Happy New Year! Last year, I shared Fun-A-Day’s top preschool learning activities from 2013. I really enjoyed looking back and seeing which activities were favorites with my awesome readers (that’s you)! Now that 2014’s over, I was excited to see which of the year’s posts resonated most with you.
Are you following Fun-A-Day’s “Best Of” Pinterest board?
I’ve even joined up with some of my Kid Blogger Network buds to share a collection of the best parenting, craft, and education posts (thanks to MaryAnne of Mama Smiles for organizing). Be sure to check out the links at the end of the post to see what others are sharing!
Without further ado . . .
Fun-A-Day’s best preschool learning activities from 2014
Frozen fairy tale science
I did this with kids ages 3 to 7 during my school’s “messy science” summer camp. It was a huge hit all around! The “Frozen” lovers adored the colors and sparkle, while everyone else got into the fizzing and bubbling.
Setting up a preschool block center
So much learning takes place in our block center, so I’m not surprised this post was a hit with my wonderful readers! I share how I stock and organize the center, as well as how I set it up so the kiddos are responsible for putting everything away! Check out Extending Block Play and 25+ Wooden Block Activities for more ideas related to blocks.
Star Wars LEGO Science
My son and his buds LOVED rescuing Han Solo from “carbonite” during Engineer’s birthday party. I love that simple science concepts can be adapted in so many ways. This makes it appealing to children of all ages and interests!
Super Easy Gold Slime Recipe
This slime turned out absolutely beautiful, if I do say so myself. 😉 The kiddos and I made it for part of a different slime activity, but it’s great on it’s own too. We hid gold coins in it for a slimy treasure hunt, ran it through our fingers, and stretched it as far as possible.
Word Walls
Ideas for setting up a word wall in your preschool, kindergarten, or homeschool classrooms. Included are ways to use word walls to teach the kiddos.
Halloween sequencing activity for Big Pumpkin
My preschoolers had a blast retelling the book Big Pumpkin during this literacy activity. I created very simple character headbands to use, and the children couldn’t get enough. By the end of it, each of them could retell and sequence this story so well.
Structure book for the block center
I include a homemade book of structures from around the world in my classroom building center. Some kiddos love using it for inspiration, while others just like leafing through it. Includes a free printable of the book if you sign up as part of Fun-A-Day’s email list.
LEGO Star Wars Molten Lava Slime
My son and I worked together to create a slimy Star Wars experience. The kiddo and I were inspired by the duel at Mustafar, and he had such fun using the slime in an epic pretend play experience. This molten lava slime recipe would be great for dinosaurs too!
Activities for a preschool pirate theme
14 ideas for planning a pirate theme for the kiddos!
Sand Volcano
We used our homemade taste-safe “sand” to create a beach-y pretend volcano. Science, sensory, and pretend play all wrapped up in one!
Check out more BEST OF activities from the KBN
CRAFT POSTS:
EDUCATION POSTS:
PARENTING POSTS:
Hands-On Preschool Materials
It is imperative that we keep our classrooms stocked with materials that will give our students the hands-on learning experiences that they love (and need!). There are a few specific things that I always keep on hand in my classroom. Check them out in the list below.
I may get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.
- Crayons
- Glue
- Blocks
- Puzzles
- Safety scissors
- Dramatic play items
- Math manipulatives
- Dry erase markers
- Sensory items
- Playdough
- Craft supplies
- Playground balls
- Music and movement tools
- Books, books, and more books!
When it comes to preschool, this list is really just skims the surface of the wide variety of materials that can be used. The best thing about this age group is that they learn the most while playing. So, whether they’re playing on the playground, building with blocks, or creating a masterpiece, rest assured that the children are learning so many important skills, all while having fun!
Done-for-You Preschool Resources
Planning meaningful lessons for students week after week, all while balancing other teaching responsibilities and a personal life, can be a daunting task. That’s where Preschool Teacher 101 comes in to save you time!
Preschool Teacher 101 is excited to share with you some amazing lesson plans, activity packs, and much more! We offer a wide variety of themes that are frequently used in preschool classrooms, as well as some less common (but super interesting) themes. Click on the images below to learn more about some of our favorite preschool products!
Join The Pack from Preschool Teacher 101 today for exclusive access to our amazing products. And we even have three different membership options to suit your needs!
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