A great teacher resource for ages 2-5!
Turn Circle Time into learning time with instant, easy ideas for introducing preschool children to colors, shapes, numbers and relationships. Ideal for small or large groups, these activities help children learn through all their senses.
Have your children each remove one shoe and sock. Have them count the toes on that foot. Then recite the following rhyme together:
| Five Toes On my foot I have five toes. One, two, three, four, five. (Count toes) They are ticklish, I suppose, Tickle, tickle, tickle. (Tickle toes) |
Variation: Have the children count and tickle a friend's toes.
Pack a brown suitcase with brown items. Open the suitcase during Circle Time and explore the items with your children. How are the items the same? (They are all brown.) Have the children think of other brown things that might go in the suitcase. Discuss whether the items would fit in the suitcase. Would a chocolate bar fit? Would a horse?
Have each of your children remove one shoe and put it in the middle of the circle. Then ask volunteers to sort the shoes according to size, color, fastenings (Velcro, laces, buckles), and so on. As the children work, help them develop strategies by giving suggestions such as these: "Can you find any white shoes? Try putting them all in one pile."
Extension: Encourage children to be "silent" while several children use their observation and matching skills to return the shoes to their owners.
Collect pairs of containers (plastic jars, boxes, baskets) and fill one container in each pair with a different material (sand, paper strips, beads). Show one pair of containers and talk about how they differ. Use the words empty and full. Now discuss the remaining pairs in turn. Have the children think of other things that might be empty or full (drawer, shoes, suitcase).
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