Free Preschool Activities

What you need:

- construction paper in colors you want to teach. If you’ll be teaching the basic shapes instead,  cut them into circles, squares and triangles.

- a preschool music CD such as 30 Preschool Songs

What you do:

Tape the construction paper to the floor, close enough that preschoolers can jump from piece to piece.

Start the music and have the preschoolers jump from paper to paper. Stop the music and have everyone tell you what color/shape they’re standing on.

Alternatives:

Try hopping or jumping backwards instead of jumping.

When the music stops, call out a particular color or shape for then to run to, like “Red!” or “Triangle!”

For older preschoolers, try a variation of musical chairs. Have one less paper than you have children. The one not standing on a color/shape when the music stops can sit down, or become a helper.

by Rachel Paxton

Kids are never too young to write thank you notes.  If they are old enough to hold a pencil or crayon, they can help create a thoughtful thank you note to send to friends or relatives for a birthday gift they have received.

People won’t expect a perfect thank you note from a young child, so let your preschooler have fun with this project.  The point isn’t how good the finished product looks, but how much effort and thoughtfulness the child put into it.

Supplies needed:

Blank greeting cards and envelopes
White card stock
Crayons/colored pencils/paints
Paper cutter
Glue stick
“Thank you” rubber stamp
Ink for rubber stamp
Birthday photos of child

Your child’s artwork will decorate the front of the greeting card.  Give your preschooler a blank piece of white card stock and let him draw on the paper.  He can use crayons, colored pencils, or my boys’ favorite, paints.  Paints can be applied with a paint brush or with sponges.

If your child has chosen to use paint, you will have to wait until the paper is completely dry to start the next step.

Using the paper cutter, cut the artwork to fit the front of the greeting card.  Let your child use the glue stick to apply glue to the back of the artwork and glue it to the card.

Next let your child glue a birthday photo of himself in the center of the front of the card.

Open the card and have your child use the rubber stamp to stamp “thank you” in the center of the card.

Have your child sign his name in the card.  If your child is not old enough to write, just have him scribble in the card.  Older children can write their name with your help.  You can write a note in the card thanking the person for the specific gift the child received.

Encourage your children from a young age to be thankful for gifts they have received.  Make it a fun activity, and they will enjoy writing thank you cards.

Photos of thank you card:
http://www.christian-parent.com/preschool/thank-you-cards.shtml

Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom of four. For resources for the Christian family, including parenting, toddler and preschool activities, homeschooling, family traditions, and more, visit http://www.Christian-Parent.com

Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

This is an activity I tried with some preschoolers over the weekend, and it went over really well. We had a story about a boat in a storm. Then to bring the story to life, we made our own foil boats and turned our water table into a roaring ocean. I’ve also added some extensions to the end of this activity that you could try with your preschoolers.

What you need:

Basin of water
Foil
Objects/plastic people to put in boats
Towels!

What you do:

Give each preschooler a piece of foil. Show them how they can turn it into a boat. There’s no right or wrong way to do this, so let them be creative! We folded our foil in half then turned the edges up for sides.

Put the boats in the water and watch how they float. Invite your preschoolers to make a windy day by blowing on the water and making waves.

Extension activities:

Turn this into a counting activity! How many objects can you put into a boat before it sinks?

Put an island (a small saucer or other object) in your water table and read The Little Island to your preschoolers. Have them recreate the storm and other events of the story.

by Rachel Paxton

Preschool-aged children love lacing cards.  Lacing cards allow children to practice “sewing” by threading a string in and out of holes in a piece of cardboard.  This is a great activity to help develop your child’s fine motor skills.

Lacing cards can be found most anywhere preschool supplies are sold.  The pictures on the cards can be anything from farm animals to construction equipment. They are enjoyed by both boys and girls.

If you want to be really creative, you can make your own lacing cards.  All you need is a picture, a laminating machine ($20 at Walmart), scissors, a hole punch, and some yarn or a shoestring.

First select a picture.  You can find many children’s pictures online.  Just search for pictures or drawings of things that your child likes.  If your child likes dinosaurs, then you could make a set of dinosaur lacing cards.

After you find a picture, print it out and use the laminator to laminate it.  Next use the scissors to cut around the outline of the picture, leaving about an inch of space around the picture.

Using the hole punch, punch holes about an inch apart in the white space around the picture.

Tie a knot in one end of the yarn or shoestring.  You may need to wrap the other end with scotch tape so that it will thread easily through the card.

That’s it!  Your lacing card is ready for your preschooler to use.  These are really easy and fun to make, and your child will really enjoy using them.

Keep in mind it may take your child awhile to get the hang of “sewing”. At around three years of age, your child may only be able to push the yarn through the holes but not understand the concept of threading it in and out of the holes.  Just let them play with the cards and keep showing them how to do it.  Eventually they will catch on and they will enjoy spending hours lacing different pictures and patterns.

Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom of five. For resources for the Christian family, including parenting, toddler and preschool activities, homeschooling, family traditions, and more, visit http://www.Christian-Parent.com

Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

by Rachel Paxton

Cutting with scissors is a learned activity. By three years old your child should have no problem holding a pair of child-sized scissors. It takes them awhile to master this new skill, however, so be patient with them while they begin to show an interest in learning how to do it.

Purchase your child a pair of his own scissors. If your child is left-handed, make sure the scissors can be used by left- or right-handed children. Many scissors can be used by both.

Let your child try to cut with the scissors, and encourage him to cut the best he can. It may take awhile for him to get the hang of it. My boys were four years old before they could hold a pair of scissors correctly and cut with them.

After your child has learned to cut with his scissors, it’s time to practice cutting shapes and lines. This activity helps your preschooler master his cutting skills so he can move on to cutting out shapes for his own craft projects.

Have your child start cutting lines. Simply use a ruler to draw several lines on a piece of paper, and then have your child try to cut on the line. It will probably take awhile for your child to get the hang of it, but after he catches on he will be so proud of his new accomplishment. After lines, he is ready to move on to wavy lines, then ovals, and, finally, circles.

Preschoolers love this cutting activity. One of my sons spent at least an hour two days in a row cutting out shapes I had drawn for him. He was so excited he could cut on the lines that he wanted to cut them out over and over again.

Another skill that can be practiced with this activity is tracing. Before your child cuts out the shapes, have him first trace them with a pencil. This is also a skill that takes time to learn and that your child will enjoy trying to master.

Children enjoying learning things. Open up a whole new world for your child by teaching him something as simple as using a pair of scissors.

Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom of four. For resources for the Christian family, including parenting, toddler and preschool activities, homeschooling, family traditions, and more, visit http://www.Christian-Parent.com

Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

Here are two more easy craft ideas for your young preschoolers. These will take a little more planning and clean up for you. But the nice thing about both of them, is your child will end up with a project they can use everyday. Imagine how proud your little one will be to show their own t-shirt and placemat t0 your family and friends!

Design a T-Shirt

Preschoolers can have a blast decorating a plain white t-shirt with colorful markers. If you use washable ones, they can create a design, wear it, and start over after you wash the shirt. If a permanent design is desired, however, you’ll have to let him use non-washable markers. You can avoid a mess by covering the work area with newspaper and putting a smock on your toddler.

Placemats

Making placemats out of contact paper is very easy. Have your toddler cut shapes out of construction paper and glue them onto a whole piece with a glue stick. He can add detail with markers or embellish with stickers. When he’s done, place the artwork on a piece of contact paper, sticky side up. Place another sheet of contact paper on top, sticky side down.

Most toddlers will only have the patience to make one placemat at a time. But he can make another one tomorrow, continuing until there are enough for the whole table. He’ll be so proud to know that everyone sees his artwork at every meal!

Crafting can help your toddler learn important skills while keeping him quietly occupied. Whether it’s a rainy day or he’s just feeling creative, seize the opportunity to let him channel his imagination into something you can both admire.

I promised you some easy craft ideas you can do with your preschooler. Here are some that are good for older preschoolers, and also toddlers.

Parents of very young preschoolers (1 -2 yrs) often wonder how they can do crafts with their children. Those little people have a lot of energy, but don’t crafts with your toddler can be a lot of fun for both of you, and help your toddler learn how to follow instructions and develop hand-eye coordination.  When you work with toddlers, you’ll need to adjust your expectations. They have short attention spans and they’ll need a lot of adult help.

Here are two craft ideas that are fun and easy to do with preschoolers of any age.

Craft Stick Puppets

Puppets are fascinating to toddlers. Creating their own puppets is easy, and it’s lots of fun. All you really need are some craft or popsicle sticks, construction paper, safety scissors, markers and glue.

Help your toddler cut animal shapes out of construction paper. He can draw faces and other details with washable markers. Glue the stick to the back of the shape, let dry, and he’s ready to put on a puppet show. If you want to make more elaborate puppets, try cutting shapes out of foam. Glue on a pom pom for the nose, and add some googly eyes.

What I love to do with these, is help the toddler tell a simple story with the new characters she just created. Or read a favorite story and have the toddler’s puppets participate.

Paint with Pudding

Kids love to fingerpaint, but it’s so messy. And there’s also the concern about them eating the paint. Even if the paints are nontoxic, it can make cautious parents uneasy. The solution? Let them paint with pudding!

You don’t need different flavors to make different colors. Just use one serving of plain vanilla pudding, divide it up into small portions, and add food coloring to create various shades. Give your child a paper plate to use as a canvas for his masterpiece. When he’s done, he can eat it with no worries.

If you’re working with older toddlers or preschoolers, you can even help them mix the pudding. My kids loved that!

Tomorrow I’ll have some more easy craft ideas for you and your preschoolers.

Some parents are skilled crafters. Others are doing well to cut paper in a reasonably straight line. No matter which group you fall into, crafting with your kids can be beneficial for all involved.

Few things bring families together like crafting. Here are some of the good things that come out of crafting with your preschoolers. If you don’t enjoy crafting, these benefits might change your mind!

• Crafting builds creativity. Preschoolers’ active minds need a creative outlet, and crafting provides the opportunity for kids to use their imaginations. It helps them learn to solve problems, and it could lay the groundwork for a lifetime of interest in art. For parents, getting creative can help reduce stress and promote using the brain in ways that we don’t have a reason to use it every day.
• Crafting teaches preschoolers to follow directions. This seems like a very basic skill, but we all know adults who can’t seem to follow directions. When kids craft, they learn the consequences of not following directions when their projects do not turn out as expected. This instills in them the importance of doing things the right way the first time.
• For young preschoolers, crafting is fabulous for learning basic skills. Almost any type of craft promotes hand-eye coordination. Kids can also learn to use scissors, measure and do lots of other things they will eventually do in everyday life.
• Parents and their preschoolers have a chance to talk. In our busy lives, it seems that we know less about our kids than previous generations of parents did. Passive activities such as watching TV do little to encourage conversation. But when you’re crafting together, talking comes naturally. You can seize the opportunity to discuss such things as your child’s interests, his concerns, and what happened in preschool or playgroup that day.
• Crafting is a great way to wind down. It’s wonderful for kids to be active, but there are times when they need to calm down. If you find your child getting agitated or exhibiting an overabundance of energy near bedtime, try bringing out the craft supplies. Crafting engages kids’ minds, giving them something to focus on and a good reason to sit still for a while.
• Creating things is a confidence booster. Parents who craft regularly know the feeling of accomplishment when a project is complete. Multiply this feeling by ten, and you have a pretty good idea of how your preschooler feels when he makes something. For kids, crafting can help build positive self-esteem.
• Working on a project as a family is a great way to teach your preschoolers teamwork. This will help them develop skills needed to resolve disputes peacefully and effectively. It will also help them discover their strengths and teach them that doing their best will make the entire project turn out better.
• Crafting creates treasured family memories. The finished product will serve as a reminder of the fun you had making it together.

Crafting as a family provides opportunities for us to interact with our children. It is also a valuable learning experience for them. Don’t worry if you aren’t the world’s greatest crafter. Simply being willing to try anyway is a lesson to your kids in itself.

Next time, I’ll have some fun and easy crafts you can do with you preschoolers.

Why should you be spending time helping your preschoolers discover music? Here are a few important reasons:

• dancing to music and making music releases stress and energy. I think anyone who spends time with preschoolers can appreciate that!
• it gives children a way to express their emotions. They’re full of emotions they can’t express, and dancing to music is more fun for everyone than dealing with a temper tantrum.
• music makes learning fun! Add music to ANY preschool lesson, and it’s instantly an exciting activity
• learning music teaches listening skills . Remember all the things you asked your preschoolers to listen for when you made music for them?
• music provides a pleasant background for regular activities like playing, eating, and sleeping.

Music can do so much more as well - these are just a few things.

You can start making music a part of your regular day with your preschoolers by

• playing soft music while they’re doing regular activities
• make up new movements to some songs they already know
• sing with your children as often as you can. Even if you don’t think you can sing well, your preschoolers will love to hear you sing with them! In the car, with the windows tightly shut, has always been my favorite place to sing with my kids.
• dance with your kids as often as you can. Again, you may want to keep the blinds closed, but your children will love to dance with you. Seeing you move to music will help inspire their own creativity too.

Next week, I’ll have instructions for making some easy (and fun) musical instruments with your preschoolers. Get ready to make even MORE music!

But that’s OK, because a musical home (or classroom) is a happy one.

I hope you’ve had fun over the past few days, making music with your preschoolers.

Of course, the FUNNEST way to discover music with preschoolers is to move around to it! Here are some ways to help children discover music using movement.

1. Have a dance party! Make a tape of music that has different speeds of music, and music that is loud and soft. Have the children dance to the sounds they hear.  Ask your preschoolers, is this music loud or soft? Is it fast or slow? You can even have them make loud sounds during the loud music and soft sounds during the soft music.

2. Make musical hugs. Are your children familiar with musical chairs? If not, this is a good time to introduce them to that popular game.  Here is a fun variation of musical chairs: Have the children move around to some music. When the music stops, find someone and hug them! This version is a little nicer than musical chairs because no one is “out.”

3. Come on, ring those bells! Attach bells to the ceiling. Give your preschoolers newspapers scrunched into balls (or have them do that part too.) Then throw the newspaper balls and try to hit the bells to make music. They’ll be developing their motor skills AND an appreciation of music!