Social-Emotional Development
Calming Strategy
Sing “The Itsy-Bitsy Spider” with your child. Then try out this new calming strategy. Have your child pretend to be the spider in “the Itsy-Bitsy Spider” climbing up the waterspout. Have her inhale as she pretends to climb up the waterspout (moving arms and legs as if climbing a ladder). Have her exhale as she pretends to fall down the spout (squatting down).
Cognitive Development
Play Dough Numerals
Make flashcards with the numerals 1-3 on them. Look at the numeral cards with your child and point out the similarities and differences in the numbers (straight lines, curved lines, and combinations of both). Have your child trace the numerals with her finger a couple of times and write them in the air. Help your child make “snakes” from playdough and use these snakes to cover the numerals on the cards. Help your child make small balls of play dough. Encourage her to place the correct number of playdough balls on each numeral card.
https://www.aplusteachingresources.com.au/playdough-mats/
Language Development
Ants and Spiders
Using pictures of an ant and a spider found on the Internet or that you have drawn (be sure that the picture shows all body parts and legs), compare the ant and the spider. Point out the number of body parts and legs for each. Tell your child that the ant is an insect with three body parts and six legs, and the spider has two body parts and eight legs and is an arachnid.
Join us for BrightPath Storytime on Instagram or Facebook to watch Backyard Bugs. Have your child look for ants and spiders when he goes outside to play.
http://clipart-library.com/clipart/165073.htm
http://clipart-library.com/clipart/200293.htm
Physical Literacy
Counting Walk
When you go for a walk with your child, make it a counting walk. Choose an item to look for and count. For example, pinecones, dogs, white cars or flowers. Your child could also count steps, jumps, hops to a chosen location. “Count how many steps is to that tree?” You could also ask, “How many jumps do you think it will take to get to that rock?” Your child can guess and then see if they are correct. Enjoy your walk!
Creative Activity
Fingerprint Ants and Spiders
Show your child how to press his fingertip onto the stamp pad and then onto a sheet of paper to make an ant with three fingerprints and a spider with two fingerprints. If you don’t have a stamp pad, you can make one with paper towel and a small amount of tempera paint. Fold the paper towel into a pad and place on a plate. Spread a small amount of paint on the paper towel and use as you would a stamp pad. Have your child draw legs onto his ants and spiders.
http://www.brighthubeducation.com/pre-k-and-k-lesson-plans/128638-bugs-galore-by-peter-stein-lesson-plan/
Additional Resources
Check out this YouTube video by Dr. Jean Feldman. She shares lots of ideas of how to play with your child using simple items from around the house. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0xibLFsSNE
This website has a variety of activities for children. You will find games, jokes, recipes, crafts, answers to science questions, hidden pictures and more.
https://www.highlightskids.com/
Learning at Home Preschool Week 8
Learning at Home Preschool Week 15
