Sandwich Bag Science for Kids

Keep kids cool in the warm weather with this simple and fun project we like to call, Sandwich Bag Science!
We like to do it in groups of three or four with the kids holding the bags up over their head. On a nice hot day I like to have them 'hypothesize' what they think could possibly happen before, during, and after we finish.

Here is what you'll need for your groups:

• Sandwich bags (one per group)
• Rubber bands (for tying bags)
• Water
• Sharp pencils (plenty of them)

Thank to Scribbit for the pix and inspiration

Procedure: I tell the children as little as possible about the project. I have them fill the bags with water, tie them with a rubber band and get in groups with plenty of pencils. What I will ask them is what will happen if they poke a pencil through the bag. How many times could they do it, etc. The children often marvel that the bag could be pierced in the first place. I only have one rule during the project. The kids must hold the baggie up over their head as they work.
At the end of the project I will often tell the children to double check and count how many pencils they got into their bags by taking them out of the baggies and doing a re-count. That's usually when the squeals begin!
It gets them every time....
Ah...my favorite part.

Kids Bubble Wrap Activities

Mess For Less, yes indeedy!

I have to admit. I have never run out of ideas for kids with bubble wrap. Sure, we save scraps but nothing beats a big roll for tons of activities!

Art: Tape a sheet down and allow the children to freely pain it with tempra paints. I get a clean shett of paper and have the children press the imprint down. It's a lovely effect. The children comment it even looks like a rainbow beehive!

Hopscotch Pop: We cut out squares and tape them down. We let the children create the hopscotch Pop rules. You will be surprised at what they come up with.

The Pop Run: Very young children need lots of bubbles to pop. Bubble wrap has always brought the most reserved toddlers truly come out of their shell!

Guaranteed fun to the last pop! Thanks Rookie Moms

The Trike Bubble Run: Kids are also loving the bubble wrap outside. We drape it across the trike run as they speed across it!

Bubble Wrap Transition Time: I always save a special stash for emergency days. You know, days where you have a phone call you must take or simply need a longer transition. I use bubble wrap as an engaging fine motor activity that keeps them busy and happy. There is something very addicting about popping bubble wrap! Just ask.......anyone!

Kids Newspaper Sun Hats

Have you ever had those activities where you just simply had to do them every time the season rolls around? Okay, twist my arm, the sun is out and the kids can now make their new paper sun hats!

I can show you a great  modification for the boys that will give it that cool-factor, too!

How to Make Kids Newspaper Sun Hats:

Materials Needed: 

1. Tons of Newspaper (Have parent start saving)
2. Masking Tape
3. Had Picked Flowers (from a nature walk)
4. Phone Books (Optional is you would like to make the flowers)

The Process:

We do this in a small group activity so have the children standing and gathered around the the child that will go first.

1. Have all the children drape large opens sheets of newspaper over the child's head. We tell them to be sure we can't see their face or head! The children love this part because they play peek-a-boo, and 'Guess-who' under the newspaper.
2. I wrap a strip of making take around the child's head two or three times, once we have all smoothed down the newspaper. It is best to start about where the child's eyes are so be sure to hold them close to you during this process. We forewarn them it the tape will sound a bit loud but we are all looking out for them! We even have the group hold the child's hands to steady them because they won't be able to see for a few seconds.
3. As a group we begin rolling up the loose newspaper up the the masking tape strip while it's still on the child's head. Ah, at last! Now they can see and have a wonderful new sun hat!



Pix from Folding Tree!

4. Flowers: We use old phone books for the flowers of these hats. This project can go on for quite some time decorating them! We actually have a hat parade for the parents so we don't mind taking our time. If you decide to paint them be sure to allow a few days to completely dry.
5. Modifications for the Boys: While some boys didn't care for the same look the girls had, they did come up with a clever idea. The Fire Hat! We used the same process but didn't roll the back part of the hat and trimmed it to square it off. Kind of a paper mullet look, but paint it red and you have that cool-factor both boys and girls love.

Teacher Tips For Getting Kids From Noisy to Quiet

There are many types of noise in a classroom. There are happy noises, noises of discovery and learning, as well as joyful noises of laughter.
Then...
There's that other noise.
The one that travels up the spine and causes Administrators and staff to seek out your classroom to see what the ruckus is. With anything, we believe in planning ahead and yes, planning for quiet times are essential to classroom success. After all, having a few tricks up our sleeve keep us ahead of the game.

Tips to Get Kids From Noisy to Quiet:
Finger Puppets: Have one stashed in cases of emergency. Simply sit in a strategic location and hide the puppet cupped in your hand. Challenge the children to guess what you have. In our twenty years of experience it has always drawn a gaggle of children just itching to know what the surprise is. Invite them to sit with you and only show them the 'surprise' after they have quieted down.
Whispering: Sometimes there is just one excited corner of the room that needs some toning down a bit. We like to quietly walk over and whisper to the group. Something like, "Excuse me, friends, I see your are having fun. We need you to please use your twelve inch voices. Thank you." We do lot's of measuring in our class so the children have a great idea of what it is.
Dead Ants: The children are familiar with what a dead ant looks like. We find them outside, flat on their back, appendages in the air and a slight twitch to a leg or two. I will yell, "DEAD ANTS" over the din and we all drop on the floor twitching. While we are down I congratulate them on a good job and reminder the to use inside voices.
Hushing Songs: As a whole class we begin a circle time and draw them in with tried and true favorite songs. Songs like; BINGO, Twinkle-Twinkle, or Hush Little Baby. Whatever song you choose, make the lyrics get quieter and quieter as you go. We wind up singing the song mouthing the words in the end. It's a very calming circle time and the children love repeats!

Great Teacher Ideas for Back to School Month!

Making the transition back to school can be fun and exciting for children and families. By promoting a sense of community in the beginning of the school year we create and atmosphere for comfort and friendship for both new and returning families!

Great Ideas for Back to School Month:
The Bagel Bash: Have children make invitations for a bagels or treats at a local park. We like to meet up on a convenient weekend and set up a nice picnic area for parents and families to gather and get to know one another. We have also done it potluck style and created a list!

Smooth Sailing for back to
school month starts with a plan!

The Popcorn Party: Invite families and kids to a popcorn party with punch. Kids a great informal way to sit and have a chat with family and kids.
The Pancake Breakfast: This worked so well for us we did it every month! Have parents and kids come a bit earlier to school for a pancake breakfast. Families sit and talk with the children and one another before they go off to work!

What do you like to do for parents and children during back the to school month?

Great Quiet Activities for Kids

 "There are some things you learn best in calm, and some in storm."

~Willa Cather

Kids are so full of energy and laughter. I grew up with two other sisters and I remember how I used to scream when something was funny. Unfortunately the rest of my family didn't find it so funny when the sound traveled up their spinal columns. The fun would quickly end after that. I suppose that is around the time my mom started figuring out quiet activities for us kids to do. Most activities us teachers do with kids to keep them engaged tend to be exciting.....okay, so now that they are all excited how do we get them to wind down? It's always good to have a bag of tricks you will need to get kids calm and quiet for the next activity. Here are some quiet-quick-tricks we use that are especially helpful.

Quiet Activities for Kids That Really Work:

Read a Story: Okay, this can be a bit tricky depending on the story, but classics like, Good Night Moon and The Napping House really appeal to kids.
Finger puppets: Yes, finger puppets! The small individual ones that fit on one finger. Believe it or not simply passing them out on a table with small books to read really helps kids focus and wind down.
Cards: We all have stacks of cards somewhere. Kids can make card houses or play simple matching games.
Marbles: Kids love marbles! A simple game of marbles is quite easy to teach while gently bouncing them off of wood blocks makes a pleasant sound.
Lotion: I have been known to have kids stop after washing up from outside play to apply lotion to their own hands, face or legs. Lotion tends to immediately have a calming effect and has a lovely scent.
Socks: Okay, it doesn't have to be a sock, per say, but here at school we always have stray clean socks around. The guessing game, "What's in the Sock?" means simply putting a few small items inside and gather a group. We give clues to the kids as to what may be inside.
Small pom poms: We have a bunch of these for crafts but a quick quiet activity could mean giving them to the kids as a sorting, or math activity.
Guess the Drawing: If you are fairly good at drawing gather a group and slowly begin to draw on a large chalk or dry erase board. The slower you go the more time they have to think. Keeping it simple like only drawing items withing the learning environment really gets them thinking. We always give clues!
Water Play: Get a few small plastic bins and fill them with a few inches of warm water. Place a few very small cups, droppers and toys inside. Small plastic animals are a hit, too. One or two children per bin works best.

Making Word Maps With Preschoolers

I know I have a difficult time reading maps. I still agonize over which way is north or or south. I will usually get frustrated and ask for visual landmarks. My word maps consist of, "If you pass the yellow dog in the yard you have gone too far, go just beyond the blue house and our location is where the green truck in the driveway is."
I wondered how I could teach very young children about following directions while making it fun. Word maps came to mind. Here is how we do it in preschool.

How to do word maps with preschoolers:
Materials: mini toy compasses (optional, but can be bought in bulk at party stores as party favors), paper,strips of paper, tape, a large room, pen, scissors, your imagination.

Process: Draw a simple map of the room where you would what the children to go. Pick 5-7 areas of the room to begin with, once the kids understand what is going on they will definitely want you to extend this activity and do it again.
Cut paper into strips and write clues for exactly where you want the children to look. Keep the first clue and tape the rest in a hidden spot on the location they are to look. This will be in a sequential order so numbering your clues might help.

As kids guess, they can walk over as a group or individually to search for the taped clue in the area they are looking. I like to use colored paper and love to rhyme my clue, but that's not necessary.We all clap and cheer when we are finished finding all the clues. Sometimes I leave a prize at hidden with the last clue (individual bags of fruit loops, stickers, etc.). We worked as a team and are rewarded as a team.
As an extension I introduce compasses and show the children how they work. We use them while finding the clues and I will write down the results in the map.
Word maps are great ways to enhance preschoolers cognitive skills, language development, spacial awareness, sequencing, memory and recall, even motor skills.
Sometimes we all wind up outside depending on the clues. At the end of the circle time activity we try to recall all the places we went!

Poetry for Children in Early Childhood Education

Trees

The Oak is called the king of trees,

The Aspen quivers in the breeze,

The Poplar grows up straight and tall,

The Peach tree spreads along the wall,

The Sycamore gives pleasant shade,

The Willow droops in watery glade,

The Fir tree useful in timber gives,

The Beech amid the forest lives.

~Sarah Coleridge

Poetry in early childhood settings has always worked for me to inspire the children in new ways of learning. They really like silly poems but some poetry can be quite education. If we can't make up a melody for it we will chant it out. For this circle time poem, the children love to stand in a tight circle and act out it out. I let them act out the movements to make it their own. At the end of the poem we all decided to squeeze together and say the last line.
That is, if the children can stop giggling...
We learn poems fairly quickly when we act them out....
What are your favorites?

Time Outs in Early Childhood Education

Okay, I don't understand this time out thing. Maybe because I'm not very good at it. You see, I have been guilty of sending a child to the time out chair forgetting what the child did all together. 
Sigh.....
Since then I have changed the way I do things. I'll never forget the conversation I had with a child the day I realized time outs simply weren't for me. Here's how it went....

"Do you know why you have been sitting here in a time out, Tony?" I asked Tony as he squirmed in his.
"No, I forget."
(Uh-oh, now what was it....what was it....oh yes, I remember!)
"You hit Shannon." I reminded myself.
"No I didn't."
"Tony, we all saw you."
"I didn't hit him, he hitted me back."
"I see, so now that you've been sitting here for five minutes, did you think of something you could have done?"
"Yes."
"Tell me, please."
"If I hitted him sooner I would be out of time out by now."
(Okay, I clearly left this child waa-a-aay too long-sigh)

So, What works for you-please let us know...

Popular Fingerplays and Stories in Preschool

"Kids: they dance before they learn
there is anything that isn't music."
~William Stafford

We have some very popular fingerplays with kids in the preschool program. Here are just a few we never get tired of!

Popular Fingerplays and Songs in Preschool:
Name of the Finger play: Cut the Pickle
Give me five (High five the child)
Other side (High five child with the backside of hand )
Cut the pickle (Touch your index fingers together as child mimics cutting motions with the side of their hand)
Here's a tickle! (Quickly and gently tickle child)
Extension: Encourage children to teach this one to each other! It's a favorite!

Keep off the Grass
This is a story you tell by having the child hold out their palm. We pretend there is a little city or town on their hand and I will point to each arean on thier hand as I narrate the story:

"I see a little town on your hand. Here are where the kids go to school (teacher points), Here is were the mommies and daddies work and eat lunch ( teacher points), Here is a little tiny park with baby ducks swimming. And here is a sign that says, "Keep Off The Grass" (teacher points).
Have child recall areas you pointed to and be sure they touch their palm;
"Please show me where the mommies and daddies eat lunch (child touches palm),Show me where the baby ducks swim (Child touches palm)."
"Now show me where the sign is that says, Keep off the Grass".  As the child touches that area of their palm, gently tap their hand and say. "Hey! Keep off the Grass!"

What are some of your kid's favorites?

Doing a Nature Collage with Preschoolers

 "Creativity is thinking up new things. 

Innovation is doing new things."

~Theodore Levitt

 On a beautiful day I will have the children go on a nature walk with me. We will usually decorate a small paper bag and go outside specifically looking for beautiful things in bloom or something we haven't noticed before. We have a casual conversation about being careful not to disturb out "bug friends" but we all can definitely have a look. Most children really don't stop and notice nature in a world of rushing from one place to another. It's nice to have some time and make a project out of the time we spend together.

Nature Collage Materials Needed:

• Paper bags and crayons to color them (of course this can even be a project in itself!)
• Contact paper (or substitute with tape) 
• Construction paper (any color)
• One marker to write down their words. 
• One Large sheet of newsprint.

Procedure:

This can be done at a table, at a circle time in small groups or done over a period over a few days depending on the number of children you have. The kids love the individual attention and a group is sure to gather to hear the story.

1. Ask the child to empty the bag onto the newsprint and everyone have a look and touch at what was found.It may have a fragrance or weight to it. Ask the child to recall where they found it and what they think it is.
2. Write down their words on the construction paper and tape or place the bit of nature on the construction paper. Use your discretion if there are multiple bits of nature-they can always be placed back in the bag as a treasure.
3. When finished have the child help you place the sheet of contact paper over the collage to seal and press it. Voila, your done.

the small things.

 "You've got to think about big things while you're 

doing small things, so that all the small things go in the right direction."

~ Alvin Toffler

Encouragement and attention really mean something to our kids. I know that there are times I have stopped and noticed some amazing block building children are doing together or how well everyone is getting along.
I'll mention it.
Little ears are always listening so I will often remark to another teacher in passing, sometimes I make up a song about it willy-nilly on the spot, or I'll share it at circle time when it's my turn to share.
Little things aren't so small when they are shared by big people sometimes.
Then again...to me, these things were never small in the first place.
Sometimes teaching is in the fine details.

Simple

Put a grain of boldness into everything you do.

~Baltasar Gracian

It’s not often where children really have a chance to boast about their accomplishments. Having an audience to listen and really inviting open conversation about what is going on really does help encourage a preschoolers newly discovered skill, intelligence or talent. There is nothing worse than having something wonderful to share and feeling there is no one to share it with.
Here is one child’s story she shared at circle time….

“I can say any word. No word is too hard for me to say.” Sara boasted.
“What are you talking about now?” Max said. “You’re always saying stuff, how about you just show us.”
“I will, I will right now.” Sara said putting her hands on her hips. “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!”
“Wow!” The class muttered to themselves, they surely couldn’t say that.
“Hmmmm?” Max challenged. “Can you say,‘Peter Piper picked a peck of picked peppers’?”
“Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled pepper.” She said looking a bit bored.
“I guess your right. Cool.” Max conceded.
“Yeah-huh. Everything is so seeple for me. Just seeple to say.”
Max blinked. “Uh, don’t you mean, ‘simple’?”
“No. Seeple. It’s seeple for me to say.” Sara corrected holding one finger in the air for emphasis.
“Oh, whatever Sara, you’re the bomb.”
“Thanks, Max.”
“Welcome, Sara.”

Cha Cha Cha!

 The prime purpose of being four is to enjoy being four - 

of secondary importance is to prepare for being five.

~Jim Trelease, The Read-Aloud Handbook, 1985

We were sitting at circle time and the children were sharing events of the night before and recalled what they did. There is a low hum of chatter as we all talk and shared our experiences before I begin a formal lesson.
“Hey, I really want to share-d something.” Lilly blurted above the din, “I went to a Mexican Restaurant last night and now I know Spanish!”
We all began clapping and cheering.
“That’s pretty good a-cause my sister has to go-ed to school for it.” One boy said patting Lilly’s back.
“Well, Lilly,” I said, “May we hear a sample of Spanish? We would love to hear what you’ve learned.”
“Goody!” She chirped. “I will sing-ah you all a song.” Lilly stood up and smoothed out her Dora the Explorer dress.
“Happy birthday to you-CHA-CHA-CHA!”
“Happy Birthday to you-CHA-CHA-CHA!”

Will Work For Somersaults

"The end of childhood is when things cease to astonish us. When the world seems familiar, when one has got used to existence, one has become an adult."

~Eugene Ionesco

I noticed the preschoolers all sitting at circle time without me. Every now and then they hold their own class time routines and prove to be quite proficient at it.

"Okay, who here is grow-ed up?" The "teacher-child' asked leading the circle.
Everyone raised their hands.
"Good!" She clucked.
She quickly turned her attention to me as did the other children.
"Ms. Barbra?"
"Yes, Teacher?"
"Will you join us, please?"
"Thank you, I would love to come." I squeezed in on a carpet square.
"Now, that we are all here grow-ed children let's practice our somersaults!"

The Honorable Mention: Bad Teaching

"Good teachers are costly, but bad teachers cost more."
~Bob Talbert

A good driver pays attention to their dashboard. As an early childhood education my personal dashboard are the faces of the preschool children. I can tell if they are interested by their looks, gestures…some will even lie down and go to sleep. I have learned that active participation is the key to success when there are times when there are mainly teacher directed activities. I have seen kids ‘shhh’ed when they say things like:

“Are we done yet?”
“This is boring.”
“Do we have to?”
“I have to go to the bathroom.”
Oh…there’s more…I’m sure we can think of a few more.
Kids really do deserve our best. I don’t know any good teacher that excuses a child’s bad manners without trying to get to the bottom of it.
Bad teaching = no excuse.

Supporting Spatial Awareness in Early Childhood Education

"In youth we learn; in age we understand."

~Marie Ebner-Eschenbach

Many people see young children as accident prone, but they are really still orientating themselves to their surroundings and learning how to become spatially aware.

Spatial awareness is the knowledge and understanding of the position of objects in space, usually in relation to the self. If we all lacked spatial ability we would all be tripping and colliding into one another…which explains a lot about me and high heels…but that’s another story…..
I can really see where many of my preschoolers are at (as a whole) as far as spatial ability when it comes circle times; at least for me that is where it’s most evident for me within the early childhood environment.
Many preschoolers get sat on, pushed, pummeled, stepped on, and knocked over like dominos. We do carpet mats and various devices to define their space. But every now and then, we will allow them to freely sit and assist them with problem solving.
Spatial awareness activities can be fun and easy to do with young children.
Circle time activities like:
Setting up a toy or bear and chair and instructing the children to where to put the toy/bear it in location to the chair after you have demonstrated it for them:
• “Please put the bear on top of the chair.”
• “Please put the bear under the chair.”
• “Please put the toy in front of the chair.”
• “Please put the toy behind the chair.”

It also works great demonstrating with a piece of masking tape on the floor and having the children stand on it orientating themselves to the line on the floor.

What activities or books have do you like?

The Honorable Mention: The Smell of Success

“Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.”
~Henry Ford

Questions have always been part of the curriculum.
The preschool children gather around when they hear me randomly asking them questions in a small group.
They know this also means they can be silly but most of the time they have pensive, thoughtful looks on their faces….so I hold my reactions until I get home.
Every now and then I'll ask an abstract question. Something one one can really answer. Then again...when kids answer it, sometimes....it makes sense....scary.
I asked them what ‘success’ smelled like. I heard adults talk about it in such ways…even as if it has a color. I would like to get a preschoolers opinion on the matter.
This is what the preschoolers said:
“It smells like bacon…unless-ed you burn it…and my daddy always does.”
“Shampoo. The good kind my mommy uses. She so pretty.”
“Oh…I know this. Um…marshmallows.”
“I sniffed it. My brother puts it on to see his girlfriend.”
“I eat it a-fore my breakfast. It good.”

What about you? What is success like for you?

5 Star Preschool Tantrum

“Do not teach your children never to be angry; 

teach them how to be angry.”

~Lyman Abbott

Just when all the planets are aligned and twirling in their orbits…a blood curdling scream is heard in the corner of the room.
Jeffery is throwing a tantrum. A juicy, delicious five star tantrum meant to rock everyone’s spinal cords. Okay….all the children know the drill.

1.This is not an emergency…no blood, no foul.
2.Go back to what you were doing…smiles everyone-smiles.
3.Like a sneeze-we don’t need stare, point, or discuss it…
The teacher will handle it if it’s messy.
When we all work together I noticed the tantruming behavior becomes less and less….till it eventually stops within the classroom.
At circle times, children will often ask certain kids why they “kick on the floor” or make comments about that ‘type of behavior’. I find it very interesting. In a round about way they are letting them know that this is not the norm. Peer pressure can be good….
in some ways…

Language Development in Early Childhood Education

"The cure for boredom is curiosity. 

There is no cure for curiosity."

~Dorothy Parker

Kids inquire many questions of us big people…. But do we as adults challenge kids with questions?

I am not talking of the usual eight plus three, or the capitol of Alaska scenario… oh-no, no, no. I mean questions only ‘they’ can answer….which means the asker’s job is to listen.
I do this every now and then at circle times for language development...or when things get a little too quiet.
The children sometimes have answered these questions in silly, humorous, logical or very thought provoking way. I leave it up to them.
Being preschoolers….I’ll ask whatever comes to mind....you know, improvise. I may even amuse myself.
Here are some examples of questions we have come up with over the years.

Great Language Development Questions 
That Will Really Get Kids Thinking;
“What sound does a goldfish make?”
“Why does your nose run and your feet smell?”
“Who turns on the light when you open the refrigerator?”
“If a carrot is orange why don’t we call it an orange?”
“Where does baby oil come from?”
“Where do teachers sleep?”

Most kids will actually answer you…and will keep elaborating if you ask more questions.....