Preschool at Home Experiences

Week 2, activity 1

Home-made paint from vegetable scraps Place your chopped plant ingredients into a small saucepan and

cover with twice as much water as fruit or vegetable. Place over

medium heat and bring to a simmer for one hour. Turn off the heat

and let the water return to room temperature. When cooled, pour

through a strainer and into a mixing bowl. Then funnel your new

dye into a glass jar. Bonus: compost the leftover scraps! Learning outcomes Children develop a range of skills and processes such as problem

solving, enquiry, experimentation, hypothesising, researching and

investigating.

Key Concepts Observation, investigation and hypothesising and

experimenting with mathematic concepts such as problem

solving, measurements, quantity and colour recognition.

Resources Pot, water, vegetable scraps, strainer,

glass jar, paintbrush and paper. Read

this article for more details.

Questions to ask:

What colour paint do you think this

vegetable will make?

What other things can you think of

that are the same colour as this?

What colour do you think it will make

if we mix these two colours together?

Preschool at Home Experiences

Week 2, activity 2

Let's learn about sharks Watch this quick video on fun facts about sharks. Open the link on

either your phone, desktop or iPad to watch. This week there are

plenty of fun activities about under-water animals to complete. Learning outcomes Children develop dispositions for learning such as curiosity,

cooperation, confidence, creativity, commitment, enthusiasm,

persistence, imagination and reflexivity.

Key Concepts Children are very interested in their world and can be very

fascinated by certain topics like Sharks. This can be expanded

to learning about other animals or plants or where animals

live or sleep.

Resources Watch this 3-minute video

Questions to ask:

“Is a shark a fish?”

“Where do Sharks live?”

Science: Why don’t Sharks sink? Sharks use their bodies in three ways to stay afloat. This activity looks at one of them, their oily liver.

Sharks rely on having a big, oily filled liver to help them stay afloat.

Before the activity explain that Sharks have a huge liver filled with oil and this helps them float in the

water, they also need to make sure they keep swimming to help them float, their side fins are somewhat

like wings helping to keep them afloat. The third fact about how they stay afloat is that sharks have

cartilage instead of bones which is much lighter.

Learning Outcomes Children develop a range of skills and processes such as problem solving, inquiry, experimentation,

hypothesising, researching and investigating.

Key concepts Children learn through doing and seeing, this activity teaches children about sharks and how

things sink and float. This is a very simple science concept and can be extended by looking at

what else sinks, rocks, feathers or leaves.

Resources A deep container like a Tupperware container, 2x plastic water bottle, oil, water and food colour

(optional), sharpie (black Permanent marker, optional)

Use a cleaned drink bottle and fill it with any cooking oil, this represents the shark that has a big

oily filled liver.

Fill the other bottle with water and food colour if you want to add some colour, this represents

a shark that only has water in their liver.

If you want to get crafty you can draw the shark on the side of the bottles with your permanent

marker. Place the bottles in one at a time and see which one floats (hint the one with the oil will

float and this represents the oily liver of a shark, also oil is lighter than water).

Questions to ask “Before you put the first bottle in the container of water ask which one you think will sink and

which one will float?”

“Can sharks swim backwards? (hint: No)”

“Let’s find some other things around the house to see if they float or sink, rocks, Lego, small

tuber ware containers….

Preschool at Home Experiences

Week 2, activity 3

Preschool at Home Experiences

Week 2, activity 4

Patterns are everywhere Get your dancing shoes on and watch this YouTube clip

Part 1: Create a simple pattern using different 3 objects. Eg: pencil,

coin, block, pencil, coin, block – ask your child what might come

next. Encourage them to make their own patterns.

Part 2: Explore the inside and outside of your home, where else can

you see patters? On tiles, bricks, trees, flowers etc. Learning outcomes Children are confident and involved learners. They make

connections, predictions and generalisations about their daily

activities and aspects of the natural world.

Key Concepts Sequencing, making predictions, mathematical skills, problem

solving and making connections with the environment.

Resources Part 1: Coins, buttons, blocks, biscuits,

bottle tops or pencils.

Part 2: Note pad or camera to record

examples of patterns.

Questions to ask:

“What will come next in this pattern?”

“What do you notice?”

“Where will we find more patterns?”

Preschool at Home Experiences

Week 2, activity 5

Reading out loud: The Rainbow Fish You can choose to show this online book or read one from your

collection, selecting one in your own home language is great to do.

The rainbow fish is a story about a beautiful fish who learns to

make friends by sharing his prized possessions.

Learning outcomes Literacy is the capacity, confidence and disposition to use language

in all its forms.

Key Concepts Reading enhances children’s speech and communication.

Helps to understand concepts. Improves vocabulary and

memory.

Resources Watch this video on an iPad, phone or

computer.

Questions to ask:

“How are you a good friend?”

“What do you like to do with your

friends at kinder?”

“What do you miss about kinder?”

Preschool at Home Experiences

Week 2, activity 6

Music and movement: Dancing pants Play the clip and copy the moves (or make moves of your own!)

Maybe you could dance like creatures under the sea

Learning outcomes Children interact verbally and non-verbally with others for a range

of purposes. Children engage with a range of texts and gain

meaning from these texts. Children express ideas and make

meaning using a range of media.

Key Concepts Music and dance are a great way for all children to express

themselves. Learning moves to dances and the words to

songs helps with counting, concentration and memory. Allow

your child to express themselves through dance and make up

their own moves too.

Resources Watch Justine Clark, Dancing Pants on

your iPad, computer or phone.

Questions to ask:

“What sea animal would you be?”

“How do you think an octopus would

dance?”

“Can you make a face like a fish?”

Preschool at Home Experiences

Week 2, activity 7

Meditation It’s time to stop and relax, find a quiet place in your home or grab

some headphones to block out the noise and distraction of the

other family members in your house. Lie down somewhere you

feel nice and comfortable. Parents note: You may choose to do this

activity while younger siblings are asleep, maybe just before

bedtime if you are having trouble with getting your child to sleep.

It’s best on a nice full belly so later in the afternoon, after lunch

and after children have participated in other activities for the day.

You could do it with your child and encourage other children in the

family, including school age children to join in.

Key Concepts We want children to be healthy and happy both physically and

mentally. These uncertain times can create stress for children.

It’s important to stop, relax and concentrate on refocussing

our mind. Mediation is very important for allowing children

time to breath and helps with concentration.

Resources

• An iPad, iPhone or laptop

• Open the link to play

• https://www.abc.net.au/kidslist

en/soundwalks/spring-

wildflower-walk-mid-west-

perth-mullewa/10499380

• Headphones (to block out noise

if needed)

• A comfortable spot in the house

(bed, couch, bean bag, rug)

Questions to ask:

Encourage your child to try hard to

listen to the words and follow the

instructions.

Preschool at Home Experiences

Week 2, activity 8

Art and craft: How to draw an Octopus This is a simple activity that helps children draw an octopus while

thinking about shapes and concentrating on their fine motor skills.

Add to this activity and make it more challenging by asking your

child to cut around the octopus. Learning outcomes Children are confident and involved learners.

Key Concepts Drawing is a great way for children to express their creativity,

imagination and increase their fine motor skills and improve

their pencil grip.

Resources Watch this video for more details.

Paper, colouring

Questions to ask:

“Can you colour your octopus in

choosing three colours?”

“Let's try drawing another animal

from the sea, like a fish or a sea star.”

Preschool at Home Experiences

Week 2, activity 9

Art and craft activity: Let's make an

octopus This is a little more challenging and will require the help of an adult

or older sibling. Check the resources to see if you have everything

you need Learning outcomes Children are confident and involved learners.

Key Concepts Working with an adult or older sibling can help younger

children follow instructions, understand sequence (what

needs to happen first). It can also teach adults or siblings

how to be patient and how to give instructions.

Resources Watch this video for more details.

You will need:

• small plastic water bottle or

soft drink bottle cleaned

• paper (any colour)

• paint (any colour)

• sticky tape or masking tape

• scissors

• texta or pen

The video uses post it notes but you

can replace these with any paper.

Questions to ask:

“What did you find hard about this activity?”

“What did you find easy?”

Preschool at Home Experiences

Week 2, activity 10

Music and movement: Let's move and

freeze Play the clip and see if you can follow the actions while playing

move and freeze. Children will need to listen to the instructions for

the actions and when to stop and start. Learning outcomes Children interact verbally and non-verbally with others for a range

of purposes. Children engage with a range of texts and gain

meaning from these texts. Children express ideas and make

meaning using a range of media.

Key Concepts Dance is a fun way for children to get up and move. It

enhances concentration, co-ordination and listening skills

Resources Play this clip on your iPad, iPhone,

computer or TV

Follow up:

Play follow the leader by taking turns

to do a dance move and have the

other person copy the move.

Preschool at Home Experiences

Week 2, activity 11

Let's move: time for some exercise If you have room inside, blow up a balloon and either with your

hand or a wooden spoon see how long you can keep your balloon

in the air. You can count how many times you hit the balloon

before it touches the ground or time yourself. For outside, if you

have a soft or light weight ball you can do the same thing, but

maybe try with a tennis racket or small paddle if you have one

otherwise just try hitting it up with your hand. Get an adult or

sibling to join – the first one to let the balloon hit the ground is out. Learning outcomes Children have a strong sense of wellbeing. Children take increasing

responsibility for their own health and physical wellbeing.

Key Concepts This activity encourages concentration, balance, counting,

fitness.

Resources A balloon blown up for inside or a soft

light weight ball for outside.

Tennis racket (optional)

Wooden spoon (optional)

Small Paddle

(optional)

Questions to ask:

How many times did you keep the

balloon in the air?

Let's try doing it knelling down or

sitting down, is it easier or harder?

Preschool at Home Experiences

Week 2, activity 12

Commotion in the ocean Try this craft activity to create a giant jelly fish.

Using the paper plate as the “body’, children can decorate it using

coloured textas or paint. Using tape, fix the tentacles to the

underside of the plate. You might like to make a variety of jelly fish

in different colours and sizes and hang them with a piece of string. Learning outcomes Children view and listen to printed, visual and multimedia texts and

respond with relevant comments and/or questions. They use

representations from art to share and project meaning.

Key Concepts Print and text concepts, constructing meaning through art,

recounting stories

Resources Watch this video

Paper plates and either streamers,

string, ribbon or shredded newspaper

for tentacles. Textas or paint to colour

and sticky or masking tape.

Questions to ask:

While watching the recording:

“How may starfish can you see on this

page?”

“Why does the jelly fish jiggle?”

“Why does the crab walk sideways?”

Preschool at Home Experiences

Week 2, activity 13

Motion in the Ocean In a jug of water, add a few drops of food colour and stir. Take an

empty bottle and using a funnel, pour the coloured water into the

bottle filling it halfway. Then, carefully fill the rest of the bottle

with baby oil making sure that there is as little air in the top of the

bottle as is possible.

Rolling the bottle in your hands, watch as the “waves” roll through

the bottle. Learning outcomes Children use play to investigate, project and explore new ideas.

They use language to explain their ideas.

Key Concepts Science play, Sensory exploration

Resources Watch this video

A small empty bottle with a lid, water,

baby oil, a funnel, and blue food

colour/dye.

For added excitement, add glitter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P

cu286G46Ao

Questions to ask:

“Did you notice that the water and

baby oil don’t mix? I wonder why that

is?”

“What happens if you shake the

bottle, will it mix now?”

Preschool at Home Experiences

Week 2, activity 14

Recycling The ocean needs lots of looking after. One way we can help is by

making sure we don’t throw our rubbish in the bin, so it doesn’t

end up in the ocean. Watch a Whale tale for some more

information.

We can also make sure we recycle. Let's learn more about how we

can recycle at home by watching “what can be recycled” Learning outcomes Social responsibility and respect for the natural environment. They

broaden their understanding of the world in which they live.

Key Concepts Environmental awareness and learning.

Resources Video 1: A whale’s tale

Video 2: What can be recycled

Questions to ask:

“How can we make sure our waste

doesn’t end up in the ocean?”

Preschool at Home Experiences

Week 2, activity 15

Three-ingredient puff paint Mix the self-raising flour and bicarb soda. Slowly add water and stir

until the mixture is thick but runny. Divide the mixture into the four

zip lock bags, add several drops of food colouring to each, seal the

bags well and mix. Push the mixture to one corner, place a rubber

band over it to keep the mixture in the one corner. Snip a small

hole from the tip of the bag. Using it like a piping bag, create a

design on your paper. Microwave for 40 seconds and display. Learning outcomes Children use a range of tools and media, including art to express

themselves, connect with others and extend their learning.

Key Concepts Creative expression, Communicating thinking and feeling,

Fine motor and Hand-eye coordination

Resources Watch this video

1 cup of self-raising flour, 3 teaspoons

of bicarb soda, 3/4 cup of water, 4 zip

lock plastic bags, 4 rubber bands &

food colouring. Card paper or

recycled cardboard to paint on.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l

oFvdhCdPqY Questions to ask:

“What do you think will happen when

the paint is microwaved?”

“What can you see when you look at

the cooked paint?”