News for Black Hills Early Learners
June 2022

At the end of each activity South Dakota Early Learning domain and goals for the activities are provided. For a copy of the Early Learning Guidelines click on the photo.

Infant Corner
Activities for children under 1
Caring for Infants
With this simple activity you can encourage your baby's natural ability to explore. Take an empty and clean container, like a plastic jar or a box. Show your baby how to put safe items inside and watch how they react to the sounds of the items dropping or being shaken. Let them try. Talk to your child about what is happening and how you see them reacting.
Construction of Knowledge: Thinking and Reasoning Goal CD-1

Lay your baby on a blanket outside and blow bubbles. You can make your own bubble mix: 1/2 c dish soap, 11/2 cups water, 2 teaspoons of sugar.
Construction of Knowledge: Thinking and Reasoning Goal CD-1

Easy to make sticky ball fine motor activity for babies 6 month or older. Wrap ball in masking tape, sticky side up. Link Here to Activity
Construction of Knowledge: Thinking and Reasoning Goal CD-1

Tugging Box Fine Motor Activity is an opportunity for some fine motor skills playtime! It will not just keep your little ones entertained, but it will also encourage and improve their developing fine motor skills.
Motor Development Goal HPD-5
Busy Toddlers
Activities for children 1-3
Physical/Outdoor
Time to get outside with your Toddler! Make Sticky Nature art for creative fun. Red light, Green Light and Obstacle courses are great ways to encourage motor skills and practice following directions.
Motor Development Goal HPD-4 & 5

This Copy dance activity can be played with two to 20 children, and it's as simple as it sounds. One person dances while the others copy their moves. Kids love being the leaders, and imitation is, after all, the highest form of flattery. So put on some dancing tunes and show off those moves!
Motor Development Goal HPD-4

Toddlers enjoy "fishing" with tongs from their "laundry basket" boat.
Motor Development Goal HPD-5

After a rain creating mud pie is a fun outdoor art idea and nature sensory activity for kids.
Construction of Knowledge: Thinking and Reasoning Goal CD-1
Science/Sensory
Lookin for an idea for hot day fun- make your toddler a colorful Ice boat to play with.
Construction of Knowledge: Thinking and Reasoning Goal-1

With nothing more than water, food coloring, ice cube trays and plastic containers you can create ice blocks for your child to make ice sculptures on a hot day. If you have eyedroppers you might want to try adding the color after and use the clear ice to create.
Scientific Exploration and Knowledge Goal CD-8

One of the messiest and best ways for your toddler to play is to have a Jello Party. It's as messy as it sounds!
Construction of Knowledge: Thinking and Reasoning Goal CD-1

Not sure about messy play, here is a link to a short video with Tips for Messy Play
Construction of Knowledge: Thinking and Reasoning Goal CD-1
Literacy
Do you have a toddler who loves playing with dump trucks and rocks? If so, create this dump truck alphabet rocks activity. Great way to move and learn while playing with their favorite toys.
Foundations for Reading Goal CLL-8

Take toddlers outside to paint on large pieces of paper. Write out their names so they can explore the shapes of the letters in their name.
Foundations for Reading Goal CLL-6

Need a fun activity to make it to nap time? Try this secret letters activity – your little learners will love it! It’s a combination literacy and art activity and that’s a whole lot of fun in one simple project!
Foundations for Reading Goal CLL-6

Using craft sticks create a Name Game activity for toddlers to explore the letters in their name.
Foundations for Reading Goal CLL-6
Math
Stick to a routine with your toddler. When you follow the same routine before nap or meal time, children not only feel more secure, but they learn about patterns and measurement concepts, like time.
Mathematical Thinking and Expression Goal CD-6

Cut shapes—circle, square, triangle—out of sturdy cardboard. Let your child touch the shape with their eyes open and then closed.
Mathematical Thinking and Expression Goal CD-5

As your child nears three and beyond, make a chart where your child can put a sticker each time it rains or each time it is sunny. At the end of a week, you can estimate together which column has more or less stickers, and count how many to be sure
Mathematical Thinking and Expression Goal CD-4

Play games that teach the concepts of “near and far” or “under and over.” (For example: Walk towards me when I say “near,” and backwards when I say “far.” Climb over the chair and under the table.) Also, let your toddler practice volume and quantity by filling cups with water or sand, and transferring contents from one container to another.
Mathematical Thinking and Expression Goal CD-6
Social/Emotional

The SD Early Childhood Enrichment (ECE) System offers support to child care providers and parents involving children who exhibit challenging behaviors or developmental concerns. In the Black Hills Area contact Early Childhood Connections for more information. Or check out the SDECE System website.
Hands-On Preschoolers
Activities for children 4-5
Physical/Outdoor


Played at night, flashlight tag is a fun game that mixes hide and seek with tag.
Motor Development Goal HPD-4
 
This is a simple activity for preschoolers if you have multiple hula hoops around. Head to an area with lots of green space. (If going to the park, remember to stay safe and maintain social distancing) Holding the hula hoops vertically, roll them with as much force as you can along the ground. Have child run after the hoop to catch it. If more than one child playing call out their name when it is their turn. Every time they bring back a hoop, throw another one! This is amazing hand-eye coordination practice.
Physical Health and Growth Coal HPD-2
Just how far can your preschooler jump? Challenge them by having them jump between lines. Challenge them indoors by having them jump on lines made by painters tape on the floor. Outdoors make lines in sand or dirt. To add math, use a tape measure to measure the distance each jump.
Motor Development Goal HPD-4

For summer fun get out and hike as a family. 
Physical health and Growth Goal HPD-2
Science/Sensory

Take advantage of the hot sun and do this simple science experiment to observe what melts in the sun. Grab a muffin tin and fill it with an assortment of objects. Let your child help choose things that he thinks might melt or not melt.
Scientific Exploration and Knowledge Goal CD-9

A yummy science experiment. Let your kids explore their senses with this blind taste and smell test using ice cream. Ice cream gets turned into a science experiment with this simple and oh so yummy experiment. 
Construction of Knowledge: Thinking and Reasoning Goal CD-2

Grow crystals within hours with Epsom Salt and water. Link to Activity Here
Scientific Exploration and Knowledge Goal CD-8

Summer is the perfect time to experiment with water science and everyday objects. Link here for several ideas to explore water with your kids.
Scientific Exploration and Knowledge Goal CD-8
Literacy



Easy Do-It Yourself Name Activities to help you preschooler learn the letters of their name.
Foundations for Reading Goal CLL-6

Use painter tape to put a variety of shapes, letters and/or numbers on your floor. Have your child stand on their favorite one then give them instructions to follow that will lead them to their next destination (for example: “bear crawl to the square”, “hop like a Frog to the T”, “Run to the rectangle”). Keep your child moving and help them learn their shapes, letters and numbers!
Communication and Oral Language Development Goal CLL-3

Is your preschooler heading to kindergarten in the Fall? The summer is the perfect time to help prepare your child for the transition to kindergarten. Here are some things you can do at home to get them ready. Link Here to Article "10 Things You Can Do This Summer to Get Your Child Ready for Kindergarten".
Construction of Knowledge: Thinking and Reasoning Goal CD-3
Math

Practice early math and literacy skills with a fun water race game. Preschoolers can race to practice counting and number recognition or learn letters, and work on letter sounds
Mathematical Thinking and Expression Goal CD-4
Create your own tactile math craft sticks and explore a variety of ways for hands-on counting activities.
Mathematical Thinking and Expression Goal CD-6

Create this simple counting game that is a fun way to practice number recognition and one to one correspondence. Because it’s a game it will really appeal to preschoolers.
Mathematical Thinking and Expression Goal CD-4

I Spy is a great preschool game that takes zero supplies and keeps kids happily entertained for a while! Try creating a prop to add interest and play an I Spy Shape version.
Mathematical Thinking and Expression Goal CD-5
Creative Arts

Water Pistol painting is a fun outdoor art activity for preschoolers. squirting paint onto a large canvas using a paint filled water gun you can create some wall worthy artwork as well as having loads of fun. 
Creative Arts and Expression Goal CD-12

Learn below how to make chalk paint out of small, broken, and water-soaked pieces of sidewalk chalk!
Creative Arts and Expression Goal CD-12

Turn old, scratched CDs and DVDs into vibrant CD Wind Spinners to decorate your deck, patio or balcony.
Creative Arts and Expression Goal CD-12

If you have a swing in your play yard or a park with swings near by turn those swings into a way to make art from a different view.
Creative Arts and Expression Goal CD-12
imagination BOOK STOP
For lesson plan ideas around books that families receive from the Imagination Library go to Black Hills Reads Resources. Each Book Stop features information about the book, discussion ideas and activities.