Preschool Art Projects - Frozen Paint and Water Painting

I can't imagine a day with my students without preschool art projects. I also find that the simpler activities are just as fun as the more elaborate ideas I have done over the years.

Here are 2 easy, creative ideas that I use often. My readers have sent me similar suggestions and it is such fun to hear these same ideas from around the world!

Frozen Paint
One thing I have found that my preschool classes have really enjoyed is painting with frozen paint. All you have to do is fill an ice tray or popsicle trays with paint. Stick it in the freezer.

Once frozen let the children enjoy painting. School Supply stores also sell containers specifically for this purpose for pretty cheap. I have found that sometimes the painting works best when you let the trays sit out for 1/2 before painting unless it's a really hot day. It can be messy as the paint thaws so do this activity in a water table or outside.

Water Evaporation
Materials: Water, Paintbrushes

When practicing letters/shapes/numbers--anything!
We go outside to the wall or sidewalk.
Give each child a paintbrush and have 2 children share a cup of water with each other.

They listen for the teacher to tell them what to draw. On a sunny day, before they know it, their letter or picture has "disappeared." They love getting to paint and also watching it disappear.

If you like these preschool art projects, check out the other ideas in the Preschool Planner.

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

There are Two Editions now for the Preschool Planner: Basic or Platinum.

If you prefer lessons which have ideas for the Toddler Age, go here to the second volume of lessons. There is an entire bonus section devoted to TODDLERS.

http://www.preschoolwhiz.com/v2.html

Send me any ideas you would like to share and I will post them on my Blog.

Mary
marys.plans@gmail.com

Preschool Summer Activities - Flower Garden on a Plate

Happy summer to everyone! If you're looking for preschool summer
activities to do with your preschoolers, try this one.

It is a delightful way to get outside on a nature walk
and to use it as an opportunity of exploration.

You can help your preschoolers appreciate their surroundings.
Ask about colors and textures; count how many flowers they have
found to bring back to their classroom to decorate. These are just
a few of the ways you can turn a walk outside into an outdoor
classroom where children learn by doing. My favorite!

Here is the idea:
"A Garden of flowers and grasses on a squared paper plate".
Give each child a pair of scissors and go for a morning walk.
They cut wild flowers and grasses of their choice.
Each child is given a paper plate and colourful play dough.

The playdough is used to hold the flowers and grasses into place
on the paper-plate and voila--you have a garden which will hold
for a while. The kids loved this activity.

This was an all hands on activity with no help from me.

Thanks to one of my readers who sent in this preschool summer activity
that she does with her children.


f you like these preschool summer activities,
check out the other ideas in the Preschool Planner.

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 Circle Time - Thinking Circles

I do hope everyone's summer is going along smoothly and your preschoolers are enjoying outside activities. I received this preschool circle time activity from one of my readers recently and wanted to share it as fast as possible! Simple, thoughtful and very effective!

With a new school year just around the corner you will be planning your opening week activities as well as ideas for the year.

This idea is so important for preschoolers--learning how to understand others feelings and giving them their first tools for problem solving.

Thinking Circles

I took over a group part way through a year and they were very negative in outlook and aggressive to each other. I started what I called ‘thinking Circles’- I got a pile of cardboard circles and drew happy sad faces on each one. Then at the end of the day I would hand out some ( face down) and the children would have to turn them over and tell everyone something they really liked about the day (happy face) or something they did not like (sad face).

This got the group thinking in a reflective way and really brought them together. I now use it with any group I have. I find it teaches them about other people’s perspectives and can lead to some terrific group problem solving when a child has suggested something they did not like...ie; how to fix it if it was a problem.. or how to change it.

This is an idea that will become a permanent part of my preschool activities for circle time.

If you like these preschool circle time activities, check out the other ideas in the Preschool Planner.

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 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

Preschool Science Activities - Where do Pearls Come From?

Preschool science activities offer so many opportunities for hands on exploration. You can also use them to encourage the use of dramatic play fun that preschoolers love.

One of my circle time ideas is to talk about the next month that is coming up. For June, talk about monthly birthstones. The one for June is the pearl. Do they know what a pearl is? Where does it come from?

Talk about how oysters make pearls. In nature, a pearl is unusual, and finding gemstone quality pearls is rare. The pearl starts out as an irritant in a oyster or mussel. The "irritant" can be a bit of shell or parasite that gets caught in the soft tissue, which the pearl oyster tries to expel. If it can't get rid of it, t/he oyster coats the bothersome piece with a coating called nacre, forming the June birthstone.

Use the following ideas to continue the theme of pearls.


Secret Pearl Coloring Page
Since June’s birthstone is a pearl, show students where pearls come from by giving them an underwater scene to color and decorate. Give them a pearl to hold and look at and ask them to draw a secret pearl somewhere on their page. Then, they can trade pages and see who can find the hidden pearl.

Find the Pearl
Bring in three closed containers and put a pearl in one of them. Show the students which container the pearl is in and then mix the containers around. Students must try to follow the container with the pearl in it until you stop moving the containers. You should try to make them forget which one holds the pearl. When you stop, they can guess and you can see if anyone is right. Try this several times to improve their skills at attention and memory.

Dramatic Play: Underwater Divers
Send your students on a scuba mission to find valuable pearls at the bottom of the ocean. They must avoid sharks, jellyfish, and other dangerous animals as they venture to the bottom of the sea. They can comment on the types of animals they encounter and what it feels like to be able to breathe underwater.

If you like these preschool science activities, check out the other ideas in the Preschool Planner.

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


Mary
marys.plans@gmail.com


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