Preschool Ideas for All About Me Early Learners

Self-Portraits

• Have children create self-portraits during an "all about me" unit. Provide them with mirrors, paper and paint. Explain to them that they are to look in the mirror and paint the reflection that they see. Encourage them to use the proper colors for their hair and eyes. After they have created their portraits, invite them to share their work with classmates. Display the portraits in the classroom; they will not only serve as decoration, but will also help to boost confidence in children.

What I Like Collage

• Have a discussion about different types of things that people like, such as foods, colors, hobbies and sports, for example. Prior to the discussion, you could create a collage that features things that you like and share it with your students. Set out magazines and store circulars and encourage your students to look through the resources for pictures of things that they like. Have them cut out the pictures and glue them to a sheet of paper. Allow students to share their collages; this will boost their self-esteem and allow them to learn about one another.

Family Tree

• Creating family trees will allow students to highlight the most important people in their lives. Use a paintbrush to paint the forearms of children brown and have them press them onto a piece of paper; this will serve as the trunk of a tree. Instruct children to dip their forefingers into brown finger paint and then press them on top of the trunk a number of times that is equal to the number of people in their family; these will serve as the branches of the tree. Have kids press a fingertip into green finger paint and press them onto the ends of the branches, creating leaves. Help them write the names of each of their family members underneath each leaf. Allow kids to share their family trees with one another.

"I Am Special"

• Sing a song that will make preschoolers feel pride in themselves and an appreciation for one another. The song is sung to the tune of "Frere Jacques":

  "I am special, I am special (children wrap arms around themselves)

  So are you, so are you (children point to one another)

  We are very special, we are very special (children hold hands)

  Yes it's true, yes it's true (children nod)."