Bring a digital recording device or a tape recorder with you on a walk with preschoolers to produce a spoken journal. Before you go, tell the children that you will record their voices describing the things that they see during the walk. Demonstrate how to describe things. Use colorful language to tell about a classroom object. Let youngsters take turns describing classroom items. On the walk, make sure each child has the opportunity to speak into the recorder. Play the recording when you return to class. Make positive comments about each child's efforts and contributions.
Head to the playground for a game of "I Spy." Sit in a circle with your preschoolers and say, "I Spy something green with pink petals on top," or "I Spy a tall metal structure that children climb." When the children guess the outdoor item you described, choose a child to lead the game for the next round. Continue playing until all of the children have had a chance to try to stump the class in "I Spy."
Ask your little learners how they would tell someone about a toy or an activity if the person had never seen or heard of it before. Ask them to imagine that the cutest, friendliest alien flew to Earth in a spaceship and landed right outside your preschool. Tell your class to pretend that the alien needs to learn about the playground and report back to his home planet. Grab a notebook and pen, take the children outside and write their descriptions of the things in the area. Type the resulting Alien Dictionary and make a copy for each child to take home.
Move dramatic playtime outdoors for the day to encourage preschool language development. Children will practice conversation skills through interactive pretend play. Use a laundry basket to gather hats, dress-up items and toys that are suitable for outside use. Choose teams of three or four children. Give each team an assortment of items from the basket. Designate a grassy space for each team to perform. Help the groups of children to think of ideas for scenes to act out, based on the props they were given.