DAP Developmentally Appropriate Activities In The Preschool Setting

DAP: Developmentally Appropriate Activities In The Preschool Setting

Activity #1: Beginning Sound Alphabet Sorting ● ● ● Children sorted a variety of small toys onto an alphabet mat based on the beginning sound of each toy. Children would say the name of the toy out loud, concentrating on the beginning sound and then match it to the correct letter. Materials Needed –Laminated Mat With Letters A-Z Printed On It. – 1 Toy For Each Letter Of The Alphabet (Example: an Alligator for Letter A and a Ring for Letter R).

Activity #1: Beginning Sound Alphabet Sorting Continued. . . Is the Activity Developmentally Appropriate? ● Yes, this is a Developmentally Appropriate Activity for the following reasons. –This activity is age appropriate (It is important for 4 -5 year old children to start learning the sound that each letter makes. ) ● –This activity is individually appropriate (The activity can be adapted for individual children. Example: Only a few letters at a time, instead of all 26 or more toys can be added to create a challenge. ) –This activity is culturally appropriate (The activity can be adapted to include a variety of cultures by changing/adding different toys.

Activity #1: Beginning Sound Alphabet Sorting Continued. . . ● ● ● Which Curriculum Model is Followed? The Curriculum Model that is followed in this preschool classroom is the Constructivist Perspective. The teacher believes in giving children the chance to play freely throughout the classroom, while also providing direct instruction/teacher directed activities. How does the activity support the curriculum model? –This activity was not forced on the children, they were free to choose it, or to not participate. ● –This activity was instructional based/teacher directed, but also encouraged children to think about which letter other items around the room started with. –The teacher worked individually (direct instruction) with each child that participated in the activity. She encouraged each of them to try on their own, but offered support and instruction when necessary

Activity #2: Conversation Heart Sorting ● ● ● Children were given a variety of colored conversation hearts and a paper with colored hearts (Purple, Green, Pink, White, Orange, Yellow). The children then sorted the conversation hearts onto the correct color. Example: Pink conversation hearts onto the pink heart on the paper. Materials Needed: –Variety of colored conversation hearts (Valentine's Candy) –Laminated paper with colored hearts to sort on (one color for each color of conversation hearts. )

Activity #2: Conversation Heart Sorting Continued. . . Is this activity Developmentally Appropriate? ● Yes, this activity is Developmentally Appropriate for the following reasons. –This activity is age appropriate. Children that fall into this age range (4 -5 years old) should be able to start sorting objects by at least one characteristic (color, size, shape, etc. . . ) ● –This activity is individually appropriate. This activity can be adapted for different children (smaller amounts of hearts, less colors, or even different sizes to create more of a challenge. ) –This activity is also culturally appropriate. This activity is about sorting items, not specifically the hearts. The item could be changed to fit different cultures if necessary.

Activity #2: Conversation Heart Sorting Continued. . . ● ● ● Which Curriculum Model is followed? The Curriculum Model that is followed in this preschool classroom is the Constructivist Perspective. The teacher believes in giving children the chance to play freely throughout the classroom, while also providing direct instruction/teacher directed activities. How does the activity support the curriculum model? –The children were not forced to do the activity. They could come up whenever they wanted to participate. ● –If the children needed support/assistance, the teacher was there to help them determine which pile the colored heart went into. –While this activity was teacher directed it led to sorting activities being carried over into other areas of the classroom and the play that was taking place (block sorting, sorting of colors in the art area, and dishes in the dramatic play area).

Activity #3: Parachute Play This activity required children and the teacher to work together as a group to move a large parachute in different ways. (Quickly, Slowly, With Balls, Getting Under It, Running Under It, Etc. . . ) ● Materials Needed: –Large open space, indoors or outdoors ● –Parachute –Balls

Activity #3: Parachute Play Continued. . . Is this activity Developmentally Appropriate? ● Yes, this activity is Developmentally Appropriate for the following reasons. –This activity is age appropriate. (Children in this age range (4 -5 years) need to have physical activity that allows them to develop physically. ● –This activity is individually appropriate. While this activity is physical, it can be adapted for a variety of children. If a child is having trouble manipulating the parachute, then the activity can be adapted to meet their needs. I believe that all developmental levels of children will be able to participate in some way with this activity.

Activity #3: Parachute Play Continued. . . ● ● Which Curriculum Model is followed? The Curriculum Model that is followed in this preschool classroom is the Constructivist Perspective. The teacher believes in giving children the chance to play freely throughout the classroom, while also providing direct instruction/teacher directed activities. How does the activity support the curriculum model? –The children were encouraged, but not forced to participate in each of the activities. If they did not want to go under the parachute, they did not have to. –The teacher offered instruction and support on what to do for each activity. She listed to the children's suggestions and tried to work in their ideas as well.

Activity #4: Journal Time: Draw A Friend ● ● ● For this activity the children were asked to draw a picture of their friend using pencils, crayons, or markers. Once the child was done with their drawing the teacher wrote down what they said about their friend picture. Materials Needed: –Journals or Paper –Markers, Pencils, and Crayons

Activity #4: Journal Time: Draw A Friend Continued. . . ● ● Is this activity Developmentally Appropriate? Yes, this activity is Developmentally Appropriate for the a following reasons. –This activity is age appropriate. While I observed this activity with a group of 3 year old children, I believe that it is still age appropriate. The teacher gave them plenty of time to complete it and asked them questions that led to more details on the drawings. Drawing is an important developmental activity. –This activity is individually appropriate. Children were given plenty of time to complete the activity and were allowed to draw their friend however they wanted. There were no restrictions. –This activity was also culturally appropriate. One of the children is Spanish speaking and the teacher made sure to explain to him in Spanish and English what the journal activity was.

Activity #4: Journal Time: Draw A Friend Continued. . . ● ● What Curriculum Model is followed? The Curriculum Model that is followed in this preschool classroom is the Constructivist Perspective. The teacher believes in giving children the chance to play freely throughout the classroom, while also providing direct instruction/teacher directed activities. How does the activity support the curriculum model? –The children came to the table and were encouraged to draw a friend, but not forced. They were able to draw something else if they wanted. –The activity was teacher directed, but still open to interpretation by the children. There were no restrictions on how they had to draw their friend. –The teacher offered support, asked questions, and encouraged the children to add details to their friend drawings. This helped them to learn what features made up a face and body, which is an important developmental activity.

Activity #5: Ice Exploration This activity encouraged children to use a variety of tools and supplies to explore a block of ice. ● The children were also encouraged to use the tools and supplies to try to remove items that were frozen into the ice. ● Materials Needed: –Large block of ice with small items frozen inside. ● –Small tools, eye droppers, tweezers, and shovels. –Salt –Water

Activity #5: Ice Exploration Continued. . . ● ● Is this activity Developmentally Appropriate? Yes, this activity is Developmentally Appropriate for the following reasons. –This activity is age appropriate. Children that fall into this age range (4 -5 years) should be starting to show an interest in predictions, observations, and experimentation. This activity allows for these skills to be developed. –This activity is individually appropriate. Children are able to use a variety of items with this activity. They are not restricted. The activity can be altered to meet all needs. Smaller ice blocks can be used, different types of tools, or the ice block could be already in the process of melting. Children can also wear gloves if they do not want to touch the cold ice. –This activity is culturally appropriate. Some cultures do not believe in using food (salt) for activities. This is a waste to them. If you were to have a child in your class that believe in this, you can exclude the salt and use the other tools and water.

Activity #5: Ice Exploration Continued. . . ● ● Which Curriculum Model is followed? The Curriculum Model that is followed in this preschool classroom is the Constructivist Perspective. The teacher believes in giving children the chance to play freely throughout the classroom, while also providing direct instruction/teacher directed activities. How does this activity support the curriculum model? –The children were not forced to participate in this activity. They were free to come and go as they pleased. –While the activity was created by the teacher, the children were free to explore with whatever tools, or items they chose. –The teacher was near to offer support and direct instruction when necessary. She was able to ask them questions, help them to make predictions, and then talk to them about what they were observing as they were participating in the activity.