MEDINA, Erwin L.

April 7, 2014
12016198 PSED 103
1 | P a g e

Preschool Activity Theme for Small Groups
Woodworking Activity: "Space"
During this woodworking activity by Anna P. teachers help youngsters creates the
planet Saturn and promotes hand eye coordination and motor skills.
Materials: Foam ball (tennis ball size works great),
2 poster board circles, slightly larger than ball.
School glue and paint / glitter / sand (to cover the planet Saturn).
Saw and Clamp (not necessary but helpful to the fingers).
Description: This starts as a one on one activity.
1. Child picks out Styrofoam ball.
2. Teacher helps fit the ball into the clamp. You want it to be secure, but don't squish
the sides in or the planet will be flat.
3. Stand behind the child; show him or her how to hold the saw. They should use 2
hands so there is no danger of them cutting themselves. Cut the ball in two equal
halves. Teacher holds the ball steady with one hand by pushing down of the very edge
by the clamp. Your other hand will be holding the saw. Help the child get started by
telling him or her to push / pull. Most have no trouble, some need help getting started.
4. Put saw up!
5. Have the child go to another table (art works) and cut out their cardboard circles.
Glue the half ball to the center of each circle. They love this part because you need to
use a LARGE puddle of glue to make it stick.
6. Decorate your planet with paint or squeeze glue over both halves and cover with
glitter or sand. The glue leaves a nice track; some painted the glue on and had a
smooth finish.
You will need to let it dry at least 24 hours. Then staple the two halves
together. Hang and enjoy! We also added moons by using plant wire (buy at Walmart
in craft section). They stuck the wire in Saturn and stuck a small foam ball on the other
end. These wires also make good hanging hooks, and can be cut easily.
Comments: The children loved it! When explaining what we would do, the girls insisted
that only boys could use saws. The sawing was everyone's favorite part!
The Outer Space Theme is in the Rainbow Resource Room.

Science: Dancing Sultanas
Explore the nature of gases and floating & sinking with this preschool science activity
from Felicity.
MEDINA, Erwin L. April 7, 2014
12016198 PSED 103
2 | P a g e

Materials: A bottle of soda water and a handful of small sultanas (raisins).
Description: Talk with children about water and soda water - the addition of gases
which makes the water bubbly. Open the bottle and add a few sultanas - watch them
dance as the bubbles collect around them! Close the lid and they stop - why? Great
for problem solving and predicting.

Clown Cone Puppets
Make this easy clown puppet by Gina as part of a circus unit or as an extension to a visit
from a puppeteer.
Materials: Cone cups, straws, clown picture to color.
Description: Children paint cups with water colors, tempera paint is too heavy! Make a
hole at the cone's tip and color the clown. Glue the straw to the clown and insert the
straw through the hole on the cup. Each child can give a name to their clown and
made up songs to Pop, Goes the Weasel.
Comments: Change clown shape to any other desired shape.
The Circus Activity Theme is in the Rainbow Resource Room.

The Cutting Pool
During this preschool small group activity from Drema youngsters strengthen their small
motor skills and practice cutting while teachers save scraps for crafts.
Materials: A small plastic pool, children's safety scissors, all kinds of materials such as;
construction paper scraps, magazine scraps, yarn, etc.
Description: Ask children, a few at a time, to sit in the cutting pool and cut and snip as
much as they would like. They are not allowed to jump in the pool because it is only for
cutting skills. When the children are done, they put their scissors into a sand bucket and
leave all the scraps in the pool. Teachers then collect the scraps for future projects.

Fun with Clips and Rings
Lisa H. offers this small group activity to help preschool children refine their fine motor
skills; work on patterning, sorting and classification.
Materials: An assortment of various sizes and colors of clothespins, hair clips (the kind
that when you squeeze the top, the bottom opens), and macram rings.
Description: This is an idea for something you can put in one of your interest centers,
such as the table toys center. Put a variety of clothespins, hair clips, and macram
rings in a container or bin. Show children how they can clip the clothespins and rings
onto the different size macram rings. Children can create patterns by alternating blue
MEDINA, Erwin L. April 7, 2014
12016198 PSED 103
3 | P a g e

clothespin, red clothespin, blue clothespin, red clothespin, and so on. They can also
sort by putting all the blue clips together and all the red clips together. We use a
variety of hair clips in fun colors and motifs (flowers, stars, butterflies). The children really
love manipulating the items.
Comments: For children 3 and under, be careful of what size clips you use because
they could choke on the small clips.
Small Motor Scissors Skills
Provide plenty of opportunities for children to strengthen their small motor skills with this
preschool activity fromKellie.
Materials: Safety scissors for children, paper with pre drawn lines on them.
Description: My kids love to cut on lines, so I draw many types of lines on paper and
copy them on the copy machine. I put them out at the small motor table and the
children have the choice of going to that center.
Coupon Cutting Idea
Michele offers this idea to develop fine motor control.
Materials: Scissors and coupons.
Teachers, in a small group, provide preschoolers with a variety of coupons and
encourage them to cut them out.
Snip Soup
Michele H. offers this simple preschool activity as a way to assess young children's ability
to cut or snip with scissors.
Materials: Several colors of construction paper cut into strips, small bowls andscissors.
Description: Have the children cut the paper, one color at a time, into the bowl. They
can pretend that they are cutting vegetables for soup. This activity can also be used to
assess children's knowledge of colors. My students enjoy it thoroughly!
Cooperative Drawing
This art activity from Natalie T. is for kindergarten and older children and promotes
working as a cooperative team to create imaginative drawings.
Materials: Markers, paper and a clock.
Description: Begin by having the children sit around a table or in a small circle on the
floor. Give each child a piece of paper and one marker. Have children write their
names on the paper and then turn the paper over, so that the blank side is up. Instruct
the children to begin drawing whatever is in their imaginations. After 30 seconds (more
or less), have each child pass their paper to the left.
MEDINA, Erwin L. April 7, 2014
12016198 PSED 103
4 | P a g e

Now instruct the children to begin drawing again. After thirty more seconds pass the
drawings to the left again. Continue drawing for thirty second increments and then
passing until the papers arrive back to their original owners. Allow the last drawing
session to last for two minutes. Share the drawings with the group. Talk about what it
was like to try to imagine what each paper was supposed to be like. Share
interpretations of the drawings.
Comments: This works best with a small group.
Science: Magnetic Art
Youngsters learning about magnetism while participating in this art activity by Connie.
Materials: Two chairs, benches or blocks, a piece of Plexiglas (11 x 14 or larger),a
magnet wand or a strong magnet, metal objects such as washers, nuts, bolts or metal
balls, tempera paint, paper and tape.
Description: Place Plexiglas across two chairs, benches or blocks so there is enough
open space in between for the child's arm to move freely under the Plexiglas. Tape the
paper on top of Plexiglas. Dip washers and other metal objects in tempera paint and
place on the paper. Hold the magnet wand under the Plexiglas and begin moving the
the magnet. The magnet will begin moving the metal objects around the paper to
create a picture.
Paint Center
Integrate your pre-k and kindergarten themes in preschool art activities with this easy
idea from Glorianne N.
Materials: Papers for paint center, paint and paint shirts.
Description: Normally the papers at the paint center are regular rectangular shape.
However, during some themes I cut the paper into shapes and leave it at the center for
the students. I have used a large leaf for my fall theme, an apple and the one they
especially liked, the dinosaur.
Art Recipes and Activities are in the Rainbow Resource Room.

Bubble Wrap Play
During this early childhood education activity by Brenda Z. youngsters increase hand
eye coordination, gross and fine motor skills, learn about colors and experience cause
and effect.
Materials: Bubble wrap, plastic hammers, masking tape and different colors of paper.
Description: A really fun idea that works from toddlers to pre-k.
Tape bubble wrap that is used for shipping, on the floor or sidewalk. Carpeted floors
don't work as well. Let the children run, walk, hop or even dance on it to pop the
MEDINA, Erwin L. April 7, 2014
12016198 PSED 103
5 | P a g e

bubbles. One of my toddlers laid down and rolled on it to pop the bubbles and feel the
texture. When I turned on music they started dancing.
For older youngsters, you can also tape the bubble wrap onto a piece of wood and let
the children hammer the bubbles with a plastic hammer. Put different colors of paper
underneath and direct which color to pop. Show them how to pop the bubbles with
their fingers. Great to use with the bubble theme.
Comments: This activity kept my toddler 1's interest longer than any other activity I have
come up with yet.
There is a Bubble Theme in the Rainbow Resource Room.

Science: Balloon Experiment
Encourage observation and prediction with this early childhood education science
experiment by Tamara.
Materials: An empty 2 Liter pop bottle, one balloon, baking soda, vinegarand a spoon.
Description: Fill up the 2 Liter bottle with vinegar. Fill it only about almost half way.
Place as many scoops as you wish of baking soda into the balloon. Stretch out the
balloon over the bottle. Don't flip it yet! Ask the youngsters what will happen to the
balloon. Flip over the balloon so that all the baking soda falls into the bottle and watch
how the balloon get full of air.
Comments: You can use different sizes of bottles and see if the children will think any
differently.
Reference:
(2014). Preschool Activity Theme for Small Groups. [ONLINE] Available at:
http://www.preschoolrainbow.org/activities-small.htm. [Last Accessed 6 April 2014].


MEDINA, Erwin L. April 7, 2014
12016198 PSED 103
6 | P a g e


Preschool Activity Theme for Large Groups
Be a Meteorologist
Encourage preschool children to discuss the weather with this early childhood activity
by Nancy E.
Materials: White, blue, black, gray, and yellow paper, and velcro.
Description: Draw a map of your town (simple square, circle, oval shape etc.). Place
two strips of velcro across it. Out of the paper make, a black cloud, a white cloud, a
blue sky, a sun, blue raindrops, and white snowflakes. Put a velcro piece on the back of
each paper (opposite of the kind you put on the town picture).
Have one child each day use the clouds, sun, rain or snow and put them on the town
to show the daily weather.
Comments: Makes the children aware of the weather and it can bring conversation as
to what to wear that day and it makes them a part of that decision.
Weather Helper
This preschool activity by Melany S. increases language development and knowledge
about the weather.
Materials: Pictures of the sun, clouds, rain, and snow.
Description: During circle have a weather helper go and look outside of the window to
see the weather outside. Then point to each picture and ask the children what is this a
picture of. Once they identify the picture (for example, sun), have the children ask the
weather helper the question. "Is it sunny outside?" Continue for each picture.
The kids love it and it involves them in question and answer routines.
Gayle's Hint: Extend this activity by developing a Monthly Weather Chart. On this
calendar like chart place a picture each day. At the end of the week or month count
the number of sunny, rainy, cloudy etc. days.
The Windy & Rainy Weather Theme is in the Resource Rainbow Room
Pirate Day
Youngsters use their imagination and mapping skills while searching for buried treasure
during this fun project by Peggy J.
Materials: Large black paper, stapler, pirate hat tracer, gold coins, a treasure chest and
a treasure map for the children to follow
MEDINA, Erwin L. April 7, 2014
12016198 PSED 103
7 | P a g e

Description: The children will trace the hat pattern on a piece of large black paper.
Place another piece on the bottom and cut 2 at a time. the teacher will help the
youngsters staple it to fit their heads. They can use a white crayon to draw an X on the
hat. Supply them with an eye patch if available. Show the children a treasure map to
follow so that they cam find a treasure chest which you have hidden somewhere
outside on the playground or in the school. The children will need to cooperate with
one another in order to find the chest filled with a bag of goodies for each one of
them.
Comments: You can carry out the theme of the day with snack and story ideas.
If you think of the Ocean or the Sea when you think of pirates, take a look in
the Rainbow Resource Room.
The Man in the Moon
Youngsters have fun and learn about colors and the parts of the body as the
participate in this early childhood education activity by Shanell.
Materials: A large sheet of paper or a white board or chalkboard, and different colored
markers or chalk.
Description: Draw a large circle on a sheet of paper or on a white board or chalkboard.
Tell the children they are going to help you make the man in the moon. Sing the
following song:
There was a man in the moon, in the moon, in the moon.
There was a man in the moon, and his name was_____.
You can have each child think of a name for the man in the moon as you call one child
up at a time to draw a body part. Have the child pick a color and draw the body part
you ask them to. Finish the song :
His eyes were made of black olives,
His nose was made of a green pickle
Have the kids use their imagination as they create the man in the moon. They can
pretend to make the body parts out of almost anything! When you are done, The Man
in the Moon can be your special guest for story time!
Comments: The kids love this activity! There are many variations, and this can help your
young students learn their colors.
If you're looking for activities about Outer Space, you'll find them in the Rainbow
Resource Room.
Jolly Jump Up!
This fun preschool activity by Joy H. helps youngsters with numbers, shapes and
alphabet letters..
Materials: Index cards, black marker and clear contact paper.
MEDINA, Erwin L. April 7, 2014
12016198 PSED 103
8 | P a g e

Description: In advance on each index card teachers write numbers, shapes or abc's,
whichever concept you are trying to help the children learn. Cover with contact paper
so that they will last longer. I use the cards during circle time.
Show the cards to the children one at a time and they call out what is written on the
card. Explain to them that whenever they here the words Jolly Jump, they are to get up
and jump until you say sit to back down. Depending on the attention span of the
children teachers can make it fast or slow the pace, . It is a good way to get youngsters
moving about, if they seem restless, and it's also a good way to reinforce numbers,
shapes and alphabet letters.
No Lose Musical Chairs
Preschool children use large motor skills and participate in a group game in which
everyone wins during this large group activity from Lisa.
Materials: Chairs and music.
Description: Line chairs up like regular musical chairs. Use the same amount of chairs as
there are kids. Play the same as Musical Chairs, only do not take hairs away at end, so
no one loses. Even toddlers love it!
Obstacle Course
Amy C. suggests this early childhood activity saying, "This activity can be used to
reinforce the concepts of over, under, in, through, around and beside while practicing
gross motor skills and and following directions."
Materials: A large open room and I have used; a balance beam, hula hoops, carpet
squares, tables, a limbo stick, tumbling mats and any number of items from the gym.
Description: I set up a simple obstacle course that would require the children to crawl or
walk over, under and beside any of the above mentioned items.
One example is a sequence involving stepping over the balance beam, skipping to the
hula hoops laid out on the floor and jumping in, then out, of each one, then galloping
to the table and crawling under, then walking around the tumbling mat to cross a finish
line.
We sit down as a group and go over the sequence I have decided upon for that day.
Then I pick a volunteer or two to go through the course with directions from the class.
We then take turns going through the course without directions.
Once everyone has completed the course at least once we start from the last step and
go through it backwards. Again one or two volunteers go through with directions from
the class and then everyone takes a turn and tries to do it from memory. I encourage
the children to cheer one another and to help one another if anyone forgets the next
step.
MEDINA, Erwin L. April 7, 2014
12016198 PSED 103
9 | P a g e

Comments: I use this activity once a month or so to reinforce the concepts and large
muscle skills we have been working on most recently. Because I can set it up for older
or younger children or even physically challenged children everyone wins!
Circle Time Song
Teachers can use this song from Sharon at the beginning of circle time to get the
children focused and excited about the circle.
Materials: Puppets or stuffed animals of any kind.
Description: We sing this song as one of the first songs once the children are sitting down
for circle:
Everybody do this, do this, do this
Everybody do this, just like me.
"This" can be clapping your hands, stomping your feet, touching your toes, etc. Instead
of the teacher doing "this" herself, the teacher can use a puppet that is related to the
theme the children are studying. Manipulate the puppet to do "this". The children love
the idea that they are taking their lead from a puppet!

Circle Time and Transition Song
Capture the children's attention and have fun singing this song contributed by Jenny.
Description: Sing this song at circle time, during an activity or on a rainy day (when the
sun is just beginning to come out).
Mister Sun Song (Improvise your tune)
O mister sun, sun, mister golden sun, please shine down on me.
O mister sun, sun mister golden sun, hiding behind a tree.
These little children are asking you to please come out so they can
play with you.
O mister sun, sun, mister golden sun, please shine down on,
please shine down on, please shine down on me!
There's a Transition Theme in the Rainbow Resource Room.
Old MacDonald Had A Band
Encourage preschool and kindergarten children to learn about
instruments and the sounds that they make with this activity from Mae-Lena H.
Materials: Flannel board, pictures of instruments used, instruments (any instruments can
be used; drums, triangles, cymbals, tambourines, etc.
Description: Talk with children about instruments and then show them pictures of each
instrument to be used. Let children get an instrument and go through how instruments
MEDINA, Erwin L. April 7, 2014
12016198 PSED 103
10 | P a g e

are to be played. Then you can begin singing the song. The tune is Old MacDonald
Had A Farm, instead of animal sounds, replace them with the instruments being played.
The Farm Theme is in the Rainbow Resource Room.
re-school Days of the Week
Pre-k children begin to learn the days of the week through these 2 songs by Jami.
Description: These days of the week songs are sung to old tv show favorites. The
children don't know the show, but when they share it with their parents the familiar song
creates a fun connection for both.
Tune: "The Addams Family theme"
There's Sunday and there's Monday,
There's Tuesday and there's Wednesday,
There's Thursday and there's Friday,
And Saturday ends the week.
Days of the Week (Clap, Clap)
Days of the Week (Clap, Clap)
The next song is to tune of the show "Happy Days"
Sunday, Monday, Happy days
Tuesday, Wednesday Happy days
Thursday, Friday Happy Days
And Saturday ends the week
Leaving 7 days for you.
There's 7 da-ays in a week,
Yours and mine
Happy Days!
Comments: the kids come back to school and tell us that their parents know that tune!
It makes them excited.
Storytime: Pajama Party
Preschool children have fun learning about bed and night time during this activity
by Holly M. A creative way to begin rest time or nap time.
Materials: Stories about bedtime, The Napping House or Goodnight Moon etc. Paper
finger puppets of monkeys to use with the rhyme
Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed. Children can bring blankets and pillows or
wear pajamas for the program.
You can find this rhyme in the Preschool Rhyme Collection
Description: Children are invited to a pajama party story time. They are invited to wear
pajamas, bring favorite stuffed animals, pillows or blankets. Five little monkeys finger
MEDINA, Erwin L. April 7, 2014
12016198 PSED 103
11 | P a g e

puppets and rhyme is done, plus stories read while children sit on their blankets and
listen.
Circle Time Feelings
Criss helps young children develop listening skills and identify and express feelings with
this early childhood activity.
Materials:
Pictures of children or adults with facial expressions.
(I used little stuffed M & M's )
Description:
Sitting at circle time, I spread the materials on the floor. Each child was given a turn
(one at a time) to pick up an MM and tell us what the facial expression meant to them,
and if that is how they felt that day. The other children sat and listened until it was their
turn.
.
Reference: (2014). Preschool Activity Theme for Large Groups. [ONLINE] Available at:
http://www.preschoolrainbow.org/activities-large.htm. [Last Accessed 6 April 2014].