10 Tips for Making Virtual Learning Engaging for Preschoolers
Get ready to unlock a world of interactive virtual preschool adventures! Navigating the digital realm with young learners can be quite the quest, but fear not, because we’re here with a treasure trove of 10 imaginative and entertaining ideas. These gems are destined to turn virtual learning into a thrilling experience for both preschool teachers and parents alike. Our mission? To ignite a passion for active participation, spark curiosity, and ensure that your little ones embark on an exciting journey while honing essential skills.
In this article you’ll find:
- 1. Count Around the House: A Treasure Hunt of Numbers1
- 2. Visit the Aquarium: A Virtual Underwater Adventure
- 3. Morning Yoga Frozen ❄️: A Cosmic Kids Yoga Adventure!
- 4. Comparison Games: Interactive Learning Made Easy
- 5. Virtual Pictionary: Unleash Creativity Through Drawing
- 6. Digital Charades: Get Moving and Laughing
- 7. Dance Together: Interactive Songs for Active Learning
- 8. Grow Flowers: Nurturing Nature Virtually
- 9. Virtual Story Time: A Journey Through Imagination
- 10. Virtual Show and Tell: Sharing Experiences Online
1. Count Around the House: A Treasure Hunt of Numbers1
Turn your preschooler’s home into a classroom by sending them worksheets to complete around the house. In this activity, they will count the number of items they find in each room, such as spoons, chairs, lights, and beds. Encourage students to share their findings with the rest of the class, promoting engagement and friendly competition.
🧰Toolbox:
Here are some free printable counting worksheets on websites like Education.com, Teachers Pay Teachers and 4 Smart Cookies.
🛝Putting It Into Play:
Send the worksheets to your preschoolers’ parents or caregivers. Encourage them to have their children count various items in different rooms and share their findings during virtual class time.
2. Visit the Aquarium: A Virtual Underwater Adventure
Take your young learners on an exciting virtual field trip to the aquarium. Many aquariums now offer live webcam tours of their facilities, allowing children to explore the fascinating world of marine life from the comfort of their homes. This immersive experience will spark their curiosity and provide valuable educational content.
🧰Toolbox:
Many famous aquariums offer live webcam tours. Go on a virtual tour and explore the underwater world through our live streaming webcams of amazing Aquariums around the world. Observe all the different types of fish and Marine Life, spot sharks, turtles, rays, otters, monk seals, penguins and other sea creatures. Monterey Bay Aquarium, California has ten live cams to choose from. Be delighted by the antics of sea otters or mellow out to the hypnotic drifting of jellies.
🛝Putting It Into Play:
Schedule a virtual field trip day and guide your preschoolers through the aquarium’s live webcam tour. Encourage them to ask questions about the marine life they see.
3. Morning Yoga Frozen ❄️: A Cosmic Kids Yoga Adventure!
Start each day with a healthy routine by incorporating morning yoga sessions into your virtual preschool curriculum. Cosmic Kids Yoga offers fun-themed yoga lessons online that are perfect for young children. These sessions not only promote physical well-being but also teach kids the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
🧰Toolbox:
Visit the Cosmic Kids Yoga YouTube channel for a wide range of kid-friendly yoga sessions.
🛝Putting It Into Play:
Start your virtual preschool day with a short Cosmic Kids Yoga session. Share the video link with parents to ensure everyone can participate.
4. Comparison Games: Interactive Learning Made Easy
Make learning comparisons a breeze with interactive online games. Students can compare objects they find around their homes, helping them grasp important concepts while having fun. ABC Ya offers engaging comparison games that will keep your preschoolers entertained and intellectually stimulated.
🧰Toolbox:
ABC Ya – offers free interactive comparison games.
Comparatives – This game focuses on teaching English comparatives using pairs of images that show a difference.
Compare & Contrast – These language arts games allow kids to compare and contrast different elements, such as stories or concepts. They help develop critical thinking skills and improve reading comprehension.
🛝Putting It Into Play:
Assign a weekly comparison task. Have students find two objects at home and compare them based on size, shape, or color. Discuss their findings during virtual class time.
5. Virtual Pictionary: Unleash Creativity Through Drawing
Introduce your little ones to the classic game of Pictionary in a virtual setting. Playing Pictionary online helps children become familiar with video conferencing tools like Zoom while enhancing their artistic skills.
🧰Toolbox:
Brightful – is a well-known virtual Pictionary game collection designed to play on Zoom with friends and family. It includes classic Pictionary, where a player draws a picture and others try to guess the word.
Skribbl.io – This is a free online multiplayer drawing and guessing game that can be played with friends or strangers. Players take turns drawing a word while the others try to guess what it is. It’s a great option for virtual Pictionary
🛝Putting It Into Play:
Host a virtual Pictionary game using Zoom or another video conferencing tool. Encourage kids to draw and guess each other’s drawings.
6. Digital Charades: Get Moving and Laughing
Encourage physical activity during virtual learning sessions by incorporating digital charades into your curriculum. Charades is a fantastic game that gets kids up and moving while having a great time. Pantoparty offers an online platform for playing charades virtually, ensuring that your preschoolers stay active and engaged.
🧰Toolbox:
Pantoparty – This is an online platform for playing Charades virtually. It offers a variety of categories to choose from and allows players to create private rooms for their games. It’s a great option for virtual Charades with kids
Drawize – This is the same online drawing and guessing game mentioned earlier that can also be used to play Charades. Players can take turns acting out a word or phrase while the others try to guess what it is.
🛝Putting It Into Play:
Organise a digital charades session during virtual class time. Let kids take turns acting out words or phrases.
7. Dance Together: Interactive Songs for Active Learning
Engage your young learners with interactive songs that encourage movement and interaction. Collect a wide range of songs that prompt kids to follow along, chant, dance, and sing. By incorporating these songs into your virtual lessons, you’ll keep passive screen time at bay while promoting an active learning environment.
🧰Toolbox:
GoNoodle – This is a free online resource that provides interactive videos and games that encourage movement and mindfulness. It has a variety of songs and dances that are perfect for young children and can be used to break up long periods of sitting during virtual learning.
Super Simple Songs – This is a YouTube channel that provides a wide range of interactive songs for young children. The songs are designed to be simple and easy to follow, making them perfect for virtual learning sessions.
The Learning Station – This is a YouTube channel that provides a variety of interactive songs and dances for young children. The songs are designed to promote movement and physical activity while also teaching important concepts like counting, colors, and shapes.
Jack Hartmann Kids Music Channel – This is a YouTube channel that provides a variety of interactive songs and dances for young children. The songs are designed to promote movement and physical activity while also teaching important concepts like phonics, math, and science.
🛝Putting It Into Play:
Incorporate a song into each virtual lesson to encourage movement and participation. Encourage children to dance, sing, and follow along.
8. Grow Flowers: Nurturing Nature Virtually
Bring the joy of gardening into your virtual classroom by teaching your preschoolers how to grow flowers from seeds. Sprouting seeds is an activity that children look forward to all year round, and distance learning shouldn’t hinder this experience. Share gardening tips and guide students through the process virtually, fostering their love for nature.
🧰Toolbox:
Share gardening tips and guides from resources like Gardening Know How.
Kids Gardening Org is a non-profit organisation that aims to provide resources and support for educators and families who want to incorporate gardening into children’s education.
🛝Putting It Into Play:
Assign each child a small pot and seeds. Guide them through planting and caring for their seeds during virtual sessions.
9. Virtual Story Time: A Journey Through Imagination
Take your preschoolers on a virtual journey through the magical world of storytelling. Organise virtual story time sessions where you read captivating stories to your young learners. Encourage them to share their thoughts and feelings about the stories, fostering their imagination and language skills.
🧰Toolbox:
Select age-appropriate storybooks and make sure you have them on hand for reading.
Storyline Online – This is a free website that features videos of famous actors reading children’s books aloud. The videos are high-quality and engaging, making them perfect for Virtual Story Time.
Epic! – This is a digital library app that provides access to thousands of children’s books. It has a read-to-me feature that allows students to follow along as the book is read aloud. Epic! also has a feature that allows teachers to assign books to their students and track their progress.
Scholastic Learn at Home – This is a free website that provides daily lessons and activities for students in grades PreK-9. It includes Virtual Story Time videos, as well as other resources for reading and literacy.
🛝Putting It Into Play:
Schedule regular virtual story time sessions. Read a story aloud and encourage children to discuss their favorite parts and share their thoughts.
10. Virtual Show and Tell: Sharing Experiences Online
Bring back the excitement of show and tell by organizing virtual sessions where preschoolers can share their favorite toys, drawings, or even pets with their classmates. This activity promotes social interaction, boosts confidence, and allows children to express themselves creatively.
🧰Toolbox:
Share guidelines for virtual show and tell, including time limits and expectations for sharing.
Flipgrid – This is a free video discussion platform that allows students to record and share short videos with their classmates. It’s a great option for Virtual Show and Tell because it allows students to share their items with the class even if they can’t physically bring them to school.
Padlet – This is a free online bulletin board that allows students to share and collaborate on ideas. It can be used for Virtual Show and Tell by having students post pictures or videos of their items and then commenting on each other’s posts.
🛝Putting It Into Play:
Host virtual show and tell sessions where children can proudly showcase their favorite toys, drawings, or pets to their classmates.
With these extra tricks up your sleeve, you’ve got a well-rounded arsenal of 10 captivating virtual activities tailored for preschoolers. Our aim is to fuel your creativity and empower you to craft an immersive virtual learning environment that’s not just exciting but also a source of joy and growth for both educators and parents. Embrace the possibilities, and watch as the magic of engaged learning unfolds!
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