Have you heard about invitations to play? I use sand trays as my go-to invitation! These invitations are about putting together thoughtful materials to spark interest and to encourage play. It's not complicated, but it is purposeful. That was the key that I learned as a preschool teacher: be purposeful and be thoughtful when planning activities for kids. Throwing out some legos on a table continue reading...
Spray Bottle and Collecting Leaves: We’re Going on a Leaf Hunt!
My daughter loves the book, We're Going on a Bear Hunt (affiliate link to Amazon - it's no extra cost to you, but we get a little bit of money back if you use this link). It also happens to be one of my favorite camp songs! So, you can imagine my joy when I came across We're Going on a Leaf Hunt by Steve Metzger. The book is about three young children who go on a hike together to find continue reading...
Fall Tree Art: Glue, Sand, and a Toilet Paper Roll
We love everything about Fall! The colors are gorgeous, it starts to get cooler, and we get to do some fun fall crafts. We've spent a lot of time on walks and bicycle rides observing the trees, plants, and leaves around our new home. But, since I still can't find the paintbrushes since we moved, I had to get creative. Our favorite substitute for a paintbrush has been glue - it's easy to continue reading...
Chalk Maze: Helping Children Learn Their Name!
I'm always looking for ways to use things that we have around the house in new ways. On this particular day, I saw some chalk on the porch and I took advantage of the large amount of cement we have in front of our home (now, our old home!). We made a life size maze out of chalk and added my daughter's name inside. It not only got her moving, but it also helped her to learn her name! I was continue reading...
Pair Books w/ Play: The Perfect Fall Children’s Book
I love the book, "Leaf Man"by Lois Elhert. The book is beautiful; the illustrations really tell the story! It starts with a man made out of leaves and as the story progresses, he blows away to become something new: a chicken, a fish, a cow, etc. A leaf man can become anything when the wind blows. I love talking with Lil about what she sees in the pictures. We try to find the images on each continue reading...
Pair Books with Play: Five Little Monkeys and a Sensory Bin
Pair Books with Play will be a new focus on this blog! Each week we'll talk about a book and create an activity based on the book's theme. This week, Lil and I read “Five Little Monkeys Wash the Car” by Eileen Christelow. I paired it with a sensory play activity that we called the monkey car wash! Here's the synopsis: The book is about five little monkeys who try to sell their Mom’s continue reading...