Summer Treasure Box

Ages/Grades:

Preschool, Kindergarten

Learning Domains:

Language and Communication

Materials Needed:

Pretend props or pictures that reflect summer themes such as:

Boat
Ice cream
Insects
Pretend flowers
Sunglasses
Play Food – watermelon, summer fruits, ice cream
Beach ball
Beach pail
Sea life figures
A box to keep the props

Preparation:

Bring the Summer Treasure Box to group time. Show the children that it’s filled with items that have something to do with things that happen in summer. Pull out each item and ask the children to identify it. Ask questions that help children with concept development.

How do you use this?
Where does this animal/insect live?
Why is there an American Flag in our summer box?

Ask if they have any ideas of other things that could be added to the Summer Treasure Box.

Activity:

Ask children to name the items in the box as you write them on large paper. Tell the children that they can refer to the word chart if they’d like to try and write their own story. Stories can be told orally, written by a child, or transcribed by an adult.

Tell a non-fiction story: Invite children to take out one item from the box that reminds them of something that they did or will be doing this summer.

Tell a fiction story: Select items from the box and make up a story.