Easy, DIY Preschool Centers to Keep Your Kiddos Occupied and Learning
Now that school has resumed and many families are remote learning, parents have had to get really creative in the "keep your kids occupied" department. It can be challenging to find activities for your children to do that are both engaging and educational. I have put together five, easy-to-assemble activities to encourage learning, focus, concentration, and independent play.
Benefits of Preschool Centers:
-encourage exploration through a variety of mediums and materials
-sensory exploration
-focus and concentration
-active engagement in an activity that does not involve a screen
-problem solving
-motor planning skills
-pre-academic skills such as counting, letter formation, color identification, and sorting/organizing
-independent play skills
-imagination
-pretend play skills
You Will Need the Following:
-Found in Most Homes Already:
Paper
Scissors
Glue
Tape
Markers
Plastic zipper food storage bags
-Found in Many Dollar Stores
Pom Poms
Pipe Cleaners
Small (2 inch) food containers
Craft sticks
Plastic salt and pepper shakers
Small lego containers
Stickers
Foam sheets
A piece of felt
Velcro
Pattern Makers
1.) Cut out strips of paper.
2.) Use 6-8 stickers to create a pattern.
3.) Glue the first 3-4 stickers of the pattern on the sheets.
4.) Put velcro dots on the back of the rest of the pattern stickers.
5.) Provide one at a time to the child and check for understanding. Once it is obvious that your child can complete this task on their own, provide additional strips.
Counting and Color/Number Matching
Cut or punch out 20 small circles (one for the lid of the container and one for inside the container).
Write 1-10 on two of the same color circle.
Glue the circles on the inside of the containers and on the lids to match them.
Once the glue is dried, find a corresponding amount of pom poms that match the color and number of each container.
Provide the materials to your kiddo and demonstrate to them or adjust according to their skill level. For example, if your child cannot read numbers, simply have them sort the colors instead.
Popsicle Stick Scenes
Cut out foam circles and put scratchy side of velcro on the backs.
Put the scratchy side of velcro dots on the backs of the ends and middle of popsicle sticks.
Lay piece of felt (preferably larger than a piece of construction paper) on a flat surface.
Demonstrate how to use the sticks and circles to create scenes on the felt.
Fine Motor Flower and Alien Salt and Pepper Shakers
Cut out flowers, hands, eyes, lips, ears, teeth, etc. for the alien parts out of the foam sheets.
Glue the foam pieces to the backs of the pipe cleaners.
Twist pipe cleaner around a pom pom and glue a googly eye to the pom pom.
You may need to trim some of the pipe cleaners so they won't droop or hang.
Once everything is dried, demonstrate how to put the "flowers" and "the alien parts" into the salt and pepper shakers.
Let your children make their own creations out of the pieces!
Good Old Fashioned Color Sorting
Nothing much to it.....
Find colored containers.
Find a bunch of random colored objects that will fit in the containers (be mindful of choking and other hazards).
Demonstrate to child how to sort the small objects and allow them to explore this activity. Prompt as needed until independent and confident with this skill.