Pizza is an all-time favorite food for many preschoolers, and activities involving pizza are a great way to introduce the letter “P.” Here are some of our favorite ways to explore the letter “P” with pizza in our classroom!

Begin with a book

We began by reading the book Pete’s a Pizza by William Steig. This is an adorable story where the main character, Pete, starts out in a bad mood. So, his dad decides to turn him into a “pizza” using things like checkers for pepperoni, and little pieces of paper for the cheese to cheer Pete up. It is a great introduction to the pizza-making process and is guaranteed to bring some giggles!

Expanding on the story

During our community circle, we invited the children to take turns tracing the letter “P” and we identified words beginning with the letter “Pp.”

Sharing our favorite pizza

Next, we voted on our favorite pizza. Children practiced writing their name below their favorite pizza and as a class,  we counted up the votes.

The kids loved guessing which flavor would get the most votes!

Pretend play with pizza

We also invited the children to explore pizza through pretend play. We had lots of budding chefs making pizza creations in the play kitchen!

Building fine motor skills

The fun with pizza continued as children were invited to create and explore with playdough. They loved kneading their dough and using wooden rolling pins to roll their dough while creating their one-of-a-kind personal pizzas! If you have any caps saved from squeezable yogurt or baby food pouches, they make great pretend play pizza toppings.

Making a tasty treat

One of their favorite activities was making their very own pizzas for a special snack! To make your own mini pizzas you need just a few simple ingredients: English muffins, pizza sauce, pepperoni, and some shredded mozzarella cheese. The teacher(s) can bake them in the oven for the kids to enjoy.

Promoting self-help skills

The mini pizzas were a BIG hit and a great way to build self-help skills as children practice preparing their own snacks and pouring their own drinks!

For more fun with pizza be sure to check out these links to grow on…

Pizza toss drawing game

DIY Pizza box kitchen

We made pepperoni pizza in preschool

As summer winds down and you prepare to head back to school, we wanted to share some ideas with you that we think you will find helpful whether at home or in your classroom.

Calming nerves with a story

For some children, going to preschool for the first time also means separating from their loved ones for the first time. If your child/ren are nervous about the first day of school the story The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn is a great book to help calm their first day jitters. Separation can be hard for children, but this sweet story about a raccoon and his mother and their love for one another can help calm any fears and ease the transition.

Easing separation with a DIY photo book

If you want to make your own personal book to help with separation anxiety, we love this DIY photo book idea from No Time for Flashcards. Easing the separation takes time, but as your child feels safe in their new environment, becomes comfortable with their teacher or caregiver, builds new friendships, and knows that you will come back, it will get easier!

Displaying family photos

Another way to help children feel close to their loved ones while at school is by creating a family display board or placing family pictures in frames throughout the classroom. You might also create a collaborative family photo book. This helps build a connection between the home and school.

Building new friendships

We love finding ways to promote friendship in preschool and enjoyed these ideas shared here by Teaching Two and Three Year Olds including our very own friendship blocks! Friendship blocks are a great way to help children feel comfortable in their classroom community. They are a classroom favorite and are quite simple to make! Another fun way to promote friendships in preschool is with a Friendship Mural. Collaborative art projects get children sharing ideas, creating, working together, and having fun as they paint, color, and draw! Our children had a blast kicking off the school year with a friendship mural and we are sure that yours will, too.

Establishing routines

Children thrive on routine and predictability in order to feel safe and secure. However, time is a difficult concept to grasp in the early years. This is where a visual schedule can help! Consider making a visual clock or visual schedule to help your child know what their day is going to look like. Here are some printables from Pre-K pages that you might incorporate into a visual schedule.

Adding a personal touch

A sweet lunchbox note or a positive post-it is another fun way to brighten your child’s day and let them know they are loved! We love the idea of sharing words of affirmation in the form of a lunchbox note such as this idea from No Time for Flashcards.

Wishing you a great year!

Whether you are at home, or in a classroom setting this school year, we hope that these ideas will inspire you as you prepare for the fun and exciting times ahead of playing, learning, and connecting with one another!

This week, we decided to explore with yarn and enhance fine motor skills as we created using cardboard canvases. Cardboard can be used in so many creative ways and is a wonderful material to keep on hand. Cardboard canvases can easily be made by cutting cardboard boxes or cereal boxes into smaller-sized canvases.

Begin with a book

We began by reading a children’s book called Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett. This story is about a girl named Annabelle who never ran out of yarn and was known for her knitting throughout her little town.

Expanding on the story

After reading the story, each child was given their own cardboard canvas and yarn to create with. We made slots along the edges of the canvas for the children to wrap their yarn around the cardboard.

Practicing scissor skills

The children used estimation to determine how long to cut their yarn. They enhanced their scissor skills as they measured and cut their yarn independently.

Building fine motor development

After cutting their yarn to different lengths, the children began wrapping and threading their yarn across their cardboard and through the slots.

Adding to their creations

The children then added color to their yarn creations by painting with watercolors.

A fun and engaging process

The kids loved this fun process! And what a great way to encourage conservation by repurposing cardboard into canvases in your home or classroom setting.

For more process art inspiration be sure to check out the links below…

We love these ideas from fellow bloggers and we wanted to share them with you in hopes that they will bring inspiration to your 4th of July celebration!

A festive book

Books are a great way to build early literacy and cultivate a love of reading with kids in your home or classroom. They are also a great way for children to learn about the world around them. Red, White, Boom by Lee Wardlaw is perfect for preschoolers. Children will love learning about the 4th of July celebrations through colorful illustrations capturing parades, fireworks, and the essence of the special occasion.

Star-spangled slime

Star-spangled slime is a wonderful sensory experience. The ingredients are simple and children will enjoy helping mix and pour their ingredients. Confetti stars can be found at the dollar tree and make the slime extra festive! You can even add liquid watercolor if you would like an added colorful effect.

Fireworks playdough

Fireworks playdough from Fantastic Fun and Learning is another great way to enhance sensory awareness. Inviting children to explore a variety of red white and blue-themed loose parts such as pipe cleaners, pom poms, and some star-shaped cookie cutters along with their playdough will keep them engaged and build fine motor skills.

Fireworks Spin Art

Spin art is a fun and colorful art process where children can express themselves creatively without an end product in mind. While spinning their salad spinner they will build hand strength, too. This art process has been explored in our preschool classroom and the kids absolutely loved the experience! And the splatter effect resembles the fireworks they might see on the 4th of July.

Patriotic snacks

We love these patriotic snack ideas that children can help make! These simple cooking experiences help children gain confidence and build life skills.

Have a happy 4th of July!

We hope you find inspiration from this 4th of July ideas! Have a safe and wonderful time celebrating the occasion.

For more 4th of July inspiration check out the links below…

Exploring our flag for Fourth of July in preschool

Flag inspired easel paintings for the Fourth of July

Our class really seems to be fascinated with bugs of all kinds and with it being Springtime, we thought it would be the perfect time to expand on their interests with a bug investigation!

Begin with a book

We began by reading The Grouchy Ladybug by famous children’s author, Eric Carle. Books are a wonderful way to introduce bugs to kids and this book is always a big hit! We discussed the characteristics of ladybugs and used the book as inspiration for creating our very own ladybug books.

How to make ladybug books

After reading the story together, we invited the children to make their own ladybug books. To set up the experience you will need red construction or cardstock paper and an assortment of washable markers to create with. This activity is a great literacy extension activity as children make connections to the story and build on what they read.

Explore outdoors

After making our ladybug books, we began thinking about places we might find bugs and different kinds of insects we might find in our own backyard. Then, we continued the fun with bugs outdoors! We took our investigative tools and bug catchers and began searching for bugs outside. We looked up, down, and all-around around as we searched around the bases of bushes and trees,  turned over logs, explored under rocks, and investigated in piles of dry leaves. The children especially loved digging in the ground. These kids are experts at finding worms!

Benefits of bug hunts in preschool

Bug hunts are a wonderful way to explore science concepts outdoors and help children better understand the world around them. Children can make observations and record details of their findings in a nature journal. They learn about techniques and tools needed for catching bugs and have the opportunity to learn about bug habitats as they explore a variety of places that bugs might live outdoors. They can also learn about the different characteristics of insects. Bug hunts help children learn the importance of being kind to mother nature. After catching their bugs they released their bugs back into their home. With Spring upon us, it is the perfect time to explore the outdoors with your bug enthusiasts!

You can find more ideas for bugs here!

Counting and sorting bugs in preschool

DIY fingerprint paint pads and bugs

Available on Amazon

We are so excited to share with you the newest book by our friend and fellow blogger, Jean Van’t Hul. Jean has an impressive background in art history and studio art. She is a mother of two and writes a blog called The Artful Parent where she shares her amazing insights, ideas, and beautiful photos demonstrating simple process-focused art especially appropriate for young children. And we are thrilled to share with you her latest book release titled Invitation to Draw: 99 Drawing Prompts to inspire Kids’ Creativity. 

Encouraging creative self-expression

Invitations to draw are a wonderful way to engage children and encourage creative self-expression. The drawing prompts in Invitation to Draw are open-ended and the creative possibilities are endless! If you are looking for a summer boredom buster or something fun for any time of the year, this book is a must-have. Not only will children have fun, but they will be doing so in a way that expands their creativity!

Using their imagination

Each drawing prompt invites children to use their BIG imaginations to create! Invitations to draw might pose a question for children to ponder, an idea for children to wonder about, or inspires the children to tell a story as they add to their drawing prompt.

Multiple ways to create

With no specific set of instructions, children are encouraged to use their inner creativity to make their unique designs. And we especially love that the paper is high quality and the pages are perforated making the prompts long-lasting and easy to share. 

Something special just for YOU!

Jean has thoughtfully given our readers an exclusive drawing Invitation to Draw printable! You will be able to experience first-hand just how neat this book is and why we love it SO much. We hope it will inspire you to pick up a copy (or two) of your own! Happy creating!

Today was all about seeds and all things green. Gardening and planting seeds, whether at home or in the classroom, is a great way to encourage collaboration and build community!

Begin with a book

Together we began by reading Plant the Tiny Seed by Christine Matheson. The kids loved learning about planting seeds and how seeds grow. They especially loved this interactive story as they tapped the clouds to wish for rain, clapped to bring out the sun, and more! It is also introduces counting and colors throughout and the end of the book includes some fun info on how to plant seeds.

Planting seeds of our own

After reading the story, we decided to plant some seeds of our own! We gathered some potting soil and our grass seed. Each child had their own gloves and watering cans to garden with as well.

A hands-on experience

The kids loved putting on their gardening gear and working together to plant their seeds. This was a great community-building experience as kids collaborated to prepare their soil and plant their grass.

Filled with anticipation

The kids especially enjoyed seeing firsthand how grass is grown and they are eagerly waiting for their own grass seeds to grow! As the kids planted and watered their grass seed we made predictions. They are excited to make observations and check the progress of their grass each day.

Investigating Color

Exploring grass and seeds led us to an investigation of the color green. We identified things around us that are green and we made our very own class book about the color green. We also did a fingerplay called The Seed Begins in the Garden and it goes like this:

The seed begins in the garden

Tiny and small

But then it grows, and grows, and grows

Big and tall!

(Repeat)

A perfect day outdoors!

It was a wonderful day filled with fun, friendship, and lots of quality time spent outdoors! These little gardeners are becoming wonderful stewards of the environment and I can’t wait to see the fruit of their labor soon as their grass begins to grow.

Links to grow on…

From seed to flower at the sticky table

Seeded playdough sensory play

Making our own tiny seed pods

Father’s Day will be here before we know it! We have gathered some fun craft and activity ideas to help celebrate all of the special dads out there.

Kid made coasters

These kid-made coasters are simple to make, cost-effective, and would make a beautiful handmade gift! You might even be able to find some white ceramic tile samples for free at a local ReStore or Freecycle that could be repurposed into coasters.  

Fabric Resist Art Pillows

How fun and unique are these fabric resist art pillows from Meri Cherry? The colors are so vibrant and the kids will love making their one-of-a-kind pillow for that special dad in their lives.

Painted rock paperweight

These creative paperweights from Happy Hooligans are a lovely gift idea! Enjoy a walk in nature and collect rocks along the way with your children to be used in this fun art activity.

Handmade greeting cards

We love the idea of repurposing kids’ artwork into beautiful handmade greeting cards. What a wonderful way to showcase your child’s creativity! The cards themselves are a gift dads will treasure.

Build an obstacle course

Enjoy celebrating the special day together with a fun outdoor obstacle course. See how we put together our very own outdoor obstacle course using simple materials like pool noodles and cones. An obstacle course can even be made on a budget such as an obstacle course like the one shown in this video made entirely from items found at the dollar store!

We hope that these ideas offer some inspiration for your Father’s Day celebration! We especially hope that you find meaningful ways to connect and enjoy the special day honoring all of the wonderful dads!

For more Father’s Day inspiration be sure to check out these links…

Fly with us into Father’s Day

Racing along the rainbow