Children learn about their world by pretending, and by using their senses.
Keep it simple and fun with very young children.
Encourage your small group of very young children to do what you do!
- Jump up and down
- Run in place
- Tiptoe in a circle
- Fly like a bird
- Crawl
- Walk like a duck
- Touch your toes
- Wiggle your nose
- Blink your eyes
- Open and shut your fingers
- Make circles with your arms
- Reach for the stars
- Open and close your mouth
- Give yourself a hug!
Let's pretend...
In a large room with plenty of space, have the children stand and spread out. Say, "Let's pretend to be…(for example, a car, plane, ice skater, swimmer, basketball player, rag doll, ant, or something you make up)…and follow me!"
Act out whatever it is. Give the children active ideas to encourage creative movement. Once you get started, let the children think of things to pretend to be.
Children learn about their world by using their senses. Sand and water play provide a calming effect as well as a learning experience.
Fill it up!
What you need:
- Plastic dishpan
- 2 - 5 lbs of sand (water can also be used)
- Scoop or long-handled measuring cup
- Funnel
- Clear plastic containers
What you do:
Fill a plastic dishpan with sand. It is a good idea to place a lid of a large box or old plastic tablecloth under the containers to catch spills. Find clear plastic containers of different a black marker, draw a line around the container at different levels. Children can pour the sand into the containers, being careful to stop filling each container at the marked line. Some children will enjoy counting the number of scoops of sand it takes to fill each container. They can make a chart and talk about which one has the most and which one has the least. Very young children will enjoy just filling the containers to any level.
Little turtle
There was a little turtle, (make small circle with hands)
He lived in a box, (make a box with both hands)
He swam in a puddle, (wiggle hands)
And climbed on the rocks. ("climb" fingers of one hand up over the other)
He snapped at a mosquito, (clap hands)
He snapped at a flea, (clap hands)
He snapped at a minnow, (clap hands)
He snapped at me! (point at self)
He caught the mosquito, (hold hand up, palm forward; quickly bend fingers shut)
He caught the flea, (same)
He caught the minnow, (same)
But he didn't catch me! (bend fingers only halfway shut)
Shoe hide and seek!
In an open area, have the children sit together in a circle.
- Ask each child to take off one shoe. Spend time talking about the shoes. "This is a sneaker. It is white and has a blue stripe."
- Collect the shoes in a box or bag. Have the children cover their eyes while you put the box of shoes in the middle of the circle.
- Ask them to find their shoe. Talk about how they knew it was their shoe. "It was black and shiny and has a strap."
- Try this game again. This time have the children cover their eyes while you hide the shoes around the room. Be sure that it will be easy for the children to find their shoes. For more fun, have the children work with a partner to find each other's shoe.
Super fun bags
What you need:
- Thick tempera paint
- Self-closing plastic bag
What to do:
Place paint in bag and smooth out bubbles. Make sure the bag is sealed completely. Thick paint such as finger paint works best. Allow children to press the bag with their fingers to make designs.
CAUTION:
Young children can choke on small objects and toy parts. All items used for children under three years of age and any children who put toys in their mouths should be at least 1¼ inch in diameter and between 1 inch and 2¼ inches in length. Oval balls and toys should be at least 1¾ inch in diameter. Toys should meet federal small parts standards. Any toys or games labeled as unsuitable for children under three should not be used.
Other items that pose a safety risk and should not be accessible to children under three include, but are not limited to: button batteries, magnets, plastic bags, styrofoam objects, coins, balloons, latex gloves, and glitter.
Activities 3-3
