Colour by number STEM activity with colour and number recognition for pre schoolers. This is coding in its simplest form. It supports number and colour recognition and also encourages pouring, transfering and hand eye coordination. 

Wrap up some letters or numbers. Children love unwrapping things. They can unwrap each present and discover what is inside. A brilliant fine motor activity and it provides an array of opportunities to discuss what they unwrap. You could even play pass the parcel with them!

Learning shpaes with paint. Learning and recognising shapes in a fun way. Paint around the edges of the shapes with qtips (also great for fine motor). Lots of opportunities for shape and colour language development.

Water beads are great fun. Why not try teaming them with a marble run? This can provide hours of fun and also support those pouring and transfering schemas.

Shape puzzle. An easy and cheap shape puzzle for little ones. Create some different shapes together using pipecleaners. Then draw the shapes you have created onto some paper. Can they match the pipe cleaner shape to the drawing on the page?

Create simple puzzles for pre schoolers in a quick and engaging way. Print out the front cover image of their favourite books. Then cut the image into a few pieces. Allow them to use the front cover of their book to work out how to place each of the pieces back together again.

A perfect pre writing activity for little ones. This is a wonderful vertical surface activity that offers a wide range of developmental opportunities including fine motor skills, engaging core strength, bilateral coordination, hand eye coordination, gross motor skills, spatial awareness and cognitive development. An activity that works the vestibular system and also the proprioceptive system. Working on a vertical surface extends the wrist position to support those muscles later needed for pencil grip.

DIY pre writing board. Layer some cardboard with cut out pre writing shapes. Use cellotape over the top so that their drawings can be rubbed out each time. 

A very simple fine motor activity. Freeze some dinosaurs in some containers or balloons. Children can free the dinosaurs from the eggs using pipettes, warm water, small toy chisels (we often use our pumpkin carving kids kits with supervision). Perfect one for dinosaur lovers.

A phase 1 phonics activity designed specifically to support langauge development and identification of different sounds. Fill some containers with various different items. Encourage children to shake each container to discover each sound. What could it be? How does it sound? Why is each sound different?

Learn about mixing colours in a really easy way. Add a few drops of food colouring to small amounts of water. Give the children corresponding colour craft sticks and allow them to mix the two colours together. What colour does the water turn when you mix them together?

Use pipe cleaners adn garden sticks to create your own bubble wands. You can create different shapes and sizes and notice what happens to each bubble. A great fun outdoors activity.

A wonderfully simple way to practice those pre writing skills. Trace over the chalk markings with a paintbrush and water. This is great for fine motor and mark making.

Team an old puzzle with a sensory activity. Adding some coloured rice to a puzzle can be a lovelt sensory explorative experience. Chidren can fill the spaces on the puzzle board with rice, they can dust it away and fill it with the missing pieces. You can even hide the pieces in the rice for them to uncover.

A simple and easy set up to suport fine motor, pre writing and pattern practice. Cut up some coloured card and draw pre writing shapes on each piece. Proivde a range of different materials for children to place along the lines of the drawn shapes. A great writing readiness activity.

Every summer, all parents watch bubble mixture being poured onto the ground as children insits on holding the buble wands themselves. To solve this problem, tape the bubble wand to a table leg in the garden!

Practicing cutting skills on a vertical surface. Attached some marked paper to a wall using some craft tape. Cutting on a vertical surface really encourages correct use and position of the scissors. It helps to strengthen the hand muscles, supports bilateral coordination skills, visual motor skills and visual perceptual skills.

Using lolly sticks, create these easy shape finders. Children can then take their shape finder on a shape hunt! How many squares can you find in the house? How many triangles can you spot on our walk today?