Tag: Add A Little Curriculum

Reach – 2.8 – Add A Little

Posted on by S. J. Little

 

Add A Little – 2 Year Old Curriculum – Unit 8

Reach

Developmental Focus: Strengthening shoulder and arm stabilizer muscles

Want to learn more? Check out the Add A Little 2Y Parent / Teacher Guide

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

*Note to Parents/Teachers: While there is much talk about fine motor development and how critical these hand muscles are for writing, let’s not forget that strong shoulder and arm stabilizer muscles are also required for proper penmanship. This unit focuses particularly on strengthening the muscles needed for writing. (Read more here: https://www.theplaygroundcompany.co.uk/post/how-upper-body-strength-improves-children-s-handwriting-skills)

Muscle Moving

Reach to Draw

Supplies:

  • Paper – a roll of paper or large white sheet of paper is preferred, but standard paper can work fine.
  • Washable markers
  • Easily removeable tape

Prep:

  • Choose a window within reach of your child. (Alternatively use an easy-to-wipe-clean surface such as a mirror.)
  • Tape a large piece of paper to the window so that the top of it is just above the reach of your child.

Time to Play:

  •  Show your child the paper and explain that they can draw on the paper, but not on the window (though it will likely be drawn on a little).
  • Hand your child the washable markers and have fun drawing together on the paper.

Brain Boosting

Clothespin Pinch

Supplies:

  • Clothespins (can be basic wooden clothespins or plastic ones so long as they are not too stiff for your child to pinch)
  • Things to attach the clothespins to. Consider:
    • Large mega blocks
    • Small cardboard boxes
    • Plastic baskets with minimal lip
    • Yogurt containers with minimal lip
  • Optional: Wide ribbon (see Extend the Play)
  • Op

Prep:

  • Test ahead of time to ensure the clothespins can easily attach to the items you are using.
  • Optional: Set up a clothesline (see Extend the Play).

Time to Play:

  • Show your child how to pinch a clothespin to open it and then attach it to an item.
  • Have fun attaching and removing the clothespins.

Extend the Play:

  • Pause to count how many clothespins you can attach to one item.
  • If you have various colours of clothespins, consider making a pattern with them.
  • For children who have mastered how to use clothespins, increase the muscle strengthening by using two feet of wide ribbon to create a clothesline to attach the clothespins to. Position this clothesline just above shoulder height. Consider adding clean socks or small clothes to increase the fun.

Let’s Sing

Flamingo Song


For lyrics and actions, visit:
https://sjlittle.ca/preschool/flamingo-song/

Let’s Read

From Head to Toe
Eric Carle

Let’s Sing

Christian Song

My God Is So Big

For lyrics and actions, visit: https://sjlittle.ca/preschool/7-simple-christian-songs-for-preschoolers/

Let’s Read

Bible Story

 Jesus Raises a Dead Girl and Heals a Sick Woman
Mark 5:21-43

Beginner’s Bible Chapter:
Two Miracles
Page 340

Easter – 2.E – Add A Little

Posted on by S. J. Little

 

Add A Little – 2 Year Old Curriculum – Unit E

Easter

Developmental Focus: Hand-Eye Coordination

Want to learn more? Check out the Add A Little 2Y Parent / Teacher Guide

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

Muscle Moving

Easter Egg Ramp Slide

Supplies:

  • Large cardboard box or other way to make a ramp
  • Plastic Easter Eggs (or other things that roll)
  • Optional: Basket or other open-top container

Prep:

  • Find a stable way to make a ramp using the box.

Time to Play:

  • Invite your child(ren) to join you rolling the eggs down the ramp.
  • Try mixing it up to see what happens. Does the egg roll faster if it has something heavy inside it? Does it roll as fast as a toy car?
  • For a bigger challenge, try catching the rolling eggs in the basket before they reach the floor. This works best if your ramp has a drop at the end high enough to hold the basket under.

Brain Boosting

Easter Egg Painting

Supplies:

  • Plastic Easter Eggs that spilt into two halves. (Alternatively use empty paper tower rolls or toilet paper rolls.)
  • 2-3 Colours of washable paint – think Easter colours: yellow, pink, light blue, light green. (Alternatively use washable ink pads.)
  • 1 Wide shallow container per colour. (Wide enough to easily dip the egg in – paper plates could work.)
  • Paper
  • Optional: Paint shirt

Prep:

  • Prepare a table to paint on. If needed, cover it with a tablecloth, garbage bag, or newspaper.
  • Pour a thin layer of paint into each container.
  • Place one egg half or roll in each container of paint.

Time to Play:

  • Set a piece of paper in front of each child. Show them how dip the Easter egg half into the paint and then touch it on your paper creating a circle of paint.
  • Encourage them to make many circles on their paper.

Let’s Sing

Here Is A Bunny

This fun bunny song does not mention Easter making it flexible for use in various settings as a spring or Easter song.

Let’s Read

Find Spot At Easter
By: Eric Hill

A fun lift-the-flap book with plenty of spring animals, a few Easter eggs, and no Easter Bunny or religious content.

Let’s Sing

Christian Song

He Rose Again and Lives Today
Words by S. J. Little

Read the lyrics here.

Let’s Read

Bible Story

Jesus’ Death and Resurrection
John 18-20

Beginner’s Bible Chapters:
Jesus Is Arrested and Crucified
Jesus Is Risen!
Page 446

My Name – 2.7 – Add A Little

Posted on by S. J. Little

 

Add A Little – 2 Year Old Curriculum – Unit 7

My Name

Developmental Focus: Letter Recognition

Want to learn more? Check out the Add A Little 2Y Parent / Teacher Guide

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

Muscle Moving

Letter Hop

Supplies:

  • 1 sheet of paper for each letter in your child’s name
  • A marker
  • Optional: Tape

Prep:

  • In large letters, write one letter of your child’s name on each sheet of paper.
  • Alternatively, for a large class:
    • Consider doing only the first letter of each child’s name.
    • Or choose 5 letters, such as “A”, “B”, “C”, “D”, and “E”. Write “A” on 4 sheets of paper so that when you call “A” every child has room to be touching one of the sheets that says “A”.
  • Place the papers on the floor spaced wide enough to jump from one to the next like stepping stones. 
  • Optional: Test how slippery the paper is on your floor. If needed, consider tapping each paper to the floor.

Time to Play:

  • Show your child how to jump from one paper to the next stating the name of the letter as you jump to it.
  • Encourage your child to try.
  • After jumping on the letters in order for a while, change it up by asking simple questions. “Can you find the ‘S’?” “Now where is the ‘J’?”
  • For advanced children, add another layer to the challenge by adding an action or other instruction.
  • For example, “Can you stomp to the ‘L’?” “Now put your thumb on the ‘T’.”

Brain Boosting

Masking Tape Name Craft

Supplies:

  • Thicker paper (ideally cardstock or cardboard)
  • Paints (watercolor or washable paint works, alternatively, this activity can be done with markers or crayons)
  • Masking tape
  • Note: Some types of paper and/or tape work better for this activity than others. If doing the activity with several children, consider doing a test picture of your own to see how well your supplies work.

Prep:

  • Using the tape, write your child’s name on the paper. Consider using all caps because capital letters will be easier to create with tape. (See example below.)

Time to Play:

  • Show your child the paper with their name in tape. Point out each letter, naming it as you go.
    Give them the paints and encourage them to paint on the whole paper, including on top of the tape.
  • Tip: The more your child paints where the tape meets the paper, the better the end result will be. If needed, you can paint some yourself to help.
  • Allow the painting to dry.
  • Once the painting is dry, carefully pull the tape off the paper. Your child’s name should show clearly.
  •  

The example below is made using crayon instead of paint. Note how much contrast to white is needed along the edges of the letters.

     

Let’s Sing

ABC Song(s)

This video begins with the classic ABC Song. If you don’t already sing this song, it is a good place to start. If you’ve got that version mastered, continue listening to learn four other ways to sing the ABCs.

Link mentioned in the video: http://melissa.depperfamily.net/blog/early-literacy-storytime-singing-abcs/ 

Let’s Read

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
Authors: Bill Martin, Jr. & John Archambault
Illustrator: Lois Ehlert

Let’s Sing

Christian Song

The B-I-B-L-E

Find the words and actions here.

Let’s Read

Bible Story

Do Not Worry
Matthew 6:25-34

Beginner’s Bible Chapter:
Jesus Teaches on a Mountain
Page 318

Bonus Suggestion: Interested in a fun new ABC song to listen to? Check out Noah’s ABCs by Amy Essen.

What’s That Shape? – 2.6 – Add A Little

Posted on by S. J. Little

 

Add A Little – 2 Year Old Curriculum – Unit 6

What’s That Shape?

Developmental Focus: Shape / Size Recognition

Want to learn more? Check out the Add A Little 2Y Parent / Teacher Guide

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

Muscle Moving

Puzzle Run

Supplies:

  • A shape sorter set or a puzzle your child can confidently put together
  • A sensory bin – could be a cardboard box filled with shredded paper or tissue paper, a plastic container with a couple of inches of water (if your shape sorter can handle getting wet), or a container of pompoms

Prep:

  • Place all the shapes or puzzle pieces in the sensory bin.
  • Place the sensory bin at child-accessible height on one side of the room, place the shape sorter or puzzle backing on the other side.

Time to Play:

  • Show your child how to find one piece in the sensory bin, then run across the room to insert it in the shape sorter or puzzle.
  • Encourage your child to try.
  • Cheer your child on and join your child in running back and forth.

Brain Boosting

Build Your Own Shapes

Supplies:

  • Playdough

Time to Play:

  • Sit at the table with your child. Give some playdough to your child and keep some for yourself to use.
  • Engage with your child and talk about what each of you is doing.
  • Mention that you would like to make some shapes, then talk aloud as you work. For example, “I am going to make a shape with four sides. I want all the sides to be the same length. There! What shape did I make?”
  • Depending on what your child already knows, adjust what you are making so they can confidently answer some of your questions, but also include new shapes or concepts.
    • Basic shapes:
      • Circle
      • Square
      • Triangle
      • Rectangle
      • Heart
      • Star
      • Oval
    • Advanced shapes:
      • Pentagon
      • Trapezoid
      • Hexagon
      • Octagon
      • Cone
      • Cube
      • Pyramid
    • Basic Concepts
      • Same / Different
      • Bigger / Smaller
      • Colours
    • Advanced Concepts
      • Counting 1-10
      • Big / Medium / Small
      • On / Under / Beside

Let’s Sing

The Shapes Song

Let’s Read

Shapes Book
Alexandra Claire

Let’s Sing

Christian Song

Zacchaeus

Find the words and actions here.

 

Let’s Read

Bible Story

Zacchaeus
Luke 19:1-10

Beginner’s Bible Chapter:
A Short Man
Page 413

Squish – 2.5 – Add A Little

Posted on by S. J. Little

 

Add A Little – 2 Year Old Curriculum – Unit 2.5

Squish

Developmental Focus: Colour Mixing / Secondary Colours

Want to learn more? Check out the Add A Little 2Y Parent / Teacher Guide

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

Muscle Moving

Stomp That Colour

Supplies:

  • 3 blank sheets of paper that are the secondary colours – green, orange, and purple. (You can add more colours later if desired.)
  • Tape that won’t damage your flooring

Prep:

  • Clear an area for active running-around play.
  • Place a piece of paper on your floor and step on it to check for slipperiness. If it is slippery, tape each paper to the floor.
  • Place all three sheets of paper on the floor with some distance between them.

Time to Play:

  • Invite your child to play a game with you.
  • Run around the area with your child.
  • Call out a colour, for example, “Green!” Run with your child to the green paper and stomp on it.
  • Repeat the game calling out other colours.

Brain Boosting

Sponge Painting

Supplies:

  • 2 small containers (washed plastic applesauce or cream cheese containers work well)
  • Paper
  • 1 unused dishwashing sponge
  • 1 paint smock, or old shirt you don’t mind getting paint on
  • Optional: newspapers or plastic tablecloth to cover the table
  • 2 colours of washable or tempera paint
  • Tip: Limiting to only 2 colours often results in a better overall painting experience. The child focuses more on painting and less on choosing which colour to use. For a more attractive final result, choose colours that mix well such as yellow and blue instead of colours that create brown when mixed such as red and green

Prep:

  • Cut the sponge into pieces approximately 2.5 x 2.5 x 7 cm, or 1 x 1 x 3 in. (see picture below).
  • Pour a small amount of paint into each container (one colour per container).
  • For crisper colours, use 1 sponge piece per colour.
  • Optional: cut the paper into approximately 22 x 28 cm, or 8.5 x 5.5 in. (half a letter-sized paper). This tends to encourage children to fill more of the paper with paint.
  • Optional: covering your table with newspapers or a plastic tablecloth to prevent staining.
  • Tip: After painting, the cut sponges can be rinsed clean and used again the next time you paint.

Time to Play:

  • Invite your child to sit at the table. Put a piece of paper in front of them and another piece of paper in front of you.
  • Demonstrate how to dip the sponge into the paint, then press it onto your paper.
  • Encourage your child to have fun painting.

Let’s Sing

The Colour I’m Seeing
Adapt this song by Amy Essen to whichever colour you are learning about.

 

Let’s Read

Colin Collects Colors
By: Jess McGeachin

Let’s Sing

Christian Song

Who Did Swallow Jonah?

 

Let’s Read

Bible Story

Jonah
Jonah 1:1-3:10

Beginner’s Bible Chapter:
Jonah and the Big Fish
Page 257