Hobbies And Interests
Sensory Opposites
Setting up four sensory tables lets children learn opposites through feeling and tactile memory. The first sensory table contains clean wet, but not dripping, rags, while the second table has clean dry rags. The third table has several hot water bottles and the fourth table has several cold water bottles. The children run and touch the table that holds the opposite of the command word. For example, if you yelled, "Wet!" the children all run and touch the dry rags. Your tables must be large enough and contain enough materials for every child to touch at least part of an object.
Visual Opposites
In this game, the children match and organize visual concept cards. Depict concepts on the cards that are easy to illustrate, such as summer and winter or happy and sad. Scatter the cards face-up and and ask the children to make appropriate matches of opposites. Another option is to hang 8-by-10-inch pictures of opposite concepts on a clothes line and ask the class to point out the opposites as a group. After identifying a matching pair, tack the two images side by side on an adjacent bulletin board.
Opposite Movement
This game lets children use their bodies to learn movement opposites. The children stand in a group or line and respond to your first movement direction before calling out the opposite movement. For example, your first direction is, "shake your hands really fast," all the kids do so. Next, ask the group, "what would be an opposite of shaking your hands really fast?" The children reply with, "shaking your hands slowly," and then do so.
Little Man Opposites
In this game, each child has his own tiny person figure and a small box. Give the kids directions for the figure that includes movement on and around the box. Example instructions include putting the figure over, then under, the box, laying the figure down flat and then standing him back up straight. Using a secondary character makes the experience playful and lets kids see what opposite directions or positions look like.