My wife’s been teaching preschool (2 1/2yo to 4yo) for six months. As our pc is acting wonky right now, she asked me to go on-line at work and get some ideas for classroom activities. As I have access to thousands of the smartest, hippest people on the internet (plus a few total dipsticks), I was hoping my fellow dopers could give me a hand.
About the only requirements she gave me are that it be age appropriate, educational, something a group of about twelve can do together, and any supplies needed are inexpensive (it takes forever for her employers to reimburse her).
Websites that have activities for kids that age would be most welcome too, as we currently are having trouble getting to her “My Favorites” on our pc.
Cut pictures out of magazines, and let them glue similar items in a group. Red things in one group, blue things in another, jungle animals in another, sea animals in another, fruits, vegetables, hot, cold, sweet, sour…
My wife works at a day care, too, and I think she said she did this once in a pinch.
Easy cooking projects are fun. I don’t know what kind of resources she has but, in preschool and kindergarten my kids have enjoyed making things like fruit salads, fresh salsa, vegetable soup (both the preschool and the elementary school have gardens, but you could just bring in vegetables). They would also cook things for special “events.” For example, they fixed up some blanket tents in the classroom and had a pretend camping trip. There was also a “sleepover” where everyone came in or brought their pj. Then they would make things like s’mores or popcorn. You can find stories to read that tie in with the themes, too.
Making gifts for Mom and Dad can also be fun. Another cooking-related one is a “mix in a jar” (or you could us a plastic bag to save money). Here are a bunch of recipes:
Perpetual Preschool
This is an idea place I use. There is also one called Hummingbird but I can’t quite place it.
I agree that gifts for mom and dad and cooking projects are good, fun ideas.
I’ve been teaching preschool for a long time. At all times we have an art table out with paper, magazines, scissors and glue or paste. A dress-up box full of fun clothing is great fun. We also always have an easel set up, as well as a sand/water table (the contents of which we periodically change). We play instruments a lot, listening to Ella Jenkins or Hap Palmer, but you can play along with these folks without instruments as well. We sing a lot, do a lot of fingerplays.
In addition, we always have playdough or Gak out. Your wife probably already has a playdough recipe (the cooking one is best: 4 C flour,1 C salt, 4 tsp cream of tartar, 2 C water, 2 T salad oil, cook over medium heat till it balls up, knead on wax paper).
The Gak one is basically 2 cups glue, one cup water with 3/4 teaspoon Borax mixed in, and a bit of food coloring. Mix it all together adding water if necessary. It’s a nice change from playdough and lasts a l-o-ong time so it pays for itself.
We usually follow units (3-4 weeks) so we can take our time and dig into a subject. We read lots and lots of age-appropriate books. Right now we are on our last week of dinosaurs. We dug bones out of the sand, made stegosauruses out of paper plates, etc.
Next month we will begin fairy tales. One of the most fun things we do is bake a gingerbread man and have him run away. We go all over the school trying to find him. We also build castles out of scrap wood.
Desk, I have a million ideas. Have your wife email me if she would like.
Email address is in profile.
How about water? Give each kid a small flat container of water and some paperclips. They can try to float them.
Or give them some modeling clay (NOT playdoh) and some marbles or pennies. They can try to build a boat that will stay afloat and carry some penny people.
Or make up some baby food jars of red, yellow and blue food coloring. They can use eyedroppers or little spoons to mix different colors.
Or, if she doesn’t want to use water, get some rice and some containers, measuring cups etc. Pouring rice, playing in it, making little piles of it—always a hit.
For a HUGE mess, but lots and lots of fun (I’m talking serious fun here) get some shaving cream and cafeteria trays or aluminum tins or something and squirt a pile of shaving cream in it. Add a few drops of food colors in different hues and they will stir and build for hours (minutes, really. These ARE pre-schoolers.)
Those websites the Dragwyr cited are terrific.
My favorite activity in preschool was waterpainting. You take a paintbrush and a cup of water, and “paint” on the outside walls of the school. I think this works best on stucco, but I’m not sure.
I read the title and thought the pre-school is teaching your wife that she needs ideas. Heretics!!! Burn them at the stake! We all know women shouldn’t fill their pretty little heads with all those evil ideas. :smack:
Enchanted Learning has some nice inexpensive craft ideas, organized by theme and by material. Some crafts are suitable for preschoolers, while others would probably be better for gradeschoolers.
Before my pc crashes :rolleyes: , I’d like to thank everybody for their help. And extra-special thanks to you Caprese for your offer. When we get up and running on a regular basis again, she says she get in touch.