Introduction:
Sharing is a vital skill that all young children should learn. Teaching kids to share at an early age can have numerous social and emotional benefits. It can help create lasting friendships, promote empathy, and set the stage for successful teamwork. Here are 18 fantastic sharing activities you can introduce to preschoolers.
1. Pass the Ball
In this activity, children sit in a circle and pass a ball around while music plays. When the music stops, the child holding the ball must answer a question or perform a task before passing it on.
2. Puzzle Time
Set up puzzles on different tables with equal numbers of pieces. Have each child join a table and encourage them to work together to complete their puzzle as quickly as they can.
3. Cooperative Coloring
Provide large pieces of paper and invite children to draw pictures together, discussing what they should create before beginning.
4. Snack Share
Have kids share snacks such as fruit or crackers during snack time, encouraging them to divide food equally among their peers.
5. Playground Cleanup
Organize a playground cleanup, requiring kids to work together in small groups to collect trash and tidy up equipment.
6. Story Time Swap
Ask children to bring in their favorite book from home and swap it with another child for story time.
7. Give and Take Game
Pair children up and give each pair a small toy or item, explaining that they will need to cooperate and exchange items until a set number of exchanges have been made.
8. Shared Lego Builds
Challenge children in pairs or small groups to build specific structures together using Lego bricks or building blocks.
9. Rotation Stations
Create activity stations around the classroom and guide children through rotating around each station in predetermined time segments, encouraging them to cooperate as they engage in various activities with new partners throughout the day.
10. Bringing Together
In this art project, kids work together to glue puzzle pieces or colorful paper scraps onto a shared poster board to create a cohesive image.
11. Planting Seeds
A gardening project where children work together to plant seeds, water the plants and watch them grow over time.
12. Build a Band
Encourage children to create instruments from household items, then form their own band together, sharing their unique musical creations.
13. Shared Science Experiments
Guide preschoolers through simple experiments such as mixing colors with water or creating a volcanic eruption with baking soda and vinegar, encouraging teamwork and discussion.
14. Blanket Forts
Provide blankets, pillows, and chairs for children to build forts together as they enhance their problem-solving and communication skills.
15. Puppet Show Planning
Have kids collaborate in small groups to create and perform their own puppet shows based on favorite stories or their imaginations.
16. Show and Tell Sharing
Encourage children to take turns bringing in an item from home for show and tell, discussing why it is important or special to them.
17. Coding Cooperative
Introduce simple coding activities that require pairs of children to collaborate on solving problems or completing tasks.
18. Community Helpers Mural
Create a mural as a class where each child adds an image of a community worker (e.g., firefighter, teacher, nurse), highlighting the importance of cooperation within the community.
Conclusion:
These 18 superb sharing activities can help preschoolers learn valuable life skills that prepare them for future social interactions. By engaging in these activities consistently throughout the year, preschoolers are better equipped to handle various collaborative situations that they’ll surely encounter in school and beyond.
