What should I do with the toddler's in my classroom?

Question

I was just hired as a teacher in the toddler classroom at a preschool. This is my first time being the lead teacher, I've been an assistant for four years. I've had a great first month, but I'm running out of ideas! The school that I work at now has fewer art/music supplies/toys than my old center, so I'm having trouble thinking of ways to keep the kids entertained. I want to have a fun classroom! Do you have any ideas for projects or activities?

Answer 1

i think your asking to much.

Answer 2

What are your  toddlers interested in? Extend the things they do.  Follow their interests and plan activities based on that. For example, my toddlers and I were outside one day and a child found a ladybug. We spent a good 20 minutes just watching the ladybug and talking about it. The next day I got books from the library about ladybugs and showed or read them to the children (depending on the level of the book). I used chart paper to write and post in the room things the children said about the ladybug and read it to the children. We painted with red and black. Painted on paper plates. Talked about the shape "circle" (like the ladybug's dots). We did related activities for a week or so.

If you'd like more or different music, borrow from your local library. They likely have a great selection.

I also liked to plan activities by thinking about content areas:  language development, music, movement (be sure to provide for gross motor and fine motor daily), dramatic play, science, mathematics, art.  Are you providing centres or activities relating to these areas daily? For lots of ideas, just google something like "toddlers activities movement".

For the Olympics theme, your own Olympic games. You could cut out paper medals and let the children decorate them. Give one to every child for participating in each "event".  

-2 laundry baskets full of balls. Children have to pick up a ball, run to the other basket, and drop it in.

-Children have to stand a certain distance away from a laundry basket and throw it into the basket. (or just throw it over a line)

-put circles on the floor. Try to encourage children to jump (or sort of toddler jump LOL) from one to the other

-ride a tricycle or riding toy from one line to the next (not to see who is fastest or first, but just to ride from one side to the other)

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Answer 3

You could have them make an olympic torch and have a parade with it (they may be too young to understand the concept of relay, plus they are still kind of in the "Mine!" phase, so handing off might get pretty tricky).

Here is a link for an olympic torch craft:  http://www.quality-kids-crafts.com/olymp...

We also have free printable flag templates at this link:

http://www.quality-kids-crafts.com/templ...

Some other ideas for activities:

Basketball

If you don't have a hoop available, or don't want to make one, just have children throw balls or beanbags into a bucket.

Gymnastics

If you have tumbling mats available, allow children to roll and/or tumble at their level of ability,

If you have a balance beam, use it!  If you don't have a balance beam, lay a strip of masking tape on the floor and have children walk the line.

Obstacle Course

Use what you have to make an obstacle course with lots of under (crawling) over (stepping or jumping) and through (got a tunnel?).  Have each child complete the course while classmates wave flags and/or cheer their "olympian" on.

Soccer

Do this outside!  Allow children to kick a ball toward a net.  Cheer like crazy!

Swimming

This might be kind of hard to pull off, but if you want to have a pretend swimming race, have children WALK while moving their arms in various swim strokes (butterfly, breaststroke, etc.) after demonstrating to them, first.

Track and Field

Have some races.  Allow children to burst through a crepe paper streamer for the finish line.  Try to make sure everyone gets to win.  If necessary, eliminate the winners one by one, make sure they cheer their friends on!

Volleyball

Set up a net (we happen to have the Bella Dancerella barre but it is kind of short - width wise) using string, crepe paper streamers, whatever you have on hand.  The children can try to volley a balloon over the "net" or you could just allow them to play with the balloons by hitting them up in the air.

Weightlifting

Fill plastic bottles with water weighing various amounts (none so full that the children wouldn't be able to lift them).  Allow children to try to lift the bottles and discuss light and heavy.

Wrestling

I wouldn't recommend this, but if you're brave... (seriously, I don't recommend it!)

If you have a YMCA or similar organization closeby, consider having someone come by to bring real sporting equipment for the children to see, or take them to a field trip to see a sport in action.  A Taekwondo or Judo school might like to put on a demonstration.

Have a fun time!