social studies
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Conversations with Preschoolers about Current Events
We know that kids are sponges – they’re ALWAYS listening! Because of this, they catch onto things that we don’t always realize they’re hearing, and without context and all of the information their minds make the most interesting connections. It’s fascinating to get their take on the things that are happening in their world because they look at them with such a unique filter! When it comes to discussing current events, it can be a bit of a minefield, we never know what might come up, and we definitely can’t predict what a child will say. There are some ways to navigate these conversations without prompting those comments. Here are…
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Friday Freebie – Community Helper Puppet
Happy Friday! I’ve got the perfect freebie to finish out a week about community helpers. It doesn’t get more traditionally preschool than paper bag puppets. This Police Officer Puppet would be the perfect addition to your classroom library, and it might even inspire your students to make their own versions of other occupations. Go download yours from Carrie Lutz and have a wonderful weekend!
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Community Helpers Preschool Activities
I promised yesterday that I would share my favorite activity centers for exploring community helpers, here they are: Community Helper Handprint Wreath – A great visual for all of the places in your community that you would find helpers. Community Helper Occupation Booklet – Explore the tasks of each job and the tools and materials that are associated with it. Community Helper Hats and Badges Freebie – Perfect for your dramatic play area! Community Helper Matching – Great for a language center, encourages children to practice letter and word recognition to match the helper to their title. Community Helper Dances – A little music and movement is always appreciated, and…
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Introducing community helpers
One of the most common topics in the preschool classroom is community helpers. Whether you do a theme week about them, or regularly rotate community helper costumes through your dramatic play area, you’ve probably covered them at some point throughout the year. There’s good reason for this; we want our children to know who they can turn to when they need help, and we want them to recognize that we all play a role in making our community run successfully. My favorite way to introduce this topic to preschoolers is with a discussion. I ask them to name adults that help them, to which they typically reply with family members…
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Friday Freebie – Family Engagement Calendar
Happy Friday! I have found the perfect Friday Freebie for Family February – say that five times fast! Check out this Family Engagement calendar from Designed by Miss G. Now, I know that this calendar is for September, but it is is such a great idea that I just had to share. She also has freebies for October and November. Stick them in your files for next year and you’ll be glad that your family engagement activities have already been planned come next fall!
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Using family photos in the classroom
The easiest way to start any family engagement effort is to begin collecting photos from each of your families. There are so many ways that these can be used in the classroom. Decorate a quiet space with the photos and children can sit there and look at their family’s photo when they are feeling sad or need a little reassurance. Use them to help the children get to know each other Talk about family structures and compare similarities and differences Look at each family member’s physical characteristics Practice naming each family member and write their names Of course the most difficult piece of this work is actually getting families to…
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Friday Freebie – Random Acts of Kindness Calendar
Happy Friday! Yesterday I shared some random acts of kindness for the holiday season. Today I’m sharing a freebie that makes it nearly impossible to NOT do some random acts of kindness this month! This Random Acts of Kindness Calendar is an amazing way to plan for, and keep track of the activities you want to complete. Go download your copy from Herding Kats in Kindergarten, and have a great weekend!
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Holiday-Themed Random Acts of Kindness
The holiday spirit is a powerful thing, and I love to take advantage of this time of year to encourage my students to do nice things for others. Here are some random acts of kindness that work perfect for the holiday season: Tape a sweet note to a candy cane and leave these throughout the building Go Caroling Write special Christmas cards to people who have been especially helpful Collect toys for children in need Share baked goods with local first responders Hang Christmas lights around the school for everyone to enjoy Make the janitor’s job easier by cleaning the classroom really well Put together a special gift for support…
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Activities for Thanksgiving Day
Whether you’ve got little ones to entertain at your own Thanksgiving celebration or your looking for fun ideas for your last day of school before the holiday, I’ve got you covered. Here are some fun ways to celebrate the holiday while enjoying each other’s company: Get everyone coloring – try these cute coloring pages If you want to hear everyone laugh, you can’t beat Thanksgiving Mad Libs! Remember cootie catchers?! Here’s a printable Thanksgiving version Family members of all ages will love taking photos with these Thanksgiving photo booth props There’s nothing better than a scavenger hunt to keep everyone busy This printable Bingo game will keep everyone awake after…
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Pie Filling Taste Test
I know that there are very strong opinions about using food for preschool activities, and I understand both sides of the argument. Personally, I believe that food is something that brings us together. It is a powerful way to open children’s minds to new experiences, and to introduce them to cultural experiences. I am especially partial to taste-tests as science and social studies activities because it gives me the opportunity to expose children to something that they may not ever encounter at home. I’ve been known to taste test fruits and vegetables, in order to introduce new foods and encourage children to be open to trying new things. This particular…
