- Winter Educational Ideas for
Preschoolers
By Deborah Taylor-Hough
It's always fun to use things
in our children's everyday lives to spark discussion and easy
educational activities. Since many of us are currently in the
midst of winter, this season can be a great topic of "study"
for our littlest ones.
Study time with preschoolers
at home mainly consists of talking and laughing with them, helping
them notice the details of the world around them. No pressure.
Just a fun time spent in the company of a loving adult.
To introduce the topic of "Winter,"
ask your child what she knows about the seasons. Is she aware
of spring, summer, autumn and winter? Does she know what the
differences are between the seasons in your local area?
|
Don't lecture. Just make conversation
and find out what she knows already. Have her look out the window
and tell you what she notices about the trees, bushes, flowers
and gardens. Are there leaves visible? Buds? Flowers? Greenery?
Bare branches? Brown stems?
Find a photo, or painting, or
picture in a book of an obvious winter scene. Ask your child
if she knows what season it is in the picture. What things tell
her what time of year it is?
If she doesn't know, point things
out to her that will give clues: bare branches, snow on the ground,
no flowers, people in warm clothes, etc. Hide the picture from
view and have the child describe to you in her own words what
she saw in the picture. Encourage as much detail as possible,
but remember to keep it low-key and fun. This process of orally
telling back what she's seen, helps cement the image in her memory.
To supplement your discussion,
enjoy together a winter-time picture book such as Ezra Jack Keat's
'The Snowy Day' or the Alaskan tale 'Momma, Do You Love Me?'
by Barbara M. Joosse. You can browse these books online at: |
|
The Snowy Day
http://amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0670867330/simplepleasuresp/
Momma, Do You Love Me?
http://amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0811821315/simplepleasuresp/
Ask your child how people stay
warm in the winter (warm clothes, mittens, fireplaces, warm houses,
etc.). Let her brainstorm for awhile.
Then ask how she thinks animals stay warm in winter (thick fur,
migrate to warmer climates, hibernate in caves, etc.).
Sometimes a preschool child might
say things like, "Baby squirrels snuggle up in a tree with
a soft blanket to stay warm." Ask her gently if she's ever
seen a real squirrel with a blanket. Does she think that's how
they'll really stay warm in those cold, winter months? The line
between fantasy and reality in preschoolers is sometimes thin
... don't harshly bring your child into reality, just gently
coax her into thinking about how things really happen in nature.
But just so you don't think it
all needs to be a serious dose of reality, have some fun and
brainstorm about "pretend" ways animals might stay
warm. For fun, read one of these wonderfully fun and beautifully
illustrated winter-time books by Jan Brett (one of my favorite
children's
illustrators):
The Mitten
http://amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0399231099/simplepleasuresp/
The Hat
http://amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0399231013/simplepleasuresp/
You can also visit Jan Brett's
website to print out coloring sheets and other fun projects based
on Brett's lavishly illustrated children's books:
http://www.janbrett.com/
For a fun activity, throw a collection
of clothing and accessories into a bag or suitcase. Without looking,
have your child reach into the bag,
pull out a single clothing item and then tell you if the item
they grabbed is appropriate to wear in the winter. Have the child
explain to you why
each item is -- or isn't -- seasonally appropriate. Include a
variety of things in the bag such as: a warm hat, a pair of gloves
or mittens, an
open-toed sandal, a swimsuit, summer shorts, a warm sweater,
a snow boot, a woolen scarf, a sleeveless top, etc.
Have your child finish the sentence,
"Winter is ..." For example: Winter is ... "cold";
winter is ... "snowmen"; winter is ... "mittens";
winter is... "cocoa and marshmallows." Consider writing
down your child's responses (she'll feel so official seeing her
words written down on paper).
If you're feeling particularly
creative, you can even print out little "Winter is ..."
booklets using clip-art found on your computer that coincides
with your child's winter responses. Or have your child illustrate
their own home-made "Winter is ... " book. Or let her
cut out winter photos from magazines and newspapers, pasting
them onto a large sheet of paper as a "Winter is ..."
collage.
Have a wonderful time as you
explore the glories of winter with your preschooler!
Copyright (c) Deborah Taylor-Hough
Used with permission. All rights reserved |
