See what we did today

Happy Mother's Day

2013-05-19T16:11:00.002-05:00

Mother's Day and Flowers!

Mother's Day Crafts

Flower Finger Print Bookmarks

The poem: To My Mom

This pretty flower that you see

was made for you by me.

My finger made the flower part,

showing love from all my heart.

Happy Mother's Day

2013

Press index finger into green paint and onto the book mark to make the stem of the flower

Press finger into pink paint and then onto the bookmark to make the petals for the flower

Thum-body loves me

Type the Thum-Body Loves You poem and print it off (the poem is below)

Press thumb on an ink pad or in paint and then onto the paper.

Mother's Day Button Flower Pots!

I bought a multi-color pack of flower pots from our local Dollar Store

The kids used buttons to make flowers on their pots to give to for Mother's Day

We even planted flowers - from seed!

Sponge Painted Flowers

Cut out different colored circles from construction paper and green stems from construction paper

Glue the circles and stems onto 11 x 13 white paper.

Dip rectangular shaped sponges into paint and press onto the paper to make flowers.

Thumbprint Hyacinth

Cut green leaves for the stem/leaves of the flower

Glue the leaves to a piece of white paper

Use a green marker to draw the stem of the flower

Press thumb into purple paint and press onto both sides of the stem to make the hyacinth

Tissue Paper Flowers

Cut tissue paper into squares

Accordion fold each piece of tissue paper

Stack the pieces and wrap a green pipe cleaner around the stack to secure them into place - The pipe cleaner will also be the stem

Fan out the pieces to make the flower

Finger print flowers

Cut a flower shape out of colored construction paper - you will need two per child

Press a finger into paint (any color) and press the finger on the petals and in the middle

When dry, tape a green pipe cleaner to the backside of one of the flowers

Glue the other flower on top, so you have two sides and the pipe cleaner is secure

Flower Learning Activities

How Does Your Garden Grow?

I typed the following: _______, _______ (insert name two times) how does your garden grow?

I also type and printed off the number's 1-5 along with a sheet full of flowers that I then cut out

Addie glued each number an 11 x 13 piece of construction paper

She glued the corresponding number of flowers underneath each number (she also colored each flower - pink of course!)

Flower Petal Count

Cut out 4 construction paper circles and multiple petals

Roll a dice. Count the number on the dice and write it on a circle.

Glue on the corresponding number of petals to make a flower. Glue the completed flower to the paper!

Beginning Sound Flower Pots!

Cut out 5 flower pots from brown construction paper. Cut out 5 green stems and 5 flowers from different colored construction paper.
Print off different picture's - 2 for each beginning sound. I did Q - queen and quilt, W - watch and whale, R - reindeer and robot, H - house and helicopter, Y - yo-yo and yogurt
Assemble the pots and flowers and glue them to construction paper.
Find a pair of matching beginning sound pictures and glue teach picture to a flower pot. Write the correct beginning letter sound on the flower. Repeat until all of the flower pots are completed!

Caterpillar Fun!!

2013-05-03T10:57:00.002-05:00

Caterpillar Fun

Caterpillar Learning Activities

Caterpillar Counting

I made an activity that had Addie make caterpillars with stickers and her fingerprints. She looked at the number and added a head and then her fingerprints for the body. For example: for the number 6 she added one sticker and then five finger prints.

Caterpillar Name

Cut different colored circles out of construction paper

Glue the circles onto black construction paper

Stick letter stickers onto each circle to spell out each child's name

Draw a face on each caterpillar and add antenna

ABC Caterpillar

Addie writing the letters of the alphabet

The finished ABC Caterpillar

I cut out 26 circles from construction paper.

We glued the circles to a piece of construction paper.

Addie wrote the letters from A-Z on the circles.

We made the circles into a LOOOOOONG Caterpillar

We drew a face and added antenna!

Caterpillar Crafts

Watercolor Caterpillar

Draw a caterpillar onto white paper

Paint the caterpillar with watercolor paint

Let dry and then cut out the caterpillar

draw a face on the caterpillar

Caterpillar Clothespins

Glue 4 pom poms onto a clothespin

Glue on googly eyes

Glue on pipe cleaners for the antennas

Caterpillar Handprints

Trace hand onto green paper ( I used two different shades of green)

Cut out a circle for the head from green construction paper

Cut out the hand prints - I did 4 handprints per caterpillar

Glue the handprints together and glue on the head

Glue on googly eyes, pipe cleaner antennas and draw smile and nose

Write the child's name on their finished caterpillar

Pom Pom Caterpillar Craft Sticks

Glue 7 pom pom's onto a large craft stick.

Glue on pipe cleaner antennas

Paper Roll Caterpillar

Cut strips of 2 different colored construction paper

Roll the strips and secure with glue.

Cut a leaf shape from green paper

Glue the rolls onto the leaf

Glue on googly eyes and pipe cleaner antennas

Use a hole punch to make holes in the leaf

Milk Cap Caterpillar

Cut green craft foam into a leaf shape

Glue on 4 milk caps to form a caterpillar

Glue on googly eyes

Bend a 5" piece of pipe cleaner into a V and glue it to make the caterpillar's antenna

Draw a nose and smile on the caterpillar

Draw feet on the caterpillar

Earth Day Projects and Activities!!

2013-04-22T16:24:00.003-05:00

Earth Day Projects

Earth Day Crafts

Earth Crayon Molds

We peeled the wrappers off all of our broken blue, green and white crayons and broke each crayon into small pieces. Each child took turns filling their mini-muffin hole with the broken crayons. I placed the muffin tin into a 250 degree oven until the crayons were melted. We let them cool and then I popped each Crayon Earth out of the muffin tin!

The end result

Watercolor Earth Hand Prints!

I painted the girl's hands with blue and green watercolor paints.

They pressed each of their hands onto white paper.

We let them dry and then I labeled the paper with each girl's name and the year.

I also wrote, "Our hand prints are all over the world!"

Hand and Foot Print Earth

Paint 1 hand and 1 foot with green paint

Press the painted hand and foot onto blue paper

Let dry

Cut a circle shape around the hand and foot print

Label with name and year

Coffee Filter Earth

Paint a coffee filter with blue and green watercolor paints

Earth Window Cling/Suncatcher

Cut a circle shape from green construction paper (you will need 2 circles for each project)

Cut a circle from the middle of each circle so you have a large circle opening

Rip pieces of green and blue tissue paper

Stick one of the circles onto Con Tact Paper

Press the green and blue pieces of tissue paper into the middle of the green circle

When covered, place the other circle on top and seal with Con Tact paper

Torn Paper Earth

Cut a circle from white paper

Tear pieces of green and blue construction paper

Glue the pieces onto the white circle

Glue the finished earth onto black paper

**I did this same project in 2010 with my son and friend.
Here are their Mosaic Earth Projects from 2010!!**

Earth Day Learning Activities

I Heart the Earth

Writing

Cut a heart shape from white paper

Paint the heart with blue and green watercolor paints

Let dry

I made a writing template that says, "I heart the earth by "

Discuss ways that we care for and love our earth

Have your child write how they "Heart" earth

Glue the painted heart and writing template onto a piece of construction paper.

Here is the link to the activity that inspired my writing/painting activity!

Rain, Rain, Go Away!!

2013-04-16T22:03:00.003-05:00

Rain, Rain Go Away!

Rain Crafts

Cupcake Liner Umbrella's

Cut cupcake liners in half

Cut pipe cleaners into 6 inch pieces

Glue cupcake liners to white paper

Bend the pipe cleaners into a J

Glue the pipe cleaners underneath and below the cupcake liner to make the umbrella

Dip a Q-tip into blue paint and press onto the white paper for rain!

Paper Plate Umbrella

Cut a paper plate in half

Decorate with spring time stickers

Cut a J shape from brown construction paper

Cut blue string or yarn into varying lengths

Cut raindrops from blue construction paper

Tape or glue the brown handle to the back of the paper plate

Tape the blue string/yarn to the back of the plate

Tape the blue raindrops to the blue string

Watercolor Umbrella and Raindrops

Painting their umbrella's

Two of the finished products

Draw an umbrella onto white paper.

Use watercolor paint to paint the umbrella

Paint spots around the umbrella (to be made into raindrops)

When dry, cut out the umbrella

Glue to a piece of blue construction paper

Cut our raindrops from the paper and glue to the paper and umbrella!

Rain Learning Activities

Cloud and Rain Counting activity

Rolling the dice, counting the dots Tana's finished activity
and gluing on the raindrops

Cut out cloud shapes and glue them to a large piece of black construction paper. Cut out blue raindrops and set aside. I typed and printed off the following saying . . . It's Raining, It's Pouring . . .

Rain is falling form the clouds, count the drops as the fall down!

Directions: Roll the dice. Count the dots. Write the number on the first cloud. Count out the matching number of raindrops and glue the raindrops below the cloud. Repeat.

(If you get the same number roll again)

Addie's finished activity

Cloud and Raindrop Name Writing

Cut out a cloud shape from white paper (make sure it is big enough for your child's name)

Cut out large raindrops from blue construction paper.

Have your child write each letter of his/her name on a raindrop.

Glue the "Raindrops" in order on the cloud.

Glue the finished cloud onto black construction paper.

Add a few blue raindrops falling from the cloud

Songs/Rhymes

Rain, Rain Go Away

Rain rain go away
come again some other day
Little (insert child's name)
Wants to play

Rain rain go away.

It's Raining, It's Pouring

It's raining; it's pouring.

*The old man* is snoring.

He went to bed and bumped his head,

And he couldn't get up in the morning.

*I inserted names into this spot*

Oh, Mr. Sun!!

2013-04-09T14:53:00.000-05:00

Mr. Sun Crafts and Learning Unit!

Mr. Sun Crafts

Mr. Sun - Sun Catchers!

Cut 2 identical circles from yellow construction paper.

Cut a circle from the middle of each circle - so you have openings in the middle (you want the circles to be identical).

Place the circle on Clear Contact Paper

Stick pieces of yellow and orange tissue paper in the middle of the circle.

Cut strips from yellow tissue paper for the rays of the sun.

Place the strips around the tissue paper filled circle.

Place the other circle on top and seal the sun with Contact paper.

Cut around the edges to finish the sun.

Hang in a window!

Paper Sunshine

Cut a circle out of yellow construction paper.

Glue on yellow craft sticks or yellow pipe cleaners for the sun's rays.

Draw a face on your sun.

Sunshine Rainbow!

Cut a yellow paper plate in half.

Cut triangles from yellow construction paper.

Cut strips of paper from - red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple construction paper.

Glue the yellow triangles to the back of the curved part of the paper plate.

Glue the strips of colored paper to the back of the straight part of the paper plate.

Curl the ends of the paper with a pencil.

Glue on googly eyes and draw a face.

Mr. Sun Learning Activities

Mr. Sun 1- 12 Number game

Math - number recognition, counting

Draw a sun onto white paper and write the numbers 1-12 in various places on the sun.

Roll a dice or draw a number card.

Circle and color the number rolled or chosen (if using cards)

Play until all of the numbers are colored in!

How Do Your Flowers Grow - Number Activity

Math - Number writing, counting

Glue 3 construction paper sun's on the top of construction paper.

Cut out multiple flowers from different colored construction paper.

Roll a dice (or choose a number card)

Write the number rolled, (or chosen) on one of the sun's

Count out the matching number of flowers and glue underneath the sunshine.

Continue with the next two sun's!

Mr. Sun Name Writing!

Letter and name writing

Cut a circle from yellow construction paper.

Cut triangle from yellow construction paper (the sun's rays)

Glue the circle to a piece of blue construction paper.

Write one letter (from your name) onto the triangles

Glue the triangles (ray's) around the sun in the order of your name.

Music and Rhymes

We sang this song all week. The kids loved dancing and singing to it.

Oh, Mr. Sun!
Oh, Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun,
Please shine down on me.

Oh Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun,
Hiding behind a tree

These little children are asking you
To please come out so we can play with you.

Oh Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun,
Please shine down on,
please shine down on,
Please shine down on me.

Here is a link to a You Tube video of the song Oh, Mr. Sun

We also did this cute fingerplay. Here is the link to Sunshine Fingerplay

Sunshine Fingerplay - by Terry H.
The sun makes the outside a warm place to play
(arms above head in circle)
It makes the flowers grow each day
(holding up hands wiggling fingers)
The sun hides its face during the night
(cover face with hands)
But during the daytime it shines - oh so bright
(arms above head in circle)

Easter Learning Unit - Week 3!

2013-03-30T11:02:00.002-05:00

Easter Learning Unit - Week 3!

Learning Activities

Easter Egg Match

Beginning Sounds, matching

I created a document with the letters V, H, F, R, Q, N and L with pictures of a violin, house, fan, robot, basketball, queen, nail and lion. I cut them into oval - egg shapes and cut them in half. Addie chose a letter and matched it with the object that had the same beginning sound!

Gluing the egg matches to the paper!

Easter Egg Match - Rhyming Words

Rhyming, matching

I did the same thing as above only this time I focused on rhyming. Addie had to rhyme and match house/mouse, bee/key, nail/pail and pan/fan.

Gluing a rhyming pair to the paper

Easter Egg Dice Game!

Math, counting, one-to-one correspondence, writing numbers

Addie and I played this Easter Egg game together. We took turns rolling a die and writing the dots on each half of the egg. Then Addie added/counted the dots and wrote the sum for each Egg!

Here is the link to this document from The Happy Teacher - I modified the activity for Addie.

Easter Crafts

Cone Easter Bunny!

*Using a pink birthday hat is recommended!*

Glue googly eyes, pom-pom nose, teeth and ears to the hat.

Draw a mouth

Hand print Easter Lilies

Trace hand onto white card stock

Cut yellow pipe cleaners into 4 or 5 inch pieces and bend at the top

Stick 2 pipe cleaners into the end of a green straw and secure with clear tape.

Wrap the hand print around the end of the straw and secure with tape

Cut a leaf out of green construction paper and punch a hole in the middle

Slide the leaf up the straw and secure with tape below the leaf.

(You can do 1 or 2 leaves for each flower)

Glitter Styrofoam Eggs

Push a dowel, into the bottom of the egg so you can hold the egg while painting and covering with glitter.

Paint a Styrofoam egg with white glue - I used craft glue

Cover the egg with glitter -shaking off any excess - let dry

Fill in the hole left by the dowel - with glue and glitter.

Spray the egg with hairspray - let dry

Envelope Easter Bunny

Cut ears from white paper and the inside of the ears with pink construction paper

Cut strips from black paper for the whiskers

Assemble the ears and glue to the top of the envelope - the front side.

Seal the envelope and glue a pink pom-pom for a nose

Glue on the whiskers

Draw eyes and a mouth

Easter Learning Unit - Week 2

2013-03-24T21:08:00.001-05:00

Easter Learning Unit - Week 2

Learning Activities

Easter Countdown

Counting, number recognition

Addie was driving me crazy asking me multiple times a day how many more days until Easter. I decided to make a Easter Countdown for her. I traced bunnies on pieces of construction paper. Next, I counted how many days there was until Easter and wrote them on the bunnies - ending with 1. Next, I traced more bunnies onto white card stock and cut them out. Addie and I decorated each bunny. She glues a bunny on the chart each day. She then tells me how many days are left! It has been great for learning her teen numbers!!

Counting and Number Egg Match
Number recognition, counting,

I wrote the number 1-12 on plastic Easter eggs. I drew dots from 1-12 of the bottom halves of the plastic Easter eggs. I made sure the two halves colors didn't match. I spread the halves on the floor and Addie matched the number with the corresponding dots!

Addie counting the dots and matching the egg!

Upper and Lowercase Broken Easter Egg Match

Letter recognition, writing upper and lowercase letters

I cut 26 Easter eggs out of construction paper. I "broke" the eggs in half by cutting each one with a jagged line. Addie wrote the letters A-Z in uppercase letters on the top half of the eggs and again in lowercase letters on the bottom half of the eggs. Next, I mixed the letter A-O up and placed the letter eggs on the table. Addie found the letter pairs and "fixed" the broken eggs by gluing each pair back together in ABC order. She finished A-O in one sitting. She will do P-Z tomorrow!

Gluing a pair together Tracking the egg order by saying her ABC's

Gluing another egg pair together

Easter Egg Scissors Practice

Cutting with scissors

I drew a large Easter egg onto white paper. I drew a jagged line in the middle. Addie cut the egg out first and then "broke" the egg by cutting on the jagged line.

Easter Crafts

Paper Cup Easter Chicks

Glue googly eyes onto a yellow, paper cup

Cut a beak from orange craft foam and glue it onto the cup

Glue white or yellow feathers onto the back, inside of the cup

Cut orange pipe cleaners into 1 1/2 inch to 2 inch pieces. You will need 4 pipe cleaner pieces for each chick. Twist one piece around another pipe cleaner and bend and shape to make each foot. Glue into place on the bottom of the cup

Paper Plate Chick

Glue googly eyes onto a yellow paper plate.

Cut an orange triangle out of construction paper for the beak.

Glue feathers to the back sides of the plate.

Cut 2 legs from orange construction paper and fold the legs accordion style.

Cut feet from orange construction paper and glue to the bottom of the legs.

Glue the legs to back bottom of the plate

Easter Bunny Windsock

Cut a sheet of white card stock in half. ( I used standard letter paper size)

Cut 2 ears from white paper

Cut the inside of the ears from pink paper and glue to the white ears.

Cut chenille stems into 4" pieces - you will need 4 pieces.

Cut pink strips of paper - or use pink streamers

Before stapling or taping the cylinder together, glue the ears and streamers to the backside of the white paper.

Roll white card stock into a cylinder and staple or tape together.

Glue pink button on for the nose.

Glue on the chenille stems for the whiskers.

Draw eyes and mouth.

Glue pink pom pom on the backside for the tail.

Attach ribbon or string for hanging.

Handprint Easter Chick

Paint child's hand yellow and press onto white paper.

When dry, draw eyes, beak and feet.

Easter Learning Unit - Week 1

2013-03-17T19:32:00.005-05:00

Easter Learning Unit - Week 1

Easter Crafts

Cardboard Tube Easter Bunnies

Paint a cardboard tube pink - let dry

Cut ears from white card stock, and the inner part of the ears from pink construction paper

Fold the ears at the bottom and glue the ears to the top of the cardboard tube

Glue on googly eyes, cotton ball nose, 4 black pipe cleaners and 2 front teeth (cut from craft foam)

Footprint Easter Bunnies

Paint feet white and press onto pink construction paper - let dry

Cut around the feet in ear shapes

Cut out a circle shape for the head

Press thumb into ink pad and press onto the head for the bunny's nose

Draw on eyes, mouth and whiskers

Hand Print Easter Chicks

Cut an oval shape out of yellow construction paper.

Cut out feet and beak from orange construction paper.

Trace hands on yellow construction paper and cut out.

Glue hands to the oval body of the chick.

Glue on feet, beak and googly eyes.

Glue a feather on each wing for a finishing touch!

Hand Print Easter Bunny

Paint palm and 4 fingers white - do not paint the thumb.

Press the hand onto colored paper and let dry.

Once dry, paint pointer finger pink and press onto the middle of the ears.

Use the tip of the pointer finger to make the pink nose.

Glue on googly eyes and draw whiskers and mouth with a black marker.

Is It An Egg? Or Is It a Bunny?

Cut 2 identical oval shapes out of printed paper and white paper. Cut the printed oval in half to make the ears for the bunny. Draw a face on the white oval. Use brad fasteners to attach the ears to the top of the white oval.

Tana and Addie with their eggs/bunnies

Easter Learning Activities

Egg Name Writing

Letters, name writing, color recognition, gluing and counting

I cut out enough paper "Easter Eggs" from different colored construction paper for each child's name. I decorated each egg leaving a space in the middle for letter writing. Each child wrote their name - assigning each letter to a different egg. Next, they glued the eggs, in order, onto a half sheet of construction paper. For additional practice and review Tana and Chase identified the color of each egg in their name and counted the eggs and the chick stickers around their eggs.

Egg Shape Match

Math - Shape identification

Matching and color identification

** I did a similar activity with Addie. We focused on number recognition and one-to-one correspondence in counting. I will post Addie's Egg Number Match next week.**

First, I separated each egg. Next, I drew a shape onto the top half of one egg. Then, the matching shape onto the bottom half of another egg. I made sure to not match my eggs by color, since I wanted to focus on shape identification and matching as the primary learning activity. I continued this with all of my eggs. I did circle, square, rectangle, triangle, star and heart - since this a new activity for my 2 year old children.

Tana matching her eggs

For the activity, I separated all of the matching eggs and spread the halves out on the floor in front of each child. Then they worked on matching the correct shapes on the eggs together, while identifying the shapes. Once all of the eggs were back together, we reviewed our colors by looking at each egg!

Easter Egg and Bunny Color Match

Color identification

Chase and his matching project

I cut out bunnies and colored their tummies, ears and paws matching colors. Next, I cut out paper Easter eggs to match the bunnies. I drew 3 lines on a piece of construction paper. Then, I had the 2 year old children match the bunnies and eggs by gluing the bunnies on the piece of construction paper.

Tana matching her purple bunny and purple Easter egg

Easter Bunny Upper and Lowercase Letter Match

Letter identification

This activity is similar to the one above, but I am focusing on letter identification with Addie. I only cut out Easter Bunnies for her activity. I wrote matching upper and lowercase letters on her bunnies. She had to match the letters and glue each letter on the construction paper.

Broken Egg Shape Matching

Shape identification and matching

The color orange and purple
**Next week I will post a Broken Egg Letter Match activity. **

I cut out 5 egg shapes from purple and orange construction paper. I then "cracked" each egg by cutting the eggs in half. Next, I drew matching shapes on the top and bottom half of each egg. Then I placed the "broken" eggs in front of Tana. She sorted through the eggs, matching the shapes one at a time. Each time she fixed a "broken" egg, she glued the egg halves onto a piece of construction paper. I made sure she identified each shape. We also reviewed the colors purple and orange!!!

Tana fixing the "broken" eggs

Dr. Suess!!

2013-03-05T18:55:00.001-06:00

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish!

Addie and Tana with their FISH!

Trace hand onto yellow, red, green and blue construction paper.

Cut out the hand prints.

Glue Yellow "fish" to the top of the paper.

Then green "fish" with the red "fish" overlapping the green "fish"

The blue "fish" will be at the bottom.

Write One Fish on the top , Two fish next to the green fish, Red fish next to the red fish and blue fish next to the blue fish.

Draw eyes, mouth and gills on each fish.

Draw bubbles with white chalk next to each fish!

Thing 1 and Thing 2

Addie and Connor did this project since I didn't watch any other children today - due to the nasty stomach flu. It was really easy - except that I forgot to only paint 4 of the fingers red. Oh well!

Here is the link to this adorable, cute, wonderful Thing 1 and Thing 2 project!

Addie's Thing 1

Connor's Thing 2

Farm Learning Unit!

2013-03-01T15:47:00.002-06:00

On the Farm Learning Unit!!

Paper Plate Cow!

Cut a circle out of pink paper. Draw on nostrils and a mouth. Cut out horns and ears and glue them to the plate. Draw eyes and black spots.
Reading Extension: We read - Moo Moo, Brown Cow by Jakki Wood

Paper Plate Rooster!

Trace hand on red craft foam and cut it out. Glue the hand to the top of the plate. Cut 2 oval eyes from black craft foam, a beak from yellow craft foam and a "gobbler" (that is what I call them!!) out of red craft foam. Glue all of the pieces to the Paper Plate.
Reading Extension: We read - Who Says Moo? by Harriet Ziefert

Pigs in the Mud!

I drew a pig template onto pink construction paper and cut it out. We glued on a pink button nose, a twisted pink pipe cleaner and drew on two black eyes. The 3 younger ones glued their pig onto a piece of "mud" (brown construction paper that I had cut into a "mud" shape)

Addie glued her pig to the "mud" too. We added a lined piece of writing paper so she could write about her pig.

Addie's Pig!

Reading Extension: We read Hungry Pig by Russell Julian

Oatmeal Canister Barn!

We covered an oatmeal canister with red construction paper. You could paint the canister too. Addie used white paint to make a door and window. We made a cone shape for the top and attached it with tape.
Reading Extension: We read - Big Red Barn by Margaret Wise Brown

Farm Animal Number Writing
Math - number writing, number order

I printed a cow, pig and sheep from my computer and Addie wrote her numbers 1-12 onto each farm animal. I cut the animals out and Addie glued the animals in number order onto the strip of paper.

Old MacDonald Had a Farm

Draw or glue a red barn onto a brown lunch bag - I only had 2 greeting card bags and I was out of red construction paper!! Cut out a white rectangle for the barn door and two, white squares for the window. Use black marker to draw the details for the door and windows. On separate pieces of card stock attach farm animal pictures and write the sounds they make. Place the cards in the "barn" bag. Sing "Old MacDonald Had a Farm" Choose a farm animal out of the bag for each verse!

Valentines Day Unit!

2013-02-10T16:20:00.002-06:00

Valentines Day Unit!

Candy Heart Count

Math - counting, writing numbers

I gave Addie a bowl of candy hearts. She sorted and grouped the hearts by color. Then she counted each group and wrote the appropriate number on the matching heart on the Candy Count mat. Addie used a dry erase marker to write the numerals. (I made the Candy Count mat by cutting out colored paper hearts that match the candy hearts. I glued the hearts to a piece of construction paper and laminated the mat. I laminated the mat so the activity can be done over and over!

Addie's finished mat.

Candy Heart Color Match

sorting and color identification

I gave Tana two of each color candy heart. She then sorted the candy hearts by placing each candy heart on it's match on the heart mat!

Candy Heart Explosion

Math - counting, writing numbers

I cut out 4 different colors of paper hearts. I used markers to draw the same color hearts on a piece of paper. I wrote the numbers 1-9 on the top of the paper. I then took all of the paper hearts and tossed them up in the air in the living room. Addie had to gather and sort the hearts by color and count the color groups. She glued the paper hearts to the paper according to their colors .She then wrote the correct numerals on the paper in the appropriate hearts.

Box of Chocolates Counting

Math - counting, writing numbers,

cutting and pasting, name writing

I drew a heart on red construction paper. Addie cut the heart out and glued it to a large piece of construction paper. She added a gold glitter outline to the inside of her heart! She then picked a number card and read the number aloud. (Her number was 10) Next she counted out 10 pieces of chocolate (shapes cut out from brown construction paper). Next, she picked another number card (4). This number is the number of chocolates she ate. She glued 4 chocolates on the outside of her box and the remaining chocolates in the heart. She then filled in the form with the appropriate information!

Valentine Cookies On My Plate

Math - counting, writing numbers

Addie colored the girl to look like her. Then she counted her different colored "cookie" hearts and glued the "cookies" to her plate. She then filled in the form. She is still a little to young for math equations, but it was great practice for writing her numbers and counting!

Here is the link to the Valentine Cookie Math Activity

I See Hearts Looking At Me!

colors and counting

I created this book myself. The rhyme is . . .

Hearts, hearts 1, 2, 3.

I see (insert color) hearts looking at me.

For each page Addie and Tana attached 3 hearts for the corresponding color.

They used foam sticky hearts, glitter hearts and construction paper hearts.

Candy Kiss Find and Count!

Math - Counting, number recognition

I created a 2x5 table on the computer. I then wrote the numbers 1-10 in the boxes. I decorated it with hearts and the title - Candy Kiss Find and Count!

I took 10 chocolate kisses and put 1-10 dots on the bottoms of the kisses. Connor hid the kisses in the family room. Addie had to search for the chocolate kisses. When she found a chocolate kiss she counted the dots and placed the kiss on the matching number on the Candy Kiss Find and Count sheet!

Addie finding a chocolate kiss

Addie counting the dots on the bottom of the candy kiss

Placing a kiss on the correct number!

The candy kiss number grid

Valentine Penguin Matching Game

matching and sorting

We played this game as a family. We each took turns picking cards and placing the cards on our game boards when we had a match. The first person to fill their game board wins!

Here is the link to this fun penguin matching game

Addie finding a match!

Connor and Addie checking their game boards

Valentine Vowels

vowel sounds

A is for apple!

As a starting point - we are just working on the beginning sounds of words!

Make, take & teach provided me with this great vowel sound activity! I am really starting to work on vowel sounds with Addie. This cute activity/template was a fun way to introduce and work on the different sounds!

Something I will love forever . . .

Writing, drawing

Cut a red heart from construction paper.

Draw something you will love forever.

Glue the heart on the writing template.

Write a sentence telling what you will love forever.

Here is the link for this wonderful Valentines writing template

ABC Hearts

Writing uppercase letters, ordering letters

Cut out 26 hearts from construction paper. I did purple and pink hearts.

Write the alphabet on the hearts.

Glue the hearts to a strip of paper in ABC order.

Addie's letters A-G

Valentines Day Crafts

Heart Fairies!

Glue a large heart upside down for the skirt - We used a heart from a doily.

Attach a medium size heart for the body - above the large heart.

Attach two medium sized hearts on the sides for the wings.

Draw a head, facial features, hair, arms and legs!

Tree of Hearts

Trace hand and forearm on green construction paper.

Cut it out and glue to black or blue construction paper.

Glue on colored construction paper hearts!

Love Grows Here

Link to my older post about these cute heart flowers - Love Grows Here!

Glitter Love Bugs

Link to my older post giving directions on how to make these Glitter Love Bugs!

Classroom Teacher Valentine!

Connor and I made this valentine for his 2nd grade teacher.

I originally saw this valentine idea in the February 2007 issue of Family Fun Magazine. Here is the link for the Kernels of Love Template.

The popcorn that we taped on the back!

Winter Unit!

2013-02-01T08:52:00.001-06:00

Winter Fun Unit!

Mitten Matching -

Math - Counting, one-to-one correspondence and number recognition

I found this free template from the wonderful site Maketaketeach Addie loved playing this number/counting matching game!

Snowman Name!

Name Writing

We cut out enough "snowballs" to make a head for the snowman and the "name" body. Addie glued on a hat, scarf, boots and arms. She drew the eyes, nose and mouth. She cut out bits of white paper to make the falling snow!

Winter Clothes Mobile

What belongs

I posted this activity earlier in the month. Here is the link to my earlier post about the

Winter Clothes Mobile

Snowman Letter Booklet

Writing uppercase and lowercase letters

I created a word document and inserted a snowman from clipart and enlarged it to the size I wanted. I printed multiple copies and Addie practiced writing some of her upper and lowercase letters. Below is a sample of her G's and D's!

I cut out each "Letter Snowman" and glued it to construction paper and trimmed around the snowman to reinforce it. Lastly, I punched a hole on the hat of each "Letter Snowman" and used a clasped ring to make a Snowman Letter Bookletfor Addie

Winter Fun Patterns

Patterns and cutting and pasting

I created a Word document and used clipart to find a snowflake, snowman sled and mittens for making patterns. Addie cut out each item and made specific patterns!

Winter Wonderland Fill the Frame

5 and 10 Frame game

Counting, one to one correspondence

Addie placing the correct number of snowflakes on the mittens

Link to the Winter Wonderland Fill the Frame activity

In My Snowglobe

Winter art and writing activity

I saw this great activity on Kreative In Kinder

Snowflake Counting

Number recognition, counting, cutting and pasting

Addie cut out the numbers 1-10 and glued each number below a snowman. Then she cut out the appropriate number of snowflakes and glued them above the each snowman. I am going to make this into a number book for her!

Here is the link to this great Snowflake Math activity.

Hot Cocoa and Counting Marshmallows

name and number writing, counting

The template says

Hot cocoa in (insert name)'s cup,

she just wants to drink it up.

(insert name) puts (insert number) marshmallows in

and now the drinking can begin!

I created the rhyme and printed it. Addie wrote her name in the appropriate places. She rolled a dice and counted the dots. Then she used a hole punch to punch out the correct number of marshmallows from a piece of white craft foam. She glued the "marshmallows" in the mug.

I drew the mug and cut out the mug and wavy line for the mug. Addie glued the mug to the black paper and glued the "hot cocoa" to the mug. She then glued the rhyme to the top and wrote in the appropriate number of marshmallows!

Other Winter Crafts we did this month!

Click on the link to go to my blog post about each winter craft.

Paper Plate Snowman Faces

Make Your Own Felt Snowman

Glitter Snowflake

Sponge Painted Snowman

Handprint Snowmen

Penguin Learning Unit!

2013-01-28T15:19:00.002-06:00

Penguin Counting activity - Numbers 1-4

Writing numbers, counting numbers, name writing

I cut out penguin shapes and Addie assembled each penguin and glued the penguins to the blue paper. She then wrote the numbers 1-4 on the penguins. Next she stuck snowflake stickers above the penguins. Matching the correct number of snowflakes to the number on the penguin! I typed out the poem - Snowflakes are falling all around. ___________ (insert name) glued the penguins under the snowflakes before they hit the ground!

Penguin Addition and Word Problem!

This activity is so wonderful I found the idea and template from Erica Bohrer's Blog Thank you Erica for the wonderful activity!!

Penguin Shapes!

I saw this cute activity and had to do it with Addie. Each day we made a different shape penguin. She practiced her writing skills by writing the shape name on the bottom of the penguin.

Upper and Lower Case Letter Matching and Recognition

To reinforce Addie's letter recognition I found this cute and simple penguin worksheet I just printed off a few copies and wrote in upper and lower case letters on the penguin's bellies and on the fish.

Paper Plate Snowman Face!

2013-01-22T19:11:00.001-06:00

Paper Plate Snowman Face

Cut a carrot nose from orange construction paper.

Glue to the middle of a paper plate.

Draw on eyes and mouth with a black marker.

Glue on 2 pom-pom's and one pipe cleaner for ear muffs.

Add some pink blush!

Silver Pipe Cleaner Snowflake!

2013-01-17T10:00:00.000-06:00

Cut 8 pipe cleaners in half.
Hold all 16 pipe cleaners in your hand - in one bunch.
Wrap another pipe cleaner around the 16 to secure the pipe cleaners.
Bend and arrange the pieces to make your very own snowflake.
Add fishing line for a hanger.

Cardboard Tube Snowflake!

2013-01-16T14:50:00.000-06:00

Addie and I made this cardboard tube snowflake. We have made these before - well actually Connor and I have made one a few years ago. Addie and I used silver piper cleaners for her snowflake.

Addie and her snowflake!

Connor's snowflakes

Here is the link to my original blog post detailing how to make the cardboard tube snowflake.

Footprint Penguins!

2013-01-11T09:00:00.000-06:00

Paint foot black
Let dry.
Paint the inside part of the black footprint white.
Paint wings with black paint.
Use an orange marker to make the beak
Use a black marker to make the eyes.

Winter Clothes Mobile!

2013-01-10T15:24:00.000-06:00

Winter Clothes Mobile

Trace the hat, mittens and boots onto any color construction paper
Cut out the hat, mittens and boots.
Decorate the hat, mittens and boots anyway you please!
Punch holes in the outerwear and connect with yarn or string!

Water Color Snowflake Painting

2013-01-10T09:00:00.000-06:00

Place a snowflake ornament onto white paper.
Paint with blue watercolor paint all around the paper and over the top of the snowflake.
Remove the snowflake ornament from the paper.
Let dry!

The picture does not do this project justice. I wish I would have taken a picture of the painting Tana did. Her Snowflake really jumped out at you!

Glitter Snowflake!

2013-01-09T09:00:00.000-06:00

Sparkly Glitter Snowflake!

Draw a snowflake onto white paper.

Place wax paper over the white paper.

Trace the snowflake with white glue.

Sprinkle with glitter.

Let dry.

Peel snowflake off of wax paper and add fishing line or thread for a hanger.

Make Your Own Felt Snowman

2013-01-08T09:00:00.000-06:00

Make Your Own Felt Snowman

Cut Snowman pieces out of felt. 3 white circles for the body, Black hat, eyes, carrot nose, brown stick hands, scarf and buttons! Glue a piece of felt onto a piece of cardboard. I used an old cereal box. Staple a baggie to the backside of the cardboard to store all of the snowman pieces!

Handprint Snowmen!

2013-01-07T16:23:00.001-06:00

5 Little Snowmen!
Paint hand white.
Press hand onto blue construction paper.
Let dry.

Use black, brown and orange markers to add eyes, nose, mouth hat and arms!

The Friendly Beasts Handprints

2012-12-20T09:30:00.000-06:00

The Friendly Beasts

My Church School class is performing The Friendly Beasts for their part in the youth Christmas program this year. I had my 5 youngest students use their handprints to represent the animals in The Friendly Beasts song. I printed off words to go above each animal.

I am the donkey shaggy and brown, who carried Mary to Bethlehem town.

I am the sheep with the curly horn, who gave him my wool for a blanket warm.

We used an open handprint for the dove. We should have used a closed hand with the thumb pressed out!

I am the dove from the rafters high, who cooed him to sleep my mate and I.

I am the cow all white and red, who gave him my manger for his bed.

Handprint Wreath

2012-12-19T09:00:00.000-06:00

Paint hands green and press onto white paper, palms in forming a wreath shape. Let dry. Use fingers to add red "berries" with red paint. Let dry and add a red bow!
Materials Needed: green and red paint, white paper, red ribbon

Cork Reindeer

2012-12-18T08:00:00.000-06:00

Cork Reindeer!
Thread a 1 inch piece of gold wire through a red bell and secure into the bottom of a wine cork. Bend two pieces of 6 inch wire into antlers and push into the top of the wine cork. Glue on googly eyes. Cut ears from brown and pink foam and glue onto the sides of the wine cork. Add a hook for hanging.
Materials Needed: wine cork, red bell, googly eyes, brown and pink foam, gold wire, scissors, glue, hook