Preschool Monday

We started Preschool Mondays today.  I had four children here, ages 2 and 3.  Our activities mainly focused on dinosaurs and/or the letter D.  Here are some things we did.

Stegosaurus Picture:  We used cornflakes to create plates on the backs of our stegosaurus (see pic).

Make our own dinosaur:  We used some textured items to make the skin of our dinosaurs appear rough and glued triangles to their backs for spikes.  We talked about how plant eating dinosaurs might use their spikes (protection, intimidation) and how they might use plates (to appear bigger and more intimidating, protection).

Dinosaur Categorize and Sort:  We sorted plastic dinosaurs away from other animals (mammals, insects).  Then we sorted them according to what we think they ate, by looking at their teeth.  As we sorted we talked about what a sail might be for, or their long tails, claws, horns, crests, etc. (thanks to Dinosaur Train I semi know what I’m talking about).

Popcorn Letters:   

First, we did this song (to the tune of Three Blind Mice)

Popcorn kernels, Popcorn kernels

In the pot, in the pot                                     (Crouch down like a popcorn kernel.)

Shake them, shake them, shake them

Shake them, shake them, shake them            (Shake your body.)

Til’ they POP!  Till they POP!                            (Jump!)

The kids loved this song.  Then we put some letters in a popcorn box (two letter Ds and a few other letters), courtesy of Aunt Cathy, and acted out the song.  At the last POP, I popped all the letters out of the box and the kids tried their best to find the letter D on the floor.  It was great!  They loved that.

Bean Bag Dance:  Great song!  We also sang a Good Morning song and a Hello, how are you? song.

Puzzles and Drawing:  I honestly think puzzles was everyone’s favorite thing.  Hmph.

We found the letter D magnet and I let each kid find it on the board and place it in the thingy that sings the D song (from the Letter Factory…it’s a Leap Frog thing for your refrigerator).

We decorated Ds I had cut out on card stock with little dinosaur glitter things. 

Dinosaur Relays:  We put balls on kitchen serving spoons (I used a more difficult ball/spoon for the 3 year olds) and ran back and forth with them.  Another idea is to make dinosaur feet with shoe boxes and stomp around or do a relay with them. 

Five Little Monkeys:  We did this rhyme (I couldn’t find a good dinosaur one so I changed the words to this a little.  It should say “Mr. Alligator”), using some little monkeys I printed and put magnets on the back of for our magnet board.  They LOVED it.

Five little monkeys

Swinging in a tree
Teasing Mr. Dinosaur--
"You can't catch me." 
 Along comes Mr. Dinosaur
As quiet as can be--
SNAP!!!
Continue until all monkeys are gone

Away swims Mr. Dinosaur
As full as he can be!

It was a fun day and I've already started planning for next week.