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EHS Week of the Young Child/Transition

Updated: Jul 17, 2023

Changes to Environment

Multicultural paper, crayons, paint, etc Children Puppets Children Figurines Pre-cut hand prints Pictures of children within the center Mirrors Children shape stamps Children shape cookie cutters Children’s magazines Books about children, being special, different Books about transitioning Empty containers of things that children like to eat, drink etc “All about me” blocks (children decorate a capri sun box with pictures of their selves, family, things they like, etc) Measuring chart Backpack Pencil Box Laminated ruler Name Cards Pictures of classroom and teachers they will be moving up to Each day can be a theme ex. crazy sock day, pj day, sport day, etc Water Table: texture balls, laminated children cutouts or pictures of the kids, paint cups, colored water, paint brushes, white foam pieces, etc. Sensory Table:  large pom poms, plastic ice cream scoops, plastic ice cream cones, ice cube trays, plastic tongs, etc


Teaching Concepts for Indoor Experiences

1. Paint with hands 2. Dance art (play music while children dance in paint on paper) 3. Trace the child’s body or let them trace each other on paper then let them decorate and color 4. Make an “All about me” book 5. Glue pictures cut out of a magazine to make a collage of your favorite things 6. Look at pictures of the classroom and teachers children will be moving up to. 7. Tape paper to underneath of the table, let children lay on the floor and color on the paper (like the artist Michelangelo)









8. Each child will put together their own name puzzle (craft sticks are HS only, could use foam or cardboard instead )


9. Decorate homemade paper airplanes 10. Pretend play make your favorite meal, have a dinner party 11. Dance in front of a mirror, make faces and be silly ​12. Practice cutting paint swatches, try to stay on the line


13. Show and Tell Day

Have a Show and Tell Day where children bring an item from home to help everyone get to know them better.

It might be a family picture, favorite toy, etc.

EXTENSION: After show and tell, most kids want to play with the items they brought in. You could set up a "display table" on show and tell day where the children place their items. The only rule is that it is a looking and talking table--they do not take the items off the table to play with yet. Then designate a time for Show and Tell Play....perhaps the last 10-15 minutes of the morning.


14. Feelings Chart

Bring a large piece of chart paper and a marker to circle time. This activity will get children thinking about different feelings.

Talk about what feeling mad, good, sad, scared, angry, silly, etc. means.

Then have the children call out endings to these sentences that you will put on the chart paper:

I feel angry when ___________

I feel sad when _____________

continue with others.


15. Self Portraits

For these self-portraits, I placed mirrors and skin-toned art supplies on the table because I wanted students to examine and draw their features. I wanted students to see how unique and beautiful their features were and to see how their friend’s features are beautiful too. Before we drew, we just looked in the mirror, talking about the color and shapes of various features.



Teaching Concepts for Outdoor Experiences

1. All about children parade 2. Chase your shadow 3. Silly walk/crawl (children will express themselves in walking/crawling as silly as they want) 4. Roll, kick and throw ball as far and as high as you can 5. Throw decorated homemade paper airplanes 6. Caped Crusader (tape a paper cape to back of shirt and run around pretending to fly and sing I'm known as the Caped Crusader, I fly across the land. If you need help just holler, I'll come and give you a hand. Flying, flying, flying across the land, Flying, flying, flying to give you a hand.)

Teaching Concepts for Music Movement Wellness IMIL

1. Wiggle Worms Here are some worms who are, oh, so sad. They’ve lost all the wiggles that they once had. They wonder if you, just for today. Would lend them your wiggles so they can play Wiggle them up and wiggle them down (have the children wiggle arms up and down) Wiggle your worms around and around (wiggle arms around in a circle) Wiggle them high and wiggle them low (wiggle arms high and wiggle arms low) Wiggle them fast and wiggle them slow (wiggle arms fast and wiggle arms slow) Wiggle them over your shoes and your socks (wiggle finger over shoe, and wiggle finger onsock) Then wiggle them back up to their box (then have children pretend to place their worm in abox on their lap) Thank you for sharing your wiggles today. You’ll get them back when it’s your time to play. Now that your wiggles are all gone from you, I’ll tell you just what we are going to do. 2. If You Are Wearing…(tune: If You’re Happy and You Know It) If you are wearing red, shake your head. If you are wearing red, shake your head. If you are wearing red, Then please shake your head. If you are wearing red, shake your head. …..blue, touch your shoe… …..black, pat your back… …..brown, turn around… 3. If You’re Happy and You Know It If you’re happy and you know it, Clap your hands. If you’re happy and you know it, Clap your hands. If you’re happy and you know it And you really want to show it, If you’re happy and you know it, Clap your hands. …..pat your head… …..tickle your chin… …..stamp your feet… …..shout hooray..! 4. Shake My Sillies Out Gotta shake, shake, shake my sillies out, Shake, shake, shake, my sillies out. Shake, shake, shake, my sillies out, And wiggle my waggles away. …..clap, clap, clap my crazies out… …..jump, jump, jump my jiggles out… …..yawn, yawn, yawn my sleepies out… 5. Do Your Ears Hang Low? Do your ears hang low, do they wobble to and fro? Can you tie them in a knot? Can you tie them in a bow? Can you throw them over your shoulder, Like a Continental soldier? Do your ears hang low? Yes my ears hang low, yes they wobble to and fro. I can tie them in a knot, I can tie them in a bow. I can throw them over my shoulder, Like a Continental soldier, yes my ears hang low! 6. Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes 7. Hickety, Pickety, Bumblebee Hickety, pickety, bumblebee who can say their name for me? (child says name) let’s all say it (name) Let’s clap and say it (name) Let’s whisper it (name)

Teaching Concepts for Fingerplays

​1. Five Little Children Five little children on a sunny day (hold up right hand, fingers straight) One went home with Dad, leaving four at play (put down one finger). Four little children playing a game of ball One had to leave when mother gave a call (put down another). Three little children happy as can be One child went off to go climb a tree (put down another). Two little children didn’t want to stop One left the other with a hop, hop, hop (put down another). One little child playing all alone Until his mother came and took him home (blow a kiss) 2. Put Your Finger On Your Nose Put your finger on your nose, On your nose. Put your finger on your nose, On your nose. Put your finger on your nose. Put your finger on your nose. Put your finger on your nose, On your nose! …..on your belly… …..on your head… …..on your toes… 3. Ten Little Fingers I have ten little fingers, And they all belong to me. I can make them do things, Would you like to see? I can shut them up tight, Or open them wide. I can put them together, Or make them all hide. I can make them jump high. I can make them go low. I can fold them up quietly, And hold them just so. 4. Skidamarink Skidamarink – adink – a dink Skidamarink – a doo! I love you! (twice) I love you in the morning and in the afternoon I love you in the evening and underneath the moon! Oh, skidamarink – adink – a dink, Skidamarink – a doo! I LOVE YOU!!! 5. Point to Your Eyes Point to your eyes Point to your nose Point to your tummy And point to your toes Hello eyes Hello nose Hello tummy Hello toes 6. Where is Baby? (tune: Frere Jacques) Where is baby?  Where is baby? (Hold up your hands in front of your face) There he is!  There he is! (Open your hands quickly) I’m so glad to see you. I’m so glad to see you. Peek-a-boo!

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