Category: Preschool

Construction Site – 3.7 – Add A Little

Posted on by S. J. Little

 

Add A Little – 3 Year Old Curriculum – Unit 7

Construction Site

Disclaimer: All activities require adult supervision and discretion. Read more...

Want to learn more about Add A Little Curriculum? Check out the Parent / Teacher Guide

Movement Moment

Fill the Dump Truck

Supplies:

  • An empty laundry basket
  • Lots of balls – consider light plastic balls or create temporary soft balls by rolling up fuzzy socks. (Alternatively, use small foam blocks, etc.)

Prep:

  • Clear an area for active play.
  • Pull all the balls in the laundry basket.

Time to Play:

  • Gather your children around. Explain that you are going to pretend the laundry basket is a dump truck, and all the kids are excavators (diggers) or front-end loaders.
  • Dump the balls on the floor and join your children in moving and sounding like machines as they scoop the balls back into the “dump truck”.

Art Activity

Cut Out a Digger

Supplies:

Prep:

  • Print one digger colouring sheet per child

Time to Create:

  • Show your child the digger colouring sheet. Especially show them the black circle around the digger. Explain that they will use scissors to cut on this black circle.
  • Remind your child to hold the scissors and paper with thumbs up.
  • Give your child the paper and scissors.
  • Supervise and encourage your child as they cut around the circle. It doesn’t need to be perfect.
  • After they have cut all the way around the circle, take away the scissors and give your child crayons, etc. to colour the digger.

Note to parent/teacher: Using scissors is a great way to strengthen fine motor skills. Most children are mature enough to use scissors with supervision at 3 years old. For more tips regarding teaching scissor skills to preschoolers, check out my post: Scissors and Preschoolers

Five-Minute Focus

Let’s Learn the Numbers

Numbers of the Unit

1 2 3

Number Activity

  • Supplies: Lego or other building blocks
  • Time to Learn:
    • Using the Lego or blocks, create a 2D model of numbers 1, 2, and 3.
    • Give your child the blocks and encourage them to create the numbers themselves. They may copy how you did it, or do it their own way.

  • For other letter teaching techniques, visit: https://sjlittle.ca/preschool/teaching-the-abcs-at-circle-time/

Let’s Sing

Johnny Works With One Hammer

Let’s Read

Little Excavator

By: Anna Dewdney

Let’s Sing

Christian Song

The Wiseman Built His House on the Rock

Let’s Read

BIBLE

Read the next story in the picture Bible you are working your way through. Need recommendations for a good Children’s picture Bible? Click Here

Easter / Spring Animals – 3.E – Add A Little

Posted on by S. J. Little

 

Add A Little – 3 Year Old Curriculum – Unit E

Easter / Spring Animals

Disclaimer: All activities require adult supervision and discretion. Read more...

Want to learn more about Add A Little Curriculum? Check out the Parent / Teacher Guide

Movement Moment

Move Like Spring Animals

Supplies:

  • Plastic Easter Eggs (alternatively use other small containers or put all the papers in one larger opaque container or bag, etc.)
  • A basket to hold all the eggs
  • Paper
  • Pen
  • Scissors

Prep:

  • Write the following on a piece of paper:
    1. Jump like a frog
    2. Skip like a lamb
    3. Run like a foal
    4. Tip toe like a mouse
    5. Fly like a robin
    6. Pounce like a kitten
    7. Buzz like a bee
    8. Flutter like a butterfly
    9. Hop like a bunny
    10. Roll like a piglet in mud
    11. Waddle like a duckling
    12. Peck like a chick
    13. Prance like a calf
    14. Dig like a mole
  • Cut the sheet of paper so that each action is on its own small paper.
  • Put one action in each egg.
  • Clear an area for active play.

Time to Play:

  • Invite your children to gather round. Show them the basket of eggs.
  • Explain that each egg has something inside it. You will take turns opening the eggs. When an egg is opened, you will read the action and then do it together.
  • Have fun and be energetic!

Art Activity

Sponge Sheep Painting

Supplies:

  • A sponge, or other painting tool
  • White paint
  • Black paint (or black marker)
  • Small container for black paint
  • Plate or other container for white paint that fits the sponge
  • Green paper (or other medium coloured paper) Alternatively, use white paper and a different colour of paint.
  • Optional: googly eyes

Prep:

  • Consider using half a sheet of paper per child.
  • Pour a small amount of paint into each container.
  • If possible, create an example picture.

Time to Create:

  • Invite your children to the table. Explain that you will be painting lambs today. Show them the example picture you made.
  • Encourage your child to dip the sponge into the white paint and paint a fluffy body for their sheep on their paper.
  • If using black paint for the head and legs, let the children paint them now.
  • If using black marker for the head and legs, wait until the painting has dried, then allow your child to draw the head and legs.

Five-Minute Focus

Let’s Learn the ABCs

Letters of the Unit

  • WXYZ

Letter Activity:

  • Supplies: 4 Popsicle sticks per person

Time to Learn:

  • Give each child 4 popsicle sticks, and take 4 for yourself.
  • Model how to lay the popsicle sticks on the floor or table in the shape of a “W”.
  • Encourage your child to copy with their own popsicle sticks.
  • Repeat with letters “X”, “Y”, and “Z”.

  • For other letter teaching techniques, visit: https://sjlittle.ca/preschool/teaching-the-abcs-at-circle-time/

Let’s Sing

Baa Baa Black Sheep

Let’s Read

Curious George Colors Eggs

Author: H. A. Rey

An engaging tale of dyeing eggs with no Easter Bunny or religious content.

Let’s Sing

Christian Song

Jesus Chose At Easter Time
Words by S. J. Little

View the lyrics here: https://sjlittle.ca/preschool/jesus-chose-at-easter-time/

Let’s Read

CHRISTIAN BOOK

The First Easter Day

Author: Jill Roman Lord
Illustrator: Kimberley Barnes

 

Jesus Chose at Easter Time – Preschool Easter Song

Posted on by S. J. Little

 

To help you instill the reason we, as Christians, celebrate Easter, I came up with this simple song.

(If you’ve been following along, you may notice this is the same tune I used for my song “Jesus Came at Christmas Time” a few years back. My kids enjoyed it so much, I decided to create this Easter song in a similar manner.)

 

Jesus Chose at Easter Time

Tune: Praise Him, Praise Him (Composer Unknown – Pre 1974)
Song by: S. J. Little

 

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus chose at Easter
To show us that He loves us.
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus chose at Easter time.

 

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus died at Easter
To save us from our sins.
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus died at Easter time.

 

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus rose at Easter
So we can live with Him.
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus rose at Easter time.

 

 

For another super simple Christian Easter song, check out my song: He Rose Again and Lives Today

Dinosaurs – 3.6 – Add A Little

Posted on by S. J. Little

 

Add A Little – 3 Year Old Curriculum – Unit 6

Dinosaurs

Disclaimer: All activities require adult supervision and discretion. Read more...

Want to learn more about Add A Little Curriculum? Check out the Parent / Teacher Guide

Movement Moment

Move Like a Dinosaur

Supplies:

Prep:

  • Clear an area for running. A hallway, or other long area, would suit this activity well.
  • Tip: The recommended book (see below) is a great precursor to this activity.

Time to Play:

  • Stand with all your children at one end of the playing area.
  • Explain that you are going to move like dinosaurs all the way to the other side of the playing area.
    • Triceratops – Swing your horns
    • Tyrannosaurus rex (T-rex) – Roar
    • Stegosaurus – Swing your tail
    • Brontosaurus – Take long steps
    • Pterodactyl – Fly
    • Velociraptor – Run fast
    • Ankylosaurus – Stomp
  • Be excited and have fun with your children.

Art Activity

Sand Painting on a FossilFree Triceratops Colouring Page

Supplies:

Prep:

  • If using Cheerios or other cereal, crush it into a sand-like consistently.
  • If possible, print the free dinosaur fossil colouring sheet I have provided. Otherwise plain paper can be used.

Time to Create:

  • Explain to your children that dinosaur bones are found in the ground. Tell them you will be putting sand on your dinosaur fossils.
  • Give each child a dinosaur fossil colouring sheet.
  • Pour a small glob of glue in the center of the dinosaur. Give your child a popsicle stick and encourage them to spread the glue around the picture.
  • Once your child is satisfied with how well they have spread the glue, take the popsicle stick away.
  • Give them a small container or bowl with sand in it. Show them how to take a pinch of sand in their fingers and sprinkle it on the areas of the picture with glue.
  • After your child is done sprinkling the sand on, tip the picture to pour off any loose sand. (For easier clean up, tip the picture over a spare paper to contain the loose sand.)
  • Set the picture aside to dry.
  • Tip for cleanup: Water dissolves school glue. If glue dries on the table, leave a wet cloth on top of the glue for a few minutes then wipe the softened glue off.

Five-Minute Focus

Let’s Learn the ABCs

Letters of the Unit

TUV

Letter Activity

Let’s Sing

5 Little Dinosaurs – Fingerplay

Let’s Read

Blippi: If I Were a Dinosaur

Author: Meredith Rusu
Illustrator: Adam Devaney

Let’s Sing

Christian Song

Our God is an Awesome God

Let’s Read

BIBLE

Read the next story in the picture Bible you are working your way through. Need recommendations for a good Children’s picture Bible? Click Here

Outer Space – 3.5 – Add A Little

Posted on by S. J. Little

 

Add A Little – 3 Year Old Curriculum – Unit 5

Outer Space

Disclaimer: All activities require adult supervision and discretion. Read more...

Want to learn more about Add A Little Curriculum? Check out the Parent / Teacher Guide

Movement Moment

Fly to the Moon

Supplies:

  • Optional: Hula hoops (1 per person)
  • Optional: Space helmets (1 per person)

Prep:

  • Clear a large area for active play.

Time to Play:

  • Gather your children and explain that you are going to play a pretend game. You are going to fly to the moon! (Be excited.)
  • If using hula hoops, explain that the hula hoops are your spaceships. Place one hula hoop per person on the ground with room around them. As you do so, assign each child to stand beside a hoop.
  • Say, “We’re going to fly to the moon, but first, we need to get ready.”
  • “Put your space suit on.” Pretend to step into a full-body suit and do up the zipper.
  • “Put your space boots on.” Pretend to put on heavy boots.
  • “Put your space helmet on.”
  • “Put your space gloves on.”
  • “Open the door to your spaceship and climb in.” If using hula hoops, step into the centre of the hoop.
  • “Buckle up your seat belt.”
  • “Now get ready to blast off.” Crouch low.
  • “10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 … Blast off!”
  • Jump up and run around the room several times.
  • Point to a far corner of the room. “There’s the moon! Let’s go land on it.”
  • Run together to that corner and “land” your spaceships.
  • Unbuckle your seat belt, open the door, and climb out of your spaceship. Pretend to moon walk with slow-motion movements and exaggerated jumps.
  • Climb back into your spaceships, close the door, and buckle up. Blast off to fly back to Earth. Run around the room several times before landing on Earth.

Art Activity

Cardboard Tube Rockets

Supplies:

  • 1 cardboard tube per child (use an empty toilet paper roll or cut a paper towel roll shorter)
  • Coloured construction paper
  • 1 paper cone per child (either use a cone-shaped paper cup or roll one using coloured paper)
  • Markers (or crayons)
  • Glue stick (or tape)
  • Hot glue gun and glue (alternatively use tape, but this is more difficult)
  • Scissors
  • Optional: red, orange, and/or yellow tissue paper or streamers

Prep:

  • Ahead of time, use the hot glue gun to secure the cone on top of the cardboard tube. This forms the body of the rocket.
  • Cut out 2-4 triangle fins (per child) from the coloured paper.
  • Optional: Cut 1-inch wide strips of tissue paper that are about 6 inches long. Prepare around 3 strips per child.

Time to Create:

  • Invite your child to the table. Encourage them to take a moment to colour the tube and cone with markers. (Drawing gently on a curved surface is great fine motor practice.)
  • Allow your child to choose which colours of triangle fins to add to their rocket.
  • Fold the edge of each fin, then, using a glue stick, attach each fin around the base of the rocket.
  • Optional: If you have tissue paper, allow your child to choose 3 strips. Attach these strips inside the bottom of the rocket leaving them trailing out behind like fire.

Five-Minute Focus

Let’s Learn the ABCs

Letters of the Unit

  • QRS

Letter Activity:

  • Supplies: 1-2 strings per child

Time to Learn:

Let’s Sing

Zoom Zoom Zoom

Let’s Read

I Want to Go to the Moon
(Book + CD)

 

Author: Tom Saunders
Illustrator: Cynthia Nugent

Let’s Sing

Christian Song

He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands

For actions and additional verses, click here.

Let’s Read

BIBLE

Read the next story in the picture Bible you are working your way through. Need recommendations for a good Children’s picture Bible? Click Here