If you are jumping into the middle without having read the first part of week 1, this is our once a week mini “preschool” with 3 little boys that are aged 2-3. So it is an opportunity to start introducing structure, some fun learning and skills while also giving opportunity to socialize with other kids their age. This week I remembered to take a few more pictures of our activities and crafts, especially since our snack began to get more creative starting this week!
THIS WEEK WE ARE LEARNING ABOUT THE…
Letter: D
Color: dark blue
Shape: diamond
Number: 4
ACTIVITIES
Craft Time
Letter D for duck (Prep: cut out all pieces of construction paper (back paper is 4.5″ x 6″, you can click on the template below to save and print). Don’t forget the google eyes! Make an example for them to follow. Place all pieces in a sandwich ziploc bag so they can open and assemble with some glue.)
Spin Drum (Prep: Glue some round paper onto empty ribbon spools that have a cardboard center. Next, poke holes through the center of the cardboard spool middle all the way through on the “sides”. This will be what the string goes through. Poke another hole on the “bottom” for the straw to go through. Have colorful paper straws, large beads, string, washi tape, and markers for them to choose for their own drum. Help them push the string through the holes. I found using a hemostat or tweezers made it easier to grab and pull the string and is a good exercise for the kids. Next tie the beads on the ends of the strings and secure with hot glue-adult to do that part. Next stick the straw they chose through the bottom and also secure with hot glue. Let them decorate their spin drum with the tape and markers however they choose. When finished, rub the straw quickly between the hands to make the drum spin so that the beads hit the drum.)
Game
Catch the Dinosaur (Prep: Fill a wide mouth jar halfway with clear glue and the rest with water. Mix well. Let sit until the bubbles are at the top. Let the kids pick from a few colors which half of an egg and small dinosaur they want then place it in the jar. Glue the lid on the jar. Let them turn the jar different ways to try and get the dinosaur into the egg.) **Note: we used larger mason jars, but the smaller clear plastic jars work better. Here’s one example and I’m sure you’ll have many other crafts to use the extras or to organize your supplies like google eyes, glue sticks, markers, etc.
Dance time! We did several fun dance songs but as always, we like to end our day with the Hokey Pokey!
Science
Dinosaur Dig (Prep: Water tables work great for this but if you don’t have one, any storage container will work! Fill with dirt and dinosaur bones. My husband had this set from when he was a young boy but you can find other ones here. Since we have a few boys that don’t like getting dirty…what?!?…we turned it from digging like a dog in the dirt, to a more archaeological dig with paintbrushes. You do what you can with kids! Haha!)
Story Time
David and Goliath
The Wonky Donkey
If You Give A Dog A Doughnut
(Clifford the Big Red Dog is another good book for this week if you didn’t get to use it last week)
Snack
Dinosaur chicken nuggets, Dolphin food art (half a banana in a cup with blueberries to hold it in place, cut the stem slightly to create a mouth and put a goldfish in it, and draw an eye on the peel with a sharpie), a mini doughnut
****I realized after that I had not done very well incorporating diamonds and the number 4 but you can get diamond stickers or let them draw 4 diamonds on their spin drums. And during free play, see if they can find 4 diamonds in the room.
SUPPLIES NEEDED
Books or stories with the letter D
Yellow construction paper
Orange construction paper
Dark blue construction paper
Googly eyes
glue
Ziploc bags
Empty ribbon spools
String
Colorful paper straws
Large beads
Washi tape
Markers
Hot glue gun
Clear glue
Wide mouth jars
Water
Plastic Easter eggs
Mini dinosaur toys (you could also do a dolphin or duck)
Large container or water table
Dirt
Dinosaur bones
Bananas
Blueberries
Goldfish
Dinosaur chicken nuggets
Mini doughnuts