Does your family love to read? It’s one of my favorite things to do, and I have worked hard to instill that same love of reading in my boys. My hubby hasn’t always shared my passion but even he is coming around lately. I firmly believe that anyone who doesn’t like to read just hasn’t found the right book, and that brings me around to today’s post; 52 Books about space for kids. This selection of fiction (and a few nonfiction!) books about outer space will entertain your child as they learn, and includes several of our favorites!
by: Byron Barton
by: Meghan McCarthy
by: Tish Rabe
by: Mark Kelly
by: Raman Prinja
by: Linda McReynolds
by: Joanna Cole & Bruce Degen
by: Elijah Kravets
by: Faith McNulty
by: Remi Courgeon
by: Anastasia Suen
By: Lauryn Silverhardt and Guy Wolek
by: Tony Mitton
by: Michael Driscoll & Meredith Hamilton
by: Tom Jones
by: Drew Brockington
by: Mara Shaughnessy
by: Mark Carthew
by: Franklyn M. Branley
by: Margaret McNamara and Mark Fearing
by: Ray O’Ryan and Colin Jack (Several books in this series for early readers about an 8 year old boy who’s family moves to a different planet!)
by: Verlyn Tarlton and Ravshan Karimov
by: Jane Yolen (This is part of a whole series of books about Commander Toad and his adventures in space)
by: Jennifer Ward
by: Joan Sweeney
by: Pfiffikus
by: Catherine D. Hughes
by: Jane Werner
by: Christiane Engel
by: Russ Cox
by: Anne Rockwell
by: Michael Dahl
by: V Moua
by: Judy Schachner
by: Adam Gamble and Mark Jasper
by: Jacqueline Mitton
by: Aleksandra Godfrey
by: Colleen Sexton
by: Mark Kelly
by: Margret Rey
by: Jill McDonald
by: Mark KellySome of our favorite Space Books are from Usborne (have you checked out their books – so amazing!!) but the links below will take you to a site where you can purchase them, and help out a friend’s budding business 😉
Note: This post contains affiliate links, which means that I receive a small percentage of your purchase price for any of the books I link to on Amazon.com. The post also links to several books available through the Usborne Books website. I do not receive commission from these sales, however this is a direct sales company and the links in question will generate commission for a friend. If you have any question about these policies please contact me.
So I’ve been dying to ask, “Did you try out any of the Preschool Space Activities introduced on Monday?” I have a dear friend who tried making the planet magnets yesterday and even though they ended up pretty lopsided (she was ready to call them a fail!) her kiddos LOVE them! She called me this morning and couldn’t believe how much fun her little girl was having. She kept asking her the names of the planets and then going around the house looking for things they would stick to.
If you’re having a little trouble remembering the planets yourself, then today is your lucky day! I’ve designed a new set of space themed Nomenclature Cards. I also have a fun new sensory bin and a constellation activity. Let’s jump right in!
If you’ve been hanging out at Nugget & Goose for any amount of time you’re already very familiar with my love of Montessori nomenclature cards. I don’t see myself ever leaving them out of a tot school unit. If you aren’t already familiar with them, this handy post will explain everything you need to know about how to use them and why they are so fantastic.
This set of space nomenclature cards consists of 27 unique images and covers all of the planets in the Safari Ltd Safariology Solar System
I found that this set of nomenclature cards worked really well in conjunction with the clay planet magnets and play mats I mentioned earlier this week. Nugget really enjoyed when I showed him a nomenclature card with a planet, and then he could find the corresponding magnet to hold up. If you really have it together you could use the images on the cards as your guide to make the clay planets. Then they would match quite a bit better than my own 🙂
I have also used the cards with Goose to play several learning games. I allow him to independently match the cards to their corresponding Safari Ltd. pieces which he always enjoys, and then once I feel confident in his vocabulary I ask him to play sorting games where he finds all the cards with a ‘M’ sound etc. He is really on the cusp of reading so phonics games are great at this age! A final game we play is what I call the ‘story game’, he uses the cards as prompts to tell a story. So for example he might have to make up a story about Neptune, a lunar rover and a space chimp. I try to record these when he tells them because they always crack me up!
Of course you would! Why waste your valuable time making what I already have? This set of cards and many others are all available for free in my Digital Resource Library. All you have to do to get access is join with your email address below.
Here is another way to use the Safari Ltd. figures I mentioned above, and best of all it’s EASY! All you need is a few tablespoons of black water beads (and a few clear as well if you have them). Pour the beads in a small bin and submerge in water overnight. When you wake up you’ll find a glistening bin of plump black water beads ready for play! I buried all of our Safari Ltd. figures and prompted Nugget and Goose to go on a ‘deep space scavenger hunt’!
I still have to watch Nugget pretty closely with these beads because they look a little too food-like for my comfort. They have a particular tendency to bounce so if one escapes from your bin you may never find it (but I guarantee if there’s a toddler in your house they will find it the minute you turn your back.) … Or is that just Nugget? 🙂
I feel like so much of what we learn about space can feel very abstract. We tell our children about these far off planets and colorful nebulae but they can’t really see it and experience it themselves. Spending time outside star gazing is a fantastic way to bridge this gap and create a connection for your kids. If you live out in the country you’re absolutely golden (and I’m super jealous!) but for the rest of us there are usually parks or even a planetarium that you can visit to help your child get close to the cosmos.
I created this activity to teach my boys about constellations. It doesn’t require too much preparation and even my nephews who are in 5th grade enjoyed this activity! So gather your supplies and then check back in the comments to let me know how it went.
Hello! I’m finally back with another full-length Tot School unit! The past month has been so busy with traveling, getting the kids back to school (school started on July 31st here – it’s insane!), and most importantly Goose turned 4! Needless to say I have had my hands full, but even when I wasn’t here sharing content with you I was still brainstorming ideas and I have some AMAZING stuff in the pipeline for you guys. First, is this awesome tot school unit full of toddler and preschool space activities. This will be a longer than normal unit, so be sure to sign up for my emails so you won’t miss a thing. I’ll never spam you but I WILL send you access to my complete library of free resources. Think worksheets, templates, TONS of nomenclature cards and more!
So, the ‘Great American Eclipse’. Did you watch it? I feel like the whole country went crazy with eclipse fever and of course our house was no exception. We were loaded down with our eclipse themed snacks (Moon Pies, Sun Chips, Capri Sun, & Milky Way Bars of course!) and I even made eclipse pancakes for breakfast. After all the hype I feel like the experience was kind of a letdown. We live close enough to experience 97% totality and if no one had told me we were having an eclipse I probably never would have noticed. The one good thing that came out of it though was a newfound interest in space for Nugget & Goose. Now both boys want to be astronauts and fly to Mars.
I created these preschool space activities and tot school unit at Goose’s direct request, so they are definitely kid tested and kid approved. I can’t wait to hear how your kids like them too – tell me in the comments!
These magnets were so much fun to make and require absolutely no artistic ability whatsoever. Best of all, your shopping list only has 2 items on it! This is definitely a project that you could knock out during nap time while you binge on Netflix, or if you have an older child let them help or even make their own. At (almost) 2 and 4 both of my boys have enjoyed working with these magnets. Nugget enjoys the resistance of lifting the strong magnets off the cookie sheet and matching them to the play mat. Goose is able to name all of the planets and is now working on placing them in their correct order.
Edit: It has now been more than a week since I introduced this activity and Nugget is still requesting it multiple times a day. This may be one of my most successful activities ever!
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OK, you’ve spent an hour of your valuable time making these things – what do you do with them? I have that part covered for you! I designed a set of 3 play mats to use with your solar system magnets. The first play mat features all of the planets in our solar system for easy matching. This is a great starting point, particularly for younger children. After your child becomes more comfortable naming the planets and their order you can progress to the second play mat which shows the sun and lines for each planet’s orbit. Finally the 3rd play mat is an image of space with no planets. This is perfect for free-play or allowing a child to fully recreate our solar system on her own. I recommend laminating your play mats for increased durability and using them on a small baking sheet.
Ready for your FREE Printable Play Mats? Sign up below to get access to our free digital resource library full of fun printables and activities!
Size discrimination is an early math skill that builds the foundation for so much later in life. This activity takes those size discrimination skills a step further by adding a fine motor component. When you do sizing activities with your toddler they develop vocabulary (larger, smaller, medium) and communication skills. Would you ever have guessed before having children that putting objects in boxes could be so educational?!
I find that the activities I create draw more attention when I present them in an attractive way. This makes it seem ‘special’ and the child is eager to participate. I recommend placing all 3 boxes on a tray along with a small bowl or basket containing the gold stars. When your child is ready, demonstrate the various sizes of stars and show them how to place a star in the slot. As a Montessori-inspired activity it is self-correcting. This means that the child will only be able to fit the large star into the large slot, thereby correcting the child if he or she attempts to place it in the wrong box. Once all the stars are in the box you can show your child how to open the box to retrieve their stars. This will probably be their favorite part.
Nugget had so much fun with this activity. He isn’t interested in the sorting the stars, but Goose really enjoys helping him with that part. In fact, I assumed this activity would be too easy to attract Goose but he really enjoyed helping to sort the stars and experimenting with how many could fit in one slot. Anything that occupies both boys and has them getting along is a HUGE win in my book!
Have you heard of Montessori Nomenclature Cards? Once an obscure term only found in Montessori classrooms, these cards have gained in popularity in recent years. These cards are an easy and affordable way to enhance your child’s education. Today I will tell you a little about the history of nomenclature cards, what they are, how to use them and why they work so well. Best of all, if you make it to the bottom of this post I have 3 free sets of nomenclature cards available for download! So let’s dive in!
Like most Montessori materials, nomenclature cards were pioneered by Maria Montessori, the founder of Montessori education. The word nomenclature comes from the Latin word nomenclatura which means “assigning of names”. This is very apt because the primary purpose of these cards is teaching children the proper names for objects in the world around them. The earliest nomenclature cards featured simple line drawings created by hand. The reasons for this style were twofold. First it was the easiest and most accessible method of production in the early 1900’s when Maria Montessori was pioneering her Montessori Method. Second, she believed that a simple image provided less distractions thereby allowing the child to focus solely on the vocabulary word being featured.
It’s important to note that many traditional Montessori nomenclature cards teach the parts of plants and animals. This can make finding the right image difficult. For example, if you wish to teach the word ‘stamen’ an image of a stamen alone might be too abstract, but an image of the entire flower might not adequately show which part the term ‘stamen’ refers to. In this scenario a simple drawing in black and white is the perfect tool. Several cards can feature the same basic drawing, with a different part colored on each card. Over time the cards have evolved with modern technology. One school of thought today is that a photographic image is superior to a drawing. I believe that when you are teaching broad concepts (i.e. bear, mountain, Nebula) this is true. However, as stated above, if you are teaching specific components of an object then an isolation drawing is usually best.
In the simplest terms nomenclature cards are simply flashcards that feature an image at the top and the name of the image at the bottom. I have seen them come in several sizes although the most common size is 2.5″ x 3.5″. Often laminated for additional durability, these cards are easy to make and surprisingly popular with children.
There are many ways to use Nomenclature Cards, depending on the age of your child, so I will present a few basic activities and then some extensions based on age.
For young children who are not yet reading, nomenclature cards are used to build vocabulary. These children will do best with a one-piece card that shows an image at the top and name at the bottom. I prefer to present nomenclature cards early in a new Tot School unit so that the child can become familiar with new phrases and concepts that may be used in later activities.
To begin the presentation I sit down beside the child and place the cards face up, one by one. As each card is placed in front of the child I recite its name. For this introduction I try to keep my explanation of each card pretty brief, but if the child asks questions I will answer. Particularly large groups of cards may need to be divided out over several days so the child isn’t overwhelmed. As always, follow the child. They’ll make it clear when they’ve had too much.
Over the next few days present the cards several more times, and add some of the games below.
I often incorporate Safari Ltd. Toob figures with my nomenclature cards. This allows me to offer a fun and easy matching game that the kids always love. Just lay out the cards and a small dish full of matching figurines and encourage your child to match the figurine to it’s card. Holding a 3D model of the item they are learning can really help cement the vocabulary in your child’s brain.
This is a fun variation on 20 questions. Place your nomenclature cards face up on a table and select one (mentally) without telling your child which one. Then have your child ask questions until he or she names the correct card. For example:
A younger child might struggle to articulate their questions, so you could help, or even offer clues describing the object yourself until he or she is able to guess what it is.
By early elementary your child is likely fully able to express herself verbally, and perhaps reading or close to reading. This is when you’ll begin introducing the “3-Part Cards” aspect of nomenclature cards. 2 Make your own 3-Part Cards simply print a duplicate of each sheet. Prepare the first sheet as described above, and then cut the cards from the second sheet apart. This will leave 3 pieces:
Place one complete card before your child and encourage him to find the matching image to place beside it. Once the image has been matched look closely at the name on the complete card and ask your child to find the remaining portion with the matching name. This will be easier for children who are already reading, but even if your child isn’t reading it’s a great opportunity to point out the distinctive shapes of different letters to help her match the words. Continue this way through all of the cards or until your child seems tired. This is a challenging activity and they may need to work their way up to completing an entire deck of nomenclature cards.
When your child is no longer challenged by the previous activities, you can remove the complete card altogether and ask your child to match the name and image alone. This is the most challenging task but proves true mastery over the vocabulary.
Are your ready to introduce nomenclature cards to your child? Sign up below for access to our free Digital Resource Library. There are several sets of nomenclature cards already available, and more added each month! If you would like to see a specific themed set, request it in the comments below!
Today’s post is a little different. Instead of the usual crafts and activities I would like to share with you how we choose to make our family vacations educational and enriching. Tot School isn’t just about sitting home doing art projects and studying flash cards. It’s about making education a priority for your children, anywhere and everywhere you go. I believe that using travel to educate your child is every bit as important as the lessons they will learn in the home or classroom.
Years ago hubby and I decided to purchase a camper trailer as a way to spend more time together as a family. When Nugget arrived I wasn’t sure if I would have what it takes to camp with a baby (although a camper with refrigerator, microwave and bathroom is hardly roughing it!). Fortunately we decided to give it a try and things actually went very well. Since then we have taken the boys camping several times a year.
I think it’s fantastic to have a week or more where we talk and play without any TV. The only time the boys get to use electronic devices is during particularly long stretches in the road. After all, Nugget isn’t even 2 – anything beyond about 4 hrs is pushing it with him.
Most recently we visited Oshkosh, Wisconsin for EAA Airventure – billed as the “World’s Largest Aviation Celebration”. The boys have loved seeing every model aircraft imaginable flying above and Goose has participated in several hands-on lessons. He has learned about aerodynamics, radar, and even construction methods for early aircraft. It is so rewarding to see the lessons we learn at home reinforced in a real world way.
Of course Nugget and Goose rarely do things halfway, so their Papa decided they would need an appropriate “stroller” for the air show. After much research he decided to construct an electric F-82 Twin Mustang for the boys to ride around in.
Guys. This thing is no joke. Seriously it ended up being too heavy to push so he had to motorize it just to get it around! So here we are toodling around as the boys perfect their air show wave. I try to explain just how lucky they are. If I think it will take a few years for that lesson to click. In the meantime they are learning plenty of lessons about the importance of family, togetherness, and of course; aviation 😉.
On a recent trip to the library we borrowed a book called “Beau Beaver Goes to Town
To make our little garden I started with a large aluminum roasting pan and a wide selection of miniature plants from our local nursery. I began by covering the bottom of the pan with a layer of small stones. This was then covered with charcoal followed by potting soil.
The most difficult part was creating a “river”. After a few false starts I cut a plastic water bottle down to size and buried it in my soil, I tried to create a gentle angle for water to run down and then placed the spout of the bottle in a small Tupperware. Both containers were lined with blue glass rocks (also from the nursery).
The final step was adding the plants, and that’s when it all came together. Our Sensory Garden finally looked like a garden! The project ended up being a bit more time consuming than I expected but the look on Goose’s face made it totally worth while.
He has spent several days playing with his river habitat. We are keeping it wet with a spray bottle of water (another great way to build hand strength!) and I place it in indirect sunlight for a little while each day.
Lately Nugget has really been developing his vocabulary. It seems like I hear a new word several times a day lately, and I love it! He didn’t speak as early as Goose (which I think is quite typical for younger siblings) and all too often I find myself comparing the two. I know that’s a major no-no but it’s so hard not to, when two children are so close in age. Luckily, his new-found interest in vocabulary has resulted in some major interest in tot school activities. So this week I have focused more on Nugget and developed an early tot school color unit.
Of course Goose has known his colors for quite some time, but even he has enjoyed some of the activities I devised. Since he doesn’t require vocabulary building I focused on visual discrimination, sorting, and of course fine motor skills.
What, I used Voss water bottles to make a set of sensory bottles for a tot school unit?? You’re shocked I’m sure. This set of sensory bottles was so fun and easy, and best of all I had all the supplies I needed around the house. I actually made these when Goose was little, but pulled them out of storage this week to introduce to Nugget. As you can see in the pictures, the boys have hidden my red bottle so please forgive my incomplete rainbow. Lately hiding things (and themselves!) seems to be a favorite game of theirs.
Some suggestions on filling your bottles:
This is a great opportunity to clean out that junk drawer, the back of your craft closet, and even that pile of random mismatched toy pieces. You can fill your bottles with ANYTHING. In fact, the more variety the better. Mine include Easter basket grass, beads, sequins, ribbon, pompoms, pipe cleaners, a barrette, cheap plastic toys that we’ve gotten free from the dentist office, baby food pouch lids and more. Seriously – anything goes. You don’t even have to worry about choking hazards since the bottle is glued shut!
I designed these color discrimination cards using paint samples from my local home improvement store. They were easy to make and the only cost was a package of clothespins and about 20 min. time. The idea of the cards is to help the child discern between varying shades within a color family. Some of these required a second look for me, so I know this is a challenging activity for kids. Goose really enjoyed matching the colors to each strip, but then took the task one step further by going around our house looking for matching colors. I suspect I will be finding color clips around the house for weeks, but he was learning and having fun so what more could I ask for?
Nice to have but not necessary: a square hole punch
This activity is so simple I feel like the pictures alone are pretty self-explanatory. All you need are 2 colored bins full of matching ball pit balls or similar, and one eager tot. Dump out the balls and then help your child to sort them by color into the appropriate basket. Depending on your child’s age you could make this more difficult by adding additional colors.
OK, how amazing is this wooden rainbow. If I can take a moment to brag, my Dad made this for Goose for his birthday a few years ago after he saw me lusting after the Grimm’s 6-Piece Rainbow Stacker
The individual arches have seen use as headbands, bridges, car garages (of course!), and toy animal pins. Mixed with traditional blocks they open up so many new avenues for creative play. Plus they help teach colors!
If you followed my posts during our Farm themed tot school unit you’re likely already aware of my love for the DK line of touch and feel picture cards. They come in a wide range of themes and so far we have loved every set we order. To help add a tactile element to our color learning activities I brought out our My First Touch and Feel Picture Cards: Colors & Shapes
If you have spent much time at all on my blog you’ve heard me talking about fine motor skills. Nearly every tot school activity I introduce focuses on building vocabulary or fine motor skills (and often the activities do both!). If you aren’t already taking an active role in your child’s fine motor development you are missing a critical opportunity to help them reach their full potential.
Fine Motor Skills (also referred to as dexterity) is the blanket term for activities that require control of small muscles in the hands. If you think of the way that a newborn uses his or her hands, they are clumsy and awkward as they bat at things. Even the simple ability to grasp and release is an acquired skill. Now think of your own dexterity. You and I can perform complex tasks with our hands easily. The development of fine motor skills is the path that a child takes from those early baby days to reaching the skill level that you and I share.
Many studies suggest that the use of fine motor control is the basis for all intellectual functioning within the first 2 years of a child’s life. This reliance on fine motor control for learning continues throughout childhood. Children naturally learn with their hands, this is why increasing the skill level with which they are able to use their hands is so important.
Development of fine motor skills is vital for developing independence, self- confidence and even social skills. A child with advanced fine motor abilities will stand out amongst his or her peers in a preschool or early elementary setting. This child will be early to dress himself, early to excel with cutting or playing with small toys, and most importantly early to write. Children are cognitively ready to write at a much earlier age, the lack of congruent muscle ability is what delays them.
Sadly the development of fine motor skills has declined dramatically in recent years.Children spend more time watching TV, playing video games, or using an iPad. Consequently they spend less time working the many muscles in their hands. I have spoken to many teachers who lament the decline in their student’s abilities. One friend who teaches kindergarten says that today the majority of incoming students are unable to correctly hold a crayon or pencil. Even 15 years ago she says that most students possessed that skill by 3 or 4 years of age.
It’s my opinion that children today move too little in all aspects of life. They have become so accustomed to electronic stimulation that they are not spending the time playing outside that children did even a generation ago. This impacts their fine and gross motor skills as well as their overall health. Spending one hour each week playing t-ball is not enough activity for a healthy growing child.
Maria Montessori was a strong supporter of movement as a means of developing mental acuity. She believed that the physical movements of the young child were directly connected to the child’s learning potential.
“In fact, it is only by movement that the personality can express itself.” Maria Montessori in The Absorbent Mind
“The child has to acquire physical independence by being self-sufficient; he must become of independent will by using in freedom his own power of choice and ability.”
This belief is repeated throughout the Montessori classroom. The use of motor skills is believed to increase the ease with witch a task is learned and understood. For example, the Pink Tower, a classic Montessori material initially appears to be a simple stacking activity. However, as the child stacks each cube he or she is building hand strength, muscle control, and learning about ordering. That very sense of order is vital to later math concepts.
There are also numerous activities to build them. Most can be practiced using items you already have around the house. Ultimately any activity that uses the hands and arms is going to be building muscle control. The important thing is for the child to practice a wide variety of activities so all of the muscles are worked equally.
Here are some simple activities to begin with:
Here are just a few of the many activities I have featured that build fine motor skills.
Happy Independence Day! Are you going to celebrate the holiday by watching fireworks? My boys are completely terrified by the loud noise of fireworks, so the entire weekend has been one long cry fest as our neighbors celebrate (over… and over… and over!) Luckily we have had lots of educational 4th of July fun of our own. If you missed all of the patriotic activities I posted about last week, be sure to check out 4th of July Tot School: Part 1!
Tonging is a funny name for a really fun Montessori-inspired activity. As the name implies, children use a set of tongs to transfer objects. Similar to spooning and pouring activities, tonging develops hand strength and muscle control necessary for writing.
For this activity I used a set of star shaped plastic ice cubes that I picked up from Target last year. I found a set of small tongs at Bed, Bath & Beyond, although this set
I also allowed Nugget to handle the frozen stars in a basin of water one day for some patriotic sensory play.
Our next Tot Tray featured a dish full of red, white and blue pony beads and a selection of pipe cleaners. The task was simple: string the beads on a pipe cleaner to make a bracelet or necklace. The mechanics of stringing alone were complicated enough for Nugget, while I encouraged Goose to design a pattern and stick to it. They both had so much fun with this simple activity and were eager to wear their ‘fancy beads’ at the 4th of July parade.
Our Tot Trays were augmented with a wide selection of historical and geographical learning materials that I have picked up over the years. Some are a bit advanced for Goose but he and Nugget both seemed to enjoy looking at the pictures as I read them different facts. Hopefully they each picked up some of the basics, at least.
by Patricia Pingry. This book is part of a fantastic series of board books about historical figures. We read the story of George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Benjamin Franklin. The series also includes the story of America’s Birthday, Gettysburg, the Star Spangled Banner, Rosa Parks and more. I hope to add the rest of our collection soon.
. This guide is something I picked up last year at a consignment sale on a whim, and it turned out to be a valuable resource. Each page shows a portrait of the president and offers a brief bio. The stories are short enough that even Goose could follow them, and he delighted in picking the funniest looking presidents so I could read their stories. Even I have a hard time keeping some of the more obscure presidents straight (I’m looking at you John Tyler and Millard Fillmore!) So I don’t know how much Goose will really remember but if nothing else he is learning that history can be fun and that lesson alone is valuable.
Salt writing is a wonderful way for children to practice early writing skills. All you need is a small wooden tray lined with a piece of brightly colored paper, and a little salt. I have seen people use sugar or sand for this activity but in my experience salt works best at discouraging children from sticking their hands in it.
I let Goose use a chopstick to trace out letters in the salt, and then give the tray a quick shake to clear the writing and start over. (It’s like a primitive etch-a-sketch!) It can be helpful to provide some degree of direction so I like to use our Montessori Cursive Alphabet Flashcards. (Click the link to learn how to get your own free copy!).
This free printable is designed for use with Do-A-Dot markers. The download includes 2 versions, one with letters denoting which colors to use, and one with blank circles. This simple activity is a fun and easy way to work on letter recognition, and fine motor skills.
Do I sound like a broken record going on and on about fine motor skills? They really are vital to so many higher level skills that children need. Sadly kids today are losing their fine and gross motor skills at an alarming rate, so these are the types of activities that they need more than ever.
You can get your free American flag Do-A-Dot printable from my Free Digital Resource Library
My final 4th of July Tot Tray was a punching activity using this old star-shaped scrapbooking punch. I provided strips of red cardstock and a tray to catch the stars and let Goose go wild. The punch requires a good amount of hand strength so this was an ideal way to let him feel like he was playing while still increasing muscle control. We did this activity at Christmas last year using gold paper and I was pleasantly surprised to see how far his hand strength has come in the last 6 months.
Simple punches like this are an easy addition to any tot school unit, because the design makes it difficult (though probably not impossible) for a child to injure himself. Traditional office-style hole punches are a bit more prone to pinching skin so I would save those until you feel confident that your child can handle it safely.
I hope you have a wonderful holiday full of family and friends! Do you have any secrets for helping your little ones tolerate noisy fireworks? Comment below. I need all the help I can get!
Can you believe that it’s already July?! It feels like this summer is just flying by. Next week people all across the United States will be celebrating the 4th of July, and for different people that means different things. It might mean fireworks, a trip to the beach, or a backyard bar-b-que. For me, it means all of those things PLUS an excuse to do a new red, white and blue themed tot school unit. My family loves the 4th of July so we always go all out and this tot school unit is no exception. Keep reading for crafts, Montessori trays and lots of free printables!
Seriously, who doesn’t love Honest Abe? I designed this fun popsicle stick craft to honor our 16th president and provide a jumping off point to talk about our country’s history. This is a simple art project that could easily be modified for even younger children. Simply replace the paint with washable markers, and maybe provide a little help with the gluing.
My boys had so much fun with this activity! I actually did it with Goose last year, and then brought it out again this year. Even though it is much less challenging now he still enjoyed the activity quite a bit. The best part is that it requires almost no prep work!
All you need is a package of toothpick flags (Mine were sold as cupcake toppers!) and a square piece of floral foam. That’s it. See, I told you it was easy! Now let your child poke each toothpick flag into the foam. There is just enough resistance from the foam to build hand strength, which is vital to develop the muscle control necessary for writing.
This set of nomenclature cards features 18 patriotic vocabulary words. There are basics like ‘Fireworks’, ‘Statue of Liberty’, and ‘Bald Eagle’ as well as a few more advanced concepts like ‘Declaration of Independence’ and ‘Revolutionary War’. Of course, as a parent it’s always up to you to decide just how much information your child is ready for. I hope that this free download will help with whatever way you wish to teach your children about the history of Independence Day.
You can download your own free set of Patriotic Nomenclature cards from my Digital Resource Library. Sign up below to get the password!
I continued to work on my boys’ fine motor skills with this easy Montessori spooning activity. I presented a tray with 2 dishes, one of which was full of assorted red, white and blue beads. Then I carefully demonstrated for Nugget how to scoop up a spoonful of beads and pour them into the adjacent dish. He spilled plenty, but he also surprised me with just how well he did. The really wonderful part was when Goose came over and began helping him. Brotherly love at its finest, and it just melted my heart!
Some of the activities I have listed today are better for slightly older children, so I wanted to include something for the younger siblings as well. I found this set of 4th of July gel window clings in the Dollar Spot at Target. They are VERY sticky and stretchy, so I introduced them with a child-sized cookie sheet (I think it came from this
I think that a child as young as 6th months would enjoy touching and interacting with the sticky texture if you placed them on a cookie sheet yourself. As always, watch your child to ensure that they don’t try to eat them (and if it were me, I would wash hands after handling, who knows what chemicals are in these things – eek!)
After so many activities for the littles, here is something for the Mamas! This download features 3 separate 8×10 designs, perfect for framing or adding a patriotic touch throughout the house. Visit my Digital Resource Library to get yours, and have a Fabulous 4th of July!!
Don’t miss Part 2 of my 4th of July Tot School Unit!
