Use the pictures to help children dictate a story about the experience. This outdoor preschool activity encourages observation, language development and seriation skills then extends into an art activity. Teachers begin by explaining to preschool children that they will be looking for rocks to collect during an outdoor walk in the park etc. While outside talk with children about the shapes, sizes and colors of the rocks they find. Help the children compare the sizes, textures, colors and shapes of the rocks and stones.
Teachers help small groups of children wash and dry the rocks.
Then sort them into piles according ot size, color, shape or texture. Create a rook collection by using egg cartons to store and display the rocks and stones according to size etc. Paint rocks with tempra, older preschoolers may wish to paint faces, etc. The remaining leaves from the collection above and a small plastic container. All of the children standing in a circle.