On my first giveaway post, I asked readers to comment with their favorite snowy day activities. Amber posted these instructions for Snow Ice Cream:
Bring in the Snow!
Next time you’re out shovelling the walk, shovel a bit into a bucket and bring it inside! Fill your sensory table with snow and try one of these fun activities for exploring the enchanting powder with your little ones!
Don't Wake the Bear!
Here’s a combination of hibernation activities for your preschoolers that fit nicely together for a story time or large group activity.
Don’t Wake the Bear!
Here’s a combination of hibernation activities for your preschoolers that fit nicely together for a story time or large group activity.
The Winter Games…..Outdoor Ideas for Preschoolers on a Snowy Day!
The best way to learn about winter is to get out and explore it! Here are some ideas for some fun in the snow! [Read more…]
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!
Moving Water
Here’s a quick and easy, yet fascinating , activity for your sensory table. (Find how to make your own here.) Inside the table, place two smaller containers. (I used the shoebox size storage containers here.) Fill one box with water. You may want to add a little coloring to make the water more visible as it moves. Leave the other box empty. Provide a variety of tools including scoops in varying sizes, funnels, basters and eye-droppers, and clear tubing (available at hardware stores).
Bubble Paint
For the truly brave preschool teacher or parent, looking for a creative art project, I present bubble painting!! This can be a messy project, but very unique and with many opportunities for developmental growth. Directions first, benefits later.
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!
Book Activity: Big Pumpkin
Big Pumpkin by Erica Silverman is a fantastic Halloween book! (In fact, it just might be my favorite!) It’s written in a pattern style with consecutive characters (a witch, a ghost, a vampire, and a mummy) each larger than the first, approaching the same problem – a giant pumpkin, stuck on the vine- in the same way. There is repetitive text and a definite pattern, which preschoolers really respond to, and which also builds pre-literacy skills. In the end, it is not the larger characters, but a tiny bat who, through cooperation, comes up with a solution. A great social skills lesson! [Read more…]
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