News for Black Hills Early Learners
We are here to bring you fun activities for any child ages 0-5 years. We hope you find this useful and helpful during this very unusual time. Happy learning!
Many traditional Halloween activities can be high-risk for spreading viruses. Click on the Make It Safe Logo for information on Community risk and ideas to safely Celebrate Halloween.
The Make It Safe website is supported by the
SD Department of Health.
Infant Corner
Activities for children under 1
Development

Babies start developing language in the womb. This brief video from Grow by Webmd describes the best ways to talk to your baby to increase their language development.
Play

For babies, play is not just about toys, it’s about back-and-forth interactions. Try these fun ways to play with your baby.

Recycle baby formula cans into a DIY drum kit for your baby to bang on.
Busy Toddlers
Activities for children 1-3
Physical/Outdoor
Create a fun and easy ghostly wall hanging using contact paper. It's a great fine motor activity for your toddler.

Can your toddler walk like a mummy, pounce like a black cat, crawl like a creepy spider, fly like a bat or roll like a pumpkin?
Science/Sensory

Let toddlers use their hands to mix yellow and red paint on a paper plate. I great sensory activity you can turn into pumpkin art.

Here are some great Halloween and Fall activities using loose parts.
Literacy/Math

Cut pumpkin shapes out of orange construction paper and write letters on each pumpkin. Using a soft squishy pumpkin shaped ball ask your child toss the ball and hit the the letters of his name, etc.

What are Shape Skills? 
Learning about shapes falls under the geometry strand in mathematics. Try these free and fun interactive shape games on PBS kids.
Social Emotional
A place to go and calm down is important both at home and in the classroom. The following article from the National Center for Pyrramid Model Innovations (NCPMI) has tips for setting up a calming corner at home.

This short video from Zero to Three describes how the bond between a parent and child builds the child’s ability to form relationships with others, express emotions, and face difficult challenges
Hands-On Preschoolers
Activities for children 4-5
Physical/Outdoor

Here is a simple and adorable witches broomstick fine motor activity for preschoolers.
When it comes to yoga and kids let the kids be creative with the poses. Don’t focus on perfection, and make it safe and fun! Here are some Halloween Yoga Poses Ideas
Science/Sensory
It's just mesmerising to watch how color patterns formed in this experiment. You only need three simple ingredients, a minute to set it up, and you will have an exciting activity for your kids!

Check out these Halloween Science Experiments from Science Bob.
Literacy/Math
Add movement and literacy into this activity based off the book Room on the Broom.

This Frankenstein Counting game takes a little set up. Your child will count and fill the Frankenstein Heads. Link to Activity Here

Check out all the fun interactive math games at PBS Kids.
Creative Arts

Make some black playdough and add some chenille sticks, googly eyes abd straws to create spiders. Link to Activity Here

Create interesting paintings on pumpkins. See what happens when you make these Shake It Up! No Mess Pumpkins. Link to Activity Here