Preschool

One, Two, Buckle My ShoeDirections This rhyme will help your child's counting skills. Try showing her objects in groups of one, two, three, and so on, as you recite the rhyme together. One, two, buckle my shoe;Three, four, close the door;Five, si...

Sugar Cube Sculpture Materials Sugar cubes Glue Styrofoam meat trays or a piece of heavy cardboard Food coloring or liquid tempera paint Directions Let your child create wonderful sculptures by gluing sugar cubes onto a Styrofoam meat tray or a p...

What's Missing? Memory GameTest your preschool child's memory skills. Can she tell what's missing in this fun game? Materials Various household objects or small toysDirections Test your preschooler's memory skills by placing a few toys or househ...

Connect-the-Dots AlphabetMaterials Paper Pen or marker CrayonDirections Draw a dot-to-dot outline of a simple picture. (Try tracing some pictures from your child's coloring books.) Starting with the letter A, place each letter of the alphabet at ...

Tissue Art Activity for Kids Materials Glue Paper cup or small plastic container Water Paintbrush Paper Tissue paper cut into 1?2-by-16-inch strips Scissors Sequins, beads, glitter (optional) Directions Pour a small amount of glue into a paper cu...

Obstacle CourseMaterials Miscellaneous outdoor objects Directions Use a variety of outdoor objects to create an obstacle course for your child to run around. Have her run around one way, then have her do the course in reverse. You can time her, o...

Preschool can be a great time for children to have social experiences with their peers and to be positively influenced by other caring adults. ...

My NeighborhoodDirections Take a walk around your neighborhood and look at what makes it unique. Point out differences from and similarities to other places. Can your child distinguish various types of homes and shops? Look at the buildings and t...

Make-Believe HospitalMaterials Stuffed animals Pillows Blankets White clothes for uniforms Thermometer Bandages Medicine measuring spoon Sling (cloth diaper or other material folded into a triangle)Directions Using friends, stuffed animals, or co...

My NameMaterials Paper Pen or marker Clear contact paper Crayon or marker Damp clothDirections Help your child learn to print her name. Draw two parallel solid lines with a broken line in the middle. Print your child's first and last name on the ...

Plaster Hand and FootprintsMaterials Patch plaster or plaster of Paris 1 1/4 cups water Tin can Mixing spoon Paper plates Picture hook (optional) Directions To make the plaster mix, stir two cups of patch plaster or plaster of Paris and one and a...

Framed Flowers Materials Flowers or leaves Crayon shavings Wax paper Newspaper Iron Directions Go out on a walk with your child and pick some pretty spring flowers or fall leaves. At home, make shavings of brightly colored crayons with a grater o...

Play CityMaterials Markers Large sheet of paperDirections Using markers on a large sheet of paper, draw an imaginary city big enough for your child's cars and trucks. Be sure to include some landmarks familiar to your child: bank, grocery store, ...

Christmas Dough OrnamentsDirections Make a batch of dough ornaments. Glue magnets to the backs for Christmas refrigerator decorations, hang from your Christmas tree as ornaments, give as Christmas gifts, or use as a finishing touch on wrapped gif...

The Pros and Cons of Preschool When your child is potty trained you have the option of sending her to preschool. Most preschool programs last a half day and provide structured activities and some preliminary studies to prepare your child for kin...

String Block Printing Materials String or rope Small blocks of wood Tempera paint, liquid Shallow pan Paper Directions Wrap string or rope several times around a small block of wood. Tie it in place (make sure the rope is distributed evenly over ...

Scribble Drawing Materials Paper CrayonsDirections Show your child how to scribble on a piece of white paper with a crayon, using big circular motions to form loops. Then have your child color in each loop with a different color, creating a very ...

Finger-Paint Prints Materials Fingerpaint Plastic tabletop Large sheets of paper Directions You can purchase commercial fingerpaint, or you can make your own. Place a small amount of fingerpaint onto a plastic tabletop, and have your child mess a...