Activity book for toddlers/preschoolers

[sunnydays]

I have seen some books advertised with many activities to do with toddlers and preschoolers (not just crafts and paper-based activities, but games to play, etc), but I don't want to waste money on one if it isn't good. Does anyone know of any good books with ideas for activities/games?

[jec]

I purchase books from everywhere. Scholars Choice the teachers' store has some amazing books if you want to spend the money. I take photo copies for my little monkeys and keep the books to use over and over again. I've found some great books from the dollar store, zellers.

You could even get the kids to decorate their own doatang activity book (spelled that wrong but spelled so you could understand me...my spelling is HORRIBLE ) and then just add them as they do them and or make one up for them to do.

[Momof4]

I was printing out pages and buying books with letters to trace and mazes and games and my children last year who went off to JK barely touched them. They were an all action group and just wanted to play and play. I had better luck setting up different things daily like: scissor practice, a sensory bin full of different things, colouring with paper, a matching game and a pompom sorting game and set them all at the dining room table, then after 10 minutes they passed it on. Great way to pass an hour and still keep them interested. Now I have 2 three year olds and 3 babies so I'm really challenged this year.

[sunnydays]

Actually it was more the kinds of activities you mentioned (sorting pom poms etc) that I am looking for, not paper based activities. I am looking for things to do with 18months to 2 1/2 year olds to give them fun learning acitivities in addition to all the free play. We do painting, colouring, playdough, etc and I have just discovered that they love playing Simon Says and Ring Around the Rosie...but I am looking for more active/learning activities to do with them...by games, I meant active games like Simon Says. Any ideas anyone?

I was printing out pages and buying books with letters to trace and mazes and games and my children last year who went off to JK barely touched them. They were an all action group and just wanted to play and play. I had better luck setting up different things daily like: scissor practice, a sensory bin full of different things, colouring with paper, a matching game and a pompom sorting game and set them all at the dining room table, then after 10 minutes they passed it on. Great way to pass an hour and still keep them interested. Now I have 2 three year olds and 3 babies so I'm really challenged this year.

[Momof4]

Oh, I see! Just off the top of my head these are inside winter things we do: In my toyroom we do red light, green light, which reinforces what I teach them when we are walking on the streets. We play 'what time is it mr. wolf?' and I just use small #'s. I just put them at the farthest end of the room and I stand at the other end. We dance a lot of course and play marching dinosaurs or change into a tall giraffe, then a small mouse, then a hopping bunny and so on. Lots of role play games. I had an easter egg hunt last easter in the toyroom and they loved it so much now I hide the finger puppets once in a while and they have a hunt. I have superhero capes that a friend of mine made and they run in a circle or they run around playing racecars or do spinning helicopters. There are so many things you can do without having to be structured.

[playfelt]

Songs that use body parts will seem like games to them so things like head and shoulders but keep doing it faster and faster - for little ones it is best done sitting down as they tend to be top heavy and fall over when they try to reach their toes - funny but...

Another option is to take our theme and put it into a search box typing in preschool themes -....... then check out what some people have posted

This Sunday the CCPRN office will be open. It might be worth stopping in sometime during the day 9 - 3 and checking out the resource books there. Members can sign them out too or you can photocopy ideas.

Lots of active things to familiar tunes such as Here we go round the mulberry bush tune and you sing This is the way we (put in an action like brush our teeth, jump up and down, etc) early in the morning ( or on a Friday morning or while we are at daycare ---- lots to make up as you go along.

Finger plays you act out like Five little monkeys go over well usually.

Tune If you are happy and you know it: new words If you're happy and you know it (shake your foot, touch your nose, raise your hand). Do different body actions till they get bored.

[sunnydays]

Playfelt: I am a CCPRN member and am thinking about trying to find time to come by on Sunday (I saw that you will be there too!). Maybe I'll see you there!

Another thing I do with "If you're happy and you know it" is that I use different emotions and different actions...like "if you're mad and you know it stomp your feet" etc...they love this and it is good for learning emotions and actions combined. Thanks for all the new ideas!

[playfelt]

That would be great kangaroomama to meet you on Sunday. I think it is the new staff member Jo that will be there so looking forward to meeting her too. Just remember if you want to do any diecutting you need to call and book a timeslot and bring your own materials to diecut but the resource books are there for anytime. I'll be there all day because there is a workshop in the morning and one in the afternoon too.

Kids love songs about emotions don't they because when they get their moods it is all or nothing so any emotion they show tends to be over the top be it happy or angry.