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Saturday, October 29, 2011

Halloween Math

Aside from some pre-measuring and cooking activities, I haven't done too many math activities with my son.  With the possibility that he will begin Kindergarten next year (he'll be eligible but barley 5, so I may hold onto him one more year) I figured it was time we start.  Of course, as an advocate for play, I wanted it to be somewhat open ended, but I wanted a bit of structure as well.  
 I started with a chart sectioned into 4 distinct areas.  I'd purchased some Halloween foam stickers from the $0.99 store for such an occasion.  I placed one sticker in each section, then separated matching stickers into muffin tins.
I wasn't concerned with colors (although, I was secretly hoping for some sort of pattern!), simply shapes.  I told him he could peel the stickers and place them into the matching section, as many as he wanted, then we'd count them.   
 Peeling foam stickers is excellent fine motor practice!  
 Michael is extremely active with a short attention span.  He did match his shapes, but would only place 1 sticker in each column, so, I went with it.  After all, it's his first time and I did want this to be play-like and fun.
Once he placed his stickers, we counted how many he placed in each column.  I reminded him what a "1" looked like and let him write the number on his own.  

For some more Halloween math ideas check out:
Little Lucky: Halloween Activities (this site is in Romanian but she has Google Translate)
3 Jewels in my Crown: Pumpkin Seed Math

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Pumpkin Prints


Teachers at heart don't stop being teachers just because they are home with their children.  Preschool teachers at heart are known by their resourcefulness and how they can turn regular objects into a creative project.  We can look at cotton balls, potatoes, q-tips, apples, etc, and instantly see a use for them other then what they are intended for.  Right now, since it's fall, the theme is pumpkins.  All over the web, in homes, and at preschool, pumpkins are being used for sensory play, science projects, cooking fun, and of course art!  

I had originally planned for my son to roll a mini pumpkin around in a box doing some "marble" painting with it.  Or if he wasn't interested in that, to simply have him paint his pumpkin as he desired.  But the more I thought about it, the more I really wanted to cut that sucker open, let him check out the innards, then try painting with it.  So, I bought a second mini pumpkin (in case he wanted to paint the other) and we proceeded to move forward with pumpkin prints.     

Michael loves to do things on his own, so I gave him a pumpkin carving knife so he could try to cut the pumpkin in half.  Unfortunately for him, these little pumpkins are tough!  
Even with a large butcher knife, I found it extremely difficult to slice the pumpkin open.
Finally, success!  I loved the tiny pumpkin seeds inside.  I wasn't sure if this sort of pumpkin was edible, so we tossed them.  Not before my son got a hold of them though.  He insisted on copying Garfield from Garfield's Halloween, placing the seeds in his mouth, and spitting them out while saying, "phooey".  Now, since I was leery about allowing him to do this with raw pumpkin innards, on a pumpkin I didn't even know was edible, he snuck some outside, went to the corner of the yard, and did it anyway.  He's been asking to do this for months and when he gets something in his head, it stays until he accomplishes it.  Now, he has no interest in the seeds.  
 Michael loved scooping out the seeds.  
Once the pumpkin was nice and clean, I placed some green and orange paint lids from large yogurt containers.  We've been talking about the life cycle of the pumpkin using this great Pumpkin Life Cycle download from Montessori for Everyone.  We've talked about how pumpkins are green first, then slowly change to orange.  Michael's favorite book right now, which reinforces this cycle is The Fierce Yellow Pumpkin.
 
Stamping green...
Slamming orange!  
Art projects can be very short with us.  Michael is way too active to stay for long.  I was pleased just to get four pumpkin prints out of him!
I wanted to try it out too!   

Need some pumpkin stories?  Check out these great books:












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Shibley Smiles




Wednesday, October 26, 2011

It's Playtime: This is Halloween!

I'll admit it, Halloween is my favorite day of the year.  I love dressing-up, I love Candy, and I love all things spooky that go bump in the night.  This week It's Playtime features my favorite Halloween activities from the past week so read on....IF YOU DARE!

Who doesn't want to serve up these Cheesy Witchy Fingers! from Mud Pies and Marmalade at their next Halloween party?  Once I checked out the recipe I realized how easy they are to make.  I bet they would be great served with some "bloody" pizza dipping sauce!

These adorable Tissue Paper Mummies from happy hooligans double as finger puppets.  What's better is they are so simple, your little one won't have any trouble putting them together.  

Make, do & friend put together this cute jack o' lantern sensory bag made with red lentils, foam shapes, and....well check out their site to find out more!

Develop some fine motor skills and sharpen creativity with these Styrofoam Monster Sculptures from The Chocolate Muffin Tree.  

Don't forget to include music and rhymes into your child's playtime!  Playing with words 365 posted these 10 Fall & Halloween Songs & Fingerplays for inspiration.  

If you were featured this week, don't forget to grab your special "featured button."  


Now, on to this weeks play date! 
It's Playtime is a community and Thursday link-up hosted by:

* Rachele : Messy Kids (That's me!)
* Anna : The Imagination Tree
* Rachel : Quirky Momma
* Jamie : hands on : as we grow
* Jenny : Let the Children Play

How to Play :
* Link up a post about a playful learning experience enjoyed by kids.
* Give us love and pop a button into your post/blog. Invite your readers to the weekly play date!

* Stop by one of our blogs every Thursday and add your link about play. Your link will show up on each of the blogs in the It's Playtime community.
* Each week the playtime hosts will choose favorite posts to feature. (By linking you are giving us permission to use an image and link to you, if featured.)
* Be sure to visit some of the links that catch your eye. Commenting on posts that you find interesting or inspiring is a wonderful way to develop your own playful community.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

It's Playtime: Spectacular Spiders


I have a love/hate relationship with spiders. Inside my house, they are creepy, invading my space and freaking-out my family. Outside, spiders are fascinating and a thing of beauty.
I found this spider at my parent's house in their rose buses.  It's beautifully constructed web waits for a passing fly or bee.  I wanted to get closer but a large section of ice-plant (and buzzing bees) grew between the sidewalk and the spider.  I feared the bees stings more then this amazing creature.  Spiders work so hard to catch the bugs we despise.  If there were no spiders in our world, we would be over run with flies and other insects.  I don't want to even imagine a world with out them!

At Halloween we celebrate spiders for the horrific, marvelous and creepy beings they are.  So this week's It's Playtime will also celebrate spiders...preschool style!

My favorite post this past week are these glorious Glow in the Dark Spider Balls from All Artful.  They are simpler to make then they appear and the end result is outstanding!

 Chicken Babies created this Lair of the Spider Queen play/adventure course, surprising her young children after nap.  Streamers + Spider Rings= Afternoon Adventures!

No preschool Halloween is complete without Golf Ball Webs and Finger Spiders!  Instead of the traditional black and white marble or golf ball webs, happy hooligans used some Halloween inspired colors for a more whimsical feel.  And of course, the googly eyes on the spider remove all spidery creepiness!  

Who doesn't want to eat these Incy Wincy Spider Chocolate Treats from Puddles and Gumboots?

If you were featured this week, don't forget to grab your special "featured button."


Now, on to this weeks play date! 
It's Playtime is a community and Thursday link-up hosted by:

* Rachele : Messy Kids (That's me!)
* Anna : The Imagination Tree
* Rachel : Quirky Momma
* Jamie : hands on : as we grow
* Jenny : Let the Children Play

How to Play :
* Link up a post about a playful learning experience enjoyed by kids.
* Give us love and pop a button into your post/blog. Invite your readers to the weekly play date!


* Stop by one of our blogs every Thursday and add your link about play. Your link will show up on each of the blogs in the It's Playtime community.
* Each week the playtime hosts will choose favorite posts to feature. (By linking you are giving us permission to use an image and link to you, if featured.)
* Be sure to visit some of the links that catch your eye. Commenting on posts that you find interesting or inspiring is a wonderful way to develop your own playful community.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

It's Playtime: Boo! A Ghost!


My son likes to pretend he's a ghost.  Particularly, a blue ghost.  He places his blue blanket over his head and walks around the house (and outside in the grass), running into walls, because there aren't any eye holes.  He'll often asks, "Where am I?  You can't see me!"  I'm pretty sure this idea came from one of his favorite DVD's, It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown ,which he watches ALL THE TIME.  Ghosts are funny things.  Like monsters, they can be scary, yet most of us, and our children, share a strange fascination for them.  As Halloween draws closer, I dedicate this weeks It's Playtime to the spooky, but often friendly (think Casper) ghosts of preschool play time.

When I first saw these Homemade Ghost Window Clings from Mommy Savers, I knew a ghost post (tee hee, I rhymed!) was in my future.  They are so easy!  Should you prefer transparent ghosts to white, check out these other Ghost Window Clings from Primary Junction.  Slightly different but just as cute!  

Next time you want to play with your preschooler, why not go Hunting for Ghosts?  Reading Confetti created this fun little game based on a book they read called Hoodwinked.  Recycled milk jugs are illuminated beautifully by flameless tea lights.  Children will have a great time searching for these little ghosts!


This Ghost Craft from Diary of a Working Mom was too cute NOT to share.  I love footprint ghosts!  They are sweet and I think, a great sensory project for kids.  Feeling paint squish between their toes is a different way to experience a common art material.  Take this project outside and really let them go wild with it.  Just because it's a craft doesn't mean you can't make a mess!

Although not an actual ghost, this Homemade Glow in the Dark Play Dough from Sun Hats and Wellie Boots casts a ghostly glow your kids will love!

Need some ghostly tales?  Try these preschool friendly ghost stories:
The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything
The Spookiest Halloween Ever
The Teeny Tiny Teacher
Spooky Hour

If you were featured this week, don't forget to grab your special "featured button."


Now, on to this weeks play date! 
It's Playtime is a community and Thursday link-up hosted by:

* Rachele : Messy Kids (That's me!)
* Anna : The Imagination Tree
* Rachel : Quirky Momma
* Jamie : hands on : as we grow
* Jenny : Let the Children Play

How to Play :
* Link up a post about a playful learning experience enjoyed by kids.
* Give us love and pop a button into your post/blog. Invite your readers to the weekly play date!


* Stop by one of our blogs every Thursday and add your link about play. Your link will show up on each of the blogs in the It's Playtime community.
* Each week the playtime hosts will choose favorite posts to feature. (By linking you are giving us permission to use an image and link to you, if featured.)
* Be sure to visit some of the links that catch your eye. Commenting on posts that you find interesting or inspiring is a wonderful way to develop your own playful community.


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