All families love treasured keepsakes that you can help their little ones make. Find a poem about a child’s handprints on the internet, make a copy for each family, and help the children leave their prints around the poem. Roll the paper into a scroll, tie it with a ribbon, and let the children present their gifts to their loved ones.
This activity will teach the children to communicate – with words and gestures – about what they are doing with you. They will learn to express their feelings about what they are doing as they develop their gross and fine motor skills.
It is imperative that children learn to take turns. Center time is a great time to begin teaching them to do so. Explain that they can play with the blocks when the other children are done, or that they can have a turn in the Art Center when someone else leaves. Help them find the words or signs to express their feelings.
As children begin to explore and investigate the classroom, they will learn about the rules and routines. They will become more aware of themselves and their relationships with others. They will learn to control their actions and their bodies.
When the children are playing outside, introduce them to unfamiliar toys. Show them how they work and talk about what to do with them. “Look at this wagon! Let’s put the ball inside of it and pull it around. I can see the wheels going around and around.”
The children will love to discover and to explore new things outside. They will learn how the toys work and build their vocabulary at the same time. They will enjoy playing with you and their peers as they work on their fine and gross motor skills.