What child wouldn’t love the chance to unearth the mysteries of dinosaurs? Here’s how I gave some preschoolers the chance to be paleontologists!
How to Build a Mailbox for Your Preschool Post Office
Have you ever looked at those darling mailboxes designed for dramatic play in the supply catalogs, and just wished that you could rationalize a few hundred bucks for such an investment? Well, stop trying to rationalize because I have a more budget-friendly alternative.
These mailboxes were made from “Costco-sized” diaper boxes. I spray painted them blue, cut a letter slot by cutting the three sides of a rectangle. On the fourth side, I made a crisp bend (may be aided by making a shallow cut through the first layer on the inside with a razor) and reinforced it on the inside with packing tape so that it wouldn’t wear out from being opened and closed. The handles were leftovers from a kitchen remodel, but you can also buy simple handles pretty inexpensively at your hardware store. Poke holes through the cardboard, basically “pilot holes”, and then thread the screws through like you would on a cabinet. Cut a similar slot at the bottom of the back for the letter carrier to retrieve the mailed letters. (I skipped the handle in the back and cut a notch instead.)
Five Silly Dinosaurs
To prepare for this song, I draw a picture of a dinosaur driving a car on five index cards. (The pictures don’t have to be perfect, the kids are generally easy critics in this department. Look at some dinosaur illustrations to give you inspiration.) I arrange the pictures on my pocket chart and ask the children if they think dinosaurs drove cars. We talk about this idea for a bit, and generally conclude that these are five silly dinosaurs. In fact, there’s a song about these five silly dinosaurs!
Five Silly Dinosaurs
Flying Fish and Other Playdough Pets
While implementing a Pets theme, I gave the children some playdough, a paper plate, and an assortment of items with varying textures (feathers, googly eyes, pipe cleaners, batting, sequins, etc.). As part of a book activity, the children had just read But No Elephants, by Jerry Smath, a truly fantastic book, and were asked to use the materials to make their own pet – real or imaginary. The picture above is just one example from a 5 year old: “a flying fish”. Other children used the batting as fur to make “fancy poodles”, and “hamsters”. Try this activity as a stand alone or as part of a book activity.
As the children work the playdough, they build fine motor strength and control, as well as gaining a sensory experience. Creating the pet in both image and character builds creative and language skills as well. Children also display an awareness of pet characteristics and detail as they transfer their mental image of a pet to a playdough representation of that idea.
Book Activity: Snowmen At Night
Snowmen at Night by Caralyn and Mark Buehner, is a wonderful tale about the adventures snowmen get themselves into when they come to life at night. It’s all in an attempt to explain why snowmen don’t always look the same the day after they’re built; a little hunched over, a bit more ragged. The illustrations are detailed and fantastic, and even contain some hidden pictures that kids love to find! The storyline is just as enjoyable with rhyming text that aids in building phonological awareness.
Percussion Band – Syllable Style
Percussion instruments are great for young children! Perhaps the human voice is the only instrument that comes so naturally! Try this activity for combining music and language activities together.
Begin by showing an assortment of percussion instruments. This could include drums, rhythm sticks, cowbell and mallet, wood blocks, anything that produces a sound when struck. Let the children know that first they will watch and listen, and then they will get a turn to play the instruments as well.
Paper Plate Snowmen
Cookie Cutter Prints With a Spin
In case I haven’t given you enough excuses to go out and buy your dream cookie cutter collection, here’s another way to get your money’s worth. It’s very similar to the cookie cuter prints, but with an extra step. Instead of using tempera paint in your plastic lids, use good old Elmer’s glue. Once the cookie cutters have been dipped in the glue and pressed on the paper, the children can shake colored salt onto the glue. Shake the paper around, and there is a new, colorful, raised print! You could also use glitter in place of or in addition to the colored salt. As the children use several colors on the same page, their prints will take on a cool multi-colored design! Enjoy all the ways you can put these prints to good use!
This activity builds motor control and creativity as the children manipulate the cutters and shakers and create their own designs.
Sandpaper Rubbings- Cookie Cutter Style
I told you I’d be giving you more reasons to justify buying that big set of cookie cutters!
Use the cookie cutters as a template to trace a shape onto the back side of sand paper. Experiment with a variety of grits as the different grits give different textures in the rubbings. Cut out the desired shape. (While I wouldn’t necessarily use your favorite pair, I have heard that cutting sandpaper may actually sharpen your scissors!) Securely glue the shape onto an index card. Place the index cards out with your art trays, paper, and crayons. The children can choose the shapes they want, place the paper on top, and rub with the crayons to transfer the picture onto their papers. The children can place several templates under one paper to create their desired scene.
How to Find Sensory Materials on the Cheap
Photo provided by ba1969.
So you’ve found a way to create a sensory table without a huge hit to your budget. Now how do you keep it filled with a variety of materials without dipping into your rainy day fund? There are plenty of fantastic sensory experiences that you can provide with little or no cost, and most of them are reusable!
Capitalize on Catastrophe. If you’re as lucky as I am, you have a few extra hands in your house that tend to increase the number of spills in your kitchen. I’d be lying if I said all the spills were at the hands of my children. Suffice it to say that between the four of us in our home, the floor has seen its fair share of disaster. When these spills happen in our “dry foods department” and on a large scale, I scoop them up and store them with my sensory supplies rather than throwing them out in the trash can. This is how my popcorn kernel supply began, and has also contributed to my colored rice collection. With flour and salt, I often bag them up and save them for making playdough.
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 105
- 106
- 107
- 108
- 109
- …
- 111
- Next Page »