News for Black Hills Early Learners
Thanks to those who completed the survey for the Early Learning Activity Digest. Starting in March the Digest will become a monthly newsletter versus weekly. We will still be providing Early Learning Activities and provide the Early Learning domains and goals.
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

February is National Children's Dental Health Month. Now's a great time to reinforce the importance of proper oral health care with your child. Started as a one-day event in 1949 by the American Dental Association, it became a national, month-long observance in 1981.

It's important to start dental care with your infant. Link to article on care for babies teeth from birth to one year.
Self-Care, Safety, and Well-Being Goal HPD-6
Play

Yes you can play a simple follow the leader game with young infants. The skills learned are imitation, back and forth conversation and improve memory. See how many actions your child can imitate in a row by tapping the table, opening and closing your hands, clapping, and waving.
Construction of Knowledge: Thinking and Reasoning Goal CD-2

To assist your baby in learning the skills of grab and release and eye-hand coordination create a simple grab basket with toilet tubes.
Motor Development Goal HPD-5
Busy Toddlers
Activities for children 1-3
Physical/Outdoor

Play follow the leader! Either the children walk behind a child while copying what they do, or stand in a circle and choose a leader. That child does a movement or action (like jump or spin) and the other children copy. Add music and have them show you their dance moves!
Motor Development Goal HPD-4

This fine motor Pick & Pull activity is a versatile way to appeal to your toddlers. Using what you have at home or your classroom already, there is no fancy equipment required to set up this fun activity. 
Motor Development Goal HPD-5
Science/Sensory

February is National Children’s Dental month and a great time for a simple science experiment to make elephant toothpaste!
Scientific Exploration and Knowledge Goal CD-8

Scrounge some small white ceramic tiles (from tile stores, parents who are remodeling or the ReStore, etc). Provide children with a variety of food products to smear on the tiles such as: jelly, ketchup, syrup, peanut butter etc, have children brush the teeth with toothbrushes and real toothpaste. Which tiles are stained?
Scientific Exploration and Knowledge Goal CD-8
Literacy/Math

Are you looking for good tooth brushing songs for your kids? Whether you’re teaching your own kids or your preschool class about dental health, using music and videos can help you teach important skills and concepts.
Communication and Oral Language Development Goal CLL-3

This name graph takes lots of sticky notes but the children become more aware of how their name is composed of letters and have an opportunity to count how many letters in each name. Literacy and math in one activity.
Mathematical Thinking and Expression Goal CD-6
Social Emotional

The children stand in a circle. Start by singing the song and then pointing to a child to join you. The song is sung to Mary Had A Little Lamb
Will you be a friend of mine,
Friend of mine, Friend of mine?
Will you be a friend of mine,
And _______ around with me? (Fill in the blank with a movement such as hop, dance, wiggle)
The 2 children in the middle now sing it together and invite a 3rd friend to join. Continue until all the children are in the middle dancing or moving together!
Developing Relationships SED-3
Hands-On Preschoolers
Activities for children 4-5
Physical/Outdoor

Play drop the toothbrush into a soda bottle or variety of bottles with different sized openings. Kneel on a chair and place bottle on floor behind chair. Child leans over back of chair and tries to drop tooth brush into bottle.
Motor Development Goal HPD-4
This sensory writing activity is a great pre-writing fine motor activity idea - if you don't use salt you can do the same activity with sand or rice. 
Motor Development Goal HPD-5
Science/Sensory

Use this science project to teach the importance of good dental health to preschoolers.
Self-Care, Safety, and Well-Being Goal HPD-6
UIse the plaque attach experiment to talk about how sugar in our mouths creates plaque too. Pair this lesson with a new toothbrush!
Self-Care, Safety, and Well-Being Goal HPD-6
Literacy/Math

Here is a fun activity that practices letter identification and learning about the importance of proper teeth brushing at the same time. Words to a song are included to sing while playing.
Foundations of Reading CLL-8
Use snack time to explore math concepts with preschoolers.
Mathematical Thinking and Expression Goal CD-7
Creative Arts

Teach preschoolers about dental health while inviting them to create process art! Students will explore materials and review vocabulary words related to dental health.
Creative Arts and Expression Goal CD-12

Cut out tooth shape paper and let the children explore painting with toothbrushes.
Creative Arts and Expression Goal CD-12