Creative Preschoolers
(Three to Five Years)
Image Source: CanvaThe “Why” years can be rather trying at times, but what a clear sign of your child’s expanding knowledge! This is the prime time to make memories through shared activities. Creativity can be encouraged through art, dance, music and story-telling activities. These activities may be one-on-one with your child or with small groups of preschoolers.
Three to Four Years
At three years of age, you may notice new skills such as matching shapes, colors and patterns or drawing simple faces. Three-year-olds may use a pencil or crayon to print large capital letters or they may cut with scissors and begin to follow simple outlines. These are some activities you may enjoy trying with your child:
- Reading stories and poems with repeating phrases where children can join in
- Singing or dancing activities in small groups such as “Ring Around the Rosy” and “Musical Chairs”
- Reciting rhymes or finger plays with counting
- Dancing or exaggerated movements in front of a mirror
- Making collages using paper, glue, and pictures cut from magazines
- Labeling your child’s artwork using his/her own words and then letting your child “read” it
- Humming familiar tunes and encouraging your child to recall lyrics or add new verses
- Asking your child to choose a favorite storybook character to act out and discussing the character’s feelings and emotions
- Reading a familiar story and pausing halfway through to let your child recall the ending or make up a new ending
- Telling stories of grandparents, aunts and uncles when they were children
- Imitating movements made by animals (loud and fast or soft and slow)
- Imitating sounds found in nature (wind, rain, hail, thunder)
Four to Five Years
Are you starting to hear “stories” from your child that show imagination and exaggeration? Do these stories involve lots of actions such as running, jumping and hopping? Here are some other creative activities to try:
- Repeating sequences of three to five simple movements to fit a song or dance
- Creating child drums by using empty containers
- Making a patchwork quilt with scraps of paper or fabric
- Inserting a familiar song when telling a story or reading a book
- Drawing a character from a favorite book or drawing a self-portrait while looking in a mirror
- Observing animals and drawing them in motion
- Identifying what is missing from a drawing of a face or animal
- Bringing clipboards outside so children can draw trees, flowers, pine cones, and tall grass
- Dramatizing a story together with familiar roles and then reversing roles in the same story.
Five Years
“I can do this!” Yes, your child will demonstrate many new skills during this year! Physical skills may include jumping rope, playing hopscotch, doing somersaults and cartwheels and riding a bike. Buildings made with cardboard or blocks may become quite elaborate and so will the stories that accompany these adventures. Encourage your child’s creativity by providing opportunities to try some of the following activities:
- Making scrapbooks of favorite stories or artwork
- Writing a song together
- Telling a brief story and have your child draw or paint pictures showing emotions
- Role play a familiar chore and have your child guess the activity, then reverse roles
- Choosing a theme and have children create a mural using sidewalk chalk
- Demonstrating dance movements and then have children take turns leading the dance while the music plays
- Reciting poetry about emotions and experiences. Reciting a second time with pauses to let your preschooler provide keywords especially concerning feelings. Encouraging your child to talk about any other feelings.
- Provide a prop box of durable items and choose stories to dramatize
For more information on developmental milestones, check out our NebGuide on Ages and Stages for 3, 4, and 5 year olds https://extensionpublications.unl.edu/assets/pdf/g2106.pdf
Our Beautiful Day video inspires families to Go on a Nature Walk https://mediahub.unl.edu/media/12406 or here is another on playing a game of Bean Bag Toss https://mediahub.unl.edu/media/13187. Discover and Design are packed full of ideas https://fitandhealthykids.unl.edu/discover-and-design.
Linked resource: Creative Connections: Young Children and the Arts
By the Maryland State Department of Education, 2013
www.marylandhealthybeginnings.org
LA DONNA WERTH, EARLY CHILDHOOD EXTENSION EDUCATOR | UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA
Peer Reviewed by Lynn DeVries, Lisa Poppe, and Jackie Steffen, Early Childhood Extension Educators
Make sure to follow The Learning Child on social media for more research-based early childhood education resources!
Feeding Corn Residue in A Round Bale Feeder: Can It Meet Cow Needs?
The drought across much of the western U.S has resulted in low hay production, high hay prices and in some cases, no hay to be bought. Some producers may be considering using corn residue bales. Corn residue has been traditionally used as a roughage source in feedlot diets and more recently mixed with more energy dense feeds and fed to cows in confinement. However, many operations may not have the ability to mix and feed diets.
Spanish:FAQ for Fire Damage to Unharvested Crops and Harvested Ground
The 2022 GSL Youth Science Field Day
Forty-seven high school students from Cherry, Grant, Hooker, and Thomas counties attended the Gudmundsen Sandhills Laboratory (GSL) Youth Science Day on October 5. Beef Systems Extension Educator, T. L. Meyer, kicked off the event with an introduction to GSL before dividing the students into two groups for lab rotation topics. The six topics included Smart Feeder technology (Travis Mulliniks and Jacki Musgrave), beef reproduction (Rosemary Anderson), fire and range management (Ryan Benjamin), precision livestock management (Yijie Xiong and T. L.
Spanish:Co-op Grocery Store Opens in Emerson
Oct. 24, 2022, Emerson, Neb.—Emerson’s recently opened Post 60 Market, 109 Main Street, will hold its Grand Opening from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, October 29. They invite the public to drop in for taste testing, sign up for door prizes, and check out their amazing product selection.
A ribbon cutting ceremony will be held at noon. Pulled pork sandwiches will be served at 11 a.m. until gone.
Free Livestream Planned for USDA’s 2023 Agricultural Outlook Forum
Considerations When Conditioning Too-dry Soybeans
Crop Progress: Soybean, Dry Bean Harvest Nearly Finished
Weekly Agricultural Weather Update — Oct. 25, 2022
Annie’s Project-inspired Workshop on Ag Budgeting Program, Stress, Research Updates Nov. 29 in Auburn
How To Adjust Rental Payments When Tenants Own the Center Pivot
September Continues Warm, Dry Trend as Drought Worsens
Spooky Veggies and Dip
Involving children in preparing meals is a great way to teach them food preparation skills and the importance of healthy eating. This platter is a fun way to get kids involved and a great item to bring to Halloween parties and events. Be creative and use any vegetables you have on hand.
Nutrition Software Used: ESHA Food Processorhttps://food.unl.edu/recipes/documents/spooky-veggies-and-dip-nep.pdfAuthor: Marusa Jonas mcernjul2 Newsletter/Program: Nutrition Education Program Archive Link: https://food.unl.edu/nutrition-education-program-nepContact Info: Jean Ann FischerTaxonomy Term Description:The Nutrition Education Program (NEP) delivers evidence-based nutrition education and obesity prevention interventions through a combination of education strategies coupled with multi-level community changes that occur within the environment to promote healthy eating and active lifestyles.
This material was funded by USDA's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – SNAP and Expanded Food & Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP).
Ingredients:
- ½ cup plain non-fat yogurt
- ½ cup non-fat sour cream
- ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley OR ½ Tablespoon fresh parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried dill OR ½ Tablespoon fresh dill
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
- 2 cups fresh vegetables (cucumbers, peppers, carrots, celery, cauliflower, broccoli, olives, snap peas)
Directions:
- Wash hands with soap and water.
- If using fresh herbs, wash them by gently rubbing them under cold running water. Pat dry with a paper towel, then finely chop.
- In a medium bowl, combine all the dip ingredients (yogurt, sour cream, garlic powder, onion powder, parsley, dill and pepper). Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Scrub vegetables with clean vegetable brush under running water. Slice into desirable shapes.
- To serve, place ranch dip in a small cup for the skeleton's head.
- Assemble vegetables in the shape of a skeleton. For example, use carrots and celery to make arms and legs, sliced pepper for the rib cage, cucumber for the spine, and herbs or lettuce for hair.
- Store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
Cooling Low Moisture Corn in Bins
Elote Salad (Mexican Street Corn Salad)
Elote, meaning corn in Spanish, is also a name of a popular Mexican street food staple. The main ingredient is cooked corn on the cob, traditionally coated in mayonnaise, rolled in Cotija cheese, and sprinkled with ancho chili powder. Try this modified salad version to experience the delicious flavor combinations.
Nutrition Software Used: ESHA Food ProcessorNotes:
*Three cups of canned or frozen corn can be used instead of fresh corn.
**For a spicier salad, ancho chili powder, chipotle chili powder or cayenne pepper can be used.
The Nutrition Education Program (NEP) delivers evidence-based nutrition education and obesity prevention interventions through a combination of education strategies coupled with multi-level community changes that occur within the environment to promote healthy eating and active lifestyles.
This material was funded by USDA's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – SNAP and Expanded Food & Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP).
Ingredients:
- 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
- 4 ears of corn, scrubbed with clean vegetable brush under running water, cut from the cob*
- 1 jalapeno, gently rubbed under cold running water, seeds removed, diced
- ¼ cup onion, scrubbed with clean vegetable brush under running water, diced
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, gently rubbed under running water, diced
- ¼ cup non-fat sour cream
- ¼ cup Cotija cheese, crumbled
- 1 Tablespoon lime juice
- ½ teaspoon chili powder**
Directions:
- Wash hands with soap and water.
- n a large skillet, heat oil over high heat. Add corn and cook while occasionally stirring for 5 minutes, or until slightly charred. Transfer to a large bowl and let it cool.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the corn and stir until combined.
- Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
Single Trait EPDs vs. EPD Indexes vs. Production Ratios
The numerous tools to aid in genetic selection allow for expedited progress toward breeding objectives. However, there are variations in how values are calculated and the units they are reported in. Single Trait Expected Progeny Differences (EPDs), EPD Indexes, and Production Ratios are typical of reported data and can provide guidance towards breeding objectives when applied as they are intended. While the bells and whistles vary across breed associations, the basics of each measurement can be applied across breeds and genetic reporting platforms.
Spanish:Cow Costs Higher In 2022
As the 2022 calendar year winds down, this is a good time for spring calving herds to look at what it cost them to produce a calf in the past year. What did it cost to run a cow on your operation this year? How do you calculate the costs? How do you value raised feed, labor, equipment, as well as replacement females grown on the ranch? These questions are frequently asked when the conversation of annual cow costs comes up.
Spanish:Pasture and Forage Minute: Yucca Control and Fall Irrigation
Drought Risk Management Planning: PRF Insurance Signup Deadline is December 1
Pasture Rangeland Forage (PRF) insurance coverage is available on a calendar year basis with a signup deadline of December 1. For coverage in calendar year 2023, producers must sign up for PRF by December 1, 2022. At this point, many producers across the state are thinking about the impact of drought. Some may already be implementing PRF, and others may be thinking about adding it as a part of their drought risk management strategy. PRF insurance is administered by the USDA – Risk Management Agency (RMA) and is available for purchase through local crop insurance agents.
Spanish: