Explorers

AREA SETUP

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

Educa-decorate-Explorers
(Open educa-decorate-Explorers) Print, laminate, and cut out the various items. Use them to decorate your daycare and set the mood for the theme.

Garland-Explorers
(Open garland-Explorers) Print the illustrations. Let children decorate them. Cut them out and hang them within your daycare or near your daycare entrance to create a garland.

SPECIAL TOOL

This special tool was created in response to a special request received. (Open group identification-Explorers) Print. Use the content of this document to identify children's belongings or for various activities.

CIRCLE TIME

Poni discovers and presents-Explorers
(Open Poni discovers and presents-Explorers) Print, cut out, and laminate the pictures. Present the different types of exploration to your group. If you have a Poni puppet, use it to make your presentation attractive for little ones.

PICTURE GAME

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

ACTIVITY SHEETS

(Open activity sheets-Explorers) Print for each child and follow instructions.

WRITING ACTIVITIES

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

Stationery-Explorers
(Open stationery-Explorers) Print. Use the stationery to communicate with parents, in your writing area, or even to identify your thematic bins.

Educa-nuudles-Explorers
(Open educa-nuudles-Explorers) Print for each child. Have children color the sheet. Once they are done, they may use Magic Nuudles to turn the coloring pages into three dimensional works of art. Variation: If you do not have Magic Nuudles, ask children to fill the spaces designed for the Magic Nuudles with bingo markers or stickers. To order Magic Nuudles

LANGUAGE ACTIVITIES

Word flashcards

The flashcards may be used during circle time 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-Explorers) (Open giant word flashcards-Explorers) explorer, traveler, magnifying glass, to explore, compass, safari, to search, geography, map, the Himalayas, adventurer, mine

ROUTINES AND TRANSITIONS

Game-This is my spot-Explorers
(Open game-This is my spot-Explorers) Print two copies of each illustration. Use adhesive paper to stick one copy of each illustration on the table. Place the second copy in a bag. Children take turns picking an illustration to determine where they must sit at the table. You may also use the illustrations to determine children's naptime spots or their place in the task train.

My explorer path
(Open my explorer path) Print, laminate, and secure the illustrations on the floor of your daycare to create a path leading to the areas frequently visited by children throughout the day. The path can lead to the bathroom, the cloakroom, etc. If you prefer, use the illustrations to delimit various areas.

EXPLORERS IN TRAINING

Explorers have searched lands, travelled across oceans, and braved great storms to discover new countries and create the world we know today. For this theme, educatall.com has prepared special activities that can be presented over a one or two-week period. The activities come with their fair share of surprises and will give children the opportunity to explore many interesting things!

To begin, let's meet Makito, the great explorer. (Open thematic letter-Explorers) Print and laminate the character and use Makito to present the activities to your group.

Hello dear friends!

My name is Makito and I am a great explorer. I travel the seas in search of new islands, I brave snowstorms in the Great White North, I dig holes under the tropical sun, and I am always ready to hike through the forest to discover new animals. I have come to share my love for exploration with you. Every day, you will find new instructions. Your early childhood educator will guide you throughout the theme. I hope you will enjoy exploring as much as I do!

See you soon!

Makito

Exploring the sea-Present the thematic letter in a seashell.

Good morning!

Oh! I do love the sea! Its waves rock us ever so gently, but they can also represent a great danger when the sea is tumultuous. Did you know that the sea is full of seashells, fish, and seaweed? Today, with the help of your early childhood educator, you will be given the chance to explore the sea in a unique way. Have fun! You may even smell the sea's salty air.

Happy exploring!

Makito

Memo to the early childhood educator: See activity suggestions in the Ocean theme. Here are a few activities that will make exploring the sea with your group possible.

In the ocean, there are...
Have children sit in a circle and associate the name of a marine animal to each child (shark, whale, crab, lobster, starfish, etc.). Stand in the centre of the circle. Toss a scarf up in the air and say, "In the ocean, there are... (name a marine animal)." The child who was given this marine animal must quickly catch the scarf, toss it back up in the air, and call out the name of another marine animal, and so on...

The shark
Select a child to play the role of the shark. The shark must try to catch the other children. When he/she touches a child, this child becomes the new shark. Variation: You may also have the child who is touched by the shark stand still, with his/her arms stretched out. The other children can save him/her simply by walking under his/her arms. Several children can be frozen at the same time. With this version of the game, you will have to change sharks often.

Crab traps
Set three hula hoops on the floor, in a row (or trace three circles on the floor using rope). Children form a circle around the three hula hoops (crab traps). One by one, they must hop in all three circles to the sound of fast-paced music. When the music stops, the child who is standing in a circle is caught in a crab trap. He/she must act like a crab for a few seconds, placing his hands like crab claws.

The bottom of the ocean
Give each child a piece of heavy paper. Encourage them to draw fish, seashells, seaweed, etc. using waxed crayons. When they are done, have them paint over the entire surface of their piece of paper with blue poster paint (to represent water). The drawing will not disappear since the paint will not adhere to the waxed crayon markings. The elements will appear to be at the bottom of the ocean!

Exploring fire-Present the thematic letter in a fireman's helmet.

Good morning!

Oh! I love fire! Of course, since fire can burn, it's very dangerous, but we mustn't forget that it also provides heat and makes it possible to cook foods. Fire was discovered a very long time ago. This discovery changed the course of history. Firemen are always ready to fight fires. It can be quite amusing to explore fire, as long as you do so safely...

Happy safe exploration!

Makito

Memo to the early childhood educator: See activity suggestions in the 911 theme.

Here are a few activities that will make exploring fire with your group possible.

Firemen training
Firemen must be in very good shape in order to successfully extinguish fires. Set several exercise mats on the floor and encourage children to perform somersaults, jumps, etc.

The fire truck
You will need a large box (from a refrigerator for example). The box will represent a fire truck, there must therefore be room for your entire group. Show the box to your group and together, find ways to transform it to make it look like a fire truck. Collect red objects within your daycare and set them in your fire truck. This project can be completed over the course of a week.

The fireman says...
Much like in the game of "Simon says", give children different instructions they must act out only if you say "The fireman says..." first. Examples of actions: roll on the floor, climb a ladder, put the fire out, etc.

Red and yellow make...
Which colors do we see when we look at flames? Yellow, red, and orange. Inform the children in your group that you don't have any orange poster paint left. Give each child a small amount of red paint along with a small amount of yellow paint. Encourage children to mix the two colors together. What happens? Children will be happy to discover that mixing these two paint colors creates orange paint. Let children attempt to repeat this experiment using markers, coloured pencils, waxed crayons, etc.

Fire is hot
Pour a few drops of yellow poster paint and a few drops of red poster paint on a piece of paper and have children spread the paint around by blowing into a drinking straw. You will end up with something that looks a lot like fire.

Exploring Earth-Present the thematic letter in a recycling bin or in a recycled container.

Good morning!

First of all, did you know that we are all Earthlings? That's right! Since we all live on the planet Earth, we are Earthlings. For a few years now, we have been hearing about how it is important to take care of our planet a lot. How do you help keep our planet healthy? Today, we will discover different ways we can help Earth stay strong and show our appreciation for this wonderful place we call home with your early childhood educator.

Happy exploring!

Makito

Memo to the early childhood educator: See activity suggestions in the Earth Day theme. Here are a few activities that will make exploring our planet with your group possible.

Recycled constructions
In your construction/building blocks area, provide several empty plastic containers along with cardboard boxes. Children will love to use these recycled items to build castles and cabins. Your grocer will most likely be glad to give you a few boxes. Let children use their imagination. They will spend hours creating tunnels, towers, and other various structures. When they grow tired of playing with the containers and boxes, you can use them to store toys or small objects.

Recycling race
(Open I recycle well) Print. Prepare four boxes and glue a picture that represents a category on each one: plastic, glass, metal, paper. Divide your group into two equal teams. Give each team a bag containing the same number of objects. Determine a start and finish line and deposit the boxes on the finish line. Each team must take one project out of their bag at a time before leaving the start line, run to the finish line, and drop it in the correct recycling bin before running back to the start line to collect another item. The first team to successfully sort all of its items wins.

Visiting Earth
Create an obstacle course using hula hoops, balls, cardboard boxes, etc. Children must complete the obstacle course, pretending they are visiting Earth for the first time. Encourage them to move like extraterrestrials that are discovering Earth for the first time.

Exploring ice-Present the thematic letter in a pair of mittens or hide the letter...in the freezer.

Good morning!

Ice is cold and hard, but it has helped me cross lakes and rivers in the middle of winter. In recent years, I have even learned how to skate between two explorations, just for fun. I love skating! Your early childhood educator will suggest different ways you can explore ice today. Try to stay warm!

Happly exploring!

Makito

Memo for the early childhood educator: See activity suggestions in the Ice and Winter themes. Here are a few activities that will make exploring ice with your group possible.

Skating obstacle course
Use cones and a variety of obstacles to create an obstacle course within your daycare. You will need felt insoles, wool socks, or empty tissue boxes. Have children use the chosen items to pretend they are skating to the sound of music. Encourage them to skate around the obstacles.

Frozen sculptures
Wet several small towels and facecloths and hang them outside for a few hours on a cold day. The towels will harden and ice will form on them. Children can bend them to make unique sculptures.

Ice fishing
(Open variety of fish models) Print and have children color the fish. Laminate them and cut them out. Attach a paperclip to each fish and arrange them on the floor. Hang a rope from the end of an old broomstick. Attach a magnet to the other end of the rope. Hide behind a couch or other piece of furniture so you can help children "catch" fish. Encourage them to take turns. This game can also be presented outdoors. Simply hide behind a snowbank.

Slushie
Show children how they can make their own slushies by mixing crushed ice and juice. Provide spoons they can use to stir their slushies.

Ice cube painting
Fill an ice cube tray with water and add drops of food coloring to each section. Set the tray in the freezer. Once the water has started freezing, insert a Popsicle stick in each section and leave the tray in the freezer until the ice cubes are completely frozen. Provide large sheets of paper and let children paint with these special paintbrushes.

Exploring the desert-Present the thematic letter in a bucket filled with sand or hide it in your sandbox!

Good morning!

Sand is fascinating! Its grains are so small that they make their way into the tiniest spaces. During my explorations, I crossed gigantic deserts where the only things I could see all around were cactuses, sand, sand, and more sand! In the desert, the weather is very hot during the day and very cold during the night. Isn't that strange? Your early childhood educator will suggest several different ways of exploring sand today. Personally, I am already dreaming of my next beach vacation.

Happy exploring!

Makito

Memo for the early childhood educator: See activity suggestions in the Desert theme. Here are a few activities that will make exploring the desert with your group possible.

The prickly cactus
This game is played just like hot potato. Children sit in a circle. Find an object, if possible a small cactus (drawn on cardboard and cut out if you wish). Children must pass the cactus around the circle to the sound of music. The child holding the cactus when the music stops is out of the game. He/she can be in charge of stopping the music for the following round. The game ends when there is only one player left.

A sandstorm
Tell children there is a sandstorm within your daycare and they must quickly find shelter (a hiding spot). When all the children are hiding, get as many toys out as possible and deposit them in the centre of your daycare. You can use your vacuum cleaner to produce a wind-like sound. When you are done, stop your vacuum cleaner and invite children to come out from hiding to help you clean up the mess caused by the storm.

Camel walk
Help children put a heavy backpack on their back and have them travel from one end of the daycare to the other, while walking like camels. Have them pretend to walk in deep sand, bend down to drink water in an oasis, lie down because they are tired, and then get back up to complete their journey.

Sand drawing
Have children draw on a piece of cardboard with white glue. When they are done, have them pour sand all over their drawing. Shake any excess sand off over a garbage can or tray. Variation: You may also choose to tint your sand with powdered paint.

A storm in the desert
Mix brown poster paint with a small quantity of water. Using a paintbrush, let a small drop of paint fall on a sheet of paper. Encourage children to blow through a drinking straw to spread the color across the paper to represent a sandstorm.

Exploring snow-Present the thematic letter in a snowsuit or in a colourful toque.

Hello!

Why wait for winter to explore snow when there are ways to play in the snow in any season? During my explorations, I met several Inuit who taught me to love cold weather and snow. When your early childhood educator shares my snowy activity suggestions with you, I am sure you will love snow and winter too!

Happy exploring!

Makito

Memo for the early childhood educator: See activity suggestions in the Snow theme.

Here are a few activities that will make exploring snow with your group possible.

Rolling snowballs
What do snowballs do? They roll! Pretend you are snowballs and perform somersaults or roll on your side with your group.

Snowstorm
(Open models-small snowflakes) Print and cut out enough snowflakes so that you have at least ten per child. Deposit all the snowflakes in the centre of your parachute (or a blanket). Children must firmly hold on to the edge of the parachute. When you give them the signal, they must quickly raise the parachute, sending he snowflakes flying through the air. As the snowflakes fall to the ground, encourage children to collect as many as possible. If you wish, count how many each child collected before starting all over again. Variation: Instead of using the printed snowflakes, you may choose to use cotton balls or small Styrofoam balls.

Snowball fight
Use tissues or newspaper to make balls of paper. Identify targets throughout your daycare and throw your improvised snowballs towards them.

Potato snowman
Let children add a small amount of water to powdered potatoes. The mixture will become more or less thick. Children will love to manipulate it. This activity is ideal for very young children since the mixture in non-toxic.

White storm
Let children draw on dark paper using white chalk, white waxed crayons, or white coloured pencils.

Painting with cotton balls
Let children use cotton balls to paint on dark construction paper. Show them how they can press the cotton balls in white paint and then on their paper.

Exploring the forest-Present the thematic letter in a pile of leaves or hang it from a tree.

Good morning!

Oh! The forest! It's the perfect place to hear chirping birds, see grass-snakes, or hide from the rain. I love the smell of the forest. I am sure there is a small forest close to your home or daycare that you can visit after exploring the activities I have presented to your early childhood educator. The forest represents a great resource for endless discoveries!

Happy exploring!

Makito

Memo for the early childhood educator: See activity suggestions in the Forest theme. Here are a few activities that will make exploring the forest with your group possible.

Squirrel hideout
Fill a small swimming pool or container with leaves (dried leaves or fabric leaves). Hide objects among the leaves. When you give the signal, children must search for the items. Each time they find an object, they must deposit it in a designated area that represents a squirrel's hideout.

Leaf race
Use adhesive tape to define a start and finish line. Set two leaves, approximately 10 cm apart. Give two children a drinking straw or an empty toilet paper tube and encourage them to blow in them to make their leaf move forward. The first child who successfully crosses his/her leaf over the finish line wins. Variation: You may also choose to deposit obstacles (chairs, table, bowling pins, etc.) in their way.

Relaxing in the forest
Invite children to make their very own bed of leaves. When they are done, encourage them to lie down on their bed of leaves to observe the clouds above. Help them identify various shapes. Listen to the sound of the birds and the wind.

Forest animals
(Open forest animal tracks) Print the animal tracks on heavy paper and cut them out. Glue identical tracks on the floor to create paths. At the end of each path, glue a picture of the corresponding animal. When children follow a path, they will discover which animal the tracks belong to.

Animal tracks
Collect all the animal figurines that you have on hand and show children how they can press them in salt dough to make prints. Let the prints dry. Ask children to identify which animal (figurine) each set of tracks belongs to. This activity can also be done with paint and paper or in your sandbox or snow.

Exploring insects-Present the thematic letter in a small insect cage or in a butterfly net.

Bzzz... good morning!

Big or small, round or long, black or colourful, I will help you love insects! They are present all over our beautiful planet. There are so many different kinds of insects too... You will be given the chance to capture some with your early childhood educator. Keep in mind that insects all play a very important role. They are fascinating to explore!

Happy exploring!

Makito

Memo for the early childhood educator: See activity suggestions in the Insects theme. Here are a few activities that will make exploring insects with your group possible.

Hungry ants
You will need four shallow containers. Fill each container with one of the following: flour, sugar, maple syrup, and salt. Deposit the containers in an area where ants are present. With your group, observe the ants to see which containers they are attracted to. How do they make their way to the containers? Are other types of insects attracted to these items?

Insect inspector
Provide magnifying glasses, butterfly nets, and small plastic exploration boxes and encourage children to search for insects. Explore your environment, the bushes, the grass, the soil, etc. With your group, capture as many different types of insects as possible and observe them up close.

Beehive
Have children sit in a circle. Stand in the centre of the circle and use your arms to indicate in which direction children must run. Change direction several times. Finally, call out "beehive". Children must quickly stand as close together as possible, around you. Continue the game, calling out "beehive" every now and then.

Beehive craft
Trace the outline of a beehive on a large piece of cardboard. Have children stick Honeycomb cereal all over the beehive to make it look real.

My ladybug
While out for a walk with your group, have each child collect a small rock. Upon your return, set out a large container filled with water and ask children to wash their rock. Set the rocks out to dry. Have children paint their rock with red paint and add black dots.

Exploring marshes-Present the thematic letter in an aquarium or in a bucket of water.

Good morning!

Marshes are often explorers' pet peeve. They are common in forests and unfortunately, we sometimes don't see them until our feet are wet! I have often been stuck in a marsh during my many explorations. Your early childhood educator will present a variety of activities that will help you discover marshes. I am sure you will find them very interesting.

Happy exploring!

Makito

Memo for the early childhood educator: See activity suggestions in the Forest theme. Here are a few activities that will make exploring marshes with your group possible.

Fly toss
(Open fly toss) Print and laminate. Glue the giant frog on heavy cardboard and cut out its mouth. Glue the flies on the tops of frozen juice cans. Children must try to toss the flies in the frog's mouth to feed it.

Marsh hop
Set a bluish-green blanket or piece of cardboard on the floor to represent a marsh. Encourage children to jump over it.

Raindrops
Deposit one hula hoop per child on the floor. The hula hoops are marshes. Explain to your group that they are all raindrops and that they must jump from marsh to marsh.

Giant lily pads
Deposit hula hoops on the floor to represent lily pads children can hop on. If you wish, you can also set some hula hoops upright so children can crawl through them as if they were swimming.

Our marsh
(Open models-Marsh animals) Print several models. You will need a large white paper banner or several pieces of cardboard that can be glued together. Hang your banner on a wall. Provide a wide range of accessories that children can use to create their very own marsh: strips of green construction paper to represent aquatic plants, blue paint to represent water, brown paint to represent mud, multicoloured paper for fish, pieces of yarn, tissue paper, etc.

Mosaic frog
(Open models-Frogs) Print for each child. Cut scraps of tissue paper into tiny pieces. Have children use white glue to stick them on a frog model. Set aside to dry and display the frogs on a wall.

Exploring volcanoes-Present the thematic letter in a volcano made with modeling dough.

Good morning my little explorers!

This will be my last visit. I can't believe how time flies. Today, we will explore the fabulous world of volcanoes. Volcanoes may seem scary when they erupt, but they are also quite fascinating! With your early childhood educator's help, I hope I have succeeded in sparking an interest and encouraged you to explore the world. Remember to always explore safely!

Happy exploring!

Makito

Memo for the early childhood educator: See activity suggestions in the Volcanoes theme. Here are a few activities that will make exploring volcanoes with your group possible.

Volcanic obstacle course
Create a unique volcanic obstacle course by depositing orange pieces of construction paper on the floor to represent lava. Tell children they must jump over them so they don't get burned. Add volcanic rocks (pieces of gray construction paper or hula hoops that they can safely jump on, and clouds of smoke (black garbage bags cut into strips and hung from a table or a doorway). Finally, deposit pieces of blue construction paper at the end of the obstacle course. Once children reach the "water", they are safe.

Volcano land
Transform your sandbox to make it look like volcano land. Simply ask children to build volcano craters that you can fill with water.

In search of volcanic rocks
Go to a nearby playground with your group. For the occasion, children become volcanologists. Collect their findings in a bag so they can examine them more closely upon your return. Provide magnifying glasses to make the activity even more attractive for children.

The sleeping volcano
(Open sleeping volcano) Print and laminate. Cut out the two arrows and attach them where indicated with fasteners. Display the sleeping volcano in your quiet corner. When a child is upset, take him/her to the sleeping volcano to help him/her understand his/her anger. Encourage the child to use the arrows to understand and explain the degree of anger he/she is experiencing. Once children have understood how to use the tool, they will be able to refer to it independently.

The volcano
Prepare homemade modeling dough. Have each child make his/her own volcano. Give each child 1 teaspoon of baking soda and ½ cup of vinegar (tinted with red or orange food coloring). Have them add the baking soda inside their volcano and, when you give them the signal, pour the vinegar on top. They will love to watch their volcano erupt. Variation: You could also make a giant volcano for the entire group and demonstrate the volcano eruption. The result will be quite spectacular.

Cardboard volcano
(Open models-volcano) Print, cut out, and stick the volcano on construction paper or a sheet of paper. Have children add lava to their volcano to make it look like it is erupting. Provide crepe paper, scrap pieces of cardboard, tissue paper, etc. to encourage them to get creative. Each child's volcano will be unique.

COGNITIVE ACTIVITIES

Educ-pairs-Explorers
(Open educ-pairs-Explorers) Print. Children must color identical illustrations using the same color or by drawing a line between them. For durable, eco-friendly use, laminate for use with a dry-erase marker.

Educ-trace-Explorers
(Open educ-trace-Explorers) Print for each child. Children must trace the dotted lines using a crayon of the corresponding color and then color each object using the same color.

Educa-symmetry-Explorers
(Open educa-symmetry-Explorers) Print. Children must color the bottom picture to make it look exactly like the top picture.

ARTS & CRAFTS

Puppets-Explorers
(Open puppets-Explorers) Print the models on heavy cardboard. Have children cut them out and decorate them with a variety of materials. Glue a Popsicle stick behind each model to create puppets.

Models-Explorers
(Open models-Explorers) Print the models and use them for various crafts and activities throughout the theme.

COLORING PAGES

Complete the drawing-Explorers
(Open complete the drawing-Explorers) Print for each child. Have children complete the picture by drawing the missing elements.

Coloring pages
(Open coloring pages theme-Explorers) Print for each child.

SONGS & RHYMES

(Open songs & rhymes-Explorers)

By: Patricia Morrison

Sung to: Take me out to the ball game

Explore

Take me all around the world
Let's explore together
Over seas, through deserts, to volcanoes
Let's not stop until we've seen it all
Let's ex-explore
The entire world
So many things to discover
So one
Two
Three, let's go
Explore the world

Have Fun

The Educatall team