Children are born explorers, adventurers, climbers and builders. Because sitting still doesn’t come naturally, award-winning Gryphon House authors developed innovative music and movement activities for all ages. Children learn math through counting rhythms, art through pleasant melodies, and science through investigative play with percussion instruments. Explore the activities below to get started on building music lesson plans for toddlers, infants or preschoolers.
Many families want to learn ways to support their young child in preparing for kindergarten. Making play materials with children is a great way for families to be creative together. Playdough is one art materials that can easily be cooked in the kitchen with ingredients families likely have on hand. Try this terrific, long-lasting recipe from Kick-Start Kindergarten Readiness today!
printable ArtFeatured in Many Languages, One Classroom: Teaching Dual and English Language Learners, by Karen N. Nemeth, this activity allows children to create their own restaurant menus using magazine clippings of international foods and key words from the languages of all the children in your classroom. By including culturally inclusive items like these in your dramatic play environments, you can help children from different language backgrounds become active participants in this important part of the preschool day. When the dramatic play area is full of authentic props, young children will find it easier to identify and talk about these items, play, explore, and develop essential language and social-emotional skills.
LanguageBrought to you by STEM Play: Integrating Inquiry into Learning Centers, this science center provocation allows children to find what objects are similar and go together as they sort through various objects, just like scientists! This activity supports detailed observation, categorization, and emergent writing skills. Get the book for more valuable ideas and materials to incorporate into your learning centers that will help children experience the power of STEM on their own!
ScienceThis STEM Activity from Angela Eckhoff's book, Creative Investigations in Early Engineering and Technology, uses light and familiar objects to young children understand the concepts of light and shadow. Some materials allow light to pass through them (transparent), and others act as filters and only allow certain colors of light through (translucent), while others block light completely (opaque). As children gain knowledge and develop an understanding of these concepts through naturalistic experiences and familiar materials, teachers are then able to gradually scaffold their experiences and use of science equipment.
Science TechnologyReady, set, volcano! Engage students in hands-on STEM play with this creative activity from Hands-On Science and Math where children will explore the concepts of chemical change, creating a gas, and how volcanic eruptions occur.
Math ScienceBrought to you by The GIANT Encyclopedia of Science Activities for Children 3 to 6, this fall wreath activity allows children to explore and collect natural items as the seasons change. Discuss with the children what makes autumn different from the other seasons, and make the activity into an enjoyable learning experience. Get the book for more crafty learning activities like this one!
printable Outdoor Learning Art Seasonal Learning: Fall Science Individual ChildThis nature prints activity, featured in Everyday Play: Fun Games to Develop the Fine Motor Skills Your Child Needs for School, will help your child develop fine motor skills while interacting with nature. Get the book for more fun and easy activities to get your child ready for kindergarten!
Summer Learning Outdoor Learning Art Seasonal Learning: Fall ScienceFeatured in The Path to Early Math: What Preschool Teachers Need to Know by Ingrid Crowther, EdD, this Tree Math Stories activity allows children to manipulate the leaves on the tree as they draw cards with various number stories on them. In her book, Ingrid explains that in order for children to understand addition and subtraction, they need a lot of practice forming visual computations in fun and realistic ways, as well as working with concrete materials that they can manipulate. Find tons of stimulating early math activities like this one in The Path to Early Math.
MathGrandparents' Day is this Sunday! Remembering to make time for family can be a challenge, especially when everyone has such busy schedules. But taking your child to spend some quality time with relatives will not only foster family engagement and learning, but will also make their grandparents' day! Stephanie Mueller and Ann Wheeler, authors of 101 Great Gifts Kids Can Make, share that "When young children make something unique to give as a special gift for a loved one, they feel proud and successful about what they can do and share. Often these child-made gifts are treasured for years to come." Below you will find instructions for a fun craft kids can easily make and give to their grandparents to show them how special they truly are!
ArtFeatured in Let's Take It Outside! by Kathy Charner, Mary B. Rein, and Brittany Roberts, this Mud Dough Letters activity for children ages 3 to 6 connects alphabet learning with hands-on experiences in the outdoors to engage children's excitement about literacy. In this activity children will learn to follow directions, form three-dimensional letters and identify them by sight, and use uppercase and lowercase letters when they are ready. Children are able to do all of this while enjoying the many benefits of being outside!
Literacy Outdoor LearningUse open-ended music and movement activities for preschoolers to encourage a long standing appreciation of music and the arts. Our movement activities are designed to focus childrens’ natural energy and curiosity in fun, educational ways. Twisting, bending, wiggling, and jumping to rhythms teaches children how their bodies move as they enjoy creating music from percussion instruments.
Our music activities for preschoolers are innovative and thoughtfully crafted for educators looking for creative ways to teach social skills while enhancing rhythmic awareness. When preschoolers are given the chance to use their voices for singing, or hands for shaking tambourines, they’re making vital connections between themselves and the outside world.
Parents can easily adapt music and movement activities created for preschoolers and toddlers for their younger children. Music activities for infants can be as simple as singing silly rhyming songs. Not only does singing to infants boost language development, singing enhances other areas of infant development like improvisation and creative thinking.
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