As a parent or child you probably had a love, hate relationship with messy play. I know I loved it as a child, but my parents were not big fans, at least not in the house! As a parent, I also loved it and saw the value and importance in it for a child’s development! This lesson not only explores the need for it, but also allows students to engage, first hand, with messy play and evaluate the benefits of it for themselves.
I’m excited to share “The Child Development Theorist Unboxing Video Project” created by Audrey Jarvis of Nebraska! This project was inspired by this post from last summer! Read on to see what she did!
Each fall, when I go back to my classroom, I’m always faced with blank bulletin boards! Because I like to decorate my room with student work, I often use this ABC Children Index Card Bulletin Board Activity during the first week of school in my child development class. Not only does it help make my room more aesthetically pleasing, but it’s an engaging filler that’s easy to adapt for that intial period when schedules are in constant flux.
Some of you may remember the Late Show with Dave Letterman! One of his regular features included his infamous top 10 lists in descending order from 10 to 1, adding his own a touch of humor and sarcasm as he shared! I have been using written top 10 lists for years and was excited when Matt Miller of Ditch That Textbook shared his version utilizing Flipgrid. This Top 10 Lists…Video Style post shares how to present the lists via Flipgrid with some of ideas for topics. Help add to the list by sharing additional topics!
Do you remember pretend play when you were young? As a child, it was one of my favorite activities to engage in with my sisters, usually in the form of “house, office, school or “dress-up”! Regardless of whether you call it dramatic play, pretend play or fantasy play, it still plays a valuable role in the lives of children especially in day care centers!
Let me introduce you to a fairly new app that is part of the Google Suite called Jamboards! This is a free interactive whiteboard that students can create projects with or your can create activities or games for students to complete individually or as a class. The possibilities are endless. The Temper Tantrum Jamboard is just one of many examples of how I used this app while teaching in both in-person and hybrid/remote settings. I hope this inspires you to get the app and give it a try!
Upcycling gives us the opportunity to turn items, otherwise deemed trash, into something creative and functional! And thanks to Missouri FACS teacher Amy Harkey, baby wipe lids can be repurposed into an educational child development activity! Amy shares her adapted and interactive “Upcycled Wipe Container Project” with us! Read on to see what she has her students creating!
Have you ever waffled on teaching a topic because of how your students would receive it? I’ve had this topic on the backburner for quite some time, for this very reason! Interestingly, children and chores turned out to be a great discussion topic with students as they weighed in with their opinions based on their own personal experiences or lack thereof!
With growing concerns about the overall wellness of children, I often include special topics in my child development class that address specific issues and/or concerns. This Exercise & Children Hyperdoc is one of them! Exercise and being healthy is one of my personal passions and, in my opinion, begins in childhood! So, I hope you find this Exercise & Children Hyperdoc lesson useful in your classroom, regardless of how you are teaching this year.
Once my students wrapped their brains around the Eduprotocol Iron Chef Jigsaw Challenge, it’s a teaching strategy they enjoy participating in. Why? Because it’s engaging, competitive and focused! It’s a great way to put the learning and presentation of materials in the hands of your students! The “New Parenting Styles: An Iron Chef Lesson” does just that and more! Read on to learn how and give it a try…you might be surprised at the results!
