Home Child Care Lessons on a Shoe String Budget
A preschooler needs consistency. That is why I use the same lesson plan for one week before moving on to another letter. At the end of the week, we review everything we have learned and have a letter party. This party gives the children the option to bring something from home that starts with the letter we have studied. These lessons have been created by using little or no money for supplies, only what you can find around your home. I have learned from https://thekindleschool.com/ that children don’t worry about how much something cost you. You can do each lesson everyday, or divide them up daily. Either way, your children will have fun learning their letters with you.
Indoors
Naming things that start with the letter “L” is very important. Examples of words that start with “L” would be; lock, ladder, lion, leaf, letter and lightening, just to name a few. It helps the child to relate. If they see it, they can remember it. Before the week starts, label everything in your child care home that starts with an “L”. Every day, take the children around your day care home to review what you have labeled.
Writing is very important too. Even if the child can not actually write the letter at first, it won’t be long before you will be able to see improvement. Before your week starts, reserve a blank piece of paper for each child. With a marker write a capitol “L” and a lower case “l”. During writing time, distribute the papers and allow the children to practice writing the letter they see.
Letter project: Letters home.
If kids can not sign their names yet, let them stamp their thumbprint or handprint using washable paint. Sit down with each child one at a time and let them tell you what to write to their parents in their own words. They can draw a picture on the letter if they would like. At the end of the day, they can hand them out to their parent or guardian when they arrive at pick up time. Parents will love what their child had to say.
Circle time: Feeling of the week: Love
Circle time can be in the floor of any room that you use for your child care. I bought each child a cushion to sit on, but you can use a little rug or towel, anything that distinguishes circle time. Children will know that when they are sitting on the special rug, towel or cushion that they are having circle time. They will look forward to the new discussions.
Start the conversation off by asking what is love? Be prepared for all responses. You may even want to keep a journal for circle time that you can write down the topic discussed and the answers from the children. It’s always good to reflect. Love is an emotion that we can feel. When we feel love, we want to share it. Love can make us also feel happy, sad or even confused. Have each child describe how love feels to them. How do they show love?
Cooking with Letters
I always try to find a simple food or snack that starts with the letter I am working with. I also try to make each recipe kid friendly so that everyone can help. I always let the children take turns helping in some way and also serving. We usually play restaurant during meal time. They each fix a plate for someone else. This helps them to pay attention to details and to also listen to others likes and dislikes. They also socialize more with each other while eating and they remember to wash their hands and mind their manners.
Logs and Ants – A kid friendly recipe
You will need:
- 1 box of round pretzel sticks
- Peanut butter
- Raisins
Have the children spoon peanut butter over the pretzel stick. Place the raisins on top of the peanut butter to represent the ants. Enjoy.
Outdoors
Take a trip outdoors, weather permitting, to discuss plants, animals or insects that begin with the letter “L”. Collect several leaves that are different sizes, shapes and colors. Return inside with your collection to do a leaf project.
For this project you will need two square pieces of wax paper per child, a variety of leaves to choose from and decorating supplies. Have each child place a leaf of their choice on one piece of wax paper. Let the child decorate the leaf. When finished, place the other piece of wax paper over the leaf so that the leaf is sandwiched between the wax paper.
Adults only
Use an iron set on low heat to run over the wax paper to seal the edges together. Using a hole punch, you can punch holes around the edge to thread a ribbon around the leaf picture or punch only enough holes to thread a ribbon for hanging. This is a treasured project that is great for preserving moments in time.
Remember to have fun with the children. You don’t need to spend hours preparing for these lessons and in the end, the children will learn and have fun, you will too.
