Back to school

AREA SETUP

(Open thematic poster-Back to school) Print, laminate, and decorate the walls of your daycare with all kinds of posters.

Stickers for rewards
(Open stickers-Back to school) Print the illustrations on adhesive paper and use them to create unique stickers.

Group identification
(Open group identification-Silly hippos) Print and laminate the posters and items and use them to identify children's belongings and decorate your daycare.

Back to school tree
Display a large tree trunk with branches on a wall of your daycare. It can be decorated per your current theme. Here, stick or hang a picture of each child in your group on a tree branch. Print and add a nametag next to each child's picture. (Open back to school nametags)

Motivation chart-Back to school
(Open motivation chart-Back to school) Print and laminate. Use the chart for potty training or to encourage any positive behavior you wish to foster within your group.

Poni back to school mailbox
Organize a mailbox area within your daycare. Every morning, encourage children to check the mailbox to see if Poni has left a message for them. (Open poster-mailbox-Back to school) Print and display next to your mailbox.

Mailbox ideas:

• Purchase this mailbox on the educatall.com online store (http://www.educatout.com/catalog/product-my-own-mailbox-classic-toy_i-927.php) and decorate it for the theme.
• Decorate a cardboard box (cereal box, shoebox, etc.) to make it look like a mailbox.
• Recycle an empty coffee can and decorate it to make it look like a mailbox.
• Hang a gift bag on a hook or door handle and use it as a mailbox.

Educa-theme-Back to school
(Open educa-theme-Back to school) Print and laminate the items representing the theme. Use them to present your theme and decorate your daycare.

Educa-decorate-Back to school
(Open educa-decorate-Back to school) Print, laminate, and cut out. Use the illustrations to decorate the walls of your daycare and set the mood for the theme.

Educa-decorate-Kindergarten
(Open educa-decorate-Kindergarten) Print, laminate, and cut out. Use the illustrations to decorate the walls of your daycare and set the mood for the theme.

Educa-numbers-Kindergarten
(Open educa-numbers-Kindergarten) Print and laminate the posters. Display them on the walls of your daycare to decorate throughout the theme.

Educa-letters-Kindergarten
(Open educa-letters-Kindergarten) Print and laminate the posters. Display them on the walls of your daycare to decorate throughout the theme.

The welcome chart
Your daycare entrance must be welcoming and friendly for both children and their parents. In order to help children develop a sense of belonging within the group and the daycare environment, a welcome chart is important. This chart will be used to identify the children who are present each day. Children can display their picture with the help of their parents when they arrive each morning or with your help later in the day. You may choose to decorate the chart with illustrations relating to your current theme, the season, or an upcoming holiday. It will decorate your entrance and must be set up so that everyone can see it. Many early childhood educators find using the welcome chart quite demanding. If this is your case, simply use it to continuously display children's pictures and change the decorations when you have the time. Don't forget to write each child's name below his/her picture. If you are absent one day, this will help the person replacing you identify the children in your group.

Organizing your toy bins
Print a new series of labels to identify your bins. (Open labels-storage bins) Print and stick the labels on your various bins to identify their content.

Setup of your entrance
(Open poster-Welcome) or (Open poster-Farewell) Print and display to announce the arrival or departure of members of your group.

SPECIAL TOOLS

In the educatall club, you will find a complete section of printable documents. For example, you will find the friendly caterpillar, the task train, perpetual calendars, the good habit chart, the visual routine, the hand washing poster, the conflict resolution rainbow, etc. Use these precious tools to get children involved in the daily routine while encouraging autonomy.

Don't miss our special requests, posters, memos, and tools. They are packed with documents which may be printed and used to organize your walls and daily routines. Select tools you can integrate into your routine for the year to come. Present new tools one at a time. Once the group has mastered its purpose, add another one. Don't forget to visit our archives section!

CIRCLE TIME

Wear a special hat or sweater to greet children. The hat or sweater can, in some way, represent your group's name.

Back to school puppet
(Open puppets-Back to school) Print the puppet and use it to read the thematic letters to your group or simply to animate your discussion periods throughout the theme.

Let's chat
(Open word flashcards-Back to school) Print and laminate the word flashcards. Have each child pick a word and share it with the group (ex. backpack). Discuss each item. Ask children questions to encourage them to speak.

Animated discussion-Back to school
(Open picture game-Back to school) Print and laminate the illustrations in the format you prefer. Use them to spark a conversation with your group. Ask children questions about the theme.

Flipogram-Back to school
(Open picture game-Back to school) Print and laminate the pictures in the format you prefer. Use a hole-punch to make a hole in the upper right and left corner of each picture. Stack the pictures and insert a ring through each set of holes. The flipogram is easy to manipulate. Simply show children how they can lift a picture and flip it under the stack. Name each item with your group. Use the flipogram to encourage children to talk during circle time and to ask them questions about the theme.

Zip zap
Children sit in a circle and the leader of the game sits in the centre. When the leader of the game points to a child and says "zip", the child he is pointing to must name the child sitting to his right. When the leader of the game says "zap", everyone must change places...and the game continues.

Find your seat
Stick a number or illustration on each chair, making sure you have a second copy of each one. At lunch or snack time, have children pick a card to determine where they are to sit at the table.

Have fun preparing this imaginary game for your group each day. (Open thematic letter-Back to school) Print the letter and insert it in an envelope. Place the envelope in an easy to find location in the daycare. During circle time, ask children to find the letter. Read portions of the letter to them each day.

Take time to explain the various tools you selected for your group. We have prepared a visual daily routine which presents each portion of the day including greeting, snack time, workshops, naptime, lunch, departure, etc. (Open tools-visual routine) Print and display at children's eye level.

PICTURE GAME

The pictures may be used as a memory game or to spark a conversation with the group. Use them to decorate your daycare or a specific thematic corner. (Open picture game-Back to School) Print, laminate, and store in a Ziploc bag or in your thematic bins.

ACTIVITY SHEETS

Activity sheets are suggested for each theme. Print and follow instructions. (Open Activity sheets-Back to school)

Creating an activity sheet booklet
Print several activity sheets and writing activities. Laminate them and insert them in a binder along with dry-erase markers. Set the binder in your writing area and let children explore it as they see fit. At the end of each day, simply erase their work so the activity sheets can be used again.

WRITING ACTIVITIES

(Open writing activities-S like school) Print for each child or laminate for use with a dry-erase marker.

Tracing words-Back to school
(Open word flashcards-Back to school) (Open giant word flashcards-Back to school) Print several word flashcards. Glue them on pieces of paper, laminate them, and arrange them in a binder. Show children how they can trace the words using dry-erase markers. If you wish, leave room under each word so children can try to write the words without tracing the letters.

Stationery-Back to school
(Open stationery-Back to school) Print. The stationery can be used to communicate with parents, in your writing area, or to identify your thematic bins.

Educa-nuudles-Back to school

(Open-educa-nuudles-Back to school) Print for each child. Have children color the sheet and use Magic nuudles to give it a three-dimensional look. Variation: You don't have Magic Nuudles? Have children fill the spaces designed for Magic Nuudles with bingo markers or stickers. To order Magic Nuudles.

WORKSHOPS

Posters-Back to school workshops
(Open posters-workshops-Back to school) Print, laminate, and display to identify your various workshops.

Workshop planning booklet-Back to school
(Open workshop planning booklet-Back to school) Print, laminate, and use the grid with a dry-erase marker. This essential tool will help you prepare and create the material you need for your various workshops, organize your environment, and plan per the interests of the children in your group. It will also help you analyze your weekly activities.

Workshop follow-up booklet-Back to school
(Open workshop follow-up booklet-Back to school) Print for each child. This booklet will help you better understand how workshops foster children's development.

To begin the year, here are several activities which do not belong to a particular theme. They encourage "free play" and help new additions to the group get used to the daily routine. They are meant to introduce just a few new rules at a time.

Construction and building blocks:

• Blocks of all kinds: LEGO, wooden blocks (colored or natural), Bristle blocks, Duplo, Mobilo, etc.
• Cardboard boxes lined with newspaper which can be used as giant blocks
• Figurines
• All toys representing means of transportation: cars, trucks, airplanes, boats, trains, etc.
• A garage, a mat representing streets to play with small cars, cardboard cylinders to represent tunnels, and traffic signs
• Farm animals, zoo animals, reptiles, pets, etc.
• Natural construction elements such as branches, rocks, pieces of bark, etc.

Arts & Crafts:

• Easel and large sheets of white paper for painting.
• Different sizes of paintbrushes, brushes, sponges, rollers, old toothbrushes, etc.
• Water paint cakes
• Finger paint and glossy paper
• Chalkboard and chalk
• Straight and special design scissors
• Various hole punches
• Glue sticks, white glue, sparkly glue, etc.
• Adhesive paper
• Feathers, confetti, pipe cleaners, bits of yarn, ribbons
• Multicolored construction paper
• Colored or white pieces of cardboard
• Cellophane paper, tissue paper, wrapping paper
• Paper plates, cone-shaped glasses, cardboard tubes
• Popsicle sticks, toothpicks
• Recycled elements
• Catalogues and flyers
• Stencils
• A plastic tablecloth to protect the table

Drawing:

• Coloring pages related to the daily routine, workshops, friends, the group's name, etc.
  
• Markers, wooden crayons, waxed crayons
  
• Pastel crayons, coloured chalk
  
• HB pencils and erasers
• Rulers and stencils
  
• Stamps and stamp pads

Role Play:

• Anything and everything that can be used for costumes and dress up play
• Adult and children's clothing (parents may provide odd items), hand bags, shoes, belts, scarves, old jewellery, etc.
• Small electronics (toys or the real thing with electrical cords removed), dishes, table and chairs, plastic food items, empty food containers
• Dolls, doll clothing, high chair, baby bed
• Puppets and puppet theatre

Manipulation:

• Back to school memory game using educatall pictures
• Puzzles
• Modeling dough and cookie cutters for sculpting various shapes
• Multicoloured beads in various sizes and shapes to make necklaces
• Lacing shapes
• Shapes with buttons, zippers, snaps, etc.
• Toys which can be embedded and assembled
• Lotto games, memory games, and other games adapted to the ages of the children in your group
• Card games
• Magnetic letters and numbers
• Magnets of all kinds with a metal baking sheet

Pre-reading:

• Fairytales, storybooks, picture books
• Book and CD sets with headphones
• An album filled with pictures of the children in your group
• Alphabet primer
• Magazines with pictures
• Felt boards with shapes to create stories
• Comfortable chairs, cushions, a small table
• Posters to hang on the walls
• A "hideout" corner for children who want quiet time alone
• A small table lamp

Pre-writing:

• Tracing activities
• "Find the errors" games
• Hunt and seek games
• Various activity sheets to practice writing, tracing, etc.
• Games with educatall word flashcards
• An old typewriter for children to print real letters
• Magnetic letters and numbers
• A white board with dry-erase markers

Sensory bins:

• Sandbox or water table: replace sand or water with oats, lentils, pasta, sunflower seeds, cotton balls, leaves, peas, cereal, etc. The possibilities are only limited by the ages of children in your group. Use your better judgment.
• Spray bottles
• Funnels and empty containers for pouring and transferring
• Small objects or figurines which can be hidden in bins
• Kitchen utensils to stir the contents of bins
• Straws, sponges
• Measuring cups, colanders
• Objects that float and objects that sink

Science & Nature:

• Animal posters or posters related to natural phenomena
• Maps, atlas, globe
• Plants, soil, vivarium, aquarium, gardening tools
• Magnifying glasses, plastic gloves
• Objects found in nature (logs, branches, leaves, rocks...)
• Scale
• Funnels, eyedroppers
• Containers of all kinds which can be used to make mixtures

Music:

• Posters of musical instruments
• A tape recorder and a microphone to sing and record
• Music from different countries, different styles of music
• Musical instruments (real or toys)
• Rhythmic sticks, triangles, drums, cymbals, xylophone, bells, etc.

Get to know the various workshops
(Open chart-workshops) We suggest using a simple method involving pictures to represent the various workshops available within your daycare. There are different types of workshops. Some are always open, such as the kitchen and building blocks. Other workshops are open only at certain specific moments such as the computer area, the drama area, etc.

To ensure workshops are a success, it is sometimes necessary to limit the number of participants. Posters indicating the number of participants help you manage how many children will be authorized to participate in each workshop. This chart can be used to simply and efficiently show children how many can take part in a certain activity. Children add their picture or name to the workshops offered having available spots.

LANGUAGE ACTIVITIES

Use the cards to spark a conversation with your group or in your reading and writing area. They may also be used to identify your thematic bins. (Open word flashcards-Back to school) (Open giant word flashcards-Back to school) daycare, kindergarten, teacher, early childhood educator, assistant, backpack, lunch box, circle time, routine, friends, bus, group

Reinvented scrabble
(Open word flashcards-Back to school) (Open giant word flashcards-Back to school) Print many copies of the word flashcards and encourage children to use scrabble tiles to write the words. Manipulating the small tiles represents a great fine motor skill exercise. At the same time, children will notice which letters make up the different words.

Word association-Back to school
(Open word flashcards-Back to school) (Open giant word flashcards-Back to school) Print two copies of several different word flashcards. On a large piece of cardboard, stick one copy of each flashcard vertically to create a word column. Cut the second copy of each word flashcard so you have the word on one side and the illustration on the other side. Attach Velcro behind each part as well as to the right of the uncut flashcards (on the cardboard). Arrange the cut flashcards on the table and encourage children to look at your flashcard board to identify a matching word and illustration. When they succeed, they may stick them next to the corresponding flashcard, on your board. This exercise will help children associate words with pictures.

Word tree-Back to school
(Open word flashcards-Back to school) (Open giant word flashcards-Back to school) Print several word flashcards. Use a hole-punch to make a hole at the top of each flashcard. Thread a ribbon through each hole and tie a knot. Bring the word flashcards outside and encourage children to use them to decorate a tree. Every time a child adds a flashcard, invite him/her to "read" the corresponding word. Children will be happy to repeat this activity many times. Eventually, they will learn to recognize the words.

Word clothesline
(Open word flashcards-Back to school) (Open giant word flashcards-Back to school) Print two copies of several word flashcards. Hang one copy of each word on an indoor clothesline with colourful clothespins. Arrange the copies in a pile on a table. Let children take turns picking a word and finding the matching word on the clothesline. When they find a match, they can place the flashcard on top of the one that was already hanging on the clothesline. Help younger children manipulate the clothespins if necessary.

Word race
(Open word flashcards-Back to school) (Open giant word flashcards-Back to school) Print several word flashcards and hide them throughout your daycare or yard. Divide your group into two teams. When you give them the signal, children must search for the flashcards for a pre-determined period, for example three minutes. When the time is up, children must be able to "read" their flashcards to earn a point for their team. If they are unable to find the correct word, the other team can earn the point if they succeed.

ROUTINES AND TRANSITIONS

Game-This is my spot-Back to school
(Open picture game-Back to school) Print two copies. Laminate and cut out the cards. Glue one copy of each card on the table using adhesive paper. Drop the other copies in a bag. Children take turns picking a card to determine their spot at the table for the day. You may also use the cards to determine naptime spots or for your task train.

Finding my seat
Stick a sun or tulip with a number on it on each chair. Make sure you have a second copy of each one. At lunch or snack time, have children pick a card to determine their spot at the table. They must sit on the chair with the matching shape/number.

Hopping from one activity to the next
Use adhesive paper to stick sunny designs cut out of yellow construction paper on the floor. Have children jump on the designs on one foot, backwards, like frogs, etc. This will help children develop their gross motor skills during transitions.

SPECIAL ACTIVITY

Back to school party
Back to school time is the perfect occasion to throw a party. We suggest an afternoon party to give parents a chance to join in the fun at the end of the day. However, you can plan a morning party if you prefer. Here are several crafts and activities you can prepare ahead of time.

Perpetual calendar-Back to school
(Open perpetual calendar-Back to school) Print and laminate. Display the calendar on a wall to inform parents of your special "Back to school" day.

My back to school hat
(Open hat models-Back to school) Print for each child. Have children decorate their party hat using a variety of arts & crafts materials. They can wear their party hat for back to school actvities.

Garland
(Open educa-decorate-Back to school) Print. Let children decorate the items with glitter, markers, and arts & crafts materials. Cut them out and hang them within the daycare or near your daycare entrance to form a garland.

My back to school balloons
(Open balloons-Back to school) Print, laminate, and decorate your daycare with the balloons. You may also inflate real balloons to add even more color.

Invitations-Back to school party
(Open invitations-Back to school party) Print as many copies as needed. Have children color the invitations (or use the color version) and send one home with each child.

Picture frames-Back to school
(Open picture frame-Back to school-Black and white) (Open picture frame-Back to school-Color) Print a frame for each child. Stick the frames on heavy cardboard and let children color their frame and decorate it as they see fit. Print a picture for each child and help them insert it in their frame.

SUGGESTION FOR THE WEEK

Organize a special day in honor of your new group. (Open perpetual calendar-School Day)

Greeting: Children bring their lunch to daycare in a lunch box.

Circle time: Discussion about school and/or visit a kindergarten classroom.

Lunch and snack: Children enjoy the lunch they brought from home.

Special activity: Children pretend to be at school. They take turns being the teacher. Prepare activity booklets they can complete. Organize the daycare so it resembles a classroom. Include desks, chairs, a table and a chair facing the others for the teacher, chalk, a bell, notebooks, pencils, backpacks...You are a teacher for the day. Plan your day like a normal school day with schoolwork, drawing, a craft, a song, recess, lunch, the bus ride home, etc. Use accessories which can often be found in a classroom such as activity sheets or the letters of the alphabet. At the end of the day, present children with diplomas for various challenges they have succeeded.

Some examples of challenges are:

I can tie my shoes
(Open poster-I can tie my shoes) Print, laminate, and hang in the daycare. Using old shoes or lacing toys, have children practice tying their shoes. (Open diploma-I can tie my shoes)

I am learning how to use scissors
(Open Game-I am learning how to cut) Print and staple the booklets together. Children trace and cut on the dotted lines. (Open diploma-I am growing)

I know my numbers
(Open chart-Numbers) Print, laminate, and hang on the wall at children's eye level. With Velcro, children associate the correct number of symbols to each number. (Open diploma-I know my numbers)

I know the alphabet
(Open activity sheet-I can trace the alphabet) Children trace each letter of the alphabet. (Open diploma-I know the alphabet)

I am learning colors
(Open Game-I know my colors) Children take turns rolling the die. With their playing piece, they move to the corresponding color. When the die shows a color, they must name it. (Open diploma-I know my colors)

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND MOTOR SKILLS

What's your name ball
Sit in a circle and toss a ball to a child. The child who receives the ball must say his name before tossing the ball to another child and so on. When every child has received the ball at least once, the ball goes back to the early childhood educator. To begin the second round, toss the ball to a child as you say his name. The game continues this way. Every time a child tosses the ball to another child, he must say his name.

Who is missing?
Children walk around the room, to the sound of music. When you stop the music, children lie on the floor and close their eyes. Set a blanket over a child to hide him completely. Invite children to open their eyes and identify the missing child.

Friendly musical chairs
Play musical chairs with your group, but instead of eliminating a child after every round, remove a chair. Children will have to find a way to sit on the chairs that are available. At the end, they will all have to pile onto a single chair. This is an excellent game for fostering cooperation.

Hunt and seek
Children sit in a circle. Tell them you are looking for an object of a specific color or shape. The object must be visible and easy to identify. The child who finds the object leads the next round of the game.

Guided tour
Children stand in a line and hold each other around the waist. Lead the train on a guided tour around the daycare. Name each area you visit and inform children of where they may and may not go.

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

What is your name?
Stand in a circle with your group. Throw a ball to a child and call out his name. Each child tosses the ball to another child, saying the name of the child who is to receive the ball out loud.

ACTIVITIES INVOLVING PARENTS

Ask parents to prepare a miniature photo album with their child. This will give parents the opportunity to show you what is important to their child: their home, their pet, their family members, etc.

Visual calendar
(Open visual calendar) Print. Be sure to display all the months so parents can see all important dates such as pay days, holidays, special days, etc. Invite them to indicate the days their child will be absent on the calendar.

COGNITIVE ACTIVITIES
Days of the week
(Open-Days of the week) Print, laminate, and cut out. Children enjoy associating the days of the week to the correct color on the xylophone.

Time of day
(Routine game) Print, laminate, and cut out. Associate each symbol to the correct time of day, morning, noon, afternoon, or evening.

Look closely
Gather children in one corner of the daycare. Show them an object you are about to hide. Ask them to turn their back to you so you can hide it. Place the object in an obvious location so children do not have to overturn or move other objects to find it. Children search for the object with their hands behind their back or on top of their head. When a child sees the object, he must remain silent. He simply comes to sit near you. When the entire group has found the object, start over again.

I am bringing...
Sit in a circle with the group. Begin the game by saying, "I am going to daycare and I'm bringing... (my smile for example)". The game continues. The next child must repeat your item and add a new one. Each child repeats the previous items and adds a new one to the list.

Counting cards-Back to school
(Open counting cards-Back to school) Print and laminate. Prepare a series of wooden clothespins on which you can paint or draw numbers 1 to 9. Children count the items on each card and place the corresponding clothespin on the correct number.

Roll and color-Back to school
(Open roll and color-Back to school) Print for each child. This game can be enjoyed individually or as a group. Children take turns rolling a die, counting the dots, and coloring the corresponding part.

What's wrong here?
Invite children to walk around the daycare for a few minutes. Encourage them to notice where items are placed. Ask them to leave the room or close their eyes while you change things around somewhat. You may, for example, move a chair, hang a picture upside down, place a toy in a different area, etc. Children must try to identify the changes.

Sequential story
(Open visual routine) Print. Ask children to place the pictures in order, according to when the actions they represent occur during the day.

MORAL AND SOCIAL ACTIVITIES

Miming words
(Open word flashcards-Back to school) (Open giant word flashcards-Back to school) Print and laminate the flashcards. Deposit them in an opaque bag and use them for a mime game. Children take turns picking a word and miming it so the other children can identify the correct word. For example, if a child picks the word "lunch box", he/she can pretend to open it and eat.

Photo booth-Back to school
(Open photo booth-Back to school) Print the various accessories, cut them out, and glue a drinking straw behind each one. Purchase sun hats, lightweight scarves, sunglasses, etc. at your local dollar store. Create a summer-themed décor using a large piece of cardboard or curtain. Invite children to pick the accessories they prefer and pose for you. You can take individual, group, or family photos. Print the pictures and display them on a wall for everyone to see.

Getting to know each other
Children sit two by two, facing each other. They must mirror the facial expressions of their partner.

Internal mail
Each child prepares one or more drawings for other children in the group. When they are done, they can deposit them in a mailbox you previously prepared together. The mailman is responsible for distributing internal mail. Randomly select drawings. You can ask the child who drew the picture to describe it to the group. This activity can last a day, a week, or an entire month.

Standing ovation
Select a different child each day. Throughout the day, the child may request a standing ovation at any time simply by saying, "I would like a standing ovation please." The other children in the group stop what they are doing and clap as loud as they can.

Rallying cry
With the group's input, invent your own rallying cry. Explain to the group when you will use it (if they are old enough to understand). Use your daycare's name for inspiration. When you begin the rallying cry, children must complete it and remain silent to hear the explanations or instructions you have for them. For example, if you say, "Little mice", they complete with, "hi hi hi".

King or queen of the day
(Open crown-King or queen of the day) Print and decorate the crown. Every day, invite a different child to wear it. Make sure this child is granted many privileges throughout the day.

Back to school drawing
Invite children to draw their daycare environment. They may include their friends, their early childhood educator, their favorite workshops and corners, etc. When they are done, children can take turns presenting their drawing to the group.

My friend and I
(Open picture frame-My friend and I) Print several copies. Take pictures of your group and print copies for each child. Let them glue the pictures inside the frames.

Our memory game
Ask parents to provide pictures of their child. Laminate them and use them to create a personalized memory game where the goal is to find two pictures of the same child (not necessarily identical pictures).

CULINARY ACTIVITIES

Welcome cocktail
Prepare for your back to school party by making special cocktails with your group. They can serve them to their parents. You will need measuring cups for this activity. Children must all have equal quantities of orange juice and pineapple juice. Add grenadine and decorate glasses with fresh fruit, miniature umbrellas, etc.

ARTS & CRAFTS

My scrapbook
(Open scrapbook) Print several copies of each page. Have children color them. Take pictures of the children. Add pictures of each child to the group's scrapbooks. Add personalized comments. Glue the cover page on heavy paper and join the pages together with ribbon.

My very own placemat
Provide a variety of arts & crafts materials. Encourage children to create a collage that you will later laminate to make a placemat. This is an interesting activity for younger children. It will encourage them to remain seated during lunch. Another approach to this activity is having children cut pictures of their favorite foods out of grocery store flyers. This will help you prepare snacks and meals the group will enjoy.

A bookmark for the daily communication journal
(Open model-Bookmark) Print on coloured paper. You may use confetti, sparkly glue, or even children's pictures to decorate the bookmarks. Laminate them so they can be used throughout the year.

Cutting exercise
(Open game-I am learning how to cut) Print and staple together to make a booklet for each child. Throughout the week, children trace and cut out the shapes on the dotted lines.

My group's story
(Open my group's story) Print the cover page along with several other pages for each child. Glue each page on a piece of heavy cardboard. Ask children to draw on them, create a collage, or paint to represent what they enjoy doing with each of their daycare friends. When they are done, write a brief text at the bottom of each page. If you wish, add pictures. Join the pages together to complete the stories.

My group's tree
Paint a large tree on a piece of cardboard and display it on a wall. Press children's hands in paint and then on paper. Once the paint is dry, have children cut out their handprints and glue them on the tree to represent leaves.

My friendship bouquet
Trace each child's hand once for every child in your group (if there are six children in your group, trace each child's hand six times). Cut out the handprints and let children decorate them as they see fit. Attach a pipe cleaner behind each hand. The hands become flowers. Each child gives one flower to each of his friends so that each child has a bouquet made up of his hand and the hand of each child in the group.

Caring for friends
Give each child a paper plate. Cut petal shapes out of colourful construction paper. Have children glue petals all the way around their plate. Glue a picture of each child in the centre of their plate. Use this craft to explain how, just like a flower, friends are precious and fragile; we must care for our friends.

Group project
Hang a large white paper banner on a wall. Let children paint or draw on it. They can also glue materials on it. Let them add to their mural as they see fit throughout the theme.

Group wallpaper
Give each child a piece of construction paper. Let them decorate it with stickers, crayons, glitter, pompoms, and other accessories. Once all the children are done, use ribbon to join the pages together to represent wallpaper. Hang your original wallpaper on a wall.

COLORING PAGES

(Open coloring pages theme-Back to school) Print for each child.

DIFFERENT WAYS TO USE THE COLORING PAGES

Identical coloring pages-Back to school
Print the same coloring page for each child and an additional copy for your model. Color only certain parts of your picture. Present the model to your group and ask them to color their picture to make it look exactly like yours.

Coloring binder-Back to school
Print and laminate several coloring pages and arrange them in a binder with a few dry-erase markers. Leave everything on a table for children to explore.

Musical drawing-Back to school
Play musical drawing with your group. Give each child a coloring page. Have children sit around a table. When the music starts, they must pass the coloring pages around the table. Every time the music stops, they must color the picture in front of them until the music starts again.

Homemade puzzles-Back to school
Give each child a picture to color. When they are done, cut each picture into pieces to create unique puzzles.

SONGS & RHYMES

(Open songs & rhymes-Tell me your name)
By: Patricia Morrison Sung to: Ring around the Rosie

Skip around the circle
Time to meet my new friends
Hel-lo, Hel-lo
Tell me your name

Have fun!

The educatall team