“With toddlers around, times are always interesting,” says Beth Ann Fennelly.
As a preschool teacher, it can be challenging for you to keep the attention of students unless you come up with interesting and creative preschool activity ideas.
To lend you a helping hand, we have compiled a list of “Preschool Activity Ideas for Teachers”. It features some activities including games kids can play at preschool or their houses with peer groups. These activities help to boost your students’ sensory inputs.
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Indulge the little learners in a pool of activities, helping them to make learning enjoyable.
Here is the list of preschool activity ideas for teachers:-
1) Arts and crafts
Great leisure time activity for learners of all ages.
Method
It includes activities like painting, drawing, using glue, scissors, paper crafts, etc. The activities should be done under the proper guidance of teachers or parents.
- Painting and coloring include coloring using crayons, sketch pens, using watercolors, etc.
- Drawing helps in the growth of the imagination of the kids. They can draw their favorite cartoon characters, toys, etc.
- Using glue, scissors include doing activities under the guidance of teachers. They can make flowers using color papers, kites, and other origami stuff.
Benefits
These preschool activities have an important role in developing fine motor skills, accelerating the development of muscles in the hands and fingers.
Creative activities are a great way to bond with kids and build lasting impressions.
Arts and crafts activities provide immediate and lasting cognitive benefits for the kids. It also helps in building up a unique bonding experience and creates life long memories in them.
2) Musical chairs / Trip to Jerusalem
Yet another preschool activity. It is a fun game to play with a group of friends.
Method
Musical chairs is a classic game, in which each one of the players is eliminated in each round.
The game needs some chairs, players, and music, the number of chairs should be one less than the players.
By the time, the music is stopped all should take the seats and the one who doesn’t take the seat is eliminated from the game, one of the chairs is removed and the game continues until only one player remains.
The remaining player becomes the winner of the game.
The leader or the teacher can play any type of music; they can also change the type of music in between.
Benefits
The traditional game of musical chairs helps kids to improve their listening skills and to improve self-regulation and reflexes.
3) Hopped up Hide and Seek
Method
In this preschool game, the teacher can hide an object and can give directions to kids like “move two steps forward”, “move three steps to the right”, or like “look for something in blue color” etc.
Benefits
It reinforces their listening skills and verbal instructions. It also teaches the little scholars positional words, shapes, colors, directions, etc.
4) Playing house
This activity is also known as “lay grown-up” is also a traditional game of children.
Method
In this activity, preschoolers can form groups to play nuclear family.
Children can pretend to be cooking, dressing up, going to the office, cleaning houses, etc.They can also use toys as family members.
Benefits
In order to make them social and also to teach life skills, teachers can make them playhouses
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5) Sock Puppet Show
This is a fun game for preschoolers to improve their motor skills.
Method
The kids can make each one’s puppet unique under the guidance of teachers.
They can make puppets using socks which help them develop fine motor skills.
They can also make puppets talk with each other.
Benefits
The activities can assist them to improve listening and speaking skills and also to develop their imagination.
6) Simon says
This is a fun activity that helps in honing listening skills.
Method
In this game, one among the group can be “Simon”, who can give silly instructions like
- “Simon says hop on one foot”
- “Simon says dance around the room”
- “Simon says to do some jumping jacks”
- “Simon says to give yourself a hug”
- “Simon says jump like frogs”
- “Simon says clap your hands”
- “Simon says touch your toes”
Simon’s target is to eliminate as many players as possible, the game continues until one of the listeners is left and he/she is the winner of the game. If a player incorrectly conforms or fails to obey Simon’s command, they are eliminated from the present the game round, and they should wait until the next round starts.
The game continues until there is only one player left. The player who remains till the end of the game is the winner of the game and is chosen as the next “Simon”.
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Benefits
This is an interesting game to grab the attention of toddlers. It also helps to develop leadership qualities among preschoolers.
7) Freeze Dance
A classic game loved by preschoolers,
Method
In this activity, the teacher needs to play music and all the kids will dance. They should stop dancing once the music is being stopped.
Teachers can use upbeat nursery rhymes, upbeat music like pop and rap, or could use any funny songs for preschoolers.
Encourage the kids to “freeze” in the funny faces and funny positions.
To make it more fun, the teachers can also dance with them.
Benefits
The advantage of the game is the children get more active while having fun.
8) Playing Outside
Outdoor games are always a time of mental relaxation for kids.
Method
Riding swings, playing on a jungle gym helps children gain strength, coordination, and dexterity.
Games like hopscotch help in developing balance. Outdoor games are also a time when they can enjoy freedom in their world.
Benefits
It allows them to seek the environment, gain self-confidence, develop muscle strength and coordination It also helps to increases flexibility; develop fine and gross motor skills.
9) String Games
Method
In this activity, preschoolers can hold strings between their thumbs and fingers and make simple things, patterns, animals, etc.
Benefits
These games will help to improve hand-eye coordination. These activities can provide hours of fun for the kids.
The teachers and parents have a vital role in the development of a child. These activities help to develop the cognitive and physical skills of individuals.
Walk with your kids and mold them as bright individuals.