You can scroll down through this page to see all of the preschool lesson plans for your theme. Or, simply click any of the picture links below to be brought to the part of this page that has the specific preschool activity types you are looking for!
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Friendship Theme Art
Circle of Friends Sign
Materials Needed: A large piece of sturdy paper with a circle drawn on it; several different colors of fingerpaint.
Have the children make hand prints ONLY on the drawn circle.
When dry, have the children print their names (as best they can) in the middle.
Label your sign "We are a Circle of Friends at Preschool"!
Togetherness Friendship Flag
Materials Needed: A large paper, different colors of finger paint, additional smaller paper
Ask the children if they know what a flag is, and then show them one. Explain that is is a symbol or a sign for a country. It is to remind us to get along and work together. Tell them that they are going to make a preschool flag.
The children work together to make strips out of their own handprints (you could draw rows for them to fill up with handprints.
When done, give them a smaller piece to continue some fingerpainting on!
When dry, glue copies of each child's picture in the area where the stars would be on the flag.
During this activity would be a GREAT time to discuss friendship, working together, etc.
Materials Needed: several different colors of construction paper some with pre-drawn lines (for cutting) and some without pre-drawn lines scissors; glue or tape (I have found that tape works better unless you use tacky glue).
The children cut out strips (either pre-drawn or freehand, depending on their ability level).
Show them how to link the chains together.
When complete, hang in your classroom!
Materials: Pre-cut paper dolls (4 connected dolls for each child); miscellaneous crafts supplies (buttons, ribbon, fabric, etc.); crayons or markers; glue
The children decorate their friends. This is a great time to remind them that we can have many, many friends at school!
Materials Needed: Read the story A Color of His Own by Leo Lionni. Discuss how we all look different but are all friends.
You will need: a picture of a chameleon printed onto poster board (1 for each child); shaving cream, different colors of paint; spoon, crayons
Have the children print their name on the paper with crayon.
Put shaving cream on their chameleon picture.
Ask them which colors paint they would like and drop a few colors on the shaving cream.
They spread and mix it over their chameleon
Materials: stamps, stamp pads, paper
Encourage the children to make a stamp picture of what they like to do with their friends.
Write down their story and display with their pictures.
Circle Time is such a great time for children to learn the social skills of being together as a large group AND to learn more about your Friendship Theme!
5 Preschool Friends Fingerplay
5 preschool friends sitting in a row,
The first one is wearing a bright red bow
The second one has his hands in his lap.
The third one has a new blue cap (or hat!)
The fourth one said "Look at all our friends here today!"
The fifth one met a new friend on the way!
Who could that friend be that is so new?
Could that new friend be........YOU?! (point to another friend)
You could have 5 children act this out (have a red bow and blue cap for props).
Or, you could have 6 flannel piece children prepared for the children to put on the board as you say the poem.
What is a Friend?
Materials: A large paper to hang on the wall and a marker.
Ask the children what a friend is and write down all of their answers.
Then extend it to ask what do friends do for other friends? Write down their answers.
Some things to focus on are: help each other, say kind words, share toys, etc.
EXTENSION: Once you've listed the items, you can review them the next day at circle time and then take out a puppet to act out some friend scenarios.
For example, have the puppet discuss a "problem" he had with a friend, such as "My friend had a really, really, really, bad day. She was so angry about her day. When I said hi, she yelled at me. What should I do? Should I yell back? etc.
Snack Recipe Ideas to Cook Up for Your Friendship Theme!
Cooking with children helps develop their math skills and helps them to learn how to follow directions. It also allows for some great conversation! Ask many questions while cooking with your children to encourage conversation! Be sure to ask specific Space theme questions while making these fun snacks!
Ingredients and Items needed: Apple slices and mini-marshmallows
Use 2 apple slices for lips and add a few mini-marshmallows in between them for teeth.
I have this poem written down that I've used (I'm not sure where it came from, but I love it!).
Edit! Source Found!!!Thank you to Leslie G. from Pasadena, TX for this information: "The source of the song is Girl Scouts. We had a breast pocket (with a handkerchief) where we kept our "great, big Brownie smile."
You could use it to introduce this snack activity or at circle time!
I have something in my pocket
It belongs across my face.
I keep it very close to me
In a very special place.
I try not to ever lose it,
Except once in a great big while
So now I'll take it out and put it on
It's a great big happy smile!
In advance, ask parents to supply a vegetable to add to the soup. Of course, have extra available in case they forget!
Have the children help wash and prepare the vegetables and put them in a crock pot.
Add water and some vegetable boullion cubes.
(I usually partially boil the vegetables on a stove top to get them soft....it takes a while in a crockpot!)
Cracker Heart Friendship Snack
Ingredients and Items Needed: Graham crackers, powdered sugar, small construction paper hearts
The children place a heart on their graham cracker square and then sprinkle the powdered sugar on the cracker.
When they remove the paper, they will see a heart!
VARIATION: Before this activity, have the children cut out their own hearts to use for great cutting practice (you can predraw hearts on papers for them).
Raisin and Banana Buddy Muffins
Ingredients: can of non-stick spray, 2 VERY ripe bananas, 1 egg, 1/3 cup vegetable oil, 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 cup sugar, 6 tablespoons cocoa powder, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp baking powder, 1/2 cup raisins
Items needed: Blender or food processer, mixing bowls, measuring cups and spoons, 2 mini-muffin pans (total 24 muffins) or 1 muffin pan (total 12 muffins), cooling rack
Preheat oven to 350 degrees farenheit. Spray muffin tins with non-stick spray.
Blend bananas in the blender and then scrape into a mixing bowl.
Have the children help to add eggs and oil to the bananas and mix.
In a separate bowl, have the children add flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, salt, and baking powder. Then add banana mixture and mix.
Stir in raisins.
Place one tablespoon or so into each mini muffin tin.
Bake at 350 degrees farenheit for 12-15 minutes.
(For regular sized muffins, place about 1/3 cup mixture into each muffin tin and bake for 20-15 minutes).
HINT: In advance, divide out the ingredients so that each child adds at least one ingredient.
Friendship Theme Ideas for your Easel--More Than Just Painting (Although that is always THE favorite in our classroom!)
Painting with a Friend
Materials Needed: One large paper on the easel instead of one paper for each child. The two children who come to the easel paint together. When dry, put their names on the painting and hang it on a wall or bulletin board for them to see!
Friendship Theme Large Group Games to Help Build Your Children's Muscles While They Have Fun Together!
Who Is Missing?
Our little ones LOVE the "What's Missing" game where you place 7 or 8 items in a circle, they close their eyes and you take one item away. The open their eyes and guess which item is missing! It is a great transition activity!
Try this variation on that game for a Gross Motor game!
All the children sit together facing the same way in a line (or row). They close their eyes. You stand behind them and tap a child on the shoulder who gets up and hides behind a box or other area (be sure YOU can see the child!).
The children then guess who is missing by looking around!
Friendship Shadow Dance
On a sunny day, go outside and have the children find each other's shadows and "dance with the shadows"!
This is a great way to learn to line up---in a fun way! The children make a train by GENTLY placing their hands on the shoulders of the person in front of them.
Practice walking around to music in this way. The child in the front can clap to the beat or give that child a musical instrument to use as he or she walks.
Have the child in the front say "Train, STOP". The children all stop. The child in the front gives his or her instrument to the next child and then goes to the end of the train.
Continue until each child has a turn being the train director!
Follow the Leader
Instead of a train, play follow the leader! Either the children walk behind a child while copying what they do, or stand in a circle and choose a leader. That child does a movement or action (like jump or spin) and the other children copy.
Our kids LOVED doing this to music. One child would go into the middle of the circle and show us their moves and then they would return to the circle and another friend would show thier moves. It was a great way to encourage their friends to dance together!
Provide a play bowling set. I'd recomend limiting this activity to 2 friends at a time. One sets up the pins the other bowls. They then trade places.
Create and obstacle course for the children to go through in groups of 2 or 3 friends. You could have a double balance beam where they need to hold hands as they walk on, crawl under a table together, hop into a hula hoop together,etc.
Friendship Theme Ideas for Your Preschool Classroom Library
Book Suggestions for the Library
(I LOVE Amazon, and if you choose to get yours there, they do send me a few cents--which supports my coffee habit!)
Friendship Activities for Your Sand and Water Table
Materials: Add small plastic containers (yogurt lids, margarine tups, plastic cups, etc) to warm water along with some little people to see which boats will hold the most "people" to get them across the pond!
VARIATION: This is a great follow up activity to the story Friends by Helme Heine
What promotes giggles between friends in preschool more than bubbles?!! Add bubble solution to your water table and have fun! (Be sure this is on a carpeted area to avoid slips or take it outside!)
Show the children how to make a fingerprint on the paper and how to use the wipe to clean up.
Use the magnifying glass to look at their print. Have them compare their prints to their friends' prints.
You could introduce this at circle time to show them how.
VARIATION: Encourage the children to print their name on the paper before making finger prints OR have one paper for each child with their names already printed on them.
Materials: The children's voices on tape! This will take some preparation time the week before. I'd suggest taking each of the children aside and talk into the microphone saying something like "Hello, Who am I?". You should write down the order of the voices you record.
Leave the tape or CD in the science area for the children to listen to and guess the voices.
EXTENSION: Place the children's pictures out at the science area- they may be able to discriminate the voices better by seeing their friends' faces!
Provide stethescopes for the children to check their own and their friends' heartbeats!
Writing Activity Ideas for Your Preschool Classroom's Friendship Theme!
Materials Needed: Pictures of each child, small pieces of construction paper.
Throughout the week, spend time with a few children and ask them about one or two children such as "I like Janey because______" Write down what each child says and post these friendship notes on a bulletin board with their pictures!
Hey there! Welcome to Preschool Plan It! I’m Cheryl, a preschool teacher of over 20 years.
I KNOW, I know, you spend hours of time developing your preschool themes, activities and preschool lesson plans each week. You are commited to planning preschool themes and activities that are engaging hands-on, interactive, fun AND meet the goal of supporting each child’s level of growth and development.
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