Naturally Educational » Bodily-kinesthetic
Shaving Cream Pumpkin Art
My children have been asking me when we could do shaving cream art again. The tactile experience helps build learning and the kids have a ton of fun playing with paint and shaving cream. So, we made shaving cream pumpkins! Materials: posterboard foaming shaving cream paints (Halloween colors) 1. We traced and cut-out a pumpkin shape from poster board. 2. Then I poured foaming shaving cream and some paints (mostly orange with a little green and purple) into a flat-bottom container. … Read entire article »
Filed under: 1-2 (Toddler), 1-2 (Toddlers), 3-5 (Preschool), 3-5 (Preschool), 5-6 (Kindergarten), 5-6 (Kindergarten), Art, Bodily-kinesthetic, Fall, Featured, Touch
The Sun, Earth, and Moon
I do a brief demonstration with my kids of how the earth rotates on its axis to create night and day, how the Earth orbits the sun over the course of the year, and how the moon orbits the Earth, creating the phases of the moon. My youngest son got to be the Sun, since babies are at the center of attention and he did not need to move for this role. Sometimes, I use a flashlight … Read entire article »
Filed under: 3-5 (Preschool), 5-6 (Kindergarten), 6-8 (Early Elementary), 9-11 (Elementary), Bodily-kinesthetic, Featured, Science, Smart Summer Challenge, Visual-Spacial
Mathematics Beach Party!
Beaches, water tables, sprinklers, the sink, the bath–if it involves water and getting soaking wet, it is sure to be a hit with young children…especially during the hottest days of summer! We were off to the beach yesterday and while the kids built sandcastles, waded in the water, and floated in an inflatable raft our friends brought along, I threw in a little math and science. Which molds better? Wet sand or dry sand? Interesting! The water helps … Read entire article »
Filed under: All Ages, Bodily-kinesthetic, Featured, Logical-Mathematical, Mathematics, Science, Summer, Touch
Woodland Animal Masks
Masks are fun way for children to explore and move and act in different ways. For our Forest-Friendly Week of the Smart Summer Challenge, we made Woodland Animal Masks. Some of the things I like about this craft is that it gives them control over the process, encourages them to be observant, and also serves as a fun prop to continue the activity. I’m chatting more about crafts over at the Random House Kids: Read … 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), 6-8 (Early Elementary), 6-8 (Early Elementary), Bodily-kinesthetic, Ecology, Featured, Performing Arts and Theater, Smart Summer Challenge
Mapping a Nature Hike #SmartSummer
Knowledge is supposed to enrich our lives, not just reside in dusty books (or hypnotic bits and bytes). So, we took our map skills on the road and used them to explore a “new to us” nature trail. Check out this map! Ain’t she a beaut? Most of the trail maps we encounter are faded, sad affairs. Not this one. This one has a lovely compass rose for finding directions, words for … Read entire article »
Filed under: All Ages, Bodily-kinesthetic, Ecology, Featured, Geography, Interpersonal, Logical-Mathematical, Mathematics, Smart Summer Challenge, Visual-Spacial
Moving and Grooving to Music Around the World #SmartSummer
Music is a big part of our lives. My grandfather was a professional musician and my daughter loves to play piano. And music is a fun way to gain insight into other societies. As part of my study of history, I delved into how music reflects culture. So, as part of our Me on the Map week, we enjoyed traditional music from around the globe! Since this (history and culture through the lens of art) is my … Read entire article »
Filed under: All Ages, Bodily-kinesthetic, Featured, Geography, History and Culture, Music, Musical, Performing Arts and Theater, Smart Summer Challenge, Sound
Balloon Obstacle Course
Today, please welcome the fun-tabulous Jamie of Hands on : as we grow. She has a gift for sneaking authentic learning into fun, play-time activities. While I am on maternity leave, I will be featuring a few inspiring posts from some of my favorite activity, craft, and education bloggers! Making an activity course is super simple and easy to do with just a couple of balloons! It can be filled with tons of learning experiences along … Read entire article »
Filed under: 3-5 (Preschool), 5-6 (Kindergarten), Bodily-kinesthetic, Featured, Guest Post, Mathematics
What Can Drama Do for Children?
While I am on a short maternity leave, I have invited a few of my favorite activity, craft, and education bloggers to share a guest post. As a former theater major, I am excited to welcome Susan Stephenson from The Book Chook to share why dramatic play can be so important for children. Specialist drama teachers sometimes offer drama lessons to children outside school hours. But how do you know if your child will benefit from … Read entire article »
Filed under: Bodily-kinesthetic, Featured, Guest Post, Performing Arts and Theater
Rain Stick
Not that we need more rain… Since we are studying rain and the water cycle in April, we made rain sticks. This is a nice way to incorporate some culture and music and movement into our studies. And it is also a simple and fun craft that is always a hit with the kids. Materials long cardboard (paper towel) tube rice soft, flexible plastic (like a sandwich bag or any leftover shrink wrap) construction paper markers, stickers, jewels, etc. for decoration Directions 1. Pour … Read entire article »
Filed under: 3-5 (Preschool), 3-5 (Preschool), 5-6 (Kindergarten), 5-6 (Kindergarten), 6-8 (Early Elementary), 6-8 (Early Elementary), 9-11 (Elementary), Bodily-kinesthetic, Featured, History and Culture, Music, Musical, Spring, Summer, Visual-Spacial, Weather
D is for Dirt, R is for Rocks
Getting physical with your learning is a great way to reinforce academic lessons. The connection is especially strong with language and literacy. The experience reinforces the memory of the letters and words and creates a deep connection. We’ve also been exploring the universe of literacy in WordWorld–a television program on PBS that supports pre-reading skills. The characters on the show (“WordFriends”) are formed out of the words that are their names. They solve challenges by building … Read entire article »
Filed under: 1-2 (Toddlers), 3-5 (Preschool), 5-6 (Kindergarten), Bodily-kinesthetic, Featured, Literacy, Touch
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About the Author
Candace Lindemann is a published children’s writer and educational consultant. She holds a B.A. from Yale University and an M.Ed. from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Working with school districts around the country and some of the most well-known companies in the education industry, Candace creates custom strategies, textbooks, and lesson plans. Her articles have appeared in print and online.
While Candace’s degrees prepared her for a career in education, she’s found that the best preparation for parenting is on the job training.
Contact Candace via e-mail, read her full biography, or connect with her using the social media icons below.
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