Activity Ideas for Preschoolers

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• Plastic (or cardboard) coins and a piggy bank - bought or home-made (Pringles can, slit cut in top).
• Playdoh with a plastic knife, rolling pin, cookie cutters, etc.
• Painting: watercolors, paint books, or food coloring in water with a Q-tip.
• Chalk on dark construction paper.
• Scissors and paper (no other objective in mind!)
• Easy-to-use paper punch and strips of paper.
• Stencils, paper, colored pencils.
• Lacing cards: Cardboard shape with holes punched around it. Attach yarn, wrap masking tape around the end.
• Plastic canvas with yarn attached, wrap end in masking tape.
• Poke holes in thick cardboard with a tack.
• Shallow bucket on a towel on the floor. Add water, boats, plastic fish, measuring cups, etc.
• Writing tray: Put a layer of rice or cornmeal in a cookie sheet. Good for spelling practice or picture-drawing or practicing ABC's.
• Mini-sandbox: Put a layer of sand in a box the size of a banana box. Add trucks, cars, popsicle sticks. Throw a blanket over a card table or a couple of chairs. Offer clothes pins. They'll know what to do next!
• Make a tunnel of kitchen chairs.
• Give them a crochet hook and a length of yarn. Demonstrate chain stitch a few times. This is not for everyone, but if you refuse to do it for them, you'll be surprised at what they figure out.
• Stack cups or containers of different sizes.
• Nuts and bolts, same or different sizes.
• Scrap wood, hammer, nails.
• Bucket of water and a paintbrush-for outside painting. Works best on wood or concrete.
• Chalk on sidewalk or steps.
• Let them "wash" a few plastic dishes. Put an egg beater and baster in the water.
• A cup with non-toxic soapy water and a straw to blow bubbles. You may put it on a sheet of paper and add food coloring to the water.
• A cloth measuring tape to measure with (the metal ones have sharp edges).
• Make a necklace or snack chain with yarn (masking tape on end) and any cereal with holes: Froot Loops, Cheerios, etc.
• Arrange blocks by size, color, or shape.
• Dip string pieces in thinned poster paint. Fold a paper in half. Lay string on one side and fold over to create designs.
• Flash cards: ABC's or whatever you may have.
• Pictures with colored glue. If you put these on a smooth plastic sheet, it can be peeled off when dry.
• Superball or small car and a paper towel or wrapping paper tube.
• Tops - bought or made with ½ toothpick and cardboard disk.
• Draw roads, houses, etc. on large paper or cardboard. Use cars and trucks on it.
• Look through the button box.
• Watch a bug! At the table, at an anthill, wherever.
• Water color with food coloring, eye dropper or paint brush, coffee filter. Once this is dry, you can iron it. Then cut the center out of a paper plate. Glue filter to it for a sun catcher.
• Pins and pin cushion.
• Beanbags and a bucket.
• Magnet and paperclips, washers, a nail, etc.
• A large box.