Rainbow Pasta Games- Submitted by Sherry

Dye stringable pasta in batches of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. Let your children use the pieces for these activities.

Sort and count the pasta pieces by color.

Place or glue the pieces on matching colored paper.

String the pasta on shoelaces or pieces of yarn.

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Light and Heavy- Submitted by Sherry

Collect light and heavy items, such as a cotton ball, a feather, a leaf, a stone, a scissors, and a book. Let your children experiment with blowing on the items (with and without using plastic straws) to see which ones move in the "wind" and which do not. If you like, use a small fan to create a stronger breeze for experimenting (requires close supervision).

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Is the Wind Blowing- Submitted by Sherry

Explain to your children that wind is moving air. Ask: "Since we can't see air, how can we tell that the wind is blowing?" Some clues: clouds moving across the sky, tree branches swaying, wind chimes ringing, paper blowing down the street. As the children give answers to the question, write their responses on paper for them to illustrate later.

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A Branch of Spring- Submitted by Sherry

The first spring-like day, collect broken branches with buds on them and put them in a vase of water. What better way to bring a little springtime into your house (and maybe trigger a spring cleaning)?

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Spring Inside Planting- Submitted by Sherry

Cut off some carrot tops and put each one in a dish with some pebbles. Add just enough water to cover the bottom of the carrot. Hide the dishes in a place where there is not too much sun. In just a few days, the carrot tops will begin sprouting and turn into plants.

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Circle Game- Submitted by Sherry

walk around in circle with one child in middle as flower, and sing "Little flower oh what do you need, what do you need, what do you need, Little flower oh what do you need, to grow up big and strong." The child then names something the flower needs and chooses someone to come

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Making Rainbows- Submitted by Sherry

On a sunny day, try these suggestions for creating rainbows on the walls and ceiling of your room. Hang prisms here and there where they can catch and reflect the sunlight.

Place a small mirror in a glass bowl of water so that the mirror rests against the side of the bowl. Set the bowl in direct sunlight.

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Rainbow Game- Submitted by Sherry

Paint a giant rainbow on large paper and tape it to the floor. Invite your children to take turns tossing a beanbag onto the rainbow and naming the color it lands on. Continue as long as interest lasts.

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Rainbow Drops- Submitted by Cheryl

To prepare: fill a large bowl with assorted colors and sizes of pom-poms. Put the large bowl on a tray or table with an ice-cream scoop/lagre spoon or ladle, a pair of tongs and/or chopsticks, and small bowls. Have the child use the ice-cream scoop to scoop a bunch of pom-poms into a small bowl. Then encourage the child to use the tongs or chopsticks to separate the scoop of pom-poms into different color groups.

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Flower Shapes- Submitted by Sherry

Use colored construction paper to make different styles of flowers from shapes such as circles, squares, triangles, and rectangles. Glue each flower to an index card or piece of tag board. Cut out identical set of the shapes that were used to make each flower. Place the second set of shapes in a resealable storage bag and staple one side the bag to the back of the matching flower card. Give each child a flower set and explain that they are to make the flower shown on the card from the loose pieces in the bag. When each child is finished have them exchange with another child. (laminate for further usage)

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Fabric Flower Match- Submitted by Sherry

Gather several types of fabric scraps in different patterens. Make pairs of flowers by cutting each piece of fabric into two flowers. Glue each piece of fabric to tag board. The flowers do not need to be the same shape. Show the flowers to the children and let them find matches. Place the flowers in a basket so they may try it during free play.

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Science- Submitted by Sherry

Sponge, Grass seeds

Hand out the supplies. Have the children put seeds on the damp sponge. Set them in sunny window. Keep moist.

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Flower Relay Races- Submitted by Sherry

Relay races are done in teams. The players of each team must race to a vase full of artificial or paper flowers, pick a flower out of the vase, and race back to their team. The next person races down to the flowers, picks one, and so on. The first team to finish is the winner.

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Spring Math- Submitted by Sherry

Prepare a set of flower cards using a variety of colors of flowers. The children at the center will match the color of the flower to a piece of colored construction paper. They can count how many of each color.

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Flower Petals- Submitted by Sherry

Let the children explore what they feel like. Divide into colours. 4 glasses of water, each 1/4 filled. 4 white daisies, carnations or Queen Anne's Lace, Food coloring.

Add enough food coloring to turn the water in each glass a different color (about 5 drops depending on the size of the glass). Cut the stem of each flower. Place flower in the glass. See how long it takes for the flower to turn the color of the water.

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Plant Flowers- Submitted by Sherry

Buy amaryllis bulbs on sale after Christmas and plant them. Measure them every day because they grow fast and even the kids can see the difference. Keep a record of how fast they grow. I use different colored flowers and also compare which color grows the fastest.

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Wet Walk- Submitted by Becce

Take a wet walk. On a rainy day, go on a nature exploration. Talk about how the rain changes the way things like soil and plants look and feel. Afterward, you might want to write a poem together or draw pictures about what you experienced during your walk.

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Carnations -Submitted by Patrisha

Obtain a white carnation. Fill a clear vase or jar half with water. Ask your child which color he/she would like to make the carnation, and add food coloring in the vase to that color (Make the color dark). Color mixing is a good science lesson. Then put the carnation in the water. What happens after a few days?

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Science- Submitted by Sherry

Have children sponge paint the outside of a styrofoam cup. After it dries, fill it with potting soil and plant sunflower seeds. If you have room in your classroom, grow them at school. As a group activity, show what happens if you don't water, what happens if you don't have light. Place several plants away from the light and watch how plants reach for the light.

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Patterning- Submitted by Sherry

Cut out flower petals of several colors to be used on the flannel board. Begin to construct your flower by alternating two colors . Example - yellow, pink, yellow, pink, yellow. Have the children tell you what comes next and complete the flower. Make enough petals so everyone in your group can have one. Start the pattern and let them finish. After they understand the concept let the children play this activity during your free time.

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Seeds- Submitted by Sherry

Seeds that grow well. Marigolds and beans. Beans are easier to see but more dangerous if eaten or shoved in a nose!

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Patterning- Submitted by Sherry

Cut out flower petals of several colors to be used on the flannel board. Begin to construct your flower by alternating two colors. Example - yellow, pink, yellow, pink, yellow. Have the children tell you what comes next and complete the flower. Make enough petals so everyone in your group can have one. Start the pattern and let them finish. After they understand the concept let the children play this activity during your free time.

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A Rainbow of Rice- Submitted by Patrisha

Rice is nice in a sensory tub, especially when it is rainbow rice! To prepare this center, purchase six two-pound bags if rice; then color each one a different color of the rainbow. To color one bag of rice, mix together 1/2-cup of rubbing alcohol & several drops of the appropriate food coloring. (Make the coloring mixture dark to ensure a bright finished color for the rice.) Pour the rice and the coloring mixture into a gallon-sized ziplock bag. Turn & knead the bag until the rice is well-coated; then pour the rice out onto sheets of newspaper to dry overnight. When you have all the rainbow rice ready to go, pour it into a large plastic tub. Add spoons, scoops & clear plastic tumblers.

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Clouds With Color- Submitted by Patrisha

Set up this play dough center and little hands will be busy at work making rainbows. In advance stock the area with white play dough and a supply of pipe cleaners in rainbow colors. Invite each child to use the dough to make a pair of clouds. Then have him/her create a rainbow by inserting the pipe cleaners into the dough balls, one on each end. If desired, challenge older children to create rainbows with colors in the proper order.

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Rainbow Science- Submitted by Patrisha

Take the science lesson outside on a warm spring day. In advance make a bubble solution using the provides recipe. Invite the children to make bubble blowers from pipe cleaners. On a sunny day, give each child a plastic cup of bubble solution; then challenge him/her to look for the rainbow on each bubble he/she blows.

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Bubble Solution

1 gallon water, 2/3 cup Joy or dawn dishwashing liquid, 1 T glycerin

For the best results, allow this mixture to sit for at least 5 days.

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Rainbow Scavenger Hunt- Submitted by Patrisha

Prepare a table in your classroom to serve as the rainbow Sorting Center. Cut strips of red, orange, yellow, green, blue & purple bulletin-board paper in equal widths. tape these in order on a long table. Give each child a copy of the note (contents below) and a gallon sized ziplock bag to take home. When a student brings in his collection of colored items, have him sort each item onto the corresponding color strip at the Sorting center. provide a box or basket at the center where items can be placed when the center is not in use or when you want to scramble items for re-sorting.

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Garden Hose Rainbow- Submitted by Patrisha

You can make your own rainbows (minus the pot of gold) with a garden hose. The sun must be shining and you should position yourself with your back to the sun. Spray a fine mist in front of you, preferably against a dark background so that the colors will really stand out. Early morning, or late afternoon, is best for this experiment, because the sun's rays are slanting lower in the sky. can you make out all of the colors?

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Indoor Rainbow- Submitted by Patrisha

You can even make rainbows indoors, without getting wet! Fill a glass with water (make sure it is full to the top) and set it on a window sill in bright sunlight. It should project over the inside ledge just a bit. Put a white sheet of paper on the floor beneath the window, and a rainbow will magically appear on the paper.

A prism will do the same thing. You can hang a prism in a sunny window, or make some preparations for an even more vivid display of the spectrum colors. Just as the rainbows you made with the garden hose outdoors showed up best against a dark background, so will your prism bows work better in a darkened room. If you have pull-shades in a south facing room, make a tiny pinhole in a corner of the shade, just big enough to let in a beam of light. Place your prism in the path of the light, and see how it projects a rainbow on the opposite wall.

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The Colors of the Rainbow- Submitted by Patrisha

Which of the colors of the rainbow do you like best? They are all nice, and they work well together, too, which makes them perfect for a number of craft projects. You can use crayons & markers to make colored arcs, but don't stop there. Cut strips of colored construction paper & weave a rainbow mat. Make some play dough, divide into 7 parts & color each a different color of the rainbow. use the dough for making 3-dimensional rainbows, and coiled pots that go from red to violet. Or make your own calendar and use the seven colors to liven up the seven days of the week.

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Make a Rain Gauge- Submitted by Patrisha

Build a rain gauge by cutting off the top third of the plastic bottle (2L work well) and inverting the top inside the bottom to form a funnel. Use a permanent marker to record inches on the side of the bottle. Explain that people who report on the weather need to know how much it rains each day. Introduce your rain gauge and have children brainstorm ways they can use the tool to learn about rainfall. Demonstrate how a rain gauge works:

Set the gauge in a pan and use a watering can to simulate a rainstorm over the pan. After the "storm", have a child study the rain gauge and report on the rainfall.

Ask: Did all the rain fall into the gauge? How will the rain gauge help gather information about the weather? Empty the gauge and vary the demonstration so that the children can report on a light rain, a heavy rain, and a day with no rain at all.

On a rainy day, set out the rain gauge to measure the rainfall. Measure how much rain fell that day. Continue to measure the rain each day, and record for a few weeks. Ask the children to predict how much water will be collected. Ask at the beginning of the day, and ask when it is raining, did their answer change?

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Rain In A Bag- Submitted by Patrisha

Get a zip-lock plastic bag, a straw, a handful of dirt, some grass, and a few spoonfuls of water. Put the dirt and grass into the bag. Add the water. Insert the straw into the corner of the bag, and seal the bag shut. Blow air through the straw and into the bag, until it is full. Carefully pull out the staw and seal, locking the air inside the bag. Tape the bag to a sunny window and wait a few minutes. Then, watch it "rain" inside the bag!! (This is a great visual to help children understand the concept of rain and cycles, and how clouds are formed.)

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Homemade Dirt- Submitted by Patrisha

After making coffee, save the grounds and dry them. Once dry, add salt and corn meal to make the sand. The texture is cource & the color is like dirt, and it smells good too! The kids love it. Put this in the sensory table. If you don't have a sensory table, use a dish pan or other container--even a small kiddie pool.

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Dig It- Submitted by Patrisha

Have the children collect dirt samples from several different areas on your yard. Spread out the samples on newspaper and compare. Use a magnifying glass to look for small particles in the dirt. Use tweezers to separate rocks, sticks, leaves and other objects from the dirt. Discuss the findings.

When done add a little water to the dirt samples to make mud. Use the mud for painting with a brush or finger painting onto a paper: "mud art"

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Sensory Table- Submitted by Patrisha

Place potting soil in a plastic tub or sensory table. Have the children play in the dirt with plastic shovels, plastic flower pots, artificial flowers, plastic worms, etc. When done add water to the soil and make mud pies. Let the mud pies bake in the sun.

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Puddle Prints- Submitted by Patrisha

muddy puddle piece of white cardboard, felt-tip pen, scissors, clear plastic wrap

Make a good sloppy muddy mixture in a puddle or old basin. Place the sheet of white cardboard on a firm, flat surface. Put your hand into the muddy mixture - making sure that your palm and fingers are well covered with mud - then press onto the cardboard. Try to get a good clear print. Let this dry in the sun and then carefully mark around the outline with a felt-tip pen. Cut out the handprint and cover with clear plastic wrap. You can make prints of your feet this way too.

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Bean bag Puddle Toss- Submitted by Patrisha

Use a hula hoop (the puddle) and some bean bags. Set up the hula hoop on it's side or on the ground. Have the children try to throw the bean bags into the puddle.

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Jump in the Puddle- Submitted by Patrisha

Set a hula hoop on the floor. Play some music and have the children walk around the hula hoop. When the music stops, have them jump into the hoop (the puddle).

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Science- Submitted by Sherry

plastic pot and flowers, potting soil, critter cage, posters of plant growth.

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Science Activities- Submitted by Sherry

Try some of these science activities through the week. Plant flower seeds in individual cups. Plant a potato in water by placing a few toothpicks around the center, and placing the potato in a jar of water, letting the toothpicks rest on the rim of the jar.

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Sensory- Submitted by Sherry

The following items can be added to the sensory table:

· String, hay, sticks, and yarn to make birds nests.

· Tadpoles and water.

· Dirt with worms.

· Seeds

· Water and boats.

· Ice cubes to watch them melt.

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Seed Counting- Submitted by Sherry

On an index card, mark a numeral. The number of cards prepared will depend upon the developmental appropriateness for the children. The children are to glue the appropriate number of seeds onto the card.

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Insect Seriation- Submitted by Sherry

Construction flannel board pieces representing a ladybug, an ant, a caterpillar, a butterfly, etc. The children can arrange them on the flannel board from smallest to largest.

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Animal Babies- Submitted by Sherry

Collect pictures of animals and their young. Place the adult animal pictures in one basket and pictures of the baby animals in another basket. The children can match adult animals to their offspring.

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What’s Inside?- Submitted by Sherry

Inside a large box, place many spring items. Include a kite, an umbrella, a hat, a fishing pole, etc. Select an item without showing the children. Describe the object and give clues about how the item can be used. The children should try to identify the item.

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Terrarium- Submitted by Cheryl

Plastic container Gravel, Small plants Rocks, branches, moss, Plastic wrap Screen or stocking

A terrarium is a world in miniature. Make it and keep it outdoors. Use a large clear plastic container or jug. First, have your child add a layer of pebbles--this will promote drainage. Cover the pebbles with a layer of topsoil about two inches thick. Place a few rocks in the terrarium--these will add natural beauty and will hold heat during cold nights.

Next, add branches and moss, as well as small plants. Select plants growing in conditions that will be similar to those in the terrarium. For instance, if the terrarium is going to be in the shade, select shade plants; if it's going to be partly in the sun, have your child plant semi sun-lovers. Water the terrarium so that it's moist inside (not too much!), then cover the opening with a sheet of plastic.

The terrarium will also make a nice temporary home for worms and other critters--make a screen to allow air flow (or use a stocking) and make sure it's not in the full sun. The children will enjoy checking the terrarium and maintaining this world in miniature.

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Dunk The Ducks- Submitted by Cheryl

Fill a soft-sided inflatable wading pool or use a water table with about 3 inches of water and put three or four plastic floating ducks in it. Then fill several squirt bottles with water. Invite the children to use the square bottles to "dunk the ducks."

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Rainbows- Submitted by Cheryl

What colors are in a rainbow? Do you think we can make a rainbow in the class? Rainbows are made when the water in the air bend light. Show the children a prism and have them see the rainbow the prism makes. On a sunny day you can set a jar of water in the window to make a rainbow in the classroom.

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Weather Chart- Submitted by Cheryl

Each day for the month of April chart the weather. Was it sunny, rainy, cold, warm. Ask your child for as many descriptive words as they can think of about the day!!!

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Measuring Rainfall- Submitted by Cheryl

On a rainy day, set out a container to measure the rainfall. Measure how much rain fell that day. Continue to measure the rain each day, and record for a few weeks. Ask your child to predict how much water will be collected. Ask at the beginning of the day and ask when it is raining. Did their answer change?

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Egg Carton Fun- Submitted by Cheryl

Use a plastic egg carton for this activity. Fill each hole 3/4 full with water. Add red food coloring to one hole, blue to another, and yellow to another. Give your child an eye dropper, show them how to use the eye dropper to move the colored water to clear water, notice how the color changes. Let them experiment. For older children, ask them how to make green, purple, brown, and aqua colors.

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Bean Bag Puddle Toss- Submitted by Cheryl

You need a hula hoop (the puddle) and some bean bags. You can either set up the hula hoop on it's side or on the ground. Have your child try to throw the bean bags into the puddle.

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Jump Over the Puddle- Submitted by Cheryl

Cut out puddle shapes from blue paper or newspaper (you can have the children paint it blue). They need to be small enough for the children to be able to hop over. Then set them on the floor and ask the children to take turns hopping over the puddle.

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Wet or Dry- Submitted by Cheryl

Cut some pictures from a magazine, or show some pictures from a book, ask your child if the objects are wet or dry?

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Rainbow in a Jar- Submitted by Cheryl

Take a large glass jar, fill it 3/4 with water. Drop a single drop of food coloring into the jar from about a foot above the jar, so the coloring makes it's way almost to the bottom. Try different colors.

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Raindrop Fishing- Submitted by Cheryl

Cut out several raindrop shapes from light blue construction paper. Write several numbers or letters on them. Have them laminated. Then place a paper clip on each raindrop. Make a fishing pole out of a dowel or pencil, string and a magnet. Place the raindrops on the floor and have the children sit in chairs around the raindrops. (This may work better with a few fishing poles.) Have the children try to catch a raindrop with the fishing pole. Then, when they catch one.. show it to them and ask what letter or number it is.

Variation: For younger children you could make the raindrops different colors and ask what color is the raindrop

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Which Color is Missing?- Submitted by Cheryl

Draw several different rainbow on small pieces of paper. Each one, exclude a color that should be in the rainbow.. so the first exclude red, second orange... etc. Then make a rainbow that has all the colors. Show the children the rainbow with all the colors on it. Ask what colors do they see. Then show each card to the children and ask them if they can guess what color is missing.

Variation: Put the colors in the wrong order. See if the children can see which color is not in the right place.

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Kite Match File Folder Game- Submitted by Cheryl

Make 8 kites on the inside of a file folder using six different wallpaper patterns. Draw on the tails. Cover with clear contact. Make 8 kite shapes without the tails. Cover with contact for durability. The child matches each kite shape to the one with the same wallpaper patterns. The kites can be kept in a plastic bag and clipped to the folder when not in use.

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Tulip Planting- Submitted by Cheryl

Initial consonant sounds blossom at this springtime center! Program each of a set of construction paper pot cutouts (see link below) with a different consonant letter. Then program tulip cutouts (see link below) with pictures of things that begin with the programmed consonant letters. Attach a green construction paper stem to each tulip cutout; then program the backs of the cutouts for self-checking. Laminate all cutouts for durability. Use an X-acto knife to cut a slit in each pot cutout; then store the cutouts in a real flowerpot. A youngster spreads the cutouts faceup on a tabletop, then "plants" each tulip in the matching pot. When his planting is complete, the youngster "picks" each tulip and flips it to check

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Scrambled Eggs by Milton and Bradley- Submitted by Sherry

This is a purchased game that comes with a pan full of eggs and a a spatula. The eggs open to show a color and a shape. Also are coordinating egg cards that are used to match to the eggs in the pan.

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Bunny Bean Bag Toss- Submitted by Sherry

Using posterboard, draw a 2x3 grid on. Then in each square draw a bunny with a motion: wiggle your ears, twitch your nose, thump your foot, wiggle your tail, nibble on a carrot, hop away. Then in an easter gift bag, place bean bags in to be used with this game board. Have the children toss a beanbag and then perform whichever action it lands on!

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Sensory Table- Submitted by Sherry

I placed ALOT of green easter grass and LOTS of plastic eggs, small oval to large oval, for the children to hunt through.

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Sensory Table- Submitted by Sherry

Place several types of seeds, leaves and buds in the sensory table along with magnifying glasses. Allow the children to observe the small details of seeds, leaves and buds. Later in the day I ask them to decribe details they have seen.

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Rain Water Play- Submitted by Sherry

How about some water play? I filled the buckets from our sand and rice table with water. Add some plastic boats and cups, put smocks on the kids and let them have fun! They loved it. Just remember to lay down a plastic sheet under the kids feet (I used an old shower curtain we had at the school).

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Plants- Submitted by Sherry

Have each student place a wet papertowel and a dried bean into a ziploc bag. Tape to the inside of the window at the children’s level. Make a similar bag but tape it inside a dark closet or storage cabinet. Have the students make predictions about what will happen.

The students will be able to observe the bean sprouting and losing it’s seed coat. Allow the students to compare/contrast the beans in the window with the bean in the darkness. Give them the opportunity to closely inspect their bean sprout, but be forewarned, this can be smelly. Then allow the students to plant their bean sprouts and place them back in the sunshine for observation.

If appropriate, your students could keep a journal from the beginning of this project to the end. They could write their predictions and observations in their journal.

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Horrible Hair- Submitted by Sherry

Have the students draw a face on a white styrofoam cup. Then, plant grass in the cup, and watch the "hair" grow! The students will enjoy giving this guy a haircut and watching it grow back!

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Spring Walk- Submitted by Sherry

Take a walk, then come back and have your students participate in making a class book. The sentence frame could be “I saw a __. “ Each student illustrates their sentence.

You could also read the book I Went Walking. Your sentence frame could be “I went walking. What did you see? I saw a (color) (object) looking at me.”

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Sand Table Flower Garden- Submitted by Sherry

Challenge youngsters to plant flowers of all heights and sizes right in your sand table. Enhance your sand center with small plastic shovels, empty yogurt containsers, a basket of inexpensive fake flowers in three different heights. (Trim the stems of the flowers, if necessary) As your little gardeners plant pots and rows of flowers, demonstrate how to compare the sizes of the flowers using words such as big, tall, tallest, short, shorter, shortest and so on.

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Clothesline Fish- Submitted by Sherry

Fishing line, Clothespins, Construction paper

Prepare a fishing line with numbered clothespins (one through ten) on it. The clothespins should be in sequential order. Draw and cut out ten fish; write numerals one through ten on them. Have children place numbered fish on the line by matching the correct numerals.

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Tactile Bag- Submitted by Sherry

Use fish confetti and add to 1/2 cup light corn syrup and blue food coloring put in a resealable ziploc bag. They can chase the fish around in the bag. (Make sure to sqeeze air bubbles out.)

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Bird Watching- Submitted by Sherry

Make bird house or bird feeders. Use the opportunity to explain how different animals weather the winter; some hibernate, others store up food and poke their heads out for occasional adventures, and still others head for the warm country. Talk about how they weather the winter compared to spring.

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Beanstalk House- Submitted by Sherry

Make a teepee-like frame out of six to eight 5-foot-long bamboo or wood stakes. Draw a circle about four feet in diameter in the dirt. Evenly space the stakes around the circle and push the bottoms into the ground. Then tie the stakes together at the top. Lash seven 2- to 3-foot cross-stakes to the stakes near the ground, leaving a door. Tie three to four strings between each of the stakes from the top to each of the cross-stakes.

Purchase pole bean seeds, such as "Kentucky Wonder," and plant three seeds below each string and stake. As the seedlings grow, gently help them get over to the nearest string. Eventually, the beans will "learn" to grow on the strings by themselves. In about a month (depending on the seed variety and your growing season), the entire bean house will be covered with green stems, flowers, and eventually . . . beans.

By the way, the reason you left one side open is to allow the children the pleasure of enjoying sitting their very own bean house.

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Grow a "Living" Alphabet or Words- Submitted by Sherry

You'll need a small patch of garden or flower bed space. Or, some aluminum pie pans will do--just punch holes in the bottom for drainage, then fill them with potting soil.

Write something or draw pictures using a twig, popsicle stick, or utensil (a finger works well, too). Pre-readers might want to write individual letters or draw shapes. Older kids might want to write their names or draw simple scenes. Your child should make indentations about half an inch deep. When the words or pictures are complete, give your child grass seed and demonstrate how to place the seeds an eighth of an inch or so apart. Fill up all the indentations, cover with a fine layer of top soil, water, and in ten days the children should begin to see grass words and pictures. Try this one: "Please Keep off the Grass."

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Wheelbarrow Planter- Submitted by Sherry

Plastic Scoops from Laundry detergent Milk Gallon Cap Glue Potting Soil Seeds Take the plastic scoop from laundry detergent (wash it ) and glue on each side towards the handle the plastic lid off a gallon milk jug. It makes a little wheelbarrow. Next add potting soil and let the kids plant seeds in it. I always plant either grass seeds or beans because they grow so fast.

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Potato Planters- Submitted by Sherry

Potato Misc. craft Supplies Potting Soil Grass Seed

Scoop out some of the potato before you give it to the children. Let the children make a face with the pipe cleaners, yarn and eyes. When they have finished add the soil and grass seed, when the grass grows your potato has hair.

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Season Timeline- Submitted by Sherry

During this early childhood activity children learn the about the four seasons by matching pictures to go with each season and matching teacher made sensory bottles.

Materials: 4 clear soda bottles, white, green, yellow, and orange construction paper, glycerine or baby oil, yellow, green, and orange food coloring, glitter and seasonal objects to float in bottles, pictures of seasons (clothing, holidays, landscapes, etc.).

Description: Make 4 season bottles.

Winter is white with snowflakes or white glitter.

Spring is green water with green grassy glitter and flower pieces.

Summer is yellow water with yellow suns or something summery.

Fall is orange water with glittery leaf shapes.

Fill each bottle almost to the top with water and put food coloring and some glycerine or baby oil in it. The children love to shake these! Each picture should be glued on the correct color of paper and laminated. Also glue a circle shape of the correct color on the top of the bottle. This is helpful when the child matches each picture. They can look at the color of the paper around the picture and match to the color of the top of the bottle and to the color of the water. I change the pictures frequently. The children like finding new pictures.

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Springtime Planting Fun- Submitted by Sherry

Teaches children about springtime and how seeds grow with this activity that results in cute gift.

Grass seeds, soil, Styrofoam cups, wiggle eyes, yarn, glue, pom-poms, felt etc.

Students will plant grass seeds in soil inside Styrofoam cup. Then decorate outside of the cup with face using the wiggle eyes, pom-poms and yarn to create eyes, nose and mouth. When the grass grows in that becomes the "hair". Thus you have a grass head.

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The Sensory Table- Submitted by Sherry

is filled with coffee or rice, two of our kids favorites. We add silk flowers, make sure the stems are only about 6" so they'll stand up in the 'vases'. Little plastic buckets or vases and trowels are added and they 'plant' flowers to their hearts content.

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Frog Aquarium- Submitted by Sherry

We also do a Unit on frogs and this year we're having Collect a 2 liter bottle for each child. They fill it with blue colored water, aquarium gravel, glitter and a small water balloon 'tadpole' not filled, just tied. Sometimes, if we have green easter grass, we add a little of that and seal the bottle with duct tape or hot glue the lid and each child has their own aquarium shaker with a tadpole.

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Planting Seeds- Submitted by Sherry

Plant seeds and watch them grow. Keep a record of when they sprout, how they are growing,etc. Also, they can draw pictures of the plants. Good seeds are radish,lettuce, and marigolds.

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Pin the Tail on the Bunny- Submitted by Sherry

Played like Pin the Tail on the Donkey.

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Hen and Chicks- Submitted by Sherry

Mother Hen (chosen child) leaves the room, one or more children are chosen to chirp very softly until Mother Hen finds them.

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Magic Circle- Submitted by Sherry

Exploring activity. Give each child or group a meter length of string to outline a circle on the ground. Let them use a magnifying glass to see what can be found in their area. Encourage them to look carefuly under stones and in grass for items.

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Which Way Does the March Wind Blow?- Submitted by Sherry

The wind is an ever-changing part of nature. Construct a weather vane and chart the wind direction. Cut a 15 by 2 cm. piece of heavy duty foil.Bend the foil in half around a 6 cm. piece of drinking straw. Press the ends of the strip tightly together and tape them near where they wrap around the straw. Also, tape the foil to the straw to keep the strip from sliding off. Put a nail through the straw and push it into the centre of a rectangle cardboard base. Spread the 2 foil ends slightly. Place outdoors to see which way the wind is blowing. Chart the results.

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Find the Egg Game- Submitted by Sherry

Teacher hides an egg while one child covers their eyes or goes out of the room. This child is the Parent Duck. The Parent duck tries to find the egg. All the ducklings (other children) quack softly and more and more loudly as Parent gets closer to where the egg is hidden, When the egg is found choose another Parent Duck and repeat.

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Duck, Duck, Goose- Submitted by Sherry

Children sitting in a circle. One child walks around the circle touching each child on the head saying saying, "Duck, duck..." The child chooses a person and says "Goose." That child gets up and chases the other around the circle back to his/her spot where the first child sits down. The second child begins the game again.

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Missing Duck Eggs- Submitted by Sherry

Put on grass, one egg per child. The children squat down, tucking hands under armpits, as ducks. Have a home base, a nest for the eggs to be returned to. As a duck they cannot use their hands to pick them up but must find other ways to get the egg back to the nest. Kick it with their foot, without standing up, or butting it with head, First one to get a egg back to the nest, is the winner.

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Signs of Spring- Submitted by Sherry

Spring is the time of the year when the whole world awakens from a long sleep. Surprise the children with these fun spring activities! Plan a morning or afternoon walk to observe and record signs of spring. Keep a chart of the signs of spring that the children see during the day.

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Growth of a Seed- Submitted by Sherry

Teach preschool and kindergarten children how and why plants and vegetables grow with this early childhood activity with the planting process and then allowing them to care for their own plant.

Styrofoam cups, bag of soil, measuring devices = 1/2c. and 1 tablespoon, various seeds, newspaper, markers, and water.

Read The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein followed by a discussion centered on the various things plants, vegetables, and trees provide us with. Next have children decorate the cups with markers and write their names on the bottom. Have each child put 1/2 cup of soil in their cup and use their finger to make a hole for the seeds. After they have picked out what it is they wish to grow, have them drop 3-4 of the seeds into the hole, and cover completely with dirt. After the children feed their seeds 3 tablespoons of water the process of growth is ready to begin.

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Umbrella Math- Submitted by Cindy

Add a splash to math with these umbrella activities. Use umbrella patterns to prepare a supply of different-colored construction paper or wallpaper umbrella shapes. Then watch as a multitude of math activities pour out of these umbrellas.

Invite students to work with classmates to put the umbrellas in order by size. Encourage youngsters to sort the umbrellas by size, color, or design.

Divide the umbrellas into unnamed categories. Ask student to find the similarities and differences in the groups.

Arrange umbrellas to create a pattern. Challenge students to discover and extend the pattern.

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Blooming Bingo- Submitted by Cindy

To prepare, cut six flower petals and six squares from each of six different colors of construction paper. Also, cut six strips of green paper to represent stems. Store each set of same-colored petals in a separate resealable plastic bag and store all of the squares in a paper bag.

To play this game with six children, give a stem to each child in the group. Ask each child to choose a set of same-colored petals to use as markers. Pick a square from the bag. Have the children name its color. Instruct the child who has the corresponding color of petals to place one petal on her stem. Each time a child completes a flower--by placing all six petals on her stem--she announces, "Blooming Bingo!" Continue picking squares until each child has completed her flower. Everyone's a winner!

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Ladybugs, Ladybugs- Submitted by Cindy

You'll be seeing spots after making this fun counting center. Spray-paint about 85 large lima beans red. (That's 78 for the game, plus extras.) When the beans are dry, provide several black, fine-tip permanent markers and invite little ones to help you draw dots on the beans. Label each compartment of an egg carton with a different numeral from 1 to 12. Store the beans (ladybugs) in a resealable bag. To use the center, a child identifies the numeral in a compartment of the egg center and puts in the matching number of ladybugs.

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Ladybug Counting- Submitted by Cindy

Little ones will spread their wings and fly over to your math area for some number fun with ladybugs! Make a set of ten ladybug manipulatives to help your students practice counting and numeral recognition. To make one ladybug, cut two circles of the same size from red, laminated construction paper and a smaller circle from black, laminated construction paper. Cut one of the red circles in half to create two wings. Use a permanent marker to label the uncut red circle with a numeral from 1 to 10; then draw the corresponding number of dots on the wing set. Fasten all four pieces together with a metal brad as shown. Invite a child at this center to count the dots on a ladybug's wings and then spread the wings to see the corresponding numeral.

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Flowers in a Row- Submitted by Cindy

A little gardening at this center will go a long way toward keeping letter recognition in bloom in your classroom. For each letter that you'd like to include, cut out a small construction paper card. Label each card with a different letter; then glue a craft stick to the back of each card. Form vertical rows of sand in your sand table; then plant the letter cards in the sand, as shown. Next, cut out a large supply of construction paper flowers. Also cut out--or have your students cut out--letters from magazines. Glue each letter to a flower; then glue a craft stick to the back of each flower. Place all of the flowers in a basket near your sand table. When a child visits this center, he takes a flower from the basket, then plants it in the corresponding row. He continues in this manner until all of the flowers have been planted.

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Handy Seeds- Submitted by Lisa in VA

Take the plastic gloves the lunch ladies use. Place just about a T. of water in each finger. Now tape them to the window with the tape just above the water. Then drop a bean in each finger, just above the tape. Bean should not touch the water! Tapeup the top of the glove and wait a few days. THe beans will sprout, roots go down to the water, plant, up. We use the 15 bean mix, to watch the different beans. Limas will sprout first! MAny plants will continue to grow up and out of the glove! If the beans end up in the water---they STINK!!!!

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Wild Birdseed- Submitted by Cheryl

Fill a couple of large tubs or the sensory table with wild birdseed. Provide the children with funnels, measuring cups, measuring spoons, bowls etc. Spend some time at the table talking with the children about measurements. "How many quarter cups will it take to fill up this cup?" How many teaspoons are there in this quarter cup? Let's count them."

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Mud Prints- Submitted by Cheryl

Mix up mud in a bucket and spread it along the ground for about 2 yards. Make it about 3/4 inch thick. Now put on two old shoes that are each different and walk along the mud road. Next change to two different shoes again. Take giant steps and baby steps. Smooth the mud to start again. Talk about the prints. Ask the children to discribe what they see. Give everyone a turn--have the kids see you take a turn!

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Louder Than Thunder- Submitted by Sherry

This is a great activity if you have any children that are afraid of thunder. Provide each child with a tin can or metal bowl and a spoon. Set the activity up near a window area so you can see the flash of lightning to signal a clap of thunder is on its way. Have the children bang on their cans/bowls with the spoons, trying to be louder than the thunder they hear.

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Rainy Day Walk- Submitted by Cheryl

Boots, Raincoats, Umbrellas

Write a note home asking parents to send children to school on the next rainy day with the above items (umbrella, boots, and raincoat). Take a rainy day walk around your neighborhood. Ask children to notice what is different about rainy days; i.e. smells sounds, sky, sights etc. When you get back write down children's observations to post on your bulletin board. You may even want to take some photos and make a book about your outing and what you noticed about your local environment in the rain!

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Puddles- Submitted by Cheryl

Look at puddles with no equipment. Discuss the concept of reflection. Look into puddle when water is absolutely still. Note the effect of the wind. What happens to water and reflection? Does a sunny or cloudy day make any difference? Deliberately cause disturbances on the water by gently dropping small objects into the puddle. What pattern do the ripples make? Try dropping objects near the edge of the puddle. Compare the patterns made with previous patterns. What happens when you cause a disturbance with your hand, your finger etc. Extend descriptive language, dabbling, patting, splashing, trickling etc. Listen to the sounds it makes.

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Bug Hunt- Submitted by Sherry

Go for a bug hunt outside. Provide a box to collect them, and magnifing glasses to allow the children a better view.

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Butterfly Wing Match- Submitted by Sherry

Draw five butterflies and color them. Clip art works well. Have them laminated, then cut them in half, and have the children put them back together like a puzzle.

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Bee Stripes- Submitted by Sherry

Make a number of bees with different number of stripes. Have the children count the number of black or yellow stripes on the bee.

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Bee a Bee- Submitted by Sherry

Have the children pretend to be a bee or bug and buzz around the room.

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Ladybug Chart- Submitted by Sherry

Chart the number of dots each ladybug had that the children made. Who had the most, least....?

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Bug Farm- Submitted by Sherry

Collect bugs in a jar, and let the children examine them with a magnifying glass. Return the bugs to their homes so they do not die.

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Sand table Fun- Submitted by Sherry

Add plastic bugs to your sand or water table.

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Fruit Snack Fun- Submitted by Sherry

I believe that Farley's makes fruit snack bugs. The children love to eat them:)

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Bug Sorting and Matching- Submitted by Sherry

Provide the children with plastic bugs to sort and match.

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Spider Webbing- Submitted by Sherry

Provide children with a chair and some yarn or string. Ask them to create a spiders web by wrapping the string aroung the legs of the chair.

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Spider Legs- Submitted by Sherry

Draw eight different spiders on index cards. The spiders should be drawn with 1 to 8 legs. Ask your child to arrange the spiders according to how many legs the spiders have.

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Spider Walk- Submitted by Sherry

Have the children do a spider walk, by placing their hands and feet on the floor and lifting their bottom off the floor.

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Spider Walk Race- Submitted by Sherry

Have the children race each other while walking like a spider. Or try a relay race.

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Mr. Rainbow Says- Submitted by Sherry

Played just like "Simon Say" except the teacher says "Mr. Rainbow Says". With younger children, do not make children sit out... just say "Mr. Rainbow didn't say".

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Rainbow Musical Chairs- Submitted by Sherry

If they children made raindrow headbands, have them wear them during this activity. Arrange the chairs in a circle. If you have younger children it is best to have too many chairs. This can be a game where everyone wins. Place different color circles on each chair. Have the children walk around the chairs until the music stops. Then everyone finds a chair. Ask who is sitting on a chair with a red circle? Blue? Etc.

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Rainbow Bean Bag Toss- Submitted by Sherry

Cut out three raindrop shapes from a piece of cardboard. Paint around the shapes with blue. When dry, prop up the cardboard and have the children play bean bag toss, trying to get the bean bags in the raindrop holes.

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What time is it Mr. Raindrop?- Submitted by Sherry

This is a fun game to play outside. You can change the name to suit any theme. The children all line up against a wall or fence. And one child, Mr. Raindrop or the teacher faces away from the children, a good distance away from the children. The children yell, what time is it "Mr. Raindrop", Mr. Raindrop answers 1 o'clock, and the children all take one step toward Mr. Raindrop. The children yell again, what time is it "Mr. Raindrop", Mr. Raindrop answers (fill in the blank) o'clock, and the children all take same number of step toward Mr. Raindrop. This continues until all the children are very close to Mr. Raindrop, then Mr. Raindrop will answer it's midnight, and chases the children back to the fence or wall that they started at. The first person Mr. Raindrop touches will be the new Mr. Raindrop.

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What's under the Rainbow?- Submitted by Sherry

Find a very colorful sock. Place something in the sock, like a block, or a toy. Let the child feel the object and try to guess what it is.

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