Preschool Ages 3 to 5

Peep and the Big Wide World

General Description: Peep and the Big Wide World is a website dedicated to teaching science and math concepts to preschool aged children. Through videos and games, children are engaged in a comprehensive science program. Science-based episodes are available for children to watch that explore everyday experiences which children typically have. Using the concepts of exploration, observation, play, and conversation, Peep and the Big Wide World hopes to inspire children to begin to explore science by asking open-ended questions. Science-based concepts are important for the development of preschoolers specifically because science is a hands-on learning experience that helps children explore the natural world around them and can impact how they conceptualize the world. Learning about the natural world helps preschoolers move from the egocentric Preoperational Stage of Cognitive Development, as Piaget outlined in his Theory of Cognitive Development, into a more worldly perspective. The website offers an interest-based approach to science as the children can explore many different science concepts that appeal to a wide variety of interests. The website is culturally appropriate because it casts a wide variety of animals and personalities. Throughout the website, photos depict a diverse population.

Focused Activity: In the episode “Peep of a Different Color,” Peep, Chirp and Quack have an adventure in which they jump into different cans of paint. Children are exposed to the science concept that colors can have different shades from light to dark and that two or more colors mixed can create a different color. You can relate this video to the book “The Color of Us” where people can be different beautiful colors. The birds are different colors. You could ask children if they noticed which characters liked being different colors and which ones did not. Adults can ask open-ended questions such as:

*What discoveries do Peep and Chirp make as they play in the paint?

*What happens each time Quack jumps into a different color of paint?

*Quack said he’s blue, but Chirp said Quack is purple. What do you think?

Are purple and blue sometimes hard to tell apart? Why do you think that is?

Take time to reflect and share with students to continue understanding of concepts.

Authentic Learning Experience: This game experience provides young children the opportunity to develop scientific concepts and skills. During exploration, children are building a foundation of experience with mixing colors.

Developmentally Appropriate Practice: This age-appropriate video promotes science learning as children are naturally curious about the world around them and how it works. By providing an activity that involves the study of mixing colors promotes scientific inquiry. Children are encouraged to make predictions and hone observational skills that follow their interests. It is culturally appropriate as the characters does not reinforce stereotypes or a preference of one color over another.

Washington State Early Learning

Knowledge: Appy new information or words to an activity or interaction. Seeks to understand cause and effect. Name more than three colors.

Science: Predict what will happen in science and nature experiences. Make observations and ask questions. Identify ways to find answers.

Social Studies: Ask questions about similarities and differences in other people.

Sesame Street in Communities

General Description: Sesame Street in Communities is available for children, parents, and providers that include resources for activities and tips for the challenges and joys of young children.

Sesame Street presents Little Children, Big Challenges: Is an educational outreach initiative for families with children (ages 3 – 8) who are coping with a parent’s incarceration. Resources provided include talking points and tools to help families manage the changes resulting from this situation. Coloring pages, activities, and videos are available for young children to express emotions.

Focused Activity:

The “I Can” Flower

Traumatic Experiences Age 2 to 6 4-10 Min

A boost of confidence can come from you! Work together to create your child’s “I Can” flower.

Invite kids to draw their face at the center of the flower.
Encourage kids to choose a petal, do what it says, then color it in.
Help kids say the Muppet’s “mantras” (“I can calm myself down.” “I can give myself a hug!” and so on) out loud, taking a few deep belly breaths before each statement.
Along the stalk, write a few words that describe things the child can do (draw, be kind, ask for help, jump, and so on). When you’re both finished, hang up the flower in a place you can see it often!

Authentic Learning Experience: Social and emotional development is an important aspect of a child’s overall healthy development. Using the self-portraits activity is a terrific way for young children to begin to get a sense of themselves and for a teacher to have a sense of how a child may see themselves as well. Teachers can also evaluate what fine motor, observation, and focusing skills a student has.

Developmentally Appropriate Practice: Supports prosocial behaviors for children to better understand themselves and others. Develops a sense of self which encourages self-esteem. By implementing belly breathing, children are incorporating self-regulation practices.

Washington Early Learning Guidelines

Art: Shows an increasing ability to use art materials safely and with purpose. Express self through art. Take pride in showing others own creations. Show creativity and imagination.

Self-concept: Describe what he or she likes and is interested in.

Self-management: Associate emotions with words and facial expressions.

Learning to learn: Use imagination to create a variety of ideas.

Social Behaviors: Connect emotions with facial expressions

Small Muscles: Shows increasing skills with small materials.

Perseverance Activity...

Khan Academy Kids

General Description: The Khan Academy is a non-profit educational organization that provides free video tutorials and interactive exercises for children of all ages. Khan Academy’s mission is to change education by providing free education to anyone anywhere. Khan Academy Kids engages Pre-K—2nd-grade students in a learning journey designed in collaboration with learning experts at Stanford University and aligned with the Common Core State Standards. Students love the engaging, interactive, and fun learning experience, quickly endearing themselves to the five characters and their diverse interests. With the help of the guide character Kodi bear, students can navigate the app completely independently.

Focused activity: In the circle time activity, Patience, Perseverance, and Mindfulness, the host Caroline invites Sophie to spend the time with her. Caroline reads the book, What’s a Duck to Do? by Cynthia Platt. The book covers a series of situations that Duck must overcome to enjoy her day. Caroline takes many pauses and asks several open-ended questions for the viewer to think about. After reading the story, Caroline asks Sophie to retell the story using her own words. Sophie retells the story and then comments on how relaxing was what helped Duck get ready to try again. Caroline ties the situation to a previous lesson and then proceeds to leads views in a Belly Breathing exercise.

Authentic Learning Experience: Viewers have a moment to see how Duck problem solves each situation she is put in. From being stuck in weeds, getting caught in balloons, to ants crawling on her, and being asked not to sing, Duck models perseverance. When Duck settles down and waits quietly like Turtle, she models mindfulness techniques. The host and guest both talk through the situations conversationally and it reinforces the ideas modeled. By asking the viewer to practice Belly Breathing techniques, children are encouraged to continue self-regulation skills.

Developmentally Appropriate Practice: This age-appropriate video promotes mindfulness in children from all different cultures. The Duck is culturally appropriate as it does not reinforce stereotypes. Supports prosocial behaviors for children to try new things when something does not go in their favor. Belly breathing develops self-regulation skills in the individual.

Washington State Early Learning Guidelines

Self-Concept: Choose activities to do alone or with others

Self-management: Associate emotions with words and facial expressions Anticipate consequences of own behavior.

Learning to learn: Be curious, interested in trying things out. Staying with tasks.

Speaking and Listening: Tell some details of a recent event in sequence.

Problem-solving, conflict resolution: Observe that others may have ideas or feelings that differ from the child’s own.

Storyline

General Description: Storyline Online is a free service that streams videos featuring actors reading children’s books alongside illustrations. Storyline Online is available 24 hours a day for children, parents, caregivers, and educators worldwide. Each book includes supplemental curriculum developed by a credentialed elementary educator, aiming to strengthen comprehension and verbal and written skills for English-language learners.

Focused Activity: The Kissing Hand, by Audrey Penn, is read by the actor Barbara Bain. She reads the story of a little raccoon named Chester who must confront his first day of school and needs reassurance. Mother Raccoon finds an unforgettable way of communicating the message to Chester. To help ease Chester's fears, Mrs. Raccoon shares a family secret called "The Kissing Hand" to give him the reassurance of her love any time his world feels a little scary.

Authentic Learning Experience: The view can watch this short story and relate to Chester and what it feels like to either go to a new school or start a new class without a parent attending with them. It demonstrates to the view that even if you are alone, you can carry your family’s love with you. It also can remind views that parents or caregivers, might be missing them too while they are away.

Developmentally Appropriate Practice: By experiencing a social situation through someone else’s viewpoint, the view can broaden social cognition for preschool-aged children. This culturally appropriate practice also broadens children’s understanding of how people might have similar fears they face when going to a new school. Although Chester and his mother are animals, we do not know much about their family dynamics which creates several possibilities for the viewer to relate their own family dynamic too.

Washington State Early Learning Guidelines

Family and culture: Understand that families are diverse. Recognize and respect similarities and differences between self and other people, such as gender, race, special needs, cultures, languages, communities, and family structures.

Self-management: Associate emotions with words and facial expressions.

Interactions with Adults: Seeks emotional support from caregivers. Understand that adults may want the child to do something different than he/she wants to do.

Social Studies: Describe family members and understand simple relationships.

PBS KIDS

General Description: PBS KIDS offers children free curriculum-based entertainment in an age-appropriate way designed to nurture children’s well-being. PBS KIDS’ programs contribute to children’s understanding of social-emotional awareness, literacy, different cultures, and creating positive attitudes towards ethnic diversity. Children can watch videos that put characters into situations that require them to narrate their problem-solving experiences with viewers. Social cognition is developed with viewership, as it allows children to experience social situations through someone else’s viewpoint. Participants can also play games that enhance the learning experience by solving puzzles, matching, or gathering new information through games that show short videos of animals. By interacting with activities on this website children are experiencing games that develop pre-math and pre-reading skills.

Focused Activity: Daniel’s Tea Party Game puts the child in control of a social setting. The child must pick out the tablecloth, tea set and snack. Once the pre-party preparations have been made, the child must click on items to serve guests, make them eat and then serve them more snacks. The characters respond to the actions of the play with positive speech modeling techniques.

The Authentic Learning Opportunity: Daniel’s Tea Party game is an opportunity for children to work on important social skills that include thinking about the needs of others and taking turns. By being in control of the social situation, children have an opportunity to role play grown-up behaviors that develop manners and conversation. The game is entirely open-ended and lets children think about making their own choices.

Developmentally Appropriate Practice: Daniel’s Tea Party is appropriate for the development of children ages three to five because pretend play allows children in this age group to make cognitive-developmental gains as they are trying out new ideas or skills in a safe environment. The game is entirely interactive and allows the child to drive the direction of personal choices, which allows for further discovery learning. Being able to choose the items and foods for the tea party gives children the opportunity to support their own interests within the framework of the game. Children are allowed to take control of the social setting and experiment, which allows them to follow their own interests and follows an individually appropriate interest-based approach. Daniel’s Tea Party is culturally appropriate as the various animals and child characters are representative of a gender-neutral and culturally diverse population. The game teaches children that everyone is welcome at the table and that patience and turn-taking are appropriate behaviors both at home and in the greater community.

Washington Early Learning Guidelines

Social Studies: Adopting the roles of different family members during dramatic play. Enjoys taking the roles of different jobs in pretend play.

Learning to learn: Be curious, interested in trying things out. Enjoys pretend play. Recognize when making mistakes and fix errors during a task. Cooperate with others, share and take turns.

Problem solving, conflict resolution: Observe that others may have ideas or feelings that are different from the child’s own.

LUNCH DOODLES

General Description: Children can watch Mo Willems, the author of Knuffle Bunny and many other beloved children’s stories, as he opens up his home studio for weekday LUNCH DOODLES, which are available on YouTube for no cost. There are fifteen original episodes and companion downloadable activities. Moe Willems takes a little less than 30 minutes to talk to children from his studio in Massachusetts to talk to children, show them his drawing supplies, and creates doodles of his characters and whatever else strikes his fancy. Drawing is fun, relaxing, and a great way to keep your child occupied while also working on fine motor skills. Mo Willem’s videos are developmentally appropriate for preschool aged children. Children would either be able to connect a story they are already familiar with the video they are watching or they may be curious about reading some of Mo Willem’s books in the future. He addresses topics in a culturally responsible way with inclusion as a main focus. Developmentally, drawing helps children develop cognitively through imagination. Drawing also helps children to have better concentration and hand-to-eye coordination.

Focused Activity: Episode seven is available for children to watch as Mo Willems walks into the room with “fancy clothes” on. He proceeds to answer questions children have sent in from around the world. Willems talks about his book, Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed. He shares that Wilbur is a little different than the rest of the naked mole-rat colony because he likes to wear clothes. As the characters question and experiment with clothes, they all come up with the idea that it is ok to be different and still all be friends. Willems shows us his dog who is also dressed up for the occasion. As he closes out the episode, he doodles several items of clothing for the viewer to enjoy.

The Authentic Learning Opportunity: Children are exposed to different art terms as Willems talks about his art. Nib and silhouette are two of the art terms addressed in the episode. Willems shares a lengthy explanation that addresses the idea that it is okay to be the same or different. Children learn how to draw the character, Wilbur, using simple terms and descriptions provided by Willems. For example, to draw Wilbur’s head, children are told to draw a bathtub if they are looking at it from the top. He then proceeds to direct children to draw the number eleven and then connect with a line to make teeth.

Washington Early Learning Guidelines

Learning to learn: Being curious, interested in trying things out. Staying with a task and using imagination to create a variety of ideas.

Using the Small Muscles: Shows increasing skill with small materials. Writes some letters and numbers.

Speaking and Listening: Remembers and follows directions involving two or three steps.

Arts: Show an increasing ability to use art materials safely and with purpose. Express self through art and music. Takes pride in showing others their own creations. Use a variety of materials to create a representation of people and things.