10 Fun Halloween Ideas for Preschool

1. Make orange playdough and purchase Halloween designs in playdough cutters or cookie cutters

2. Fill a sensory table or tub with orange colored rice and black beans.

3. Place costume clothes and cameras into the drama area

4. Learn how Halloween is celebrated in different countries.

5. Bring in a pumpkin with potato head pieces and let children decorate the pumpkin with funny faces.

6. Make Halloween Jello Jigglers

7. At circle time try creative movement with Halloween Pantomime: ask the children to move their bodies as if they were carrying a pumpkin, then floating like a ghost in the sky, combing their witch hair, etc.

8. Create a Halloween story together as a class with the children drawing pictures afterwards and then place the classroom book of the Halloween story onto the book shelf.

9. Listen to Raffi's There's a Spider on the Floor while each child has a plastic spider that he/she will move up his body along with the lyrics.

10. Sing Trick or Treat to the tune of Frere Jacques:

Trick or Treat, Trick or Treat

Halloween Night, Halloween Night

In our costumes playing, you will hear us saying

Trick or Treat, Trick or Treat


For even more ideas: Check out these following articles---

Autumn Preschool Songs

Jack-O-Lantern Preschool Songs

Those Who Need the Most Love

Transportation Preschool Lesson Plan

Cars, trains, boats and planes can all be included into a theme about transportation. Consequently, there are many ideas that can be contributed into a transportation preschool lesson plan. In addition, a theme about transportation can be incorporated into other topics such as vacation, safety, workers and our community.

Begin a Transportation Theme at Circle Time

Introduce a theme about transportation at group circle by asking the children what they think the word transportation means? Just saying the word itself with four syllables is a big word for some preschool ages. Then ask the children if they can give examples of different forms of transportation and record their answers. This process allows children to take ownership of the topic and feel honoured for their ideas. Before long, the group will determine that transportation means how we move from one place to another.

Sorting/Categorizing

Give each child a picture showing a form of transportation. On an easel board or large piece of paper make categories, such as sky, land and water, and allow each child to choose where the picture should be. Alternative sorting can be with an engine and without an engine or with wheels and not with wheels.

                                                        

Transportation Song

To the tune of "The Wheels on the Bus":

The cars on the road go beep beep beep...all around the town

The planes in the sky go zoom zoom zoom...all around the town

The trains on the track go chug, chug, chug...all around the town

The boats on the water go swish, swish, swish....all around the town.

Transportation Open Ended Art Ideas

1) Provide children a variety of shapes of paper: rectangle, circle, square, triangle, along with some glue and felts. See what forms of transportation they will create on their own.

2) Provide children a variety of collage material and instruct the preschool children to make some form of transportation and see what happens. Some material suggestions would be egg cartons, small boxes, toilet paper tubes, pipe cleaners, straws, paper shapes, scissors, tape and glue. Lots of glue.

3) Painting with cars

Transportation Activities for the Classroom

•One ongoing project can be a classroom mural where pictures of transportation are placed. These pictures may be found in magazines available at the open-ended art station, or can be brought in from home environments.

•Activity sheets can easily be made or found online to continue the learning process about transportation. Children will circle or color the things on the sheet that are forms of transportation. Click here to be redirected to a great site for printable coloring/activity sheets.

•Transportation pictures can be glued onto one side of cleaned juice lids along with other pictures, then placed downward onto a table. With a magnet wand, children may pick up the lid and place them into appropriate categories.

•Take the children on a transportation walk around the community to see how many different forms of transportation might be found.

Drama Play for a Transportation Theme

                                                                                        

Regardless of the age, a box can turn into many forms of transportation for lots of fun dramatic play!

The drama area should be turned into different forms of transportation throughout this particular theme. One simple way is to place chairs one behind the other and explain to the children that a bus or train has been created. This visual activity can occur outside as well as inside. To extend on that idea, fill the drama station up with bags and suitcases along with clothes and other items for packing. A ticket station can be created with pads of paper to help create the scene.

For further reading:

Transportation Songs

Car Preschool Lesson Plan

Train Preschool Lesson Plan

CIRCLE OF IDEAS offering Early Childhood Online Workshops

Ideas for a Preschool Bird Theme

A preschool theme about birds can include a variety of categories, for instance:

predator
pet
farm
ocean
nocturnal
birds around the world

Introduce the Bird Theme at Circle Time

Before beginning a theme about birds, during circle time, ask the children what they know about birds. Record their answers and use the information as a starting point for learning. Some questions to ask children are:

• What does a bird look like?
• What makes a bird different than a dog?
• Are there birds around your home?
• Do you have a bird as a pet?
• Where do baby birds come from?
• What colors do you see on birds?

Place the children's answers on a bulletin board for parent to read, for example, on bird wings or the belly of a penguin.

Fun Facts About Birds for a Preschool Lesson Plan

Provide the children with some basic facts about birds, without getting into a lot of detail. In this way, young children can rehearse what they already know, be provided affirmation of their own knowledge, and for some, be learning the basic information for the first time. Some bird facts to give preschool children:

• Birds are the only animal with feathers.
• Most birds can fly.
• Birds have beaks.
• Birds have two legs.
• Birds make nests.
• Birds lay eggs.
• Birds are warm blooded.
• There are more than 9,000 species of birds.
• Birds can be found around the world.
• Birds come in many different sizes, colors and shapes.

Having pictures of birds to show the children is always helpful in the learning process, particularly for young children who are visual learners, ESL and have speech delays. Find books at the library, look for bird calendars, scour magazines for images or use the computer.

Birds From Around The World

Once the facts have be given and provided, explain to the children that their preschool curriculum will include birds around the world. One suggestion is to choose one or two birds from a geographical region and focus program planning around those birds or one bird. This way, each geographical region can follow a week long lesson plan. Another suggestion involves spontaneity and time restricted program planning, which is to have the children decide on what bird they want to learn about. Display a map of the world, and place a picture of the chosen bird on its geographical location. The following list suggest some birds in geographical regions around the world.

1. Arctic Birds: penguins, snowy owl
2. Tropical Birds: parrots, flamingo, peacock
3. "Local" Birds: ducks pigeons, robin
4. Desert Birds: roadrunner, ostrich
5. Downunder Birds: kookaburra, kiwi

Indeed there are so many birds to choose from. For instance, birds found around the ocean and other water sources is a big topic including such birds as seagulls, ducks, and pelicans.

Field Trips for a Bird Preschool Lesson Plan

A theme on birds would work well with a field trip to see the real thing. A local pet store or a bird sanctuary would be great choices. If those locations are not possible, try taking the children to local parks or water sources to view the birds that live locally.

 LINKS TO MORE RESOURCES

With well known bird species, you will more likely find ideas for crafts, songs, poems, books and activities with online sources and from books in the library.  The following links will bring you to other articles and program planning ideas for a bird themes.

Tropical Bird Crafts

Seagull Poem with Felt Pieces

Owls

Pinterest Board

Greeting Songs for Circle Time

Circle time in Early Childhood settings is usually a daily occurrence. Young children love to learn the greeting song. With repetition and rehearsal, they can sing along with the greeting and feel a sense of belonging and familiarity. Following are a variety of welcome songs for preschool or daycare. 

Song #1 To the tune of Mary Had a Little Lamb

Who came to school today? Johnny did, Johnny did.
Who came to school today? Johnny did!

Song #2 To the tune of  She'll Be Coming Around the Mountain

Oh the greeting train is coming, all aboard  (toot toot)
Oh the greeting train is coming, all aboard. (toot toot)
Oh the greeting train is coming,
The greeting train is coming
The greeting train is coming, all aboard

And it's hello to (child's name), get onboard
And it's hello to (next child's name), get onboard

ETC.

Song #3 To the tune of Happy Birthday

Good morning to you, good morning to you
Good morning dear friends
It's nice to see you

Good morning to (child's name) good morning to (next child's name)
good morning to (another child's name) it's nice to see you

Song #4 To the tune of Where is Thumbkin

Where is (child's name) where is (child's name)
There she is. There she is.
How are you today (child's name)
(Child's name) is feeling fine
You're here today, you're here today.

Song #5 Chose a tune

Hello, hello, hello and how are you
I'm fine, I'm fine, and I hope that you are too

Song #6 (or chant)

Our circle time is starting
I'm glad to see you hear
Hello to everybody
Let's give a great big cheer! Hooray!

Song # 7 To tune of Mary Had a Little Lamb

Another day at (name of preschool), (name), (name)
Another day at (name of preschool or daycare)
I'm glad that you are here


Further Resources:

Using the Felt Board for Circle Time Transition

Circle Time Basics Workshops with Circle of Ideas 

The Importance in Creating a Calm Environment for Young Children

The choices a teacher makes in his/her classroom send a message. "The environment contributes to setting the tone of the school day for both the children and the teacher. An organized, attractive, clean and warm setting results in more positive behaviors and attitudes." (Eliason&Jenkins, 34) Visual presentation of artwork, posters and lessons for learning easily fill preschool and primary school classroom walls becoming a busy collection of colors and images. Clutter in young children's school environments is common and for many students may not be an issue. But, for some students the visual chaos, particularly on the walls, truly affects their learning and overall success. For some students these busy walls simply add to the activity and disorder they are experiencing inside their bodies and minds.

Children Who are Affected by Busy Walls and Clutter

We are not all the same. Some people love things around them and are not bothered by many items in their vision, colors and shapes bombarding their sensory input. But for others, such as children under the autistic spectrum, those diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder, ADHD, FAS or even students with dyslexia, a busy and cluttered room may be difficult to handle, and possibly contribute to sensory overload. It adds to their daily struggle in such things as being organized, the ability to concentrate, and in keeping their bodies calm and still. A room that is buzzing with visual stimulation may create unwanted behavior in the classroom and away from the child's learning process.

Scanning The Classroom

A teacher should try and imagine what it is like to be the student, perhaps sit in a chair and scan his/her eyes around the entire classroom. Another idea is to ask other adults how they feel when viewing the walls. When assessing his/her room, the teacher could ask himself/herself, "Is there any organization? Are there items that could be tucked away into boxes to make this space visually less cluttered? Are there posters that could be taken down for awhile? What is the purpose of each item on these walls? Even without the sound of the children, could these walls contribute to sensory overload? How do I feel in this room?" When the evaluation is made, then changes can occur.

Tips on Setting Up a De-Cluttered Walls and Space

Placing items on the wall or boards should be given proper consideration in how it affects the space. It is crucial that young children feel pride in their environment as they view their work on the wall. Teachers need to have relevant lessons in children's view for learning. Yet, at the same time, some steps can be considered when displaying pieces to help create a more soothing and pleasing presentation. There are many articles providing tips on how to decorate a bulletin board, here are some more things to consider when decorating a classroom:

• keep some wall space completely free of items
• choose an organized technique when displaying art with equal spaces in between to help create a visual flow
• avoid hanging artwork from the ceiling
• current items on walls should be relevant to the season and topics
• sometimes less is more
• consider paint on walls and choose a soothing background color
• when displaying the student's artwork, select pieces that are less busy and have similar patterns, for instance, handprints versus finger painting
• store away papers, books and such in closed compartments to limit visual clutter
• pick adjectives to describe your ideal room and try making the environment match those words

An organized, de-cluttered, calming and welcoming room is not only going to help the children with sensory and behavioral challenges, but the rest of the classroom and the teacher will benefit from this space as well.

Source: Eliason and Jenkins, A Practical Guide to Early Childhood Curriculum, 6th Ed., United States: Merill Publishing, 1999.

ECE Online Workshops for Professional Development 

Valentine's Panda Bear Craft

Valentine's Panda Bear Craft

Traditionally, Valentine preschool crafts involve red and pink hearts. For variation, this activity involves different shaped black and white hearts. With the shapes, the preschool children can create their very own panda bear or as a gift for someone they love.


Depending on the age of the children, the preschool teacher could prepare the different shaped hearts before hand. Alternatively, older preschool children could attempt to cut their own hearts (or circles) which fosters fine motor skills. Either way, a template of different shaped hearts helps with the preparation. Half a heart template works well with this age group.




This particular preschool craft could be demonstrated ahead of time at circle time to help the children with the steps. This art process encourages young children to follow direction, a skill that is important to develop for their success at school. At the same time, there is always room for open ended art...for the children to create their own creations with the material, wonderfully illustrated in the following photo taken from
Luv Pre-K

From Luv Pre-K Heart Art

Preschool Christmas Presents

To prepare for the holiday season, preschool and daycare educators begin planning a variety of arts and crafts for children to make. One of the art projects will be the "Christmas" gift for the parents. This gift tends to be one of those projects that is more product orientated, and teacher directed. Many teachers and caregivers prefer to have young children make presents that are orientated around winter holiday celebration versus traditional Christmas gifts. This way each family, regardless of their personal beliefs and religion, can appreciate the gifts being made. Following are some ideas for this holiday gift making process.


The Holiday Centerpiece

This centerpiece can be used with real pine branches, which of course will be a temporary gift, or plastic pine branches that can be purchased at most shopping outlets. Each child will have a container holding a floral foam that is usually used for flower arrangements (a firm play dough mixture can be used as well). In the middle a candle will be placed, and then children will be given a variety of branches and other decorative items to place around the candle. Adults, ahead of time, should prepare sticks, for example, skewers or chopsticks, by glueing items on top such as small bells, tiny bows, pinecones and so forth. The branches and the other sticks can be pushed into the foam to create a wonderful centerpiece that can be used to help decorate a family home.


The Holiday Handprint Wreath

The handprints will be made either by having a child dip his/her hand repeatedly into green paint, or by tracing his/her hands onto green construction paper. The handprints can be placed onto firm paper, a paper plate or material, such as a large napkin. Once the paper handprints are cut out they are ready to be glued onto paper or paperplates to create the wreath.If older children are tracing their hands, they can also cut out the handprints. Approximately 8-10 handprints are needed. The handprints can be positioned different ways to make the holiday wreath. One way is to have the palms of the hands in the middle, facing out and the other is to have the hands one behind the other in a circle. If painting, red thumbprints can make the berries, or small hearts can be used. Finish the wreath with a big red bow, and this poem:

My handprints made this wreath
My thumbprints, each berry
I hope this helps you have
A Christmas, that's merry!


Handprint Gift for Toddlers to Make

This art project for toddlers to make for mommy and daddy is very simple. Have a child place their hands into redpaint and place onto firm construction paper. When the handprints are dry, the adult will cut out the handprints and place a magnet on the back. Add a poem to add a special touch to this present. Alternatively, have the young children decorate the handprints with glitter and glue and place a string on each hand for Christmas Tree decorations


Picture Frame Holiday Present

A photo of a child always make a wonderful present. In this arts and crafts project, children will decorate stryofoam trays with pasta. Collect styrofoam trays that are used for packaging at grocery stores ahead of time or try and have them donated by family members or stores themselves.
Each child will decorate the outside of a tray with pasta. Bowtie pasta works well for this holiday gift. When the glue is all dry, an adult will spray paint the entire tray with silver or gold paint. Make sure to wear a facemask in a well vented area and away from all children for this step. When the tray is completely dry, finish the gift by placing the child's photo in the middle and by putting a magnet on the back.

Read my blog article on picture frames for more ideas!


Christmas Tree Decorations

 

The tree decorations are age and developmentally appropriate for preschool and toddler aged children. Above is one idea. For more, please visit my Pinterest Board.






 

Indoor Hands-on Activities and Games for Young Children

Whether it's in the middle of summer vacation, a declared snow day or freezing temperatures outside, young children inside can get very restless. This article provides some different ideas to keep them busy instead of relying on the electronics. These suggestions are best for ages three to five, but older children can certainly join into the fun!

Inside Science Experiments for Young Children

Even if you, the parent, are not science savvy, these ideas are simple hands-on experiments to keep the young children busy.

Making Goop:

This sensory, hands-on experiment involves only three ingredients: a box of corn starch, water and a few drops of food coloring. Use a big bowl, or pot for the goop and have another pot of soapy water and a towel nearby for clean up. Put the cornstarch into a big bowl. First, choose the color by adding a few drops of food coloring to a measuring cup full of water. The key for this mixture is to add the water slowly. If too much water is poured in, there is no turning back until the mixture evaporates over time. When the right amount of water is mixed with cornstarch, the texture will be hard on the bottom, with just a bit of moisture resting on top. When the mixture gets picked up, it will start to run down the fingers: a great goop mess. The goop is easily cleaned. The mixture dries and the corn starch is left and washes off clothes without any hassles. This goop mixture can be left on a shelf and brought back out at a later time. If it hardens, the children can have fun breaking it into little pieces, and then add more water to start enjoying all over again.

Sink or Float:

A classic game that does not lose its appeal. Fill the sink with water and allow the children to find safe things that can get wet in the house. Have a guessing game on whether the item will sink or float ( an apple is always a great choice). To extend this science experiment, find out why things sink or float as well as charting the results into a graph.

The Revise "Volcano" Experiment:

An experiment which should be done on a tray to keep the final result intact. The kitchen is a great location for this activity. There are only three ingredients required for this activity: baking soda, vinegar, and food coloring. The child will scoop a heaping tablespoon into a glass container and then fill a measuring cup with vinegar and a few drops of food coloring. The final step is to allow the child to pour the vinegar mixture into the baking soda. The ingredients will mix together and cause an explosion that will bubble up and out of the container. When the bubbles are gone, the mixture must be emptied before beginning again. Try different shaped vessels for this experiment and adding some popcorn kernels. The kernels will dance inside the mixture, up and down for quite some time.

An Art Project for Inside: Rainbow Spin Art

From Plum Pudding

This art activity does make a little mess so, it is best to be done on a large tray or the bottom of a large cardboard flat box. The material required:

• a salad spinner (an old one at home, or a cheap "dollar" shop find)
• different color liquid paint
• large paper

First step for this art project is to cut the paper to match the inside of the salad spinner. Then, allow the children to choose the paint they want for their creation. The amount of paint required is a minimum of one tablespoon each of two colors. Place the lid on tight and spin. The result is a swirling effect. Plan ahead for a good place for the art pieces to dry. Some learning concepts about colors are found in this project. For instance ask the question, "I wonder how green got on the paper, when we do not have green paint?"

Another version of this arts and crafts idea is to use a shoebox or an empty ice-cream bucket, paint and a marble or golf ball. Once the paper is inside, the children will shake the box to allow the paint and marble to roll around making an art piece that is worth framing.

Making a Board Game

Find a large piece of cardboard in your home, perhaps by cutting a box, and some drawing tools: crayon, felt pens, and pencils. Then allow the children to make their own game. The child might need help making the main path of the game (think of snakes and ladders) and the printing. Guide the child along with some ideas: "Should the person get a bonus on this square, such as moving ahead spaces or should they lose their turn?" When the game set up is complete, the children have to decorate the game. Stickers would work well in this step as well. When complete, the game can be played. Young children enjoy having the ownership of this activity and their ideas being honoured.

Online Early Childhood Workshops 

Opposite Preschool Theme

Introducing Opposites at Circle Time

Introduce a theme on opposites at a group circle. Ask the children what they know about opposites. They will immediately begin giving examples. Pictures work well when describing opposites to children. There are many opposite posters available at teacher resource centers. Sometimes all it takes for better comprehension is to ask children for some opposites, such as "what is the opposite of day?"

Preschool Song for an Opposite Theme

To the tune of Do You Know the Muffin Man:

Opposites, oh opposites

We know them,

We know them,

Opposites, oh opposites

I think that we know them

The opposite of black is _____ (let the children answer)

Black and white

Black and white

The opposite of black is white

We know our opposites

Continue the song with different opposites, here are some suggestions for this age group:

•boy and girl

•day and night

•full and empty

•big and small

•soft and hard

•hot and cold

Opposite Crafts

1) Opposite Pictures: The young children will be required to cut out the individual pictures and then paste them another sheet of paper with proper pairing. The blank sheet should have squares drawn on it to aid the preschoolers on where to place the pictures, with some opposite pairs already done to provide visual guidance. This craft is developmentally appropriate for four year olds and older.

2) Jars Empty and Full: A great craft for younger ages is to provide children with a sheet displaying two big jars or containers. Give the children bingo markers and explain that they have to fill up one jar and leave the other one empty. This craft activity could be completed with other material, instead of a bingo marker, such as sand art (glue with sand), shredded paper, pom poms, and so forth.

3) Hot and Cold Pictures: find pictures in magazines or symbols, such as stickers or foam pieces, representing hot and cold weather. The children must decide which paper to place their item on, the one with a sun showing or the one with snowflakes showing. This project could be changed according to the age group. If it is older preschool ages, then have the words hot and cold printed onto the paper as well and perhaps have them draw and decorate their hot and cold papers first before gluing the collage pieces on.

Preschool Games for an Opposite Theme

1. Transition children out of a circle time by giving each child a small toy, and then give directions to help teach the opposite concept. Tell a child, "Before you leave circle, please take this toy and place in on top of your head, and now place it on the bottom of your shoe". Some other directions could be:

•on and off

•in front, and in the back

•over and under

•forward and backward

2.  Choose an opposite pair and place items into a bag for children to pick out and then place into the right group. The two spots to place the items to will be in the middle of the circle and be established by the teacher. So, for instance, if you chose day and night, then place into the bag such items as pjs, stars, sunglasses, something used at preschool, moon, flashlight, sun, sleeping bag, suntan lotion and more.

3. Another game to play is the shoe game. Begin by telling the children to take one shoe OFF and keep one shoe ON and then ask the children if there was an opposite in the sentence just said. All the children will place one shoe into the middle of the circle, and one child at a time will be asked to leave the room or close his/her eyes. A shoe will be removed (or the child whose shoe it is will hide) and the selected child will have to guess whose shoe is missing.

Fun Theme Days for Opposite Preschool Lesson Plan

Within the length of the opposite lesson, plan to have some fun theme days.

1. Pyjama and Teddy Bear Day. (DAY-NIGHT)

2. During the winter months,  try having a  beach party inside. (WINTER-SUMMER)

3. Opposite Dress Up Day. Some ideas are:

•backward clothes

•one sided hairstyles

•black and white clothes

•day and night clothes

•clothes for hot and cold weather

4. Opposite Oder: have parts of the preschool schedule done in an opposite order, such as the good bye song sung first and the welcome song sung last.



Opposite Preschool Theme



Suggested Books about Opposites

There are many book on opposites. There are some classic stories that have opposites riddled throughout the pages, such as The Three Little Bears. Here are a handful of other suggestions:

•Opposites by Sandra Boynton (Little Simon, 1982)

•Foot Book by Dr. Seuss (Random House, 1996)

•Olivia's Opposites by Ian Falconer (Atheneum, 2002)

Opposites is a really fun topic to discuss with young children. The theme days allow children some silly moments of doing something out of the ordinary. Hopefully this article will trigger ideas for more opposite activities within your preschool curriculum and/or early childhood setting.

Online Workshops in Early Childhood Education