Ages 1–6 EMC 4506 • Day-care providers • Preschool teachers En h E- an bo c e ok d Learn While Having Fun • Parents Writing: Content Editing: Copy Editing: Art Direction: Cover Design: Illustration: Design/Production: Jill Norris Marilyn Evans Cathy Harber Cheryl Puckett Cheryl Puckett Cindy Davis Carolina Caird EMC 4506 Congratulations on your purchase of some of the finest teaching materials in the world Photocopying the pages in this book is permitted for single-classroom use only Making photocopies for additional classes or schools is prohibited For information about other Evan-Moor products, call 1-800-777-4362, fax 1-800-777-4332, or visit our Web site, www.evan-moor.com Entire contents © 2002 EVAN-MOOR CORP 18 Lower Ragsdale Drive, Monterey, CA 93940-5746 Printed in USA CPSIA: Printed by McNaughton & Gunn, Saline, MI USA [1/2010] Thank you for purchasing an Evan-Moor e-book! Attention Acrobat Reader Users: In order to use this e-book you need to have Adobe Reader or higher To download Adobe Reader for free, visit www.adobe.com Using This E-book This e-book can be used in a variety of ways to enrich your classroom instruction You can: • engage students by projecting this e-book onto an interactive whiteboard • save paper by printing out only the pages you need • find what you need by performing a keyword search … and much more! For helpful teaching suggestions and creative ideas on how you can use the features of this e-book to enhance your classroom instruction, visit www.evan-moor.com/ebooks User Agreement With the purchase of Evan-Moor electronic materials, you are granted a single-user license which entitles you to use or duplicate the content of this electronic book for use within your classroom or home only Sharing materials or making copies for additional individuals or schools is prohibited Evan-Moor Corporation retains full intellectual property rights on all its products, and these rights extend to electronic editions of books If you would like to use this Evan-Moor e-book for additional purposes not outlined in the single-user license (described above), please visit www.evan-moor.com/help/ copyright.aspx for an Application to Use Copyrighted Materials form This page intentionally left blank Never Too Young to Learn .2 About Young Learners, Ages 1–6 Skills for Success .9 Indoor Playtime .10 Art Time 62 Mealtime 92 Story Time 140 Outdoor Playtime 166 While-You-Wait Time 231 Travel Time 256 ©2002 by Evan-Moor Corp Teaching Young Children • EMC 4506 Never Too Young to Learn Children learn from the moment they are born What they learn and how they feel about learning are up to the caregivers that spend time with them The most important thing you can with young children is to interact with them The intellectual and social stimulation that you provide is vital to their growth It is never too soon to start providing experiences that build the skills necessary for success in school and in life Young children learn while they play Play is children’s work—some of the most important work they will ever In fact, play is the foundation for academic learning During play, children • develop coordination and fine-motor skills • gain a sense of competency and control • learn about how people and things work • make connections between concrete things and abstract ideas The activities in this book demonstrate that any time of the day provides opportunities for learning and growing • Play a memory game while you are waiting in line • Read a book and talk about it at bedtime • Do a hands-on math problem in the grocery store or while setting the table • Sing a song and a dance any time at all Wherever you are and whatever you’re doing, you can provide experiences that lay the foundation for successful future learning The activities in this book are a valuable resource Browse the suggested activities to expand your repertoire Choose an activity that matches the child’s interest and abilities Read over the activity to familiarize yourself with the overall purpose and procedure Adapt it to fit the individual needs of the child Then enjoy doing it Learning should be a joyous experience for you and the child â2002 by Evan-Moor Corp Teaching Young Children ã EMC 4506 About Young Learners, Ages 1–6 All young children are individuals They progress at different speeds and are interested in different things The following pages present some attributes common to children, ages 1–6 Please use these pages as a general reference The One-Year-Old Child • One-year-olds may love to be independent Control their activities by controlling the environment • One-year-olds can be tireless explorers Support their explorations, both physical and mental, by exploring alongside them • One-year-olds may enjoy motion Strollers, backpacks, and wagons will make excursions more fun • One-year-olds can entertain an audience Children appreciate applause as they demonstrate their latest accomplishments Safe Environment One-year-olds not think ahead about what they are going to Instead, they move around a room almost at random, stopping to investigate briefly whatever they come in contact with Your job is to provide stimulating toys and objects, to find out what the child likes to best, and encourage him or her to that often Opportunities to Explore One-year-olds lug, tug, dump, push, pound, and move things They will endlessly shift their attention from a pull-toy to a chair, to a stuffed rabbit, to pots and pans, to balls, to blocks, and to a wagon They fill pails with sand and then dump the sand out Provide as many opportunities as possible that emphasize physical activity Conversation Encourage one-year-olds to show you things and then talk with them about what they show you Take them on a stroller ride and point out interesting things along the way—dogs, babies, airplanes, and mud puddles Carry on conversations to help them develop language and understanding of their environment ©2002 by Evan-Moor Corp Teaching Young Children • EMC 4506 The Two-Year-Old • Many two-year-olds love routine and repetition The order in which things are done, the way in which they are done, and the places in which things are kept may be important to a two-year-old Consistency in the large and confusing world helps build self-confidence • Two-year-olds vary tremendously The child of 24 months is very different from the same child at 30 months Be prepared to marvel at the changes The third year of life is a time of tremendous growth Remember that two-year-olds develop according to their own timetables Some two-year-olds are talking in full sentences, while others have little to say • Most two-year-olds love things “Mine” can be a key two-year-old word A two-year-old’s possessions are almost an extension of self, and the need to protect them can get in the way of cooperation Safe Environment Two-year-olds spend their days in exploration and investigation They approach whatever attracts them They explore not only by touch, but also by taste and smell Two-year-olds can turn doorknobs, open drawers and cupboards, and move quickly Arrange safe places where there will be as few restrictions as possible Consistent Routine Many two-year-olds like the feeling of having the same thing happen day after day Their demand for sameness helps them avoid the conflict of having to make choices Morning and bedtime rituals can be demanding for parents, but these routines provide the necessary security as the child develops a secure sense of self Language Everything is still new to two-year-olds Show them new things Tell them new facts Share their interest in the things around them Enjoy their new ability to express desires and request information Respond to their questions with simple, enthusiastic replies ©2002 by Evan-Moor Corp Teaching Young Children • EMC 4506 TheThree-Year-Old • Three-year-olds want to please Typical three-year-olds want to things correctly They are highly susceptible to praise and favorable comments They also tend to be responsive to friendly humor • Many three-year-olds have strong motor skills Three-year-olds are gaining command of their bodies They walk well, run easily, and turn sharp corners They are unusually sure and agile • Three-year-olds love new words In addition to their increased interest in books and storytelling, many three-year olds love hearing new and different words Introduce words and explain their meanings The idea of a “surprise” or a “secret” is especially intriguing to most three-year-olds Patience Three can be a conforming age Some three-year-olds enjoy doing things with other children However three-year-olds can also be stubborn Be patient and stay out of conflict when you can Rich Environment It isn’t necessary to provide expensive educational toys and materials in order to provide a rich learning environment Simple playthings like paint and clay help children develop creativity Three-year-olds will give you clues about the kinds of experiences and play equipment that suits them Listen to the questions asked and notice interest or lack of interest Remember, the most important things in the child’s environment are the adults who care for them Language Three-year-olds confirm what they are doing with words They ask for information, tell about their experiences, and call attention to their accomplishments Reinforce their language use by talking and listening Build on their awareness of the different sounds within words Play with sounds of language—make up silly words, create crazy rhymes, and whisper This language play is an important step in prereading ©2002 by Evan-Moor Corp Teaching Young Children • EMC 4506 The Four-Year-Old • Many four-year-olds love to have choices Have two or three activities ready Let the child choose one • Four-year-olds may love to repeat things Repeat favorite activities often • Four-year-olds love to make up their own games Make up new activities using those in the book as a pattern Variety Playing and learning should be like sampling a relaxed smorgasbord As a caregiver, you provide the balanced menu The child is responsible for making the selection Tempt the child with exciting possibilities and spark interest in new areas, but don’t force-feed activities that you choose Hands-on Activities You want to help the child think Listening uses only a small part of the brain Looking or watching uses a bit more, while responding uses still more Experiences where thinking, feeling, and moving happen together require your child to use many parts of the brain at the same time These multilevel activities are especially important for young learners Spontaneity Rules should be kept to a minimum Make consistent rules regarding safety and respect for others Provide plenty of room for movement Have fun and enjoy learning ©2002 by Evan-Moor Corp Teaching Young Children • EMC 4506 Tally the vehicles that go by • paper on clipboard • crayon Divide your sheet of paper in half Decide on two vehicles to watch for Label the two sides of the tally sheet Put a mark on the record sheet to count each vehicle as you spy it Add another category Note: If you’re traveling on a busy freeway, designate specific cars or trucks to tally— tow trucks and blue vans If you’re traveling on a country road, make the categories more general— pickups and cars ©2002 by Evan-Moor Corp 292 Teaching Young Children • EMC 4506 Teach children to recognize a stop sign • a stop sign Point out a stop sign as you drive or as you walk Note the color and the shape Ask, What does it say? (The child probably knows that it says STOP; if not, explain that it does.) Point to the letters and say, S - T - O - P spells Stop Repeat the words whenever you pass a stop sign When you want the child to stop doing something, try spelling S-T-O-P ©2002 by Evan-Moor Corp 293 Teaching Young Children ã EMC 4506 đ Colorforms provide entertainment for long road trips • flexible plastic paper shapes and figures Make your own color shapes from Rubbermaid® shelf-liner paper or purchase ready-made shapes (Colorforms®) from a toy store Put the color shapes on the vehicle window: • Make a picture • Arrange the shapes in groups with similar attributes • Count how many you have • Make a line of shapes across the window • Make a line of shapes from the top to the bottom of the window Tell about the color shapes: • Talk about the picture • Ask about the “rules” used for making the groups ã Count the shapes together â2002 by Evan-Moor Corp 294 Teaching Young Children • EMC 4506 Model good driving for your passengers • a traffic light situation Explain what the colors on a traffic light mean by teaching this verse or your own version of it Red light means STOP Green light means GO Yellow means look before you know Whether to stop or whether to go As you approach a traffic light, repeat the appropriate line Say, (color) light, and have the child finish the line â2002 by Evan-Moor Corp 295 Teaching Young Children ã EMC 4506 Keep a travel tray in the car for long and short trips • a plastic tray with a smooth surface • zippered pouch or zip-lock plastic bag • paper ã crayons ã Colorformsđ shapes ã pencil Put the objects in the pouch Put the tray in the car so you’re ready whenever you’re on the go ©2002 by Evan-Moor Corp 296 Teaching Young Children • EMC 4506 Beginning readers love reading the familiar words around them • signs Point out signs or trademarks that the child knows Say, See the sign on that restaurant What does it say? Applaud successful reading Yes, that’s a Pizza Hut ® In preparation for a trip, or just for fun, you may want to: • cut out familiar words from advertisements • glue the print onto a piece of cardboard or put it in a scrapbook • practice reading the print ©2002 by Evan-Moor Corp 297 Teaching Young Children • EMC 4506 As you travel in a car, watch the signs going by to find all the letters of the alphabet • a variety of billboards or direction signs Start with A Find the letter on a sign outside the window of your vehicle Look for a B Work your way through the whole alphabet Often a sign will have more than one letter on it ©2002 by Evan-Moor Corp 298 Teaching Young Children • EMC 4506 Make a game out of trying to replace or improve familiar objects • imagination Pose a problem What if you got to Grandma’s house and you forgot your pajamas? How could you make it easier to eat spaghetti? Challenge the child to think of several solutions Creativity is good Recognize good ideas even if they are hard to implement ©2002 by Evan-Moor Corp 299 Teaching Young Children • EMC 4506 Create an awareness of size by doing simple comparisons • several objects or people Begin with familiar things that are easy to compare Ask the child comparison questions Who is taller— Grandpa or Josh? Which is longer— the map or the book? Which is wider— the seat belt or the ribbon? Tell me about the sidewalk and the street How would you compare them? Have the child check the answers by actually comparing the things Compare items that are familiar, but beyond your immediate environment Which is taller— the bus or the tree? Which is longer— the parking space or the car? Which is wider— the bridge or the river? ©2002 by Evan-Moor Corp 300 Teaching Young Children • EMC 4506 Designate a thing that you will collect at each place you visit and then begin collecting • a container to store your collection • sticky notes Decide what item you will be collecting Make it simple and inexpensive (Free is better!) postcards, napkins, rocks Have the child find the item to be collected Use a sticky note to label the item with the date and place it was collected Make more permanent labels when you get home I have a china bowl on my buffet filled with tiny rocks gathered from beaches throughout the world The collection began when my son and I decided to choose one stone from each stop we made on a trip to the mountains ©2002 by Evan-Moor Corp 301 Teaching Young Children • EMC 4506 Children enjoy tracing a route on a map and soon learn to interpret map symbols • several maps • a map of your house • a map of your neighborhood • a map of the area you are traveling in Begin by having the child help draw a map of your house or a single room Look at the map and talk about where familiar things are located I think that the front door is here What’s over here? Where would the bed be? Point to a spot on the map and have the child go to that spot Next, draw a simple map of your neighborhood Draw a line on the map to show a walk that you will take and then take it Then, draw the route of your next trip on a map and enjoy referencing the map as you travel The child’s questions “Are we there yet?” and “ How much farther?” become learning experiences when you have taken the time to develop these basic map skills ©2002 by Evan-Moor Corp 302 Teaching Young Children • EMC 4506 Make a bingo card using travel brochures and ticket folders As you move through an airline terminal or national park, a child can “ collect” the print to score a bingo • a lightweight piece of cardboard • advertisements, brochures, and pamphlets • scissors • glue • clear contact paper Before you go on the trip, work with the child to make a bingo card using the print that you might see as you travel • Draw a grid on a lightweight piece of cardboard Mark the middle space FREE • Cut words and pictures from advertisements, brochures, and pamphlets • Paste the cutouts on the grid to make the bingo card • Cover the card with clear contact paper As you travel, look for the print Use an erasable pen to circle the words that you find Yell “Bingo” when you find in a row ©2002 by Evan-Moor Corp 303 Teaching Young Children • EMC 4506 This is a beginning category game that may cause giggles • several general categories—animals that swim, flying animals, things with wheels Choose a category animals that swim Take turns naming things that fit in that category Goldfish swim Whales swim Ducks swim When you or the child can’t think of a thing that fits in the category, try a silly response Refrigerators swim Start a new category with the next response ©2002 by Evan-Moor Corp 304 Teaching Young Children • EMC 4506 About Evan-Moor Educational Publishers Who We Are • At Evan-Moor, we are proud that our products are written, edited, and tested by professional educators • Evan-Moor’s materials are directed to teachers and parents of Prekindergarten through sixth-grade students • We address all major curriculum areas including: reading social studies thematic units writing geography arts & crafts math science How We Began • In 1979, Joy Evans and Jo Ellen Moore were team-teaching first grade in a Title I school They decided to put ideas that worked for their students into a book They joined with Bill Evans (Joy’s brother) to start Evan-Moor Educational Publishers with one book • Bill and Joy’s parents’ garage served as the warehouse and shipping facility • The first catalog was a folded 1⁄2" x 11" sheet of paper! Who We Became • Evan-Moor now offers over 450 titles Our materials can be found in over 1,500 educational and trade book stores around the world • We mail almost million catalogs a year to schools and individual teachers • Our Web site www.evan-moor.com offers 24-hour service and the ability to download many of our titles • Evan-Moor is located in a 20,000-squarefoot facility in Monterey, California, with a staff of nearly 60 professionals Our Mission Now, as then, we are dedicated to helping children learn We think it is the world’s most important job, and we strive to assist teachers and parents in this essential endeavor TM Helping Children Learn for ons Less y D y a Ever eek he W t f o Early Learning Resources Phonemic Awareness— Daily Language Practice 34 week-long units, each focusing on a chant, poem, or language game You get a minilesson for every day of the week, illustrated rhymes, reproducibles, and patterns 112 pp EMC 740 Language Games and Centers Make practicing letters, colors, shapes, and language skills exciting! Complete directions and patterns for making and using 17 games 112 pp EMC 736 Following Directions Teacher directions, patterns, and reproducibles to help young learners follow oral directions, picture directions, and simple written directions 112 pp EMC 738 Circle Time Activities Teacher directions and patterns for dozens of activities that teach concepts and skills during circle time—calendar, math, oral language, phonics, thinking, music, and movement 112 pp EMC 739 Learning with Nursery Rhymes Teach language arts and math concepts using 12 popular rhymes Includes illustrated rhymes, headbands, puppets, picture and word cards, reproducibles, and manipulatives 112 pp EMC 741 Real Math for Young Learners Using activities that build on their own experiences, students practice counting, geometry, graphing, patterning, measurement, and beginning computation 112 pp EMC 744 Math Games and Centers Complete directions and patterns for using and making 23 games and 21 centers Practice counting, patterning, sorting, numeral recognition, shapes, and graphing 112 pp EMC 735 ISBN 9781596738485 EMC 4506i ... e -book! Attention Acrobat Reader Users: In order to use this e -book you need to have Adobe Reader or higher To download Adobe Reader for free, visit www.adobe.com Using This E -book This e -book. .. abstract ideas The activities in this book demonstrate that any time of the day provides opportunities for learning and growing • Play a memory game while you are waiting in line • Read a book and talk... experiences that lay the foundation for successful future learning The activities in this book are a valuable resource Browse the suggested activities to expand your repertoire Choose an activity that