Tag Archives: kindergarten readiness

Gardening With Kids #3: Creepy Crawlies

Gardening with kids is a natural way for kids to learn some basic science knowledge and develop kindergarten readiness and other skills, such as respect for all living creatures, even if they are creepy crawlies. Many school and daycare gardens have a “No-Squish” policy. In the words of Bradley Millar: Teaching a child not to step on a caterpillar is as valuable to the child as it is to the caterpillar.

While bugs and worms are often not liked by grownups, children find them quite fascinating. In a garden, many of these creatures are beneficial. It’s helpful to explain to children that gardens need insects to help the flowers grow. Earthworms chew up bits of plant matter and then add that to the soil. The words earthworm castings are not near as fun to say as earthworm poo. Kids can go hunting for worms and any earthworms found in the yard, can be brought back to the garden. Of course, some bugs, such as slugs, do not help at all and can be taken away from the garden.

Just watching creepy crawlies is interesting. Kids are closer to the ground so this is easier for them. Are they all the same color? What kind of shapes are they? Do they all have the same size? How do they move? There’s lots to talk (or draw) about, new names of things of learn, and there will be lots of questions. Children also strengthen their concentration skills as they learn to turn on their attention and turn off distractions.

Creating a home for a bug or worm encourages caring skills as well as science ones. One advantage about bugs as pets, the costs are quite low and they certainly are quiet. Tending to the plants, and the creatures in the garden, encourage the development of a connection to nature. Would you agree, that’s big learning from something so small?

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Gardening with Young Children #2

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Gardening with young children is another powerful activity for fun, learning, kindergarten readiness and connecting to nature. Digging in the dirt and planting seeds are definitely hands-on sensory experiences. Yesterday’s blog post talked about getting the soil ready for planting. Once that’s done, it’s time to pop in the seeds.

Patience is not all that strong yet in kids, so it helps to have seeds that grow quickly so there is something to see. Just like Jack in the Beanstalk, bean seeds are almost magic and in only a few days will have something poking out of the ground. Sunflower seeds are also fast growing and over the summer will seem to be stretching high into the sky. Another advantage of beans and sunflowers is the seeds are big enough for little hands to plant one seed at a time. One finger on a small hand makes a hole just the right size for seeds this big. Corn is also easy to plant and is a good companion seed for beans. The beans can wind up the corn stalk. Pea seeds are recognizable as peas and also like to climb.

A recent guest on Learn and Play with Mrs. A, Barb McMahon from Sprouting Chefs, suggested that herbs are a good choice for kids to plant. Mint, parsley, and basil are quite touchable and kids can be shown how to carefully pick off just a few leaves that can be added to many recipes. Planting herbs in pots, inside and outside, contains them because they spread.

When children help in the garden, they see how they can impact the natural world. This helps them connect to the environment and develop their nature-intelligence. Talk with your child about how seeds are different sizes, shapes, and colors and only sometimes give a clue about what they are. Plants certainly give all of us an opportunity to practice being patient. The whole cycle of seed to plant to seed takes a long time, but it is repeated every year. These experiences are all part of learning that will last a lifetime. What will you and your child plant?

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Gardening with Young Children

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Did you know that gardens are great places for growing fun, learning, and kindergarten readiness, besides seeds and plants? With the weather finally warm enough to spend some time in the yard, it’s also time to think of gardening. Children are fascinated with plants and how they grow, and of course, they love to play in the dirt. Preschoolers are not too young for gardening, but they will need some supervision.

Before planting, gardens need to be prepared. Unless you have some very early plants, what is most likely growing at this stage is weeds. Kids will happily help pull these out along with any left-overs from the fall. With a small shovel or trowel, little ones can help prepare the garden soil by just digging and turning it over. Grownups have to use big shovels and it’s lots more work. It may help to give children their own patch or big container for digging in.

Pots and containers will need to be washed first with warm, soapy water. Water and dirt will make mud and soon kids will need to be washed in warm, soapy water too, but in the meantime they will play and work happily and have some sensory stimulation.

To explain the difference between dirt and soil, it’s helpful for kids to know that dirt is what is on cars and shoes, but that soil is the alive-part with all kinds of things, some that we can’t see. Usually when digging, it’s possible to see some worms and bugs that live in the soil. What else can be found in the soil? Are there any leaves that have turned all brown and crumply? Is the soil all the same color?

Getting the soil ready is just the first part. What do you think will be tomorrow’s play-of-the-day?
(On a new Learn and Play with Mrs. A radio show, I will be talking with a school garden coordinator, Barb McMahon, from Sprouting Chefs and will share more ideas on kids and gardening.)

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Kindergarten Readiness: Buttons Sensory & Loose Parts Play

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Button, button, whose got some buttons for sensory and loose parts play, along with some fun, learning, and kindergarten readiness? Our house has buttons from several drawers and containers and getting them out is a favorite special day activity treat. Because it is so easy for kids to put buttons in small places like noses and ears, the buttons only come out when there’s time for grownups to watch.

Not all buttons are round, and they are certainly not plain. Buttons have different textures, depending on what they are made from, plastic, metal, fabric, wood, etc. Some are round and smooth, others quite bumpy. Plus, they are all different colors. Large buttons may be the size of small jar lids, and small ones as tiny as the eraser end of a pencil.

Kids play with buttons in various ways. One of the obvious ways is to sort them. A favorite activity is to thread buttons onto a long string for a bracelet or necklace. Buttons make different sounds when they are dropped, and quite a noise when fingers smoosh through them.

For some families, today is Armed Forces Day. Some of the buttons in this box are from uniforms. Showing a child these buttons is one way of starting a conversation about the various pictures and the people who wear these buttons. For a child with a mom or a dad in the Armed Forces, having a button of theirs is a sort of security blanket, a way of holding the connection.

What else can kids do with buttons? Do you have some buttons that your child can use for sensory and loose parts play? (Supervised, of course.)

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Kindergarten Readiness: Toy Animals Sensory & Parts Play

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It’s still a bit early to put out the plants in the strawberry pot but it was a perfect time for some sensory-play and fun with loose parts that encouraged early learning (and kindergarten readiness). The loose parts were a few plastic toy animals and some other assorted accessories (aka stuff or junk).

The animals needed a house so Big Sister found a piece of wood to make a roof. Some motivational bracelets made fences and a bottle cap made the drinking place. The stairs, that is the little lips on the side of the pot, were their houses and the animals visited back and forth. There was not much sensory play in the dirt in the big pot, but in the yard there was quite a scavenger hunt for weeds that could be pulled out to feed the animals. This required some digging too with a big old spoon that led to some dirt and puddle mixing for mud play.

The animals also needed some rounding up. The dog is an eraser top for a pencil and the frog is a pencil sharpener. These two usually live in a desk drawer but “wanted to go and play with their friends.” After a long time of imaginative play, the animals had to come back in the house and get washed with some warm soapy water in a bowl-bathtub. An old rag and 2 small hands helped them to dry off before they had to get put back in the toy bin.

So much of children’s play happens with materials that are not necessarily toys. But there is no doubt that learning is taking place. Problem-solving, imagining, creating, remembering, organizing, planning, talking, asking, and explaining, were just a few of the higher-order thinking skills. There was also some negotiating practice: “but I will be careful with the frog pencil sharpener,” and some responsibility since the animals had to come back in. Are there some small animals that your child can use for some sensory-play and loose parts fun at your house or center?

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Kindergarten Readiness: Sensory Play Cooking Bin

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A few items, that you may quite likely already have, can be put together to make a sensory bin for some cooking fun, learning, and kindergarten readiness for young children. While it will take a few minutes to sort these things out later, they can still be used once they are rinsed and cooked in boiling water. Or they can be kept in a covered container for next time. Materials like bean seeds, pasta, and corn can be used to create the sensory bin mixture in a big bowl or plastic container. Add in some measuring spoons, cups, and little dishes or containers.

Just like with water or sand play, kids love to fill big containers using smaller ones. Scooping and pouring are actions that kids will do over and over as they fill and empty cups and bottles.The various textures are stimulating for the sense of touch. Kids can feel heavy, light, rough, smooth, slippery, flexible, and rigid. All of these things will also make different noises in the containers as kids measure, pour, stir, and create. In addition to stimulation for hearing, and touch, there will also be lots for sight, especially looking for bits to pick up after.

Big Sister was able to keep most of the material in the container even though it was quite small. She liked to fill and pretend. When Little Sister woke up from her nap, she of course wanted to play too. A bin like this one is better for only 2 hands at a time. Young toddlers manage better with a low, flat bin, otherwise quite a bit spills. Little Sister especially loved the noise as she swirled her hands around, grabbing fistfuls and dropping them back in.

Much of children’s play is imitative. Children will have watched parents and caregivers cooking and will try and use some of those same actions, such as measuring, stirring, and pouring. Kids will not only do some of the same things, but also use some of same words that adults do. Their play is imaginative and parents and caregivers will be asked to ‘taste’ something the little cooks have made. It might be hard to pretend though, that a cup of corn, beans, and pasta is coffee, but it’s important to make slurping and other sounds in the spirit of play. Do you have some materials for sensory cooking fun that your child can use?

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Kindergarten Readiness: Shells and Rocks Sensory Play

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If you need a reason to save those bits of treasures that kids fill their pockets with, it could be that they make great finds for sensory play as well as fun, learning, and kindergarten readiness. A big jar lives at our house with rocks, seashells, bits of wood, tiny pieces of sea glass, and other treasures collected from various family members over the years. For play time, though, it gets emptied into a shoe box or other container. To play with it, kids have to be old enough that they do not put things in their mouth, or anybody else’s or try feeding items to any cats, dogs, or fish that might be sharing the space. Once that’s understood, then the fun can start.

Rocks and shells have a variety of textures and other feelings: smooth, rough, pointy, round, light, heavy, big, small, and more. Kids enjoy touching and holding them just for the feel. Even very ordinary rocks can have lines, swirls, polka dots, and other features to see. Sea shells have wonderful ridges and bumps on the outside, while inside they are smooth and glassy. Colors are usually soft, not bright and bold, but greatly varied just the same. The lines make patterns that can be felt or seen by little hands and eyes.

Kids will play with these small items in different ways. Swishing rocks in a little bit of water makes their patterns much more visible. Some kids may line the rocks or shells up, make their own patterns, create pictures, count them, stack them, or sort them into different groups. Two rocks tapped together make sounds. Big rocks or shells are often the mommies and daddies, while small ones are the kids and babies. Nature connections, sensory stimulation, and loose-parts activities are combined as kids play. Are there any rock, seashells, and other treasures that your child can play with today?

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Kindergarten Readiness: Sensory Water Play

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Water play is such a common play activity that we forget it is a sensory one as well that combines fun, learning, kindergarten readiness, and play. It can be as elaborate as themed baths or as simple as a container and sink of water with a few tools and toys. Water sensory play will appeal to kids over and over and is just as much fun for older kids as younger ones, and even grownups.Just looking at Google and Pinterest for water sensory play ideas will be inspirational.

For a simple and quick activity, round up a few items that your child can use for scooping and pouring, such as empty plastic bottles or small containers. Measuring spoons that are plastic are also fun. While we know that a fork will not scoop up water, kids need to figure this out from experience, so toss in some picnic forks. A strainer with holes makes rain when it’s lifted up and the water drips out. If you have lots of containers that you will not need anymore, you can make some with one or more holes in the bottom, or around the sides. Kids have fun trying to hold a finger over the hole and letting bits of water come out before plugging in up again. Sponges are already holey and little hands can squeeze them as hard as they want. Some toys are water friendly too,

A water table is a standard piece of furniture in many play centers. Sometimes, they go on sale or can be picked up at a garage sale. Kids can play at the kitchen sink or in a big dish of water on the floor. Or, use a big container of water in the bathtub. The advantage with that is if any spills, none goes on the floor–that’s the theory anyway.

As your child plays, splashes, and explores, the brain is working to create pathways and connections that will be used for problem-solving, discovering, observing, predicting, comparing, and other thinking skills. Add a language and communication element by asking your child about what’s happening. Pretending and imagining can be part of the fun too. Is water play a possible sensory fun and learning activity for your child today?

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Kindergarten Readiness: Sensory Play and Exploration

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After Little Sister had some sensory play for hearing (see Sensory Play #5) Big Sister wanted to try it too, adding even more fun, learning, kindergarten readiness, and, alas, more drums, as well as the vocal accompaniment. Holding on to the pot and aiming the wooden spoon were enough challenge for the little one, but…

…the bigger one needed two wooden chopsticks and something that looked more drum like, an antique metal tin. The recycling yielded a few other items to use, an empty chocolate powder container with a plastic lid, a tea tin, and a plastic container. Each of these had a different sound, some noisier than others. Then came a little toy monkey with a drum.

For the ultimate challenge, Big Sister tried to make the monkey drum in a duet with her by squeezing the bulb and hitting one of the objects at the same time. This didn’t work as well as wanted so it was returned to the sidelines.Nevertheless, the exploration continued with different ways to drum, hitting the sides as well as the top and going fast and slow.

One of the powerful advantages of sensory activities is how children can play at so many levels. The exploration can be very simple or much more involved depending on the child. What would be far too easy for older kids, or much too difficult for younger ones, can be just right when children are given the time and opportunity to play.

In this case, though, the time didn’t last overly long. There’s no way to ask drumsticks to whisper and unlike teenagers, young kids can’t take the drum set to the garage. Isn’t the continuity and flexibility of sensory play amazing? The same activity appeals to kids of all ages. Also, they can do it over and over again for several years and still enjoy it. How about you, will you be able to handle this for years and years?

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Kindergarten Readiness: Sensory Smelling Activity

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Using the senses to explore information about the world is part of kindergarten readiness. Children build a background of experiences that they can use in new learning situations. Usually flowers have a lovely perfume. Even several sniffs of these flowers wouldn’t help. They look lovely but have no smell. Now this young girl has learned that not all flowers smell and has expanded what she knows about them.

To have some smelling fun at home, it’s not hard to find things to smell. In just a few minutes, I found several spices including cinnamon, cloves, curry, and allspice, and a lemon, a basil plant, and some essential oils. Big sister had fun smelling them and explaining what they smelled like. The cinnamon smelled like toast, the basil smelled like the sauce on noodles but she didn’t like it. The curry was yummy as were a few others.

Just a few things to sniff stimulated more than the sense of smell, there was lots of language in the activity too. After using our noses, I asked my elbow if it wanted a smell. That prompted some information from the little helper about what parts of the body could smell and what couldn’t and why. Then, we talked about what else noses could do. Noses can make clown faces and that’s where the fun went next.

For a play activity, kids could try mixing two spices together and check out how that changes the smell. Kids could pretend they are cooks or scientists making secret formulas. What happens with 3 things stirred together? Are there some smells that your child can use at home for sensory fun and learning?

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