To get started you have them sit around the table and talk about the letter then you give them a copy of the letter and  you let them put tissue paper on the letter you are working on. For example, if you are working on the letter A, all you have to do is let them paste tissue paper, that has been pre-torn or cut, all over their letter A. Then you can cut out their letter A tissue paper collage and display it in your classroom or somewhere in your home if you do this with your own children. I think they will like this activity. It shouldn’t be too complicated for them and what child doesn’t like playing with torn paper. You can also use different types of collage material if you wanted to use the same kind of activity for addition letters. You could use fabric for B, cotton for C, and so forth. I hope this activity is successful for any body that tries it.

This activity promotes their motor skills by having to pick up the collage material and placing it on their paper. It also promotes cognitive development because it helps them remeber their letters by connecting them to an activity they did. They notice colors of the tissue paper used, as well.

The purpose of this is so each child will get to know their classmates. You can do this activity for the first week of school so the children will consistantly hear and say each others name. This is a good activity for kindergarden classes because it’s the first time these children have been together and it’s a fresh start for them. Your older children may know most of their classmates, but usually you will have a few new students and this is a good way to introduce them and make them feel included in your class.

I think this is a really neat activity and I hope if you try it, it helps the children in learning who their new classmates and friends are.

1. The Wheels on the Bus

2. Old McDonald Had a Farm

3. Baby Bumble Bee Song

4. Tooty Ta

5. Mary Had a Little Lamb

6. Itsy Bitsy Spider

7. I’m A Little Tea Pot

8. Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes

9. Hokey Pokey Song

10. Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star

These are just a few that I know almost every child likes to sing along with. Try making up some songs for your own child and use their name in the song so they can start recognizing that you are talking about them. They will begin to know their name. There are several quite time songs you can also sing to your child as they get ready to go to sleep, like Hush Little Baby. If you don’t know the lyrics to some of these songs you can always just google for them.

Materials:

white paper (copy/printer paper works well)

two different colors of paint (like blue and red)

Procedure:

All you have to do is dab a little paint, both colors, somewhere in the middle of the paper. Keep in mind that you will be folding the paper, so don’t put paint close to the edges. Put the paint around each other so when the child rubs and beats they mix the two.

After you have put a little paint on the paper, fold side ways, like you would if you were making a card. Hold that end closed and allow the child to rub or pat the paper with their fist, mixing the colors. After they finish, open the paper and see what they have created. Ask them what they think it is. You will get some very interesting answers.

Materials:

construction paper (any color); paint (color of your choice, just make sure it will show up on construction paper you choose); cotton balls (1 per child); a paper plate to put paint on

Procedure:

First, you want to decide whether or not you want to do one child at a time or a group of children. I decided to do one child at a time because of their age and they had never done this before. After you decide that, give the child a piece of construction paper. Then, give them the cotton ball and let them dip it in the paint (keep in mind if you provide a lot of paint the child(ren) will take a lot of paint so put just enough for each child). Tell them they can rub the cotton ball across their paper or they can pat or dab their paper, let them decide what their picture will look like. Allow each child a couple of minutes to do their picture, if they keep rubbing their paper where the paint is they are liable to rub a whole in it. After each child has completed their picture have them throw away their cotton ball. Set the pictures aside to allow to dry.

This activity not only is good for motor development but it allows the children to see how an every day product, like cotton balls, can be used in a very different way. Also, they are able to decide for themselves how to do their picture. They can compare and contrast the difference in rubbing the cotton ball against the paper versus patting it on the paper. This is an inexpensive activity and the children love it because, “it’s painting”.

Materials:

regular sand colored with dry tempera; salt shaker or some other type of shaker; thin paste; a brush to spread the paste; paper ( any kind will work)

Procedure:

Spread paste over paper and shake colored sand onto paper.

With this activity wherever the paste is the sand will stick to it and create a beautiful picture once it has dried. After the child has finished shaking the sand onto the paper leave it lying on a flat surface for at least 24 hours to make sure the sand will stick and it has time to dry. When you pick the picture up some excess sand will probably fall off so be aware of that. I hope your children enjoy this activity.

What you need to do:

Set three cups out that are half way filled with water. Add different colors of food color to the water. Let each child use an eye dropper to drop the colored water onto a piece of paper towel. Let them see how the water evaporates, leaving the color behind.

This is an easy and fun activity for young children. You can throw away the paper towels after you are done, or if your child wants to keep it, let it dry first and give it to them. It’s an easy clean-up process as well.

What you need to do:

Have each child (if there is more than one) place water, using a small cup, in a plastic ice tray and place it in the freezer. About every half hour take it out of the freezer and allow the child(ren) to inspect it. Let them tell you what they think is happening. Guide them with questions like “How is the water changing?” Then after the water has frozen and you have discussed it with the children, put the ice cubes in a  clear cup. Allow them to watch it throughout the day to see it melt again.

You can add food color to some of the water, before freezing,  so the children can see it slowly melting in the clear cup.

Materials:

water thin tempera paint in a bowl; straws, paper (any kind will do);  a spoon

Procedure:

Spoon small amounts of paint onto the paper. Then let the child blow paint using the straw in various directions. When you use more than one color paint the design is more interesting.

After the children have finished their painting ask them what they created and see what answers you get. Allow them to use their imagination. They may even tell you a story to go along with their painting.  This promotes their cognitive thinking.

After you have allowed the painting to dry display it somewhere in the room for them to show others.

Materials: All you need is a can of shaving cream and a table that can be wiped down or hosed off.

Have the children gather around the table and give each a decent amount of room. This may require the children taking turns, which is a good lesson to learn. Spray the shaving cream on the table and allow the children to “paint” on the table itself. The children could make shapes, designs, whatever they feel like making, even if it’s just swirls, with their fingers and hands. Let the children play for a reasonable amount of time, say ten minutes.

Then to clean up just let them run through the sprinkler or use the hose to clean off, since they are in their bathing suits. If you have other children waiting just let them use what shaving cream is already on the table and just add more if needed. After all the children have had a turn just take the hose and spray off the table for easy cleanup.