Jan 28, 2014

Indoor Preschool Games

 
In early childhood settings, it is important to have a curriculum that includes physical activities that will foster gross motor development. But, sometimes, there are those days when the weather does not cooperate for the young children to have their allocated outside play time. When those days occur, whether it's due to rainy days, or too cold or hot temperatures, then it is a good idea to have some games and movement activities available for young children to engage in. Following are some game ideas for young children to play inside. These games are helpful in preschool and daycare settings but can also be used at home and for birthday parties.

 

 

Who is Under the Blanket?


One child is chosen to leave the group, and is sent away somewhere so that he/she cannot see the rest of the class. The teacher then chooses one child to hide under the blanket. When the selected child returns to the group, he/she must guess who is under the blanket. It is important to tell the children, before the game begins, how everyone must keep the secret and not give the child's name away to the guesser.


Fruit Basket


Every child in a circle receives a picture of a fruit. There are pairs of fruit. A teacher calls out a fruit, such as "apple" and two people will stand up and change seats. This is done several times, and then the teacher says, "fruit basket" and all the children must stand up and move to another seat. This game can have other variations, such as bug dance.

Doggie, Doggie, Where's Your Bone?


One child is selected to be the dog, and sits in a chair with his/her back to the children who are sitting in a circle. The teacher chooses a child from the group to steal the bone which is sitting under the chair. The child makes sure that bone cannot be seen and the group says, "Doggie, doggie, where's your bone? Somebody stole it from your home. Guess who? Maybe you! Maybe the monkeys from the zoo. Wake up doggie, find your bone". This game can have many variations depending on seasons, holidays and themes. For instance, it can be a squirrel and the nut is stolen.

Duck Duck Goose


This is a classic game that requires some room. The children sit in a circle and one child is chosen. He/she moves around the outside of the circle tapping each child's head while saying "duck." But, when the child says, "goose," then that child must stand up and run the opposite direction of the first child in atttempt to get his/her seat back.

The Bunny Hop



Have a number of flashcards with shapes or numbers on them, and one card that has a bunny. The teacher shows the cards to the group and the children can call out the right answer to the picture being shown. Then the teacher shows the bunny card, and all the children can hop up and down while she sings, "hop little bunnies, hop hop hop, hop little bunnies till you stop and drop."

 

 



The Shoe Game


Everyone takes off one shoe and puts in the center of the room. Then a child is asked to leave the room. The teacher selects one of the shoes and hides it away. The child returns to the circle and has to guess whose shoe is missing. This is a great visual and memory game.


 

Number Game


The children dance and/or move around and when the teacher pauses the music she will call out a number. The children will then try and make groups with that number. So, for instance if she calls out three, then the children try and make groups of three.

 

Obstacle Course for Preschoolers


If the young children inside are very active, an indoor obstacle course can do the trick. Use things around the room to help create the course, such as furniture, cushion and carpets. The children each take a turn. They have to listen to the instructions carefully. The teacher might say, "first I want you to go under this table, then go around this chair, hop up and down twice and then sit back down."
Young children need to move their bodies. When outside time is not available, then it is becomes necessary to find indoor games and activities which allow them to move and have fun.
 

Dec 28, 2013

Toddler Craft Ideas for Winter

There are many craft ideas for the winter holiday season for young children to make. Sometimes, the material and steps are not age appropriate for toddlers, ages one to three. The following crafts bring fun results through simple methods. They allow toddlers to have the hands-on enjoyment of creating art, as well as providing sensory experiences and introduction to new material.


 
 
 

Winter Snowflake Art Activity

Materials Required:

  • Dark construction paper (black, or blue)
  • Large Paper Doilies
  • Small Paint Rollers
  • White Paint (kid safe)
  • Tape
  • Small shallow paint containers

For the following art activity each toddler is provided a piece of dark construction paper, black or blue, with a large paper doily taped in the middle. White tempera paint is then placed into small shallow containers beside each child with a small paint roller made for children, which can be purchased at most craft establishments or large outlet stores. Alternatively, the toddlers could use a large paintbrush or sponges for painting. Young children love to paint, and enjoy the process equally and perhaps even more than the product. The children will hopefully paint their entire paper white. When dry, the doily is carefully peeled off by grown up hands and the image left behind resembles a winter snowflake.

Photo from SheKnows Parenting

 

Snowmen Craft Activity

Materials Required:

  • Contact Paper
  • Scissors
  • Cotton Balls
  • Googly Eyes
  • Orange Paper
  • Black Paper
  • Paper plates or firm paper (optional)

Before the toddlers begin this activity, the caregiver has some material to prepare. Small carrot noses and black hats should be cut out as well as snowman shapes from the contact paper. If this activity is being prepared for a large group of toddlers and there is a budget, simply make the snowmen smaller to allow the contact paper to be spread into more individual projects.

This activity is a fun, sensory experience for young children as they place soft cotton balls onto sticky contact paper. This paper can be found at most stationary or office supply stores. The children are provided snowman shapes and when the paper is peeled back, they are left with adhesive paper that can hold the cottonballs. The children can cover their snowman and finish the project off with eyes, carrot nose and a hat. Alternatively, the contact paper can be glued or stapled to a firm paper, such as small paper plates or thick white paper.

 

Painting with Holiday Cookie Cutters

Holiday cookie cutters provide wonderful winter shapes for paint stamping. The material required is paint, paper and the cookie cutters. This activity can be done as a group activity with toddlers on a large piece of paper taped to a table. The paper can then be used for wrapping paper or card making.

Final Thoughts



Toddlers love to be introduced to new material and fun hands-on activities. They may try to place the material into their mouths, but through the learning experience of cause and effect will soon realize it's better for paint to be used on the paper! Parents and grandparents truly appreciate these first time holiday creations.

Dec 18, 2013

Mitten Preschool Songs



Mitten Song #1

To the tune of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat"

Warm. warm. warm and dry
Mittens feel so nice.
So grab a pair in chilly air
Or in the snow and ice.


Mitten Song #2

To the tune of "The Farmer in the Dell"

Each mitten has a pair
Each mitten has a pair
Can (child's name) find its friend
(He/She) 's looking here and there.


Mitten Song #3

Thumb in the thumb place
Fingers all together
This is the song
We sing in mitten weather



Mitten Song #4

To the tune of "The Wheels on the Bus"

The mittens on my hands
They keep me warm
They keep me warm
They keep me warm
The mittens on my hands
They keep me warm
All winter long!



Mitten Song #5

For Jan Brett's The Mitten





To the tune of "The Farmer in the Dell"

The mitten on the ground.
The mitten on the ground.
Heigh-ho! It's cold outside.
The mitten on the ground.
The (mole) snuggles in.
The (mole) snuggles in.
Heigh-ho! It's cold outside.
The (mole) snuggles in.
(After the last animal, all pretend to sneeze and fall out of the mitten.)


FURTHER RESOURCES: Snow and Ice Preschool Activities
                                            Winter Felt Board Activities


Online Early Childhood Workshops with Circle of Ideas