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!
At the end of each activity 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
Development

When babies are around 6 months of age, they learn to clap. Clapping gives them immense joy, as it produces sound. You can show your baby how to clap, and make her clap. Take your baby’s hands in yours and teach her slowly. Clapping can be made more interesting by using rhymes or songs your baby likes moving to.
Curiosity, Information-Seeking, and Eagerness Goal AL-1
At 6 months, babies can be surprisingly social (stranger anxiety has yet to develop) and delightfully generous with smiles, giggles, shrieks and squeaks.
Developing A Positive Sense of Self Goal SED-1
Play

Patty-cake, patty-cake, baker's man, bake me a cake as fast as you can. This well-known clapping game may seem silly, but it's a great way to help your baby develop a number of important skills.
Motor Development Goal HDP-5

A box with a lid isn't just fun for your baby. Just some of the skills developed are fine motor and eye-hand coordination. You can clap and encourage baby to clap with excitement when they find what's in the box.
Curiosity, Information-Seeking, and Eargerness Goal AL-1
Busy Toddlers
Activities for children 1-3
Physical/Outdoor

Have you ever noticed kids love lines? Not the kind you stand in or color outside of, but the kind you walk on. Cracks in the sidewalk, painted lines on the blacktop, stone walls, balance beams or ordinary ropes are magnets for little feet. Use a simple rope to create gross motor activities for toddlers.
Motor Development Goal HPD-4
Using tongs to transfer object from one bin to another is a fine motor activity toddlers can get into. Link below to a variety of December themed items to use for this activity.
Motor Development HPD-5
Science/Sensory

Prepare for a great sensory but messy fun activity with this Peppermint Moon Dough recipe. This moon dough recipe is very soft and fun even for adults to play with!
Construction of Knowledge: Thinking and Reasoning CD-1

Create some foam snow and invite the children to make a snowman.
Construction of Knowledge: Thinking and Reasoning CD-2
Literacy/Math

Ask your toddler to tell you a story about what he/she wants to do the first day it snows.
Communicating and Oral Language Development Goal CLL-3

Here are two simple math activities for toddlers using Candy Canes.
Mathematical Thinking and Expression Goal CD-4
Social Emotional

Fred Rogers reminded us: "When we can talk about our feelings, they become less overwhelming, less upsetting, and less scary." Some two year olds and most three-year-olds can use simple emotion words — such as "happy," "sad," "excited" and "scared" ― to describe how they are feeling. Link to PBS for Parents to find activity ideas to help your child understand and manage emotions. Including an interactive game called "Cookie Game."
Self-Regulation and Pro-Social Behaviors Goal SED-4
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Hands-On Preschoolers
Activities for children 4-5
Physical/Outdoor

Create a twist on Simon Says playing "Santa says" or "Frosty Says".
Motor Development Goal HPD-4
Combine math and fine motor skills by creating this Christmas Tree counting activity.
Motor Development Goal HPD-5
Science/Sensory
Try out some chemistry with your preschoolers with a dancing jingle bells science experiment.
Scientific Exploration and Knowledge Goal CD-9

Have a little fun with hockey and turn it into a simple science experiment. Using a cookie sheet explore how items glide across ice.
Scientific Exploration and Knowledge Goal CD-8
Literacy/Math
Want a literacy activity for kids that is relevant to the holiday season? Write a letter to Santa or write cards to family and friends near and far.
Foundations for Writing Goal CLL-10

Craft a Christmas Tree Puzzle from a recycled egg cartons that can be used in several math activities for kids!
Mathematical Thinking and Expression
Goal CD-4
Creative Arts

Adorn your windows with giant Christmas light suncatchers. Fun for all ages.
Creative Arts and Expression Goal CD-12

Have the kids make some marbled homemade cards to send or use in your writing center.
Creative Arts and Expression Goal CD-12