Games that involve wearing costumes or encourage children to pretend promote imaginative play. Teachers may want to set up a playhouse in the classroom or small store with plastic grocery items. Children enjoy pretending they're adults shopping or taking on responsibilities such as cleaning the playhouse or walking a stuffed dog.
Set up a section of the day care room with books. Even children who are unable to read enjoy browsing through pictures, which may promote reading readiness and help them understand the story. Include a rug and teacher's chair in the area so children are comfortable when you read them a story.
Crafts can facilitate fine motor skills and provide students with a sense of self-satisfaction when they create a finished project. Children can enjoy using paper and crayons individually, but you may also structure more extensive craft activities, including paper-mâché projects, playing with clay or finger-painting.
Free play promotes socialization and allows children to explore individual interests. Building blocks, board games or a floor hopscotch board give children the opportunity to select an activity of their choice. Free play may also help them to learn how to take turns and share.
Wall space is perfect for creating a calendar area. Print a blank calendar and let children help put magnetic numbers on it to mark the days as the year progresses. Write the months of the year on the calendar, and use the calendar to reinforce numbers, along with the date and the year. You may also use the calendar to teach the days of the week and counting.