Preschool and Kindergarten Activities

Preschool and Kindergarten Activities that Boost Reading Success!

The FREE two week theme lesson plan (Friendship Theme) was developed to help gain an understanding of how activities can be incorporated to teach young children beginning reading skills.  Although it is geared more towards the beginning of the school year, it gives you of an idea how all strands of learning can be integrated.

If you wish to follow a teaching program that meets the majority of the curriculum guidelines set in kindergarten, you would follow the alphabet program theme sequencing.  Although, it follows the kindergarten curriculum guidelines, it can be adapted for preschool as well.  The theme sequence for this program is outlined in the link below:

Alphabet Program

"The Kissing Hand" by Audrey Penn is a wonderful book to read to the children. The reader "A Retelling of the Kissing Hand" is a great follow-up activity to reading the book.  It is predictable enough that the children could read it to their parents (or pretend read) if it is used each day as a shared reading experience.

Shared Reading the Reader

The reader "A Retelling of the Kissing Hand" would be used for a shared reading experience.  It would be made into a big book using the enlarged pictures, a predictable chart (pictures at the end of the reader) or viewed on a smartboard for all the children to see.

Sample Page from the Reader - Color Version

Preschool and Kindergarten Activities - Follow-up Crafts

Raccoon Craft

The children would paint the raccoon template, cut and assemble as displayed in the photograph. 

Template on pages 17 and 18 in Week 1 Plans in the Friendship Theme Unit

Raccoon Puppet Craft

The mask was colored black, and the mouth colored pink and red.  The outline of the raccoon face was painted gray.  After, it was cut and assembled as shown in the photograph.  This could be used to act out their favorite part of the story "The Kissing Hand."

Template found on page 19 in Week 1 Plans in the Friendship sample unit.

Raccoon Photograph

This can be used in conjunction with the "Science Center" for information about raccoons.

Raccoon Photograph

Preschool and Kindergarten Activities - Writing

After reading recommended books from the theme, the children would complete the following craft suggestions.

Writing and Craft Project - "Something to Hoot About" or "Being Wise About Friends"

After reading books about being a good friend (recommended in the theme unit), the children could tell in their own words what a good friend is.  The teacher would write what the children say on chart paper, modeling the writing process.  After, the children would complete the owl craft displayed.  The owl would be painted and the wings could be made from hand outlines or using the ones supplied in the theme book.  After, what was generated from shared writing would be printed on the speech balloon (if they are not able to print it themselves, it would be printed by an adult assistant).  If this is going to be a bulletin board display it might say "Something to Hoot About" or "Being Wise About Friends".

Owl craft templates found on pages 20-22 in Week 1 Plans in the Friendship theme unit.

Friendship Garden

After reading another recommended book about friendship, the children could make a "Friendship Garden".  Each child would make their own flower for the garden like the one displayed in the photograph.  The flower and stem templates were traced on colored construction paper, cut and assembled.  After, a photograph of the child was cropped, cut and glued in the middle.

Friendship flower templates are found on pages 23-24 in Week 1 Plans in the Friendship theme.

Preschool and Kindergarten Activities - Learning Games

School Lotto Game

This is a simple game.  The children will be matching pictures. 

Game found on pages 33-35 Week 1 Plans.

Rolling Dice Counting Game

The children will move their player according to the amount shown on the die.  If they land on a black circle, they must return to the starting point.  The first person to complete the game is the winner.  This is a great counting, directional and probability game.  Other games found in the member's area require this skill, so this would be a great time for them to learn this.

Directions for this game on page 34 and game board on page 36.

Math

The focus this week is simple counting of manipulatives.

Bonus Readers

Bonus Reader 1 - Overcoming Nervousness

The story Jiggle Worms found in the theme unit is a great story to use for shared  reading the first day of kindergarten or preschool.  The children (cartoon characters) get rid of their nervousness (represented by the term jiggle worms) by doing certain movements. This reader is found on the theme unit website page.

Bonus Reader 2 - School Shape Book

The pictures would be used to make a predictable chart about what they learned at school.  After, this would be made into a predictable chart. After the pictures would be used to make a school shape book like the one displayed on the right. This can be taken home so the children can read it to their parents.  If the chart has been read each day, the children should be able to read the text. This is found in the Friendship theme unit.

Preschool and Kindergarten Activities - Names

Week 2 Plans

The focus for this week will be on working with names.

Connection to Literature

In the next few days the children will be working with names.  The book "Chrysanthemum" is a good introduction to this.  This book is about a girl who loves her name until she attends kindergarten.  The children find her name amusing. 

Related Emergent Reader

The emergent reader "Family of Friends" would be used as a follow-up activity to reading this book.  The reader would be used as a shared reading experience using a predictable chart for all the children to view.  The pictures from the reader would be placed beside the text.  Each day new and different names would be added to the text (displayed in the photograph above).  The reader is found in the "Free Friendship" theme.

Interactive Component

The children would be printing, stamping or having their friend print their name on the pages that say "My friend's name is".

 Preschool and Kindergarten Activities - Name Crafts

Joining of Friends Craft Activity

In the Friendship theme unit you will find the templates to make the "Joining of Friends" craft displayed on the right. The children could trace the body from the template. After, the body shape is cut and facial features are added.  The children could try and sort through a number of names on a table and identify their name.  Once the name is found, this could be glued on, stamped or printed on the body.

Templates found on pages 52 and 53 in Week 1 Plans

Name Badge

The badge template would be traced on colored construction paper.  The children would print their name on it and decorate it.  It would be tied around their neck or pinned to their shirt.

Template on page 54 in Week 2 Plans

Rainbow Name

The name could be printed or typed and the children color around it with a felt.  They should use at least three different colors.

Template page 57 in Week 2 Plans

Literacy Games - Name Recognition

Name Game

Names would be printed on the templates provided.  The children will be drawing names and matching.

Templates and directions on pages 55 and 56 in Week 2 Plans

Name Building

The children build names using letters printed on bingo chips.  This game is displayed in the photograph to the right.

Directions for this game is found on page 42 in Week 2 Plans

Alphabet Learning

The book "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom" could be used for this purpose.

Follow-up Activity

The children could make their own alphabet coconut tree like the one displayed on the right. The children would trace the trunk on brown construction paper and cut it out. After, they would trace the palm leaves on green construction paper and cut them out. The leaves would be glued on the trunk. The alphabet coconuts would be colored, cut and glued to the tree.

Craft templates found on pages 48-51 in Week 2 Plans

Literacy Center Games - Introduction to Upper-Case and Lower-Case Letters and Matching Partners

During circle time the children will be introduced the alphabet letters that look the same to their lower-case letters and those that look different.  Children will be playing the matching games displayed.  There is an answer key provided for those children that are not ready to match the letters on their game board. This will allow them to play the games and in the meantime learn the matching lettes by using the answer key as a guide.

Templates, directions on how to play the game and an answer key guide (for those children requiring assistance) found on pages 58-62

Alphabet Cards

Alphabet cards can be used for the children to place in the correct order or for making their names.  The pictures on the cards represent the letter sounds introduced in the Kinderplans "Alphabet Program". 

Alphabet cards are found on pages 63-67

Math

The focus for this week will be on sorting manipulatives, suggestions are included in the theme unit.

Preschool and Kindergarten Activities - Music Focus