News for Black Hills Early Learners

Early Childhood Connections is a weekly contributor to Early Learning Activities

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 Watch this video on helping your infant reach the milestone of bringing their hands to feet. Link to Video Here Motor Development Goal HPD-4 & 5 Young children develop their social skills through the six stages of play, all of which are important for their development. All of the stages of play involve exploring, being creative, and having fun. Watch to see how children’s play changes by age as they grow and develop social skills. Link to Video Here Developing Relationships Goal SED-2 & 3 Play Spend some focused play time with your older infant with a simple activity like this ice and muffin tin fine motor activity. Link to Activity Here Motor Development Goal HPD-4 Create a sensory crawl infant and toddler activity that is a fun way to encourage your child’s independent exploration. Link to Activity Here Construction of Knowledge: Thinking and Reasoning Goal CD-2

Busy Toddlers Activities for children 1-3

Physical/Outdoor This clapping game is basically like the original Simon Says, but you make clapping motions and other movements to help your child with their balance and physical movements. Only do movements that are related to clapping and extend it to other parts of the body, not just the hands. Have them clap their thighs, or clap behind their backs.  Motor Development Goal HPD-4 Here is a fine motor skills St. Patrick’s Day Clover Craft for toddlers that preschoolers will enjoy too. Link to Activity Here Motor Development Goal HPD-4 Science/Sensory Easy and inexpensive edible taste-safe sensory play idea you can literally make just a few minutes. Link to Activity Here Construction of Knowledge: Thinking and Reasoning Goal-1 Use lime jello and add lots of gold glitter to make a Sparkly Green St. Patrick's playdough. Link to basic Jello playdough recipe Here Construction of Knowledge: Thinking and Reasoning Goal-1

Literacy/Math Contact paper can be used so many different ways! For this activity, tape it sticky side out to the wall and have kids stick foam letters to it. While they are sticking, name the letters with them. Talk about words that begin with the letters. Foundations For Reading Goal CLL-7 Use colored pasta to create a simple sorting game for toddlers. Make a variety of colors by using food color to make colorful pasta. Have your child sort into muffin tins either by color or by type of pasta. Link Here for how to make colored pasta Mathematical Thinking and Expression Goal - 6 Social Emotional The book Taking a Bath With the Dog begins with a mother asking her daughter, “I miss your smile today, Sweet Pea. What would make you happy?” Sweet Pea doesn’t know what would make her happy, so she decides to ask everyone and anything she can find. Link to related Activities Link to Read Aloud: Taking a Bath with the Dog Developing a Positive Sense of Self Goal SED-1

Hands-On Preschoolers Activities for children 4-5

Physical/Outdoor Part of staying healthy is eating and enjoying nutritious foods. Below find a teachers guide with activities to explore foods together. Link to Guide Here Physical Health and Growth Goal HPD-1 Get preschoolers moving with this simple to set up Floor is Lava game. Link to Activity Here Motor Development Goal HPD-4

Science/Sensory Begin with dried split peas and toss them together with a few other items to make a wonderful sensory bin for St. Patrick’s Day. Link to Activity Here Construction of Knowledge: Thinking and Reasoning Goal CD-1 They say you’ll find gold at the end of a rainbow, but it’s just as much fun to search for it in a soothing water play activity. Link to Activity Here Construction of Knowledge: Thinking and Reasoning Goal CD-1

Literacy/Math For St. Patrick’s Day set up this ABC gold scavenger hunt and have your preschooler search for gold and practicing the alphabet. Link to Activity Here Foundations of Reading Goal CLL-8 This St. Patrick’s Day gold hunt math activity is mess-free, fun, and so easy for preschoolers. If you don't have gold coins to hide, cut them out of yellow construction paper. Link to Activity Here Mathematical Thinking and Expression Goal CD-4

Creative Arts Teach your preschoolers the Five Little Shamrocks song and then make a hand print shamrock. Link to Activity Here Creative Arts and Expression Goal CD-12 The children's art will sparkle in the light once finished. This process art activity, lends itself to the making of art, rather than a specific product that might be achieved with a craft.  Link to Activity Here Creative Arts and Expression Goal CD-12