Preschool Curriculum Activities

for Language Arts

Preschool curriculum activities are a great way to teach your preschooler her letters and phonics.

Here are some great games that you can easily and cheaply make to play with your preschooler:

WIGGLE WORMS

Supplies:

Empty can (make sure the edge is smooth)
Index cards
markers
construction paper
glue or tape

Directions:

1. Cut the construction paper so it covers the outside of the can.
2. Write "Wiggle Worms" on the paper and decorate it by drawing worms or using worm stickers.
3. Cut the index cards into 1"x1" squares.
4. Write one letter of the alphabet on each square.
5. On five squares, draw a worm.
6. The children sit in a circle and pass the can around.
7. Without looking, the child draws out a square and names it.
8. If the child draws a "worm" card, he yells, "Wiggle Worms" and all of the kids get up and wiggle like worms.

You can play this with one child or as many as you want. Your child will love it when you wiggle like a worm :)

VARIATIONS OF WIGGLE WORMS: Preschool curriculum activities like this one can also be used to teach phonics or sight words.

Lulu

Materials:

empty cereal box
construction paper
scissors
markers
glue
toothpicks

Directions:

1. You will be using the cereal box to make Lulu. Cut a round hole in the box for Lulu's mouth.
2. Cover the cereal box with construction paper.
3. Make sure you leave the hole open for the mouth and draw on the rest of the features.
4. Make lollipops by gluing 1 1/2" circles of different colors of construction paper to the ends of the toothpicks.
5. Write different letters of the alphabet on the lollipops.

Play:

Tell the children that Lulu is very hungry.

Lulu wants to eat an "h" lollipop.

Let your child choose the "h" lollipop and feed it to Lulu.

Keep calling out letters and let the children feed them to Lulu.

Preschool curriculum activities like this are fun. You can use this game to teach your child to learn the names of the letters of the alphabet and the phonetic sounds of the letters.

After your child learns all the names of the letters and the phonetic sounds, you can glue pictures to the lollipops. Ask your child to feed Lulu a lollipop that has a picture of something that starts with an "s" or sssssss sound .

BOO BOOS

Supplies:

assorted band aids (2 of each kind)
file folder
ziplock storage bag

Directions:

1. Unwrap band aids.
2. Stick one of each kind of the band aids to the front of the file folder.
3. Put the band aids that match in the baggie.

Play:

1. The child draws one band aid from the baggie.
2. The child unwraps one band aid and sticks it on themselves wherever they choose.
3. The child makes up a story about how he got the boo boo. You can write the story for them and make a boo boo storybook for them or let them record themselves telling the story.

Little kids love preschool curriculum activities that involve imagination. Take advantage of this before they get too old and self-conscious.

If you start your kids early enough with preschool curriculum activities like this one, it will come natural to them and they won't think anything about it when you ask them to make up stories when they're older.

ALPHABET SOUP

Supplies:

Soup can with smooth edge or cover with cloth tape
Index cards cut in 2" squares
Markers

Directions:

1. Print letters of the alphabet on the squares.
2. Let the children pass around the can, taking turns drawing out squares and naming the letter.

Adaptations:

For children who already know the phonetic sounds of the letters and can name all the letters, have them name an object that begins with that letter.

CONCENTRATION

Supplies:

Index cards cut into 10-30 3" pieces
Markers

Directions:

Write letters of the alphabet on the cards - For example you would write "a" on two cards, write "b" on two cards etc. until you have all the letters written down.

Play:

Turn the cards face down on the table.

Let your child turn two card over at a time.

If the cards match, he gets to keep the pair.

If the cards don't match, he turns them back over and tries again.

The game continues until all the cards have been matched. If more than one child is playing, the one who has the most pairs, wins.