Early Childhood Tips and Tricks

It's been a busy week at home & school. If you are on Facebook, consider joining "Early Childhood Tips and Tricks". It's not a place to be negative and gripe. It is a place to share ideas. You do not have to a member to look BUT if you are looking- you might as well share your ideas, too!

Water Table Shape Match

This is a simple shape match that works well in your water table.

Get a clean foam tray (many grocery stores will give them to you free!). Cut shapes out of craft foam. Use a permanent marker to trace the shapes onto the foam tray. Place in the water table and let the kids put the shapes in the correct place on the foam tray.

It's fun, it's easy, it's learning!

Friday Funny: Troubleshooting Mom's Computer

I'm going to start lightening things up and offer a Friday Funny! Things seem to be stressful on Thursdays so I am going to brighten up your Friday morning with things that make me smile.

* Note some of these will not be related to education but hey- we have lives outside of teaching! :)

This one is dedicated to my husband. Not only did he have to replace my hard drive after my one-year-old dropped my laptop on the ground, he also worked on my mom's computer!

Syllable Count Graph

Create a graph to show how many syllables are in each child's name. After lots of practice clapping and counting syllables, give each child a hand shape. Have child write his or her name on the hand. Write the numbers 1-4 on hands and glue them at the bottom of a poster board. Each child tapes or glues their hand in the column with the correct number of syllables. The graph will be a springboard for counting and math discussion about "most", "more than" "least", "less than," and "equal".

Duck Shape Match

Your kids will "quack up" when they play this game! Purchase several rubber ducks. (You can get different styles through Oriental Trading or at your local dollar store.) Use a permanent marker to draw matching shapes on pairs of ducks. Place in the water table. Children chose two ducks to try to find a match. What a fun way to practice shape recognition!

Five Green and Speckled Frogs Prop

Use green trivets from the Dollar Tree (2 small ones for $1 or one large one for $1) to make these cute frog props. Fold a trivet in half and hot glue int he corners. Cut an oval out of green craft foam, a smaller one of white foam and an even smaller one of black foam. Hot glue to make eyes. Cut a strip of red and glue in for a tongue. These are perfect for acting out 5 Green and Speckled Frogs!

Alphabet (and Number) Strips

This is an easy-t0-make resource that will put letters and numbers right at the kid's fingertips. Place an alphabet sticker line (the kind that that you can put on desks) and a number sticker line on each side of a sentence strip. Make enough for each child in the class. Laminate for durability. Now when a child asks what a "J" looks like, encourage them to get an alphabet strip. They can point to each letter as they sing the ABC song to find the correct letter. It's a great way to teach them to use their resources.