TOXICS
Toxics are very important safety elements to consider when working with children. There are six main toxics categories to avoid and prepare for when supporting children.
1. Flame retardant
2. Plastics
3. Soil contaminants
4. Pesticides
5. Air quality
6. Water contaminants
Tip: While these toxics affects childcare, many are presents in the home as well.
English: Your child needs a blood lead test Iif they…. (kingcounty.gov)
Spanish:Su niño(a) necesita una prueba de detección de plomo en la sangre si… (kingcounty.gov)
Animated Lead Comic Video : Lead Safety English
Movement / Play
Toddlers Corner
Positional Word Play
Objectives
- Toddlers will be introduced to positional words.
- Toddlers will build vocabulary.
Materials Needed
- Toddler-safe stuffed animal or doll
- Small chair
Getting Started
- Place the stuffed animal/doll next to the chair.
Activity
- Practice positional words with your child, encouraging him or her to follow your directions.
- Model placing the stuffed animal/doll under the chair, describing your actions as you do so—for example, The bear is under the chair.
- Using different positional words, encourage your child to move the stuffed animal/doll—for example,
Place the bear behind the chair.
Set the bear beside the chair.
Can you place the bear on the chair?
Now place the bear in front of the chair.
- Continue to reinforce and emphasize positional words in daily use. For example, as your child sit on a chair, say, You are sitting on the chair. When they put a toy away, say, Thank you for putting your toy in the box.
Extended Learning
Place the stuffed animal/doll in various locations and encourage the child to use a positional word to describe it. For example, say, Can you tell me where the bear is? The child might respond, “Under chair.”
Language / Literacy
The Rainbow Fish
By: Marcus Pfister
Beginning, Middle and End
Objectives
- Will identify the beginning, middle and end of a story.
- Will recall events of a story in the correct order.
Materials Needed
- The book The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister
- Chart paper and marker (or chalkboard and chalk)
- Construction Paper (12″ x 18″)
- Scissors
- Crayons
- Aluminum Foil
- Best-Buy School Glue – 4 oz
- The Rainbow Fish Reproducible
Introduction
Ask your child if they like it when their friends share things with them. Then ask if she/he have ever owned something so special that they did not want to share it with others. Ask your child,
“How do you think your friends would feel if you never shared with them?” and, “How do you think you would feel if your friends didn’t share with you?”
Tell your child that she/he will be going to watch a book called The Rainbow Fish. Explain how the Rainbow Fish in the story has something special that he is not sure he wants to share. Invite your child to pay close attention to the sequence of events in the story. Ask her/him to think about what happens in the beginning, in the middle and at the end of the story.
Procedure
- Watch “The Rainbow Fish” by Marcus Pfiste.
- As your child watching the story, emphasize the different stages of the story.
* The beginning of the story, explain that the Rainbow Fish has many silver scales that he loves to show off to the other fish.
* As the story progresses, explain that none of the other fish will play with the Rainbow Fish because he will not share any of his scales with them.
* Finally, point out that once the Rainbow Fish decides to share his beautiful scales with his friends, he becomes happy because his friends want to play with him again.
- After watching the story, divide a sheet of chart paper into three columns and label them Beginning, Middle and End.
- Ask your child to share the events that he/she recall from the story and ask to tell you when they occurred in the story. Write the events in the appropriate column.
- Review the order of the events and emphasize that stories always have a beginning, middle and end.
Guided/Independent Practice
- Provide your child with a strip of construction paper and drawing materials.
- Have your child draw three fish and cut. Have her/him sequence the cut paper fish to represent the beginning, middle and end of the story. Write Beginning, Middle and End under each picture.
- Cut out small “scale-like” pieces of aluminum foil. Encourage your child to glue the foil pieces onto the Rainbow Fish in their pictures to represent shiny scales.
(Hint: Before they cover the Rainbow Fish with shiny scales in every picture, remind them that the Rainbow Fish changes his appearance throughout the story.)
Math / Science
One More, One Less
Objectives
- Children will develop number sense.
- Children will practice simple addition and subtraction.
Materials Needed
- One More, One Less Activity Mat reproducible
- Number Tiles
- Fish crackers or other fish counters
Getting Started
- Prepare your materials such as cut out fish bowl and number tile or card
- Figure out the quantity of fish crackers/counters you will need so that you have enough for the highest number you’re covering, plus one more and one less. For example, if you are going up to number 6, you will need at least 18 (5 + 6 + 7). If you are going up to number 10, you will need at least 30 (9 + 10 + 11).
Activity
- Show your child the activity mat and point out the fishbowls. Explain what the “My Number” fishbowl means. Have the child select a number tile (for example, 3) and place it in the box below the middle fishbowl. Then have the child count out that many crackers/counters and place them in the fishbowl. Explain what the “One Less” fishbowl means. Show your child three crackers/counters and ask your child to remove one to show one less, or –1.
Finally, explain what the “One More” fishbowl means. Give your child three crackers/counters and ask your child how many he or she would have if you gave the child one more, or +1.
- Once your child understands the activity, invite him or her to try it. Have your child model the activity for you. When you feel your child understands the concept, invite your child to explore on his or her own.
- While doing the activity, ask questions to expand the child’s vocabulary and thinking. Encourage the child to explain how he or she is figuring out “one more” and “one less.”
- Once your child has mastered the activity, try using higher starting numbers and different types of counters.
Art / Writing
60 minutes
Summer School of Fish
By: Lakeshore Learning
Splash into summer with these colorful, fun-to-make fish!
This activity is appropriate for:
pre-k – 3rd grade / 4 – 8 years
You will need:
- Fish template
- Cored paper
- Collage Beads, Collage Buttons, Acrylic Gemstones or other collage materials
- Glue
- Scissors
- Fish poem
Before you begin:
- Draw the fish template onto different colored paper.
- Write “Swim into summer” or “Make a summer splash!” on the paper
Directions
- Give your child a fish sheet and ask to cut out the fish. Provide your child with a variety of collage materials and glue.
- Encourage your child to decorate his/her fish with the colorful collage materials. Allow the glue to dry.
- Give your child a copy of the fish writing. Ask your child to repeat each word after you read the words. Then have your child glue the paper to the back of his/her fish.
- Display the completed fish on your wall.
Problem Solving
60 minutes
Bubble Observations
Objectives
- Experimenting with and discovering the properties of bubbles
- Describing and sharing their experiences with bubbles
Materials Needed
- Bubble Observations reproducible
- Bubbles and bubble wands (one for teacher and each student)
- Bubble machine (optional)
- Cup of water
- Chart paper and marker
Introduction
Teach your child to sing this bubble song to the tune of “Are You Sleeping?”
- Blowing bubbles,
- Blowing bubbles,
- In the air,
- In the air!
- Floating all around me,
- Floating all around me,
- Everywhere,
- Everywhere!
Procedure
- After singing of the bubble song, ask your child to sit outside or inside your house for discussion.
- Hold up the bubble wand and ask, “Do you know what this is called?” Then ask, “What happened when I dipped the wand into the bubble solution and blew air into the hole? That’s right—a bubble formed.”
- Ask your child, “What happens if I dip the bubble wand into regular water and try to blow a bubble? Will it work?” Demonstrate that it will not work by dipping the wand into a cup of water and blowing. Then explain, “In order to form a bubble, you need to have a solution that is made of soap and water. The soap helps the bubble keep its round shape when you blow air through the wand.”
- Tell your child that the bubbles formed spheres or circle. Ask, “Can you think of anything else that is a sphere?”
- Continue the discussion by asking the questions below. Encourage your child to respond with its own thoughts and predictions.
- Have you ever blown bubbles before?
- How do you make a big bubble? How do you make a little bubble?
- What happens to a bubble after it leaves the wand? Will it pop right away? Will it float into the air?
- What happens when you touch a bubble with your finger?
- What happens if you blow hard?
- What happens if you blow softly?
- Are all bubbles the same size? The same shape?
Social Emotional
60 minutes
Calming Squishy Faces
Objectives
- Children will identify feelings and emotions.
- Children will recognize facial expressions associated with emotions.
- Children will make tactile discoveries.
Materials Needed
- balloons
- Sand
- Funnel
- Permanent marker
- Basket
Getting Started
- Use a funnel to pour sand into each balloon until there is a nice oval shape. Seal the balloons by tying a knot in the stem.
- Use a permanent marker to draw a simple face on each balloon. Each one should show a different emotion—happy, sad, mad, silly, and scared.
Activity
- Introduce the Calm Squishy Faces. Point out the facial expressions and have the child identify the emotion each one represents.
- Encourage your child to squish one of the balloons and describe how it feels. Explain that sometimes when people feel mad, sad, or overwhelmed with any other emotion, they might need something to help them calm down. That’s what the Calm Squishy Faces are for!
- Place the Calm Squishy Faces in a basket in your reading area. Tell the child that the faces will be there whenever he/she needs a moment to calm down or to be alone without any distractions.
Movement / Play
60 minutes
Catch-It Cups
Objectives
- Children will improve their throwing and catching skills.
- Children will develop eye/hand coordination.
Materials Needed
- Plastic cups
- Table tennis balls or other small objects
Getting Started
- Give each child a plastic cup and have it pair up. Give each pair a table tennis ball (or other small object that is easy to throw and can fit in the cup).
- Have your children stand facing each other.
Activity
- Have one child in each pair toss the ball to his or her partner, who tries to catch the ball in the cup. The partner then tosses the ball back. Have children continue tossing back and forth for a while.
- Tell each child to take a step back so the partners are farther apart as they toss the ball back and forth.
- For a single-player game, have the child toss the ball in the air and try to catch it in the cup. Count how many times in a row the child can do this successfully.
