Hi,
I've never taught either kindergartens or toddlers, so I do not have any experience of my own. But I've recently read an article that described a couple of activities you can use with small children.
The one I liked the most is connected with a picture dictionary (I would use flash cards instead). BTW, do you remember the tune to sing the notes (DO-RE-MI-FA-SOL-LA-SI)?
You will also need it.
So,
1. you choose a topic, e.g. animals;
2. then you choose 7 animals that the children are already familiar with (dog, cat, mouse, pig, bird, fly, bat)
3. then you take "dog" and "cat", for instance. To introduce these two animals you need to have 4 pictures of a cat and 4 of a dog (8 in total, but you'll use just 7 at one go)
4. stick them to the whiteboard or wall like that: DOG-CAT-DOG-CAT-DOG-CAT-DOG
5. pronounce DOG and encourage the children to repeat after you. Do the same with CAT
6. then continue singing. Start singing very slowly, but each time encrease your speed (The tune is very catchy, and the words are not difficult. The children will like this.)
7. then change the order of the pictures. Put CAT first.
8. To check where they can see the difference between a cat and a dog
, and if they remember them in English, at the beginning just open you mouth and let the children say it instead of you.
9. When you see that they already remember these animals add the third one, eg a mouse
10. DOG-CAT-MOUSE-DOG-CAT-MOUSE-DOG (don't forget to stop a little bit when you come to a new animal and repeat its name several times to make sure that everyone pronounces it correctly)
11. Then again change the order of the pictures : MOUSE-CAT-DOG-MOUSE-CAT-DOG-MOUSE
12. add more and more and more animals until you have 7 different
13. then you can continue with the sounds these animals produce or verbs we use to define a sound: DOG-CAT-DOG-CAT-DOG-CAT-... (the children are ready to say DOG, and you say BOW instead. YOu also emhasize here that "DOGS SAY BOW". Later on you may ask "What do dogs say?")
14. the same here: CAT-DOG-CAT-DOG-CAT-DOG-...MIAOW
15. when your children already know a couple of animals - continue playing with them: put the pictures around the room (stick them to the walls or just put on the floor) and ask "WHERE IS A CAT?"; quickly find the necessary picture and answer yourself "HERE IT IS!"
16. Repeat the last phrase several times and make sure the children can say it.
17. Then ask about another animal "WHERE IS A DOG?" - the children have to find the necessary picture/s and say "HERE IT IS!" Then you may ask "WHAT DOES A DOG SAY?"
18.
It's just dawned upon me. It'll take you more time, but the result will be better. Prepare a set of cards with all animals you have learnt for every child you have in your group. Then each of them will have an opportunity to look for an animal, and you will have a chance to check if everyone remembers the animals.
You can use the same activity to teach different topics, but not for all topics you will have to prepare cards. For example, teaching PARTS OF A BODY you can ask ''Where is
YOUR hand/leg/eye/nose/etc.?"
Hope it will help