BEANBAG ACTIVITIES!

COLOR TOSS: Toss a beanbag into a box with a colored circle on the front.

MATH TOSS: Paint and number shapes on a large foam board. In each shape, cut a hole big enough for a small beanbag to fit through easily. Being sure not to cover the holes, glue or staple the board to a large cardboard box. Your child tosses a beanbag into two of the holes and either adds, subtracts or multiplies the numbers together. Younger children can just identify the numbers or shapes. They can toss a beanbag into the even or odd numbers only.

COMPLIMENT GAME

1. Ask children to sit or stand in one large circle
2. Start by throwing the beanbag to one child. At the same time give that child a compliment about something they have done well. It may be related to their behaviour or work.
3. The receiver then has to do the same. Everyone should have a turn. Variations: a boy must throw to a girl or a child with light-coloured hair must throw to a dark-haired person, or the beanbag must be thrown to someone who hasn't had a turn. The activity continues until everybody has had a turn or a time limit has been reached.

SHAPE TOSS

If playing on a hard floor or paved surface, make different shapes in a straight line on the floor using strips of masking tape (square, triangle, rectangle). If playing on carpet, cut the shapes out of construction paper and line them up on the floor. Have the child toss the BLUE beanbag into the TRIANGLE. Or have him toss the RED beanbag into the SQUARE. These games will help make associations between different colors and shapes.

BODY PARTS

Use the beanbags to help the child identify different body parts by asking your child to put the red beanbag on his or her head. Have him find various body parts and balance the beanbag on them (elbow, hand, and so on).

BEANBAG BALANCE GAME

1. With the beanbag on your head walk around the room. (walk on tip toes)
2. With the beanbag on your foot, lift your leg up and down.
3. With the beanbag on your nose turn all the way around.
4. With the beanbag on your shoulder lift your leg up behind you.
5. In a crab position place the beanbag on your tummy and walk around the room.
6. With the beanbag on your back walk on your hands and feet.

BOWLING WITH BEANBAGS

1. Put the numbers one through five on five empty bottles.
2. Set them up in a V formation.
3. Throw the beanbag to see which bottles you can knock over.
4. Younger kids can namethe numbers as they pick them up.
5. Older kids can add the numbers together.

GETTING TO KNOW YOU GAME

1. Place four hoops about five feet apart from each other.
2. When the student attempts to throw the beanbag in the first hoop have them share one thing they like about themselves.
3. In the next hoop, something they like about their partner behind them.
4. In the third hoop, something they like about their school.
5. In the fourth hoop something they like in their world.



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GREAT MATH GAMES WILL HELP MAKE MATH FUN

CHECK OUT THESE GREAT ARTICLES!
The following article includes great games for practicing multiplication skills.

HeliumHaving fun with numbers

HeliumHomeschool unit study - beginning money and economics

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SHAPES SONG AND ACTIVITIES!

Tune: Farmer in the Dell

A circle's like a ball.
A circle's like a ball.
Round and round
It never stops.
A circle's like a ball.

A square is like a box.
A square is like a box.
It has four sides,
they're all the same.
A square is like a box.

A triangle has 3 sides.
A triangle has 3 sides.
Up the mountain,
down, and back.
A triangle has 3 sides.

A rectangle has 4 sides.
A rectangle has 4 sides.
Two are long, and
two are short.
A rectangle has 4 sides.

A star has five points.
A star has five points.
They twinkle high,
in the bright sky.
A star has five points.

Movement activity:

1. Make a large outline of each of the shapes in the shape song on the floor with masking tape.

2. Have the children practice various locomotor movements (tip toe, walk, gallup, slide, skip, walk backwards, walk on hands and feet, walk on two hands and one foot, etc.)as they move along the outlines and sing the song.

Art project:

1. Give each child several shapes to create a picture of a strange animal.

2. Remember to vary the size and colors of the shapes.

3. Name the animal.

Writing activity:

1. Create a story about the animal in the picture.

2. Include things like where he was born, what special powers he has, an example of his actions, is he good or evil, Who does he help or harm, and a surprise ending.

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SONGS AND RHYMES FOR SHAPES!

CIRCLE SONG (tune: “If Your Happy and You Know It”

A circle is a shape that goes round. (clap, clap)
A circle is a shape that goes round. (clap, clap)
A circle is a shape
That goes round and round and round.
A circle is a shape that goes round. (clap, clap)

Tiptoe slowly on the circle and go round (clap, clap)
Tiptoe slowly on the circle and go round. (clap,clap)
Tiptoe slowly on the circle,
And go round and round and round.
Tiptoe slowly on the circle and go round. (clap,clap)

SONNY SQUARE

Sonny square is my name.
My four sides are the same.

Slide around me, I don’t care.
Slide around me, I’m Sonny square.

Each angle is the same.
Equal angles are my game.

TIMMY TRIANGLE

I’m Timmy triangle.
Come on gang, look at me.
Count my sides, one, two, three.

Hop on one foot, on all three.
Hop the triangle with me.

Add my angles, it’s a breeze.
One hundred eighty degrees.

RICKY RECTANGLE

Ricky rectangle is my name.
My four sides are never the same.

Two are short, and two are long.
Jump my sides, come right along.

One and two and three and four.
Jump around and jump some more.

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Music, Movement, Phonics, Math

Music and movement are essential ingredients in any preschool classroom. Studies have shown that children retain more information when they use more of their senses in learning. By adding music and movement to the learning process children become more engaged, have more fun, and retain much more.

MUSIC APPRECIATION AND EXPLORATION

Staple a scarf onto a wooden dowel to create a flag. Create clear boundaries and rules for this movement exploration activity to keep your classroom safe. I like to tell each student that there is a bubble around him or her that cannot be broken. Anyone who breaks someone's bubble will have to take a rest. Play slow classical music and watch the graceful fluttering of the flags. Change to fast marching music and watch the sharp percussive movements emerge.

SMALL GROUP FLAG ROUTINES

After exploring some movements that can be done with a flag, divide the class into small groups and ask them to create a short routine. If space is a problem, this activity can be done outside and then one group at a time can do their routine in the classroom. A typical routine might be:
8 counts of giant arm circles
8 walks in a circle with the flag held out to the side
8 counts of circles overhead (helicopter)
8 counts of flags high, flags low

MUSICAL CONSONANTS IN ACTION
Using the tune, "You're Happy and You Know It," practice consonant sounds with movement.

If you’re happy and you know it,
Bounce around "b" "b"
If you're happy and you know it,
Bounce around “b” “b”
If you're happy and you know it,
Then your face will surely show it
If you're happy and you know it,
Bounce around “b” “b”.

Creep along “c” “c”...
Dance with me “d” “d”...
Flap your arms “f” “f”...
Gallop now “g” “g”...
Hop along “f” “f”...
Jump so high “j” “j”...
Kick the air “k” “k”...
Laugh out loud “l” “l”...
March in place “m” “m”...
Nod your head “n” “n”...
Pull a rope “p” “p”...
Run in place “r” “r”...
Slide with me “s” “s”...
Tap your feet “t” “t”...
Vacuum now “v” “v”...
Walk around “w” “w”...
Yawn right now “y” “y”...
Zip your coat “z” “z”...

MATH SHAPES SONG

With masking tape, make a giant circle, square, triangle, and rectangle on the floor. As the kids sing the "Shape Song" a small group jumps inside the shape they're singing about. Everyone can draw the shape with his or her finger in the air. Make sure all the children get a chance to jump inside the shapes.

Tune: "Farmer in the Dell"

A circle's like a ball,
A circle's like a ball,
Round and round
It never stops.
A circle's like a ball!

A square is like a box,
A square is like a box,
It has four sides,
They are the same.
A square is like a box!

A triangle has 3 sides,
A triangle has 3 sides,
Up the mountain,
Down, and back.
A triangle has 3 sides!

A rectangle has 4 sides,
A rectangle has 4 sides,
Two are long, and
Two are short.
A rectangle has 4 sides!

The more music and movement you can incorporate into preschool activities the more fun and success the children will have in learning and retaining the material that they are taught.

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Have Fun with Puppets!

Use your puppet station to teach reading, creative writing, math, geography, art, science and even proper behavior and social skills. Incorporate great books and creative activities to keep learning fun!

1.Little Red Hen

a. BEHAVIOR- Share stories about helping others- what are situations where you could help someone-how does it make you feel?

b. SCIENCE- (Book Idea- “Bread Comes to Life: A Garden of Wheat and a Loaf to Eat” by George Levenson) What do you need to grow wheat- how does it turn into bread? Grind up some wheat into flour. Draw a chart of the sequence from the planting of the seed to the baking of the bread. Make bread.

2. Baby Hippo

a. GEOGRAPHY/SCIENCE-Where is Africa- what kind of habitat does a hippo live in? How long do they live? What do hippos eat? (Book Idea- “One Hippo Hops” by Jane Yolen and “Fun with African Stencils” by Sue Brooks)

b. ART- Make a class book of African animals with stencils.

c. CREATIVE WRITNG/STORYTELLING- The baby hippo is coming to your house for the weekend. What will you do with her/him- what games will you teach her -what will you feed her- how does she make you laugh?

3. Pizza Pie

a. SCIENCE- You open up a pizzeria for a specific animal, keeping in mind, their behavior and habitats. Draw the pizzeria and the menu. What would an emperor penguin want on its pizza and what would the restaurant be made of? (Book Idea-“Tacky the Penguin” by Helen Lester and Lynn Munsinger) Use this read along book with its CD at your listening center before you have puppet time.

b. MATH-With a large poster board circle (the pizza) cut it in half - 2 semicircles, cut those in half 9great introduction to fractions)

4. Aquarium

a. Science -Fish- How do they breath? Why are they covered with scales? (Book Idea- “What is it Like to be a Fish?” By Wendy Pfeffer and “My Visit to the Aquarium” by Aliki)

b. creative writing/drawing- if you were a fish what part of the ocean would you swim in- would there be a shipwreck- would you have a hide-away in seaweed or a coral reef- what other sea creatures would you see- starfish -jellyfish- what would you dream of at night? (illustrate)

5. Norman

a. CREATIVE WRITING/DRAWING- Norman is expanding his mind, learning new things, and working on his circus act. Do you have a pet that you can imagine having a different life? Perhaps a cat, which could purr so beautifully she becomes an opera singer. Invent an animal if you don't have one, like a dog that loves to cook or a fish that does ballet. How about an iguana that stars in a SCI-Fi movie? Describe this creature’s daily activity from dawn to dusk.

b. MATH shapes can be found all over the circus. (Book Idea-“Circus Shapes” by Stuart Murphy and Edward Miller)

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MATH AND MOVEMENT

Games are a great way to include all learning styles and reach every student in your class. Enthusiasm is contagious! When I introduce a new math game to my students with excitement and joy in my voice, they respond in kind.

MATH AND MOVEMENT Coming from an elementary, as well as physical education background, I not only use conventional math games, but I also use math games that involve large motor skills. Instead of insisting that kids stay in their seats, they get to jump and hop as they learn math. Young children love to move, so when you combine math and movement, you are sure to have a winner!

BEACH BALL MATH requires the teacher to section off a ball into squares with a marker. Each square houses a math problem (add, subtract, multiply, divide, etc). The children toss the ball to each other, and when they catch it, they answer the problem under their right thumb. For young children the problem can be as simple as identifying numbers or shapes, and for older children a way of practicing multiplication or division facts.

MATH TOSS is a favorite game for all ages. The teacher paints and numbers shapes on a large foam board. In each shape, they cut holes big enough for a small beanbag to fit through. Being sure not to cover the holes, they then glue or staple the board to a large cardboard box. The children toss two beanbags into the holes and either add, subtract or multiply the numbers together. Use your imagination with the older students and have them square the numbers first and then add them together.

SKIP JUMP MATH is a favorite game for young children. Using lighter colored vinyl, cut out shapes, number them with marker, and tape them to the floor. The students jump from shape to shape, saying each number as they land. The children can skip count by 1's, 2's, 3's,etc. They can jump in ascending or descending order. Skip jumping is a great way to introduce multiplication.

Use your creativity! Any of these games can be modified to fit all age groups or concepts that you are teaching (even phonics or sight words). Create your own games using the kid's favorite activities. It could be anything from "soccer math" to "math bingo." I hope that I have sparked your imagination, so that you will invent innovative and exciting games for your students. Have fun! I know your students will.