News for Black Hills Early Learners
Welcome to Early Childhood Connections as weekly contributors to Early Learning Activities
At the end of each activity domain and goals for the activities are provided. For a copy of the Early Learning Guidelines click on the photo.

Infant Corner
Activities for children under 1
Development
 
By one years of age babies should be getting to a sitting position without help, pull up to a stand and walk holding on to furniture. They may be starting to take a few steps and stand alone. 

By one years of age babies should be using a pincer grasp, put objects in a box as well as take them out, poke at things with their index finger and finger-feed themselves.

Track your child’s milestones from age 2 months to 5 years with CDC’s easy-to-use illustrated checklists and find out what to do if you are ever concerned about how your child is developing.
Play

Use blue painter’s tape to attach your child’s favorite animal figures to the wall. While in standing, the goal is to rip the tape off and “rescue” each animal. This activity encourages your little one to play in a standing position for a longer period of time, which strengthens leg muscles and improves balance for walking. Plus, peeling the tape off the animals strengthens the muscles in the hands, working on those fine motor skills.  
Motor Development Goal HPD-4 & 5
A simple repurposed water bottle can be a fine motor activity for babies.
Motor Development Goal HPD-5
Busy Toddlers
Activities for children 1-3
Physical/Outdoor

All you need for this active hopscotch game is some free floor space, an object to throw in the squares (rock, bean bag or penny), and painter’s tape. (It’s easier to peel off then masking tape) Use the tape to make a hopscotch grid. Make tape numerals or shapes in each box. Then start hopping!
Motor Development Goal HPD-4
A soft silicone whisk and some pom poms are all you need for this Kitchen whisk fine motor activity.
Motor Development HPD-5
Science/Sensory

Create an easy sensory bin with oatmeal and measuring cups.
Scientific Exploration and Knowledge Goal CD-9

When the temperature is below freezing you can bundle up and go outside to experiment with frozen bubbles.
Scientific Exploration and Knowledge Goal CD-8
Literacy/Math

Need something to entertain your toddler fast and easy. Use sticky notes to create a letter hunt.
Foundations of Reading Goal CLL-8

Creating your own board games can be fun. Download and print this shapes board game for toddlers or create your own using stickers and markers.
Mathematical Thinking and Expression Goal CD-5
Social Emotional

The article below gives parents great and easy strategies to teach your child about emotions.
Self-Regulations and Pro-social Behaviors Goal SED-5

This Stop and Go activity is a great way to discuss classroom expectations for young children.
Developing Relationships SED-3
Hands-On Preschoolers
Activities for children 4-5
Physical/Outdoor

A journey stick (also known as a story stick or nature stick) is essentially a memento of a nature walk, featuring items collected on a walk. These might be things like leaves, twigs, flowers, feathers, or anything else natural that you find along the way.
Scientific Exploration and Knowledge Goal CD-8
Cutting with scissors requires the skill of hand separation, which is the ability to use the thumb, index, and middle fingers separately from the pinkie and ring fingers. This can be challenging for a youngster with small hands. The article below gives strategies to help children learn cutting skills.
Motor Development Goal HPD-5
Science/Sensory

This is a messy activity but oh so cool and wonderful to make "colored glass".
Scientific Exploration and Knowledge Goal CD-8
When it snows measure the quantity of snow that you get. Another fun thing to do is to fill up a container with snow and bring it inside to examine. Use a magnifying glass to look at the snowflakes. Play in it and then see how much water it actually contains once it melts.
Scientific Exploration and Knowledge Goal CD-8
Literacy/Math

A rice sensory bin can give children an alphabet matching practice. Dig plastic letters out of rice bin and match them to the corresponding letter on a cookie sheet or piece of paper.
Foundations of Reading Goal CLL-8
Print and cut apart the goldfish printable or draw your own. Then set out goldfish crackers and you are ready for this math activities for preschoolers.
Mathematical Thinking and Expression Goal CD-4
Creative Arts

Explore ways to make simple suncatchers to brighten windows.
Creative Arts and Expression Goal CD-12

It is fun to explore painting on different textures. Try painting on clear plastic.
Creative Arts and Expression Goal CD-12