hides them behind their back, everyone hides their hands).

We all shout "Wake up Mr. Bear, someone has stolen your honey!" The
child in the center then has to try and remember where they heard the sound
coming from when the bells were shook. They say the name of a child they
think has got it, that child either shows their empty hands or the
instrument. When the culprit is found then it is their turn to be the bear
in the circle.

A really good test of listening skills!

Try this for a special time, circle time or anytime you want to gain attention and teach listening skills to your kids.

Have a great day!

Mary
marys.plans@gmail.com

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

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Father's Day Craft for Preschool

Hello there,

I know it has been a long time, but I am back and just in time for Father's Day!

It will be celebrated here in the US on Sunday, June 15th.

Here is a simple but fun idea for a gift for dad that is a little different from the usual. Easy to make and all ages can do this with a little help. Make a windchime for dad with some of his favorite things.


Windchime

Need: screws, nuts, bolts, keys

You can use a hanger or a piece of wood for your base, and then hang a variety of screws, washers, nuts, bolts, etc with string or fishing wire! Be sure to tie them tightly (teachers give an extra tug on the knots just to be sure). Suspend these fairly evenly and close enough together so that a slight breeze will make music!

Just a little different and the chime will remind dad of that special little person in his life.

Hope you enjoy this. Look forward to more ideas.

Let me know how you like the ideas and also send me yours to share on the blog.

You can reach me at:

marys.plans@gmail.com

Until next time,

Mary

P.S.: If you would like to receive my free newsletters for ideas for your preschool class, enter your name and address at the site below:


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

Preschool Craft Ideas - Valentine Flowers

Hello,

Hope you are having a good weekend so far.

I am busy going through my archives of preschool craft ideas for Valentine's to share with you.

It is never too early to get started with projects for gifts or ideas for parties!

I do have a favorite idea that was actually something my children made for me and I was able to use them year after year.

Valentine Flowers

Need: juice can
red foil, paper, lace or ribbon
Green Pipe cleaners
Many paper hearts, cut the same size in red, pink and white

First let your child cover his can with the paper or foil he chooses. Glue a band of ribbon or lace to the top edge. This is the Vase!

Next, give each child at least 10 hearts and 5 pipe cleaners. Glue a pipe cleaner on one of the hearts at the point of the V then glue the other heart on top so that the pipe cleaner is in between the hearts. This will be your flower and stem. Do this with the remaining hearts. 5 flowers is plenty but if you can, more is even better.

Scrunch up some paper, foil, packing peanuts (whatever you may have on hand to act as filler) and put it into the vase to hold the flowers in place. Arrange the valentine flowers in it and they have a Valentine Centerpiece or bouquet to give to a special person.

This is something that I was able to use a centerpiece at home and then put away in the cabinet until the next year. They were always amazed to see their special gift year after year.

Let me know how you like the ideas and also send me yours to share on the blog.

You can reach me at: marys.plans@gmail.com

Until next time,

Mary

P.S.: If you would like to receive my free newsletters for ideas for your preschool class, enter your name and address at the site below:


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

Preschool Valentine Craft

Hi there,

It's hard to believe but Valentine's Day is only a few weeks away. It is never too early to start planning. Try the following ideas for your party this year.

I like to provide time for my kids to prepare their own valentine specials for their friends and family.

Here are a few simple ideas that are great for all the age ranges you may have from the youngest on up.


NO-BAKE CINNAMON SHAPES
(Start these a few days or weeks before your holiday celebration so that they have time to dry well.)

1 cup ground cinnamon, 3/4 cup applesauce

Blend cinnamon and applesauce in mixing bowl. Stir until a stiff dough forms.

Roll out dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into shapes with cookie cutters.

Air-dry several days on a wire rack, turning occasionally.


Tips: To make sweet-smelling holiday ornaments, poke a hole at the top of the

shape, lace string through the hole and tie a loop for hanging.


Heart Paintings & Jazzy Glue!

Need: oak tag or construction paper.
Heart Cookie cutters, all sizes,
Paint brushes
Kool-aid mix

A creative way to jazz up plain old white glue and make a new way to paint is to add kool-aid packets of various flavors( colors) into approximately 1/4 cup of glue. Mix thoroughly with paint brushes and amazing colors come through.

Show your children how to trace the cookie cutter onto construction paper.

Have them decorate their shapes with glue, glitter, crayons, or paint.

This smells great and when it is dry it is glossy. A wonderful sensory activity!

I hope you enjoy these ideas and can plan for a fun Valentine's Day celebration with your kids.

I welcome your suggestions at any time and will share them with all of my readers. Just send them to me at marys.plans@gmail.com.

Until next time,

Mary


P.S.: If you would like to receive my free newsletters for ideas for your preschool class, enter your name and address at the site below:


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Preschool Creative Activities - Trip to the Moon

Hello,

Most people think of art class when they hear of preschool creative activities. Teaching preschool science ideas will change your mind and show you just how creative science lessons can be.

You can use these lessons to teach the letter "M", continue with a Moon theme to teach the sound of the letter, and to follow it through with the solar system theme discussed in the previous blog post.

Here are ideas that have been sent to me by my readers as well as some ideas from my preschool lesson plans.

From Carol - Moon Walk
Here's an idea I used when I taught a unit about "Astronauts" and the Moon. I filled the sand and water table with flour, had the children take their shoes off and walk through the flour, simulating how it felt when the astronauts were walking on the moon.

From Theresa - Rocketships
We are doing the letter M and taking a trip to the moon. I have made a large Rocket out of cardboard and corrugated cardboard so it is large enough for the children to sit in I have read them the story Man on the Moon by Anastasia Suen. For snack we ate English Muffins and talked about the holes look like the craters on the moon. We ran our weeks together and started the letter R for rocket and moon rocks we made rockets out of paper towel and collected rocks pretending to be discovering the moon.

Moon Landscape
Talk to your students about what the surface of the moon looks like. Most students will not know that the moon has craters, mountains, and valleys, just like the earth. It is a different size and composition, but the basics are the same.

Snack Suggestion
The idea for toasted English Muffins and the comparison to the craters on the moon is wonerful. Preschoolers really like the visual comparisons and the snack is great!

Try these out and let me know if you have more to add!

Have a great day!

Mary

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


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Preschool Science - The Seasons

Hi There,

Well, this is our first full week into the New Year. I hope you all had a wonderful Holiday season and are looking forward to new adventures.

I want to share some ideas on how to explore the seasons with your preschoolers. These ideas cover all the seasons and help them to understand why we have seasons. Not only do they peak interest in the Solar System, they also provide lots of ideas for activities and crafts to enhance learning and create lots of fun!


Why is it so Hot?
Bring out a poster or a 3-D model of the solar system. Ask students to show you where Earth is and where the sun is. Ask students if they know why it is hot in summer and cold in winter. Use the poster or the model to show students that in certain times of the year, Earth is closer to the sun than at other times. When we are closer, the weather is warmer. When we are farther away, the weather is colder.


Changing Seasons Worksheet
Give students a piece of paper with four equal squares on it. Tell students they must draw a scene for each of the seasons. They can include whatever nature things they want as well as animals. Give everyone a chance to describe their drawings and why they think it represents the seasons.

Weather Reporters
Take your class on a “field trip” throughout the room as they serve as weather reporters for the local news station. In one corner of the room, it is summer. Give students a chance to report what the temperature is and what it looks like outside. As they move to different corners, make sure students understand that the weather patterns change, so their reporting must change.

Hope you have some fun with these ideas. If you have any special ways of teaching the seasons, send them my way and I'll be happy to share them.

Bye for now,

Mary

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

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