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Teacher instructions- you may need to buy and make the paw print stamps

supplies needed-

Dry floral foam (I bought this from the dollar store but you could use any kind of blocks or even large bottle lids!)

Knife and cutting surface

Extra thick craft foam (use 6mm thick)

Pencil

Scissors

Hot glue gun and glue

-in said link it shows you how to make the stamps

you need to set out a big piece of paper set up somepants in little saucers or on sone paper plates and sporead out the pant into smaller layers

then have the children dip the stampers in pant then having them pushing it down on paper

and have them rotrate the paper so it gets the entire page full of prints

make it so that each child has there own and that with different stampers

student instructions-https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-eehS8YW9Dtv5Oi5hovHlIPcXTYbFuQLJzsWd3WEdU0/edit#heading=h.n3p6v9634apd

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Learning about pets is fun for preschoolers! Pets help children think about caring for animals and the world and help teach responsibility. This pet art activity focuses on the prints that some pets make with their paws.

Paw Print Art Activity

This activity is such a fun way to make art and examine the prints that animals make at the same time! The homemade stampers are easy to make - and this technique can also be used to make all kinds of different themed stampers!

Make Paw Stampers

You'll need to prepare the stampers in advance, but they don't take long. To make them I used the following supplies:

Dry floral foam (I bought this from the dollar store but you could use any kind of blocks or even large bottle lids!)

Knife and cutting surface

Extra thick craft foam (I used 6mm thick)

Pencil

Scissors

Hot glue gun and glue

Cut the floral foam into blocks, making sure the cut edges are flat.

Draw the paw prints onto the craft foam with the pencil (a quick internet search yielded some images for reference). I drew prints for a dog, a cat, a parrot, and a rabbit.

Cut them out as carefully as possible, and hot glue them to the foam blocks.

As soon as they are cool and set, you can use them for stamping!

Stamping Art

Tape a large piece of paper to a table, and set out some paint in small saucers or paper plates. Spread the paint out into a thin layer.

Then invite the children to start stamping! Dip the paw print into the paint, then firmly press it onto the paper.

Turn the paper around if necessary so that they can try and cover the whole page. Alternatively, make this a collaborative project with different children working with different stampers.

This process art activity is particularly fun if you set out bright colors of paint. When dry it makes a wonderful background for other pet themed activities, or you could even use it as kid-made gift wrap!

Using these stampers helps children develop more control over their hand muscles. They can direct where to place the stampers and how much pressure is used to press down. They can work on patterning skills or experiment with color placement, developing their visual skills.

Talk about the prints and how they differ from one another. Looking closely at the prints helps develop visual discrimination skills. And stamping the paw prints is a lot of fun!

BIO: Georgina is a mom that loves to do lots of activities with her son. She blogs about art, crafts and activities for young children on Craftulate. Connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter.

More Ideas for a -
Small World Pet Shop
Sensory Activity: Wash the Dog
Pet Supply Scavenger Hunt

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A fun pet art activity your kids will love! Make your own paw print stamps and create colorful art with your preschool, pre-k, and kindergarten kids.

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Teacher Instructions-During circle time you can start by greeting everyone and then engage in fun activities like singing songs,telling stories,or drawing and sharing to the class of what animal you have or would want to have .It's a great way to promote social interaction and learning in a group setting.

supplies needed:

-first sit on a rug or a cushion

whiteboard

erase marker(they could had color if they want)

or making a pet on a paper and then cutting it out to share with other

paper

pencil

color pencil or color crayons

scissors

-maybe having some musical instrument for singing along

to the type of animals that the students draw on the paper or whiteboard.

-presenting to their classmate their type of animal they have or would want to have

Student Instructions-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76iYybi_WGk

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What is Circle Time? | TheSchoolRun

Circle Time is used in many primary schools, but what actually happens in these sessions? We've got the parents' guide.

Relationships between primary school children can be difficult at times. They have yet to develop the social, emotional and communication skills that will help them negotiate relationships as adults.

Many schools implement Circle Time as a tool for improving relationships and behaviour, but what actually takes place during these sessions?

What is Circle Time?

Circle Time is a popular activity that's used in many primary schools to help develop positive relationships between children. It aims to give them tools to engage with and listen to each other.

It's often used as an opportunity to solve problems that are affecting the class, for example too much talking during lessons, or someone being picked on.

The whole class takes part in Circle Time at the same time, usually led by their teacher, who sits in the circle with their pupils.
The circle encourages unity, respect, turn-taking and working together towards a shared vision.
It also helps children work on five key skills, without which Circle Time doesn't work: thinking, listening, looking, speaking and concentrating.

When is it used?

Circle Time is used mainly in primary schools, although it can also work in preschool settings. It's sometimes used in secondary schools, too.

Ideally, it should take place weekly, and last between 20 and 50 minutes, depending on the children's ages and ability to concentrate.

It's usually led by a teacher, although sometimes older children run Circle Time for younger pupils.

What happens during Circle Time?

Circle Time shouldn't just be a time to chat; it needs a specific structure to make sure all children have the opportunity to be involved.

Certain ground rules apply, and children are often involved in deciding what those rules should be. Common rules include:

Putting hands up to speak, and not interrupting;

Taking turns;

Allowing children to 'pass' if they don't want to speak;

Valuing all contributions and not putting anyone down.

Teachers will often put a Do Not Disturb sign on the door so their Circle Time isn't interrupted.

During Circle Time, children should sit in a circle, either on the floor or on chairs. Their teacher is part of the circle, too, and while they will direct the activities, they should aim to keep a low profile so children have a chance to speak up.

Often, an object like a large shell, a ball, a rubber egg or a teddy will be passed around the circle. When a child is holding the object, it's their turn to speak.
Teachers will choose from a range of activities, such as co-operative games, rounds, musical games, drama activities, talking and listening exercises, puppets and masks.
Sometimes, a particular issue that's affecting the class, school or a pupil is tackled; on other occasions, there may be more general discussions around thoughts and feelings.

A typical Circle Time might follow the following format:

Children are reminded of Circle Time rules.

Activity 1: Simon Says. This helps children start to listen, look and concentrate.

Activity 2: a musical game. The teacher might beat a drum or similar instrument, and children march on the spot, imitating the beat: loud, soft, fast, slow etc. When the instrument stops, the children stop too.

Activity 3: Talking Ted. The teacher tells the class a short story about a boy who has started at a new school and is having trouble making friends. He feels lonely and sad. The children then pass the Talking Ted (or other object) around the circle, and say what makes them feel sad. They are allowed to and have their turn at the end of the round if they want. This encourages them to talk about their feelings and empathise with others.

Activity 4: an imagination game. The teacher has a magic wand, waves it, and says, 'You are all elephants/dogs/tigers' etc. The children do the sounds and actions in the circle. The wand is then passed from child to child to try.

Final activity: a calming down game. The teacher tells the children to freeze on the spot, like statues. The statues then slowly melt to the ground.

Circle Time should be fun and light-hearted, and always ends on a positive note with an activity that calms children down and gets them back into learning mode.

What are the benefits?

Circle Time has many benefits for children as individuals and their school. These include:

Improved speaking and listening skills.

Increased self-esteem.

A sense of community.

An understanding of how their behaviour affects others.

Improved emotional intelligence.

Improved problem-solving skills.

A sense of responsibility.

Improved relationships between children, and between children and their teacher.

The benefits are neatly summed up by an extract from one primary school's OFSTED report: 'The weekly Circle Time for each class enables pupils of all ages, at their own level, to reflect on aspects of their lives, to discuss moral and social issues and to express with confidence their understanding of right and wrong and their sense of justice. Pupils learn to listen to others, to be tolerant of other viewpoints and to respect fellow pupils.'

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Circle Time explained for parents of primary school pupils

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Teacher Instructions-Creating a special area in the classroom where children can pretend to be different home animal and then assign each child a specific home animal role such as a cat,dog,rabbit or a bird encourage them to think about how their animal moves,sound,and behavesand give the children some prompts to spark their imagination and help them get into character.encourage the children to interact with each other as their home animals this would help with developing their social skills and creativity.you could extend the play by introducing different scenarios such as a visit to the veterinarian and ect.

supplies needed-

-stuffed animals

-props

-costumes

-play area setup

-you could also include books about different home animals,pictures or poster showcasing various breed and even recording of animal sounds

Student Instructions-students would be selecting a home animals that you would like to be pretend to be during this activity and then think about how your animal moves,sounds and behaves.once your are in character interact with your classmates who are also playing different home animals and as you are playing imagine different scenarios that your animal might encounter and then just have fun on doing it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otkkBFew01Y

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Huge List of Dramatic Play Ideas for Preschoolers

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Spice up the home living area with one of these fun & creative dramatic play ideas. Children will pretend to be chefs, pilots, doctors and more!

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Teacher Instructions-counting and sorting encourage preschooler to count and sort objects related to home animals.providing them with a variety of animals toys or picture and ask them to count how many animals there are they could also sort animals based on attributes like color and size.

material needed-

-animals color sorting match with toys

-flashcards

-pictures

Student Instructions -

The teacher would pass each the same amount of colored bear toys and then you would practice counting from 1 to the total number of animals you have.then you would sort the colored bear toys from there color.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xq_VEFGjqU0

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Practice addition, multiplication, fractions and algebraic reasoning with our popular math games. Discover fun learning games kids love to play.

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Teacher Instruction -Divide the class into teams and assign each team an animal.set up a rely race where students have to imitate their assigned animals movements while carrying an object like a stuffed animal to a designated spot and back.For example student that imitate a frog can hop or a rabbit that could jump and this activity helps develop gross motor skills,teamwork and sportsmanship

supplied needed -

-get some stuffed animals or animals cutouts that represents the animal for the relay race

-set up a clear path for the relay race using cones or markers

-use a stopwatch or timer to keep track of the time for each team

-make sure you have enough space for the relay race it could be done indoor or outdoor

-challenges could be added for much more challenging

Students Instructions :

split class into equal teams then each team would be assigned with a specific animal and then the teacher migh use a marker or cones to clear the path and then each team member will take turns running from the starting point to the designated turnaround point and back imitating their assigned animals movements.To ensure it's a fair race the student would pass a baton and encourage students to cheer for their teammates and celebrate for the first place winner.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qLN7Ju-nfQ

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What are Motor Skills? The A-Z of Gross and Fine Motor Skills

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Motor skills are crucial for children’s physical strength and body movement. This guide covers everything you should know about fine and gross motor skills.

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Pet Beginning Sounds

supplies- Pets Toob or other small pet toys

Pets Beginning Sounds Matching Mat (download at bottom of post)

Marker

1. Print out the matching mat.

2. Gather your toy pets.

3. Write the beginning letter of each pet name on one of the houses on the mat.

student/teacher instructions- choose a pet that is provided by teacher and have child see which house it belongs too by looking at the letters of the house by doing this it teachers the child which sound the animal begins with

this helps child learn there letters and sounds while also having fun but practicing

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This pets beginning sounds matching activity is a fun, hands-on literacy activity! It also pairs perfectly with the book What Pet Should I Get?

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Wash the dog

supplies-Two plastic containers

Mud

Bubble bath

Cleaning supplies (towels, sponges, tooth brush, etc)

Dog figures (such as Dogs TOOB) or other animal figures

instructiosn for teacher-

first fill one plastic tub with mud

ust add a few scoops of dirt from the playground or backyard and some water to make mud.

fill the other tub with clean water, bubble bath, and a variety of cleaning tools.

before you start the activity please do ask the children what they think a pet means to them or what it means in general

its good to make sure they know the vocabulary of a pet and to discuss it with them its a important part of the introduction.

when done invite your kids to explore the pet figures, the mud, and the water in the bins you would want to ask them what would they have to do if their animals are dirty and them teach eachother

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We are absolutely addicted to sensory activities around here, they're one of our favorite ways to play. I created this incredibly simple pet sensory bin activity for my son and it was smash hit. A little dirt and some bubbles makes for one happy kid!
Pet Sensory Bin

Sensory play is a wonderful way for kids to explore and learn about the world around them. It's the perfect way to invite them to learn using their senses, engage in imaginary play, and even learn some life skills along the way.

Pet Sensory Activity Set-Up

For this sensory activity, the set up couldn't have been easier.

Materials:

Two plastic containers

Mud

Bubble bath

Cleaning supplies (towels, sponges, tooth brush, etc)

Dog figures (such as Dogs TOOB) or other animal figures

To create your own Wash The Dog sensory activity, first fill one plastic tub with mud. Just add a few scoops of dirt from the playground or backyard and some water to make mud.

Next, place some pet figures in the mud - hiding a few and really making things good and dirty.

Then, fill the other tub with clean water, bubble bath, and a variety of cleaning tools.

Pet Sensory Bin Introduction

Start by introducing the pet theme to your students. Ask them questions like "What does the word 'pet' mean?"

Identifying and discussing this vocabulary word is an important part of the introduction process. Ask your students to name some pets they either have or have seen in the world around them.

Next, introduce the activity and invite your kids to explore the pet figures, the mud, and the water in the bins. Ask them what they think they should do if their animals are dirty? Then let them have at it and see how it goes.

You'll be amazed at all of the wonderful imaginary play and conversations that will happen around bathing the animals.

He headed off into a wonderful imaginary play adventure bathing these animals and cleaning them for their day.

This activity really captured my son's imagination. He cleaned each dog and cat with the water then transferred them back to the mud before beginning this game all over again. I love an activity that he can restart on his own with total ease.

The mess from the mud was minimal. Actually, hardly any at all. It wasn't the nicest day so we did this inside and it was just fine for us. Certainly this would be a wonderful warm weather activity to do outside, too.

This sensory activity was terrific for us. My son loves the opposite play of the clean water vs. the mud, and I loved how engaged and active he was when playing. A perfect pet activity!

BIO: Susie is a former kindergarten teacher turned SAHM mom who's just trying to make it to nap time. She blogs about the simple activities she does with her kids at Busy Toddler. You can join her party on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook.

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Pet Sensory Activity: Wash the Dog - Pre-K Pages

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We are absolutely addicted to sensory activities around here, they're one of our favorite ways to play. I created this incredibly simple pet sensory bin activity for my son and it was smash hit. A little dirt and some bubbles makes for one happy kid!

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Teacher Instructions-start by introducing the concept of the five sense:sight ,hearing,taste,touch,and smell to help the students that these sense help us understand the world around us.set up different station or activities that engage each of the senses.for example sight provides a variety of objects with different color,shape,size and same goes with the other four senses.Then guide the students through each station encouraging them to use their senses and describe their observation.After exploring each station gather the students together and discuss their findings and ask them to share what they observed and learned from each sense.To reinforce the concept of the five sense you can engage the students in a fun activity like creating a my five sense collage.Last encourage the students to share their collages with the class explaining why they chose each picture and how it relates to a specific sense

supplies needed-

sight -various object with different colors,shapes and sizes

Hearing-different sounds or musical instruments

Taste- different foods or flavors

Touch-objects with different texture

Smell-containers with different scents

Collage Activity

magazines or printed pictures representing the five senses

scissors

glue or tape

large sheet of paper or poster board

student instruction-

Students would go to each station that would provide them with the five sense and then they will discuss about it after that they would have to find picture that represent each of the five sense.they would you the supplies needed for it

similar to this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXNWyTvnrak

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It's easy to do science with your kids with these activities around animals, nature, the weather, engineering, the senses, and much more.

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Teacher Instructions-select an animals as the theme for the activity it could be a lion,bird,or any animal that could be imitate through music.Have a variety of musical instruments available for the student to use these could include drums,shakers,tambourines ro any homemade instruments.start by introducing the chosen animal to the students talk about their characteristics movement and sounds encourage them to observe and imitate. guide the students in creating sounds that represents the chosen animals like for example for a lion they could roar or growl using their voice or a instrument.encourage the students to move and dance like the animal while playing their instruments.give students the opportunity to showcase their animal inspired music and movement.After the performance have a discussion with the students about their experience that they had.

supplies needed-

-Musical instruments such as drums,shakers,tambourines and others

-animal themed props -optional

Students Instructions-

select animals that you find interested or that you want to learn about and then when you had picked a sort of animal that could be imitate through music and movements.Use your voice or the musical instrument to imitate the sounds that it makes.The imagine yourself as the animal and try to move and dance like it.Once you have practiced creating animals sounds and movement individually gather together with your classmates play your instruments and move together synchronizing your music and movements.Take turns showcasing your animal inspired music and movements .After the performances take some time to reflect on your experience and how you felt about it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-6D5bxhZsg

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Preschool Song compilation | Songs for Kids | The Singing Walrus

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Teacher instruction-You can start by discussing different types of home animals like dogs,cats,birds and fish.Then encourage the kids to draw or cut out pictures of their favorite home animals and share interesting facts about them.you can even create a mini zoo in the classroom where each child take care of a stuffed animal and learn about their needs and habitats.

supplies needed-

pictures or drawing of different home animals

construction paper or card stock

scissors

Glue or tape

markers or crayons

stuffed animals representing various home animals

optional-books or resources about home animals

student instructions-

start by gathering pictures or drawing of different animals like dogs,cats,birds and other and then you would be given a piece of construction paper or card stock. After that you would cut out the pictures of the home animals and glue or tape into the construction paper.Encourage the students to share interesting facts about their chosen home animal.Once they have completed their animal cards have the students take turns presenting their animals to their classmates.At the end you could create a mini zoo in the classroom using stuffed animals to represent the various home animals

Example

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihOjyov64Ys

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Preschool gives children their first sense of community outside the home. Social-studies learning begins as children make friends and participate in decision-making in the classroom. Then it moves beyond the school into the neighborhood and around the world.

The Classroom
Preschool is a safe, caring community with an orderly routine, and each child is valued as an individual. Everything in the classroom lends itself to learning the concepts underlying social studies. When children play pretend games or build with blocks, and work together in small groups on class projects, they learn to accept differences, deal with their emotions, and practice resolving conflicts. They gain confidence as their social skills develop, and they learn to share, take turns, and practice being both leaders and followers. They develop a sense of personal responsibility by performing a variety of jobs, such as giving out the cups and napkins for snacks, or opening the door and turning out the lights when the class leaves the room.

The Neighborhood
Teachers help children apply the concepts they learn in their classroom to an understanding of their neighborhood. Children learn to observe their surroundings: the homes, banks, firehouse, police station, restaurants, movie theater, church, synagogue, mosque, senior-citizen center, schools, playground, park. They observe the kinds of stores in the area: groceries, dry cleaners, tailors, barber shops, clothing boutiques, bookstores, toy stores. They learn what each store sells, where the merchandise comes from, who the customers might be, and why each is important.

Class Trips
Preschoolers often go to restaurants to learn how meals are prepared and served. They may visit banks and firehouses, police stations and senior citizen centers. When the children return to their classroom, they discuss their observations and reinforce their learning through play. They may set up a bookstore, a grocery store, or a bank in the dress-up area, and act out the things they have learned.

Holidays
Teachers take advantage of holidays to teach children about their history and to make them aware of differentcultural traditions. At Thanksgiving, children might talk about the things they are grateful for and act out the first Thanksgiving dinner. On Lincoln's birthday, they may build log cabins out of pretzel sticks, or recite poems, or listen to stories. On Martin Luther King's birthday, they talk about civil rights and learn about the importance of the role King played.

Children also learn to respect the traditions of others by understanding the stories and traditions of religious and ethnic holidays: the visit of the three kings, Christmas, Easter, Passover, Chanukah, Yom Kippur, Ramadan, and Kwanzaa.

Special Visitors
Parents, grandparents, and other adults from the community, such as police officers, firefighters, dentists, doctors, and artists, may be invited to come to the classroom to share stories about their jobs andcultural heritage. A parent who grew up in Portugal or Korea might bring in pictures of traditional costumes, tell a folk tale, or teach the children a dance or song. They might also prepare a favorite recipe for children to taste and explain how it is made and where the ingredients come from. Later the children draw pictures and write stories about the visit to reinforce what they have learned.

The Classroom Library
Children also learn about their history and other cultures through books they see in the classroom. Teachers read stories about children growing up in Russia, Iceland, Botswana, and on islands in the Caribbean. Children may act out the stories or learn the traditional songs and dances.

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Preschool gives children their first sense of community outside the home. Social-studies learning begins as children make friends and participate in decision-making in the classroom. Then it moves beyond the school into the neighborhood and around the world. The Classroom Preschool is a safe, caring community with an orderly routine, and each child is valued as an individual.