Corn/Rice Table
Children’s Limits
1. Encourage children to keep rice/corn in table.
Guidelines for Parent Helpers
1. Participate with children in their creative play.
Art
Children’s Limits
1. Children should wear smocks while painting at easels or engaging in any
. “messy” art activity.
2. Children paint or crayon or paste only on paper.
3. Help children keep brushes in correct jars to avoid “muddy” colors.
4. Encourage children to put away crayons, play dough when finished.
5. Show children proper way to use paste and scissors, brushes.
Guidelines for Parent Helpers
1. Have adequate supply of paint in jars.
2. Do not ask child what he is painting or drawing- he may not know.
3. Write the child’s name on the left corner of the paper- add any interesting
comments and the date (when writing the child’s name, be sure to use first
letter capital and the rest lower case).
4. Hang “wet” artwork to dry on line or on drying rack, roll “dry” artwork
and have child place in cubby.
5. Encourage free expression.
BLOCKS
Blocks are one of the most creative materials. Block building develops
motor coordination, establishes good work habits and encourages social growth
and cooperation. Block play also aids in language development. Concepts of
size, quantity, and balance develop from working with large and small blocks.
Toys and realistic items may enhance and enrich the dramatic play that goes on in
the block area.
Blocks are located where there is little interference from other activities.
Blocks are also stored on low open shelves in the block area, according to size
and shape.
Materials
- Wood blocks
- Brick blocks
- Accessories, such as cars, planes, trucks, animals and people
Block Area
Objectives
- The child will learn to plan, build, balance, classify, and compare.
- The child will experience triumph and disaster, the delight of
rebuilding.
Involvements
Talk to the child about
- various lengths of different blocks.
- various shapes of different blocks.
- number of blocks.
- which block is heaviest, lightest.
- which block is largest, smallest.
- how he can balance the blocks.
- what he can build with both blocks.
- what happens if his block creation falls and what he will do.
- which blocks he can use to make a circle, square, rectangle, triangle.
- how high the blocks can go (waist high).
- how he feels when he builds something.
Encourage the child to create various structures and talk about them by
saying, “tell me about that.”
At Home
Use scraps of wood, milk cartons, plastic containers, spools, and other
materials at hand for creative block play.
CREATIVE ART EXPERIENCES
Through art preschoolers are able to express their creativity. Given an
atmosphere and some simple materials, our children can explore, discover, and
experiment to their heart’s content.
Our nursery school program provides many opportunities throughout the entire
day for the children to get thoroughly involved in the different art techniques. During
free play activities and a special work time session, many materials are available for
various levels of creative expression. The technical quality of the finished product is not
the primary concern in our program. It should be remembered that growth of the child, in
all aspects, as he makes the production is the ultimate goal. We are interested in what is
happening to each child rather than the finished results at this stage. Expressing one’s
feelings in scribbles, lines, patches, and globs occurs long before drawing people, houses,
and cars. So rather than ask “What is it?” we might suggest that the child tell us
something about his picture. What is important is that the child enjoys what he is doing,
not whether the results happen to look beautiful or life-like to an adult.
Materials
- Easel painting - Arts & crafts
- Finger painting - Special holiday projects
- Crayons - Small wooden pieces
- Play dough - Styrofoam
- Chalk - Yarn
- The list could go on and on!
Art Area
Objectives
- The child will learn creative expression, develop small muscle control and
manual dexterity.
- The child will experience satisfaction from his productions and the joy of
sharing the products with family and friends.
- The child will explore the world of color, line, shape, form, and the combination
of form and color.
Involvements
- Talk to the child about
- the color he is using.
- the tools he is using.
-shapes or lines drawn.
- his picture by saying, “Tell me about your picture.”
- Encourage the child to
-cover the entire page.
- express what he likes best.
- use all of the media such as clay, crayon, pasting and cutting, chalk, Q-
tips to paint, finger paints, or whatever is available.
- Always print the child’s name correctly in the upper left hand corner of the page.
At Home
An excellent way of showing your interest in the child’s work is displaying it on
the wall or refrigerator. A bulletin board in his room is a perfect spot for an art exhibit,
and the artist himself can change the display as he wishes.
Allow the children to participate in cutting, drawing, and pasting with adult
supervision for safety. Cutting coupons is an easy and fun activity for your child.
Creative Music Activities
Enjoyment is the basic purpose of music in nursery school. Through sound,
motion, singing, group participation, and experimentation, musical experiences are given
to children. It is possible for every teacher, regardless of musical talent, to stimulate
musical enjoyment in children. The young child responds to the teacher’s and parent’s
own enjoyment and enthusiasm.
The first and foremost purpose of musical activities is to develop in the child a
love of music of all kinds. In addition, music work develops his ear and his ability to
carry a tune, teaches him to be comfortable in group singing and to participate in
rhythmic movements, encourages him to listen with appreciation to music, strengthens
his large muscles and develops his coordination in interpreting music and encourages him
to listen attentively and respond freely to all types of music.
Music is experienced and enjoyed in many situations and contexts throughout the
day. Some of the musical activities offered to the children are
- Informal and group singing
- Listening experiences
- The use of many rhythm and melody instruments
- Parades
- Rhythmic movement, such as hand clapping, finger snapping, toe tapping,
running, skipping, and sliding to the music
- Dramatizing songs
and many others. When possible, we try to get visitors to show and demonstrate real
instruments to our children.
Young children are happy when given a chance to respond to music. They enjoy
following the rhythm of sound and music and creating rhythm with their bodies or with
simple musical instruments.
Equipment
- Rhythm instruments, such as bells, drums, maracas, etc.
- Recordings of songs and musical activities
- Piano
At Home
- Make homemade rhythm instruments with your child.
- Read poetry with your child to develop a feel for rhythm.
- Listen to a variety of records or cds: classical, Broadway show tunes, jazz, folk
songs, etc.
- Sing songs and make up songs for everyday activities.
Housekeeping and Dress-Up
Preschoolers love to pretend and create fantasy worlds, and during the preschool
years, the child’s imagination blossoms. Pretending allows a child to act out the roles of
family members, relatives, and community helpers. In imitation real-life situations,
children can experiment with a variety of self-images and begin to understand what
others think and feel. Domestic play also provides children with opportunities to deal
with their insecurities and problems- to “let off steam.” And of course, pretend play is a
lot of fun!
Equipment
- Large, child-size stove, sink, refrigerator, table, chairs, laundry center
- Play food and kitchen equipment
- Shopping cart
- Dolls and other household equipment
- Dress-up clothes
Housekeeping Area
Objectives
-The child will learn to make decisions, share ideas, play different roles.
-The child will develop self respect and confidence.
Involvements
-Talk to the child about:
-the role he is playing
-what he is cooking
-what he ate at home
-what his favorite food is
-what he does at home to help Mom and Dad
-why he likes to play in the playhouse
At Home
-Keep a box of discarded clothing and accessories for imaginative play.
-Try simple cooking with your child.
-Save empty food boxes, grocery bags, coupons, etc., for playing “store.”
-Save mail for playing postman.
-Save large cartons for making play houses, boats, rockets, etc.
Small Toys and Games
Toys and games for individual, as well as small group play, are provided for our classes.
These materials are especially important at the beginning of the school year, as well as
the beginning of each class, as they ease the children into the nursery school day. The
children also enjoy the interaction with the parent-helper. Children develop a wide
variety of skills, such as fine motor coordination, counting, hand-eye coordination, part-
to-whole, and likes-and-differences. Playing with a variety of toys and games also
provide language experiences for the children.
Equipment
-Puzzles -Picture lotto
-Pegs and boards -Dominos
-Beads for stringing -Bean bag games
and many others
Manipulative Toy Area
Objectives
-The child will learn to classify objects, discriminate sizes, shapes and colors
and perceive similarity and difference.
-The child will develop finger dexterity and small muscle coordination.
-The child will enjoy competition, taking chances and mental activity for the sheer fun of
it.
Involvements
-Talk with child about
-what he is playing with
-colors, shapes, sizes
-Guide him with words to complete what he is doing.
At Home
-Make simple toys and games with your child from materials at home.
-Provide time and space for independent play.
Literature
Children should learn to know books as a source of beauty and joy. Good listening
habits, the clarification of concepts, and vocabulary development go hand-in-hand with
the enjoyment of a story or poem. Three, four, and five year olds enjoy the here-and-now
stories, wherein the characters have the same experiences as the children themselves.
Animal stories are popular with young children too. Children are for the most part
realistic. They enjoy knowing how and why things are done. Folk tales and fanciful
stories should also be told. Whatever the subject, children like stories and they reflect the
enthusiasm of the teacher.
Equipment
-Nursery School Library
-Library books
-Books from home
-Filmstrips, short movies
Literature
Objectives
The child will develop
-a love of books and reading
-language growth
-widening of intellectual horizons
The child will learn to
-listen, remember, and associate
-handle books with care
The child will experience
-fun with language
-the excitement of rhyme, rhythm, and mood
Involvements
Read a book to the child and talk to him about
-how he liked the book (when finished)
-his favorite picture (have him show you)
-the shape of the book
-how you care for books
Ask whether that has ever happened to him (recalling an incident that happened in the
story).
Encourage the child to
-look at a variety of books
-treat books with care
-be a good listener
-begin to retell a short story in sequential order
At Home
-Visit the public library and library story hour
-Subscribe to children’s magazines
-Build a home library of favorite books
-Of course, read, read, read with your child!
Strenuous Play
Strenuous play both outdoors and indoors is an important part of the nursery
school program. In addition to the development of motor skills, mental, social and
emotional developments are fostered during this period. The children will have physical
activity for a reasonable amount of time.
Although highly organized games, races and tests of skill require emotional
control beyond most preschoolers’ abilities, strenuous play does mean that all aspects of
running, jumping, sliding, hopping, skipping, throwing, catching, and tagging are
exercised and developed.
Equipment
-Indoor climber/slide
-Riding toys
-Outdoor bike path
-Games, such as paddle balloon
-Large balls, bean bags
-Outdoor equipment
Indoor Slide/Strenuous Play
Objectives
-The child will experience
-release of physical energy
-The child will develop
-muscular development and coordination
-The child will learn
-care and use of equipment
-rules for safe and fair play
Involvements
-Ask the child to name a color, body part, article of clothing before he slides.
At Home
Take your child on trips to the playground for equipment not available at home.
Water/Rice/Corn Table
Almost all preschoolers find water and rice appealing. They seem to find it
soothing to bury their hands in piles of rice or pour water in and out of cups. The child
who is at loose ends or is feeling grumpy is often able to relax with a pan of water or rice.
Rice and water play also offer excellent opportunities for learning. Perhaps one of the
nicest features of both rice and water play is that they are suitable for preschoolers of all
ages. A very young child can participate as successfully as an older child. Since there is
little or no concern with the final product of the activity, even a very young child will not
find it frustrating.
Equipment
-Rice table
-Corn table
-Water table
-Accessories, such as cups and bottles for filling and pouring, shovels for digging,
measuring spoons, various water and sand toys, etc.
Rice/Water Table
Objectives
-The child will learn the properties of rice/water and the basics of measuring.
-The child will develop sensory response to rice/water and physical
coordination.
Involvements
-Talk to the child about
-how the rice/water feels
-what he can do with it
-whether it is heavy or light
-whether or not it will stay in his hands if he picks it up
-whether or not it has a smell
-Encourage the child to
-fill various containers at the table
-see the differences between empty, full, etc.
- try various measures
At Home
Using ordinary kitchen objects a child can discover how sponges squeeze,
beaters beat, plastic bottles squirt, or what kinds of objects float. Experiments with
measuring spoons and cups or even plastic jars of different sizes, can help a child to
begin to learn about size and measurement.