Group Time Activities A to Z presents a detailed lesson plan format of fun and interesting group time activities for young children ages two and up. The child-centered activities in this text spotlight music, large and small muscle procedures, cognitive abilities, and games that are easy to understand and follow. Each section of the text will enable teachers and families to find group time activities for a theme-based curriculum, to incorporate a letter of the week, or to provide a spur of the moment exercise. Many different choices are given for each targeted alphabet letter, and the activities focus on such concepts as holidays, animals, healthy habits, the senses, shapes, the seasons, literature, and much, much more. A "Helpful Hints" section shares tried and true suggestions to make the group time experience easy and enjoyable, and a supply list of materials shows that most items are inexpensive and easy to acquire. Also included is a sample family letter that encourages active participation from all families. This wonderful resource focuses on a variety of concepts that preschoolers can relate to and grow with. Children, teachers, and families alike will enjoy the shared experiences of learning together!

Table of Contents

Partial Contents: Foreward. Helpful Hints for Successful Group Times. Supplies Needed. Section A: All About Me. Animal Sounds...Section B: Beach Bag Bingo. Beach Towels...Section C: Calendar. Carve a Pumpkin...Section D: Dinosaur Bingo. Dinosaur Stomp...Section E: Egg Hunt. Egg-cellent Sounds...Section F: Farmer in the Dell. Feed the Elephant...Section G: Gather the Leaves. Garden Toss...Section H: Hayride. Head, Shoulder, Knees, and Toes...Section I: I love My Family, My Family Loves Me. Ickity Pickity Bumble Bee...Section J: Jack and Jill. Jack Be Nimbles Candlestick. Section K: Kangaroo Hop. Kind King Kenneth...Section L: Leprechauns Gold. Lily Pad Hop...Section M: Make Bread with Red Hen. Milk the Cow...Section N: Name Game. Nose Knows. Section O: Obstacle Course. One Little Monkey Sitting in a Tree...Section P: Parachute with Beach Ball. Pet Classification...Section Q: Quack, Quack. Queen of Hearts. Section R: Rain Cloud. Red Fish, Blue Fish Hunt...Section S: Shape Search. Sleigh Ride...Section T: Teddy Bear Picnic. The Turkey...Section U: Umpire and Unicorn. Under the Stars. Section V: Valentine Match. Vegetable Song...Section W: Walk the Tightrope. Who Do I Hear...Section X: X-Chilren. X Marks the Spot. Section Y: Yellow Yarn Web. Yummy and Yucky. Section Z: Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah. Zoo Ride. Bibliography. Appendix. Index of Units.

Author Biography

Jeanne McLarty is a preschool teacher with 16 years of teaching experience and five years' experience as a preschool director. She is a member of numerous associations dedicated to childhood education, including the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Joanne Matricardi is an early childhood instructor and preschool director with a B.A. in psychology and social work, an M.Ed. in early childhood education and an Ed.S. in curriculum and instruction. She has 25 years' experience teaching young children. She has been recognized as 2000 Teacher of the Year at Maxwell High School and as part of Teachers as Leaders in 1999 in the Gwinnett County Public School System.