Activities for young children?

Question

I am a Child Care student at college and I have to make a folder of all different activities that involve sand, water, mud, clay, dough or plasticine for the age ranges 0-18 months, 18 months - 3 years, 3-5 years and 5-8 years.

If you have any good ideas please let me know (in detail with age range the activity is for and instructions of how to play and equipment needed).

Just to let you know for this folder I need to do at least 2 activities for each medium per age range, e.g. for age 0-18 months I will need 2 activities involving sand, 2 involving mud, 2 involving water, etc for all the ages.

Answer 1

You can go skating with your children. go to the movies with them and ask them whant they want to do.

Answer 2

I'm a second year child care student. We did a lot of projects like this. Just remember to make sure that they are all developmentally appropriate. Some children may be at different learning level than others their age. For 5-8 year olds you could collect plastic pop bottles and have them put different colors of sand in them. This would be a great science learning project and fun too. Just make sure that the tops are glued on so they can't open them afterwards. Good luck with your project. Working with children is very rewarding!  :)

Answer 3

Here are several ides-Hope they help!

Water Based Activities (5-8 and older)

To make one "Ocean in a Bottle," you will need a clean, empty two-liter plastic bottle with a lid, clear vegetable oil, water, a funnel, blue food coloring, shells and sea creatures (available from craft stores- be sure to use lightweight items that float), one teaspoon of glitter, white craft glue and a hot glue gun (to be used ONLY by staff and supervised by staff at all times).

Fill bottle halfway with water. Add a few drops of blue food coloring and swirl around to mix. Add glitter and sea creatures/shells and then fill bottle the rest of the way with vegetable oil using a funnel. Make sure that cap and rim are dry and then apply white glue around rim and seal cap. Use a layer of hot glue around the outside edge of the cap for additional protection from leakage. Turn the bottle on its side to create a wave in this ocean habitat!  Origianally from Kids domain website--however plainer versions are well known everywhere!

Rain Art. (3-8) Childen put on rain gear and take heavy duty paper plates outside. Sprinkle a few drops of food coloring onto plates and watch as designs appear. For a batik effect, first draw on the plate with white crayon and then add the food coloring. (rain is water)

Guess how much it will rain! (5-8) Put a cup outside and measure it when it’s finished raining. Can also leave cup out overnight. Make a chart for estimates; closest estimate gets a prize.

Winter Water ideas (some use water made into ice)

Snow Art (4-8)

Give children squirt bottles filled with colored water and let them color the snow.

Pass the Ice Game (3-6)

Play just like hot potato only with an ice cube. When the music stops clap for the person with the ice.

Jell-O/Kool-Aid Art (3-8)

Kool-Aid or Jell-O (in powder form), Ice, Paper ……..Make ice in a Popsicle mold. Sprinkle Kool-Aid or Jell-O (pr powdered Tempera paint) on the paper. Use the ice Popsicle to push the powder around and design. (also can use powdered tempera paint)

Ice Man (5-8)

Fill three balloons with water (one big, one medium, and one small). Let freeze overnight. Peel the balloon off and stack the balls (use salt between to help them melt and stick together. Take outside and have kids clothe him, put a carrot nose, stick arms, etc.

This next is a good lesson poem-(4 to 8)

It would be used with a theme of  Earth Day/Conservation of water

Water's what we bathe in,

Water's what we drink,

Water keeps plants alive,

Without it fish would sink.

Water comes from rivers,

Water comes from rain.

And every drop that's wasted

Is just water down the drain!

For MUD ....(2-6) great young activity –too long to write here Description: Outdoor Activities/Science: Messy Mounds of Mud Play.Take advantage of opportunities to explore messy, muddy mud in the great outdoors!

http://content.scholastic.com/browse/art...

There are a zillion no cook play dough recipes and ideas on the net! Pick your favorite. There are also jewelry items made from clay that you can find on web.

With older kids—HAVE THEM MAKE the paly dough ! Edible play dough is an idea …here are a couple

Oatmeal Play dough

One part flour

One part water

Two parts oatmeal

Mix all ingredients well until smooth. Knead and play.

Peanut Butter Play dough

Cocoa

Eight oz. peanut butter

Six tablespoons honey

Nonfat dry milk

Mix all ingredients, adding enough dry milk to make dough pliable.

You could also have older kids make a diorama in a box with CLAY

Have fun --it'll be good resource for you!

Answer 4

There's a book called "The Arts and Crafts Busy Book" by Kuffner. There are TONS of ideas in there. I'm sure your local library has a copy.