Count kit within an Early Childhood setting. Compiled by : - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

The use of items in the Crayons Count kit within an Early Childhood setting.

Compiled by: Shaanii-Grace Robinson Early Childhood Education Consultant

The Early Childhood Commission Vision

All Children having access to high quality early childhood development services enabling the realization of their full potential.

Do Good Jamaica and Crayons Count How did Crayons Count Start and why?

Crayons Count first started when Deika Morrison, the founder of Do Good Jamaica, heard that Jamaican children did not have crayons. She consulted with the Early Childhood Commission (ECC) and was advised that there was a severe shortage of appropriate learning materials in early childhood institutions (more commonly known as basic schools) across Jamaica.

Do Good Jamaica and Crayons Count

Crayons Count was established with two objectives:

• Objective 1: To increase awareness of the importance of

early childhood education and good early childhood practices.

• Objective 2: To provide recommended learning resources to

basic schools.

The Early Childhood Commission and Do Good Jamaica

The Early Childhood Commission’s vision fused with Do Good Jamaica’s mission support within the early childhood setting: 1. The availability of developmentally appropriate and safe teaching/learning material. 2. The full enjoyment and success of all teaching/ learning experience by both early childhood practitioners and children. 3. An integrated lesson where children experience holistic development while ‘Learning through Play’. 4. That early childhood institutions adhere to the standards of

• perating within a conducive learning environment for all

children.

Learning through Play

Learning Through Play - a Child's Job

Play is fun for children. Play is the way children learn. Through play, children learn about themselves, their environment, people and the world around them. As they play, children learn to solve problems and to get along with others. They enhance their creativity and develop leadership skills and healthy personalities. Play develops skills children need to learn to read and write. Play in early childhood is the best foundation for success in school.

By Jane K. Frobose, Colorado State University Extension, Family and Consumer Education Denver County, February 2008

Do Good Jamaica-Crayons Count Kit The Crayons Count Kit supplied by Do Good Jamaica includes:

• Items of various textures, colours and shapes.
• Items that are kid-friendly.
• Items that are age and developmentally appropriate for all

children at the early childhood years.

• Items that are non-toxic and safe.

Do Good Jamaica-Crayons Count Kit

Wooden Blocks

Benefits of wooden blocks to the early childhood child.

• Promote creativity
• Encourage cooperative play
• Develop fine motor skills
• Foster hand-eye coordination
• Ensure letter and number recognition
• Enhance spelling and number skills
• Provide the opportunity for the

development of spatial relationships and problem solving skills

Ideas

• 1. Have child create words and interchange letters to make

‘nonsense’ words.

• 2. Ask child to find the matching number for the amount of letters

in a word, then use the math symbols on blocks to perform simple mathematics problems.

Do Good Jamaica-Crayons Count Kit

Assorted Art Supplies

Benefits of paint and paint brushes to the early childhood child.

• Allow the release of stress as

art therapy

• Encourage the identification
• f colours and designs
• Develop fine motor skills
• Enhance imagination
• Fosters the learning of

different painting/art techniques.

Ideas

1. Let child paint his/her interpretation of a story that was read or supply an outline of the characters and let them paint in the colour. 2. Allow child to paint items to represent counters or letters. 3. Let child mix paint colours or melt pieces of crayons together to discover new colours and create new crayons.

Do Good Jamaica-Crayons Count Kit

Assorted Art Supplies

Benefits of crayons to the early childhood child.

• Foster language and self-

expression skills

• Develop small muscle

coordination

• Promote writing skills, Math

skills, Science skills, critical thinking and creative skills

Ideas

• 1. Have child use crayons as writing tools or restrict the amount/hues of

crayons to be used. Children may also overlap crayons on paper (blue + red= purple); this helps them to learn new colours.

• 2. Provide child with two pictures, one that was pre-coloured with more

than three (3) hues and the same picture without colours; let students select matching colours to replicate the picture.

Do Good Jamaica-Crayons Count Kit

Assorted Art Supplies

Benefits of pairs of scissors to the early childhood child.

• Develop fine motor hand skills
• Develop the use of the index

fingers

• Promote Language

development (in and out,

• pen and close)
• Sequencing

Ideas

1. Have child cut along varied types of lines, such as curvy, curly, wavy, straight lines among others eg. Healthy Foods-banana, apple. 2. Allow child to cut out objects and make a collage.

• 3. Invite child to cut along the outlines of numbers, letters and shapes.

Do Good Jamaica-Crayons Count Kit

Paper

Benefits of paper to the early childhood child.

• Is versatile
• Increases the imagination
• Is a medium for self-

expression

• Promotes fine motor skills
• Enhances creativity skills

Ideas

• 1. Engage child in simple paper folding techniques, such as
• rigami, to make objects such as , birds, rings, boats among
• thers.
• 2. Allow child to colour or design plain papers and tear or cut to

make confetti for the desired celebration.

Do Good Jamaica-Crayons Count Kit

Wood Blocks

Benefits of wood blocks to the early childhood child.

• Build hand-eye coordination
• Develop fine motor control
• Support mathematics skills-

sorting, counting, adding

• Assist in the creation of

designs

Ideas

• 1. Make an object and allow child to use the blocks to re-create

a design that matches the previously made item.

• 2. Invite child to create outlines of geometrical shapes using the

prescribed pieces or colours.

Do Good Jamaica-Crayons Count Kit

Shape Sequencing Sorting Set

Benefits of shape sequencing sorting set to the early childhood child.

• Promotes math skills-

sorting skills, sequencing

• Fosters colour

identification

• Develops problem

solving skills

Ideas

• 1. Have child trace around the outline of any shape.
• 2. Invite child to label items with adjectives such as biggest,

smallest.

Do Good Jamaica-Crayons Count Kit

Tall-Stacker

Benefits of tall-stacker to the early childhood child.

• Builds hand-eye coordination
• Develops fine motor control
• Supports mathematics skills-

sorting, counting, adding

• Assists in the creation of

designs

Ideas

• 1. Have child create or form a letter from the alphabet.
• 2. Allow child to create irregular and regular shapes and

designs.

Do Good Jamaica-Crayons Count Kit

Rainbow Stacker

Benefits of rainbow stacker to the early childhood child.

• Builds early shape, colour

and size differentiation skills

• Promotes problem solving

Ideas

1. Assist child to roll the parts of the rainbow stacker towards a target. 2. Allow child to thread the open circles to create a design of their choice. 3. Allow child to ‘find the same’ or ‘spot the difference’ among the stackers and create a pattern or sequence of colours.

Do Good Jamaica-Crayons Count Kit

Balls

Benefits of balls to the early childhood child.

• Help to address bilateral skills
• Develop hand-eye

coordination

• Ensure timing, sequencing skills
• Encourage motor planning and

attention.

• Support focus and direction

Ideas

1. Have child compare the sizes, texture, shapes, colours, design and use

• f the ball.

2. Pass a ball to child after he/she has supplied a correct answer and allow them to ‘dunk’ or ‘kick’ or ‘bounce’ in the direction of a target. 3. Have child practice counting skills by ‘dunking’, ‘kicking’ or ‘bouncing’.

Do Good Jamaica-Crayons Count Kit

Play Dough

Benefits of play dough to the early childhood child.

• helps to strengthen small fingers,

hands and wrists.

• builds imagination.
• helps children develop self

esteem

• fosters cooperative play.
• Builds communication skills
• Teaches dividing, numbering skills

Ideas

1. Allow child to twist and mold two different colours of ‘play doh’ to create a new colour. 2. Invite child to make exact models from a given sample.

• 3. Ask child to make items of various sizes, shapes and depth.

Do Good Jamaica-Crayons Count Kit

Puzzles

Benefits of puzzles to the early childhood child.

• Build cognitive skills-problem

solving skills, critical thinking

• Develop fine motor skills
• Promotes hand-eye

coordination

• Encourages good social skills

and self-esteem

Ideas

1. Use as Flash/Clue Cards for picture, number and letter identification. 2. Allow child to use only the letters that spell their name or any other word. 3. Letter hunt/matching: pre-place letters at various location within the class, write a word on chart/board. Let child search for letters and place under the given letter.

Do Good Jamaica-Crayons Count Kit

Hand Puppets

Benefits of hand puppets to the early childhood child.

• Foster creative skills
• Enhance communication

and social skills.

• Develop oral Language skills
• Promote the processing of

emotions

• Build imagination skills

Ideas

• 1. Have child use puppets as characters to compliment a read

story.

• 2. Allow child to use puppets in imagined scenario or to express an

upsetting situation if unable to ‘voice’ feelings openly.

Do Good Jamaica-Crayons Count Kit

Lacing Shapes

Benefits of lacing shapes to the early childhood child.

• Develop fine motor skills
• Supply the support to build

muscle strength and flexibility

• Encourages mastery of

learning designs, colours and shapes.

Ideas

1. Have child take turn lacing geometrical shapes during mathematics. 2. Help child to create their own lacing tool by tracing around the supplied shape. 3. Allow child to pair similar colours, shapes.

Do Good Jamaica-Crayons Count Kit

What are the benefits of using the items in the Crayons Count kit to the Early Childhood Practitioner The use of the items within the Crayons Count kit by an Early Childhood practitioner can:

• Provide instant accessibility to attractive and engaging

teaching/learning materials.

• Ensure the integration of varied academic disciplines in the early

childhood lesson.

• Promote sustained focus; children will be less distracted during a

lesson as they are more likely to remain on-task.

• Encourage the use of simple and direct instruction while minimizing

the frequency of commands.

Do Good Jamaica-Crayons Count Kit

When should the items in the Crayons Count Kit be used?

• The frequency and/or time span for the use
• f each item in the Crayons Count kit is

relative to the desired activity. However, the time may be expanded or reduced to reflect or coincide with the time or period allotted for circle time, guided learning , free play, creative activity and outdoor play.

Do Good Jamaica-Crayons Count Kit

How should the items in the Crayons Count kit be used?

• Early Childhood Practitioners may choose to restrict the amount of

items distributed to the students at any given time or session. For example within the theme ‘Water Transportation’ a practitioner may give a student a set of eight (8) blue, rectangular and triangular wood blocks to create a boat/ship.

• Items in the crayons count kit may be used with a set of children or a

single child.

• Ideally the use of the crayons count kit should foster within the early

childhood classroom maximum enjoyment as the children through play; exploring learning opportunities within an atmosphere that is ‘tooled’ for their optimal holistic development.

Crayons Count Tools

Children’s Interpretation

Spelling with blocks

1. Give children instructions to spell any word. 2. Allow children to use specific colours of blocks or allow them to freely select the

• nes they prefer.

3. Permit children to commence the formation of each letter (s) on their own; you may point to an alphabet chart as an example. 4. You may attempt to spell any word with child (ren) if desired. 5. Congratulate child (ren) on job well done; any effort made is a commendable.

Can you spell ‘India’?

Guess the topic.

Using lace

1. Allow the children to use the lace to draw, ‘write’ or form shapes, letters and designs. 2. State the particular letter/shape/design that is to be made. 3. Allow the children to work independently before giving assistance. 4. Praise the children for their efforts.

All about me: Parts of the face

The letter ‘f’

Connect the letters/dots

1. Ask children to choose three (3) different colour crayons.

• Crayon one-write letters
• Crayon two-place dots beside

letters

• Crayon three-used to draw the

lines. 2. Allow children to randomly place letters within a particular word

• n their paper. You may also

give them specific directions for placement of each letter. 3. Allow children to place a dot beside each letter. 4. Let children connect the letters while reciting the correct spelling

• rder.
• 5. Praise children for their efforts.

This great artist and speller wrote the letters A-F-R-I-C-A

• randomly. He then connected the letters. What did he

create? What lesson can be continued from his work?

Using pegs

1. Allow child to select preferred colour (s) or state the specific colour that is expected. 2. Tell child to create a numeral, shape or letter on the peg board. 3. Allow the child to work independently or provide assistance as is required. 4. Look for teachable moments such as the creation of sequential pattern or order. 5. Praise the child for his/her efforts. What letter can you see?

Using Play-doh and lettered blocks

1. Allow children to select the preferred colour play-doh. 2. Ask children to state the letters in a given word and the amount of time it was seen. 3. Let children use the play- doh to create the numeral and place beside the respective letter (s).

• 4. Praise children for their

effort.

Creative learners formed algebra from the letters in the word AFRICA: 2A, 1F … .

Coloured Blocks and Lace

1. Allow children to use lace to form a pattern or outline of a shape.

• 2. Let children select the

specific colour (s) or random colours of blocks and place within the created shape (as tangram pieces). 3. Ask children to count how many blocks were used to fill

• ne area or tally the specific

colours.

• 4. Praise children for their

efforts. Brilliant young children created an outline of an

• aeroplane. Can you tell the topic?

Letter and Number Frottage

1. Arrange letters to reflect a word or topic.

• 2. Give children pieces of

paper. 3. Instruct children to place each letter on the raised

• utlines of the desired letter.

4. Instruct children to gently rub crayon over paper, while holding paper steadily over block. 5. Children need to arrange papers in the correct spelling

• rder.
• 6. Praise children for their

efforts. This creative child, through frottage, spelt the word A-F-R-I-C-A.

Mathematical Shapes with blocks

1. Let children assemble letters to spell words. 2. Allow children to use the combined letters to create geometrical shapes eg. triangle, square, rectangle etc. 3. Look for teachable moments such as equal sides, sorting, letter sounds, serquencing/ordering among others. 4. Praise the children for their efforts.

Forming a square.

Lace and Play Doh

1. Let children roll bits of play doh and place as dots on a flat, firm surface (select the desired distance between each dot). 2. Allow children to freely press, fold or pinch lace into play doh in their preferred design or give specific instruction. 3. Look for opportunities to reinforce geometrical shapes, colours, texture, line direction, space, position, fine motor development and others. 4. Praise the children for their efforts.

Play doh ; red lace rectangle

What colour is the largest triangle?

Do Good Jamaica-Crayons Count Kit

Conclusion Do Good Jamaica and The Early Childhood Commission support the use of the items within the Crayons Count kit to complement any early childhood lesson or topic. Both entities endorse the standard that early childhood lessons should promote the holistic development of children within a rich learning environment with accessible teaching/learning materials for the enrichment and enjoyment of the teaching/learning experience.