Social Studies learning in a preschool classroom occurs throughout the day, beginning with a class meeting (often called "morning meeting" or "circle time") at the start of the day. During this time, many classes review the calendar and the weather as well as any other “class news” for the day. Students may also share their own news during this time. Social studies continues throughout the day as preschoolers interact with each other, learning to share, take turns, and how to work together, Through these interactions they build their social skills and learn how to be successful students.
In order to build social studies, skills your preschooler:
- Works in groups, sharing and taking turns.
- Cleans up and helps organize the classroom.
- Practices manners during meal and snack time.
- Develops conflict resolution skills.
- Develops communication and conversation skills.
- Learns about the community and the calendar.
Social Studies Activities
- Explore Your Community: Visit and explain what happens and who works at local businesses. Let your child help pay in a store or take out a book from the library. Visit special places like the police and fire stations. Take pictures of these visits and write about them together.
- Mind Your Manners: Practice manners such as saying “thank you” and “please” during meal times.
- Talk about Your Day: Share moments from your day with your child and ask her to do the same. When something very interesting or exciting happens, take a picture of the moment or ask your child to draw a picture of it, then decide together what you can write to describe it.
- Clean Up Toys Together: Make clean-up time fun, asking kids to find like objects, put back toys as quickly as possible, or put away toys that are a certain color or shape.
