Journaling for Preschoolers

This week I decided to introduce journaling to my boys (ages 3 and 4).  I really wanted to work on those pre-writing skills.  Pre-writing typically begins with scribbling and progresses to organizing shapes and letters in a line until the child's phonemic awareness increases and they are using inventive spellings.  I thought that daily journaling would be a great way for them to get some practice.

Since my 4 year old has shown some interest in weather, I choose to start off with a weather journal.  We sat down together and discussed the weather and even talked about some ways of representing it in the journal.  I wanted them to get used to the idea of daily journaling and I thought this would be an easy way to introduce it.  To begin, I made some journals with blank white computer paper and construction paper. 

    

My four year old had the blue journal and the three year old had the red journal.  Right now they are basically drawing pictures and dictating to me what to write.  This will help them see the connection from spoken word to written word to reading.  If you look at the second picture you will see that my three year got a little off topic.  He began picking up a yellow crayon talking about the sun and drew a circle and then went on to draw, what he said, was a banana.  It's not important that he didn't stay on topic, the important thing is that he is putting his thoughts on paper. 

This activity aligns with the following content standards and learning criteria from the West Virginia Early Learning Standards Framework:

Writing:  Text Type and Purposes:
1.  Progresses from using scribble shapes or pictures to represent ideas, to using letter-like symbols or invented spelling, to copying or writing familiar words such as his/her own name.
2.  Uses a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to communicate ideas, thoughts, and feelings.
3.  Demonstrates an understanding that writing relays a message that can be read.  

Science:  Scientific Knowledge:
1.  Observes and describes the immediate and familiar world, such as the natural word, materials, living things, and natural processes.  

Thanksgiving Tree

Step one:  Lay out wax paper on a table.  Squirt some yellow and red paint on the wax paper.  I chose red and yellow for fall colored leaves and the opportunity to talk about color mixing (red + yellow = orange). Provide children with several options of mixing/manipulating the paint.  I used several type of brushes and encouraged the use of their fingers as well.  After they have mixed until their hearts content, lay another piece of wax paper on top of the paint.  The end result should look something like this:

Step Two:  While you wait for the paint to dry, gather sticks from outside.  This is a great time to talk about colors of leaves, leaves falling, change of seasons, etc...

Step Three:  After the paint dried, I drew some leaves on the paper.  Each child was instructed to cut along the lines.

 Step Four:  Depending on the age/ability of the child, have them dictate to you or write what they are thankful for on the leaves.   

Step Five:  I did not have a hole punch, so I used a large needle and poked it through the paper to thread some yarn in order to hang the leaves.  You could add an additional fine motor activity by allowing them to punch holes and thread yarn through the holes.

Step Six:  Hang your leaves on the "tree" and talk about what each leaf says as it is hung on the "tree".
 

This activity aligns with the following standards based on the West Virginia Early Learning Standards Framework (http://wvde.state.wv.us/policies/p2520.15.pdf)


Language and Literacy:  Writing:  Text type and Purpose:  2.Uses a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to communicate ideas, thoughts, and feelings.

Science: Scientific Knowledge:  Understanding the living and physical world:   1.Observes and describes the immediate and familiar world, such as the natural world, materials, living things, and natural processes.

The Arts: Visual Art:  Foundations of Visual Art:   4.Explores color and texture using different mediums,including clay, natural materials, wood, paper, crayons, chalk, paint, glue, paste, etc.

Physical Health and Development:  Fine Motor:  Fine Motor Development:   1.Demonstrates increased ability, strength, dexterity, and control to manipulate and use tools such as scissors, staplers, hammers, and fastening tools.