July Preschool Activities

July preschool activities help children learn about this special month.

Theme: Flags and Fireworks
Letter: G, W
Number: 7
Color: Red, White and Blue
Shape: Star and Rectangle
Activities:

1. Holidays:
   July 4th- Independence Day
   
   
2. July Preschool Activities: Science
   Talk about the parts of our universe, including planets, sun, moon, and stars (shape of the month). Give the children a chance to discuss what they would do if they were an astronaut? Would they like to live on the moon? Would they like to visit another planet and why?
   
   WARNING: This experiment is extremely fun, but requires caution. You can make your own 4th of July fireworks explosion using a liter of Diet Coke and a roll of Mentos candy. This experiment needs to be done outside in an open area and the children need to be kept at a safe distance away from the experiment. Place the liter of Diet Coke on top of a table, then very quickly, but carefully add the entire roll of Mentos. The candy must be added all at one time so you will want to use a funnel type of system so that the candy can be added as quickly as possible. Once added, step far back and watch the explosion!
   
   
3. July Preschool Activities: Social Studies
   Teach about why we celebrate our Independence Day and what freedom means. You can also introduce other important symbols of America such as the flag, bald eagle, Statue of Liberty, and Liberty Bell. Ask the children to share their plans for celebrating the 4th of July.
   
   
4. Imagination:
   Pretend to have a Fourth of July parade. Decorate some wagons using crepe paper in red, white, and blue. Add some flags and other patriotic items. Or, decorate one wagon in red, one in blue, and one in white. The children will put all red colored decorations in the red wagon and so forth. Have some children walk the parade while others are sitting on the sidelines cheering. Then, let the children switch places so that everyone has a turn participating.
   
   
5. July Preschool Activities: Arts and Crafts
   Make a patriotic windsock. Use blue construction paper and fold into a wide tube. Secure it closed with staples or glue stick. Attach alternation red and white strips of paper to the bottom of one end of the blue tube. Add white pre-cut stars to the blue tube. You can attach a string or yarn to the top.
   
   Make a flag using popsicle sticks. You will need 13 popsicle sticks, blue construction paper, and white stars. Paint 5 sticks red and 4 sticks white. Arrange them together starting with red, then white, red, then white and so on. Glue 3 sticks vertically on the back to hold them together. Use the final stick to glue on the back side of the left hand side to use as a flag pole. Then, cut a rectangular shape out of the blue construction paper and glue in the upper left hand corner of the popsicle sticks. Add white stars using stickers, construction paper, or sponge painting.
   
   Using a paper plate, make Mr. Golden Sun. Let the children paint the paper plate yellow. Glue strips of yellow construction paper all around the plate for the rays. Add the elements of the face by drawing them on, gluing on cut-outs, painting them on, or using pom-poms or buttons for something extra fun.
   
   
6. Reading:
   Read "The Flag We Love" by Pam Munoz Ryan.
   
   Read "Hooray for The Fourth of July” by Wendy Watson..
   
   
7. Language:
   Introduce the letters and letter sounds for G and W. Have the children use sidewalk chalk to practice drawing the letters F,f and W,w. They can also draw pictures of objects that start with F and W.
   
   Sing the "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star," “Yankee Doodle,” and "The Star-Spangled Banner."
   
   
8. July Preschool Activities: Math, Thinking Skills
   Have the children make comparisons about each other’s height. For example, ask Billy to guess if Sammy is taller than Johnny. Find out if the class agrees or disagrees. Once there is a final decision, find out who is right, the class or Billy. This game can be repeated several times.
   
   
9. Math, Shapes:
   Play the I, Spy game. Say, I, Spy with my little eye a blue star or a red rectangle and have the children practice finding these shapes in the room.
   
   
10. Math, Counting:
    Introduce the number 7 and show everyone how to hold up 7 fingers and count to 7. Make a sponge cut into the shape of a rectangle and a sponge cut into the shape of a star. Let the kids dip the shapes into paint and paint 7 rectangles, 7 stars, then make a pattern with the rectangle and star shapes.
    
    
11. Coordination and Movement:
    Have the children pretend to be rockets or fireworks that are about to blast off. They can crouch down, then practice counting backwards from 7 (number of the month), and then jump up in the air.
    
    
12. July Preschool Activities: Social Skills
    Have the children sit in a circle. Make up a story about having a 4th of July cookout. Say “We are having a cookout and this is what I need __________.” Let each child take a turn sharing and idea of what item they would need for the 4th of July cookout.