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Activities for Child Care Provider Appreciation Week: May 3-7
For Child Care Provider Appreciation Week, Kacey the Quality Koala and Maryland EXCELS shared new activities to do with your child to show their love and appreciation for their child care provider.
You’ll find the activities below. For more fun with Kacey, you can visit additional Activities with Kacey for Families and Providers.
The Maryland State Department of Education’s Division of Early Childhood understands that the activities described on this page and in website links may not be suitable for all ages or developmental stages. All activities require adult supervision and are not endorsed by the Maryland State Department of Education or Johns Hopkins University.
Monday
Send a hug to your provider! Using a long sheet of paper, trace your child’s head, torso, arms, and hands. Have your child decorate their traced body using crayons, paint, or markers. If you don’t have a long piece of paper, use smaller pieces of paper and tape them together. Help your child to write a note to their child care provider. If your child can’t write, then you can write the letter and have them trace their name. Share your hugs on our social post and tag your provider or send the artwork by mail or email!
Tuesday
Child care providers are superheroes! Paint or trace your child’s hand or foot on paper then turn their hand or footprint into a super child care hero. Either mail the artwork or take a picture and email it to your provider.
Wednesday
Make a kindness postcard! Children of all ages can make a kindness postcard with paper and paint. For babies 3 months and up, you can tape the bag to a high chair tray for th
e child to squish and move the paint around with their hands. Older children can finger paint or use a paintbrush to make a picture. After the paint dries, cut out postcard-sized pictures. Write a kind message on the back and mail or take a photo and email/text it to your child care provider.
Thursday
Help your child write or sing a song or a poem for their provider. Record the song or poem, or write it out and send it to your child’s teacher. If your child is an infant, you can send a picture with a note or poem. Alternatively, you could recreate a poem or quote you find online by printing it or drawing it. This sweet surprise will make their day!
Friday
Today is Provider Appreciation Day! Take time to thank the child care provider in your child’s world. Making a homemade flower is one way to say thank you.
Look around your home for different objects or recycled materials to create a flower. You can use egg cartons, coffee filters, muffin liners, paper plates, or paper towel rolls. Give the flower to your child’s provider along with a thank you note! You can also mail it or send a photo of it to the provider.
Variation: If you have an infant or small child, trace or use non-toxic paint on their foot or hand to create a flower.
Share your activities on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram using the hashtags #MarylandEXCELS and #KaceyEXCELS.
Read and listen to the story 
You are special!
Music and Movement
“Special Me” Snack
Hungry Crocodile Fine Motor Game
Storytime! 
Creative Snacks!
Follow the leader!
Music and Movement
Pizza Day
A Baltimore Story
As a follow-up activity to the story, your child can create a colorful masterpiece to pay tribute to Maryland. Paint your child’s hands with washable paint. Your child’s handprint will create the body of one or more of the characters from the story. Have your child create a beach scene with a Maryland crab, goose, egret, clam, or jellyfish. Let your child add eyes, nose or beak, a mouth, and other features. Share your child’s work of art with Maryland EXCELS on social media!
Make a tasty and healthy bear snack!
Create Your Own Trees
Sensory Sink or Float Activity
As a follow-up family activity, make bee or other insect-shaped snacks using your favorite fruits and vegetables.
Camping Indoors
Roll and Move Game
Read a Zoo Story
Build a racetrack!
Create an indoor or outdoor construction zone for your child using sand, dirt, and small rocks (if appropriate for the age of your child). Put the materials into a plastic container. Your child can use toy trucks, bulldozers, or tractors to drive around their homemade construction zone.
Let’s Go for a Drive!
Music and movement dance with ribbon wands
Sidewalk Stars
Celebrate the 4th of July in a fun and safe way for all ages with glow in the dark sensory bottles. Find empty plastic bottles. Fill the bottles with water, a few drops of red or blue food coloring, glitter, and an activated glow stick. Tightly secure and tape the lid on the water bottle. The sensory bottles can be played with during the day or at night on the 4th of July! Babies, toddlers, and children will have fun looking at and playing with the sensory bottles.