KIDSPARKZ
  • Home
  • Become a Member
  • Theme-a-Pedia
  • KidSparkz Blog
  • Let's Sing!
    • Preschool Sings All About Me
    • Preschool Sings Dinosaurs
    • Preschool Sings Animals
    • Preschool Sings Ocean
    • Preschool Sings Holidays
    • Preschool Sings Seasons
    • Preschool Sings Traditional
  • Contact
  • About
  • Early Childhood Links

WHAT WE TEACH : PRESCHOOL & PRE-K CURRICULUM PLANNING

2/7/2022

0 Comments

 
Picture
​Here are some general curriculum/activities areas that can be considered and adapted for young children from toddler through kindergarten age.
Read Some Great Stories
Choose books that have meaning for preschoolers because of the story line, the illustrations, the educational content, and just overall literary merit. Many can be purchased inexpensively in paperback form, and of course, borrowed from the library. While reading, allow time for the children  to comment, ask questions, and to predict what might  happen.   Reading both fiction and nonfiction books with children is the 
most influential thing that you can do to pave the way for a  future love and appreciation of learning.  Reading both fiction and nonfiction books with children is the most influential thing that you can do to pave the way for a future love and appreciation of learning.  
Make and Create
Creative activities should provide opportunity for children to do most of the work, with emphasis on creativity, imagination and the process, rather than the appearance of the finished product.  Of course, some craft skills, such as stitchery and weaving, must be taught, however, for children younger than 5, providing the materials and a few suggestions is enough to spark the creative process.  Don't forget  food preparation activities.
Use New Words
Preschoolers are learning at least 5 to 10 new words a day. Use descriptive vocabulary that may not have been heard before.  It’s usually not necessary to explain meaning; the context in which it is used will do that.   Every time the new word is used, will add an extra piece of the concept in your child’s mind.
Letters and Reading Readiness
This is a very large and complicated curriculum area, and very dependent on the developmental level of the child.  Include activities for letter and sound recognition, comprehension, rhyming, categorizing, memorizing, sequencing, and recognition of patterns.
Getting Ready to Write
Activities in this curriculum area depend a great deal on the physical development of arm and hands, and the complicated connection/interaction of what the brain is understanding, the eyes are seeing, and the control of hand muscles.  Encourage activities for strengthening eye-hand co-ordination, and small muscle control - scribbling, tracing, mazes, picking up tiny items, cutting.
Numbers, Reasoning and Predicting
Wow, what a fun curriculum area!  Games, challenges, predictions, logical assumptions all prepare a child for the larger world of mathematics.  Include activities for number recognition, organization of sets, and manipulating combinations of sets (plus, minus, simple multiplication).
Understanding How Things Work
This is the section about science and nature, including earth sciences, weather, physics, biology and astronomy.   Of course we are surrounded constantly by exciting things just waiting to be discovered and explored.  What is this?  How does it work?  What can I do with it? As the child's development progresses, we move step by step from the completely familiar, to the entirely unknown.
Sing a Song
What would I do without music?  It's my peace, my haven, and my soul. Sing, dance, chant, wiggle, clap, use rhythm and rhyme; listen to ALL kinds and styles of music often.  We use songs and rhymes that have musical, traditional or educational merit.  If your eyes glaze over when you hear a particular kiddy tune or piece of  doggerel, don't  waste time with  it.  Choose the best.
Play a Game
Just for fun! (and learning at the same time).  Individual games include matching, sorting.  Play group games indoors or out, don't be afraid of a little competition, and make it fun. 
Interacting With the Neighborhood
Getting out and about: to explore concepts in person, to meet other people in various capacities, and to experience environments and new situations to extend learning and awaken curiosity.  Grownups can do all kinds of jobs to make money to buy food and clothes and other things.  People can live in many kinds of environments.  People are the same, and different, in many ways.
Outdoor Play
Provide interesting and safe equipment, and then stand aside and watch as the children explore, discover and learn.

MORE TO SEE ...
  • The KidSparkz Philosophy
  • How We Teach: Methods and Philosophies
  • The Power of Reading!-   Establishing the Environment for Early Literacy Development 
  • The KidSparkz Theme-a-Pedia index​
  • Become a KidSparkz member and access a password-protected area of the site for $3.50 a month.
Picture
0 Comments

How We Teach: Methods and Philosophies in Early Education

2/7/2022

0 Comments

 
Picture
"Children learn best through their everyday experiences with the people they love and trust, and when the learning is fun". Zero to Three  ​
​That's it.  That's the "big secret" about how children, or anyone for that matter, learns anything.  Don't YOU learn things better, and more deeply, if you are comfortable, among people you know, and if the stuff you're looking at studying is interesting and FUN?  Any sign of anxiety, or ​demands, or "tests", or doing paperwork while the sun is shining outside - any chance of learning anything flies right out  that window.  Yes, I am going to list some of the very important approaches that are in vogue at the present time, or have actually stood the test of time, but please remember, when analyzing and considering them, those 2 big concepts - TRUST and FUN. (Oh, by the way!!  Your child already trusts you.  All you have to do is make the subject matter fun, and all the learning that will occur is made in the shade!!!)
Favorite themes for preschool
  • Creative Curriculum  - this is the approach that is used at most preschools today, with the room divided into areas and centers. Housekeeping, blocks, table toys, art, sensory box etc.  Works well for a mixed age group with varying developmental levels.  The teacher must prepare activities for each area every day, to present learning challenges.  If the teacher is not dedicated and experienced, the exploratory play becomes repetitive.  A parent can use this approach at home, by setting up a variety of activities, and guiding the child from one to the next, at the child's pace.
  • High/Scope - an organized approach best used in group situations, for older preschoolers. Children discuss and plan what they will be doing during the class session, then do it, then reflect on what they did.  The sequence is called Plan -Do - Review.
  • Montessori - Maria Montessori's approach has stood the test of time (100 years!).  Children direct their own learning in an environment of prepared experiences.  Uses ordered, fitted blocks and other materials that guide children to segue from the simple to the complex and from the concrete to the abstract. Creative art was not part of the curriculum at first, but is now incorporated in many Montessori learning centers.  The Montessori blocks and other self correcting materials can be purchased for at home use.
  • Waldorf/Steiner - a deeply philosophical and controversial approach introduced in Europe in the early years of the 20th century. It emphasizes classicism, natural surroundings and objects, and spirituality.
  • The Project Approach  - usually used as a part of other learning approaches, and by pre-K age or older.  A topic that a child or group of children seem very interested in is chosen for a study in depth.  Can last from 1 day to many weeks, and several projects can continue at the same time.  This approach is very suitable for children and parents at home.
  • Reggio Emilia  - begun in some Northern Italian preschools about 40 years ago, using the concept of emergent curriculum.  This similar to the project approach, in that topics are studied as they emerge as an interest from the children.  Teachers are not really able to plan ahead, but offer different learning experiences every day as new subjects arise.  Emphasis on beauty, art, discussing what is being done, and groups cooperating together on tasks and learning.
  • Theme-Based Model - very popular approach in preschools and family child care homes.  Teachers plan curriculum ahead, based on what they want the children to study and learn.  Based on the concept that children/people learn things based on what they already know, linking new learnings to old.  Art, songs, stories etc are all based on the theme being taught, linking the subject matter together, and giving children with different learning styles an opportunity to use their particular talents.
  • Multiple Intelligences - a relatively recent (1970s) approach put forward by Howard Gardner. Rather than concentrating on the older idea of intellectual aptitude (i.e. IQ) being the only measure of personal intelligence, Gardner says that there are at least 8 different aptitudes.  In every person, one or more of these "intelligences" outshine the others. He says that teachers must address all these aptitudes (and ways of learning) in their curriculum programming, so that all students have their particular learning needs met.  Gardener's multiple intellingences are: Linguistic intelligence, Logical-mathematical intelligence,   Musical intelligence, Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence,  Spatial intelligence, Interpersonal intelligence,  Intrapersonal intelligence, and Naturalistic Intelligence. 

PRESCHOOL EDUCATION WEB RESOURCES

  • National Assn for the Education of Young Children 
  • The Creative Curriculum 
  • High Scope 
  • Project Approach 
  • Reggio Emilia 
  • Waldorf 
  • Montessori 
  • Multiple Intelligences 
  • Early Childhood Leadership
  • NAEYC Position Statements If you are seriously considering creating an optimal environment in which to educate young children, read these articles.
  • Common Core information
  • Zero to Three  A site that goes beyond the diversity of curriculum approaches to the basics of human to human relationships in the early years. ​
  • Daycare Provider's Home Page - for Home and Center Childcare Providers

MORE TO SEE ...
  • The KidSparkz Philosophy
  • What We Teach: Curriculum Planning
  • ​The KidSparkz Theme-a-Pedia index​
  • The Power of Reading! - Establishing the Environment for Early Literacy Development ​ ​
  • Become a KidSparkz member and access a password-protected area of the site for $3.50 a month.​
Picture
0 Comments

KIDSPARKZ EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY

2/7/2022

0 Comments

 
Picture
The KidSparkz approach to planning curriculum in early childhood education: How does it help you as teachers and parents, and the children as learners?
  • It is immediately accessible – print and do.  Most, if not all, of the thousands of activities available both in the site and in the downloadable curriculums can be completed using just a short list of everyday materials and supplies. You can plan ahead, or start fresh every day, whichever teaching method works best for you. By following the easily navigable links, you can usually find whatever you need within 3 seconds.
KidSparkz early childhood curriculum
  • The printable activity pages are NOT worksheets.  They are designed to be used as teaching/learning props, hands-on tools and motivational supports. Many worksheets that you can find on the web are basically assessment tools – they are designed to be used to “test” if something has been learned after the fact. Pages like connecting words to pictures, and number addition and subtraction require that the concept has been learned and understood previously.  KidSparkz activity printables TEACH the concept.
List of preschool themes
  • The importance of child/adult interaction: the children and an adult/teacher/facilitator work together on the activities and games, not just a child alone.  The teacher acts as a guide, eliciting answers and ideas with open-ended questions, and encouraging a back and forth discussion.  This approach works equally well with an individual child or a small group, and at every developmental level.  And the children who do the activities and play the games at school can easily take them home and play again, with the family.
  • More than letters and numbers. Of course, learning to read and to add are important, and there are many KidSparkz activities and games that support the development of these skills.  But early childhood education consists of so much more than letters, numbers, shapes and colors.   How about oral language, storytelling, critical and creative thinking, logical process, whole body movement, music and art experiences, the hand/eye/brain process, and encouraging the developing awareness of a “self” in relationship with our earth and a larger community with early science and social studies concepts?  The KidSparkz activity pages and curriculums provide all of this.
Action cards - get up and move
  • The educational theory supporting the activities has been taken care of for you.  Theory is important.  It is all-important. But busy teachers and parents do not have the luxury of time to be able to read about and understand the educational reasons behind every activity, every day. Go ahead and use the KidSparkz printables and curriculums, knowing that an educational professional has designed and created them, with the latest ideas and theories of early childhood educational thought in mind.  All activities are supported by the comprehensive Washington State Standards, and NAEYC recommendations ​

more to see ...

  • What  We Teach : Preschool Curriculum Planning
  • How We Teach: Methods and Philosophies​
  • The Power of Reading!  Establishing the Environment for Early Literacy Development
  • ​Letters for Little Learners - an alphabet curriculum​
  • Become a KidSparkz member and access a password-protected area of the site for $3.50 a month.​
  • The KidSparkz Theme-a-Pedia index
Picture
0 Comments

Monthly themes for preschool

8/31/2019

3 Comments

 
Picture
Many early childhood educators like to plan their monthly curriculum plans ahead of time. They feel more organized, and even if an interest emerges in the group while using the prepared lesson plans, they can refer to the themes they have prepared and grab ideas and activities to expand the new interest. During my many years of teaching early learners, I developed a sequence of monthly themes that seemed to fit intuitively into the seasons and sequence of the year. 
Preschool monthly themes list

september

  • School time
  • I Am Special
  • Emotions and Feelings
  • Our Hands
  • The Five Senses
  • Living Things
  • Health and Nutrition
  • Healthy Teeth
All about me preschool theme
Back to school preschool theme
Our five senses preschool theme

october

  • Firefighters and Safety
  • ​Fall is here (overview)
  • Leaves and Weather
  • Apples, Squirrels and Nuts
  • Corn
  • Scarecrows
  • Pumpkins and Spiders
  • Halloween 
Apples preschool theme
Corn preschool theme
Monthly preschool themes for October

november

  • Families
  • Babies
  • Grandparents
  • Pets
  • Homes
  • Thanksgiving
Babies preschool theme
Pets preschool theme
Thanksgiving theme for preschool

december

  • Shiny Sparkles
  • Lights in the Darkness
  • Rudolf and Reindeer
  • The Nutcracker Ballet
  • Gingerbread
  • Cookies
  • Toys
  • Poinsettias
  • Christmas
  • Hanukkah
  • Kwanzaa 
Gingerbread preschool theme for December
Toys preschool theme
Rudolph reindeer theme for December

january

  • Happy New Year
  • Seasonal Changes
  • Rain
  • Snow
  • Animals in Winter
  • Warmth and Coziness
  • Arctic Animals
  • Penguins
  • Martin Luther King Day
  • Action Heroes and Costumes
New Year preschool theme for January
Penguins preschool theme
Warm and cozy theme for preschool

February

  • Groundhog Day
  • Chinese/Lunar New Year
  • Valentines
  • Communication
  • Vehicles and Transportation (overview)
  • On the Road
  • Trains
  • On Water
  • Air Travel
  • Space Discoveries
  • Community Helpers
Valentine's Day preschool theme for February
Transportation preschool theme
Community helpers preschool theme

march

  • Science Discovery: Wind and Air
  • Science Discovery: Water
  • Science Discovery: Tools and Machines
  • Science Discovery: Magnets
  • St. Patrick’s Day
  • Forest Animals
  • Arrival of Spring
  • Easter Bunnies and Eggs
Forest animals preschool theme
St Patrick's Day monthly preschool theme for March
Spring preschool theme

april

  • Amphibians/Frogs
  • Reptiles/Snakes
  • Insects (overview)
  • Insects: Butterflies and Moths
  • Insects: Bees
  • Insects: Ladybugs
  • Farms (overview)
  • Farm Animals
  • Dairy Farms and Cows
  • Chickens
  • Earth Day:Appreciating Our Planet
  • Arbor Day:Trees
amphibians preschool theme
Farms preschool and prek theme
Earth Day preschool April theme

may

  • May Day
  • Gardens
  • Flowers
  • Cinco de Mayo
  • Mother's Day
  • Dinosaurs
  • Ocean Animals
  • Fruit
Gardens preschool theme
Dinosaurs preschool theme
Oceans preschool theme pack

june

  • Birds​
  • Rainforests
  • All Kinds of Food
  • What and Why We Eat
  • Food Production 
  • Vegetables
  • Protein/Breads/ Rice
  • Father's Day 
Rainforest preschool theme activities
Vegetables preschool theme activities
Birds preschool theme activities

Summer "themes for a day" ideas

  • Bubbles Day
  • Magic Day
  • Rainbows
  • Let's Build
  • Camping Out
  • The Beach
  • July 4th
  • Sticky Day
  • Exploration: Africa
  • Exploration: Australia
  • Pizza Day
  • Prehistoric Adventure
  • Carnivals
  • Ice Cream Day
  • Our Golden Sun
  • Blueberries Day
  • Let's Get Wet
  • Watermelon Day
  • Happy Summer
Camping preschool theme activities and printables
Watermelons preschool theme activities
Summer monthly theme pack for preschool

Picture
3 Comments

January Preschool Theme Bundle

12/15/2018

3 Comments

 
Picture
January themes curriculum bundle for preschool and preK.
This BIG (over 700 pages!) bundle includes 15 of my Pre-K Theme packs, all related to themes that could be studied during the month of January. With all the ideas, activities and centers that I provide in these theme packs, this bundle could definitely extend for the full month of January, and have enough left over for next year!

Click on the images to check out the individual packs in the January theme bundle ...

And here is a FREE complete 49 page COOKIES Theme Pack for you to download and try out with your class or child.  It's from the Pre-K Themes series. Let me know how it works for you.
Cookies theme pack for preschool and pre-K

  • Many more PRE-K THEMES curriculum packs ...
  • FREE Winter printables to download and use now ...
Picture
3 Comments
<<Previous
    Susan Portman
    Hello, I'm Susan. ​My goal at KidSparkz is to offer instantly downloadable, free and low cost early childhood printables and activity packs to busy teachers and parents.
    ​Read more ...

    Categories

    All
    Alphabet
    Arctic Animals
    Art For Preschool
    Australia
    Back To School
    Bundle Super Deals
    Chinese New Year
    Christmas
    Early Literacy
    Earth Day
    Fall
    Farm Theme Activities
    Fine Motor
    Free Downloads
    KidSparkz Philosophy
    Kindness
    Ladybugs
    Martin Luther King Day
    Member Library
    New Year
    Numbers
    Planning Curriculum
    Science
    Sequencing
    Songs And Rhymes
    Spring
    Summer
    Thanksgiving
    Valentine's Day
    Winter

    RSS Feed

    Picture
NOTE: If you are a KidSparkz site member, currently exploring the member area, clicking on any links below will return you to the main site.
Find out how to become a MEMBER
What preschool theme are you working on now?
​All About Me
Action Heroes
African animals
Air
Airplanes 
Alphabet
Amphibians
Animals
Ants
Apples
Arbor Day
Arctic Animals
Australian Animals
Babies
Back to School
Baking
Baseball
Bats
Beach
Bears
Bees
Bicycles
Birds
Birthdays
Boats
Bubbles
Butterflies
Camping 
Cars
Cats
Chickens
Chinese Lunar New Year
Christmas
Cinco de Mayo
Circus​
Colors ​
​Community Helpers​​
Construction Workers
​Cookies​
Corn
Costumes
Cows
​Dinosaurs
Dogs​​​
​Ducks
Earth Day
Easter
Elephants
Fairy Tales
Fall
Family
Farm
Father's Day
Forest Animals
Fish
Flowers 
Food
Friends
Frogs 
Fruit
Gardens
Gingerbread 
Grandparents
Groundhogs
Halloween
Hands
Hanukkah
Harvest
Hawaii 
Hibernation
Homes
Horses
Ice Cream
Insects
4th of July
​Kangaroos
Koalas
Kwanzaa
Ladybugs
Leaves
Light
Lions
Living Things​
M L King
Math​
Mice
Mittens​​
Monkeys
Mother's Day
Neighborhood
Neighborhood Signs
New Year
Night Sky
Nocturnal animals 
Numbers
Nursery Rhymes ​
​​Ocean​
Owls
Pancakes
Penguins 
Pets
Picnics
Pigs
Pizza
Popcorn
Pumpkins
Quilts
Rain
Rainbows
​Rainforests
Restaurants
Rocks
Scarecrows​
Shapes
Toddler Curriculum​​Shells
Shoes
Snakes
Snow
Space
Spiders
Spring
Squirrels
St. Patrick's Day​
Strawberries
Summer
Sun
Shopping
Teddies
Teeth
Thanksgiving
Tools and Machines
Toys
Trains
Treasure Hunt
Transportation
Trees
Toddler Curriculum for Year
Umbrellas
​Unicorns
Vacations
Valentine's Day
Vegetables
Water
Watermelons
Weather
Whales
Wheels
Wind
Winter
Zoo

​See over 35000 feedback reviews for KidSparkz curriculum products at TpT www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/kidsparkz(TeachersPayTeachers)

USEFUL LINKS

Picture
​Home
List of themes
Songs and rhymes
​KidSparkz blog

MY ACCOUNT

Picture
Become a member
Member log in
Feedback: Tell us what you think about the site.

SITE INFO

Picture
​About
Contact and support
Early childhood links
​
Terms of Use
Privacy Policy
Picture

        Copyright 2006-2025 KidSparkz.com
  • Home
  • Become a Member
  • Theme-a-Pedia
  • KidSparkz Blog
  • Let's Sing!
    • Preschool Sings All About Me
    • Preschool Sings Dinosaurs
    • Preschool Sings Animals
    • Preschool Sings Ocean
    • Preschool Sings Holidays
    • Preschool Sings Seasons
    • Preschool Sings Traditional
  • Contact
  • About
  • Early Childhood Links