Playdough Ideas

Playdough is a wonderful physical and creative activity for young children that fosters a variety of developments and skills in children. Playdough can easily be made in the kitchen. Most recipes include instructions to  make playdough over the stove. An alternative choice is to use boiling water from the kettle. When making the playdough, it is a good idea to stir the ingredients quickly and knead right away to create the desired consistency. Ingredients can be added after if the playdough is too dry or too wet. The playdough mix should be kept in a plastic bag or closed container when it is not being used and depending on the air quality of a room, and the amount of hands that play with the dough, it should last for a least a week or longer.
This website is an awesome resource for playdough recipes: www.playdoughrecipe.com

 Following are some variations and suggested items to put out with playdough in addition to the classic rolling pin and cookie cutters:

• koolaid package inside the playdough recipe will make it smell fruity and provides color
• a touch of tempera paint or food coloring while making the recipe
• sparkles inside the playdough
• vanilla or other spices
• place buttons out with the playdough
• candles along with baking sheet or cupcake liners
• little plastic animals
• plastic utensils
• container lids that have a raised image for making prints
• ice cube trays
• craft sticks, popsicle sticks
• googly eyes

20 Ways to Set Up a Sensory Table

(Always add lots of scoops and containers, or whatever seems appropriate with the suggested material.)

1. Water with washable dolls for bathing, add in empty shampoo bottles, and cloths

2. Scissors and a variety of paper to cut

3. Goop: water, food coloring and cornstarch (make sure there is water and soap nearby for cleaning up)

4. In the fall, add leaves, both real and paper/plastic and different nuts, such as chestnuts, and pinecones with rakes and containers for sorting (ie; cupcake containers)

5. Freeze water with food coloring in different sized containers and place in sensory table. Try placing different toys inside the water before freezing, or fill up a rubber glove with water and freeze

6. Die rice different colors for a rainbow effect: place rice in ziplock bags with a touch of rubbing alcohol and food coloring, shake and let dry on a cookie sheet

7. Little birthday bags, tissue paper, minature boxes and bows for wrapping

8. For the water table, add food coloring to the water, place tinfoil on the base and a variety of pebbles, add plastic fish and boats

9. In the winter, put snow in the table

10. Place in table a big bowl of soapy water, and small jars filled with water and a few drops of food coloring and eye droppers to use

11. In the sand, place little plastic animals, such as turtles or lizards, and yogurt containers upside down with cut out holes for the animals to peek their heads out of, then add some wood and plastic leaves

12. Place glass beads all throughout the sand and scoops that will release the sand through, then add some little bags with zippers to hold the discovered jewels

13. Find different colored straws and place in table with scissors

14. During springtime, fill the table up with easter grass, plastic easter eggs and little bunnies, ducks, chickens, etc.

15.Water, soap, dishrack, dishes and cloths

16. Add farm animals, a barn and some dishes that hold water or oatmeal for them to be fed.

17. Potted soil, pots, rakes, empty packaged seeds, plastic flowers

18. Add magnets and a variety of items to attract and those things that will not, such as paperclips versus wood.

19. At Halloween, fill the table up with black beans and orange dyed rice, then add plastic spiders and bats

20. Mix a variety of dried beans together for a sensory mix that can be used again and again

Further Resources: Pinterest Sensory Board        

Online Workshops in Early Childhood Education with Circle of Ideas                              

Tips for Field Trips with Young Children

Field trips outside of preschool and daycare environments are a crucial component of offering quality programming. The trips involve proper planning and organization. Here are some suggestions for making a field trip safe and successful, followed by some field trips ideas.

Setting Dates and Location:  it is important to make sure the establishment where the field trip is planned has set dates with the commitment made weeks before the actual event. For some popular locations, such as a Fire Station,  it doesn't hurt to call months before the field trip outing. Then, a day before the field trip, call to reconfirm your visit. I have experienced arriving to places with children in tow and the employees being surprised by our arrival, and have learnt to always call and reconfirm! In addition, consider visiting the location to make sure it is safe for young children.

 
Parent Permission Forms: Provide informational sheets to parents about the upcoming field trip, at least two weeks prior to the event, along with permission forms for the families to sign. If money is required from the families for this field trip, then start collecting and recording well ahead of the field trip date.

Parent Volunteers: Place a sign up sheet a week ahead for helpers. On the field trip day, make special buttons for those parent helpers to wear, particularly  if many parents are joining in the field trip. This way, the teacher knows who to call upon for help. My suggestion is don't be shy about delegating parents on ways you need help, for instance, clearly ask a parent, "will you please hold this door open and then return to the line up". It's all about safety first, and parents will understand. At the end of the field trip try to individually thank each parent for their help. Often, these parent helpers will be repeated helpers throughout the preschool year, or daycare time period and they deserve recognition for their efforts.

Field trip Backpack: Prepare a field trip outing backpack for your classroom, filled with first aid, a spare set of clothes, a cell phone, kleenex, pen and paper, coins, plastic bags, and bottled water. Try and anticipate what you might need and prepare for those unexpected events. MAKE SURE THE EMERGENCY CARDS ARE UP TO DATE.

Group Identification: Bright colored tshirts with the daycare/preschool  logo and name on it is a great way to identify the children in a crowded place, particularly when the field trip is a busy place, such as the Aquarium.

Walking route: Before leaving for a field trip, if applicable, plan out the walking route.  Try and choose streets with traffic lights for crossing traffic, and consider where toilet emergencies could occur if necessary.

Setting up the Partners and Groups: Before leaving, place each adult with a small group of children that they will be responsible for when arriving at the field trip destination. In addition, carefully choose appropriate partners and their placement in the line up. Set up the children for success and safety. So, for instance, place an older child with a younger child, and separate children who like to get silly together or are very chatty with one another. Place an adult with any children who need extra help or guidance. In addition, spread out parent helpers, and always have one staff in the front and back.

Before leaving Checklist

1. Make sure all the children have gone to the washroom
2. Each child is wearing the field trip identification clothing: (ie: tshirt, cap) 
3. Talk to the children at a group circle about field trip safety: how to safely walk, being courteous of other people by lowering our voices, etc.
4. Make sure the children's emergency cards are with you in the backpack before leaving.
5. Place a note on the door with the walking route if applicable and the anticipated time of return for any late arrivals. Alternatively, arrange with other programs, to have children who arrive late to spend time there until your return.
6. Create the partners and line up arrrangement
7. Head count
8. Have Fun

DON'T FORGET TO COUNT CONSTANTLY WHEN YOU ARE OUT! This is the best way to assure you have all your children.

Field Trip Destinations

Overall, the questions to ask when choosing a field trip destination is will the location be developmentally appropriate and will the trip be educationally appropriate. Furthermore, will the children be able to follow the safety guidelines for this field trip location. Places to consider for field trips with preschool aged children:  

1. Library
2. Restaurants
3. Pet Stores
4. Post Office
5. Farms
6. Special Community Walks
7. Riding a Bus
8. Fire hall
9. Police Station
10. Nature Walks
11. Senior Citizen Homes
12. Grocery Stores
13. Garden Shops
14. Bus or Train Stations
15. Storytimes/ Drop In Events
16. Farmer's Markets
17. Factories
18. Water Parks
19. Art Galleries
20. Science Centers

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