News for Black Hills Early Learners
Early Childhood Connections is a weekly contributor 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

The benefits of nature are important for baby and caregivers.

These safety tips will prepare you for what you need to know about taking baby outside. Read up and then enjoy the outdoors!
Play

Gardens can be fun for the even the very young. The following article shares ideas to develop a sensory garden for infants and toddlers.
Construction of Knowledge: Thinking and Reasoning Goal CD-1

Fill some bags, boxes or those plastic Easter eggs with kid-friendly treasures (like stickers or fuzzy pom poms). For crawlers, spread them out on a blanket and let your child discover each one. 
Construction of Knowledge: Thinking and Reasoning Goal CD-1

Choose a book with nature themes and bring it outside. Point out the sun, wind, leaves or whatever you see when you read about it.
Foundations for Reading Goal CLL-4
Busy Toddlers
Activities for children 1-3
Physical/Outdoor

Get outside and play some garden tag.
Motor Development Goal HPD-4

Be creative and design your own simple backyard obstacle course using things you already have on hand.
Motor Development Goal HPD-4
Science/Sensory

Let children see for themselves why we need worms. Enjoy a little worm observation by making a Worm House.
Scientific Exploration and Knowledge Goal CD-8

Here is a recipe for messy fun for toddlers exploring Clean Mud.
Construction of Knowledge: Thinking and Reasoning Goal CD-1
Literacy/Math

Toddlers can explore the letters of the alphabet while playing with a beach ball!
Foundations for Reading Goal CLL-4

Organize a scavenger hunt in your garden, yard, park or playground, searching for objects representing different geometric shapes such as circles, squares, and triangles.
Mathematical Thinking and Expression Goal CD-5
Social Emotional

Most children have an innate curiosity and zeal for outdoor activities, but once in a while youngsters are timid about gardening. Some are apprehensive about new situations, such as a garden setting. Others fear stinging insects, suffer from allergies, or simply dislike getting dirty or sweaty.
Developing A Positive Sense of Self Goal SED-1
Hands-On Preschoolers
Activities for children 4-5
Physical/Outdoor

Build a pool noodle agility ladder and add this fun gross motor activity to your backyard obstacle course!
Motor Development Goal HPD-4

Still have those plastic Easter eggs hand On a piece of paper small enough to fit into the egg, write out an action such as "march in place for 25 seconds". Hide the eggs and help the children find and complete the task they find in their egg.
Motor Development Goal HPD-4
Science/Sensory

Choosing the right plants is always important, but it’s especially crucial for gardens designed for young children. The following list includes annual and perennial plants considered safe for wee ones.
Scienfifice Exploration and Knowledge Goal CD-9
Together with your child(ren) learn what the best environment is for a seed to grow. First read Eric Caryle's "The Tiny Seed" to ehance this science experiment.
Motor Development Goal HPD-4
Literacy/Math

Play this "I Spy game" while in an actual garden or inside while looking at a picture of a garden. Start by saying "I Spy something..." and give a clue about what the object you picked looks like. The first child to guess correctly gets to spy something next.
Communicating and Oral Language Development Goal CLL-3
Give children at least four different types of seeds all mixed together. Allow the children to investigate the seed mixture. Talk about what they see. Give the children a tray sectioned into at least four areas for the children to separate and sort the different seeds. Or use four cups or bowls to sort in. The children can count each group of seeds, they can determine, least, most, biggest smallest, lightest, darkest, etc.
Mathematical Thinking and Expression Goal CD-6
Creative Arts

Preschoolers can explore vegetable stamping while creating their own garden art! This fun process art project for kids is perfect for any unit on gardening or plants and only requires a few materials.
Creative Arts and Expression Goal CD-12
C
As we have said before, preschoolers love to paint and love the process of painting, painting with different materials, and using different mediums in painting. So why not have a super sensory art activity by using herbs to paint with.
Creative Arts and Expression Goal CD-12