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The GIANT Encyclopedia of Preschool Activities for 4-Year-Olds

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The GIANT Encyclopedia of Preschool Activities for 4-Year-Olds

Materials

One puzzle for every two children

Paper

Markers

Scissors

Instructions

1. Ahead of time, count out enough blank index cards so that each child will
have one. Number the cards 1-12 and repeat until all the cards have a
number on them.
2. On the cards with the number 1, put a picture or sticker of a spider. On the
cards with the number 2, a beetle; number 3, a firefly; number 4, a bumblebee;
number 5, a fake bug; number 6, an ant; number 7, a butterfly; number
8, a cake; number 9, a moth; number 10, a cup of tea; number 11, a couple
different bugs; and number 12, violets. Instead of putting the pictures on the
index cards, cut the cards into shapes (bug, cake, butterfly, and so on) and
color them, if desired.
3. Glue each card to a Popsicle stick.
4. Gather the children into a circle. Read Miss Spider's Tea Party by David Kirk
out loud. Ask the children to listen for number words.
5. Give one of the number cards to each child. Go around the circle and ask the
children to say the number on their card. Explain to them that you are going
to read the story again and when they hear the number on their card, they
are to hold the card up in the air. They can put the card down when they
hear the next number.
6. At this point, you might want to share the pictures of the bugs from The Big
Bug Book by Margery Facklam. Then give the children white or light colored
construction paper and markers and encourage them to draw any kind of
bugs they want. (If desired, laminate or cover the pictures with clear contact
paper and use them as place mats for an extension activity.)
7. While the children are busy creating bugs, ask an adult helper to assist you in
measuring bulletin board strips to the size of each child's head so it will fit
like a crown.
8. Tape or staple together the ends. Next, punch two holes about 3" (7 cm)
apart.
9. When the children are finished with their bug place mats, give each of them
two pipe cleaners. Ask them to thread one pipe cleaner through each of the
holes in the crown. Bend the end far enough so that it does not poke the
child's head. Put a little curl or bend in the top of the pipe cleaner to make
antennae.
More to do
Show the children an African violet plant so they can see what real violets look
like.
Snack: At snack time, serve tea and cakes or cookies (like Miss Spider).

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