alcarterra 0 #1 January 12, 2004 So I've recently started working at a pediatric medical day care facility as a recreation therapist. Part of my job is to provide activities for about an hour or two each day. We start with circle time (singing songs, using musical instruments, bean bags, etc...) then move onto other things such as arts and crafts or other physical or mental activities. I'm wondering if anyone is currently or has been a preschool teacher, or if any parents out there have favorite crafts, activities, or songs for kids ages 2 to 5. Also does anyone know of any websites or good books/magazines to check out? Any help that anyone could give me would be great. It would be so helpful when I'm trying to plan my calendar for next month. Thanks! alyson team swooo swooo #2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
taln1rigr 0 #2 January 12, 2004 A good place to start is Disney, Nickelodeon &/or Cartoon Network online. Certainly they can offer some ideas since they've cater to this age group for many years. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DeNReN 0 #3 January 12, 2004 Finger paints and a white wallAnd load em full of sugar just before they leave Thats why I'm never asked to baby sit Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wonderwegian 0 #4 January 12, 2004 I can help with the book end for ideas. I'll even give a plug for my employer (the company's website has GREAT prices, even better than Amazon most of the time- check out the "compare prices" button when looking at an item. The discount card is worth buying.) www.booksamillion.com You can do a keyword search for "Toddler games", "preschool games", "toddler play", etc. Some popular titles are "365 days of Creative Play" and "The Toddler's Busy Book". There are even books with theme games/activities for seasons/months. If you get a toddler age book (usually for up to three year olds) it would be easier to adapt the games for older kids than the other way around. Good luck. -Mrs. Chile Reality lies beyond the horizon... Wonderwegian Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
alcarterra 0 #5 January 13, 2004 Thanks for your help! I'll definately check into those websights and books! alyson team swooo swooo #2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
2fat2fly 0 #6 January 13, 2004 "Parents" magazine usually has some good stuff. I'll ask my wife when I talk to her later and find out more (she was a preschool/kindergarten teacher)I am not the man. But the man knows my name...and he's worried Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymama 37 #7 January 13, 2004 Most kids that age like making stuff they can show their parents. Try to do things that center around the holidays. For example, making something for Valentine's Day would be perfect right now. Have goodies on hand that they can make a nice card for mom and dad, you can also teach them the shape of the heart by doing this. You might be able to find cheap heart cookie cutters to help them draw around. Give them an assortment of things to put on the card: markers, glue, glitter, colored tissue paper cut in small squares so they can be glued on, pictures from magazines, etc. The list is endless! Another thing my son did at that age was to make pipe cleaner "flowers" for me. I still have them. My young niece just brought home a necklace that she made out of dry noodles that were colored in food coloring. She thought she was the cutest thing! Also, make a trip to the dollar store and see what you can be creative with there. They have great stuff for kids that age.She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man, because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jfields 0 #8 January 13, 2004 Take a walk through a good craft store like AC Moore, Michaels, etc. You'll get about a million ideas. Or you can always do my favorite, and play "Fun with duct tape" with the kids. Lucy isn't big into crafts yet. But I'm sure she will be, as it is in her genes. I have woodworking, ceramic and art projects scattered around the house. My wife makes home-made name plaques for all our friends that have kids. Pre-cut letters, Sculpey clay, paint, etc. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Deuce 1 #9 January 13, 2004 A nice renewable toy, is a box with dried beans or something other than sand to play with. The kids that age just love to scoop and measure and move stuff around. Some stuff to pour the beans into that moves is good, too. Another very inexpensive fun is boxes. Just turn them loose with some moving boxes and watch them turn them into Camelot, or tanks, or kitchens or boats. Call around to your local moving companies and you'll be able to get some donated. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
alcarterra 0 #10 January 13, 2004 These are all great ideas! I'm definately going to take a trip to AC Moore or Michaels and see if I get anymore ideas. Thankfully at the moment, there are only 6 kids in the program (more coming, the facility just opened up), and out of those 6, I only have 3 toddlers, so I get to test things out to see what they like and don't like for when I get more kids. alyson team swooo swooo #2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
