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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!
Click Here for Info on Safe Holidays
This holiday season, consider how your holiday plans can be modified to reduce the spread of COVID-19 to keep your friends, families, and our communities healthy and safe.
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 from Zero to Three to see how an understanding of spatial awareness develops from birth to 5 years old.
Motor Development Goal HPD-4
Construction of Knowledge Thinking and Reasoning Goal CD-1
This video from Zero to Three will show how shape awareness develops from birth to 5 years old.
Mathematical Thinking and Expression Goal CD-5
Play

All you need is a muffin tin and some toilet paper tubes to make a muffin tin sorting activity.
Construction of Knowledge Thinking and Reasoning Goal CD-1


Use a pie tin to strengthen your babies leg muscles.
Motor Development Goal HPD-4
Busy Toddlers
Activities for children 1-3
Physical/Outdoor

Here are two silly Thanksgiving snack ideas featuring turkeys.
Physical Health and Growth Goal HPD-1
Move to the menu with this Thanksgiving movement game.
Motor Development Goal HPD-4
Science/Sensory

Add cranberries to water bin and investigate change, test out sink or float, and practice fine motor skills with a variety of kitchen tools.
Scientific Exploration and Knowledge Goal CD-9

Put a bar of Ivory soap in the microwave and watch it expand to 6x its size right before your eyes! The Expanding Ivory Soap Experiment is a classic science activity that will fascinate kids and grown-ups alike. 
Scientific Exploration and Knowledge Goal CD-8
Literacy/Math

Learning takes lots of repetition. This Thanksgiving craft activity provides an opportunity to practice spelling your child’s name and has a fun seasonal twist. Make Feather Letter Turkeys.
Foundations for Reading Goal CLL-8

Shape art is one perfect activity because it includes math and the creative arts!
Mathematical Thinking and Expression Goal CD-5
Creative Arts and Expression Goal
Social Emotional

Make expressing gratitude a ritual Here are a few gratitude activities for home and can be adapted for all Early Care environments:
  • Take turns at dinner sharing one awesome thing from your day
  • At bedtime, say three things you appreciate about each other
  • In the car play a game where you tell each other all the things you love (color, food, movie, hobby, school class, sport, song, etc)
  • Every Sunday share one nice thing you will do for someone this week
Developing a Positive Sense of Self Goal SED-1
Hands-On Preschoolers
Activities for children 4-5
Physical/Outdoor

With this game preschoolers can practice Soccer goalie skills.
Motor Development Goal HPD-4
Set up a fun, no preparation, pumpkin fine motor skills activity for Autumn play and learning! This is a great hand strengthener for pre-writing development.
Motor Development Goal HPD-5
Science/Sensory
Cranberry structures make a perfect, quick Thanksgiving science activity to let your child test their engineering skills.
Scientific Exploration and Knowledge Goal CD-9

This STEM activity adds literacy too when you make cranberry secret messages.
Scientific Exploration and Knowledge Goal CD-8
Foundations of Writing Goal CLL-9
Literacy/Math
Predictable charts are a great way to incorporate literacy into the preschool classroom. Use this "We are Thankful" predictable chart to give preschoolers an authentic experience that helps them build concepts of print.
Foundations of Writing Goal CLL-9

Use playdough and feathers to create a dice game preschoolers will enjoy playing.
Mathematical Thinking and Expression Goal CD-4
Motor Development Goal HPD-6
Creative Arts

This gratitude activity for preschoolers is a good start in teaching about gratitude. It’s just the right combination of messy, crafty art making and a solid lesson on what it means to give thanks and why gratitude is important.
Developing a Positive Sense of Self Goal SED-1

Turn crumpled pieces of paper into colorful artwork in this fun art project for kids. This easy art activity is inspired by the children’s book, Ish, by Peter H. Reynolds! 
Creative Arts and Expression Goal CD-12
Foundations of Reading Goal CLL-5