I need a fun science experiment to do with kids.

How can I make these games easier for kids?

• I need to modify these games for toddlers (ages 1-3), because I got them from preschool sites, so they are for older kids. This is for a fun learning program I am starting during the summer. I have 5 kids in the program: a 1 year old, a 1 1/2 year old, two 2 year olds and a 3 year old. Theme: Fish/Under the Sea 9:00 – 9:15 – Free play 9:15 – 10:15 – Friendship Circle – Introduce theme by showing kids fun and bright pictures of different fish – maybe even include some funny looking fish. Arts and Crafts: Play dough Starfish - Obtain a few star cookie cutters. Show children how to roll the play dough with a rolling pin and cut it with the cookie cutter, to make starfish. Can they form a starfish without the cookie cutter? Paper Plate Fish: Draw a triangle mouth shape on a paper plate. Have children cut out the triangle, and have them glue it on the fish as a tail. Let your child color, or use glitter, or tissue paper to decorate their fish. 10:30 – 11:00 – Table Time Educational Learning Science Experiment: Ocean Bottle -Clean out an empty plastic pop bottle. Add water, blue food coloring, and glitter, and maybe a few pebbles. Seal the bottle closed using a little hot glue, allow to completely dry before the children can play with it. Tip the bottle back and forth. Roll the bottle on the floor. Each kid gets to make one. Math Game: Octopus Color Changes Discuss with children how an octopus will change colors to blend with it's surroundings. Cut four or five different colored octopus from construction paper. Set out four or five of matching sheets of construction paper. Ask your child to match the octopus with it's background. Story Time: “Rainbow Fish to the Rescue” “One fish two fish red fish blue fish” “My Goldfish” After story time, create fish and octopus puppets, using crayons and popsicle sticks. For dramatic play, out a little puppet show. Finger Play Five Little Fishies Group game: Fishing for Colors Tie string string around the end of the stick and then attach the magnet to serve as the hook. Cut the construction paper into fish shapes several inches in length. Attach a paper clip to the head of each fish. You can place the fish on the floor or put them in an empty aquarium. Show your child how to use the magnetized fishing pole to "catch" a fish. Have him identify the color of the fish he catches.

• Answer:

  I use to keep a large group of young kids ages toddler-4 or 5. I'd kept them during bible study groups. I'd keep them for almost 3hrs. Often I'd have about 6-8 kids depending on who showed up for the bible studies. You can plan all you want but due to the young ages of the kids in your group it is going to be really hard to stick to a schedule. Young kids are really unpredictable. You can plan a fun reading circle time yet one toddler may not want to come inside after playtime. This child may scream and cry while you have the other kids sitting around doing nothing. So you need to leave plenty of time for unexpected things. Also it sounds like way to much! Strings & magnets are dangerous choking hazards for kids the age you tending. Same for the paper clips. you can't expect young kids to sit still for an hour for circle time. I'd say sit down and create your own plan. It is just going to be to hard to set a schedule for kids this young. You will have maybe all of them in diapers with possibly one potty training. That right there can take up a lot of your day. When you change one childs diaper you will have to have the other 4 kids in your sight & they won't like having to stop, come inside while someone is change. I hope you have some help.