Hobbies And Interests
Shape Making
Give the kids colorful construction paper in blue, red, purple and yellow. Show them how to trace shapes with a pencil and stencils. Help them trace circles, squares and other shapes. Once the shapes are traced, help the children cut out their shapes and teach them what each shape and color is. This activity will help kids learn about colors and shapes. If you like, you can even help them glue their shapes into a book made out of construction paper. Place three or more sheets of construction paper together and staple them for the kids. Do not allow the children to use a stapler.
Bug Catching and Observing
Give each child a magnifying glass and a glass jar. Take the children out on the grass to look for bugs. Help the children find ladybugs, grasshoppers and other small bugs. The kids place the bugs in their jars and then take them back to the class for even more observation. Teach them about being gentle to the bugs and about how the bugs help nature. Give each child crayons and paper so they can draw their bug or bugs.
Musical Chairs
Musical chairs is an entertaining preschool activity that keeps kids on their toes. Play the music and ask kids to dance around several chairs in the room. If you have 10 children, only supply eight chairs. The children are supposed to hurry and sit on a chair when the music is turned off. The kids who don't get to a chair in time sit out. Remove one chair before the music starts again. Continue playing this game until there is only one child sitting on a chair. This child is the winner. Give out a prize or special privileges to the winning child.
Make a Pinwheel
A pinwheel craft is simple yet dynamic. Small preschool children may need assistance making this craft. The materials needed are scissors, a ruler, card stock paper, a pencil stick and a flat thumb tack. You can find card stock at your local craft store or use paper from an old card. First help the child cut the card stock into a square shape. The kids can decorate it with stickers, markers or simply color designs on the paper. Fold the card diagonally to create a cross-shaped fold that extends from corner to corner.
This will split the card into four triangles. Use the scissors to help your child cut down each fold, stopping about 1 inch from the center. Repeat this step with all the folds. Then fold one corner of each triangle shape toward the center. Place the pencil behind the pinwheel and press the tack in the center to secure all the folds in place. Attach the wheel directly to the pencil. For safety reasons, an adult will need to push the tack in place. Hold the pinwheel up and blow on it to ensure that it rotates.