October Program Planning Themes & Child Care Activities

Here is October's Program Planning Calendar complete with 4 weeks worth of themes and child care activities.

Week 1: The Giving Tree

This week's theme introduces children to the benefits we get from trees and the things trees give us. Start this week reading ' The Giving Tree' by Shel Silverstein

Monday: Literacy: Read ' The Giving Tree' by Shel Silverstein, Fine Motor: do this giving tree activity ( try replacing writing the words with pictures or photo cards for younger children)

Tuesday: FINE Motor, Literacy: What do we get from trees activity, Make this into a literacy activity by making the words traceable for younger children to practice writing. You will need to research more things we get from trees, (Examples: Oxygen, paper, fruits, shade in the summer, maple syrup etc.)

Wednesday: Gross Motor & STEM: Go for a walk and collect pinecones to do this pine cone science experiment

Thursday: Gross Motor & ART: Go for a walk and collect leaves and make this nature tree art project

Friday: Gross Motor, Fine Motor, & Art: Find branches and make this thankful tree project for Thanksgiving day, ART: create these mason jar fall tree luminaries ( tip; use LED Tea Lights)

Week 2: Costumes & Theatre

The idea for this week is to make DIY costumes with the children that can be added to your dramatic play area. Dedicate time each day for the children to play in dramatic play and create stories and play using those costumes.

Monday: ART, Fine Motor, Dramatic Play: Create animal feet using empty tissue boxes, Create a paper plate dinosaur mask, a fox mask, or this cat mask

Tuesday: Art, Fine Motor, Dramatic Play: Create this rocket-fueled jet pack, this Doctor's shirt, this chef's hat, or this hungry caterpillar costume

Wednesday: Art, Fine Motor, Dramatic Play: Create a knight's shield from a cardboard box,

Thursday: Art, Fine Motor, Dramatic Play: Create this Pipe cleaner crown, these troll hair headbands, this paper beard costume

Friday: Art, Fine Motor, Dramatic Play: Create these superhero cuffs and this no-sew superhero cape

Week 3: Bugs Life

Monday: Gross Motor: Spider web obstacle course, Art: Spider Web painting

Tuesday: Fine Motor & STEM: Insect composition using photos of bugs and insects

Wednesday: STEM & Sensory: Make this bug slime

Thursday: Gross Motor: Do this caterpillar race activity, Fine Motor: melt these icy insect eggs

Friday: STEM & Fine Motor: bug hotel craft

Week 4: The Great Pumpkin

Monday: Art: Paint resist pumpkin art activity

Tuesday: STEM, Fine Motor: Make these pumpkin cinnamon rolls or these baked pumpkin donut holes

Wednesday: Gross Motor: children will love this glow stick necklace pumpkin ring toss activity

Thursday: Literacy: colorful pumpkin seed activity

Friday: Sensory: children will have a blast making this pumpkin homemade slime