Most early education lesson plans involve some sort of a preschool craft. Treasure boxes that display things special to each individual child make unique projects. Simply use a shoe box as the treasure box and follow this article to help the students personalize each one.
Most school projects fill children with pride, but preschool craft treasure boxes give students the opportunity to share the things that make them proud. For this project, teachers need parental cooperation because some of the items in the box aren’t easy for children to find by themselves. You also need at least a week to pull everything together and give the kids time to bring their “treasures” into school. Once finished, however, this treasure box serves as a keepsake for years to come.
Creating the Treasure Box
Each child needs a shoe box for this preschool craft. Treasure boxes can be any size, but if you keep them all relatively the same size, no one will get upset. It’s a good idea to ask parents to collect shoe boxes and bring them in throughout the year. Then, provide the children with various magazine picture cutouts of games, foods, toys, and activities. The children choose any pictures that represent them and glue them to their boxes. The finished product should look like a collage of favorite activities and things.
Filling the Box
Send home a note asking the parents to help the preschoolers find a special baby picture of them to bring to school. Also, have the student add a small favorite toy to the preschool craft. Treasure boxes take a while to get together, so give the parents at least a week’s notice and send reminders as well. Treasure boxes should contain things special to the children, but set a small limit on the amount of “treasures” since eventually, they show each one to the class. Preschoolers should also include a drawn picture of their family in the treasure box. Instruct them to draw anyone special to them.
Show and Tell
Spend the last day letting the children present their treasure boxes to the class. Invite the children to explain why they decorated their box with the various pictures. They should also explain the contents of the box and what makes each item special. This helps children express themselves in front of a group and also builds self-confidence. It also allows preschoolers to practice their quiet listening skills. Letting the students raise their hands at the end of each presentation and ask questions teaches them to talk in turns.
Preschool craft treasure boxes place a fun spin on the old “show and tell” idea. Instead of simply having students bring in an item to show the class each week, have them create an entire treasure box that describes their individuality. Then, let them add their artwork, a picture, and a special toy and watch them beam with pride showing their belongings to others.
Sources
Ideas used in this article are from my own experience.
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