Over 10 ICT activities for preschoolers to learn from and with the use of technology in early childhood education. Each of these activities will enable you as an early childhood practitioner to support the development of ICT capability and be responsive to a child's own expertise in technology. Help them today to understand the ICT potential of things in preschool. Apply these ICT activities for preschoolers today.

2. © ICTE Solutions Australia 2022
ABOUT MICHAEL HILKEMEIJER
Michael Hilkemeijer has been teaching and learning with ICT for over 10 years as a teacher in both
primary and secondary education. He has studied the best practices to develop technological liter-
acy and ICT capability and has written and published articles on ICT teaching strategies online and
in national education magazines.
His passion to provide advice and help on this area has led to Michael completing a Masters in
Education (ICTE) by which instructional teaching was one of his majors.
Workshops have been conducted at schools over the years and he has already shared his meth-
ods to teachers at state and national conferences including the ACCE where he presented his
paper on research towards the continuity and progression of ICT capability in Primary education.
All his online workshops for teachers are accredited in Australia by state teaching organisations
meaning that those who attend are guaranteed teacher quality content and valuable CPD hours.
Michael believes that all teachers should be supported in their efforts to integrate Information and
Communication Technology (ICT) in the class. Starting with foundational levels in preschool/kin-
dergarten to Secondary education.
The full potential of ICT in education should be realised throughout Primary key learning areas
when learning progression in ICT capability. However, this all flows from the foundations being
established in early childhood education.

3. There are a number of digital cameras that you can use that are freely available which
include stand-alone, cameras on smartphones and tablet computers such as iPads.
Here are some ideas that you can apply in your early learning environment today
• Use the cameras to take photographs of the children’s creative play.
• Support children in their own of digital photography and encourage reflection on
their ICT learning experiences and the photos taken.
• Take still digital images of the children’s favourite toys and the practice stop motion
by moving them around and taking more photos. Put them all together in Power-
Point to create an animation.
• Use cameras on smartphones or tablet computers to look more closely at natural
objects and use the photographs once uploaded as a stimulus for art and creative
work.
DIGITAL CAMERAS

4. You can show young children how to use a video camera either as a stand-alone or
using the ones featured on smartphones or tablet computers.
They will enjoy exploring their own playful uses of the camera and you need to give
them time for this and not attempt to structure their uses too soon or too often.
When they are given plenty of opportunities to explore and play with them they should
be able to be at the point that they are ready for a planned use of the camera.
Here are some ICT activities that you can use.
• Observe children’s playful use and build on these. Make use of the children’s re-
cording of each other.
• Video children’s play as characters from story books or act well-loved tales.
VIDEO CAMERAS

5. Another form of digital camera is the webcam!
Add on a USB extension and you can move it around anywhere. They usually have a
button on them for taking still images or the children can use the webcam software to
take photos or video.
Here are some ways that you can use the webcam.
• Encourage children to record the process of an activity as they progress.
• What would happen if you just let the webcam on and let the children be stimulated
by seeing themselves in camera.
• Young children love to sing. Record them singing in a group.
• Work with a colleague in your learning setting to share favourite rhymes.
WEBCAMS

6. Images, patterns, shapes and colours are key features of children’s early learning.
Drawing and painting programs often have tools such as rainbow colours and children
can mix media, combining digital and traditional media.
Such programs give children’s mark making a certain kind of equality and so they can
be particularly useful for children with individual needs or with lack of confidence in
their own mark making.
It will be important for you to have strategies to support the children in their discovery
of how software works, as well to assist with problem-solving. So being confident and
competent users of graphics software is important in order to facilitate children’s learn-
ing.
Here are some ideas to use graphics programs creatively in your early learning envi-
ronment today.
• Model uses of the software yourselves.
• Model the use of the graphics program, teaching children how to use each of the
tools according to their own levels of competence and interest.
• Stimulate children’s interest by starting a blank page. Paint and save an outline of a
spaceship, shop or night sky. The children can then paint over the top of these using
the tools available and clip art to fill with objects.
• You can also take a photo with a digital camera or even copy a photo from Google
Image search and get the children to paint over this.
GRAPHICS PROGRAMS

7. Here are some great ideas to use programmable toys such as bee bots and blue bots
in your learning environment today.
You could tape white chalk to the back of a pixie and draw on a black piece of paper
using the toy.
Or what about taping pens or using a pixie scribble pack to draw with the pixie.
In my interview with Dr Kate Highfield she highlighted many other ways for you to use
robotics in early childhood education.
PROGRAMMABLE TOYS

8. Smartboards are appropriate for young children because they operate through finger
touch. What this does is make drawing, rubbing out and moving objects on the board a
very sensory experience. The large screen also allows for collaboration in early child-
hood education when children can collaborate with each other.
Here are some ideas that you can apply in your learning environment today.
• Earlier I discussed the use of graphic software and with smartboards this can be
enhanced. As children make marks, show them what the range of tools can do. You
can model using the tools and then stand back and monitor their capabilities in ICT.
• You can also model using the board to make designs. Designs for a playground
model or a pattern for wrapping paper might be an idea.
• Scaffold children’s uses of the Gallery clip art to retell traditional stories or you could
even piece together a nursery rhyme.
SMARTBOARDS

9. Digital role play is about learning without failure and there are many ways in which you
can support the children’s use digital technology in your early learning environment.
Here are some ways in which you can support digital role play today.
• You can be creative in your provision of everyday digital technology. What about
adding defunct mobile phone to pockets in children’s dressing up clothes.
• Another idea would be to add a computer with some sort of role-play software. For
example, add ‘At the Doctor’s’.
• How about using a computer to print out prescriptions, or stock taking charts for the
children to fill in? You can even print out signs and notices.
ROLEPLAY ICT TOOLS

10. When integrating ICT in early childhood education you must always ensure that the
children view technology such as computers as tools for their learning. Use con-
tent-free and generic software that will support the development of ICT capability and
challenge children intellectually.
Only use subject-specific software if your focus is to support literacy or numeracy for
example.
Maintain a balance between these two types of software.
Here are some ways in which you can integrate computers into your learning environ-
ment today.
• You can demonstrate using a computer how to make signs, lists, labels, envelopes
etc.
• Develop children’s creative thinking by responding to their technology interests with
them through Internet searches.
• Use peripherals such as a webcam, microphone etc to make the most of the com-
puter’s creative opportunities.
• Model your own creative uses of a computer, and children will quickly join in.
• Add photos of the children at to the screensaver.
• Use all of the above ideas for ICT activities for preschool.
• Add speech bubbles to photographs of children at play and support them in putting
in what they want to say.
COMPUTERS

11. CONNECT WITH ME
CONTACT: https://www.ictesolutions.com.au/contact-us/
BLOG: https://www.ictesolutions.com.au/blog/
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/teaching-strategies-with-technology
My Online PD: Harness Technology in Early Childhood Education
FREE COURSE: How to Successfully Integrate Technology in Preschool Activities