The Georgia Early Learning Standards Activity Guides may - gapitc

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Different Strokes for Different Folks
Fill small squeeze bottles and roller bottles with a solution of tempera paint
and a few drops of liquid dish detergent. You can use empty roll-on deodorant
bottles that have been cleaned and plastic squeeze bottles with small holes such
as the kind used for mustard or ketchup.
Cover the table with butcher paper.
Invite children to experiment with the different bottles.
The squeeze bottles will likely encourage children to make dots or points
on the paper, while the roller bottles will encourage longer, smooth lines or
circular patterns.
Take a Message, Please
Put several toy telephones or recycled cell phones in the Dramatic Play Center.
Place message pads or post-it pads and water-based markers near the
telephones.
Visit the Center while children are playing. Pretend to hear one of the phones
ring and answer it.
Say into the phone,“I’m sorry, he is not here. Can I take a message?”
Pretend to write something on the message pad using the marker.
Invite children to answer a phone and take a message.
Observe to see if children write pretend “messages” on the pad.
Young children are fascinated by their own markings and the markings and
symbols they see in the environment. They love to imitate others who they
observe writing.
Children learn the purposes of writing when they see adults writing in
meaningful ways such as labeling a picture with the child’s name, making signs
to post in the Dramatic Play Center, and using children’s dictated words to
create a “story.”
Two year olds use a whole-hand grasp, whole-arm movement when they
scribble and draw. Their scribblings will be scattered all across the page.
Large pieces of paper are best for toddlers to paint or finger paint since they
like to fill up the whole page.
If a child points to his drawing and tells you about it, write his words down to
reinforce that symbols have meaning. However, avoid asking children,“What
is this?” since it may not represent any real object.