Preschool Activities - Traffic Light Game

With all the snow here in the US and the "cabin fever" of the holidays
taking its toll, I want to suggest some preschool activities that will help use up some of the energy and a snack to match!

These are ideas that work well with two year olds all the way up to the 5 year olds. Give these a try and see how they work for you. If you're a mom using these at home you might even find the older kids getting in on the action!


Traffic Light Game
Make three traffic lights. (Cut 3 strips of paper about 4 x 12 inches.
Draw 3 large circles on them lengthwise to resemble a traffic light. Glue
a Green Circle on one, a Yellow Circle on another and finally a Red circle
on the last one. Mount these 3 lights on their own stick or ruler.)

Have music available to play. Start the music and hold up the Green
light. Have the children march along to the music. Change the “light” to
Yellow so they know to slow down . When you switch to the Red light, they
have to FREEZE in place. They really enjoy this game and the yellow light
gives them a little time to settle down which can be hard at this age.)


Traffic Light Snacks!
Give each child a rectangle-shaped graham cracker. Give them a small
amount of cream cheese or icing to spread on the cracker. Give each child
one red M&M, one yellow M&M, and one green M&M to set up on the graham cracker like a traffic light. **If you want to use something larger, tint the icing to the appropriate colors and frost a round cookie instead of using M&M's. Explain what the three colors of the traffic light mean while decorating the crackers if you do this before the game. If it is after the game...no explanation is needed!


Have fun with this and enjoy the new month! Send me any ideas you have and I'll share them here for all of us.

Mary
marys.plans@gmail.com

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Preschool Activities for Fall

Hello again!

Are you looking some for fun preschool activities for fall?

I have two to share with you today that are so simple and so much fun.

Your preschoolers will love these!

First in order is to go outside for a "Collection Walk".
If you have a large group you may want to break them into groups--some will collect pretty fall leaves, others will want to look for pine cones, acorns, tree bark, stones,etc (fall like nature objects).

If the weather isn't cooperating, you can draw leaves on construction paper and cut them out or ask your kids to cut them out.
(These don't have to be exact so it is a good fine motor activity as well.)

Now for the fun...

Leaf Toss
Take a sheet, or a small parachute if you have one, and put the leaves in the middle.
Gather your class around the sheet and SLOWLY lift the sheet and then drop it QUICKLY to watch the leaves fall. This can go on for awhile because it takes them a few times to understand how to make them fall gently!

This is an activity that can be used for all seasons--just change the leaves to snowflakes, blossoms, flower petals, etc.

Sensory Box

You will need a large box that you can cut a hole in that your kids can put their hand in but small enough so that they can't see in.

Take your fall nature finds and put them in the box. I like to add a few extra surprises to the box that they didn't collect such as an apple, pear, baseball.
Have them sit in a circle and take turns reaching into the box and see if they can describe what they feel and can they guess what it is.

Hope you enjoy these as much as we have!

Mary

If you like these ideas, check out my Preschool Lesson Plans:

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