presentation for 3 year old

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Las Presentaciones: A Vibrant Hispanic Tradition

This principally Mexican tradition of the presenting of a child to God, and to the Church, stems from a strong desire by parents to ask for divine protection for their newborn, and thanksgiving for a safe childbirth, as infant mortality rates are extremely high in developing nations.

During most Spanish Masses that I celebrate on Sundays, there are always a great number of “ presentaciones ” of children, who can be either forty days old or three years old.  Towards the end of Mass after the final prayer, I call the names of the children who are to be presented that day.  Those who are forty-days old are carried into the sanctuary in the arms of their parents or their “ padrinos ” (“godparents”); while the children who are three years old, walk up to me accompanied by their parents and godparents.  Then, I invite the parents and godparents of each child to draw near to the altar, standing before the congregation.

La presentación” consists of three parts: the marking of a child with the sign of the cross, the anointing with the oil of catechumens, and the consecration of the newborn or toddler to Mary. 1   The rite begins by my saying a prayer over the child held in the arms of one of the godparents, or if three years old, next to the godparents and parents:

La vida es el mayor don que hemos recibido de Dios y la vida de los hijos es el signo mayor de la bendición divina para nuestra familia.  Hemos recibido estos dones y por eso presentamos a N________ al Señor.  Queremos que lo bendiga y acepte para que sea un buen cristiano en la vida. 2

Then, I turn to the parents and “ padrinos ” and pray as found in the baptismal rite:

N_____, la comunidad cristiana te recibe con mucha alegría.  En el nombre de Dios yo te marco con la señal de la cruz y, en seguida sus padres y padrinos les marcarán con la misma señal de Cristo, el Salvador.” 3

I then trace a cross on the forehead of the child, and direct the parents and godparents to do the same as directed in the baptism rite.

Next, I anoint the child on the chest with the oil of catechumens as described in the rite for the sacrament of baptism and pray:

Por la unción de este niño, le damos la bienvenida como miembro de la familia de Cristo e iniciamos nuestra jornada unidos a ellos hacia el bautismo.  N____, te ungimos con el aceite de salvación en el nombre de Cristo, nuestro Salvador; que El te fortalezca con su fuerza que vive y reina por los siglos de los siglos. Amen. 4

I conclude by consecrating the young child to Mary.  I hold the child up and pray:

Santísima Virgen María, Madre de Dios y Madre nuestra, te presentamos a este niño que Dios ha dado y confiado a tu cuidado y protección.  Te lo consagramos con todo nuestro corazón y te lo entregamos confiadamente a tu ternura y vigilancia materna.  Para sus padres ayúdales a cumplir fielmente sus obligaciones hacia ellos y el compromiso que han contraído delante de Dios.  Intercede por ellos ante tu Hijo, que vive y reina con el Padre y el Espíritu Santo por los siglos de los siglos.  Amen. 5

This long-established tradition of a presentation is principally Mexican in origin. However, with the intermingling of many Latin American cultures in the United States, more and more Hispanics are celebrating this extraordinary custom.  The presenting of a child to God, and to the Church, stems from a strong desire by parents to ask for divine protection for their newborn, and thanksgiving for a safe childbirth.  As documented in many studies, infant mortality rates are extremely high in many developing nations. Therefore, this custom began because parents wished to give thanks to God, and the Virgin Mary, for the survival, and ongoing good health, of their child.

In addition, this tradition has become an important pastoral opportunity to celebrate God’s gift of life, not only for a family, but also within a larger community, for example a church congregation.  With each “ presentación, ” a family formally announces the birth of a child to the faithful, their brothers and sisters in Christ, with whom they pray at Mass, and socialize with at church events.  This moment is also very significant since it marks the beginning of pre-baptismal formation for the parents.  The ritual first emphasizes the presentation of a newborn infant or child, but it also incorporates the marking of the cross, and the anointing of an infant or child, with the oil of catechumens, which occur during the baptism of a child.  The ultimate goal of all presentations is the baptism of the child.  Unfortunately, many families now wait to baptize their children. So, often children, who are even three years old, also need to be christened.  The rite of “ la presentación ” follows closely a pattern outlined in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), where the rites for adults occur in a progressive manner over time, and not in just one specific moment.  If the marking and anointing is done at “ la presentación ” of a child, then there is no need to repeat it again during the actual baptism of the child.  In effect, in the adult catechumenate, many rites are likewise performed separately on different Sundays before the actual Easter Vigil, when one receives the sacraments of initiation.

The source of this tradition of “ la presentación” is, without a doubt, the presentation of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Temple, forty days after Christmas, or on February 2 as noted on the Church calendar.  In Mexico, this special day is an annual holiday as the entire family attends Mass and carries .  These statues are of many different sizes, with the child Jesus lying down as in the manager, or sitting up in a chair.  In almost all cases, “ el ni ño Jes ús” is nicely dressed in elegant clothes, often sewn by the mother of the family.  The bringing of “ el ni ño Jes ús ” to church for a blessing has become a widespread tradition now in the Mexican, and Mexican American, communities in the United States.  However, in the United States this celebration has moved to the closest Sunday to the Feast of the Presentation since it is not celebrated as a national holiday in the United States, and many family members work long hours during the week.  On that Sunday, I often have hundreds of statues of “ el ni ño Jes ús ” in the sanctuary to show the deep love that Mexicans have for “ el ni ño Jes ús ” and the Virgin Mary.

On the Feast of the Presentation, we Catholics commemorate Jesus being carried to the Temple in the arms of Joseph and Mary.  In doing so, the parents of Jesus were merely following the Mosaic Law of that time by giving over their first-born male child to the Lord, as a testimony and remembrance of his Divinity.  As observant Jews, Mary and Joseph knew of this law from the Book of Exodus, when Moses informed his followers that, when the Lord brings you safely into the land of the Canaanites, everyone “must offer every first-born male to the Lord.”(Exodus 13:11).  Moses explains that, as a result of obtaining this freedom, everyone had to “buy back every first born male child” (Exodus 13:13; Numbers 18:15) by going to the Temple, and paying with a lamb, or if one is poor, “with two turtledoves or two young pigeons” (Luke 2:24).  From that moment, the eldest son was fully consecrated to the service of God.

For the Blessed Virgin Mary, the offering of her Son in the temple was not merely a ritual gesture.  The significance of the presentation of her Son was that Mary was offering Jesus up for the redemption and salvation of the world.  In fact, by her very act, Mary was renouncing her maternal rights to Jesus, as she offered her Son fully to the will of the Father.  Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, in the eleventh century, expresses this very clearly in one of his prayers: “Offer your Son, Holy Virgin, and present him to God the Father as the fruit of your womb.  Offer him for our salvation, the sacred victim who is pleasing to God.”

By placing Jesus in the arms of Simeon and Anna, Mary also offers her Son to the world.  In this respect, she is acting as the Mother of the whole human race.  Pope Benedict XVI, in a homily for the liturgical feast of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple, and for the Day of Consecrated Life on February 2, 2006, explains the singular role of Mary in the temple:  “Carrying her Son to Jerusalem, the Virgin Mother offers him to God as the true Lamb, who takes away the sins of the world; she hands him to Simeon and Anna as an annunciation of redemption; she presents him to all as light for a secure journey on the path of truth and love.”

There is a strong connection between the presentation of Jesus to God, and the saving act of Jesus’ death on the cross. On this joyful occasion of the presentation of Jesus in the temple, we also hear of the impending sadness in the words of Simeon to Mary:

This child is chosen by God for the destruction and the salvation of many in Israel.  He will be a sign from God which many people will speak against and so reveal their secret thoughts.  And sorrow, like a sharp sword, will break your own heart” (Lk2:34-35).

The sword, mentioned by Simeon, represents Mary’s participation in Christ’s suffering, particularly in his passion and death.  In effect, the Mother of Jesus Christ suffers because of the rejection of Christ by men.  This suffering, prophesized by Simeon to Mary, is not limited to solely one particular moment, but assumes dimensions much greater that extend to her entire life.  Every rejection endured by Christ, throughout his life, will pierce his mother’s heart.  This suffering clearly finds its culmination onCalvary, when Christ is crucified and dies.  John Paul II has emphasized the character of the Presentation of Jesus in the temple as a “second annunciation.”  According to the Pope, the first annunciation focuses on the Incarnation and the role of Mary as Virgin Mother; however, the second one centers on Mary’s co-operation in redemption as she witnesses her Son’s passion and death.

The second custom of the presentation in Jewish law was the purification of the mother after giving birth to a son.  This law is spelled out in the first chapter of Leviticus that “if a woman conceives and bears a male child, then she shall be unclean seven days … on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised … She shall bring to the door of the tent of the priest a lamb a year old for a burnt offering … and if she cannot afford a lamb, then two turtledoves or two pigeons … and the priest will perform this ritual to take away her impurity and she will be ritually clean”(Lev 1:8).  Thus, this feast day is also known as the “Purification of the Virgin Mary.”  However, in truth, Mary did not have to go through this ritual purification since she remained a virgin, even though she had given birth to a child.

Over time, the Mexican tradition of “ la presentación” has changed noticeably.  In the past, Mexican families would follow the custom known as “ sacamisa ,” (“take one to church”), which was a tradition to bring the already baptized child to church in order to hear Mass for the first time.  The parents did this precisely forty days after the birth of the child.  At the end of the Mass, then, the priest would give a special blessing to the child and the mother.  Why has this tradition changed so drastically?  Times have changed.  Catholics no longer baptize their children within the first week of birth.  Perhaps, also due to the lack of catechesis, parents do not feel obliged to baptize their children so quickly.  They often wait to baptize their children when they have enough money for a large gathering or celebration.  As a result, parents first plan to present their child during his first year, and delay the baptism for later.  Surprisingly, “ los padrinos ,” form an important part of “ la presentación” of a child.  They often are the ones who carry the child up to the altar, if he is forty days old, or if three years old, they hold the child’s hand and walk with them to the sanctuary.  In most cases, “ los padrinos” are chosen based on their ability to help pay for the child’s clothes and party, and not especially for their deep faith in God.  Interestingly, parents often ask me if the “ padrinos ” for “ la presentación” have to be married in the church if they are a couple, as required for godparents for the sacrament of baptism.  The Church does not provide any definite rules about “ padrinos” for a presentation, but I try to encourage the parents to choose carefully so as to have the same “ padrinos ” for “ la presentación ” as for baptism.

Even though “ la presentación ” is a wonderful and significant tradition in the Hispanic community, I often reiterate that the truest form of “ la presentación ” of a child is at the sacrament of baptism.  A presentation is no substitute for this sacrament.  In “ la presentación ,” a child is merely presented to God and the Church, and the parents are blessed.  It is not a sacrament instituted by Christ for grace, and entrusted to the Church. In addition, the efficacious sacrament of baptism is the basis for our whole Christian life.  By this sacrament a child is freed from original sin, becomes a member of the Church, and also a child of God.  So, true catechesis is required for the parents, and even the faithful, to learn about the role of “ la presentación ” which leads to baptism.

According to the Old Testament, only the first born son was presented to God for consecration.  However, tradition provides a basis for “ la presentación ” of young girls.  On November 21, the Church celebrates a feast known as the “Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary” in the temple.  This event is based on an ancient tradition of Judaism, which is not found in Sacred Scripture.  This presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary is detailed in a work titled the “ Protoevangelium of James,” from the second century.  However, the true commemoration of this feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary did not truly begin until the solemn dedication of a church to the Virgin Mary in Jerusalem in 543 A.D.

According to the proto-Gospel and tradition, the Virgin Mary was carried to the temple at the age of three by her older parents, Saint Ann and Saint Joaquin.  The Blessed Mother was presented to God by her parents, who were also further instructed in the faith on that day.  Even though the Blessed Virgin Mary was consecrated to God on that eventful day, in reality this sanctification had begun much earlier during her infancy when the Holy Spirit bestowed graces on her from the time of her Immaculate Conception.  In the apocryphal gospel, we also learn that lighted torches were carried by the parents of the many girls, who were also to be presented that day.  At the temple, we are told that Mary broke away from the crowd of children, and climbed fifteen steps, in spite of her young years, drawing near to the most sacred place of Judaism, the Holy of Holies.  According to tradition, there she received a special gift of food from the angels above, who were singing psalms to her.  At that moment, Mary was being prepared, in both body and soul, for her unique role to become the Mother of God, and the Church.  Her presentation, of course, points to the similar event of the presentation of the child Jesus in the temple.  Due to the deep love and honor that Mexicans have for the Blessed Virgin Mary in the person of “ La Guadalupe ,” they also began to practice the custom of presenting little girls in the church in order to consecrate them, along with the boys, to the maternal care of Mary.

In the third phase of “ la presentación,” the child is consecrated to the care of “ la Virgen Mar ía.”  Honor is rendered to Mary in a unique way in Catholicism.  She is celebrated for being present in the salvific events in the life of Christ, for example, in the Presentation of Jesus Christ, which points directly to the death and resurrection of her Son, Jesus Christ, and the salvation of all peoples.  All devotion to her is based on a Christological orientation because all of the various forms of piety towards the Mother of God ensure that, while the mother is honored, the Son is always glorified. On December 9, 2010, at the shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico, John Paul II proclaimed the Virgin of Guadalupe as “ la Emperatriz de las Am éricas. ” (“Empress of the Americas”).  Extending from Canada to Patagonia, the Pope entrusted all Americans to the unconditional love and the care of the Blessed Mother.  In “ la presentación, ” the consecration of a child to the Blessed Mother highlights, in a public way, how all of us are children of Mary.

For priests, extra attention needs to be given to the explaining of the wonderful tradition of “ la presentación ” for each family and the faithful.  Many of our faithful are not catechized, and, therefore, they merely believe that the presentation of a child is an excuse to celebrate the birthday of a child with a huge party.  Many families even believe that the certificate given for “ la presentación ” of a child is an important document that they often frame and hang on the living room wall of the house, surrounded by pictures.  However, nowhere in sight is the baptismal certificate.

Therefore, the priest, during the “ presentaciones,” should emphasize the intrinsic value of “ la presentación” since it is a way to catechize the child, the family, and even the faithful.  I often utilize a beautiful stained glass window of the Presentation of Our Lord in the church to help teach about the history and value of a presentation.  This is a teachable moment for all.  Not surprisingly, if the celebrant shows genuine trust and warmth in presenting the child to the congregation, his credibility will be enhanced.  The same is also true if the priest looks for ways to involve all of those present in “ la presentación, ” both family and the faithful.  However, it should never be overlooked that the true objective of this vibrant tradition should always be the baptism of the child.

In fact, the priest should underscore that, from the moment of “ la presentación, ” the child and the family should walk along with Jesus to that special moment of the “ entrega ” (“giving over”) in the sacrament of baptism, when the parents entrust the child to the godparents for the pouring on of water, and the praying of the Trinitarian form by the priest, and, afterwards, the lighting of the candle.  Only then, can we understand how “ la presentación ” is a very special and sacred way for a family to begin to walk with God towards that great sacrament of baptism.

• Mark Francis and Arturo J. Pérez-Rodríguez, Primero Dios:  Hispanic Liturgical Resource (Eldrige, Iowa:  Liturgy Training Publications, 1997), 25. ↩
• Translated by author, “Life is God’s greatest gift to us.  The life of a newborn child is the family’s greatest sign of blessing.  Since we have received the gift of a new life, we come to present N_______ to the Lord our God.  We ask that God bless and welcome him so that he may become a good Christian in this life. ↩
• Translated by author, N____, the Christian community welcomes you with great joy.  In its name I claim you for Christ by the sign of the cross.  I now trace the cross on your forehead and invite your parents and godparents to do the same.” ↩
• Translated by author, “By anointing this child, we welcome him as a member of the family of Christ and we begin our journey with them toward baptism.  N____, we anoint you with the oil of salvation in the name of Christ, our savior, may he strengthen you with his power, who lives and reigns for ever and ever.  Amen.” ↩
• Translated by author, “Most holy Virgin Mary, Mother of God and our Mother, we present to you this child that God has given us and place him in your care and protection.  We consecrate him with our whole heart and we give him over to your tenderness and maternal love.  Help his parents faithfully comply with the obligations they have committed themselves to this day in the presence of God.  Intercede for them before your Son, who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and for ever and ever.  Amen.” ↩

Reverend Gus Puleo, a priest of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, holds a Ph.D. in Spanish from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. He is presently the pastor of St. Patrick Church in Norristown, Pennsylvania, and teaches Pastoral Spanish at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia.

Dear Fr. Gus, I believe there is a typo on the fourth to the last paragraph. Was it not in 1999, the year that Blessed John Paul the Great, when he proclaimed. “La Virgen de Guadalupe”, the “The Emperatriz de las Americas”? I enjoyed this article, very much! I witnessed this “presentacion” of a 3 y.o. girl at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Parish in Orange, TX, some few years back. Yours in Christ, Sylvia JD, parishioner of St Paul Catholic Church, San Antonio, TX

[…] Las Presentaciones: A Vibrant Hispanic Tradition – Fr. Gus Puelo, Homiletic & Pstrl Rvw […]

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Parent's Academy › Activities for Kids › Preschool Activities › Public Speaking for Kids: 30 Topic Ideas for 30 Days

Public Speaking for Kids: 30 Topic Ideas for 30 Days

Samidha raj.

Writer , Jersey City , New Jersey

A great public speaker, whether a young child or a seasoned professional, is someone who reflects charisma and confidence to captivate their audience. It’s okay to feel nervous or to have fear of public speaking. Great public speakers often get nervous, but this nervous energy keeps their adrenaline flowing. 

However, what is not okay is sounding and looking nervous when speaking in public. This makes the audience feel disconnected from the speaker.  Public speaking training for kids  seems like a daunting task, but it’s really a matter of practice.

Help your children to project magnetism and self-assuredness when they speak with these 30 inspiring speech topics for 30 days. Your kids can practice public speaking by taking one topic every day for the next 30 days. This will help them fire their imaginations to be confident public speakers. Here are some topic ideas for public speaking for children, but feel free to invent your own! Choose a topic today!

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Public Speaking for Kids: Ideas for Topics

Here are the 30 topic ideas for 30 days of the month:

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• What is your favorite subject in school, and why?
• What is your least favorite food?
• What’s the first thing you think of when you wake up?
• What is your favorite kind of music, and why?

Speaking on the above topic ideas will instill the power of confidence in your kids. When your child is charged with a healthy dose of self-assurance, nothing can get in the way of their success. So, take this 30-day, 30-topic challenge and  boost your child’s confidence  in becoming a great public speaker. You will see a decided improvement in your child’s eye contact, body language, and presentation skills.

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Children’s Presentation

The Presentation of a Child is a thanksgiving ritual for a child who is forty days old or three years old.  Although this celebration is followed as part of a tradition in various Hispanic countries, the event has a historical connotation.

The Presentation of a Child ( Las Presentaciones ) is a ritual in honor of the Virgin Mary’s presentation at the temple at the age of three, and the Presentation of the Baby Jesus in the temple 40 days after Christmas. The child is dressed in a gown or elegant suit and is accompanied by parents and godparents.

The presentation of a child is stronger in the Mexican community.

To schedule one (at least a month in advance) or for more information call the office.

Cathedral of the Epiphany

Sioux city, ia, 3 year old presentations.

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End of Course Jeopardy

It’s time to play “School Is Out for Summer” by Alice Cooper, yeah! It’s the end of the term and soon you’ll enjoy the Summer break. But before that, how about reviewing concepts and subjects with our interactive end-of-course contest presentation?

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Preschool Activities For 3-Year-Olds: Writing Practice, DIYs, Sensory Play, Art Projects, Counting Tasks, And More

April 15, 2024 //  by  Eileen Zajac

Whether you’re planning for a full term or just a week of curriculum, we know the challenge of preparing activities for your 3-year-old preschoolers! We also realize that finding learning experiences that meet the different abilities of your kiddos takes a lot of time and energy. Implementing three to four 15-minute activities is the perfect way to hold your little learners’ attention. Use this list to find a few activities that can be easily integrated into your lessons, or used throughout the day during mini-breaks and transition periods. Let’s dive in!

1. Rainy Names

Did you know that learning and understanding names can boost confidence and build community in the classroom? This activity has your students paste raindrops with the letters of their names in the correct order. It’s perfect for a rainy day and for enhancing your students’ name recognition, pre-writing skills, and much more! 

Learn More: Instagram

2. Baby Tub Time

Your little ones will adore using dolls to improve social skills in this engaging educational activity! Hands-on activities like this one where they’ll wash and care for their doll will help your children gain a better understanding of how to treat others appropriately. 

Learn More: The Imagination Tree

3. Letter Fishing

Engaging and challenging activities for your preschool children that also enhance their letter recognition skills? Where do we sign up? Use a basket or fill a tub with water and let your little fishermen start casting for letters! This fun learning experience will engage even your most lively kiddos.

4. Counting Caterpillars

Your kiddos will love practicing their motor skills and number recognition by building little caterpillars! Draw some circles to create a caterpillar and then write a digit from 1 to 10 in each circle. Your preschoolers will match these to numbered dots on other circles that you have made from construction paper. 

5. Building With Magnetic Tiles 

Get your hard hat ready and start building with magnetic tiles! This activity helps develop your children’s motor skills and creativity, and is simply a lot of fun! Use MAGNA-TILES (or blocks) and have them either copy your creations or create their own designs! 

6. Kids Busy Boxes

‘Busy boxes’ will be a definite game changer for your preschool classroom! For this quick activity, fill individual compartments of plastic containers with items such as markers, dried cereal, or anything else that will keep busy little hands and minds occupied! You don’t need to get fancy – even a shoe box will work! 

7. Mini Pies

Preschoolers love being outside! Outdoor play gives your students the space to observe nature while they test out their skills! Imaginations will soar as they make mini pies by filling muffin tins with natural objects like black walnuts, dirt, and a sprinkle of grass to top it off! Just hope they don’t expect you to try their creations!

8. Color Sorting

By preschool, kids are usually pretty skilled at recognizing different colors, but that doesn’t mean this toddler activity shouldn’t be practiced. Have your children sort colored objects into matching colored dishes to learn critical thinking and organizational skills. This is a great activity to supplement lessons focused on categorization. 

9. Obstacle Courses

There’s no doubt that building motor skills is extremely important for childhood development.  This fun obstacle course activity will be a hit with your youngsters! It will also help them develop muscle strength, balance, problem-solving skills, sensory processing, and coordination – all essential components of motor skills! 

10. Name or Letter Recognition

You’ll love this activity that requires little prep and has multiple uses! Whether your kiddies are working on building names or identifying letters, these colorful sticker dots will spark their interest and enhance their recognition skills. Get them to match the letters with those on paper or use the stickers to practice building sight words.

11. Boo Boo Counting

Boo Boo Counting is great for developing math skills and for practicing empathy. Your young mathematicians will relate to matching numbered band-aids to the owie spots on a cardboard cutout of a child. Consider laminating the cardboard and using velcro to make this activity last longer – it’s a keeper!

Learn More: Toddler Rat Play

12. Logical Sorting

Add this one to your week of activities focused on logical sorting. Your little ones who are ready for a challenge will love using a grid to sort colorful little houses into categories to match both the house color and the roof color!  This activity will go a long way in helping them understand the relationship between different patterns. 

Learn More: Teachers Mag

13. Arrow Matching

This is an adorable hands-on learning activity that will develop motor skills and increase your children’s curiosity about nature. They’ll love matching arrows to create paths for a caterpillar on its journey to become a butterfly and for a spider to get to its web! 

14. Elephant Ring Toss

Any animal activity is sure to spark even your most difficult students’ interest. Use a recycled box to create a cardboard cut-out of an elephant’s face with a 3D trunk. Next, construct three cardboard rings. Have your children help paint the elephant before they start the ring toss game! 

Learn More: Pinterest

15. Swing Painting

This was one of those activities that couldn’t be left out of this list!! It combines two activities that are particularly calming for children – swinging and painting. Have them hang from a swing, paintbrush in hand, and let their creativity shine! This art project is a super way to vary things up if you’ve got kids who struggle to stay focused all day! 

Learn More: Homegrown Friends  

16. Splitting Hairs

Scissor skills are pretty vital as your preschoolers move on to kindergarten and elementary school! They’ll love using scissors to cut the hair of little paper people in this fun activity that builds their motor skills. They can build up to more wavy or zig-zag lines as their skills develop.

Learn More: Facebook

17. Dot Puzzles

This one will be a good challenge for your little ones! Create a paper puzzle and puzzle pieces with a colored dot pattern and let your preschoolers work independently or with a partner to place the pieces over the matching part of the puzzle. This can be tricky so encourage them to ask for help if they need it!

18. Bubble Wrap Popping

Number recognition and bubble wrap? Now this sounds like a good time! Write numbers on the bubble wrap; the bigger the bubbles, the better! Next, read out a number and your children will pop the bubbles with a toothpick or even just their finger! Remember to mix up the numbers and spread them out when creating this exciting resource to boost their recognition skills.

19. All About Me Process Art

@art.is.smart All About Me process art with 3 year olds! #preschoolteacher #artissmart #teachersoftiktok ♬ Colors of the Wind – Instrumental – Vesislava

Sometimes slowing things down is the way to go! Have your kids participate in an artistic mini-portrait experience that focuses on the process of art more than the finished product. This project is great for getting them to understand the steps in making art, while also discovering different techniques, materials, and tools. 

Learn More: Tiktok

20. Playdough Shapes

@planningplaytime 70+ pages of Preschool Fun #preschoolmom #preschoolteachers #toddlermoms #preschoolathome #preschoolactivities #learningthroughplay #playtolearn ♬ Cute – Bensound

Everybody loves playdough, but using it for educational activities is a surefire way to get your class excited about learning! There are benefits to playdough free-play, but this tactile activity will also reinforce your kids’ knowledge of shapes. Simply print this template and watch your students mold their dough to match the shapes. 

Learn More: TikTok

21. Artsy Preschoolers

@carreyme Preschool teacher thangs. 3 year olds are amazing! Artist study 👩‍🎨 #pietmondrieaanstyle #preschool #preschoolteacher #preschoolactivities #earlychildhoodeducation ♬ Kyoto Flow – Official Sound Studio

Do you have an old art history book lying around? If not, track one down to inspire an early love of art in your preschoolers. Show them one of the masterpieces, open the fingerpaint jars, and let them get to work on creating their own interpretation of the painting! 

22. Spaghetti Play

Who doesn’t love a little spaghetti play? Add some different colored slimy ‘spaghetti’ noodles to your activity table and watch your students as they use their tiny hands to play with different tools to cut their noodles! They’ll have the time of their life with this super sensory activity!

23. Dancing Corn

@byemilylawson This is the number one preschool science idea on my blog for 5 years now #stemforkids #preschoolstem #prekstem #prekactivitiesathome #toddleractivitiesathome #activitiesfortoddlers #keepingkidsbusy #scienceismagic #scienceforpreschool #fallactivitiesforkids ♬ original sound – Emily | relatable mom life

It’s never too early to start experimenting with different science projects. This dancing corn demonstration is sure to be a hit with your preschool students! Place corn in a clear cup and then add baking soda and some vinegar to have your kiddos jumping with joy when the corn starts to dance! 

24. Painting Ice

@littlebirchpreschool #ice #preschool #earlyyears #tufftray #tufftrayactivities #heatwave #playingandlearning ♬ Ice Ice Baby – Vanilla Ice

This activity is great for a hot summer day; the combination of ice cubes and paint is the perfect mix to cool little hands! Add plenty of ice and paint to your activity table, and have your students use paintbrushes to explore the melting ice and the changes in the water’s color! What a cool activity!

25. Race and Paint

@daynursery Racing the cars while making marks! #makingmarks #preschoolactivities #activityideas #fyp #viral #trending #earlyyears ♬ Roary The Racing Car Main Theme (From ""Roary The Racing Car"") – Geek Music

On your marks, get set, paint! Your kids will have a blast dipping plastic cars into paint and letting them race to the finish, creating beautiful streaks of color in the process! Whether you have them race each other or just drive the cars around,  this activity will surely result in smiling faces and some eye-catching artwork!  

26. Alphabet Practice

@bigcityreaders #abcs #alphabetactivities #readingteacher #teachersoftiktok #teachertok #momtoks #preschoolactivities #preschoolathome #preschoollunch #preschoolmom #StJudeDadPhotos #fypシ゚viral #learningtoread #3yearoldbrain #alphabethack #letters #letterssong ♬ Face Dance – Funny Tok

Make learning the alphabet more fun with missing letters! Write part of the alphabet on a strip of paper, but cover a few of the letters with sticky notes. Then start singing the alphabet song and either have your children write the missing letter or let them reveal it by uncovering the hidden letter! 

27. Patterning

@play.inspire.grow Hands on patterning #earlymaths #simplemaths #preschoolmath #preschoolactivities #prek #teachermom #homeschool #earlyyearsideas #kindergarten #learningisfun #canadianmom #montessoriathome #learningthroughplay ♬ FEEL THE GROOVE – Queens Road, Fabian Graetz

Get creative by starting a pattern for your kids to practice ‘what comes next’! This activity uses a range of objects like stickers, dot markers, and manipulatives to teach them more about this important skill. Your little ones will love the variety in this task as they work to identify patterns and create their own!

28. Dressing Dolls

@mrs_burland Dress the dolls activity, encouraging children to strengthen their hand muscles and develop their fine motor skills. Also, encouraging independence. #earlyyearsactivities #finemotoractivity #earlyyearspractitioner #preschoolactivities #eyfsactivities #handandeyecoordination #finemotorskills ♬ Low Down – venbee & Dan Fable

Playing with dolls is always a great opportunity to help your students better understand themselves and others. You can gather a variety of small dolls and let your kids get creative by dressing them up! The small size will be more challenging for their little hands, making this the perfect practice for developing fine motor skills.  

29. Listen & Do

How good are your kiddos at listening and copying? Have them point to the body part they hear you say to increase movement and develop active listening and cognitive skills. Playing this game daily or a few times a week will reinforce important vocabulary and is a perfect break to get your active kiddos moving! 

Learn More: YouTube

30. Shake Your Sillies Out

Preschoolers have A LOT of emotions and brain breaks are vital to creating a positive learning experience. Your little ones need the time and space to express their feelings and  ‘Shake Your Sillies Out’ is the perfect song to make that happen! Play this video and let them go for it!

31. A Hole In the Bottom of the Sea

Are you planning a lesson about the food chain? This song is absolutely adorable, and the animation of the video provides a great visual for your little learners! They’ll love the repetitive lyrics that will help them better understand and remember the concept of a food chain.

32. Sight Word Surprise

Providing consistent exposure to letters and sight words is essential throughout the preschool years. This online learning game offers your kiddos this practice, and gives you the flexibility to use it for either in-person or distance learning!

33. Beginning Sounds

Your learners’ oral language development starts with an understanding of different sounds. This online phonics video is a great way to introduce initial letter sounds to them! Make this even more fun by projecting the video onto your whiteboard and having your children use magnetic letters to identify the beginning sounds of words. 

34. Guess the Fruit

By preschool, your students are probably familiar with many different types of fruit. This video can be used to assess what they already know while also giving them a chance to learn about some new delicious examples! Even your shyest kids will love showing off their knowledge on this topic!

Learn More: Youtube

35. Where Will It Land?

Making predictions in the early years is a great way to prepare your little ones for studying STEM subjects in elementary school and beyond!! This exciting activity introduces them to the concept of friction and to skills like problem-solving. Fast-track their interest in STEM by incorporating this into your preschool curriculum today!

36. Finger Painting

Foster creativity and sensory development with this messy art project! Give your students non-toxic paint and large sheets of paper, and let them use their fingers to create anything their heart desires! You can always rely on finger painting for a wonderful and relaxing tactile activity that enhances fine motor skills.

Learn More: Raising Children Network

37. Animal Yoga

No, it’s not yoga for animals! Your children will adore transforming their bodies into the shapes of different animals in this fun movement activity. It’s a playful way to promote physical activity, and flexibility, and introduce mindfulness and relaxation techniques to your young learners.

Learn More: Mother Natured

38. Puzzle Time

Puzzles never get old and are a perfect down-time activity! They’re a fantastic way to help your preschoolers develop problem-solving skills, hand-eye coordination, and persistence! Offer a selection of simple puzzles with large pieces and let them explore this challenge individually or in small groups.

Learn More: Amazon

39. Nature Walks

Take learning outside by going on a nature walk with your kiddos! Encourage them to observe their surroundings and collect leaves, stones, or sticks to use for art projects in class. Not only are these walks fun, but they also promote physical activity, observation skills, and an appreciation for the environment.

Learn More: The Artful Parent

40. Story Cubes

These story cubes are made with pictures and are perfect for your younger learners! Have them take turns rolling the dice to create a story based on the image shown. It’s sure to spark imagination, enhance language skills, and if done in a small group or whole class setting, increase collaboration skills!  

41. Playdough Creations

Playdough is an excellent choice for fine motor development and creative expression. This fantastic resource includes 16 activities with playdough to engage your preschooler in some hands-on fun! Your kids will love squishing, rolling, and molding playdough into figures, animals, and abstract shapes! 

Learn More: My Bored Toddler

42. Water Play

This activity is guaranteed to make a splash with your little ones! Set up a water table or fill a basin with water and add cups, sponges, and toys. It’s sure to be an enjoyable and soothing activity to introduce them to concepts like volume, buoyancy, and cause and effect.

Learn More: Kildare County Childcare Committee

43. Sensory Bins

This activity is a great addition to your preschool toolbox! Grab a few bins and fill them with items like rice, beans, or water beads, add scoops, small toys, or natural elements like twigs and leaves, and you’re good to go! Have your kiddies feel the items to explore textures and calm their active minds. 

Learn More: Sheeking Out

44. Rhyming Games

Engaging your preschoolers in rhyming games is a fantastic way to boost their phonemic awareness! Choose songs or storybooks to recite and identify rhymes, or have them create their own for an added challenge! Not only are the rhymes delightful, but they also serve as an important step toward developing reading and writing skills. 

Learn More: 20 Great Rhyming Activities for Preschool

45. Collage Making

Collages are an excellent way for your preschoolers to express their ideas in a visual way! With safety scissors, glue, magazines, and construction paper, your little artists will explore textures, colors, and composition. Have them share their stories about their creations to gain insight into their thinking and to give their oral language skills a boost! 

46. Obstacle Course

Obstacle courses can be tailored to any skill level, ensuring an inclusive experience for all! Design a course using cushions, ropes, and hoops to encourage movement and problem-solving. Your kiddies will navigate by crawling, jumping, and balancing to improve their gross motor skills. Watch as they overcome obstacles – both literally and figuratively! 

47. Dress-Up Play

A box full of costumes, hats, and accessories is a treasure trove for imaginative play! When your little ones dress up and start role-playing, they’ll delve into the world of make-believe, fostering creativity, empathy, and social skills! This activity will lead to spontaneous storytelling performances that will certainly showcase and celebrate your kids’ unique ideas.

Learn More: Healthline

48. Letter Hunt

Transform letter recognition into an adventure by hiding foam or magnetic letters around the classroom! Your children will love practicing their gross motor skills by reaching and stretching on their hunt for the hidden letters. This is a dynamic way to reinforce alphabet knowledge in a context that feels more like play than instruction!

Learn More: Hands On As We Grow

49. Parachute Games

Bringing out the parachute always sends the excitement sky-high! Your kids will love working together to lift and lower the parachute to make waves, bounce balls, or billowing mushroom shapes.  Games like this are not only fun, but also enhance teamwork, coordination, and gross motor skills. This activity is bound to captivate their attention!  

50. Bubble Popping

There’s something irresistible about bubbles! Blowing and chasing bubbles engages your children in a playful pursuit that enhances their hand-eye coordination while getting them to burn off some energy! They’ll soon tire themselves out trying to pop the bubbles before they float away!

Learn More: Red Ted Art

51. Matching Games

Matching games that use cards or objects are excellent cognitive exercises for your littlest learners. As they match pairs based on color, shape, or theme, they’ll be enhancing their visual perception, memory, and concentration. This simple social game encourages cooperation while also laying the groundwork for them to develop some more complex problem-solving skills.

Learn More: PBS Learning Media

52. Salt Tray Writing

It’s not just a tray of salt, it’s a tactile and sensory-rich experience for your preschoolers! You can guide them to use their fingers or sticks to practice writing letters, numbers, or shapes in the salt. This is a super way to encourage experimentation and reduce the pressure of perfectionism by having them just shake the tray to “erase” any mistakes! 

Learn More: Happy Hooligans

53. Balancing Beam

A balance beam is a great tool for developing coordination. Have your little tight-ropers walk across a real beam or a line of tape on the floor to practice controlling their body movements and strengthening their muscles. You could also integrate it with other learning, such as counting or reciting the alphabet while taking steps.

54. Homemade Musical Instruments

Creating musical instruments out of household items is a dual-learning activity! Your students will use their fine motor skills and creativity to craft their instruments, and use them to explore sounds, beats, and rhythms!  Have your mini musicians fill bottles with rice, or string rubber bands across a cereal box and start jammin’! 

Learn More: Playgroup NSW

55. Shadow Play

Shadow play is a totally captivating activity that blends art, science, and storytelling! Using a flashlight and a blank wall, let your children explore the properties of light and shadows by creating shapes and figures with their hands or with cutouts on sticks. This magical form of play invites them to use their imagination like never before!

Learn More: Koko Tree

56. Bean Bag Toss

This simple game is a great way to get your kids playing all together! Set up the targets and give them some bean bags for throwing; it’s a simple way to develop their hand-eye coordination and gross motor skills. Focus the play on cooperation or switch things up by adding some healthy competition! 

57. Gardening

Grow your little ones’ wonder with this hands-on activity! Have them plant seeds in cups filled with dirt or in a garden plot and watch their enthusiasm grow as they tend to the new sprouts! Along with learning about the life cycle of plants, this activity is a simple way to let them experience a little bit of responsibility.

Learn More: Baby Sparks

58. Cooking Simple Recipes

Get cooking with hands-on learning in the kitchen! Introduce your children to essential skills like following instructions and measurement using simple recipes to make sandwiches or fruit salads. These easy kid-friendly recipes are perfect to get them excited about cooking and they’ll love tasting their creations!

Learn More: Good To

59. Alphabet Fishing

This is the perfect activity to get your kiddos excited about the alphabet! Write letters on small squares with a paperclip attached, then have your learners use a fishing rod with a magnetic cast to reel in a letter! Fishing for the alphabet is a fun way to reinforce their learning around letter recognition and helps develop focus!

Learn More: First Palette

60. Mask-Making

This fun activity might result in an imaginative play or an outrageous costume party! Let your children make masks using a variety of materials like paper plates, feathers, sequins, and glue. Their creativity will come to life as they explore the world of make-believe and develop fine motor skills.

Learn More: Artful Parent

61. Puppet Shows

Puppet play is a great way for your preschoolers to explore drama and storytelling! They can use soft toys or even make their own puppets from old socks or paper bags. They’ll delight in the magical play and storytelling of puppetry that encourages creativity, language development, and even sharing their feelings!

62. Lacing Cards

These adorable cards will help your littles learn how to lace! This tricky skill makes for a quiet and calming activity that is also excellent for developing fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and concentration. Get going by printing these cards, cutting the holes, and gathering some old shoelaces! 

63. Recycled Material Building

No need for fancy materials with this creative activity! Collect recycled materials like boxes, tubes, and cartons, and have your little ones start building their structures. They won’t even notice that they are learning about physics and developing their creativity and problem-solving skills in the process!

64. Sorting Games

Sorting activities will help your kids to develop their foundational math skills like categorization.  Gather common items like coins, playing cards, and different types of beans and pasta, then challenge your learners to sort them by their shape, size, quantity, or category.

Learn More: Keep Toddlers Busy

65. Ice Cube Melting

This sensory experience is perfect for a hot day! Give each of your students an ice cube to hold and have them watch it melt; it’s a great way to teach them about temperature, states of matter, weather, and seasons. You’ll be surprised at how this simple activity can lead to such engaging student discussions!

Learn More: Stir The Wonder

66. Sticker Stories

This activity incorporates a little learning into your kiddos’ love of stickers! Give them some sheets of stickers and paper and let them go crazy!  Foster their creativity and narrative skills by encouraging them to create scenes or stories with the stickers. They will also practice fine motor control as they master peeling and placing the stickers.

67. Hopscotch

Sometimes classic games are just what you need and hopscotch is certainly one that never gets old! Draw a hopscotch grid with chalk outside or use tape indoors for a rainy day brain break. It’s a timeless game perfect for your little ones that promotes number recognition, balance, and coordination!

Learn More: WikiHow

68. Bubble Wrap Stomp

Your kiddos will love this activity if they can contain their excitement! Lay out a large piece of paper on the floor and set up some trays of paints. Next, wrap your little learners’ feet in bubble wrap and let them stomp out a colorful masterpiece! 

Learn More: Mess For Less

69. Shadow Tag

This fun twist on the classic game of tag is the perfect way to engage your children in an outdoor movement activity! Instead of tagging each other with touch, they’ll have to step on each other’s shadows! What a fun introduction to the concept of light and shadow! 

Learn More: Joyful Parenting

70. Kinetic Sand Play

Your learners will love this amazing sensory experience! Kinetic sand is less messy than traditional sand, but is still moldable; so they’ll still be able to make creative shapes and structures! This is a great way to encourage creativity while also keeping your classroom a little cleaner!  

Learn More: Access and Inclusion Model

71. Story Stones

There are no fancy materials required for this activity; just some stones! Have your children paint pictures on stones or do this yourself, and then encourage them to use the stones to tell stories. This fun activity encourages their creativity and is a great way to explore sequencing events. 

Learn More: Early Impact Learning

72. Color Mixing

Experimenting with paints is a sure way to hold your preschoolers’ attention! Provide primary colored paints and let them mix their own colors on paper or in containers, and use this printable sheet to record their results! It’s a hands-on way to learn about colors that can also feel like a magical experiment.

Learn More: Little Bins For Little Hands

73. Marble Run

There’s a reason marble runs have been around for generations! They help develop problem-solving skills, creativity, hand-eye coordination, and spatial awareness. Have your littles build a marble run using tubes, boxes, or a pre-made set. They’ll love predicting the path of the marble as they learn a basic understanding of physics principles like gravity and momentum.

Learn More: HABA USA

74. Stomp and Catch

Test out your kiddos’ stomping ability with this fun game! Create a launching board out of a wooden plank and a strong cardboard tube, then load it up with a beanbag on the end. Next, let your preschoolers stomp down, and then try to catch the beanbag as it’s thrown up into the air before it hits the ground! Is their hand-eye coordination up to the task?

75. Memory Tray

This fun activity will test your students’ memorization skills! Place several objects on a tray, let your children observe them for one minute, and then cover them with a cloth or piece of paper. How many objects can they remember?  

Learn More: Play To Learn Preschool

76. Nature Collage

Complete this collage activity after you’ve taken your class for a walk outside! Have them collect leaves, sticks, and flowers that they’ll use to create a beautiful collage. This is an artistic activity that ends up being a wonderful tribute to our wonderful planet!

Learn More: Mama Teaches

77. Alphabet Bingo

Shake up the classic game of Bingo by playing it with letters instead of numbers! Your children will love practicing letter recognition by identifying the letters they hear them called out and the excitement of calling out Bingo when their card is full! It’s a fun group activity that encourages active listening. 

Learn More: New Horizon Academy

78. Dance Party

There’s nothing like watching your little ones get their wiggles out by dancing to a good tune! Play some upbeat music and let them dance freely; we’ve even found the perfect playlist to get you started!  Dance parties are a simple way to encourage physical activity and rhythm, and to foster a little bonding during a joyful group activity! 

Learn More: Miss Nina

454 Kids English ESL powerpoints

You have selected American English as your teaching language. All lessons, flashcards, worksheets, craft sheets, songs and readers will be displayed in American English.

Resources and materials for ESL Kids teachers

ESL kids resources for teachers

• Intro lesson (ages 3-7)

Stand-alone lesson ESL kids lesson plan

Lesson plans for ESL kids teachers

This lesson plan will help you get your ESL kids course off to a great start with fun ‘getting to know each other’ games as well as activities to promote good classroom [hide_on_uk]behavior[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]behaviour[/hide_on_us].

Our lesson plans are FREE!

Sign up for accompanying:

✔ worksheets ✔ homework sheets ✔ craft sheets ✔ flashcards ✔ song downloads & videos ✔ classroom readers & videos

Age: 3-7 years Time: 40 mins – 1 hour Objectives: Greetings, names, follow simple instructions, identify and recognize 3 [hide_on_uk]colors[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]colours[/hide_on_us]. Structures: “Hello”, “What’s your name”, “My name is…”, “Goodbye”, “Give me…” Target vocabulary: red, blue, green, flower, stand up, sit down, hands up, hands down, jump, run, turn around, pass, touch.

Lesson materials

Printables:

• Name flower craft sheet
• Name tracing sheets (one for each student with their name in dots)
• [hide_on_uk]Color[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]Colour[/hide_on_us] the balloons worksheet
• Goodbye song
• [hide_on_uk]colored[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]coloured[/hide_on_us] crayons / pencils
• name tags for each student
• a glove puppet
• a small ball
• 3 sheets of origami [hide_on_uk]colored[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]coloured[/hide_on_us] paper (red, green, blue)
• 3 balloons (red, blue, green)
• cushions (1 per student)
• device to play the songs on

This lesson provides a good platform to begin the course with your younger level learners as it introduces them to the key stages and routines you will use in every class. At this age some of your students may be a bit shy at first so make sure you smile a lot and make them feel really welcome – they will soon gain confidence as you run through all the fun activities in this lesson!

This lesson leads nicely into the [hide_on_uk]Colors[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]Colours[/hide_on_us] lesson .

Lesson procedure:

Warm up and maintenance:.

1. Greetings Greet the students by name as they enter the classroom and gesture for them to sit down. It’s a good idea to have a cushion for each student (and parent if also taking part) as this makes sitting arrangements easy to [hide_on_uk]organize[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]organise[/hide_on_us]. Try and arrange the cushions beforehand spaced out in a fan-shape around you.

2. Name tags Before class prepare some name tags (stickers or pin-on tags) with each student’s name written on in lower case letters. Sit down with your students and lay out the name tags in front of you. Pick up each tag and call out the name. Try and encourage each student to put their hand up and say “yes”. Hand over the tags and help to pin / stick on.

In later lessons, once your students can recognize their written name, you can have them pick out their own name tags.

New learning and practice:

1. Play “Ball pass” and say names Take a soft ball and pass it to your nearest student, saying “Pass”. Have each student pass the ball around the circle. Next, hold the ball and say your name. Have each student say their name as they pass the ball to each other. Make sure they pass, not throw, roll, etc. If a student doesn’t pass make sure s/he does it again until done properly.

2. Introduce glove puppet – greetings and introductions activity Your students will love this. Get hold of a glove puppet (I use Cookie Monster bought from Toys ‘R’ Us) and put it in a bag before class. Bring out the bag, open it enough to see in and shout into the bag “Hello!”. Then move your ear to the opening to listen – nothing. Go to each student and encourage them to shout “Hello” into the bag – each time nothing happens. Finally, get all the students together to shout “Hello!” at the same time. This time the puppet wakes up and jumps out of the bag! Then model the role play with the puppet:

Teacher: “Hello”, What’s your name?” Puppet: “My name is…”.

Then move onto the first student and say “Hello”. Encourage him/her to say hello back. Let the students touch, cuddle and stroke the puppet. My puppet also likes to nibble their feet and arms. Next, the puppet asks each student: “What’s your name?”. If they are old enough try and encourage “My name is…” but for the really little ones (3 and under) just saying their name is fine. Finally, go around saying “Goodbye” and “See you” before going back into the bag and back to sleep.

3. Sing the “Hello song” Sit in a circle and listen to the song (clap along or pat knees). Play it once more emphasizing “Hello”. Your students will pick up the words surprisingly quickly.

Lyrics for the “Hello song”

Hello, hello, Hello, hello, How are you? How are you? I’m fine, thank you, I’m fine, thank you, We’re ok, We’re ok.

Lyrics for “The Hello Song”

Hello, hello, How are you today? Hello, hello, How are you today?

I’m fine, thank you, I’m fine, thank you, I’m fine, thank you, And how about you?

Hello, hello, How are you today? I’m fine, thank you, And how about you?

Gestures for the “Hello song”

These are quite straight forward. First time you play the song do the gestures and encourage everyone to do them with you.

• Wave as you sing the “Hello, hello” parts.
• Gesture to others as you sing, “How are you today?”
• Point to yourself as you sing, “I’m fine, thank you”
• Hand gesture towards another student as you sing, “And how about you?”.

Song download

Song posters

4. Do “Exercise routine” activity Time for some action. Say the following and have the students follow your lead:

• “Stand up” (Teacher stands and so does everyone else)
• “Hands up / hands down” (do 4 or 5 times)
• “Jump” (4 or 5 times)
• “Run! / Stop!” (4 or 5 times)
• “Turn around! / Stop!” (4 or 5 times)
• finally “Sit down”.

5. Name writing practice In this lesson your students are going to practice writing their names. For really young ones, this may be their first time to do so – don’t worry if their first effort is a scrawly mess – always encourage and praise.

You will need to prepare a writing sheet for each student before class with their name written in dots for them to practice tracing their names (also prepare one for yourself so you can model the task). You can either make these yourself (hand draw the dots for each name) or use a font typed into a Word document – we like to use the “National First Font Dotted” font (you can download it for free here: http://www.fontspace.com/roger-white/national-first-font-dotted ).

Prepare the sheets something like this:

Make a few extra copies of each student’s name writing sheet so you can use them in future lesson or for homework.

Get everyone to sit at a table with you. You are going to give clear instructions on getting ready for written work so everyone understands what to do in future lessons: first, tell everyone to get their bags (you do the same so they can see what to do). Then say, “Take out your crayons” – take out your crayons and have everyone follow you.

Take the sheets of paper and read the names – encourage each student to put their hand up and say, “Yes”. Give out the sheets to each student and give one to yourself.

Next, say, “Take out a crayon” and have the students follow you as you take out your crayon. Any [hide_on_uk]color[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]colour[/hide_on_us] will do. Model tracing your name, slowly and carefully, saying your name as you trace. Then have everyone trace the first name. Then put the crayon back into your pencil case and take out a different [hide_on_uk]color[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]colour[/hide_on_us]. Each time, use a different [hide_on_uk]color[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]colour[/hide_on_us]. As the students trace their names, circulate, help and give lots of praise. Finally, have everyone write their names on the bottom lines.

When everyone has finished, get each student to hold up their sheet so you and everyone can see. Give lots of praise to each student – you can even put stickers on each student’s sheet as a prize (they will love this) or even a simple drawing of a smiley face will do!

6. Do the “Name flower craft” activity Now that everyone has had a chance to practice writing their name you can do the name craft activity.

Before class print out the “Name flower craft” sheet and copy / cut out the flower shapes so that there are enough to give one to each student (do a few extra in case of emergencies!).

Get each student to write their name on the line and then [hide_on_uk]color[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]colour[/hide_on_us] in their flower. Students can now decorate the classroom by sticking their name flowers on the walls. Alternatively, have students make a name poster by sticking all of the name flowers onto one large piece of construction paper (I like to make a tree shape out of brown card for students to stick their flowers on).

7. Teach [hide_on_uk]colors[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]colours[/hide_on_us]: red, blue, green A great lesson to follow this one is the “[hide_on_uk]Colors[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]Colours[/hide_on_us] lesson”. In this lesson you can start by teaching the first 3 [hide_on_uk]colors[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]colours[/hide_on_us] (red, blue and green) and then in the next class you can continue with the other [hide_on_uk]colors[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]colours[/hide_on_us] (yellow, pink, purple, orange).

Origami paper is great for this, or just some [hide_on_uk]colored[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]coloured[/hide_on_us] paper/card cut into squares. Sit everyone in a circle and hold up the first [hide_on_uk]colored[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]coloured[/hide_on_us] paper and elicit the [hide_on_uk]color[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]colour[/hide_on_us] (e.g. red). Chorus and practice saying the [hide_on_uk]color[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]colour[/hide_on_us]. Do this for the rest of the [hide_on_uk]colors[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]colours[/hide_on_us].

8. Play “[hide_on_uk]Color[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]Colour[/hide_on_us] pass”, “ [hide_on_uk]Color[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]Colour[/hide_on_us] touch” and “ [hide_on_uk]Color[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]Colour[/hide_on_us] hold up” Now take each [hide_on_uk]color[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]colour[/hide_on_us] and pass it to your nearest student. Say, “red” as you pass red, etc. The students pass the [hide_on_uk]colors[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]colours[/hide_on_us] round the circle. Next, lay the 3 [hide_on_uk]colors[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]colours[/hide_on_us] in the middle of the circle. Say, “Hands up”. Students raise their hands. Then say, “Touch…..red!” and the students should all try and touch the red [hide_on_uk]colored[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]coloured[/hide_on_us] paper. Do for all of the [hide_on_uk]colors[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]colours[/hide_on_us]. Finally, give each student one of the [hide_on_uk]colored[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]coloured[/hide_on_us] papers. Say, “Hold up….blue!” – the students holding the blue papers raise them into the air.

For these games you’ll probably have to give lots of help and encouragement. For example, if one of your students doesn’t hold up the [hide_on_uk]colored[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]coloured[/hide_on_us] paper when asked look at him/her and gesture what to do. If their mothers are with them in class, have them help out.

9. Play “Find the [hide_on_uk]color[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]colour[/hide_on_us]” Now get each student to give you back their [hide_on_uk]colored[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]coloured[/hide_on_us] paper by saying, “Give me (blue)”. Collect all the [hide_on_uk]colors[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]colours[/hide_on_us] Then place the [hide_on_uk]colored[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]coloured[/hide_on_us] papers on the floor around the room. First, model by saying, “Touch blue”. Then stand up, go to a blue paper, touch it and say “blue” and go back to your place. Now say to one student, “(Miki), touch green” and that student should stand up, find the correct [hide_on_uk]color[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]colour[/hide_on_us] and touch it. Get everyone to have at least one go.

Finally, get students to stand up and give you back the [hide_on_uk]colors[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]colours[/hide_on_us] as you say them (e.g. Paulo, give me red”).

10. Play “Balloon kick” You need three balloons – a red, a blue and a green one. Take one balloon and elicit the [hide_on_uk]colors[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]colours[/hide_on_us]. Then chorus “(blue) balloon” x3. Now blow up the balloon (little kids love watching this) and tie the end. Pat the balloon to one student and encourage him/her to say its [hide_on_uk]color[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]colour[/hide_on_us] as they catch it. Let the student pat it back to you and repeat the [hide_on_uk]color[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]colour[/hide_on_us] with all students. Then do the same for the other 2 balloons.

Finally, line the balloons up, have the students stand up and model the activity: “Ok, (your name) kick the (blue) balloon!”, then run up to the (blue) balloon and kick it. Now instruct one student to kick a balloon, give loads of help and encouragement and then do with all the other students.

1. Assign homework: “[hide_on_uk]Color[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]Colour[/hide_on_us] the balloons” Hold up the homework worksheet and model [hide_on_uk]coloring[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]colouring[/hide_on_us] in the 3 balloon pictures (in red, blue and green). Elicit each [hide_on_uk]color[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]colour[/hide_on_us] as you go. Give out the worksheets and say, “Put your homework in your bags” and help them to do so – this is important as they will probably want to start [hide_on_uk]coloring[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]colouring[/hide_on_us] them right away.

2. Say goodbye to the glove puppet Take out the bag again and get everyone to wake up the glove puppet by shouting its name into the bag (e.g. “Cookie Monster!”). Bring out the puppet and go through the same routine – go to each student and say hello, ask their name and the say goodbye / see you. Then put the puppet back in the bag (back to sleep).

3. Sing the “Goodbye song” The “Goodbye song” is a great way to sign off the class. Sit together in a circle and sing and clap along.

Lyrics for the “Goodbye song”

Goodbye, goodbye, See you again. Goodbye, goodbye, See you again.

It’s time to go, It’s time to go, It’s time to go, See you next time.

Goodbye, goodbye, See you again. It’s time to go, See you next time.

Gestures for the “Goodbye song”

• Wave as you sing the “Goodbye, goodbye” parts.
• Hold your hand above your eyes (as you would when you are looking into the distance and keeping the sun out of your eyes) and look at another student as you sing, “See you again”.
• Tap watch (or imaginary watch) and then point to the door as you sing, “It’s time to go”.
• Point towards another student as you sing, “See you next time”.

4. Do “Quick check” and say goodbye Time to leave the class. Make sure everything is put away and the students have gathered their belongings. Have them line up at the door and place yourself between the door and the students. For each student check one new word (e.g. hold up a [hide_on_uk]color[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]colour[/hide_on_us] and ask, “What [hide_on_uk]color[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]colour[/hide_on_us] is this?”). For very young kids you can hold up the three [hide_on_uk]colored[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]coloured[/hide_on_us] papers you used earlier and have them touch one that you say (e.g. “Touch green”).

When they give you the correct answer say goodbye and let them leave. If their answer is wrong, have them go back to the end of the line – they will have to try again once they reach the front!

Other lesson plans

• Intro lessonsss (ages 8-12)

Actions, verbs & tenses:

• Can – for ability
• Morning routines
• Daily routines & times of the day
• Actions – Present continuous
• Future plans using “going to”
• Past tense activities – Regular verbs
• Past tense activities – Irregular verbs: Part 1
• Past tense activities – Irregular verbs: Part 2

Adjectives:

• Describing people
• Describing things
• Comparing things (Comparative adjectives)
• Comparing things (Superlative adjectives)
• Adverbs of frequency
• Farm animals
• Pets & possessions
• Zoo animals
• Parts of the body
• Measuring parts of the body
• Classroom objects
• Classroom stationery
• [hide_on_uk]Colors[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]Colours[/hide_on_us]

Directions:

• Directions: left / right / forward / back

Feelings & emotions:

• Feelings & emotions

Health & sickness:

• Health & sickness

Holidays & festivals:

• Christmas 1
• Christmas 2
• Thanksgiving

Likes, dislikes & favorites:

Likes, dislikes & favourites:

• Likes & dislikes
• [hide_on_uk]Favorites[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]Favourites[/hide_on_us] and asking why

Nature & Our world:

• Numbers 1-10
• Numbers 1-20

Places & where we live:

• Places & where we live
• Places in my town
• Rooms of a house

Prepositions of location:

• Prepositions of location
• Demonstrative pronouns
• Subject pronouns
• Shopping & money

Time, days, months, seasons:

• Telling the time
• Days of the week
• Months of the year
• Time frequency

Transport & travel:

• Transport and travel
• Wheels on the bus

Found a mistake? Please let us know .

Add a comment:

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30 Fun Ways to Teach Kids About Oral Health

Poor oral health causes kids to miss up to 51 million hours of class time each year and can have a negative impact on their future success. Since February is National Children’s Dental Health Month and Gum Disease Awareness Month, there is no better time to teach kids about keeping their smiles healthy!

You don’t have to be a dental professional to teach kids about proper oral health. Whether you’re a teacher, a parent, or simply someone who wants to help kids in your community live healthier lives, we’ve compiled lots of engaging resources to make teaching easy and learning fun!

Educational resources from America’s ToothFairy:

• Do you work for an organization that serves at-risk kids or families? Click here to see if you qualify for custom Resource Kits for eligible entities providing oral health education and outreach. ‍
• Visit our Resources Page for free downloadable materials to teach kids about the importance of a healthy mouth. (Scroll to the bottom for a selection of materials in languages other than English.) ‍ Other great resources:

Get additional activity sheets and more from the American Dental Association

The Tooth Book by Dr. Seuss My First Visit to the Dentist by Eve Marleau The Berenstain Bears Visit the Dentist by Stan and Jan Berenstain Brush, Brush, Brush! by Alicia Padron Sugarbug Doug: All About Cavities, Plaque, and Teeth by Dr. Ben Magleby Check out this free Kindle book for young children that addresses fear of the dentist: A Visit to the Dentist Can be Fun , by Janaina Resende Ferreira de Faria (available in English , Spanish , Chinese , and Portuguese .

For caregivers: Your Child’s Teeth by Evelina Weidman Sterling and Angie Best-Boss

For educators and public health advocates: Teeth: The Story of Beauty, Inequality, and the Struggle for Oral Health in America

Check out this great video for young children from our friend, the Native American ToothFairy:

Other great videos:

Catch the Nasties (Colgate) What Causes Cavities? (Mel Rosenberg) What Causes Bad Breath? (Mel Rosenberg) Life Stages of Oral Health: Ages 13-19 Teen Teeth (Delta Dental of Arizona) Top 10 Dental Hygiene Tips: Oral Hygiene (Watch Mojo) 10 Ways to Brush Your Teeth (Life Hacks) Vaping Risks - What Vaping Can Do to Your Mouth (Dr. Joseph Nemeth, Periodontist) What Snus (Smokeless Tobacco) Can Do To Your Gums (Dr. Joseph Nemeth, Periodontist) Braces Care Routine (Teeth Talk Girl) Just for fun (Teeth Talk Girl) For Children with Special Needs: What Happens at the Dentist Office (Boston Children’s Hospital)

‍ Fun activities to encourage brushing:

• Conduct a science experiment simulating tooth enamel using hard boiled eggs. Check out this example from Pre-K Pages that is easy to adapt for older children too. ‍
• Make your own toothpaste: 4 tsp. Baking soda 1 tsp. Salt 1 tsp. Flavoring (such as peppermint extract) Mix and store in an airtight container. Extra fun: name your toothpaste and create a label for the container. ‍
• Create oral health posters to hang around school. Have students vote on the best poster and award a prize. ‍
• Carefully cut the bottom off of a plastic soda bottle. Paint it white to resemble a tooth. Make a runny paste with flour and water (add food coloring if you like) and splatter it on the tooth to resemble food and plaque. Let it harden. Have children attempt to brush the flour mixture away. Show how difficult it is once it has hardened versus before it has had a chance to sit on the “tooth”. Reinforce the importance of brushing for 2 minutes, 2 times each day. (Alternative: use a white egg carton instead of making a tooth.) Or check out this fun version with a plaster mold and hardened Play-Doh. 

Teach kids about the importance of flossing:

• Young children can practice their technique using Lego/Duplo blocks (shown right), egg cartons or ice cube trays. Stick Play-Doh between and around the base of “teeth” and give the children floss to remove it. Stress the importance of flossing not only to remove food from between the teeth but also to remove plaque below the gum line to prevent the buildup of tartar. ‍ Click here for more information about proper flossing technique. ‍
• Craft: Marshmallow Mouth This fun craft is more than a silly tooth-themed project. Use it to teach children proper flossing technique. Download the easy instructions here . ( Adapt this activity for younger kids .)

Teach kids about foods that are healthy for their teeth.

• Cut apart a white styrofoam egg carton to make little “teeth”. Give each child their own “tooth” and have them select a snack from a list of foods that include both tooth-friendly and unhealthy options. If they select a tooth-friendly food, use a highlighter or dry erase marker to color food spots on their tooth. If they select an unhealthy food, use a Sharpie or permanent black marker to color food spots on their tooth. Now give the child a toothbrush to brush away their food spots. Explain that the healthy foods are easy to brush away but the unhealthy foods are hard to brush away and can lead to cavities. ‍ (Refer to our 5 Core Lessons Packet for help with teaching about how unhealthy foods affect our teeth.) ‍
• Show how sugar helps plaque grow with a science experiment called “ Plaque Attack! ” It’s a great way to simulate how sugar feeds the oral bacteria that cause tooth decay and gum disease. Check out this article that explains how plaque affects our oral health and how to remove it.

Other great resources:

This Blog Post from Dental Associates of Florida includes lots of fun, interactive games about oral health. (Thank you to our young friend Stella for sharing this resource!)

We’d love to see your National Children’s Dental Health Month projects in action. Be sure to follow us on Facebook , Twitter or Instagram and tag us in your posts! ‍

© 2024 National Children’s Oral Health Foundation

PO Box 11227, Charlotte, NC 28220

704-350-1600

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11 Preschool Language Development Activities

June 6, 2018 by Sheryl Cooper

Last Updated on June 25, 2024 by Sheryl Cooper

Inside: Preschool language development can strengthened by building listening and understanding skills. Each of these 11 activities are fun and playful, while also building children’s confidence while using their words.

Using language and communication with young children is crucial for their success in school and beyond. Preschool language development activities should be part of each day in the classroom, and also in the home .

In a previous post, I shared how important it is to build young children’s language development . Teachers and parents can help build listening and understanding skills by talking with them, listening to them, reading and singing with them.

When thinking about what types of activities to provide, keep in mind ways you can encourage young children to use their verbal skills. This can be done in so many fun, playful ways, building their confidence at the same time.

In this post I’m sharing 11 different types of language development ideas that work well in the preschool classroom , although they can be done at home as well.

Use singable books to strengthen verbal skills.

Recite favorite fingerplays .

Use a telephone in the dramatic play area. (Teach Preschool)

Add some group games to enhance listening skills. (Pre-K Pages)

Create story baskets to encourage preschoolers to retell stories. (Nurture Store)

Play an I-spy game that encourages language participation. (Homeschool Preschool)

Provide listening activities to build language skills. (Inspiration Laboratories)

Play games that encourage speaking and listening skills . (Childhood 101)

Build letter sounds by providing rhyming activities. (No Time for Flashcards)

Encourage puppet play to create fun dialogue and interaction. (Empowered Parents)

Add small groups to your classroom schedule that encourage preschoolers to use their verbal skills.

More activities for preschoolers:

Indoor Movement Activities

Fine Motor Activities that Involve Squeezing

15+ Playdough Learning Activities

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About Sheryl Cooper

Sheryl Cooper is the founder of Teaching 2 and 3 Year Olds, a website full of activities for toddlers and preschoolers. She has been teaching this age group for over 25 years and loves to share her passion with teachers, parents, grandparents, and anyone with young children in their lives.

• Family Life

Is your child a picky eater? Here's how you can make fruits, veggies and other food more appealing to him

Do you worry that your child is not getting enough nutrition because of his picky food habits? Here are some simple ideas to make food look appetizing so that mealtimes are fun for your little one

Does your dining table resemble a mini battlefield every time the family sits down for a meal, only because your toddler starts throwing tantrums? You may find it exasperating that your child refuses to eat specific food groups or is finicky about certain vegetables put on the plate. Yet, it is not an uncommon scene in many households — mealtimes can be a stressful affair for this very reason.

But, there is no cause for panic — a 2011- study published in the journal Acta Paediatrica revealed that children prefer colors and lots of choices on their plates. Researchers at Cornell University found that the way children and parents perceive food is very different: children are tempted by plates featuring a variety of food that is colorful and arranged in an appealing way.

So, with a little ingenuity and a lot of patience, you can get your little one to slowly consume various fruits, vegetables and other foods. And, have fun while doing it too!

Some tips on feeding finicky toddlers and preschoolers

Be creative and make it fun: Fashioning food into different shapes; using colorful vegetables cleverly; arranging them in designs or in their favorite crockery, could do the trick!

Do not force feed: Let your child make a choice; forcefully feeding the little one can make matters worse as she might develop a complicated relationship with her food.

Give time to try new foods:  Whenever you introduce a new food to your finicky toddler, give him a little time to open up to the new food. If he refuses it the first time, re-introduce it after a few days.

Use your imagination: Make noodles out of zucchini and cucumber; make wraps with dosas and whip up a delicious smoothie with a medley of fruits. Be imaginative when giving food to a fussy child.

Involve your kids in the preparation and plating of food: When children are involved in selecting the different ingredients for a dish, they are likely to taste what they prepare and therefore take a step towards eating the dish too.

Here are some amazing ideas to present vegetables, fruits and food to children.

1. Fruits in a variety of shapes

Many toddlers are fussy about eating fruits when mixed together and given in a bowl. But fruits are an essential part of our diet, as they are packed with loads of nutrients. Why not use cookie cutters to cut them in different shapes and make them look attractive?

1. Wash and peel the fruits.

2. Cut them in thick slices in such a way that you would be able to cut out different shapes from them.

3. You can use cookie cutters in star, moon, house, flower, heart and other different shapes.

4. Once you have got an assortment of fruits in different shapes, arrange them neatly on a serving dish or plate.

5. Your little one will finish them up in a jiffy.

2. Whole wheat dosa/pancake with a smiley face

Does your four-year-old turn up her nose at the mention of dosa or idli at breakfast time? Making the dosa/pancake look pretty may entice her into trying some.

1. In a large bowl, take the whole wheat flour, cinnamon powder and honey.

2. Add the curd and water as needed to make a thick batter of pouring consistency. Alternatively, you can skip the curd and instead, add a couple of eggs and a little milk to make a pancake batter.

3. Put a griddle on medium heat and pour a ladleful of batter to make a small, round pancake. Repeat to make a few more.

4. Place the pancake on a plate. Layer the orange segments on the upper part of the pancake to represent the hair. Place the banana slices to show the eyes and put a cherry each on top of the banana.

5. Use the rest of the cherries to make the mouth.

6. Your little one might be excited to see the pancake with a smiling face!

3. Sandwiches shaped like animals, birds or flowers

Little children are fascinated by animals, birds and flowers, and love to explore their surroundings. So, a butterfly-shaped cheese sandwich is not just healthy, but also visually appealing for your toddler.

1. Toast the whole-wheat bread slices and put the cheese slice in between the two slices.

2. Put the filling of your choice between the two slices. Ensure you put a thin layer otherwise cutting into shapes will be difficult.

3. Neatly cut the prepared sandwich in the shape of a butterfly. With a sharp knife, cut the sandwich right in the middle.

4. Place these two pieces on a plate, in such a way that there is a 1/2 inch gap in the middle. In this gap, place a small baton of cucumber to represent the butterfly's body.

5. Place an olive on top for the butterfly's head.

6. Use the carrot strips to make the antennae.

7. Your beautiful sandwich is ready to eat.

4. Grilled veggies on skewers

This is a simple but sure-fire way of getting your child to eat vegetables. You will need wooden skewer sticks for this recipe.

1. Coat the veggies lightly with a little butter or oil. Sprinkle salt and pepper on them.

2. Arrange the veggies neatly on the skewer sticks.

3. Grill the veggies in the oven at 200°C for about 6-8 minutes.

4. Take them out and arrange them on a colorful serving plate.

5. Alternatively, you could place the vegetables on a tawa and roast them on medium heat.

5. Favourite food with a twist

Does your picky eater only crave noodles and burgers? Well, serve her favorite food, but with a healthy twist. We show you how.

1. In a bowl, mix the tomato sauce, soya sauce, honey, vinegar, ginger, garlic, salt and pepper to make the sauce.

2. Put a large wok on medium heat and add the cooking oil.

3. Saute all the vegetables in the oil, till they are cooked but crunchy.

4. Add the cooked noodles and mix well.

5. Add the prepared sauce and saute for about two minutes. Combine all the ingredients well, so that the noodles are coated properly.

6. Place it in a serving bowl and top with roasted peanuts.

7. Cut the boiled egg into halves and place it on the noodles.

6. Banana bread with sprinkles

Does your child say that your banana bread is boring and gobbles up a pastry instead? Here is what you can do to make it look appealing.

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

2. In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients for the banana bread with a whisk, till you get a smooth batter.

3. Instead of a regular loaf tin, pour the batter into a heart, round or any pretty-shaped tin to make it look like a cake.

4. Bake at 180°C for 30 minutes.

5. Once cool, cover with fresh cream and arrange the banana pieces on top.

6. Add the sprinkles to transform the simple banana bread to a fancy one.

7. Make your own dish game

This is one of the easiest ways to get your finicky child to eat fruits and veggies. Ask them to play a game by making their own dish with ingredients provided by you.

1. Wash, peel and thoroughly clean the veggies. Cut them into long strips.

2. Soak the red cabbage in salted hot water for a minute to remove germs.

3. Cut onions into round slices.

4. Take any dressing of your choice such as mint chutney, yogurt, sauce or homemade mayonnaise and put it in a small bowl.

5. Place this in the middle of a plate and arrange the veggies around it neatly.

6. Give this to your little one and ask him to make his own dishes, such as salad, sandwich or stir-fry.

7. You could add other ingredients like nuts and seeds, peanut butter and anything of your choice.

8. Fruit and nut cream/custard bowl

Getting some children to eat fruits is difficult. The idea of this recipe is to layer the ingredients in an appealing glass bowl or tumbler so that it looks colorful and irresistible.

1. Layer the custard/cream and the fruits alternately inside the serving bowl so that there is a play of different colors.

2. Top with the cherries and the mixed nuts.

Getting your finicky toddlers or preschoolers to finish what is put on their plate may sometimes seem like an uphill task. But, how you present the food to them can make a huge difference. Try our ideas and say hello to peaceful mealtimes.

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Important Milestones: Your Child By Three Years

In 2022, CDC’s milestones and parent tips were updated and checklist for ages 15 and 30 months were added. For more information about the CDC’s developmental milestones, please review the Pediatrics journal article  and these important key points .

How your child plays, learns, speaks, acts, and moves offers important clues about your child’s development. Developmental milestones are things most children (75% or more) can do by a certain age.

Check the milestones your child has reached by 3 years by completing a checklist with CDC’s free Milestone Tracker  mobile app, for  iOS  and  Android  devices, using the Digital Online Checklist , or by printing the checklist [1 MB, 2 Pages, Print Only]  below.

“Learn the Signs. Act Early.” materials are not a substitute for standardized, validated developmental screening tools .

What most children do by this age:

Social/emotional milestones.

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Language/Communication Milestones

Cognitive milestones (learning, thinking, problem-solving), movement/physical development milestones.

Calms down within 10 minutes after you leave her, like at a childcare drop off

Strings items together, like large beads or macaroni

Puts on some clothes by himself, like loose pants or a jacket

1 of 2 images

2 of 2 images

Uses a fork

Other important things to share with the doctor…

• What are some things you and your baby do together?
• What are some things your baby likes to do?
• Is there anything your baby does or does not do that concerns you?
• Has your baby lost any skills he/she once had?
• Does your baby have any special healthcare needs or was he/she born prematurely?

Concerned About Your Child’s Development? Act Early.

You know your child best. Don’t wait. If your child is not meeting one or more milestones, has lost skills he or she once had, or you have other concerns, act early. Talk with your child’s doctor, share your concerns, and ask about developmental screening.

If you or the doctor are still concerned:

• Ask for a referral to a specialist who can evaluate your child more; and
• Call your state or territory’s early intervention program to find out if your child can get services to help. Learn more and find the number at cdc.gov/FindEI .

For more on how to help your child, visit cdc.gov/Concerned .

As your child’s first teacher, you can help his or her learning and brain development. Try these simple tips and activities in a safe way. Talk with your child’s doctor and teachers if you have questions or for more ideas on how to help your child’s development.

• Encourage your child to solve her own problems with your support. Ask questions to help her understand the problem. Help her think of solutions, try one out, and try more if needed.
• Talk about your child’s emotions and give him words to help him explain how he’s feeling. Help your child manage stressful feelings by teaching him to take deep breaths, hug a favorite toy, or go to a quiet, safe place when he is upset.
• Set a few simple and clear rules that your child can follow, such as use gentle hands when playing. If he breaks a rule, show him what to do instead. Later, if your child follows the rule, recognize and congratulate him.
• Read with your child. Ask questions, such as “What is happening in the picture?” and/or “What do you think will happen next?” When she gives you an answer, ask for more details.
• Play counting games. Count body parts, stairs, and other things you use or see every day. Children this age are starting to learn about numbers and counting.
• Help your child develop his language skills by speaking to him in longer sentences than his, using real words. Repeat what he says, for example, “need nana,” and then show how to use more “grown-up” words by saying, “I want a banana.”
• Let your child help with making meals. Give him simple tasks, such as washing fruits and vegetables or stirring.
• Give your child instructions with 2 or 3 steps. For example, “Go to your room and get your shoes and coat.”
• Limit screen time (TV, tablets, phones, etc.) to no more than 1 hour per day of a children’s program with an adult present. Don’t put any screens in your child’s bedroom. Children learn by talking, playing, and interacting with others.
• Teach your child simple songs and rhymes, such as “Itsy Bitsy Spider” or “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.”
• Give your child an “activity box” with paper, crayons, and coloring books. Color and draw lines and shapes with your child.
• Encourage your child to play with other children. This helps him learn the value of friendship and how to get along with others.
• Let your child play with playdough by squishing it, pressing it, pinching it, and making balls in different colors. This builds her hand and finger muscles for writing, buttoning, and cutting.
• Give your child simple, healthy food choices. For example, at snack time ask, “Do you want carrots or an apple?”
• Play games to teach opposites. Get down low and say, “I am small.” Then stand up and say, “I am big.” Do the same thing for fast/slow, quiet/loud.
• Play matching games. Ask your child to find objects in books or around the house that are the same.
• Play outside with your child. Go to the park or a walking trail. Allow your child plenty of time to choose what and how she wants to play. Join her and follow her lead.
• Help your child be ready for new places and meeting new people. For example, you can read stories or role play (pretend play) about new places or things to help him feel more comfortable.
• Encourage your child to tell you her name and age.

Special acknowledgments to the subject matter experts and others who contributed to the review of data and selection of developmental milestones, especially Paul H. Lipkin, MD, Michelle M. Macias, MD, Julie F. Pajek, PhD, Judith S. Shaw, EdD, MPH, RN, Karnesha Slaughter, MPH, Jane K. Squires,  PhD, Toni M. Whitaker, MD, Lisa D. Wiggins, PhD, and Jennifer M. Zubler, MD.

Sincere gratitude to Natalia Benza, MD and José O. Rodríguez, MD, MBA for their thoughtful review of the Spanish-language translation of these milestones.

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21 Fun Things to Do with a 3-Year-Old: Put that Toddler Energy to Good Use

If you’re the parent of a rowdy toddler, you’re not alone! Fortunately, you can positively channel all that energy and curiosity with our suggestions for 21 things to do with a 3-year-old below.

Three-year-olds are amazing, they have such a sense of wonder about the world and are so full of fun. But keeping them busy can feel like a full-time job.

We have put together some fun activities that you can do with your 3-year-old . Whether you’re stuck inside on a rainy day or embracing it boot-in-puddle style, these 21 great ideas help develop creativity, fine motor skills, imaginative play. (Not to mention, keeping them busy and entertained!)

In this article

Sensory Play Activities

Pretend play/imaginative play activities, five fun outdoor activities for 3-year-olds, six fine motor skills activities for 3-year-olds, what should a 3 year old know educationally, should a three-year-old know the alphabet, should a three-year-old be potty trained, can 3-year-olds draw people, fun with toddlers: summary, ten indoor activities for 3-year-olds.

There are a wealth of activities that you can do with a 3-year-old when the weather is less than favorable. As much as kids may enjoy the freedoms of the outdoors, this doesn’t mean you should underestimate the importance of some creative ideas and a few pieces of paper!

Sensory stimulation is a vital way to develop the sensory pathways and promote healthy development in your child. This stimulation can also promote wonderful opportunities for communication and strengthening bonds.

1. Playdough

A great fun way to get your children to use their imagination and make some amazing creations.

You can also have some fun making your own salt dough if you find you don’t have play dough to hand.

This is also a fun activity for them to practice their fine motor skills. Just provide them with some simple tools for cutting, chopping, and shaping the dough. Working the dough hones the strength and coordination of those tiny fingers and hands whilst they play.

2. Rice and Beans

This activity is so much fun and really helps your 3-year-olds to use their imagination.

All you need is some dry rice or beans and then lots of different-sized containers for them to pour them back and forth. Give them spoons, scoops, cups, and even a mesh strainer, and see the fun they have.

You can even encourage your kid to have some fun by mark-making, or showing them how to draw in the different textures.

For some added fun you could always dye the rice a range of colors using food coloring. This gives an extra layer of creativity to this activity for all kids and can help your three-year-olds to recognize colors and their names.

3. Water Beads

Water beads are a fantastic way to make learning fun and improve children’s hand-eye coordination through sensory play, and they can also double up as a fun outdoor activity.

You can use a variety of play ideas to improve kids’ pouring and counting skills and even include other toys and puzzles to create your own racecourse to blow the water beads through!

4. Arts and Crafts

Arts and crafts cover a broad range of activities from finger painting , using pipe cleaners, working with a glue stick, cutting out, and using chalk or markers.

You really can let their imaginations run wild. Depending on the time of year you could make cards using colored paper, do some potato printing or use some toy cars and run them through the paint to see the patterns that their wheels make.

These activities provide a fun sensory experience for your little one.

Making fun craft activities doesn’t need to be expensive either, often activities for 3-year-olds can involve several steps such as outdoor exploring to collect materials that can be attached to colored paper using a glue stick or printing using leaves and other items that you may have collected.

You could even just print off some coloring sheets and let your child have some fun exploring their own ideas.

5. Making Lunch

Another great way to involve your preschoolers in daily activities is to let them help you prepare lunch. It’s the ultimate hands-on task that can help to improve their relationship with food in the future too!

Having more control over what your little ones choose and prepare for food can increase the likelihood of them clearing their plate. It also taps into different developmental domains, eliminating the need for lots of toys overwhelming them.

You can help them get creative with different shapes and patterns when chopping up fruit and veggies and make games out of everyday activities to promote wonderful fun for your little ones.

Not only can cooking together improve your kids reading skills, but it can also teach your child valuable life skills that will stay with them throughout the course of their life.

If your young kids struggle to maintain focus on a task then you can draw or write the recipe onto some paper and watch them stay focused to ensure a great outcome.

One of the most widely recognized methods of improving kids’ speech and imagination is through play.

Many a qualified professional says this quality time together can make learning great fun. It helps teach kids exciting new ways to play in the world around them as well as improve fine motor skills, without the need for expensive toys.

Imaginative play activities for 3-year-olds work best when your child can re-enact experiences you have noticed them taking an interest in. L their ideas and imagination take the lead to enable open-ended fun with no structure.

6. Reading Books

Although you may already read with your three-year-old every day, you can make your child’s face light up by adding funny faces and voices. Not only will it delight your little one, but it will help them to identify characterizations and follow narratives.

Kids love this type of quality time together when you read books; eye contact can help to immerse your three-year-old in the story further.

It will promote a great bonding experience and help your kids associate reading as a positive experience (a net benefit well into adulthood).

There is plenty of information online showing the best books to read to your kids , and sometimes this website provides printouts for activities related to these books.

Before reading a book you could mentally take some ideas for a nice list of questions you can ask throughout the story to encourage your kid’s imagination. This will help make the most of that childlike creativity and vivid imagination when reading books with them.

7. Put On a Puppet Show

One of the most overlooked and hilarious activities for 3-year-olds is to put on a puppet show using anything you can find around the house.

You can set up a stage, make up stories together and see what great ideas your little one can come up with in their very own first performance.

Your child will love something as simple as a sock puppet, or you can even encourage them to draw a paper puppet for you to play with together.

You could use this as a chance to re-enact a difficult scenario your child may have encountered. Address their emotions at the time to enable a healthy outcome to any tantrums in the future.

8. Run a Store

Running a store is a fantastic role play experience that kids love, you can take on any role and even spend time doing fun crafts to create a store sign beforehand.

Kids love to mimic the activities they see in everyday life, and you can often find many children’s toy websites that will feature their own pretend play and toy sections to help your kids take part in their favorite roleplay scenarios.

Toddler Teatime: The Best Tea Sets for Imaginative Play

You could sell board games, pretend to play in a bowling alley or even include their own favorite activities into the play on the days when you don’t want to leave the house!

Engaging in these forms of communication gives your kids the chance to improve their language and writing skills by using phrases they wouldn’t otherwise have a chance to use.

9. Safari Adventure

This is a great activity for your 3-year-old or any other kids for that matter! Your child will love this play set up and can be fully customizable using the toys your child has available.

You can get creative in the house, by drawing on paper to make little hiding spots for your safari animals, or take your child outdoors and hide their safari toys around for them to spot!

You could put together a list on a piece of paper and develop their knowledge of animals by printing fun fact sheets from any website your child enjoys and turn this pretend play into a great learning experience.

10. Doctors and Nurses

Setting up your child their very own hospital playset is a great way to eliminate any fears your toddlers may have of a medical setting and familiarize them with some of the familiar medical terms and equipment.

With some paper signs, or even some website print outs you can decorate the walls to replicate a doctor’s office and treat your patients (dolls, toys, anything your child wants!) and let their creative sides go wild.

One of the best ways to cheer up a grumpy preschooler is by adventuring on outdoor activities and letting their imagination take over, from a scavenger hunt to pretend play, you can find so many great ideas for activities that your three-year-olds are going to find fun.

11. Mud Kitchen

Mud kitchens are a staple preschooler activity that helps to make learning fun by improving knowledge of the outdoors.

The best part about a mud kitchen is that it is fully adaptable and can be used for older kids too.

From a muddy tea party to mixing bowls full of grass and seeds, the number of ideas for your 3-year-olds mud kitchen can lead to hours of great activities and endless fun craft, without having to worry about any mess on your kitchen floor.

12. Toy Car Race Tracks

It often feels like you can miss out on all the fun if your garden space is less than desirable. Even if you only have a small space, this doesn’t mean imaginative play needs to be limited to inside the house.

You can create an obstacle course for your child and their toy cars to race through by drawing chalk on the floor to create a fun race track kids will love. It’s simple fun stuff like this that makes the best activities for 3-year-olds.

13. Blow Bubbles

Bubbles are a great way to play with any kid of all ages. Taking some out and about with you and your preschoolers is a great game to involve others and even watch your kid make friends with others effortlessly!

You can make some great games with bubbles which require lots of imagination that your kid will love. Some firm favorites include-

• Making bubble wands
• Hula hoop bubbles
• Clap the bubbles
• Add paint to your bubbles

You can make your own bubbles by mixing 1 cup of dish soap with warm water and bending an old coat hanger to make a DIY bubble blower and letting your kids enjoy this fun activity.

14. Board Games

Board games are not only a great idea for activities for 3-year-olds, they can be a fun way to include kids and toddlers of all ages and teach them wonderful new ways to solve puzzles and play a game in a social setting with the whole family.

You could even include it as a once-a-week treat to spend some quality family time together doing something you all enjoy.

Even simple board games can help to improve hand-eye coordination and dexterity in any child, as well as teaching the valuable lesson of learning to follow rules and wait your turn.

Your 3-year-old may be struggling with the idea of sharing their toys and involving others in their game, but a board game can help to encourage your 3-year-old or any other child to play as a team and work together.

15. Car Wash

Water play is always a winner with kids–and you can also get a free car wash out of this activity!

Fill a bucket with water and some toddler-safe shampoo/soap and give them a variety of brushes, sponges, and cloths to clean with. You can get them to clean the family car, a favorite  toy fire truck , their bike or scooter, or even an older sibling’s bicycle.

On a hot day, you can finish up the activity by letting them rinse off their car wash with the hose before drying up and showing off their clean new ride around the block.

16. Threading Objects

Threading beads is a fantastic and highly versatile activity that focuses on supporting your child as they work on those fine motor skills.

It will involve their perceptual, visual, and pincer grip as they focus on correctly threading the objects onto their string.

This can be a great calming activity to relieve stress and unwind after a hard day and allow your child to get creative and explore the different patterns they can make within their beads of choice

You can use anything to make this activity come to life which is a fantastic way to reduce spending on new toys you don’t have room for. You can thread any beads of choice from wooden beads, metal, buttons, leaves, felt, or even shapes.

You don’t have to use string either! It could be spaghetti, pipe cleaners, macaroni, a colander, holes in a lid, or anything you can find that would fit the activity!

Threading is a highly versatile activity that your child will enjoy at any age and can be highly adaptable to your three-year-old preferences.

17. Building Blocks

One of the most highly recognizable toddler toys is the wide variety of stacking and building blocks that are all designed to have a versatile approach to aid their learning.

These blocks can be solid and easy to stack or interlink to focus on their engineering skills.

Structured block play is highly adaptable and can help improve color work and mathematic skills as a visual representation can help your little ones to understand basic mathematic concepts easier.

18. Webbed Baskets

Grab a small basket and some string and watch your kids love trying to solve this puzzle!

You can alter the amount of yarn you use in order to suit their abilities with this task and give them some tweezers, tongs or even a clothes peg to fish out small toys you place under the layers of string.

You can use any toys you have to hand such as plastic spiders, wooden pegs, or figurines your child loves! This activity is suitable for older children too if you want to improve their fine motor skills.

19. Gem Patterns

If you want to start focusing on patterns and shapes within letters then this is a great idea that kids love!

Using any buttons, beads, or shiny gems you have, trace a pattern onto some paper and get your child to follow the pattern with their chosen material.

You can even get them to focus more on creating a repetitive pattern with the colors of their buttons and beads to work on their concentration skills.

You could also alter this activity to include pipe cleaners and get your kids to bend and wiggle them into the right shapes and focus their hand strength.

20. Fidget Objects

Making your own fidget pillow isn’t as difficult as you may think, although there are several available online to purchase.

You can introduce a variety of different developmental activities to help improve your child’s skills. You can include zippers, buttons, switches, locks, or even doorknobs and attach them to a board or block for your toddler to focus on the individual skills that they’re most interested in.

21. Scissor Skills

Introducing the use of scissors can be a highly scary topic for a 3-year-old, but around this age, it is perfectly normal for them to develop an interest in this exciting-looking object.

Showing your child the safest ways to use scissors is the best way to introduce the use of scissors and also improve their visual-motor skills as well as an appreciation and understanding for appropriate tool usage.

There are a few fun activities you can introduce the use of scissors to your toddler:

• Cutting Playdough
• Cutting foam sheets
• Cutting string/ yarn
• Cutting paper

All of these methods are a great way to get creative with your little one, but of course, make sure you watch over them as they work on this new skill so you can appropriately help them learn how much fun this can be.

If your child is already familiar with the use of scissors you can draw some interesting patterns on paper for them to follow along with their scissors to work on their steady hand and gripping skill ready for all the crafts to come!

Frequently Asked Questions

As parents, we can spend a lot of time worrying about our children’s development and if they are meeting the correct milestones. Here are some frequently asked questions about your three-year-old to help.

At three years of age, most kids should be able to correctly name common colors, memorize parts of stories, understand a better concept of time, have a wider creative thought, understand differences in sizing and notice the difference in similar and different features.

By this age, your child will usually not remember the whole alphabet, but often will be able to remember around half the letters and their sounds in order to connect a letter to their sound.

Most children will not fully master potty training until their fourth year, although if you start around 18 months of age then they may begin being fully potty trained during their third year.

Usually, around this age, a drawing of a person will emerge with a “tadpole” style, and a head attached directly to the legs with some arms sticking from the sides.

Related Reading: 12 Kid-Friendly Card Games

At three-year-olds your child will be showing so much more emotion and awareness of the world around them.

During this important stage of understanding their own mind and body, you can really ease this developmental stage through creative play and educational learning to make the job of learning these new skills easy and stress-free for the caregivers.

Filling each day with exciting and entertaining age-appropriate activities can seem like an overwhelming task, but having access to open-ended toys and multi-purpose materials can do the world of good for your little one and help them play and learn together.

This article has covered some of the firm favorites that toddlers know and love, and given you some ideas for ways to improve your three-year-olds developing skills in a fun and appropriate way that can get the whole family involved.

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2-3 year olds

Dec 20, 2019

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Toddlers. 2-3 year olds. TODDLER DESCRIPTION. 1-3 years Stubborn Egocentric No –Want (Vocabulary) 1 st Word learned/continues to improve Terrible Twos Explorer Imitator Temper Tantrums. PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT. Slowed Growth Rapid Mental & Emotional Development

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Toddlers 2-3 year olds

TODDLER DESCRIPTION • 1-3 years • Stubborn • Egocentric • No –Want (Vocabulary) • 1st Word learned/continues to improve • Terrible Twos • Explorer • Imitator • Temper Tantrums

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT • Slowed Growth • Rapid Mental & Emotional Development • Weight Gains 5-10 lbs yearly • Height Gains 3 inches yearly • Stands Alone • Body –prominent abdomen, forward curve • Waddles, Walks with wide stance • Body Systems are maturing

PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT • Behavior – Negativism • Ritualism • Dawdling • Temper Tantrums • Separation Anxiety

DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES • Period of Slow and Steady Development • No Sudden Growth • Social Contact Influences • Explores • Experiences • Independence

LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT • 2 years – two words, noun-verb • Simple sentences • No • Read to Often • Answer Questions • Name Objects as they Play • Have Toddlers Use Language • Read Words, Show Pictures • Expressive Comprehensive Vocabulary • Imitating What They Hear • Difficult – Pronouns Correctly (I, me, him, her) • Bilingual – Both Languages

EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT • Autonomy • Trust Others • Independence • Doubt • Shame • Consistent About Safety Rules • Obstinate, Difficult to Manage • Resistant to Being Cuddled • Enthusiastic About Interacting with People • Gender Differences • Parallel Play • Toys with Action • Check Toys – no loose parts, sharp edges • Manipulative, Household Activity, or Outdoor Toys

COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT • Scientist • Problem Solving • Deferred Imitation • Preoperational Thought • Use of Assimilation Process

TODDLER SAFETY • Immunizations 15, 18, 24 months • Toilet Training • Parent-Toddler Relationships • Accidents : motor vehicles, falls, aspiration, drowning, animal bites, poisoning, burns

FEEDING • Eating Problems – messy, appetite varies • 15 months – finger feeding, self feed • 18 months – able to use spoon/cup, may throw them, spills less • 24 months – appetite fair, defines dislikes, accepts no help, still spills • 30 months – preferences less evident, holds spoon like adult, tilts head to get last drop from cup

TIPS FOR FEEDING • Small Portions • Substitue for disliked food • Simply prepared food • Social atmosphere • Allow to use spoon and fork • Regular mealtimes – 20 minutes • Small nutritious snacks between meals • Desserts – do not use as reward

DRESSING • Easy Buttons • Large Zippers, Velcro • May Put Clothes on Backwards

SLEEP • 1 nap, 8 hours at night • Routines prior to sleeping • Feel secure

BATH • Routine • Fun, but caution • Age 2, learn to brush teeth • Rinse with water

TOLIET TRAINING • Potty Chair • Good Hygiene • Approval or No Comment • Appropriate Dressing • Positive Role Model • No Comment on Messiness • Do not flush Toilet while child sitting on it • Do not expect perfection

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The ad begins like most matrimonial postings, highlighting the man’s physical appearance and caste, but then takes an unexpected turn..

The ad also claims the 16-slide presentation will be sent through WhatsApp.

A matrimonial ad of a 26-year-old “investor” from Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, has been making waves on social media for its bizarre claims. The man claims he earns ₹29 lakh per annum, adding his income is “compoundingly increasing” by 54% every year. This advertisement, going viral on X, has sparked curiosity and amusement among people.

The ad highlights the man's physical appearance and caste but quickly takes an unexpected turn, shifting focus to his financial credentials. The investor is said to be active in the Indian stock market and claims to have a self-discovered and self-taught method of growing his income at an extraordinary rate.

“Investor (Indian stock market), earning 29 LPA (actual, present). Income and net worth compoundingly increasing every year by 54% (self-discovered, self-taught work),” reads the ad.

But it doesn't stop there. To assure potential matches of the safety and stability of his profession, the man also offers to share a PowerPoint presentation detailing his approach to “safe investing,” and how it makes him “financially independent.” The ad also claims the 16-slide presentation will be sent through WhatsApp to anyone interested in learning how his unique method has made him financially independent.

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“Investing is own work (Safe Business). A PowerPoint presentation (16 slides), created by the boy, explaining how Safe Investing makes him Financially Independent, will be sent by reply WhatsApp message,” the rest of the ad reads.

Posted first by Samit Singh, an ex-banker, on X, the ad has received a flurry of comments, ranging from disbelief to amusement.

What all bull market does to people. Rough calculations show that he was 10 year old when 2008 GFC hit us. ⁦ @ActusDei ⁩ - maybe someone from your team should reach out to him. Not for matrimonial but for that ppt! ???? pic.twitter.com/9jAquIy1co — Samit Singh (@kumarsamit) October 6, 2024

One of the comments suggested the ideal match for the investor would be a “short seller so that they can build an all-weather household!”

Girl should be a short seller so that they can build an all-weather household! — Kapil Bhatt (@KapilV_B) October 6, 2024

Another user remarked the man was aiming for a win-win situation wherein he'd find a bride and even promote his PowerPoint presentation at the same time!

Sahi mein ppt wala hai. Guy is trying to get double benefits from the advert. Shadi bhi ho jayega aur ppt bhi chal jayega pic.twitter.com/6aQ89UK6bk — Manjeet Singh (@manjeet1972) October 6, 2024

A third comment read that with a 54% compounding rate, the man would outpace investor Warren Buffett in no time.

59% Compounding - boss this guy will beat Buffett very soon ! — CA Puneet Agarwal (@banyanfa) October 6, 2024

In yet another light-hearted jab, one user remarked that while he insists there's “no demand,” he seems to be keeping a “call option” open.

He has said there is No Demand but he may want to have a Call Option just Incase he feels the need ???? — Anubhav Rastogi (@1AnubhavRastogi) October 6, 2024

However, the unusual matrimonial ad also sparked concern among some users, who questioned its legitimacy and wondered if it was a phishing scam.

Beware - Probably phishing attempt! There are several tell-tale red flags!! — Nilesh (@nilesh_hkg) October 6, 2024

As the matrimonial ad continues to capture attention online, it's also led to laughter and curiosity about the lengths to which people go to impress potential partners.

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Houston’s Oldest Art House Cinema Reopens With In-Seat Dining and Cocktail Service

The 85-year-old River Oaks Theatre reopened on Thursday, October 3, with a whole weekend of sold-out shows, film-themed cocktails, and a banh mi-style hotdog

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Share All sharing options for: Houston’s Oldest Art House Cinema Reopens With In-Seat Dining and Cocktail Service

Houston’s oldest movie theater, River Oaks Theatre , has officially reopened to the public, and in addition to its new digs, the cinema is offering a new dine-in service that goes well beyond candy and buttered popcorn (though they have that, too). Located in River Oaks Shopping Center, the theater opened on Thursday, October 3, with a sold-out screening of the new film Joker: Folie à Deux.

The new River Oaks Theatre dine-in experience makes it so that diners don’t have to limit themselves to eating before or after a show. Each plush seat in the theater has its own QR code that leads to the theater’s online menu , from which diners can request a server and order using a light-up button on the right of their seat . Food and drinks are then directly delivered to each diner.

Justin Yoakum, the culinary director of Culinary Khancepts, has curated a full menu with spicy veal and pork meatballs, lobster rolls, the saucy Luv Ya Blu Burger topped with French-fried onions and gorgonzola, pretzel bites served with beer cheese sauce and honey mustard, seafood cakes, and the banh mi-style Houston Hot Dog with Sriracha mayo and jalapeños as an ode to city. For dessert, there’s an ice cream sandwich made with homemade cookies, chocolate tarts, and a strawberry mascarpone cheesecake. Yoakum says that candy includes classics like M&M’s, but he also included chocolate-covered almonds to stray from the typical.

Drinks are where things get a little more thematic. Outfitted with ritzy bars with velvet-covered seating on both the first and second floors, the theater offers a menu of wine, beer, and cocktails inspired by Hollywood films like That Rug Really Tied the Room Together, a combination of vanilla vodka, Kahlua, and heavy cream that’s based on The Big Lebowski , and the You Wouldn’t Make Fun of It If…, a mix of vodka, gin, blue curacao, and Sprite that’s garnished with a paper cocktail umbrella similar to the one featured in David Fincher’s classic Zodiac.

Hospitality group Culinary Khancepts — which also operates Star Cinema Grill, Reel Luxury Cinemas in the Woodlands, and State Fare Kitchen & Bar — has led the theater reboot. Jason Ostrow, the vice president of development of Culinary Khancepts, and Robert Saucedo, the artistic director of River Oaks Theatre, say the group has worked with preservation groups for the past two years to redo the 85-year-old building’s infrastructure and restore much of its original art deco design and historical elements, including its iconic marquee, terrazzo flooring, and the statues that grace the main auditorium.

Thanks to the new sound, lighting, stage systems, and more refined seating, the theater is also now equipped to host live events, including concerts and comedy shows for more people. The main auditorium, which seats 237 people, features two retractable screens, a brand new projector, theatrical lighting, a new sound system, and an additional 10-foot cinema-scope screen to ensure the theater can play all kinds of films. Two upstairs auditoriums seat 50 people each, while an upstairs VIP private screening lounge with a projector screen that displays Blue Ray DVDs can seat 20.

River Oaks Theatre already has a lineup of spooky-themed films and comedy shows booked through October. The theater has created a host of new incentives to draw people in, including subscription services, themed clubs, and an opportunity to personalize one of 50 seats with engraved plaques. Saucedo says filmmaker Wes Anderson and actor Richard Linklater, a major supporter of the cinema, already have plaques on seats in their honor.

Attendees are encouraged to buy tickets online since shows are quickly selling out.

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