Sharing is an important process of growing up that we continue to learn and fine-tune, even in our adult years! As humans we are naturally possessive and protective of our things. However, over time we learn the pleasure of giving.
 
As a parent, you know that the ability to share a favorite toy, or time with a favorite person, can be a major accomplishment for your preschooler. In order to share, your child needs to understand that others have needs and wants, too. This happens developmentally when children begin to see that they are not the center of the universe (the egocentric stage), but one of many planets and constellations that work together to make up the universe! Here are simple ways to start teaching your preschooler about sharing:
 
Demonstrate sharing yourself. Sounds simple, but sometimes we forget that our children learn best from the model we provide. When you are sharing, be sure to explain to your child what you are doing and why; otherwise, he may be unaware of what is happening. For example, you might point out that it feels good to help out a neighbor by sharing a book or loaning yard tools, and that your neighbor appreciates it, too.
 
Acknowledge sharing. When your child shares a toy with a sibling or friend, commend him for it, but be specific in your choice of words. Too often we use the word “nice” to describe an action of sharing. But “nice” is a hard word to define, and is even harder for your young child to understand. Instead of saying, “Thank you for being nice to your friend,” you can say, “Thank you for sharing your ball with Matthew. You made him happy.”
 
If you have an only child, it is helpful to periodically take on the role of playmate so that she can have the experience of sharing a treasured object. (Plus your child will love playing one-on-one with you!) Allow her to take the lead as you have a tea party or pretend play with her baby dolls. This will empower her play behaviors. Use the opportunity to demonstrate sharing a toy with her, but be sure to verbalize what you are doing. You might say, “Would you like to share my blocks? We could build a tower together.” Doing this gives her a model of behavior for when she plays with friends or relatives.
 
During the preschool years, your child is becoming capable of understanding the pleasure in sharing. But it is not until he sees the benefits of sharing that he will freely choose to do so. One benefit he can experience is the joy of interaction with a playmate or family member. He will find that it is more fun to share a toy with someone than to have it all to himself. That is because he is developing a sense of self in relationship to others. And in so doing, he is beginning to understand the importance of community.
 
Of course, that doesn’t mean that he will always want to share. In fact, many times your young child may not. But through small successful experiences with sharing a toy or a snack, your child can begin to generalize these experiences with more friends and with objects of greater significance. For example, you wouldn’t suggest that your child share his “blankie” or a favorite truck, but you could invite him to share his crayons. Here are other activities that make it easy to share:

 

Art projects, such as painting, clay, collage and drawing

 

Gardening: The process of caring for living things together makes this a deep experience of sharing. Try planting fast-growing bean seeds in a yogurt container; share the responsibility for watering it.

 

Meals, even though sharing food is not always easy for a young child to do! Cut up a piece of fruit and count out the shared pieces. “One for me, one for you, one for me….”

 

Giving simple gifts helps your child feel the joy of sharing. Why not encourage your child to create a gift of love to share with a family member? It could be a coupon for a hug or a drawing.

 

Informal ball games — it is hard to play catch by yourself!

 

Children practice their camera work with this snappy activity

 

a regular or digital camera
oak tag paper
glue sticks
notepad and pen
small labels
several books that highlight such photographers as William Wegman, Ansel Adams, and Ann Geddes, or books of Tana Hoban’s and Ann Morris’s works
variety of appropriate photographs from magazines like National Geographic, Smithsonian, or travel magazines
chart paper and marker
 
Developing Skills:
visual perception
aesthetic development
fine-motor
creative thinking
 
Write the question “Why do people like to take photographs?” on the top of a sheet of paper. Encourage your child to think about why people take photographs. When does he use a camera at school? When does he take photographs at home? Record his responses.
 
Introduce your child to photographs from various books and magazines. Encourage him to describe what he sees in each photograph. Explain that someone who uses a camera is called a photographer. Explain that he will have an opportunity to be a photographer
 
Discuss how photographers take pictures of different things, such as people, animals, nature, or objects. Give your child the option to take photographs inside or outside. Find out what your child may already know about using a camera. Provide him with any necessary additional information. Plan time to accompany your child on his “photo shoot.”
 
Precut oak tag paper for the mounting of photographs. Measure the oak tag so there will be at least a two-inch boarder around the photographs. Give your child his photographs and glue sticks. Assist him in mounting his photographs and writing names below them.
 
Create an exhibit of your child’s work. Invite other members of your family to the exhibit’s “opening.”
 

Help your child give someone the moon and the stars.

 

• translucent plastic (container lids, report covers)
• different color construction paper
• art materials: colored markers, tempera paint, tissue paper, glitter, glue
• child safety scissors
• hole punch and string or yarn

Go outside with your child and point out what’s in the sky stars, clouds, the moon, and so on.  Invite your child to make “stained-glass” creations of things he has seen in the sky. Provide him with pieces of plastic and art materials. Your child can draw stars, the sun, planets, or anything he chooses. Help him cut out the drawing or decorate the entire piece of plastic.  Punch a hole in the top of each creation. Thread string or yarn so your stained-glass sun catchers can be hung in windows, the yard, or anywhere that the sun will hit them.

Learning benefits:
• Enhances small-motor skills
• Encourages creativity
• Introduces science concepts

• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 cup water
• 3 tbsp. powdered tempera paint
• 2 tbsp. water
• ½ tsp. liquid starch or liquid detergent

Measure flour into saucepan. Slowly add 1 cup water until mixture is smooth. Heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens. Cool. Add 1/4 cup flour paste into small jar or plastic container. Add tempera paint and water for each color. For opaque finish add liquid starch. For glossy finish add liquid detergent.

It is important for children who will be entering kindergarten to have some understanding of prepositions. So I use this learning technique before story time that they really love. Parents often comment that the children do it at home too!

Understanding spatial relationships

Learning prepositions

Reinforcing concepts about print

 

At circle time when you are ready to read your book, place it on your head and balance it. Say, “I have a book that is on my head!” At this point you have their attention every time. Then place the book under your chair and say, “I have a book that is under my chair!” Then wave the book in a circle and say, “I have a book that is everywhere! Would you like to read it with me?” The children usually yell, “Yes!” Then you introduce the book, “This is the front. This is the back. This is the spine that holds my book together.”

 

My class gets excited every time I start a book this way. You can also introduce right and left by saying “I have a book that is to my right. I have a book that is to my left, I have a book that is on my head and ready to be read!” Remember when you face the children to use your opposite hands so that they hold up the correct hand as they will mirror your movements.

Keep those precious works of art safe.

• two pieces of cardboard or poster board (11″ x 17″)
• colored tape or duct tape
• yarn
• washable markers and/or crayons
• stickers
• supports creativity

Help your child tape together the longest sides of two pieces of cardboard or poster board to create a seam that will allow both sides to open (like a large folder).  Place tape on the outside and inside of the seam. (You can buy colored tape to match the poster board or use duct tape.)  Fold the board together. Using markers and/or crayons, your child can decorate the outer sides of her portfolio. She can use stickers as well. Help her write her name on one side of the portfolio.  Cut two 6-inch pieces of yarn or ribbon, which you’ll use to tie the portfolio together. Your child can help you tape the ends of the yarn inside each side of the portfolio. Add a few pieces of tape to secure it firmly. Having a portfolio of her own will make your child feel grown up and quite special.

Learning benefits:

Imagine becoming a world traveler with an individualized storybook.

 

 • photos of your child
• travel magazines
• cardboard
• glue
• scissors
• yarn
• crayons or markers
• construction paper

1. Locate several photos where you can cut your child out of the background (to place her in another photo).

2. With your child, look through travel magazines or other magazines with photos of foreign countries or different areas of our country. Select locations you both think would be fun and interesting to visit. Talk about how near or far they are from where you live. How would you get there? How long would it take? What do people do there?

3. Cut these photos out of the magazines and glue them to a cardboard backing. Next, allow your child to place photos of herself in the magazine photos.

4. Glue construction paper onto an additional piece of cardboard to make a cover. Invite your child to decorate the cover of her storybook.

5. Use the scissors to punch holes in the pages and string them together with yarn.

6. Now that you have a storybook about your child’s world travels, take turns “reading” it to each other and creating stories about her adventures.

Learning benefits:
• increases awareness of different places and people
• encourages creativity

Make a book that shows off your child’s favorite physical feats.

• photos of your child
• oak tag paper
• hole punch
• small binder rings
• glue sticks
• markers or crayons
• stickers or small rubber stamps

Tell your child you will be making a book about his physical skills. What does he know how (and love) to do: Balance a book on his head? Stand on one leg? Do a headstand? Photograph your child engaged in these activities. Invite your child to glue the photos (one per page) to the upper half of a sheet of oak tag. Underneath each photo write: “I can ______.”  Ask your child to help you fill in the blanks. Encourage your child to use stickers or rubber stamps to decorate the pages, and design a cover for the book. Make up a title and write it on the cover.

Learning benefits:

• Promotes fitness and health
• Encourages physical development
• Teaches vocabulary and early reading skills
• Provides writing practice