Farm Themed Tot School Unit: Part I

June 19, 2017

Something about Summer just makes me think of life on the farm.

I don’t know if it’s the slower pace or the long days outside in the sun but it always is enough to make farm life appealing. At least it was until last week. Last week we signed up to have farm duty at Goose’s Montessori school. The school has it’s own miniature farm with chickens, ducks, sheep and miniature donkeys. Since there is a new baby donkey I was quick to sign up to take care of the animals for one week of summer break. Little did I know that I was going to be in WAY over my head!

In way over my head …

The first day I showed up with a 3 year old and 1 year old thinking it would be a quick visit. We would hand out a little food, pet the baby donkey and be home in time for naps. Nope! I think the highlight was when the sheep got out of their pen and I spent an hour attempting to chase / bribe them back in. Or trying to corral the chickens into the coop …. or was it when I was hauling buckets of water (PS I think it weighed at least 50 lbs!) and a donkey knocked me over and I spilled the bucket all over myself.

Long story short – I have learned that I am NOT cut out for farm life. That hasn’t kept me from designing a super fun farm themed tot school unit. Please forgive the 3 enormous posts this week – there were so many cute activities I got a little carried away!

Nomenclature Cards

It wouldn’t be a tot school unit without nomenclature cards. If you aren’t familiar with these fantastic learning tools I explain them here. I always like to start any new unit with nomenclature cards because they are such an easy way to introduce the new vocabulary that you will be using throughout the unit. I have designed my own set of farm nomenclature cards that you can download for free from my Digital Resource Library. Don’t have an access code? Just sign up below and one will be emailed to you right away!

One of my favorite games with nomenclature cards is to combine them with one or more Safari Ltd. Toobs. I used the Farm TOOB and Farm Babies TOOB. Then allow your child to match the photographic image on the nomenclature card to the Toob figurine. For us this process often devolves into imaginative play but even then the boys are learning. It usually sounds something like, “The baby horse is driving my Hot Wheels, Mommy!” “The foal is driving the Hot Wheels dear.”

Is it just my house or does every activity ultimately involve Hot Wheels?

Pigs in Mud Sensory Bin

Now this is one FUN sensory bin! Probably because it’s so messy. We used some pigs from our Farm TOOB as well as pigs from the Battat Terra Farm Animals Set , and set them loose in a tub full of chocolate pudding.

I introduced the activity with this video explaining why pigs roll in mud, and we read ‘Hogwash‘ by Karma Wilson.

Goose prefers to keep his hands clean, but even he was willing to dive into the pudding when he figured out how tasty it is. Nugget, of course, can always be counted on to coat himself from head to toe in any substance he gets his hands on.

Fast Craft: Paper Plate Lambs

Making paper plate lambs is easy, fun and the end results are surprisingly adorable! Best of all this is a craft that a preschooler can complete with minimal assistance from Mom. Elmer’s glue scrubs clean from just about every surface, right? *wink*.

Supplies:

1 White Paper or Foam Disposable Plate
White Cotton Balls
One printed copy of the lamb template from my Digital Resource Library.
Elmer’s School Glue
2 Googly Eyes
Scissors

Prep Work: Download my template and cut out the legs, face and ears of the lamb.

**Don’t have an access code for the Digital Resource Library? No problem! Just sign up below and one will me emailed to you right away!

Instructions:

Use Elmer’s Glue to apply the round head to the center of the plate, then glue all 4 legs to the edges.
Glue the eyes on to the face (shocker, I know. Unless you have more of a Picasso-esque lamb in mind …)
Let your child go wild gluing as many cotton balls as they would like to the plate.
When finished tuck the ears into the cotton and glue in place.
Admire your adorable lamb – and maybe give it a name.

Milking a Cow Imaginative Play

Ok, I’m going to level with you. This was a super neat activity that turned out far better than I initially imagined, however it might be difficult to replicate at home. I will show you what I did, and then offer my suggestions for how you could possible put your own spin on the activity using things you already have around the house.

To begin with you need a frame of some sort. We made our own out of this Discovery Kids Construction Fort (which we have used endlessly for fort building!) I think you could use just about anything with 4 legs, maybe even a kitchen chair?

Next, you need a rubber glove and some twine. Fill the glove with water and use the twine to secure it shut at the wrist opening. Then use your frame to suspend the glove so that it dangles in the opening. When your child is ready to begin ‘milking their cow’ use a safety pin to poke 3-4 holes in the tip of 1-2 fingers. The glove will tend to drip so please keep a bucket beneath your milking station.

Like a real cow, we found that our glove gave us the best results when we used a push-pull motion. If you feel particularly ambitious you could even decorate your frame so that it looks like a real cow. If you do that you officially win the Mom-of-the-Year Award and I absolutely want you to send in pictures!

Delicious Haystack Snack Recipe

Nugget and Goose worked up quite the appetite doing all of our farm activities today so I figured it would be a great opportunity to finish the day with a yummy farm-themed snack. These tasty haystack snacks are a sweet and easy treat!

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter (or substitute your favorite nut-free butter if your household has allergies)
2-3 Cups Pretzel Sticks, broken into small pieces
1/4 Cup White Chocolate Chips

Optional Additions: Slivered Almonds, Nutella, Chopped Nuts, Mini Marshmallows, Caramel Chips, Heath Bar Crumbles.

Recipe:

Microwave the peanut butter and chocolate chips on high for 1-2 minutes until melted and stir until fully combined.
If you wish to add any of the optional toppings stir them in now.
Stir Broken Pretzels into your melted peanut butter mixture and spoon dollops of it onto a baking sheet covered in a Silpat Mat or wax paper.
Let cool in a refrigerator for about an hour.

There’s way too much sugar to call this snack healthy, but I think it’s just right as a special treat after working hard and learning all morning.

Did you try any of our farm-themed tot school activities?

Which did your kids like best? Are there any other farm-related activities you would like to see later this week?

Check back later this week to see Part II and Part III of our Farm Themed Tot School Unit!

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Early Tot School, Montessori, Printables, Tot School Units

Ocean Themed Tot School Unit: Part 3

June 9, 2017

All good things must come to an end, and so too must my Ocean themed Tot School unit. I have had so much fun with my boys as we learned about aquatic life, and tried out some fantastic games and crafts. Today I’m going to show you the rest of what we tried out, and give you my final verdict on what to try (and what to stay away from!).

Underwater Chalk Art

This was a really unique activity that turned out to be a lot of fun – even for Mommy! The supplies are minimal and the results are striking. Best of all – this is a activity that covers a wide range of ages so everyone can participate together.

Supplies:

Dark Colored Construction Paper
Chalk
Sponges
A Shallow Dish of Water

How To:

Use your dish of water to wet the sponge and apply it to both sides of your construction paper. Let it get good and wet! Then use the chalk to draw on the wet paper. As the paper dries your chalk art will become bright and vivid. See? I told you it was crazy easy!

For the littlest tots the sensory experience of handling a sponge and wet paper will be fun enough. This is a very tactile art project that can create some really fun looking art.

Animal Activity Cards

I designed this free printable to encourage kids to get up and get moving. Each card features a cute ocean creature and an action for your child to perform. They can ‘Wiggle like a jellyfish’ or ‘Squawk like a Seagull’. It didn’t take long for this to turn into a game of ‘who can be sillier?’ at our house. After sitting still for an art project it’s great to get moving, so this was a perfect follow-up to our underwater chalk art.To download yours just sign up below and you’ll be sent an access code for my Free Digital Resource Library!

Colored Rice Sensory Bin

As I mentioned in Part I, Safari Limited Ocean Toobs played a huge part in our Ocean themed tot school unit. They worked very well in our water bead bin, but they’re also perfect in a dish of blue colored rice. Rice is always a safe bet if you feel that your little ones aren’t quite ready to be trusted with water beads.

If you haven’t made colored rice you can see how we do it here.

Our Favorite Ocean Themed Books

I LOVE to read, and I try my hardest to instill that love in my boys. I think the most important thing is to read as often as possible, so I always go out of my way to find books that go with our tot school themes. Here are a few of the books we enjoyed the most:

DK Eyewitness Books: Ocean – I adore the DK Eyewitness Series. The books offer great graphics along with a wide array of facts. Even if the books don’t hold your child’s attention, the eye-popping images should.

Commotion in the Ocean by Giles Andreae – This is a fun book for all ages. It features brightly colored illustrations accompanied by short poems. Each poem highlights a different ocean creature in a light and informative way.

Clark the Shark by Bruce Hale – Clark the Shark has a whole series of books now, but this is the original. It tells the tale of poor Clark who is just too big and rough for his smaller classmates. I think it’s definitely a must if you have boys, to help them learn to be considerate and not play too rough.

The Pout-Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen – One of my favorite children’s books, the Pout-Pout Fish is just fun to read. Who doesn’t love the face you make as you chant “Blub …. Blub …. Blub”? The prose has a great cadence and the end has a nice twist. Overall this is a book you will come back to time and again.

The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister – This book is another classic, and if you haven’t read it you probably have at least seen it on a bookshelf before. It tells the tale of Rainbow Fish who learns the joys of sharing his beautiful shiny scales. The message of generosity is fantastic for children and the artwork is beautiful. It would be impossible to have an ocean unit without Rainbow Fish.

Wrap-Up

Our ocean unit was a ton of fun! I feel like my boys learned a lot and I will definitely pull out some of these activities again as Nugget gets older and is ready to participate more. The biggest hit was the ice-cavating activity and the least successful was the jellyfish bottle.

Which activities did you try?

Comment below with your own hits and misses, and let me know if there is a tot school theme you would like to see soon.

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Early Tot School, Printables, Tot School Units

Easy Ocean Themed Tot School Unit: Part 2

June 7, 2017

Welcome back! I’m super excited to share with you more of our ocean themed tot school unit. If you missed the first part of this unit just click here.

Ocean Ice-Cavating

This activity takes a little foresight to prepare but is still super easy and my boys just LOVED it! I used small plastic storage containers and froze an assortment of seashells and ocean figurines within several layers of colored ice. If you’re short on time I think most kids would be just as happy with a single color block of ice, but the rainbow definitely adds a little something extra.

Once your ice block is frozen your work is done and it’s time to let the kiddos get to it. I provided a bowl of warm water and an assortment of sponge brushes, spray bottles and droppers for applying it to the ice. I also gave the boys several toy hammers, saws and screwdrivers. They aren’t very effective but it didn’t stop Nugget and Goose from trying.

This is definitely a messy activity so I recommend saving it for a hot day outside.

Jellyfish Discovery Bottle

This was one of those activities that I wasn’t too impressed by, but my boys have loved. We made our little jellyfish out of an old plastic grocery bag and a Voss water bottle. My biggest complaint is that he moves too quickly and tends to hide at the top of the bottle. I have experimented with adding corn syrup to the water (Spoiler Alert: DON’T Try That!) and it had a very slimy reaction with the plastic bag and quickly started growing something disgusting. Perhaps the bags from your grocery store are cleaner but I learned that mine are a petri dish of germs just waiting to grow. Ick!

To Make your own jellyfish bottle you will need:

water bottle
light colored plastic grocery bag
Fine white thread or clear elastic
Small syringe or dropper (I used one that was leftover from a bottle of infant Tylennol)
Food Coloring (optional)

Begin by laying out your grocery bag and carefully cutting away the sides and bottom until you have a large square.
Gather the center of the plastic and stuff with some scraps before fastening with string or elastic. You want to trap a little air in here but also leave room to add a drop or two of water with the syringe.
Carefully cut the remaining bundle into strips for tentacles, leaving them attached to the body. If you leave too much it will turn into a tangled mess in the water, but you can always pull it out and perform surgery on your little guy if necessary.
Once you have your jellyfish complete, place him in your bottle and fill it to the brim with water. If you are adding food coloring now is the time to do so.
Screw on the lid and give your jellyfish a good shake. Hopefully he (or she!) will gracefully glide from one end of the bottle to the other.

How did your jellyfish turn out? Did he have the same swimming issues that ours did? Tell me all about it in the comments, and if you find a way to slow down his swim please share! 🙂

Size Sorting Printable

This printable turned out to be one of my favorites, because there are so many ways to modify it. The download includes a basic large vs. small version as well as a large vs. medium vs. small page. Once you have printed out the sorting background, print the page full of ocean creatures and cut them out. As always I laminated mine so it would withstand multiple uses. After finding tiny creature cut-outs all over the house I went back and added clear velcro dots to the back of each creature and the background page so that they stay with the activity.

This sorting page also works great for sorting seashells, or even stickers if you find a variety of sizes. What did your kids prefer to sort?

Some of Our Favorite Ocean Themed Toys

One of the best things about these learning units is the opportunity to scavenge your house to find materials. Sure, you can make some activities, but you’ll be surprised how much you already have to work with. Here are a few of our favorite toys and games.

Color Fun Fish Bowl – I’m not a fan of electronic toys. As a general rule I prefer a toy that uses imagination instead of batteries but this thing rocks! Nugget spends 20 – 30 minutes playing with it, and at 18 months old NOTHING holds his attention for that long. My favorite part is that it has 2 play modes. The first simply tells you the color of the fish that is inserted into the bowl (GREAT fine motor practice!). The second mode asks for a certain color and the child has to find it and insert it. Even though Goose has known his colors for quite a while he still has fun with this toy, so it definitely gets points for versatility!

Melissa & Doug Sea Life Wooden Chunky Puzzle (7 pcs) – what I like about this puzzle in particular is the chunky pieces that don’t have tabs or handles. This allows them to be used in imaginative play beyond the puzzle. There is also <this> magnetic version which is great for older kids as they use a fishing pole to lift the puzzle pieces.

Baby Einstein: Animal Discovery Cards – These cards are made of sturdy, heavy-weight paper and feature a glossy photo of an animal on one side and fun facts on the other. We have used ours over and over as a vocabulary building tool, in sorting games, and more. There are even questions and tips on each card to help encourage critical thinking!

Safari Ltd Ocean TOOB – I am crazy about Safari Limited Toobs. I don’t think I’ve ever done a tot school unit without including at least one toob. They bring a fantastic hands-on quality to vocabulary lessons and can be used as a manipulative or toy. For our unit I used the Ocean Toob, Coral Reef Toob, and the Dolphins and Whales Toob. The Deep Sea Creatures Toob wasn’t available near me but if I had known about it I probably would have gotten it too! (I think I may have a problem …. is anyone interested in forming a Toob support group? :))

Sign up below to get access to my exclusive Digital Resource Library where you can download all of the printables from this post and MUCH MORE!

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Early Tot School, Montessori, Tot School Units

Easy Ocean Themed Tot School Unit: Part 1

June 5, 2017

Summer is a great time to take a vacation to the beach, but if it’s too far away you can bring the beach inside with this fun ocean themed tot school unit! I have created so many printables and activities that I had to divide it into three posts! So check back throughout the week as I continue to share all the ocean themed fun we have been having!

Baby Nomenclature Cards

As a Montessori Mama I am a HUGE fan of nomenclature cards. What are nomenclature cards, you ask? Simple, they are cards that feature a vocabulary word and image (think flashcards for vocabulary building). In the Montessori tradition they are frequently used as ‘Three-Part Cards’. There is a complete card with both the image and title, as well as a second divided card with an image on one portion and the title on a separate portion. It really isn’t as confusing as it sounds 🙂

As children begin to read they can use 3-part cards to match the title to the image. For now, my boys just use nomenclature cards which allow them to build vocabulary. (If you’re interested in learning more, click here) For months Nugget has been trying desperately to get his hands on Goose’s laminated nomenclature cards for each unit I introduce. Unfortunately his little motor skills just aren’t quite ready to handle the laminated cards without bending (and often chewing!) them to pieces.

This is why I decided it was time to find a way to create his own set of nomenclature cards that would be virtually indestructible.

How To:

First, gather your supplies. You will need
- Mod Podge
- Acrylic Paint (I used white)
- A set of Images for your cards – download mine here
- Thin pieces of Balsa Wood
Begin by printing and cutting out your nomenclature card images.
Using your paper images as a guide, mark how large you wish for your wooden pieces to be. Mine are 2.5″ x 3.75″.
Cut your wood strips into the desired size and thoroughly sand the edges. You don’t want to leave any splinters that could find their way into tiny fingers!
Use your acrylic paint to apply a background color to both sides of your wood card.
Once the paint has dried fully use Mod Podge to adhere your paper nomenclature cards. I applied 6 coats to the front and 2 coats to the back of my cards to ensure a smooth, shiny finish.

Nugget was so excited when I introduced his very own nomenclature cards! He’s at the age where he wants to do everything that big brother does. First we sat together and went through each card as I read the titles to him. Then, I brought out a basket containing Munchkin Ocean Squirts bath toys. He quickly figured out how to lay out the cards and match the bath toy to the corresponding card. It was so much fun! When he proudly said “Sark!” it just warmed my heart!

Lacing Cards

Lacing cards are such a fun way to develop fine motor skills, so I knew I just had to include them in my Ocean themed tot school unit! All you have to do is print, cut them out (this can be great cutting practice for an older sibling – and can save you time, too!), and punch the holes.

Personally, I prefer to laminate my cards so they last through more than one use. If you are looking for a laminator this Purple Cows Hot and Cold Laminator is very affordable and has worked perfectly for more than a year.

Some easy extension activities can include asking your child to lace every other hole, or even do a blanket stitch. There’s no reason that a material you took the time to make has to be used only one way.

Water Bead Sensory Bin

If you visit my blog very often you already know how much I adore water beads. The slimy, squishy texture is shockingly addicting and my little ones are over the moon excited when I get them out. I ordered these from Amazon and the tiny package has lasted several months. The beads expand to nearly 200 times their original size, so it doesn’t take many to fill a sensory bin. I usually prepare them the night before – pour a tablespoon or two in a bin full of water and by morning they are ready for play!

Note: Always supervise the use of water beads in your home. Although they are non-toxic they can still be hazardous if swallowed due to their exponential growth. Always store your water beads away from children and pets, and contact your doctor or vet if you believe they may have been ingested.

Free Printables!

OK, you’ve been patient – and you will be so well rewarded. I got completely carried away designing printables for my Ocean themed tot school unit. There are the lacing cards I showed you above, size sorting games, animal activity cards, even a pretty ocean quote to decorate your tot school space! To get all this and more sign up below and you’ll receive your exclusive access code for my Digital Resource Library!

Check back Wednesday to see more of our Ocean Tot School Activities!

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Early Tot School, Montessori, Tot School Units

How to Make Colored Rice (and What to Do With It!)

May 12, 2017

Colored Rice: The Basics

Colored rice is incredibly easy to make and extremely fun to work with. The color combinations are endless as are the applications. Below is my favorite recipe for how to make your own colored rice, followed by a few easy activities you can use it with.

Ingredients:

1 Cup Uncooked Dry Rice
1/8th Cup White Vinegar
Food Coloring

Instructions:

Begin by pouring the vinegar over your dry rice. Ad 3-5 drops of food coloring in your desired color(s) and stir until well combined. The more food coloring you use, the darker and more vivid your rice will be.

Once the rice is fully combined spread it evenly over a baking sheet. Let sit for 1-2 hours until completely dry, stirring occasionally. Store in a dry, sealed container when not in use.

OK, I’ve Made My Rice – Now What??

Colored Rice is perfect for sensory bins. It works particularly well for smaller children because it doesn’t post a chocking hazard and is non-toxic. Below you can see that I used it in an Ocean sensory bin and a Farm themed sensory bin.

This material also works well in several Montessori activities. I have used it as an introductory pouring medium, as well as for scooping.

Comment below with your favorite colored rice activity!

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Early Tot School, Tot School Units

5 Awesome Activities for Early Tot School

May 11, 2017

6-18 months is a magical age. It’s the time when your baby finally begins to express itself and let his or her personality shine. That’s not to say it’s easy. In fact, I think it can be one of the most difficult ages as they become old enough to get into everything but too young to really understand the rules. This is a fantastic age for introducing some simple early tot school activities. Below I will show you a few basic early tot school activities that you can introduce to your 6-18 month old. All of these can be easily modified to suit your child and most can be made using things you already have around the house. How easy is that?!

1. Fine Motor Skills

Developing fine motor skills is so important at a young age. These skills will form the building blocks of future writing skills. The hardest part of creating fine motor activities for this age group is their tendency to put EVERYTHING in their mouths. So many small items are a choking hazard that its easy to spend all your time keeping small things away from your baby instead of giving them opportunities to handle these items.

One of my favorite early tot school fine motor activity is threading pipe cleaners through holes. I like to use an inverted colander and show baby how to stick the ends of the pipe cleaners through the holes. If you have a little more time and are feeling crafty you could carefully poke holes in the lid of a Pringles can, creating an activity with built-in storage! As your child gets older experiment with stringing pasta or large beads on the pipe cleaners – just remember to always watch them with any small or sharp objects.

2. Sensory Play

It feels like sensory play is such a buzzword these days – what does it even mean? It really is just a fancy way of explaining that kids need opportunities to get their hands dirty and interact with lots of different textures. I have found that rice and beans make excellent sensory bin foundations. Dry rice is easy to color to increase the visual appeal, while beans are a bit easier to clean up.

It’s best to begin with the foundation material alone in the beginning. Let your child explore the texture and run their hands through it. Then introduce a spoon or scoop. From there continue to add bowls and pitchers for pouring, or place objects within the material to be ‘excavated’. For easy clean up, sensory play is ideal for a plastic shower curtain or table cloth.

Click here to see my easy recipe for colored rice!

3. Cotton Ball Painting

Art projects for babies – are you crazy? Aren’t they messy enough already? Don’t worry, I’ve found a few activities that both babies and moms can love. Of course, a smock never hurts. I love to pour a little washable paint like this one; and use clothespins and cotton balls to make simple paint brushes. Little ones love dabbing and it keeps them from getting too messy. Visit my Digital Resource Library to download and print 3 free pages that are perfect for this project! Don’t have the password?? Easy! Just sign up below and it will be emailed to you immediately.

4. Craft Paper Mosaic

This is such a fun craft that works well for little ones and older siblings alike. All that you need is some construction paper, Elmer’s Glue the printable pages available in my Digital Resource Library. Ripping paper is great fun, so let your child tear the construction paper into small pieces. Then make a 50/50 mix of glue and water in a small dish. Have your child dip each piece of paper in the glue and then place on the printed page.

5. Montessori Treasure Baskets

One of my favorite early tot school activities was creating treasure baskets for my little ones. It’s fun to pick a theme and then just walk through your house looking for every day objects that fit it. Shown below is a ‘Red Themed’ treasure basket that I made for Nugget. I even used a red basket and then displayed it on a red blanket. Could this thing get any more red?? Inside is a drink koozie, a flashlight, legos, a glove, large buttons from a threading game and a foam acorn. This stuff is like catnip to babies and it offers so many learning opportunities! Besides the obvious lesson in color, you expose them to lots of new vocabulary words as you introduce each item. Believe me, once you introduce a treasure basket your child will return to it again and again!

Some of my favorite themes for treasure baskets are: colors, shapes, textures and seasons.

Have you tried any of these activities with your early tot schooler? I’d love to hear how it went and if you would like more printables like these. Comment below with your input (or to just say ‘hi’)!

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Crafts, Tot School Units

Fast and Easy Arctic Animal Lesson

May 8, 2017

Where I live, this winter was pretty much a dud. Even on a good year we tend to stay pretty warm, but this year we never saw a single flake of snow. It was super disappointing and I’m pretty sure that I’m responsible since I made the mistake of buying my boys a sled this year. That should guarantee we don’t get snow until they’ve completely outgrown it!

Whether it’s warm and sunny or you’re feeling your own arctic chill, this fast and easy Arctic Animal Play Activity is perfect for those days when you’re short on time but still want to throw together a fun learning activity. In 10 minutes or less I will show you how to assemble an easy, arctic environment that your little one will love and a fun snowflake decorating craft. To make life even easier I have included a FREE printable matching game!

How to Create a Fast and Easy Arctic Themed Sensory Bin

What you Need:

1 Bar of Ivory Soap (Note: It is NOT recommended to use any other variety of soap for this project. Ivory Soap is known for it’s high air content that allows it to expand when heated. Other soaps may not expand, or may even scorch and damage your microwave.)
Blue Food Coloring
Ice
Water
One Large Bowl (for microwaving your soap)
One Medium Plastic Bin (for creating your play area)
Several Arctic Themed Figurines (I prefer this set from Safari Ltd.)

What to Do:

Add 3-4 drops of food coloring to your water to reach the desired shade of blue
Unwrap your IVORY soap and place in a microwave safe bowl, then heat for 1-2 minutes until it no longer expands. (Warning: it will be HOT!)
Use a spatula to distribute soap within your plastic bin
Pour blue water around the soap and add ice cubes as desired.
Add arctic themed animals and figures and let the fun begin.

How to Make Fun Foam Snowflakes

What you Need:

Several Sheets of White Fun Foam
Scissors
A Printed Copy of the Snowflake Template (Link Below)
Puffy Paint in Assorted Colors (I used Silver, Light Blue, Dark Blue and Glitter)

What to Do:

Download and Print the snowflake template from my Digital Resource Library. Don’t have the password? Sign up below and it will be emailed to you right away.
Cut out the template and trace the design onto your white fun foam.
Cut the snowflake shape from the fun foam and decorate with puffy paint.

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Tot School Units

Farm Themed Tot School Unit: Part I

Something about Summer just makes me think of life on the farm.

In way over my head …

Nomenclature Cards

Is it just my house or does every activity ultimately involve Hot Wheels?

Pigs in Mud Sensory Bin

Fast Craft: Paper Plate Lambs

Supplies:

Instructions:

Milking a Cow Imaginative Play

Delicious Haystack Snack Recipe

Ingredients:

Recipe:

Did you try any of our farm-themed tot school activities?

Check back later this week to see Part II and Part III of our Farm Themed Tot School Unit!

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Ocean Themed Tot School Unit: Part 3

Underwater Chalk Art

Supplies:

How To:

Animal Activity Cards

Colored Rice Sensory Bin

Our Favorite Ocean Themed Books

Wrap-Up

Which activities did you try?

Share this:

Like this:

Easy Ocean Themed Tot School Unit: Part 2

Ocean Ice-Cavating

Jellyfish Discovery Bottle

To Make your own jellyfish bottle you will need:

Size Sorting Printable

Some of Our Favorite Ocean Themed Toys

Sign up below to get access to my exclusive Digital Resource Library where you can download all of the printables from this post and MUCH MORE!

Share this:

Like this:

Easy Ocean Themed Tot School Unit: Part 1

Baby Nomenclature Cards

How To:

Lacing Cards

Water Bead Sensory Bin

Free Printables!

Check back Wednesday to see more of our Ocean Tot School Activities!

Share this:

Like this:

How to Make Colored Rice (and What to Do With It!)

Colored Rice: The Basics

Ingredients:

Instructions:

OK, I’ve Made My Rice – Now What??

Comment below with your favorite colored rice activity!

Share this:

Like this:

5 Awesome Activities for Early Tot School

1. Fine Motor Skills

2. Sensory Play

3. Cotton Ball Painting

4. Craft Paper Mosaic

5. Montessori Treasure Baskets

Share this:

Like this:

Fast and Easy Arctic Animal Lesson

How to Create a Fast and Easy Arctic Themed Sensory Bin

What you Need:

What to Do:

How to Make Fun Foam Snowflakes

What you Need:

What to Do:

FREE Download

Sign up Below to Access the Free Digital Resource Library & Download Your Freebies!

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Like this: