News for Black Hills Early Learners

We are here to bring you fun activities for any child ages 0-5 years. We want to thank our local early learner providers and educators for their contributions to this weekly newsletter! We hope you find this useful and helpful during this very unusual time. Happy learning!

This week's theme: Mothers / Special Someone Day! Mother's Day provides an opportunity to recognize one of the most important educators in a child's life! Celebrate your child's provider on National Child Care Provider Day is Friday May 8, 2020

Infant Corner Activities for children under 1

Development When you touch and label different parts of your child's body, your're helping them make connections between the parts of their body. While changing your infants diapers, count different parts of his/her body. "One little nose to smell, two little eyes to see..." Watch how your baby responds and mimic the sounds and faces he/she makes. Play Babies need  tummy time  to strengthen their back, neck and tummy muscles, but many don’t like being placed face down on the floor. Try laying baby tummy-down on top of an exercise ball. Hold baby securely and move him or her around in circles, forward and backward. Check out other ways to make tummy time fun for baby.

Busy Toddlers Activities for children 1-3

Physical/Outdoor Take turns with your child playing Mother Says (instead of Simon Says). Have your child touch their nose or toes, hop like a bunny, etc. Practice fine motor skills with your toddler by making each other straw necklaces. Science/Sensory Tea cup sensory bin: Fill a tub with cotton balls, or pompoms. Add tea cups, coffee cups, or paper cups. Use tongs, tweezers or pinchers to sort or move pompom into cups. Add alphabet cards or number cards to the mix. Make homemade Colored Sand for a fun sensory experience.

Literacy  Read Are You My Mother ? by P.D. Eastman. Play an "Are You My Mother" match game. Make your own matching game or check out this free printable  Link to Story on Youtube Creative Arts Don't throw away those celery stocks! Instead, save them to stamp flower prints for cards! Easy fingerpainting activity made with shaving cream.

Hands-On Preschoolers Activities for children 4-5

Physical/Outdoor Play Mother May I… One child is the "mother" who stands at one end of the room or outdoor space. Other children must take turns asking “Mother may I take ____ .” ( baby steps, giant steps, frog leaps etc.) The "mother" grants the wish only if the child has said mother may I. The first one to make it across to mother becomes mother may I. Try starting a new family tradition by planting flowers with your child on Mother’s Day. Have your child help you dig, pot, and plant them .  Easy plants to grow from seed and care for are: Zinnias, Shasta Daisies, Sunflowers and Cosmos.

Science/Sensory Make a beautiful coffee filter bouquet for someone special. Link to activity here This fizzing hearts activity is a great activity for Mother’s Day or really any day of the year!  Link to Activity Here

Literacy Play a Guess Who game with your child. Take turns thinking of a special person without saying their name. Give clues and try to guess who it is. Make a Mommy and Me book with your child. Have your child illustrate a book about things you do together and tell you about their story. Link here to 8 ways to make a book

Creative Arts Make Mom or special person cards. Give your child a piece of paper folded in half . Write out words for your child to copy such as 'Mom, Nana, Grandma, Aunt, thank-you, love you.' Make a Salt dough handprint keepsake.