On my first giveaway post, I asked readers to comment with their favorite snowy day activities. Amber posted these instructions for Snow Ice Cream:
Amber’s Fresh Snow Ice Cream
On my first giveaway post, I asked readers to comment with their favorite snowy day activities. Amber posted these instructions for Snow Ice Cream:
Tortilla Snowflakes!
Here’s a simple way to take a common snack and make it a little more special on a wintry day. Using a pastry brush, cover a warm tortilla with melted butter. Lay a paper or foam snowflake on the tortilla and sprinkle well with cinnamon sugar. Remove the snowflake, and “ta-da”! You have a tortilla snowflake!
Soup from a Stone?
The story of Stone Soup is a popular old fable that has been retold countless ways. (If you need to brush up on the tale, you can find books at the library or online, and can even find online versions here and here.) You can help your children be a part of this timeless story as you do some story acting and then share some soup together!
Preschool Christmas Party – The Spirit of Giving
With Thanksgiving just now appearing in our rearview mirrors, it’s time to start planning for Christmas! Most everyone needs a Christmas party idea. Whether you call it a “Christmas Party” or “Winter Celebration” or what have you, most preschools have some kind of celebration at the end of the year. Now whether you teach at a public or private school may have a lot to do with how you celebrate this time of year. Regardless of those classifications, I’ve found that a service party fits the bill. And surprisingly, I don’t think the children have ever been disappointed by the fact that this party is more about others than about them. Quite honestly, I think they take great pride in being able to help others. In addition to fostering pro-social skills, it makes them feel important, bigger, and more powerful. Those are things all preschoolers crave (though I think I know a few adults who crave them too)!
Here’s how it’s worked for me in the past. Read through it and make adjustments for your group based on their ages and ability levels, your center’s policies and procedures, and the needs of people in your local area. It has worked particularly well to have parents attend and help their little kiddos through this series of simple service activities. I start out with a story for everyone, then I explain the tables with projects, and from there, we basically have a “free-choice” time, where the parents and children just choose which project they would like to work on next.
The Story of Milk – Making Butter with Preschoolers
While exploring a food theme, I really like to teach the children about where food comes from. Milk and dairy products are a great group to explore this way. I start out by asking the children if they have milk at their homes. They usually all reply in the affirmative. Then I ask where milk comes from. MOST kids know milk comes from a cow, though they’re a bit hazy on the details, and every now and then you’ll find a little one who hasn’t even come to the cow-milk connection yet. Once we establish that milk comes from cows, I ask if the children have any cows at home. Most children don’t. So then I ask how they got the milk they have in their refrigerators? They came from the store! Well, does the store have any cows? None that they’ve seen! So how does it get there? It’s a long journey! Then, I explain that I want to tell them the story of milk!
I like to tell the story using pictures (I’ve linked some samples for you) and telling about my grandfather who was a dairy farmer. I tell them a little about him, then show a picture of cows grazing. I tell them that when cows eat grass, some of that food goes to giving the cow energy and making it healthy, and part goes to making milk in the cow. Next, I show a picture of udders (closer here). This is a point of confusion, and not just for children. Have you ever seen the animated movie “Barnyard”? ALL of the cows, including male characters, have udders. It drives me crazy! But I digress. Be clear that the udders are where the milk is stored in the momma cow. You may have someone claim that the udders are used for going to the bathroom. Simply dispel that as false, and focus on the milk!
Book Activity – The Seven Silly Eaters
Mary Ann Hoberman’s The Seven Silly Eaters
Five Ways to Serve Up a Pumpkin
I mentioned before that a pumpkin’s greatness is in part due to its hollowness. We’ve talked about floating pumpkins, pumpkin drums, and of course, Jack-o-lanterns, but perhaps best of all, a pumpkin can be hollowed out to create a bowl! You can use a cleaned out pumpkin to hold pre-made food, such as soups or a casserole, or you can actually cook in the pumpkin shell as well! Here are five festive ways to turn your gourd into a gourmet dish!
Which One Do You Like Best? A Preschool Apple Taste Test
Preschoolers love it when you ask for their opinions! Tell them you have a dilemma. You’re trying to figure out which kind of apple tastes the best, but you’re not sure. Ask how you could figure that out? They may suggest (perhaps with some guidance) that you have a taste test!
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread Recipe
As I’ve mentioned before, it’s a rare thing to find a snack that every child likes. While I hesitate to give a definite guarantee on this one, I don’t think I’ve had a child yet who has refused it!
