7 activities for a fun summer
in kindergarten
In summer, more than ever, kindergarten should be full of fun. Engage all your senses and don’t be afraid to make a mess. We promise you’ll be a success with the kids.
During the holiday season, you can afford a more relaxed schedule. Move outside and give your children more space for spontaneous play. Just let them run around, dig in the sand and explore the microcosm of the school garden. Plus, you can get outside with activities that would make too much of a mess in the classroom. That’s exactly what we have for you today:
Do you want to advise parents on what to do with their children during the summer holidays? Forward them the article A tip not only for parents on how to keep children entertained during the summer.
Bubbles
Blowing bubbles is a great speech therapy exercise. Catching and popping bubbles develops agility and fine motor skills.
If you don’t have a supply of solution, mix your own.
You will need:- 1 liter of warm water,
- 250 ml of dishwashing liquid,
- 3 tablespoons of glycerin to make the bubbles stronger.
TIP: It is better to let the mixture rest for a few days before using.
Try making your own blowers with your children. The easiest way is to use fuzzy wire that bends easily. Basic geometric shapes can be made by eye, more complex shapes can be shaped using a dough cutter. When you have completed the desired shape, wrap the ends of the wire around a skewer or stick.
Bubble snake
Cut off the bottom of a small PET bottle. Instead of the bottom, stretch a piece of canvas and secure with a rubber band. Pour the bubble solution into a bowl and soak the canvas bottom of the bottle in it. Blow into the narrow neck of the bottle until a long bubble snake starts to come out of the canvas bottom.
TIP: Try the rainbow bubble snake too.duhového bublinového hada. Just soak a canvas bottom in the solution, then drizzle some liquid food coloring on the fabric and start blowing.
Water games
When it’s hot outside, cool off in the school garden with water. Water play is a wonderful sensory activity where children train their gross and fine motor skills.
Water Relay:
- Carrying a water balloon on a spoon,
- carrying water with a cup in hand (walking, jumping),
- carrying water with a cup on the head (walking),
- carrying water with a cup on the back (climbing on all fours),
- pouring water from cup to cup over the head.
Water obstacle course:
- Running through a garden sprinkler with a sprinkler,
- running down a water slide,
- jumping into a lagoon of water (and ice),
- crawling through a tunnel of water noodles,
- shooting a water gun at a target.
Water battle:
Instead of disposable water balloons, make reusable water bombs. Cut dishcloths into strips and tie them in the middle with a rubber band. Place the finished bombs in a bowl of water and let them soak before the battle.
For more advice on how to survive the heat in good health, see the article
Prevention and first aid to prevent children from overheating in summer.Sensor station
Fill a large plastic box with water. You can color the water, experiment with its temperature or foam it with dishwashing liquid. Add all sorts of small toys and objects. Next to the box, prepare spoons, ladles, tongs, colanders and funnels.
Examples of water sensing stations:
- Sea with salt blue water, shells, pieces of seaweed and plastic animals,
- a car wash with dishwashing liquid, sponges, brushes and toy cars,
- an ice age with ice cubes in which tiny plastic toys are frozen.
Sensor station with water pearls:
Water pearls are special gel beads that soak up water and enlarge when wet. Place the swollen pearls in a large container. Let the children explore how they feel. For an even greater sensory experience, you can mix them with shaving foam or shine them on a light table.
The Oobleck
This strange word refers to a substance that can be both liquid and solid. If you slowly place your hand on its surface, it flows through your fingers like a liquid. But if you smack it hard, it acts like a solid and resists. Ideal for sensory play.
To make it, mix:
- 1 cup of water,
- 1 cup of water, 1 cup of water, 1 cup of water, 1 cup of water,
- 2 cups of cornstarch.
TIP: The unique nature of the mass becomes apparent when mixing the ingredients. It won’t be easy, so be patient and continue until the water and starch come together.
Painting with water
The first option is painting on a pavement. Hand out filled spray bottles or buckets of water and brushes of different sizes. Splash, paint or try different graphomotor exercises with the water as you like. The sun will eventually dry all the creations.
The second option is painting on a chalkboard. First, cover the entire surface of the board with chalk. Then use a brush dipped in water to draw different shapes and pictures on the board. The wet brush leaves a distinctive black trail behind.
Structural mural painting
Glue several pieces of cardboard together and attach them to the wall. Use a hot glue gun to glue various shallow boxes, egg cartons, toilet paper rolls, popsicle sticks or anything else that adds texture to the cardboard and can be painted on.
Hand out tempera paints and brushes to the children. Invite them to paint the cardboard wall according to their taste. The result will probably be wild, but it’s all about the process of creation. If the children enjoy the activity, they can continue after the paints have dried and add feathers, pompoms or tissue paper to the collaborative work.
So let’s have a summer full of joy and laughter in your kindergarten!
3. 7. 2023 | Martina Zatloukalová