Animal Themes for Preschool - Alligator Hop & Penguin Village

Preschoolers worldwide love animal themes for preschool activities. It is a way to draw upon their imagination while teaching and enjoying hands on learning--my favorite!

Try out these ideas that my readers have sent in recently. The Alligator hop is an excellent use of recycling materials to make a gross motor activity for even your youngest preschoolers. You can include counting, color recognition and any other concept you wish to include.

The penguin village is perfect for all of us who are snowbound this winter! Again, using what nature has provided to fill your water table, add toy penquins, buckets, and, oh yes--gloves and towels for cold hands! Again imagination is key and it is a hands on activity that can be used to teach a science lesson while having fun.

It can't get better than this!

Alligator Hop
I took a colored print out of an alligator and put it on heavy cardboard. Laminated. Made 8 of these. Then made 8 pictures of logs (or rocks). Idea is to jump log to log----so you don’t fall into the swamp----and get your foot eaten off by an alligator. I used this even for my 2-3 year olds in home childcare.
Great for gross motor skills!!!

Penguin Village
For our Penguin unit we fill the water table with buckets of snow from outside and then let the kids play with small plastic penguins and other Lego animals in the snow.
We have 3 or 4 pair of extra gloves available for cold hands and a towel:)

We talk about what happens to the snow after an hour or so and get a science lesson about different forms of water and why it melts etc.
They love the inside snow and letting the penguins slide down into the water!

If you like these animal themes for preschool, 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.


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

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:

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Activities for Preschool Children for Groundhog Day

The winter in the US and Canada this year has been particularly cold and snowy with most of us forced to stay inside! On February 2nd, the US and Canada celebrate Groundhog day. Here are activities for preschool children for Groundhog Day!

According to folklore, if it is cloudy when a groundhog emerges from its burrow on this day, it will leave the burrow, signifying that winter will soon end.

If on the other hand, it is sunny, the groundhog will supposedly "see its shadow" and retreat back into its burrow, and winter will continue for six more weeks.

One of my readers sent this activity in for all of us to enjoy. Great for gross motor skills, following directions and just having fun!

Groundhog Tunnel Play
With Groundhog Day just around the corner I wanted to share this idea that my kids love.
I place a tunnel on the floor and they take turns crawling through pretending to be the Groundhog.
I sit at the exit end with a flashlight and a cloud shape and a sun shape that has a hole in the middle.
If the cloud is covering the flashlight there is no shadow so we say an early spring is on the way Hooray!
If the sun is in front of the flashlight there is a shadow so we say six more weeks of winter Oh NO!

Sometimes we do this after making a Groundhog Headband or mask that they can wear while crawling through the tunnel but they like to do this without one just as much.

I do hope you have fun with this one--wonderful imaginary play for all! If you liked these activities for preschool children for Groundhog Day, check out the other ideas in my Preschool Planner.

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

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


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

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

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 Activities - Sense of Smell

Winter time is a wonderful time to introduce preschool activities about the sense of smell. There are several ways to use this theme for art, science, fine motor and literacy activities.

Preschoolers enjoy learning all about themselves. start this theme with a circle time activity to discuss our five senses. Then tell them that this day will focus on the sense of smell. Ask for their input--what do they think smells good or bad, what foods do they think smell good, what smells are warnings for us, etc.

Art
Provide magazines to your preschoolers to look through magazines and cut out pictures that have scents. Next allow them to make collages of the pictures they have found. You can hang their collages of scent around the room.

Science
Fill separate small brown or opaque paper bags with different items that have scents such as cinnamon sticks, lemon slices, cut garlic cloves, chocolate bits, flower petals, etc. Allow them to hold a bag, smell it, and then tell you what they think is inside. Record their answers on the board.

Next have them close their eyes and let them now smell them without looking and say what they think is in the bag. Record these answers and compare the ones with eyes open and closed and talk about the differences.

Fine Motor Skills
Provide 2 small squares of fabric to each of your preschoolers. Let them glue 3 of the sides together with fabric glue and set aside to dry. After the glue is dry, provide some potpourri for them to put inside their fabric and glue it shut. These can be seasonal potpourri scents to fit the time of year and then ask them what the scent reminds them of--spring flowers, holiday scents, candy, etc.

These discussions allow them to talk about themselves, the smells they recognize and introduce new scents as well.

Have fun and enjoy these preschool activities on our sense of smell.

If you like these preschool activities, 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.


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

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

Preschool Activities - Magic Wands & Relaxation

I thought all of us could use some ideas for preschool activities that focus on relaxation and listening skills. With Halloween at our doorsteps, my preschoolers are wound up like a spring! Listening skills are beginning to wane as well.

Here are two creative preschool ideas that one of my readers sent in recently. They are simple and so effective.

Keep these in your repertoire of preschool relaxation ideas


Magic Wands
This works really well for the preschoolers who do not want to sleep at rest time.

Buy some liquid glitter wands, ask them to lie on the floor or a mat, put on some quiet, relaxing music and ask them to follow your slow movements with the wand. When finished all the movements you can think of, ask them to sit up and do some movements with the wand. Then ask them to roll on each side and move with their wand sticks. Lastly ask them to stand up and ask them to follow some different slow relaxing movements.

Alternatively you can start with standing and slowly work to lying down and then ask them to place their wand on their chest, close their eyes and finish with a story on a tape. Preschoolers love this!

Listening Ball
When children are learning about listening and talking you can have a ball or special decorated box. Only the person with the ball or box is allowed to talk and gives some the confidence to speak. It works!


If you like these preschool activities, 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.


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

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

Preschool Recycling Curriculum - Nature Walk and "R" Collage

It is never too early to begin teaching our children that we need to protect our earth. I introduce preschool recycling curriculum ideas throughout the year.

Preschoolers love to feel empowered and showing them how they can make a difference in their own world is a perfect place to start. Whenever you can, take time to go outside to observe the environment. Ask your kids to be detectives and point out all the details that they see. Next ask if what they notice is good or do they see trash or something that needs improvement. This leads us to the Nature Walk below.

Craft- Nature Walk and Collage

Materials- nature materials gathered on walk, paper bags, glue, scissors, paper

1- A major part of this unit was exploring the world we live in and how we affect nature and it affects us. Take a nature walk around the neighborhood and observe the different things that are growing in different places. Give each child a paper bag and encourage them to collect things for a nature collage.

2- Once the walk is finished, return to the classroom and give each child a piece of construction paper for their nature collage. Use glue to stick the collected items to the construction paper.


"R" for Recycling Poster Collage

3 R’s poster collage (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle)- Give each child a piece of paper with a giant letter ‘R’ on it.(I prefer to make the bubble letter so that they can use the inside of the letter as well as the outline.)

Instruct the children to paint the exterior of the ‘R’ with colored paint. Decorate the ‘R’ with recyclable and reused materials like newspaper, magazines, junk mail, and old scraps of T-shirts. Also add materials from outside like pinecones and grass to simulate the environment that we are working to save.

Have fun with these ideas and please continue to send me more or to leave a comment.

Mary
marys.plans@gmail.com


P.S. Looking for NEW IDEAS for your classes but don't want to spend your free time planning--Check out my preschool lesson plans:


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

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

Preschool Motor Skills - Fitness Tape Shapes & Wiggle Wiggle

Hi there,

According to the calendar it is spring but the weather remains wintery and still keeps us inside. Cabin fever and boundless energy need an outlet. I have these suggestions for preschool motor skills and both can be done inside.

The children have fun, expend their energy and learn ways to control their motions, learn balance and coordination skills and work together.


Wiggle Wiggle

Need: Large dark room
Let the kids stand in a room---preferably lots of space--.
Turn out the lights & yell, “Wiggle, Wiggle”. They move about all they want, but when you turn on the lights, yell “Freeze!”. They then have to freeze where they are & wait until the lights go out again. Vary this game by letting them act like animals (if you’re teaching an animal theme) or cars or whatever. It’s so fun & easy to do almost anywhere. This is such a simple game for Preschoolers, and they love it!


Fitness Tape Shapes

Materials-Painters masking tape
Procedure-Tape one or more lines or shapes on the floor to create a floor level balance beam.A good length is between 4 and 5 feet.Use three straigh lines,3 wavy lines,and 2 zig-zag lines.

Fitness Activities for tape shapes
1. Walk on the tape with one foot in front of the other
2. Walk on the tape with one foot in front of the other and put down your toe-walk heel,toe,heel,toe
3. Walk on tip-toes on the tape
4. Walk in giant steps on the tape
5. Squat and walk on tape like a duck
6. Turn sideways and walk on tape
7. Walk sideways on tape
8. Stand on your tip-toes and turn in the opposite directions
9. Squat down and turn in the opposite direction


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


Have fun with this and enjoy the activities. Please leave a comment and other suggestions you would like to share!


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

Presidents Day Preschool Activities

Next week, February 16th, the US celebrates a federal holiday called
President's Day. Here are a couple of ideas for presidents day preschool
activities for your lesson plans next week.

Use these to help enhance your teaching what the holiday is about and who is being celebrated. Two of the most famous presidents are George Washington and Abraham Lincoln and many of your children may have heard of them already, especially since this was an election year a new president of the US.

American Flag Collage

Need: Old magazines, blank copies of the outline of the American Flag.
Photo of the American flag or an actual flag which you may have in your classroom already to use as an example.

Send students looking through magazines for pictures with lots of red, white, and blue in them. When you have collected enough, have students start pasting the colors onto the blank flag that they have on their desk.

They can overlap pictures, use bits of pictures, and do whatever else they need to in order to make the flag look as real as possible. When you are done,put up the flag for everyone to see.



Log Cabin

Need copies of blank sketch of the front of a log cabin.
Lots of sticks and twigs
glue


I make copies of a blank sketch of the front of a cabin.
We go out for a walk and find as many twigs and sticks as possible.

Use these to glue onto the picture to make it resemble a log cabin. Children love this idea for a craft and get quite creative with this activity.

You can discuss that many people in the early days of the US lived in log cabins, even our presidents like Abraham Lincoln. If they want to make windows you can give them plastic wrap to glue on those openings to look like a window.


I hope you enjoy these ideas and have a wonderful week! Send me any of your ideas and I will share them here for all to see.

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