Activity Idea: Making Marks

Infant and Toddler QuickSource® reminds us that toddlers begin learning about print when they are in the 18-36 month age range. "Caregivers should provide plenty of experiences that involve rhyming, using books, beginning the process of scribbling. Children in this stage are very curious about the world and items around them."

Here's an activity called Making Marks that will help toddlers begin the process of learning about print. Exposing toddlers to books and stories will provide the foundation to help them gain the necessary literacy skills as they enter preschool. For this activity, you will need Colorations® Chubby Crayons (CRCHB) and White Sulfite Paper (A80SU).

Materials Needed:
Colorations® Chubby Crayons (CRCHB)
White Sulfite Paper (A80SU)

Let's Get Started: 1. By the time the child is two, the child has made attempts to make marks on a piece of paper. 2. During this stage of development the child will want to explore different writing instruments. 3. Large crayons and large markers are usually the best materials for young children to grasp and make marks. 4. KEEP IN MIND: A toddler should be closely supervised whenever using a writing instrument. Also, it is usually difficult for the toddler to make legible marks with large pencils. Crayons and markers usually are a better choice.

Furthermore....
Extend this activity by allowing each child to tell the class about what they drew.

If using POCET™, this activity correlates to Developmental Guideline: ER17: Begins to Experiment with Writing Instruments.

Activity Idea: What Other Words Have a Beginning Sound to Match Your Name?

Preschool Activity QuickSource® reminds us that language is all around us and that by engaging children in conversations, we expose them to new words and support their developing language skills. By "encouraging expressions of thoughts, feelings, and opinions through words, you lay the foundation for a child's later reading success."

Here's a new activity called What Other Words Have a Beginning Sound to Match Your Name? that uses circle time to reinforce the use of familiar sounds when speaking. For this activity, you will need a Phonics Spelling Game, Interactive Letter Vests, and a Beginning Sounds Table Top Pocket Chart.

Materials Needed:
Phonics Spelling Game (PSG)
Interactive Letter Vests (ABCME)
Beginning Sounds Table Top Pocket Chart (PC771)

Let's Get Started:
1. Have children listen for other words that begin with the same sound as their name.

2. Point out names that begin with the same sound along with other common words.

Furthermore....
You can also use this activity to excuse children from circle time by having each child name another word that begins with the same sound as his or her own name in order to leave the circle. Example: Tommy-Train, Amy-Apple, Billy-Block. (Note: It is not necessary for the child to be able to attach the sound to the alphabet letter at the beginning of the name. This activity is to recognize sounds in familiar words.)

If using POCET™, this activity correlates to Developmental Guideline: LT 4 Shows Awareness that Words can Begin with the Same Sound.

Activity Idea: Carrot Top

Head Start QuickSource® reminds us that a child's approach to learning contributes to their success in school and also influences his development and learning in other domains. A child's ability to "stay focused, interested, and engaged in activities supports a range of positive outcomes, including cognitive, language, and social and emotional development. It allows children to acquire new knowledge, learn new skills, and set and acheive goals for themselves." The Approaches to Learning domain refers to the observable behavior that "indicates ways children become engaged in social interactions and learning experiences."

Here's an activity called Carrot Top that will help children learn to maintain concentration over time on a task. For this activity, you will need carrots, water, food coloring and drinking glasses or jars. Discount School Supply's® Root-Vue Farm® would augment this activity by providing an example for children to see how plants grow.

Materials Needed:
Carrots
Water
Food coloring
Drinking glass or glass jar
Root-Vue Farm® (ROOT)

Let's Get Started:
1. Read the book The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss or The Giant Carrot by Jan Peck.

2. Cut the end tips off several carrots. Place one of the carrots in glass half full of water.

3. In a second glass add 8-10 drops of red food coloring and a carrot tip.

4. Place both glasses in a sunny window for several days.

5. Cut the carrots in half and look inside. The one that was sitting in colored water should show the way water was absorbed. A carrot is really a taproot, like a radish and a parsnip.

Furthermore....
Make a carrot salad by mixing carrot slivers with raisins or chunks of apples. Serve this salad at snack time.

If using POCET™, this activity corresponds with the devlopmental guidelines shown in AL3: Maintains Concentration and Interest Despite Distractions.

Activity Idea: My Family and Me

Kindergarten QuickSource® reminds us that social studies help "children become confident, caring and competent individuals" by developing their understanding of personal relationships. Understanding his or her contribution to relationships with family and friends is an important concept for a child to learn.

Here's an activity called My Family and Me that will help kindergarten children identify important aspects of home and community. For this activity, you will need a family picture of each child's family, if possible. If not, our Multicultural Family Puzzles will work well as a substitute.

Materials Needed:
A family photo of each child's family
Multicultural Family Puzzles (MLTFAMPZ)
Pretend Play People (PPEXSET)

Let's Get Started:
1. Allow the child to show the picture of her family to the other members of the group.

2. Ask the child to identify each person in the picture.

3. Have the child explain what each person in the family does to help the other members of the family.

Note: The teacher should always be sensitive to the make-up of each family, including foster families. The teacher should always help the child celebrate each member of the family and never be judgmental of the child’s home environment.

Furthermore....
Talk about how people can express emotions by using our Moods & Emotions Classroom Set.

Activity Idea: Yellow Star, Yellow Star, What Do You See?

Preschool Activity QuickSource® reminds us that mathematics is the "study of numbers, quantities, measurements, shapes, and their relationship to one another." The development of children's mathematical skills is developed by creating hands-on experiences and presenting problems to children that are meaningful and relevant to their developmental level. In other words, present math in a fun and creative way, and the opportunity is provided for children to develop abstract reasoning skills, learn complex math concepts and create solutions to real-life problems.

Here's an activity called Yellow Star, Yellow Star, What Do You See? that will help toddlers and preschoolers develop their color and shape recognition skills. For this activity, you will need tape, a manila file folder, and crayons or markers.

Materials Needed:
Manila file folder
Best Value Tape (BVTA) and Tape Dispenser (DISP)
Colorations® Markers (256CHB)
Super Shapes Classroom Stencils (SHAPEUP)

Let's Get Started:
1. Cut out the shape of a star on the front of a manila file folder (recycle an old one by turning it inside out).

2. Decorate the folder by stamping or coloring stars around the area you cut out.
3. Tape the sides of the folder together leaving the top with the tab open.

4. Place many different colors of paper in the pocket you have created.

Furthermore....
During circle time or small groups sing or chant "Yellow star, Yellow Star what do you see? I see a... (lift the first sheet of colored paper out of the pocket to reveal the next color) red star looking at me. Red Star, Red Star what do you see? I See a Blue star looking at me" etc.

If using POCET™, this activity corresponds with the devlopmental guidelines shown in MA3 Classify and Sort by Attributes.

NEW Resource Added! Sample Family Letter

Hi Teachers!

We've added a letter we've developed to help you explain the POCET assessment to your parents. We hope this helps! Find it under Resources (on the right navigation panel)

Best,
POCET

Activity Idea: Puzzle Me, Puzzle You!

Preschool Activity QuickSource® reminds us that social/emotional activities focus "on helping children become caring, competent, and confident individuals." Give children a strong sense of self, foster their independence, encourage them to make friends, and teach them to share by nurting their social/emotional devlopment.

Here's an activity called Puzzle Me, Puzzle You! that will build awareness about the different people and cultures that make up a community. It will also help to develop fine motor and cooperative play skills. For this activity, you will need blank puzzles.

Materials Needed:
Make a Puzzle Set (PSMCOM)

Let's Get Started:
1. Display the puzzle boxes where the children can see and use as a guide.

2. Give each person one piece of the puzzle.

3. After the first person puts her piece down, encourage others to figure out how their piece fits.

4. Encourage them to talk about the pieces and to help one another decide which piece belongs where.

Furthermore....
Extend this activity by allowing children to first paint their puzzles. Start with puzzles with larger pieces and then begin to solve puzzles with smaller pieces as children develop their fine motor skills.

If using POCET™, this activity corresponds with the devlopmental guidelines shown in SE6 Interacts Appropriately with Others by Helping, Sharing, Discussing and Developing Friendships.

Activity Idea: Beginning Music

Infant and Toddler QuickSource® reminds us that infants begin to react to and become fascinated by music during the first 18 months of life. Children also begin to play simple dramatic play and pretend games and caregivers can augment development by providing supporting activities.

Here's an activity called Beginning Music that will provide infants with the opportunity to react to music as they listen to it throughout the days. For this activity, you will need a CD player and some of your children's CDs.

Materials Needed:
Hamilton™ AM/FM CD Player (BOOMBOX)
Putumayo Dreamland CD (LULLABYE)
Classical Music CD (NBCLASS)

Let's Get Started:
1. Between the ages of 6 and 12 months, infants usually begin to attend when music is heard.

2. The caregiver should use music in the infant rooms whenever possible. Such music can include:
       • Humming to the child while trying to get him to sleep.
       • Singing simple songs while playing with the child’s hands.
       • Singing songs with lots of rhyming words and wordplay.
       • Using props, such as a stuffed animal to sing a song (example: a stuffed bear to sing and song about
          a bear, etc.).

Furthermore....
Extend this activity by allowing infants to play musical instruments along with the music played during the day, or have them explore different instruments during music time.

If using POCET™, this activity corresponds with the devlopmental guidelines shown in EC1: Reacts to Music.

Activity Idea: Where Did the Ice Go?

Preschool QuickSource® reminds us that science is the "study of the world and how it works. Children are natural scientists and their curiosity leads them to seek answers to questions and make connections. By experimenting, making predictions, exploring, testing observations, and investigating, children learn about the world they live in. " Children can discover many things about the world they live in simply by asking a few questions and observing their environment.

Here's an activity called Where Did the Ice Go? that will help children learn to collect, describe and record information. For this activity, you will need white sulfite paper, sand and water activity tubs, and Colorations® large crayons.

Materials Needed:
12x18" White Sulfite Paper, 500 sheets (12SU)
Sand and Water Activity Tubs, set of 4 (TUBS)
Colorations® Large Crayons, set of 8 (CRL8)

Let's Get Started:
1. Place ice in the water table or tub.

2. Give the children an opportunity to play and explore in the ice with different tools.
3. Ask the children to observe what is happening to the ice as they are playing.
4. Draw attention to the water when the ice is completely melted.
5. Give each child a small journal book or a large paper folded into fourths.
6. Have the children record what happened to the ice by drawing pictures. The first picture should be of the frozen ice with the final picture being the melted water. Observe what the children do in the pictures between the ice and the water.

Furthermore....
Extend this activity by freezing other liquids, such as Colorations® Liquid Watercolor™ or various kinds of fruit juice. Ask the children to determine which melts faster or slower.

If using POCET™, this activity corresponds with the devlopmental guidelines shown in SC 2 Collects, Describes and Records Information.