August can be a great time for introducing your preschooler to new ideas and learning. If you are the teacher of a preschool class, or a parent who wants to engage in some fun with their preschooler, there are plenty of ideas to keep you busy! Best of all many of these ideas can be done outside as the weather in most places, is still nice. Take advantage of the learning attitude of your preschooler to enjoy some fun together! Here are some August themes for preschool-
- Watermelon Day/August 3rd–This iconic fruit for summer is at its peak around the 3rd of August. It can be a fun way to teach your preschoolers about gardening, food, and even letters. Be sure that you cap off this theme with some cool, juicy slices of watermelon, for everyone! Here are some ideas to get you started-
Books to Read:
One Watermelon Seed
By Celia Barker Lottridge
Watermelon Day
By Kathi Applet
Watermelon Chant-Preschoolers love chanting this and don’t even realize they are working on learning their letters as well.
A-B-CDE
Watermelon is good for me.
F-G-HIJ
I can eat it everyday.
P-Q-RST
Ripe and very juicy
U-V-WXY
You will like it if you give it a try.
Z-Z-ZZZ
Watermelon is good for me.
Sponge-Painted Watermelons-This delightful craft is easy to do and doesn’t require a lot of hard to find craft materials.
You will need:
½ paper plate for each child
Sponges for painting
Red and green paint
Watermelon seeds
Glue
Have the children sponge paint watermelons on a half paper plate. They do this by painting the green rind on the outside, the red fruit on the inside and let dry. Then have the children glue a given number of seeds to the fruit.
Watermelon Magnets
You will need:
Red Styrofoam plates
Green tissue paper
Watermelon seeds
Glue
Small magnets
Have an adult cut the plates into four equal sections. Have the children cover edge of each section with cut up squares of green tissue paper for the rind. You will need save watermelon seeds and have children glue five or six seeds on their slice of watermelon. Attach a magnet on back and they have a cute summer refrigerator magnet.
Watermelon Pops-These yummy treats are easy to make and will go along perfectly with this theme.
You will need:
4 cups watermelon cubes
4 (7 ounce) paper cups
4 Popsicle sticks
Remove the black seeds from watermelon cubes and puree in blender. Pour into paper cups. Place sticks in cups and freeze until firm. (If you put a small piece of aluminum foil on the top of each cup & poke the stick through it, it will hold the stick in place until it is frozen.) To eat, tear paper cup from the frozen pop. Yummy to eat outside on a hot day!!
- Tooth Fairy/Dentist Day August 22nd–Preschoolers are excited to begin losing their teeth. There are lots of fun ways to introduce them to the importance of dental hygiene.
Books to Read:
Going to the Dentist
By Anne Civardi
Dear Tooth Fairy
By Pamela Duncan Edwards
Field trip-Many dentist will open up their office, for visitors. Contact dentists in your area to see if a field trip is possible.
Tooth Fairy boxes-Small wooden boxes can be found inexpensively at your local craft store.
You will need:
One box for each child
Assorted craft paints
Stickers-preferably of teeth
Glitter pens
Give each child a box and let them decorate it, as a keepsake for the teeth they will lose. Encourage their creativity as they make their tooth fairy boxes. When finished you can spray the boxes with a craft finish, to protect the decorations.