Driving in the Snow Sensory

This sensory is perfect for little boys! It keeps them busy for quite some time!

Supplies: white playdough and cars

Process: Use the white playdough as your "snow." Have the children drive along in the snow as they like!

Teach Well: White playdough maybe hard to make at home. During this time of year you may find white playdough in the seasonal department and during Valentines Day. I use inexpensive cars from the dollar store and keep them only for art projects. These are not save to play with since the wheels come off easy and are a choking hazard to young children. So, they are only used to paint with or in playdough.

Roll-a-Bowl

A great game for those winter months inside!

Supplies: Plastic bowling pins and a large area to play in

Process: Have the child lay on the floor with their hands above their heads. Have them roll down toward the rolling pins. Try and have them knock the pins down only by staying down on the floor and rolling into them.

Teach Well: If the pins will not stay standing on your floor place on a flat surface like a box.

Feed the Penguin

I am sure I got this game idea from Mailbox Magazine but love the new twist I added!

Supplies: Clip art of a penguin, tub or box, clipart of fish, and dice

Process: Cut your penguin out then slit a slot where his mouth is. Attach it to the front of a box or dish tub. Cut out fish clipart (I found mine on my computer). Lay the fish on the floor (your "ocean"). Roll the dice and count how many fish you can gather from the ocean to "feed the penguin."

Teach Well: Read Without You before playing this game.

January's Scope and Sequence

January:

Theme - Winter

Literacy - M, N, O, P

Math - Recognize; 13-16; Review

Science - Ice; Observation; Cause/Effect; Artic Animals

Physical Education - Gymnastics; Aerobic Wednesdays

Spanish - Weather

Bible - Jesus Calms the Storm

Verse - Psalm 107:29

Sentence Builder

I found this old game for 99 cents at Goodwill! I love you Goodwill!

Supplies: thrift store game, word strips, or printed out words from the computer

Process: Place a sentence on the table (or at circle time) and have the children read the sentence with you. Take turns finding a word from the pile you set aside to add to the blank in the sentence. Have them read it. Then read it together.

Teach Often: For a little fun, throw words in the pile that might not work with the sentence.

Decorate a Snowman

Find items around the house to help you play this fun and decorative game!

Supplies: craft foam snowmen, buttons, ribbon, pom poms, and dice

Process: Roll the dice and count the number you land on. Add that many pieces to your snowman and decorate him as you wish! Let your friend have a turn. When your snowman is filled clean him off and play again!

Teach Well: Snowmen are alway on clearence this time of year at your local craft store. No craft foam? Use clipart from your computer to make your "game board." Use this game with your favorite snowman book!

My Christmas List

I always try and give parents a sort of wish list for their child. You know, those games, toys, and movies that would help their development. Here's this year's.

1. Super Why ABC Letter Game

 2. Super Why movies (which you can also find on Itunes)

3. Lucky Ducks

4. Leap Frog Letter Factory Board Game and movies

                                              

5.  Textures and Colors Matching game

6. Candy Land game

Picture Book Sequence Cards

Ever have those favorite books fall apart? Keep the pages for storytelling sequence cards. I love this book about pumpkins. I had the growth of a pumpkin lined up and then had a few pages missing from the line up. Have the children place the missing pages in the place where they belong.

Teach Well: Find ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle old books!

Easy Christmas Cards

Christmas cards can be easy for children if you prepare the project to only a few simple steps! To get some ideas, go to card sites like this one or this one. I learned this design from Jeanean at Craft Warehouse. She does a card make and take every Sunday afternoon. It is a great way to learn how to do the project before you do it with your kids!

Teach Well: Try scrapbooking paper instead of construction paper for your Christmas crafts. It is acid free and will last longer for the parent who saves their child's art.

Pumpkin Pie Playdough

Supplies: pumpkin colored playdough, recycled pie tins, rolling pin

Process: Have the children make pumpkin pies with their dough. If you have a play kitchen have the children put their pies in the "oven".

Teach Well: If you have any pumpkin cookie cutters place them on the table for even more make believe!

Eat Chicken Thanksgiving Tees

These t-shirts make great shirts for a Thanksgiving program or party.

Supplies: White t-shirt, cardboard, and fabric paint

Process: Have the children bring the shirts in a few days earlier than the project. Place a piece of cardboard inside the t-shirt. Write the words "eat chicken" on the back of the shirt. Dry for at least 24 hours. On the day of the project, paint the child's hand quickly with a thick layer of paint (brown for the body and colors for the feathers). I let the children pick what colors they would like for the feathers. Press the hand flat on the tee. Add eye, beak, and waddle. Later add the words to the front of the tee. Let dry.

Teach Well: Do you have any wooden puzzles that need throwing away? Keep the wood board they sit in. They make great boards for the inside of the t-shirts. Reduce, reuse, and recycle!

Turkey Hats

Supplies: construction paper, black pen, stapler, and glue

Process: Cut out the shapes ahead of time. Make a headband by connecting two brown pieces of paper (about one or two inches wide). Have the children glue on the face pieces and staple the face to the front of the headband. Make the legs by folding the paper accordion style. Staple them to the headband. Staple the feathers to the back of the headband. This headband makes a great headpiece for a Thanksgiving program!

Teach Well: A great tip I learned was making sure the smooth side of the staple is on the inside of the headband so that it doesn't irritate the children.

Sequencing Cards

Keep your eyes out when you are shopping Goodwill or thrift stores. This game was a great find several years ago.

Teach Well: If you can't find premade sequence cards make your own.

Pumpkin Pies

Supplies: orange, brown, and white paper, pumpkin spice, glue, tape, and a shallow container

Process: Cut out pie and whipcream shape from paper. Create a crust from brown paper and tape to the back of the pie. In a container have the child squeeze glue on the paper. Shake pumpkin spice on the pie. Glue the whipcream cutout on top.

Teach Well: If the child is having a hard time shaking enough spice on the paper, pour some into the bucket and shake the bucket around to cover the glue.

God Provides in the Wilderness

Supplies: cd player, sound effects cd (with walking on gravel), sheet, pre-popped popcorn or marshmallows and small cups

Process: Begin the story of Moses in the wilderness walking with the Israelites. Talk about how they lived and why they were there. God was taking them to a very special new home. Put the cd on repeat and begin walking around the room. Tell them that they even had to sleep in the wilderness. Pause the cd and pretend you are sleeping on the floor. Push play on the cd and begin walking again (do this two more times). Explain that they didn't have anymore food and they started to get hungry. Rub your tummies. Then they started to complain. Start complaining about being hungry. Then, God did something amazing! Pause the cd and have them sleep again (tell them no peeking!). Quickly lay out the sheet and sprinkle popcorn on the sheet. Have them wake up and see what God gave the Israelites! Give everyone a small cup and remind them to only pick up what can fill their cups. God provides for our needs!

Teach Well: If you have an assistant, have them turn the lights on and off for your "day" and "night" time. Remind them that the lights will go off before you do it so that young ones won't get scared.