Preschoolers can learn about farms through fun games..
The farm offers a variety of activities for preschoolers to enjoy and learn from. Many foods found in stores today came from a farm. Clothing, blankets, and other everyday things around us also come from a farm or farm animal. Offering a variety of farm-related games helps teach children about the farm. Games also help develop large motor, listening, reasoning and cooperative skills.
Fill the Farm Wagon Relay
Provide enough medium-sized cardboard boxes so that each pair of children can use one for a wagon. Cut two holes in one side of the boxes and thread a piece of soft rope through the holes for a pulling handle.
For relays, spread throughout the room items such as bags of flour, buckets of dirt or sand, plastic eggs, stuffed farm animals, child-safe tools and other items that might be used on a farm. The goal is to make the box heavier throughout the race.
Have pairs of preschoolers work together to pull their "wagon," gather one of each of the items throughout the "farm," then pull the box back to the starting line.
Animals in a Haystack
Play a variation on the theme of "needle in a haystack."
Place some hay or straw in a small child-sized swimming pool or a large tub. Hide some plastic or stuffed farm animals in the "haystack." Preschoolers may take turns to find an animal in the haystack, then show it to their classmates.
The game can be varied by hiding plastic eggs, ears of corn and other farm food items.
Piggies in the Mud
Children can pretend to be piggies rolling in the mud.
Form a circle with the preschoolers. Begin to play farm music, such as "Old MacDonald," and have the children walk around in a circle. When the music stops, children will drop to the floor and roll as if they are piggies in the mud. When the music begins again, the "piggies" will stand and continue walking in a circle.
Where Did It Come From?
Mount onto construction paper, pictures of different foods and items we find around us that originated from a farm. For each picture of a "store bought" item, have a matching "farm animal or growing thing. "
Spread out the farm pictures face down on a table or the floor. Spread out the "product" pictures face up, in a separate space. Have preschoolers take turns choosing a face down picture, then matching it to the face up pictures.
Some combination examples: Milk, cow; eggs, chickens; can of corn; corn on cob; wool items, sheep; cotton towel, cotton plants; can of beans, bean plants; wheat, bread.
Stick Animal Carousel
Preschoolers can ride a pretend carousel.
Cut out farm animal heads from poster board. Tape each head securely to a dowel stick or rolled newspaper. Let preschoolers choose an animal to ride. Mark a large circle with tape or chalk. Play lively music and let the children pretend to be on a farm animal carousel.
"Corn" Maze
Provide a non-threatening maze for the preschoolers to play in. Mark off an outdoor area with chalk or powder, making lots of turns and potentially confusing paths. Preschoolers can follow the maze without the feeling of being lost in a tall corn maze.
Tractor Tire Gymnastics
Provide a tractor tire for the preschoolers to play on. The kids may jump in and out of the tire, balance to walk along the edge without falling off, see how many friends can sit inside the tire, and a variety of other activities.
Find the Lost Animals
Fasten pictures of several farm animals on the walls or items around the room. Have duplicate pictures of each animal. Children will take a picture from a bag, then go find that matching animal.
Tags: farm animal, farm animals, from farm, circle with, face down, pictures face