2 Great Preschool Polar Bear Activities

2 Great Preschool Polar Bear Activities

In the United States, Polar Bears have become synonymous with Coca-Cola advertisements. We watch cute polar bears have parties and fun while drinking Coca-Cola soda in the Arctic. Preschool children need to understand that there is much more to polar bears and that they don't actually drink Coca-Cola!

This article provides two preschool polar bear activities that will encourage preschool children to learn more about polar bears which include the facts and not the creative advertisements of Madison Avenue.

Art Activity

The first activity is an art activity that will have preschool children create a polar bear picture of their own. This activity is great for a rainy day or winter activity when it is simply too cold to go outside. Preschoolers will develop their fine motor skills in completing this activity. At the same time having a lot of fun exploring their creativity!

You will need the following:

Materials:

* white and black construction paper,

* scissors,

* glue, and

* colorful crayons.

Advanced preparation for this activity involves cutting the white construction paper into several different size circles which will comprise the body of the polar bear. Cut the white construction paper into one large circle for the body, one medium circle for the head, and two small circles for the paws.

Cut a small circle in half to create two semicircles for the feet. Cut another small circle in half to create two semicircles for the ears.

Begin this activity by asking the preschool children what they know about polar bears. Where do polar bears live? What do they eat? Explain that they are going to make polar bears of their own. Demonstrate how to glue the white construction paper circles onto the black construction paper background to create a polar bear.

Be sure to tell preschool children to not use too much glue when they are pasting on the circles as this will become a mess! Demonstrate how to take black crayons and draw distinction in the polar bear face, paws, belly, and ears. Encourage the children to draw other items that are in a polar bear habitat such as ice, snow, and fish. Display the artwork in the classroom or at home.

Learning More About Polar Bears Through Creating a Polar Bear Habitat. The second activity is to learn more about polar bears through creating a polar bear habitat. Preschoolers will find this a very exciting activity to participate in! Preschoolers love group activities, and this activity will enhance their social skills.

Materials:

* A large refrigerator box.

* A large sheet of white and blue art paper.

* Scissors,

* Masking tape.

* Cotton or White packing peanuts.

* You will also need the book, "Polar Bear Night" by Lauren Thompson, illustrated by Stephen Savage.

Advanced preparation for this activity includes cutting the large cardboard box along one of the long edges. This will allow you to flatten the cardboard box along the wall. The cardboard box will act as a polar bear house of snow and ice. (Polar bears create dens in snowbanks.)

Begin the activity by reading the book, "Polar Bear Night". Discuss the habitat of polar bears with the preschool children. Explain that polar bears have white fur so they can protect themselves by blending in with the snow. In addition, polar bears have water resistant fur that allows them to swim in the icy waters.

Tell the children that you are going to make a polar bear snow den. Have them help you tape the large white art paper to the cardboard box. Place a large piece of blue art paper on the floor near the polar bear snow den to represent water. Lastly, place cotton or package peanuts around the snow den to represent snow and ice. Allow the children to explore more about polar bears while sitting in the polar bear den.


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Free Preschool Activity Ideas

Free Preschool Activity Ideas

If you work or live with preschool children, you're always on the lookout for ideas that will help you build in some daily physical activity. Just what type of activities are most beneficial to preschool children? What types of things should you be careful of? And where can you find some free preschool activities that really work. Below are some great activity generators and suggestions for how to keep it safe.

Warm up. Preschool children need to warm up before they exercise just like adults do. Make sure you move them around gently for several minutes before instructing them to run, jump or do any type of strenuous movement.

Balance. Good balance is important for almost all athletic activities. Keeping in mind the age of the preschool children, they should be able to balance on one foot from 3-10 seconds. Don't limit yourself to only standing balance exercises. Children love to get down on the ground and balance on hands and legs and then lift one or even two limbs in the air.

Sports Skills. Have all the children use plastic coffee can lids as Frisbees or wadded up balls of paper with mini-brooms as hockey sticks. You can create a number of sports items from common household supplies. Preschool children need practice with basic sports skills early in life to become competent and proficient enough to enjoy these activities later on. Make sure all children have their own prop so that they can get the most amount of hands-on time practicing.

Aerobic Exercise. Anything that gets preschool children to move quickly and use the large muscle groups in their legs will help provide much needed aerobic exercise. It's the aerobic exercise that helps burn fat and strengthen their heart and lungs. Relays, obstacle courses, races, dancing and gross motor locomotion around the room are all excellent preschool aerobic activities. Just make sure children take active rests (like walking or moving at a slower pace) between strenuous bursts of activities as they won't have the endurance an adult has.

Strengthening. Resistance exercise will help prevent childhood obesity by developing muscle mass which burns much more calories than an equal amount of fat. Children can do simple calisthenics like modified push ups, squats, lunges and crunches using their own body weight for resistance or have fun with props such as tug-of-war ropes, weighted bean bags, elastic bands, and water bottles.

Stretching. Preschool children's muscles need regular stretching which should be done after the exercise session, not before. Any stretches performed should be held still while counting from 5-10 instead of bouncing while stretching. Bouncing stretches or ballistic stretching can tear muscles and lead to a shortening of the muscles instead of elongation.

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Choosing A Preschool Homeschool Curriculum

Choosing A Preschool Homeschool Curriculum
Children are always eager to learn, and they yearn for ways to express and explore their independence. In order to satisfy their children’s inquisitiveness, parents should begin looking for the best preschool homeschool curriculum, as a means to educate and develop their children’s creativity. At an early age, children develop a strong sense of curiosity and wonder. They love seeing, engaging in, and interpreting the world around them. So, what should parents look for when choosing a preschool homeschool curriculum, and how can they find a curriculum that’s both easy to teach and implement? Because each child has different needs and interests, there are no easy answers to finding the appropriate curriculum; however, here are some of the most important aspects parents should look for when choosing a preschool curriculum:

Includes Activities for Learning
Four-year-olds have a limited attention span and many haven’t mastered sitting still, so parents need to find a curriculum that integrates activities and learning. The curriculum should provide supplies, as well as ideas, for parents to use in instructing their child. For instance, if the curriculum teaches the recognition of various shapes, it should provide an activity for the child to stimulate learning. The activity could be as simple as matching shapes on a piece of paper or putting cut-out shapes in designated boxes. While the child performs the activity, parents can constantly name the shape and request the child to repeat the name. Even though the child is having fun, he is also learning and developing memorization. If a preschool homeschool curriculum doesn’t provide activities, it will be difficult to keep the child engaged and enthused about learning.

Centers the Curriculum around Books
Books are the key to unlocking a whole new world of wonder in a child’s life! Therefore, when parents choose a preschool curriculum, they should make sure the materials are book-centered and the curriculum promotes an early development of literacy. For example, the curriculum should offer books about letters, numbers, colors, and shapes. These books are not only instructive but also entertaining. With this enhanced focus on books, parents will help their homeschoolers develop an appreciation for literacy. Because books are an important element in expanding a child’s vocabulary, imagination, and comprehension, parents should also research whether or not there are additional resources available with the curriculum. A preschool homeschool curriculum that doesn’t utilize books requires parents to instill the appreciation of literacy without curriculum assistance.

Promotes Creative Thinking
Young children have a very active and creative imagination. In a child’s mind a box is transformed into a castle, a can becomes a telephone, and an umbrella becomes a means of transportation. In order to provide a foundation to teach their children about the amazing world around them, parents need to look for preschool curriculum that stimulates and nurtures creative thinking. As children grow, this creative thinking will help them solve problems and be an active member within a community. Creativity is always a useful and indispensable resource!

Develops Respect and Values
Because young children are very impressionable, a preschool homeschool curriculum should focus on developing respect and Christian values. Parents should look for curriculum that engages children, but also teaches them manners, promotes a proper attitude, and honors others. These are the same values that are important to a family, and a homeschool curriculum needs to support and emphasize those same characteristics. By creating an early development of respect and values, parents will provide their children with a solid foundation that will last a lifetime.

Choosing the most appropriate preschool homeschool curriculum is an important decision parents make for their children, and because of each child’s unique abilities, interests, and gifts, it’s not an easy choice. However, by looking for a curriculum that includes stimulating activities for learning, is book-centered, promotes creative thinking, and develops respect and values, parents can be assured they are adequately preparing their children for kindergarten and the rest of their education. More importantly, they are supporting their children’s natural desire to learn, while also giving them the necessary foundations for a successful life.

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