Playgroup Activity Ideas

Go for a nature walk at a park that has trails/paths, or around a neighborhood. Give each child a paper bag to pick leaves or a container for rocks. Make sure to discuss what they see on the walk such as flowers, trees, rocks, birds, clouds, etc. Also, listen to the sounds birds make. The children can pretend to be birds by flapping their wings and chirping or whistling. Babies enjoy walks and are never too young to take in what nature has to offer.

Visit a nursery, garden, or forestry center.

-Planting a Rainbow, by Lois Ehlert

-Seeds Grow! by Angela Shelf Medearis & Jill Dubin

-Tree Is a Plant, by Clyde Robert Bulla & Stacey Schuett

-The Tiny Seed, by Eric Carle

- What Color Is Camouflage? by Carolyn B. Otto & Megan Lloyd

Magic Leaf Art      (18+ months)

Materials: Leaves, paper, and crayons.

Description:  Lay the leaf under the paper and color over it.  Magically, an image of a leaf will appear!

Paper Weight  (18+ months)

Materials: A lid from a jar, clay or Play-Doh™, and rocks.

Description: Take a handful of clay and press it down into a lid.  Have the child push the rocks into the clay. Let it dry.

Rock Collection Case  (2+ years)

Materials: Empty egg carton and markers.

Use an empty egg carton and decorate with markers. Let the children use this for collecting and displaying rocks. Collect rocks. Then sort them from big to small and put them in order in their new collecting case.

Paper Tree  (3+ years)

Materials: Construction paper (fall colors: orange, yellow, brown), a marker, and glue.

Description:  Draw a trunk of a tree and its branches.  Tear pieces of the colored paper and dip in glue.  Paste pieces onto the tree for the leaves.

Tissue Butterfly (3+ years)          

Materials: Tissue paper or coffee filter, markers, and pipe cleaner.

Descriptions: Take a piece of tissue paper or coffee filter and draw designs on it with markers. Pinch together the center and twist a pipe cleaner around it.  Curl the ends of the pipe cleaner to make the antennae.

Plant a Flower      (3+ years)

Plant a flower and watch it grow.  Give each child a plastic cup and some dirt.  Then let them plant a flower seed in the cup, cover it with dirt, and sprinkle with water.  Take home and explain how to care for the flower so it will grow.

Bagel Nest

Ingredients: Mini bagels, cream cheese, and raisins.

Directions: Spread the cream cheese on the bagels and let the children lay the eggs (raisins) on the top.

Peanut Butter Caterpillars

Ingredients: 1 cup peanut butter, 2 cups instant oatmeal, and 2 cups instant dry milk powder.

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Roll out the caterpillars and refrigerate, then serve once chilled. (notify parents first that you will be serving peanut butter in case of any food allergies)

Plant a Flower    (3+ years)

Plant a flower and watch it grow.  Give each child a plastic cup and some dirt.  Then let them plant a flower seed in the cup, cover it with dirt, and sprinkle with water.  Take home and explain how to care for the flower so it will grow.

Making Choices:  Take extra time to
offer your child choices throughout
the day. Help your child learn to
recognize that making choices it is
an important part of life, and can have
good or bad consequences.

Health:
-Nutrients
-Vitamins
-Pediatrics/Family Doctor
-Proteins & Carbohydrates
-Vegetables
-Supplements