Pizza Theme for Preschool

A Pizza Theme in Preschool?  YES!  There is so much potential draw children into learning with this theme! This  page includes preschool lesson plans, activities and Interest Learning Center ideas for your Preschool Classroom!

You'll find more themes to help you with your planning on my preschool themes page.

Pizza Themed Art

3D Pizza

Materials Needed: sturdy tagboard in circle shapes; paint with a little glue mixed in; yarn; felt pieces; misc. arts and craft pieces to be used for toppings.

The children paint red sauce and then add toppings!

Some topping ideas:  yellow cheese; pink ham; pepperoni from buttons; pineapple shapes; green and red pipe cleaners for peppers, etc.

Aprons

Materials needed:  large, brown grocery bags (one for each child); paint or miscellaneous craft supplies and glue

Cut a hole in the bottom of each bag (for the child's head).  Cut out the sides of the bag.

Let the children decorate their "apron" and print their name on it.

They can wear them when they play in Dramatic Play!

Paper Plate Slices!

Provide glue sticks, magazines, scissors and paper plates.

The children find food pictures, cut them out and glue them on their plate pizza.

When done, draw lines representing slices.

Have the children cut on the lines!

They can use these as a puzzle!

Pizza Theme Collage

Materials needed:  Beige paper, red crayons or markers, scissors and other colors of construction paper.

The children cut out a circle (as big or small as they want) for their crust.

They use the marker or crayon to color some sauce onto their crust.

They cut out shapes for toppings.

This is a great fine motor development activity.  Remember, a pepper does not HAVE to look like a pepper!  

Just let them cut, cut, cut then glue!

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Pizza Theme Block Center Ideas

Pizza Delivery Time

Place a huge piece of paper on the floor in the block area.

Let the children draw roads, houses, etc.  Then, deliver away!

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Pizza Theme Circle Time Ideas

Circle Time is such a great time for children to learn the social skills of being together as a large group AND to learn more about your theme!

Flannel "Pie" Chart!

Make a flannel board pizza pie.  You can use this for many activities in this theme as well as have it throughout the year to add to your library area!

Make the crust from beige flannel.  Make tomato sauce from a smaller circle of red flannel.  Cut out lots of different toppings.....many pieces of each!

Talk about pizza.  Ask what the children like on it.

Make one together!  Place the flannel pieces in front of the flannel board. Place the crust.  Then the tomato sauce.

Invite the children to come up one by one and choose a topping and add it!

EXTENSION:  Have a chart at circle time with the names of all the toppings from left to right, each making its own column.

As the children add a topping to the flannel pizza pie, have them print their name under the topping they like.

For children who can not print their names yet, allow them to print what they can!  Or, provide mini pieces of paper with their names on them for them identify their name and tape it to the chart.

Topping Taste Test

Materials needed:  Different types of toppings:  shredded cheese, pepperoni, pineapple, ham, sauce, etc.

Create a chart for each topping that you bring in for the children to try.

List the toppings across the top and the children's names down the left side.

Have the children all try the different toppings.  One by one, ask each child if they liked it.

Place a smiley face if yes and a sad face if no.

Use this chart later for math skill reinforcement:

How many liked _______?

Which topping has the MOST smileys?  The least?  Etc.

Fingerplays and Such!

5 Little Children

5 little children all in a row,

Ordered a pizza in a box to go.

The first one said "Pepperoni tastes so fine!"

The second one said "I want mushrooms on mine."

The third one said "I want peppers that are hot!"

The fourth one said "I want cheese...and a LOT!"

The fifth one said "Please add some spice."

And they all had a pizza that tasted mighty nice!

Pizza Pie Hot

Pizza pie hot

Pizza pie cold

Pizza pie in the box nine days old.

Some like it hot.

Some like it cold.

Some like it in the box nine days old.

Oh I Wish I Were

sung to I Wish I Were and Oscar Meyer Weiner

Oh I wish I were a pepperoni pizza!

That's what I would truly love to be!

'Cuz if I were a pepperoni pizza,

Everyone would be in love with me!

(Sing several times changing the type of pizza to the type that the children like!)

Pizza Song

sung to Do You Know the Muffin Man?

Do you like a cheese pizza?

A cheese pizza, a cheese pizza?

Do you like a cheese pizza?  

Eat it if you do!

(Sing several times changing the topping!)

Favorite Pizza Chant

Chant this many times so each child has a turn!

Piz-za!  Piz-za!  Let's have piz-za!

Let's have piz-za with cheese on top!

Piz-za!  Piz-za!  Let's have piz-za!

_____________(child's name) wants piz-za with _______________(their choice of topping) on top!

Pizza Pizza

sung to Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star

Pizza, pizza it's a treat.

Pizza, pizza is fun to eat!

Ooey-gooey cheese so yummy.

Crunchy crust goes in my tummy.

Pizza, pizza it's a treat.

Pizza, pizza is fun to eat!

Roll Your Dough

sung to Row, Row, Row Your Boat

Roll, roll, roll your dough smoothly as can be.

Roll it till it's big and round then add some good toppings.

_______(one child's name)--what do you like on your pizza?  YUM!

Sing many times to include each child!

EXTENSION:  As they say what they like, have them place a tally mark on a chart that has pizza toppings listed on them.

When done, count how many children like each topping.

Pizza Treat Fingerplay

It's round and made of dough

And topped with sauce and cheese just so (make a circle with your hands).

It's a big round treat

Filled with vegetables and meat (rub tummy).

It's a pizza cooked just right.

Are you ready?  Have a bite!  (Pretend to eat pizza).

5 Little Pizzas

5 little pizzas sitting in a row. 

Toss one up and then there were 4.

4 little pizzas sitting in a row......

3 little pizzas sitting in a row......

2 little pizzas sitting in a row.....

1 little pizza sitting all alone........

No little pizzas sitting in a row........

PLOP!  Down they all fell

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Snack Recipe Ideas to Cook Up for Your Pizza Theme!

Cooking with children helps develop their math skills and helps them to learn how to follow directions. It also allows for some great conversation! Ask many questions while cooking with your children to encourage conversation! Be sure to ask specific themed questions while making these fun snacks!

Class Pizza pie

Purchase a few frozen pizza dough balls.  Thaw and let the children each have pieces of it to knead and roll and make into a crust! 

Mini Pizza

Make English Muffin Minis for each child using sauce, cheese and toppings.

Mini Minis!

Make mini minis by using round crackers and cheese and sauce.

Fruit Pizza

Have the children help you to wash and cut fruit (strawberries, bananas, kiwi, blueberries, etc.)

Have them help you to place them in circle patterns in a pizza pie pan.

Serve for snack.

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Pizza Theme Ideas to Transform Your Dramatic Play Area

Pizza Shop!

I'm sure you anticipated this!  

Set up tables, tablecloths, dishes, etc.

Provide paper for the children to cut into pizza to make.

Find or make chef hats and aprons.

Make picture menus with the kids for them to "read" and order from.

Provide trays to carry orders to the table.  

Provide small note books to take orders on.

Ask for donations of pizza boxes from your local shop and be sure to thank them in your newsletter to families!

Delivery Time

Make cars out of boxes.  We've used the boxes that cases of photocopy paper comes in.  Cut out the bottoms.  Make holes in the sides for the children to use as handles.

They stand in the box and lift it up by placing their hands in the wholes and then "drive" around in them.

Provide boxes and order sheets for the children to take orders from their friends, go back to dramatic play and make pizzapie and then deliver it!

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Pizza Themed Ideas for Your Easel--
More Than Just Painting (Although that is always THE favorite in our classroom!)

Create Your Own

Provide all colors at the easel.  Encourage the children to paint a crust, sauce and toppings!

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Pizza Themed Large Group Games
that help children build their muscles while having fun together!

Pizza Box Skating

Cut holes in the tops of pizza boxes.  This is where the children will put their feet.

Then they can skate across the floor or carpet!

Pizza Twist

Play this like the game Twister!

Tape a huge circle on your floor.  Then tape sections so it looks like slices.

Tape pictures of toppings in each section.

Call out sections and instructions:

If you are wearing red, go to the mushroom slice!

If you have brown hair, go to the pepper slice.

If you are a boy, go to the pepperoni slice.  Etc.

Topping Toss

Materials needed:  Empty pizza box and bean bags.

The children toss the bean bags into the boxes!

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Pizza Themed Ideas for Your Library

Book Suggestions for the Library

(I LOVE Amazon, and some of the links below will take you to the Amazon website.  If you do choose to purchase yours through Amazon, they do send me a few cents--which supports my coffee habit! )

Curious George and the Pizza by H.A. and Margret Rey

"Hi, Pizza Man!" by Virgina Walter

Hold the Anchovies!: A Book about Pizza by Shelly Rotner, Julia P. Hellums

The Little Red Hen (Makes a Pizza) by Philemon Sturges

One Pizza, One Penny by K. T. Hao

Pizza Kittens by Charlotte Voake

The Pizza That We Made (Penguin Young Readers, L2) by Jon Holub

The Princess and the Pizza by Mary Jane Auch

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Pizza Theme Activities to Help Your Preschoolers Develop Their Math Skills and the Small Muscles in Their Hands!

Playdough

Let the children make pizza from playdough!  Provide a variety of colors of playdough.

Also, provide the plastic playdough cutters, plastic knives and plates to serve on!

Bingo!

Make up bingo cards that have sauce, cheese, pepperoni and other toppings.

Topping Sort

Pre-cut different toppings.  Make many of each.

The children can sort by type, color, size, meat or veggie, etc.

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Pizza Theme Music and Movement Activities & Ideas to Get Your Preschoolers Movin' & Groovin'!

Who Stole the Pizza?

sung to Who Stole the Cookie from the Cookie Jar?

Who stole the pizza from the pizza pan?

Did _________(insert a child's name) steal the pizza from the pizza pan?

That child says "Who Me?"

Group says "Yes You!"

Child says "Couldn't be!"

You sing "Then who stole the pizza from the pizza pan?!"

Continue for each child.

This is the Way...

Have them use their bodies to act out each part.

This would be a great song to teach them and then encourage them to sing while making playdough or pretend pizza in dramatic play!

This is the way we roll the dough, roll the dough, roll the dough.

This is the way we roll the dough, when we make a pizza!

This is the way we spread the sauce, spread the sauce, spread the sauces.

This is the way we spread the sauce, when we make a pizza!

Additional verses:

This is the way we grate the cheese.......

This is the way we sprinkle the cheese........

This is the way we cut the peppers........

This is the way we bake the pizza........

This is the way we cut the pizza........

The Sound of Toppings

Give each child a musical instrument.  Have them choose a topping.

Then you are going to tell a story about making a pizza pie.  When each child hears "their" topping mention, they use their instrument for a solo and then stop.

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Pizza Theme Activities for Your Sand & Water Table

Make the Dough!

Add flour and many measuring materials such as spoons, mixing bowls, spatulas, etc. in your sensory table.

If you are brave, add some water sprayer bottles!

Be sure to cover the floor...flour is very slippery!

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Pizza Themed Science Activities--for your Preschool Scientists in Training!

Many children have never seen actual dough rise!  Let's do a couple of dough experiments!

Frozen Rising Dough

Take frozen dough out of the freezer.  Place it on a table.  Measure it and record it on a paper.

Have the children observe throughout the morning and remeasure and check every 20 minutes or so.

It would be great if you could take a picture of each remeasure and print it out later for a sequencing activity!

Make your own dough!

Check online for a basic bread or dough recipe that requires yeast.

Make it with the children and observe it as it rises.

Again, pictures of each stage would be great!

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Writing Activity Ideas for Your Pizza Theme!

How-To Book

One on one, sit with each child.  

Ask them to draw a picture of their favorite pizza.

As they are drawing, ask them how a pizza is made.   

Write down their exact instructions.

This would make a very cute and funny classroom book!

Miscellaneous Activities for Your Pizza Theme!

• Go to your favorite shop as a field trip.
• Invite a local shop owner to come in and demonstrate making a pizza pie for the children.
• Take a field trip to a produce department (call ahead first--produce managers usually love visits!) and discuss what their favorites would be as toppings.

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Go to MAIN THEMES Page for more theme ideas!

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