Tips for Teaching Young Children the Skeletal System

I have taught the the names of bones to preschool children and school-ages, alike. 

The songs, diagrams and puzzles are an effective, interactive way to teach children about the bones in the body. Often times the only exposure out children get to bones are during Halloween. 

A good understanding of what bones and the skeletal system really is is by fun learning rather than a creepy, scary one.

We came up with a few various educational resources that can be used to start teaching young children about bones and the skeletal system.

Teaching with a hands on and fun approach can make education and early learning a bit easier for everyone!

Teacher's Link Tips For Teaching Young Children The Skeletal System

1.  Learn the human body- Skeletal System (Lots of kid friendly language teachers can use)
2.  Skeleton Floor Puzzle - Large enough for a small group time.
3.  The Bone Bounce - A Song by Teacher Lucy Jensen
4.  The Big Story on Bones Website- Tons of resources at your fingertips for answering kids questions. And we know about questions, don't we?
5.  Skeleton X-rays - For the classroom! (For kids that wanna see!)
6. Skeletons in the Closet Game- Really fun! It does contain very small parts so it needs adult supervision.
7.  Them Not So Dry Bones - School House Rock
8. Labeled Bone Diagrams- a  parent and teacher's cheat sheet

Get Preschool Materials at The Party Store!

I spy.....My next lesson plan!

Okay, so now that the cold chilly weather is upon us, that means more preschoolers cooped up indoors. And when the going gets tough, the tough to the the party! The party store that is. Party stores have mini trinkets preschoolers have always had a fascination with. By purchasing very inexpensive cake decoration toppers you now have an instant activity kids will return to for hours!

Here is what you'll need:

Cake decoration or cupcake toppers
Cardboard box lids
Soft indoor sand
Small stones, twigs, bits of nature

The Scenario: We use lids to give the children a more private experience during rainy days. With all the noise, hustle and bustle throughout the day we often forget kids never really get a private play space. Of course, community sand tables work fine but with specialty toys they are more likely to get broken.
The Set Up: Fill a lid with enough sand to cover the bottom. We set up six preschoolers to a table and it works fine. Usually its best to have the trays prepared and set up. Children sit down and enjoy and socialize. Of course, there are rules to playing this particular activity and we usually set a timer for each turn.

What The Preschoolers Learn: 

• Fine Motor Development
• Hand Eye Coordination
• Spacial Awareness
• Gain a sense of time
• Focus
• Creative Thinking
• Language Development/Social Skills

Ten Fabulous Fall Leaf Activites For Kids!

Take advantage of these ten fabulous fall leaf ideas for kids! Whether you work in a classroom or are looking to keep a little one busy; these ideas will surely warm up the chilly days of Fall!

Ten Fall Leaf Activities to Look Forward to This Season:
1. Make a leaf compost for a garden!
2. Make a lovely fall wreath by painting a shaped paper plate with orange glue paint. The more leaves the better!
3. Make a leaf collection to display. We love to have the children create a graph and we work to categorize them by shapes and colors!

4. Go on a fall nature walk to crate a leaf bouquet. We love to wrap our bouquets in orange and yellow tissue paper and tie them off with raffia bows or corn husks. Many fall leaves are very fragrant and the children are always excited to give them as gifts!
5. Use contact paper or packing tape and seal the leaves inside to make a special book mark. Adding bits of fall confetti or stickers add a special touch!
6. Create leaf rubbings! Place them under white paper and use the edge of a crayon to shade them in. It's an instant masterpiece even for very young children to try.
7. How about raking up a pile and simply jumping in! A great way to get the wiggles out as well as laugh with all your friends.

8. Make a fall collage with leaves, sticks, and corn husks on a small sheet of tag board. We add to it throughout the week as the children cut out fall images from magazines. Got a story to tell? When the project is finished be sure to take dictation from them about their beautiful fall art.
9. Feeling really crafty? How about decoupaging fall leaves on a votive glass to make special gifts for the holidays.
10. Make your own fall leaf print handkerchiefs. Simply cut squares on muslin fabric from a fabric store (very inexpensive). Lay the fresh picked leaves in a pattern on the floor and place the fabric over it. Now gently pound the leaves with a mallet and the colored moisture from the leaves will show through on the hanky! Yes, it's washable but avoid 'bleaching' the lovely colors by using a color safe bleach detergent.

Language Development Activities for Preschoolers

We are all about affordable learning materials in our preschool classroom. "I Spy" bottles are the perfect creation and can be used in so many different ways! Language Development can be hands on and exciting for kids! Here are just a few ways we use these bottles with our preschoolers.

Easy Hands On Language Development Activities:
For Circle Time Activities: Have an "I Spy" Bottle for each child in the class. Challenge them to find specific objects in them as a group and call them out as they find them. Our preschooler call it bottle bingo.

Table Top Activities: Have pictures of the objects taped to the table and have the children find and match the objects in the "I Spy" bottles as they find them. We like to have the children tell us a story about their favorite objects and we take dictation.
Alphabet Recognition: We cut out letters of the alphabet on pieces of paper and challenge the children to find the letters or spell their own name!
Color Recognition: Use colorful beads and have the children name and find their favorite colors.

Tips: Be sure to glue the bottles sealed. Preschoolers are very tempted to open them. Be sure to get creative! Make it a class project by making them with the children! Materials like sand, water or Karo's syrup are great substitutes for rice! Themed "I Spy" bottles are a great and inexpensive addition to any curriculum!

How would you utilize these bottles as language development activities?

Kids and Board Games With Benefits!

Aside from the “soft” benefits like spending time together as friends or family, traditional board games can teach young children such things as hand-eye coordination, visual perception, letter recognition, color recognition and number/shape recognition. Games can also teach children how to “play by the rules,” how to interact with others and ultimately, how to be a good sport.
For young adults, there are many games that are good for building critical thinking skills. For instance, checkers, chess and some card games require serious thought in order to excel. Computer games can be good for strategic thinking, as well.
Here are four games teachers and parents might explore to build financial skills and mental agility...

Kids and Board Games with Benefits:
Life
The latest version of Life takes players through a thought-provoking simulation of a person’s life from high school through retirement, with jobs, marriage, kids and many other big life decisions to be made along the way.
Payday

Games that get kids thinking about life, money and jobs!

Want to teach kids to make their money last? Consider the game of Payday. Using a 31-day calendar for the board, players try to make their monthly pay check last. Just like the ‘real world’, players have the choice of investing, taking out loans or going for a long-shot gamble – none of which provide any guarantees for success.
Monopoly
The best-selling board game in the world, Monopoly helps young people learn the basics of economics. It provides the opportunity to learn fundamental money concepts and the rewards of wise spending decisions.
Careers
Introduced in 1955, the winner of this classic board game is the player who achieves their life goals the soonest. Before the game begins, each player determines whether they want to pursue fame, money, happiness or a combination of all three. Success in achieving their goal depends on the path they take through the game.

What is your favorite game? Why?

Homemade Ribbon Dance for Kids

What is it about ribbons, anyway? Well, not just ribbons....anything kids can wave around in the air and dance and jump with. When I was a kid my grandmother gave us a bunch of old scarves to play with. You couldn't convince me what I had wasn't pure gold!
Turns out they are used in many cultures as well! Native American Dances, and it's even an featured in the Olympics!
I found some great ribbons to buy but making our own economical ribbons can be just as fun!

Making Homemade Ribbons for Kids:

Materials Needed: Assorted colored lengths of ribbons (optional),Colored curling ribbons (the kind we use for gift wrapping). Remember, the longer the lengths the better, Plastic six pack soda can holders, scissors, inspirational kids dancing CD.
Process: Cut soda can holders loose into small round circles (these will be your handles), Tie fabric ribbons and curling ribbon with curled and some ribbons left straight ribbons to your soda can holder circles. Make as  many as you need! Kids like one for each hand!
The Procedure: Put on a music CD and get moving with them! Don't forget to make a pair for yourself!

What kind of vaariations would you add? Let us know your favorite kids music CD is!

25 Things to Do With Kids This Summer!

 Nothing to do this summer? Don't let it happen to you....use your summer wisely with 25 tips to kick off your creative thinking! Let's see where it takes you!

25 Things to Do With Kids to Kick Start the Summer:
1. Catch fireflies or bugs in a jar, study them and then let them go.
2. Take pictures of the kids having fun and make a scrapbook!
3. Eat watermelon outside, and let the juice run all over the place!
4. Walk in the grass barefoot with the kids.

5. Use lotion, soap, or shampoo that smells like coconuts.

6. Make homemade popsicles in paper cups and eat them on a hot day.
7. Get out the kids' watercolor paints and paint a picture of summer means to you.
8. Collect seashells and save them with some sand in a decorative bowl.
9. Make strawberry shortcake.
10. Make thank you cards for everyone who has helped you out.
11. Eat your favorite summer fruits and berries.
12. Go swimming as a family.
13. Have a water balloon fight.
15. Go for a nature walk along the beach or a wooded path.
16. See the sunrise.
17. Have a picnic.

18. Watch the sunset.
19. Make playdoh.
20. Read a chapter book aloud to your kids.
21. Make homemade ice cream in a Ziploc bag.
22. Sit outside and sip iced tea.
23. Make fresh lemonade.
24 Camp out in a tent in the yard.
25.Make a commitment to learn something new!

Outdoor Fun with Kids and Plastic Bottles

We love water play days! We found a great way to keep kids happy and cool while using them with the tricycles outside! We thought we would share it with you just in case you haven't tried it! Be sure to let us know how it went!

Having Fun with Plastic Bottles:
Materials Needed: Plastic bottles of all sizes (have kids and parents bring in a few, different sized funnels (optional), duct tape, scissors, a hose connected to a water source, small ice pick or knife to poke holes with, tricycles, kids in swimsuits and water shoes, a big outdoor area to ride trikes.
The Procedure: Punch one or more holes in most of the plastic bottles (putting a few aside), remember the bigger the hole the faster the water will pour out. Use duct tape to adhere a number of bottles to the front and back of various tricycles the kids will be riding. We circle the duct tape on a few revolutions to make sure it's secure!
Let the fun begin!: Turn on the hose and let the kids fill up the bottles on the tricycles. Water will shoot out of the holes as they ride. Kids have often pretended it's a gas tank and they need a fill up! Extra bottles and funnels can be used for more pouring!
Have a great time!

Make Matching and Math Games with Buttons

Be sure to check out more button games at Recycled Crafts

I have always had various sizes and shapes of buttons laying around long after the blouses have disappeared. The kids absolutely love playing with left over buttons. Here is a great way to make special tailored matching and math games for kids!

How to Make Games With Buttons For Kids
Materials Needed: Xerox machine, lots of various buttons, Ziploc baggies, paper, markers, small cups or bowl.

Procedure: Arrange 10-12 buttons randomly or in a pattern on the Xerox machine and copy. Number your copy and collect all the buttons in a Ziploc. Be sure to put the matching number on the bag. This way you will know which button bag goes with which paper copy. Keep repeating until you have a desired amount of matching games. You may wish to laminate them!
The Process: Some paper copies you may choose to number with a colorful marker and others you may not. Kids match by shape, texture and size while using fine motor skills! Simply place paper copies in the table with a bowel or the matching buttons and let them go to work! Enjoy and have fun!
Extension: You can also color copy some papers so kids can also match by color. Kids also love tracing buttons to make interesting art! You can challenge them to see how many buttons they can use for a masterpiece!

We are always cautious of the ages and sizes of the buttons we allow the children to play with. Even kids long past the oral stage will put things in their little mouths. Please be sure to keep a watchful eye.

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!

Preschool Curriculum Activities that Promote Socialization

"Feelings are much like waves, we can't stop them from coming but we can choose which one to surf."
~Jonatan Mårtensson

Helping young children to be socially aware has always been a passion of ours. I was said by Professor James Heckman (Noble Prize winning Economist) that as far as our future generations are concerned; social skills are just and important, if not more, than I.Q.
Starting another blog that dealt primarily with preschool curriculum revolving around personal awareness and social skills for young children was in order. We also found that these activities are great for all ages!
We hope you check it out and would love to hear your feedback.

All Together We're Better :Great preschool curriculm & teaching techniques that are adaptable for all ages. We are getting kids ready for the skills they need for success in life!

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?

Puzzled? In Early Childhood Education....

"What's to puzzle over? Spread your 

wings and let your soul melt into the sky"

~Anonymous 

 

Puzzles come in all shapes and sizes for preschoolers. Good quality puzzles can be purchased at yard sales, consignment or thrift shops, and lending toy libraries.
Children love cutting pictures from magazines to create their own puzzles. Simply mount the pictures on cardboard pieces or popsicle sticks. Homemade puzzles make thoughtful gift ideas, too!

Here are some things children are learning when they work with puzzles:
*Puzzles assist children in recognizing shapes, colors, and symbols
*Strengthens reading and writing skills
*Develops fine motor skills (Pincer grasp) and hand eye coordination
*Helps children recognize how the brain and body work together to solve problems


Tips About Puzzles:
*Puzzles are self correcting; there is usually only one way to do them

*Always make sure all the puzzles have all the pieces to them. Children can be taught to check for this as they put them away
*Teach proper puzzle care and maintenance to your children
*As children master puzzles, challenge them with new ways to do them or new puzzles, too!
*Introduce new puzzles slowly into the learning environment
*Encourage children to work together to solve a frustration puzzle. Coach a child through a puzzle and never simply ‘do’ it for him or her (a sense of completion to solving a problem is very important; even if you leave it be for a time and return to it later)
*Relax and have fun!
What kinds of games do you like to do with puzzles as extensions?

Language Development and Games in Preschool

"Two wrongs don't make a right, 

but three lefts do" 

~Jason Love

So…accidents happen.
Things can get all twisted up somehow…but thank goodness there is a way many things can be made right.

Young children love language. In early childhood education we spend a lot of time talking to preschoolers to give them a great foundation for success. Is it that easy? Talking and spending time with them is part of it, but sure it is! Simply talking with children and engaging with them is part of having fun everyday and really infusing language development into the curriculum.
What I really love to add to the preschool curriculum is tongue twisters. Kids really love to be challenged with tongue twisters as well as adults.
I found that they have been frequently used as part of speech therapy and there really is more to them than just fun and games.
My favorite one liner tongue twister is:

Red Leather, Yellow Leather

Probably because I can say it and the kids can’t….
Oh, and neither can my husband….
This is really a huge victory for me……
I think I need to get out more….sigh.

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.....

A Sense of Humor in Preschool Curriculum

"Well, Art is Art, isn't it? Still, on the other hand, water is water. And east is east and west is west and if you take cranberries and stew them like applesauce they taste much more like prunes than rhubarb does. Now you tell me what you know."
-Groucho Marx

 Standard preschool curriculum is made up of pre-math, the wonders of science, children's books, and various foundational elements that promote a love of learning....but, a-hem...hold up now........ these children are growing up in a different world then we did. Laughter and humor elevates the mind, increases endorphins and serotonin levels in the body that creates a state of well being and happiness.The best things about humor with children is it doesn't have to make sense...that's what's funny. Common sense tells us there has to be a reason for "funny"...but those are the ones that had common sense educated right out of them. Here are some tried and true games for your preschool curriculum that will get them laughing every time.

Laughable Preschool Curriculum Activities:

Game: Untangle
Age: 2.9+
Number of Children: At least 5

Materials: None (We love that!)
To start: Gather in a circle and everyone hold out their hands in the center of the circle at the teachers command. Then everyone is to randomly grab one hand from any two different children.
Object:To untangle the mess of children without letting go of your hands.
The Play:Anything goes...except, don't let go! Not even if you have an itch...preschoolers do what they can to untangle themselves so no arms are crossed. It's a group effort and everyone wins.
Extension: Put a timer on to make it more exciting.


Individual Finger Play (Preschool Teacher & Infant/Toddler)
Name of Fingerplay:Round and Round the Garden
Round & Round the garden (Swirl index finger on child's open palm)
Goes the teddy bear
one step, two step,(Walk index & middle fingers up child's forearm)
Tickle under there!(Gently,tickle under child's arm)
Extension:Do "Mama", "Daddy", "Baby bear", etc.

Freshen up a familiar story: Give this a try...
Extension: for favorite stories
Ages: 2+

In our preschool curriculum we read our books the children love over and over again. Often times they can repeat every word along with us. Let the children know that you will make a silly mistake when you read a book...challenge them to 'listen and hear it' when it happens. I will say, "One day, the little sandwiches ate their children....." The children laugh and love to let me know I said something silly...I pretend I didn't know what they were talking about, and then I do it again a few minutes later.

Everyone one has adds their own special ingredient as an early childhood educator. Our own special, "niche". What's yours? What do you do to brighten up their world?