Tot School

I used LAWTEEDAH's printable found here to make rhyming magnets

I printed a coloring page of Boots and C made bananas for him using playdough. This day I told her to make 5 bananas. I thought about getting out some cards or a die so she could make a certain number of bananas, maybe we will try that another time.

 

She cut some paper into about a million pieces

(she even cleaned up every last piece!)

She played with water about 3 times this week. This day she poured water into the bowls and transfered water using a sponge.

She coloring a shamrock with various shades of green she sorted from her crayon box

Dot painted with Q tips to make shamrocks 

We revisited this math game, but used a shamrock shape I printed instead

(Activity Mom even came up with a few more ways to play this game)

Quiet Box #2

It has been pretty busy around our house - I filled in for a teacher at my old job for a full week, J had a birthday(!) and just the every day busyness of having 2 young children. We haven't had to get the quiet box out for a week or so, but I was able to get some pictures of another one.

I had these ball erasers and printed a sheet so she can match which sporting equipment the ball goes with

Pipe cleaner sorting (using an old Pringles container)

Foam number puzzles

ABC Stencil with paper and pencil

M&M Dominoes

I made this for my classroom one year as a game.  I put it in the quiet box so C can name and sort the shapes. (I think the game was played by putting all the cards in a pail, which was passed around during circle time. Each child had to pick a card and say what the shape was. If they drew the card with all the shapes everyone had to put their cards back in? I think? Something like that) I have a colors version too.

Foam shapes

Juice lids with stickers matching game

linked to

Quiet Box #1

C no longer naps and there are times when I need to get stuff done - without the "help" of a 2 year old. After seeing the idea on several other blogs, I came up with 7 quiet boxes, enough for every day of the week.  I usually save shoe boxes and had enough that were big to store the items in.

Every afternoon while J naps, I get out a box for C and she sits in her room (or our room) and plays with the contents of the box for that day. We have been doing the boxes for about 2 weeks now and she loves them. So far she hasn't grown bored with them and even asks to play with the boxes, even when it isn't "quiet time". 

This is Monday's box

 Name matching - I put letter stickers on flat marbles. C has to match the letters to her's and J's first, middle and our last name

 Small foam puzzles. I thought it would be to overwhelming to include the entire alphabet, so only the letters of her name are included.

Felt shapes to sort and create with on the felt board

Lacing beads

 Picture matching/puzzles - I got this a few years ago, probably at the dollar store. On one side you match things that go together. On the other side is a puzzle with those 2 items.

 Barrel of monkeys

Puzzle

Color sort (I made this game several years ago for my preschool class - items are plastic bottle lids, small toys, pom poms, marker lids, colored clothes pins, Legos, foam pieces, etc)

I give C about 30-45 minutes to do the activities on her own. Sometimes she wants to do them longer and sometimes I sit with her and play along. I love seeing the creative ways she comes up with playing with the items.

I am always on the look out for more activities to include in the boxes and things in each box change as I find new things. I will try my best to post the other boxes soon.

***I trust C to not put any of this stuff in her mouth.
Please use caution when choosing items for your own child***

Shapes, Colors and Counting

I came across these games in my collection when I was looking for things to put in "quiet boxes" for C (more about those later)

I cut out a few shapes using the colors we were working on at the time. I put the larger shapes I cut out on a piece of big paper, the smaller shapes on the cards. I wrote how many counters I wanted the children to put on the shapes. I made the two games below, but you could use any shape, colors and numbers you wish, making it age appropriate (I made this a few years ago for an older preschool classroom). For counters you could use anything - pom poms, erasers, flat marbles, beads, etc.

Happy Valentine's Day

Today I plan on making heart shaped pancakes for breakfast and making a heart shaped pizza tonight, with a few other special touches through out the day.

I thought I would include some of Valentine ideas that are out there in blog land that we didn't get to, maybe next year! 
<3

Mommy Ways Valentine Tangram

 Pre-K Pages I Love...

Craftzine Heart Lei

 Chalk in my Pocket DIY Heart Stamps

Ready, Set, Read! Letter Game

 Totally Tots Cookie cutter painting

 Happy Clippings Heart Garland

I Can Teach my Child ABC match

 In My Spare Time Heart Shape Match

Raising Memories Melted Crayon Sun Catcher