On a recent trip to the library we borrowed a book called “Beau Beaver Goes to Town“. It was a relatively cute story (a bit dry but very educational) but it has sparked a real interest in beavers for Goose. As a surprise I picked up a Safari Ltd River TOOB and we made a River Sensory Garden.
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.
A key component of Montessori primary education is that children learn to write in cursive first. I was initially surprised by this since traditional education teaches cursive writing later (if ever!). However once the philosophy behind it was explained, it made perfect sense. If you look at a young child’s scribbles, they usually consist of loops and wavy lines. Their writing flows from one shape to the next without lifting their pencil. Sound familiar?
Pre-writing naturally tends to mimic cursive. This is why the Montessori philosophy teaches cursive first – they believe it comes easier to young children.
Unfortunately I have found that cursive writing materials for preschool aged children are remarkably difficult to find. Most workbooks for this age group focus on printing letters. The few Montessori-endorsed materials I found were often very expensive and had to be ordered online.
When I brought this up with Goose’s teacher she helped me to devise a flashcard system that I could make on my own. After taking the time to create these fabulous flashcards, I just had to share them with you!
I designed my flashcards to fit on standard 3″ x 5″ note cards. Every flashcard features a front with an upper and lower case cursive letter, along with a small inset script letter. On the reverse is a large high resolution photograph of an animal or object that begins with that letter. I have even included an additional blank template in case you wish to replace an image with one of your own. It turned out to be much harder than I expected to come up with what I hoped would be a universally recognizable image for each letter. The last thing I wanted was for children to get confused because they saw ‘yak’ and thought ‘cow’ or saw a ‘yacht’ and thought ‘boat’. (So I went with Yogurt for Y which probably isn’t much better, but it is what it is.)
How to Assemble Your Flashcards
Assembly is very simple for these cards. Simply download and print the flashcards, cut out each card (It will go much faster with a paper cutter like this one from Swingline.) Then use a tape runner to adhere the front and back to a 3×5 notecard. If you wish to make your flashcards even more durable you could laminate them, which is what I did after taking pictures. Laminated items really don’t photograph well for me.
Using Your Flashcards
These flashcards have both the cursive letters as well as script letters on the front. The idea is to cover the script letter with your thumb and ask your child what sound the cursive letter shown makes. If your child is struggling, move your thumb to reveal the script letters. We see these so much in our society that many children pick them up naturally. Finally, show your child the object or animal on the back of the card so they link the ‘buh’ sound of the letter B with ‘bear’ etc. It may be helpful to note that in Montessori schools children do not initially learn the names of letters, they are called by the sound they make.
You can also use the flashcards in reverse by showing your child the picture first. Have him name the sound that the image starts with and then turn over the card to reveal the letters that make that sound.
OK, I’m sold. How do I get mine?
This is the best part – the flashcards are free! All you have to do is sign up below. You will then receive a link and password to my Free Digital Resource Library. You will never get spam from me but you WILL get access to an ever-growing library of printables, templates and more. What are you waiting for?
We are rolling right on through our farm themed tot school unit, and so far we have been having a blast! If you missed Part I, be sure to check it out. There were some really great crafts, recipes and activities for preschool or tot school. Today, our farm unit is going to the birds – literally! All of our crafts and activities revolve around poultry, so we will be feeding poultry, gathering eggs, gluing feathers and much more. Let’s get started!
Feed the Chickens Counting Mats
I think counting mats are such a fun way to combine fine motor skill development with early math skills. Plus, they make counting just a little more fun. I designed these mats for counting up to 20, although you could easily use only the first 10 to match your child’s skill level. On each card I have featured one or more bird from the farm, and these birds are hungry! I recommend using dry corn kernels but you can use any dry beans or small counter that you have at home. As always, any small object (such as corn kernels) can post a choking hazard to small children so use your own best judgement.
While Goose enjoyed working his way through all 20 counting mats, Nugget had fun helping by trying to name what type of birds were on each card. It’s always great when a learning activity can include both an older and younger sibling!
Visit my Digital Resource Library to download and print your free copy of my Feed the Chickens Counting Mats. Don’t have an access code? Easy! Just sign up below and one will be emailed to you right away!
Fruit & Veggie Search Sensory Bin
I wish I could take credit for this activity but all the credit for this one goes to Kim at Life Over C’s. Definitely check out her site for some fantastic learning activities and to download the printables for this fun activity.
This activity features a printable mat showing a wide assortment of fruits and veggies, along with a matching set of fruit and veggie cards. A quick pass through the laminator and a few Velcro tabs later and you have a fun and educational sensory bin search! I used Popsicle sticks and card stock to make garden signs that I adhered inside our sensory bin with a hot glue gun. This was definitely one of our cuter activities, and digging through the beans to find each fruit or vegetable kept Goose occupied for quite a while.
When we began I figured this would be one of those short-lived activities that wasn’t challenging enough for Goose but was a bit advanced for Nugget, boy was I wrong! It turns out that Goose’s fruit and veggie vocabulary isn’t quite as advanced as I thought and he learned a lot as he dug out each card and then let Nugget help him find the match.
Of course, soon the tractor was digging out the vegetables, and I had to watch Nugget like a hawk to be sure he didn’t try to eat the black beans, but overall I would call this one a win!
Decorate Your Own Rooster Craft
For this project we decided to create our own pet roosters! Goose named his ‘Captain Picklepuss’, which is of course a very respectable name for a rooster. We decorated our roosters using glue, feathers, crayons, and pretty much anything else Goose dug out of our craft closet. The end result was a rooster that would be the talk of any barnyard, I’m sure.
Visit my Digital Resource Library to download and print your free Rooster Printable. Don’t have an access code? Easy! Just sign up below and one will be emailed to you right away!
Egg Gathering Imaginative Play
My boys have very active imaginations and adore pretend play. I think that the creative thinking skills developed during imaginative play are vital to future success, so we put a lot of emphasis on it in our house. When shopping for toys I always avoid what Alton Brown calls ‘Unitaskers’. These toys that can only be played with in one specific way just seem limiting and are rarely the toys that see repeated play.
For this activity I made nests out of paper bags (instructions below) and then filled each nest with a few plastic Easter eggs. We were a little short on stuffed chickens so our nests included a variety of feathered occupants. After staging the nests, I also laid out a cowboy hat for costuming, and an egg carton for additional sorting practice. I gave each boy a basket and encouraged them to gather eggs and just have fun. Not surprisingly, Nugget decided to fill his basket with poultry and lovingly carry them throughout the house, carefully clucking and quacking at each one. This is such a sweet age! Goose took the task a little more seriously and was very intent on gathering all of the eggs, and opening each one in search of leftover Easter candy. As if candy would last that long in our house!
They returned to this activity several times this week, and each time they found new ways to interact with the nests. My favorite was when I walked into the room to find Nugget sitting very carefully on a plastic egg. Evidently his brother told him if he sat still long enough it would hatch! Oh how I hated to burst that bubble!
Supplies:
Several Brown Paper Lunch Bags
Scissors
Glue
Plastic eggs
Instructions:
Begin by cutting off the top 2/3 of your lunch bags. You will need 2 bags per nest. (Don’t throw away the tops – I will be showing you next week how to use them for a fun craft!)
Cut thin slices from the open edge of your bag down to the fold (see images). Don’t worry about making it perfect, messy is great for this project!
Open your bag and then crinkle it in to a ball. The wrinklier the better!
Repeat steps 1-3 on your second lunch bag, then open both wrinkled bags.
Place one bag inside the other and using a rolling / scrunching motion to create a nest shape.
Fill with plastic eggs, candy, or whatever else your little heart desires.
Our Favorite Farm Themed Books
We had so many farm themed books in our collection, that this was one tot school unit that hardly required a trip to the library. Here are a few of our favorites:
This is a book that I picked up a few years ago at a consignment sale, and it has been a favorite of ours ever since. It’s pretty short, but the novelty lies in the fact that it places you inside the tractor. It’s a fun short read perfect for a toddler who is just getting into tractors.
This is the original Otis book, although there are now several in the series. It tells the tale of a sweet tractor and his friendship with a lonely calf. The illustrations are striking and the plot is well-written enough that parents and children should both enjoy this story.
This is a cute book about the morning that the farmer overslept. I like the fact that the farmer is a woman, since too many farm books only feature male farmers. It also has a nice rhythm that makes reading it aloud pleasurable.
Moo by Matthew Van Fleet
Matthew Van Fleet is famous for his beautifully photographed and highly interactive children’s books. Each page features tactile stimulation and moving parts, sure to hold even the youngest child’s attention.
Giles Andreae is back again with this tour through the barnyard. Each page features a different animal and a short rhyme. The illustrations are fun and bright and the rhymes are playful. It’s definitely worth adding to your bookshelf.
This book can be a little tough to find, but it’s worth the effort. It’s chock full of photographs of farm animals, equipment and even produce. My boys love lifting the flaps, and I love the extra questions at the bottom of each page to encourage critical thinking or find hidden extras.
This is a fun and silly story about how a message can be distorted as it gets passed from person to person (or animal to animal as it were). It’s great for an older preschooler who can understand the concept of pass it on, but the humor might be lost on younger children.
I love love love Karma Wilson. Her books never disappoint, and always include an attractive rhyming structure along with a playful plot. If you buy one fiction book from this list – buy this one. It’s just plain fun to read!
Have you enjoyed our Farm themed tot school unit so far? Comment below!
Be sure to check back later this week to see the final portion of our farm unit. Some of the best is still yet to come!
Father’s Day is three days away. That means that if you don’t have your gifts yet it’s time to get your fanny in gear. Not to worry though, I’ve got a great card idea and a cool looking mug that will be perfect for Dad, Grandad, or any other special someone who deserves a little recognition. These two fun father’s day crafts should be just the thing to kick off Father’s Day – but if you need more you should check out my post on how to make a ‘Hot Wheels Back Massage Shirt’. Intrigued? You should check it out!
“You Mean the World to Me” Card
Dads are amazing aren’t they? Always ready to step in and kill that spider or open that pickle jar. What would we do without them? Show Dad that he means the world to you with this crafty card!
Supplies:
Clear Contact Paper
Blue and Green Tissue Paper
Construction Paper in two colors (I used black and orange)
Scissors
Instructions:
Use 2 plates or bowls (or stencils if you are so prepared) to trace 2 concentric circles on a sheet of construction paper, then trace the larger circle on a piece of contact paper.
Cut out both circles, including the inner circle on the construction paper. You will have one large circle cut out of contact paper and a ring of construction paper.
Peel the backing off of the contact paper and stick the construction paper ring to it. This will leave a sticky clear circle in the middle.
Cut or tear small squares of tissues paper in both colors. This is a great chance for your preschooler to practice cutting with some safety scissors!
Let your child stick the tissue paper squares to the contact paper to make their very own ‘earth’ design.
Use your accent colored construction paper to trace your child’s hands and cut them out.
Tape or glue the hands to the back of your world and use them to write your message to Dad. Here are a few ideas to get your started:
Dad, you’re out of this world!
You mean the world to us Daddy!
Pops, my world would be lost without you!
Colorful Father’s Day Mug
If you have kids, you probably rely on your morning coffee to survive. Unless you’re my hubby who has somehow managed to reach the ripe age of 40 without developing a caffeine addiction. I can’t decide if that’s admirable or just insane. Either way, this coffee mug craft can easily be adapted for your favorite friend or family member. It does require permanent markers though so it might be best to save for preschoolers and older children. Or even make one yourself – they’re easy and fun!
Supplies:
One White Mug (I found mine at Walmart for $0.87!)
A set of letter stickers – the color doesn’t matter so feel free to use up some ugly ones that are laying around the house.
Assorted Sharpie Oil-Based Paint Markers
An Oven
Instructions:
Clean the mug thoroughly, wiping with rubbing alcohol if necessary to remove any oils and residue.
Use stickers to spell out the name or message that you wish to show on the mug. In this case I spelled out ‘Grandaddy’.
Let your child use the markers to decorate the mug, be sure to color over the letter stickers thoroughly.
Once finished allow the mug to dry for 24 hours, then carefully remove your stickers. If they don’t want to peel right off, a shot of hot air from a hair dryer seems to do the trick.
Set your mug on a cookie sheet and place in a COLD oven. Allow the oven to heat to 400 degrees with the mug inside so that it is gradually warmed. Then set timer to 30 minutes. After 30 minutes turn off the oven and let the mug cool inside. If you absolutely must remove it early, use oven mitts – it will be very hot!
Enjoy your mug! I have read that oil based sharpies will survive the dishwasher but I have chosen to hand wash mine with soap and water and it is holding up nicely. I believe this craft could easily translate to use on a plate or serving dish but I am not sure how food safe it would be. You should be fine with your markings on the outside of your mug though.
How did your mug turn out? Did the recipient just adore it? Tell me all about it and show me a picture in the comments!
Is it just me or is this year just flying by? I can’t believe that June is already halfway over – where has Summer gone? Father’s Day is right around the corner, and I have the perfect easy gift to make for Dad. This shirt is perfect for those lazy parenting days when you just can’t quite adult but the kids still want to play. Lucky for you all it takes is one quick Walmart Run and 15 at the ironing board and your Father’s Day gift will be good to go!
Supplies:
2 Sheets of Light Colored Iron-On Transfer Paper
1 Light Colored T-Shirt
An Iron
A Hard Surface to Iron On (not an ironing board)
A Printer – or a helpful friend who will let you use theirs!
How To Make Your Father’s Day Shirt:
Visit my Digital Resource Library to download the iron-on template. Don’t have an access code? Just sign up below and one will be sent to you – it’s totally free!
Print the image on your iron-on transfer paper. Note: this image is sized at 11″x17″ and is designed to be printed across 2 horizontal sheets of 8.5×11 paper. Depending on your printer’s settings you may need to do a test run before you waste your iron-on transfer paper.
Follow the instructions that came with your iron-on transfer paper to apply the image to the back of your shirt. I used Avery brand paper and was instructed to use firm pressure with a hot iron on a hard surface (I used a wooden cutting board).
Wrap your awesome gift and pat yourself on the back. You have officially made a gift that Dad and kids will both enjoy!
Edit: A few readers have mentioned having issues getting the images to print properly. If your printer is having issues with formatting, I recommend visiting the Acrobat print dialogue to select Page Scaling, Tile Large Pages (or Tile All Pages). Set Tile Scale to 89% and overlap to 0″.
Happy Father’s Day!
I hope the Dad in your life enjoys this gift – and that whoever ends up wearing it gets what I am sure is a much deserved break. (And maybe a Hot Wheels induced back massage??!)
Do you guys have any other exciting plans to make Father’s Day special? Let me know in the comments!
.) Then use a tape runner to adhere the front and back to a 3×5 notecard. If you wish to make your flashcards even more durable you could laminate them, which is what I did after taking pictures. Laminated items really don’t photograph well for me.
Dk Tractor Shaped Board Book
Otis by Loren Long
The Grumpy Morning by Pamela Duncan Edwards
Moo by Matthew Van Fleet
Cock-a-Doodle-Doo! Barnyard Hullabaloo by Giles Andreae
Lift the Flap Farm by Hinkler Books
Pass It On! by Marilyn Sadler
The Cow Loves Cookies by Karma Wilson
