Station Ideas

[TGT09]

For those of you who do stations, I was wondering what kinds of stations do you do? I'm thinking about incorporating them and making them about motor skills.

The ideas I have so far are:
Blocks
Threading beads onto yarn.
Puzzles

This is where I lose my steam and I would like to do a bunch of them. Anyone want to share some ideas. :-)

A pair of tongs and 2 or 3 bowls so they can transfer different objects from bowl to bowl with the tongs (like cotton balls, or small blocks)
For older kids you can try this with tweezers and smaller objects.

Lacing cards
Peg boards
Balancing games

Color clothes pins different colors and have them attach the pins to matching cards

Ow, ow brain cramp....... sorry, can't think of anything else at the moment.

[Crystal]

Dramatic PLay
Math and Manipulatives (lacing, legos, puzzles, sorting/counting, etc.)
Blocks
Art/Writing
Science
Sensory
Language/Literacy
Cozy area

I have them all, always set up with lots of materials to choose from.

[TGT09]

Originally Posted by Crystal

Dramatic PLay
Math and Manipulatives (lacing, legos, puzzles, sorting/counting, etc.)
Blocks
Art/Writing
Science
Sensory
Language/Literacy
Cozy area

I have them all, always set up with lots of materials to choose from.

What types of things do you have for science, sensory, and literacy?? I have 2.5 year olds and I just draw a blank when it comes to those things at those ages.

[missnikki]

Science:
-magnifying glasses and objects to investigate
-laminated pictures (themes work well) of animals, bugs, etc with coordinated books, toys
-magnets and magnetic objects
-water table (a shallow bin with water, can use food coloring and empty plastic bottles to fill and pour, float things in it)

Sensory:
-use themes, again-
visual-kaleidescopes, 3D, sunglasses, reading glasses
audial- toys that make noise, musical instruments, stories with song
tactile- water table filled with non- liquids
or kiddie pool (no water) filled w/ balloons, cotton balls, on a hot day wet towels, even ice cubes

literacy:
-reading area, a play post office (notecards and crayons/markers with stickers and a 'mailbox' to put notes in, different writing tools

Of course, this is all dependent on the age appropriateness of your children.

[missnikki]

I just read that you had 2.5 y.o.'s. Same general idea, but kick it up a notch with the kiddie pool idea.
Just keep them changed out often to create interest. It only takes a few like items to have a theme to talk/sing/play/learn about.
That age loooved to play with bubbly water! If it is on a sturdy, low table they stand around it and dig in- no slip and falls. I had one that was set in a base- easy for a handy person to put together.

[TGT09]

Great, thanks! I am buying a water table next week so I will use that. How do you assure dryness of the kids clothes? Do you make them wear aprons?

[missnikki]

Well, I suppose you don't. Perhaps you can post a note to the parents that you plan to work with water, and to please provide a dry change of clothes. That way, any parent who forgets will take a wet kid home. (Or you can have a few extras on hand that have LOANER written across the rear end

[TGT09]

Originally Posted by missnikki

Well, I suppose you don't. Perhaps you can post a note to the parents that you plan to work with water, and to please provide a dry change of clothes. That way, any parent who forgets will take a wet kid home. (Or you can have a few extras on hand that have LOANER written across the rear end

HAHA! I just might do that! I have art shirts for the kids so I suppose I could just layer them up and hope their clothes don't get wet. Or, just do it with bathing suits on this summer.