In her book "Creative Classroom Ideas," Michelle Scavo Bonus presents several activities that teachers can adapt for use with kindergartners. A motivational technique called "Participation Ante" helps teachers keep track of how often individual students participate in whole-class lessons. Teachers place three items, such as three sticky notes, on the front of each student's desk. The teacher does not explain further, but leaves the game up to the students to figure out. Then the teacher begins to teach as she normally would. Each time a student participates, the teacher removes one of the items. This technique helps both teachers and students to gauge each student's level of participation.
In a game that teachers can adapt for use in kindergarten, a teacher makes a game board, hangs it on the wall, and tapes a game piece to it. Then she announces that the class will play a game against the teacher. The teacher then asks the children questions. For each question that they answer correctly, the teacher moves the students' game piece. The class wins a prize when they reach the end of the board.
To teach children about the alphabet, teacher Nicola Baxter in her book "The Creative Classroom" recommends emphasizing a different letter each week by asking children to bring a household item from home that begins with that week's letter. For example, in the first week, students might bring an apple, apricot, or a can of alphabet soup. The teacher then displays these items on a table at the front of the room. This activity has the added advantage of encouraging parent participation in student learning.
Teachers address students who are exposed to violence or who overindulge in violent play by asking them to express their feelings creatively through drawings, paintings and telling stories. Students may then discuss the end product with the teacher. Open-ended questions such as "What do you think?" and "What is the best way to respond in real life?" help children to adjust to violence and deal with it appropriately.