When the temperatures drop, bring the educational fun indoors with these fun, easy activities for infants, toddlers, and preschool children.
Help children visualize the four stages of the life cycle of a butterfly! This activity, and all the activities from the book Partnering With Parents, are designed to promote family involvement through group meetings with parents and children. After getting acquainted in an informal setting, families can overcome initial social anxiety and become actively involved in activities.
Program Administration ScienceTake your children outside and guide their innate spirit of curiosity and adventure! This simple nature bracelet activity will elevate your nature walks to an immersive investigation of nature. “Nature bracelets are easy to make and a perfect activity for hikes or camping,” shares Erin Buhr, MEd, in her book Little Walks, Big Adventures: 50+ Ideas for Exploring with Toddlers.
Movement and Play Outdoor Learning Infant & ToddlerThis activity from the book Science Adventures is a great way to introduce children to early science concepts like scale and proportion. This activity will challenge children to build houses that are proportionally appropriate for a doll, stuffed animal, or some other toy. Through trial and error, the children will be able to determine the sizes of the houses they build.
Outdoor Learning SciencePreschoolers will have an egg-cellent time creating their own mosaic Easter eggs from balled up tissue paper! This activity from the GIANT Encyclopedia of Preschool Activities for 3-Year-Olds is a great way to get little ones using their creativity and fine-motor skills.
printable Art Spring Large GroupPositive interactions with animals make important contributions to a child’s quality of life, yet many children today have only limited opportunities for deep engagement with animals. As Dr. Ruth Wilson explains in her book Naturally Inclusive: Engaging Children of All Abilities Outdoors, we as adults can help young children experience a life that is “really good” by strengthening their connections with animals and other living things. This bug box activity will not only foster a sense of wonder, but also encourage a sense of kinship with nature as children create a small habitat for the bugs that they find.
Outdoor Learning SpringTeachers are always looking for ways to save money. Few teachers have enough money to buy essential materials and supplies, especially with tight budgets and so many classroom needs. Using inexpensive or recycled materials helps teachers save money for special items and spend less money out-of-pocket.
Children will have a blast using recycled toilet paper cylinders to create wind socks in this thrifty activity from Sanity Savers: 200 Quick Fixes for Everything from Big Messes to Small Budgets. Toilet paper cylinders are a very easy material to acquire, and you can always ask children’s families to contribute as well. Get Sanity Savers for more resourceful solutions for teachers including minimizing interruptions, saving money, storage ideas, clean-up tip, transitions and more!
ArtApril is the perfect month to incorporate outdoor activities for kids into your home or classroom. Outdoor exploration and nature-based investigations are a wonderful way for children to learn through play, following their own pace and sense of curiosity. Outdoor learning activities not only promote scientific inquiry, but also help children develop a sense of independence, caring, and self-motivation.
Try these 5 nature-based activities from Ruth Wilson’s Learning is in Bloom!
Outdoor LearningThis fun snack-tivity will not only introduce preschoolers to making food for themselves, but also help them develop fine-motor skills. Check out more activities like this one from GIANT Encyclopedia of Preschool Activities for 3-Year-Olds.
printable Cooking Large GroupThis science activity from the book Simple STEAM allows children to explore a rain cloud by simulating the concept using shaving cream and food coloring. Science is the foundation of children’s learning about their world and is also a way of thinking. Encouraging children to ask questions and to observe, predict, and explain their ideas supports the development of scientific inquiry. The skills and processes of inquiry, observation, and exploration are foundation skills for all sciences and are not limited to “science” time. This activity will also show you ways to incorporate other disciplines like technology, engineering, art, and math in order to make this a well-rounded STEAM experience.
Math Science TechnologyIn this activity from The GIANT Encyclopedia of Preschool Activities for 3-Year-Olds, children will take part in painting their own flower pots and planting flower seeds. Allow the children to observe and take care of the plant with water and sunshine, and talk to them about the growth cycle of plants from seed, to bud, to bloom.
printable Science Spring Large GroupCreate sparkle ice sculptures and even fake snow with hands-on activities to entertain kids in and out of the classroom.
Browse through lists, author interviews, excerpts, and articles that connect theory and best practice in early childhood education.
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