Cognitive Development
Name of Activity: Find the Following
Originating Idea: Locating Objects
Curriculum Area: Cognitive Development
Materials:
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Pictures of thing in your Classroom
Appropriate Age Group: 1-2 Years
Beginning of Activity:
During the beginning of this activity, ask the children in which area they like to play the best! Talk about different items in your classroom and talk about which item is called.
Middle of Activity
Early:
When doing this activity with early staged learners, they may not be able to find objects that are not explained previously. Help these children 1 on 1 to find these items or objects that are on their card.
Middle:
When doing this activity with middle staged learners, they will be able to find these items or objects on their own. When given their cards, they will walk over to their object or item on their cards.
Later:
During this activity with later staged learners, they will be able to find the items on their card without help. Ask these children what item or object they have. What the item is used for or what its name is.
End of Activity
After the children all find their objects, go around the room and have the children name what their object was or go stand by it.
Follow-up Ideas:
Add pictures of items around your classroom with the name of the item on the card.
Label toys and shevles
Name of Activity: Sensory Walk
Originating Idea: Exploring Objects
Curriculum Area: Cognitive Development
Materials:
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Bulltin Board Paper
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Paints
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String
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Rice
Appropriate Age Group: 1-2 Years
Beginning of Activity
During the start of this activity, make a walking sensory path. Fill it with all different things that will stimulate the children's senses. Painting to squish. Rice for hard pieces. Strings for loose fun feelings, etc
Middle of Activity
Early:
Children in the early stages of learning will be able to walk on the paper, but might not prefer to step on all the paths items.
Middle:
Children in the middle developmental stages will be able to walk along the whole path, exploring with their feet and maybe their hands.
Later:
Children in the later developmental stages will be more open to doing this activity with their hands and feet. They may be able to explain what each path space feels like "hard, soft, squishy, etc"
End of Activity
After this activity, have the children explore the same items with their hands, maybe even smell and taste with the rice. Also adding other edible items as well.
Follow-up Ideas:
Add more edible items for table exploration.
Add more sensory play into your daily lesson plans.
Name of Activity: Cereal Spill
Originating Idea: Filling and Emptying
Curriculum Area: Cognitive Development
Materials:
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Rice Krispy Cereal
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Coca Krispy Cereal
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Cheerios
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Cups or Bowls
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Bottles
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Shovels
Appropriate Age Group: 1-2 Years
Beginning of Activity
For this activity, fill the sand and water table with different colored cereal for the children to fill and empty cups or buckets with.
Middle of Activity
Early:
When doing this activity with early staged learners, they may need help filling their bucket or cup with a shovel. For these children, they may use their hands or you can try assisting them while using the shovel. These children may enjoy spilling more then filling.
Middle:
These children will be able to shovel the cereal into their bucket or cup. While doing this, encourage them to try putting the cereal in a bottle.
Later:
When doing this activity with later staged children, they will be able to fill the cups and bowls while using the shovel. Have these children put the cereal into the bottles, giving it a smaller hole to fill.
End of Activity
After the children have done this activity, allow them to eat the cereal in their bowls or cups.
Follow-up Ideas:
Keep this center open for free play.
