SHARE:  
Join Our Email List
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 you will find South Dakota Early Learning Guidelines domain and goal for the activity. For a copy of the Early Learning Guidelines click on the photo.

Infant Corner
Activities for children under 1
Development
Most people are familiar with the five senses – sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch. However, we also have two additional senses. Watch this video to learn about vestibular and proprioception senses. 

Scientific Exploration and Knowledge Goal CD-9
Play


Make a simple ball drop game for baby by recycling boxes.
Motor Development CLL-5

Let your baby explore edible paint made with rice cereal.
Scientific Exploration and Knowledge Goal CD-9

Baby safe playdough is a great way for your baby to develop fine motor skills.
Scientific Exploration and Knowledge Goal CD-9
Busy Toddlers
Activities for children 1-3
Physical/Outdoor
There are lots of fun activities that can help kids develop gross motor activities. Balancing "apples" on top is a fun gross motor activity for kids. It involves kids balancing apples (pool noodles cut into apples or a apple shaped beanbag) on their heads while walking a balance beam or line using painter's tape.
Motor Development Goal HPD-4

A kitchen whisk and pom poms can make an interesting fine motor activity for toddlers.
Motor Development HPD-5
Science/Sensory

Mix flour, water and food coloring together. Pour into plastic bag and then snip a corner to create a piping bag. Let your toddler squeeze out the mixture.
Scientific Exploration and Knowledge Goal CD-9

Create a soapy sensory jar and let your toddler shake and roll to see bubbles form.
Construction of Knowledge: Thinking and Reasoning Goal CD-1
Literacy/Math

Matching felt leaf shapes to clothespins marked with letters is a fun way to explore the alphabet and challenge fine motor skills. With younger children don’t just throw the whole alphabet to them. Give them 5 – 10 letters and then add more as needed. 
Foundations For Reading Goal CLL-8

Gather items on a nature walk and sort, categorize and count them.
Mathematical Thinking and Expression-Goal CD-6

Social Emotional

Getting kids to talk about feelings is not always easy, one way to do it is to make it into play. These emotion masks can be elaborate with colors or simple black and white. The idea for this activity is to have a good chat about feelings.
Self-Regulation and Pro-Social Behaviors Goal SED-5
Being kind is a skill that we can practice just like math, science, or reading. It starts by helping our children recognize when a friend or family member is upset or needs help. 
Developing Relationships Goal SED-2
Hands-On Preschoolers
Activities for children 4-5
Physical/Outdoor

After reading the book, Jonathan and His Mommy, go through the book once more, and have the children walk in the same ways that Jonathan does.
Motor Development HPD-4
Tongs and ladles are great household items to work on fine motor skills. Gather up a few items outside in the fall and make a sensory box. Children can scoop and pick up pine cones, nuts and grain.
Motor Development CLL-5
Science/Sensory
Did you know Silly Putty was an accidental invention during the second World War? This rubber-like substance will mold into millions of shapes and even bounce! Make your own using only two household supplies for a project that's also a great chemistry or history lesson!
Scientific Exploration and Knowledge Goal CD-9

Fall is a great time to explore the 5 senses.
Scientific Exploration and Knowledge Goal CD-9
Literacy/Math
This Sight Word Sensory Activity with Shaving Cream and Foil is Messy, noisy, and fun for preschoolers. It also makes a great high chair activity for toddlers. Enjoy!
Communication, Language and Literacy CLL-8

This geoboard pumpkin ideas turns the traditional geoboard concept into a three-dimensional math experience kids love getting their hands on!
Mathematical Thinking and Expression CD-5
Creative Arts

Encourage children to create a self-portrait.
Creative Arts and Expression Goal CD-12

Collect fall leaves to make colorful suncatchers.
Creative Arts and Expression Goal CD-12