Naturally Educational » 3-5 (Preschool)
Zoom, Zoom, Zoom, We Are Going to the Moon!
For our summer crafts and story and circle time, we started learning about our families and then explored the natural world around us. Then we set our sites on the stars! We climbed aboard our rocket ships and zoomed up to the moon, visited a few planets, and then swung by the stars. Here’s how we made our rocket ships: Materials: Cardboard Tube Tinfoil Poster Board (we used red and blue) Stickers (for decorating your rocket) Scissors Glue Jar Top or Glass (for tracing a … Read entire article »
Filed under: 0-3 (Babies and Toddlers), 1-2 (Toddlers), 3-5 (Preschool), 3-5 (Preschool), 3-5 (Preschool), 5-6 (Kindergarten), 5-6 (Kindergarten), 5-6 (Kindergartners), 6-8 (Early Elementary), 6-8 (Early Elementary), Science
Tickly Octopus Craft
Octopuses have so many fascinating adaptations and we found a storybook that captures this information with humor and charm: Tickly Octopus. Tickly Octopus is the story of a fun-loving octopus who enjoys tickling his friends–but only the wiggly, giggly fish appreciate his tentacled-tickles. When our octopus protagonist goes on an adventure to recover his friend oyster’s pearl, he discovers he has so many other talents, including zooming through the water, squeezing through holes, and squirting ink … Read entire article »
Filed under: 0-3 (Babies and Toddlers), 1-2 (Toddler), 1-2 (Toddlers), 3-5 (Preschool), 3-5 (Preschool), 3-5 (Preschool), 5-6 (Kindergarten), 5-6 (Kindergarten), 5-6 (Kindergartners), Featured, Science
Something’s Fishy
Whether teaching your kids or students in the classroom, you usually have the advantage of knowing your partners in learning. For my moms’ meet-up group, I have been organizing a weekly “Preschool Play Date”. Today our preschool play date suddenly became a Toddler Play Date and I had to adjust our plans. The result was a fun and easy fish craft that even a toddler will enjoy. Sea creatures are always a hit with little ones, … Read entire article »
Filed under: 0-3 (Babies and Toddlers), 3-5 (Preschool), 3-5 (Preschool), Ecology, Science
Ewww…Oooo! Insects and Other Bugs
We went for a program at a local nature center and it was a great reminder that a lot of our negative reaction to insects and other bugs is a learned response. Of course, that doesn’t mean I don’t recoil when I see our friend, Rosie… The educator at the nature center urged kids to exclaim “Oooo!” instead of “Ewww!” and I think that she has the right idea to encourage the children’s sense of … Read entire article »
Filed under: 3-5 (Preschool), 5-6 (Kindergarten), All Ages, Ecology, Featured, Summer
Patriotic Play!
We had a “patriotic play date” today in anticipation of America’s Birthday. We began by talking a little bit about the Fourth of July and Independence Day. Most of the (verbal) kids associated the day with fireworks, parades, and summer foods like watermelon, corn on the cob, and ice cream. Our six year old friend knew that it had something to do with the Revolutionary War. For the younger kids I explained that we were once … Read entire article »
Filed under: 0-3 (Babies and Toddlers), 3-5 (Preschool), 3-5 (Preschool), 3-5 (Preschool), 5-6 (Kindergarten), 5-6 (Kindergarten), 5-6 (Kindergartners), Summer
Yarn Easter Egg Ornament
We’ve been trying some gorgeous Easter Crafts for kids this week, starting with this Yarn Easter Egg Ornament from No Time for Flashcards. I love “busy hands, calm spirit” crafts like these. This is so simple and yet it requires a lot of focus, patience and dexterity. You can also use this as an opportunity to practice measuring (the yarn) and cutting with scissors. Applying the yarn. Popping the balloon. Finished ornament hanging up. Head over to No Time for … Read entire article »
Filed under: 3-5 (Preschool), 3-5 (Preschool), 5-6 (Kindergarten), 5-6 (Kindergarten), 6-8 (Early Elementary), Home Arts, Mathematics, Spring
In Like a Lion, Out Like a Lamb
As we enter the end of winter and the beginning of spring, it is a great time to talk with young children about the weather. Last year, we used a calendar “March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb” project to explore the concept of the changing weather. March Lion and Lamb Calendar Directions Print a blank March calendar. Print/photocopy Lion and Lamb clip art and cut so each animal is on its own square. … Read entire article »
Filed under: 3-5 (Preschool), 3-5 (Preschool), 5-6 (Kindergarten), 5-6 (Kindergarten), Mathematics, Science, Spring, Weather, Winter
Jack-o-Lantern Candle Craft
October is my favorite month and it is not just because it is my birthday. I love the apple-picking, the leaves turning colors, butternut squash, and of course, Halloween. And nothing says Halloween quite like a glowing Jack-o-Lantern. My daughter made hers with some left-over tissue paper and a glass baby-food jar. We love crafts, especially ones made from natural or recycled materials but I’ll admit…we take shortcuts sometimes. Especially when I’m hosting a … Read entire article »
Filed under: 3-5 (Preschool), 3-5 (Preschool), 5-6 (Kindergarten), 5-6 (Kindergarten), 6-8 (Early Elementary), Fall, Sight
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