Naturally Educational » Spring
Digging for Knowledge
What can you learn digging around in dirt? A whole lot! We’ll be learning about plants and flowers this spring and what better place to start than dirt? In my last post, I spoke a bit about the pedagogical theory behind experiential, tactile learning. Children are filing the experience away as part of their wealth of knowledge. The experience creates the genuine need and desire for new vocabulary, concepts, and other lessons. The ideas and facts can … Read entire article »
Filed under: 3-5 (Preschool), 5-6 (Kindergarten), 6-8 (Early Elementary), 9-11 (Elementary), Ecology, Featured, Science, Spring, Touch
In Your Easter Bonnet, With All the Frills Upon It
Although it may be a bit early for Easter, this bonnet is a fun way to welcome spring. We made this craft last year so I don’t have a lot of detailed photos but the instructions are fairly simple. Materials: paper plate paper bowl tissue paper glue Easter and spring embellishments (silk flowers, butterflies, etc.) stapler ribbon Directions: 1. Cut out the center of a paper plate. 2. On either side of the hole in the paper plate, staple a length of ribbon long enough so you … Read entire article »
Filed under: 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), 6-8 (Early Elementary), Featured, History and Culture, Spring
March Lion and Lamb Masks
We’ve been enjoying our March poem and updating our calendar with the lion or lamb to match the weather–and the weather has given us plenty of opportunities to choose both! Last week we had 75 degree weather and then it snowed yesterday! We made lion and lamb masks to help us with our daily weather observations. Lion Masks Materials: paper plate orange and yellow construction paper, cut in 1″ x 4″ strips brown construction paper (for ears) glue (we used Elmer’s disappearing … Read entire article »
Filed under: 1-2 (Toddler), 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), Featured, Spring, Weather
Irish Spring: A Shamrock Sun Catcher Craft for Kids
Hope the green is sprouting up in your neighborhood! Have you found any four-leaf clovers? We are starting to see the signs of spring in our yard and so our crafts are turning green, too! And this craft is green in more ways than one–it re-purposes cardboard tubes from toilet paper or paper towel or gift wrap rolls. Materials: cardboard tube green paint green glitter green tissue paper green chenille stem X-ACTO knife single hole punch Directions: 1. Cut three segments from your cardboard tube. All … 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), 6-8 (Early Elementary), 6-8 (Early Elementary), 9-11 (Elementary), Art, Featured, History and Culture, Spring
The Colors of the Wind (Windsock Craft and Charity Book Drive)
This weekend, we finished up our Book Drive for Reach Out and Read. I’m waiting on the final count but feel confident there were well over 700 books collected, possibly quite a bit more, over triple the number I was able to collect last year. We owe our success to the support of Lovin’ Logistics and Joel DeGregorio, owner of the Mt. Sinai The UPS Store franchise. He provided not only a public drop-off for the … Read entire article »
Filed under: 1-2 (Toddler), 3-5 (Preschool), 5-6 (Kindergarten), Featured, Spring, Weather
On the Wings of a Butterfly
We love making butterflies (usually from coffee filters) and two years ago we heard about The Butterfly Project. Here’s the information from the site. 1,500,000 innocent children perished in the Holocaust. In an effort to remember them, Holocaust Museum Houston is collecting 1.5 million handmade butterflies. The butterflies will eventually comprise a breath-taking exhibition, currently scheduled for Spring 2012, for all to remember. They prefer 2D butterflies and I wanted to help my daughter create something special for The Butterfly … Read entire article »
Filed under: 1-2 (Toddler), 1-2 (Toddlers), 3-5 (Preschool), 3-5 (Preschool), 5-6 (Kindergarten), 5-6 (Kindergarten), 6-8 (Early Elementary), 6-8 (Early Elementary), 9-11 (Elementary), Ecology, Featured, History and Culture, Spring, Volunteering
Rainbow Connection
We tried a new craft for our rainbow play date this year, using clear contact paper and tissue paper. Last year we made ours with dyed pasta and we’ve also made sun catchers with glue, clear plastic, and tissue paper. I thought the contact paper would be simpler for the younger children, however, we found it was actually more challenging. Materials red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet tissue paper contact paper rainbow template painter’s tape or masking tape Directions 1. … Read entire article »
Filed under: 0-3 (Babies and Toddlers), 3-5 (Preschool), 5-6 (Kindergarten), 5-6 (Kindergarten), 5-6 (Kindergartners), 6-8 (Early Elementary), 6-8 (Early Elementary), Featured, Science, Spring, Weather
In Like a Lion, Out Like a Lamb
We’ve been so busy enjoying (sledding) and not enjoying (shoveling) the snow that March has snuck up on us! Lions and Lambs We’ll be discussing the saying: “March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb.” I’ll ask the kids what they know about lions (fierce, strong, roar) and lambs (gentle, friendly, baa) and ask what type of weather each might represent. March Weather Calendar – Lion and Lamb Days Each day we will check the weather … Read entire article »
Filed under: 3-5 (Preschool), 5-6 (Kindergarten), 6-8 (Early Elementary), Spring, Weather
Songs for Four Seasons
We like to sing songs while our crafts dry. For our Four Seasons of the Apple Tree Craft, we used these songs. The lyrics for the first are of my own composition. If you use it, please attribute it to me and if you post it on the Internet, please link back here. The others I found without attribution (unless otherwise noted) on various listserves. If you are the author … Read entire article »
Filed under: 1-2 (Toddlers), 3-5 (Preschool), 5-6 (Kindergarten), All Ages, Ecology, Fall, Musical, Science, Songs, Sound, Spring, Summer, Weather, Winter
Four Seasons of the Apple Tree
A chill is in the night air, children are returning to school, and another season is turning. Fall is perhaps my favorite season of all. Children seem to tap into the change in the seasons. They pick up on the weather and the rhythms of nature and enjoy exploring all the new wonders. We created a “Seasons of the Apple Tree” craft. Materials: White or blue sheet of paper Glue Scissors A cotton ball Brown non-toxic paint Green paper for leaves Pink tissue paper for … Read entire article »
Filed under: 3-5 (Preschool), 5-6 (Kindergarten), 5-6 (Kindergarten), 5-6 (Kindergartners), 6-8 (Early Elementary), 6-8 (Early Elementary), Ecology, Fall, Featured, Science, Spring, Summer, Visual-Spacial, Weather, Winter
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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 or on Google.
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