Sharing Saturday: Sensory Experiences for Preschoolers and Toddlers

Happy Saturday!  This week I have found some amazing sensory experiences to share!  Sight, smell, touch, and more--check these out:

Scratch and Sniff Ornaments!  This fun activity/craft from Spell Outloud makes strong use of the sense of smell and can easily be adapted to other themes!

Top 10 Play Dough Recipes from 2011!  These are not your every day play dough recipes!  The Imagination Tree shares recipes as exciting as Monster Play Dough and Lavender Playdough!

Make a Purse Craft!  This hands-on and personalized home made purse craft from Kingdom First Homeschool is sure to please any little girl...and give her lots of practice using fine muscles in her hands!

New Years Bracelet (Preschooler Craft)

Bring your new year in with a little sparkle with this fun bracelet craft!  The threading practice strengthens small muscles and the finished product is something your child can wear or give as a gift!

Supplies:
* New Years-y buttons
* Small elastic cording

To make this bracelet, let your child:
* Thread the cording through any buttons of her choice!  She may choose to make a pattern or she may just choose her favorite festive buttons!

When she's done, you can tie a knot.  Make sure you test the size on her wrist first!  Happy New Year!

Teach Me Tuesday (Christmas Edition!)

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It's Tuesday again!  I'm so excited for this week's Teach Me Tuesday!  But, before we get started, I'd like to highlight the link most clicked on last week: Gingerbread Graphing Freebie from Sara at Kindergarten Is A Hoot!

This is a fun way to tie a little science, coloring, fine motor practice, and gingerbread together for your preschooler/kindergartner!  Thanks, Sara!

Now, on to this week's Teach Me Tuesday Linky Party!  I really want to get to know some more of you, so in celebration of this wonderful holiday season, I would love to have you link up any posts sharing your Christmas or other holiday activities this year!  I personally visit and comment on every link and am so excited to see what you've all been up to during the last few weeks!  Of course I would also love to see you link up anything educational (It is Teach Me Tuesday, after all)!  So, on to the linky party:

Remember the guidelines:

1- Link to your post, not your whole blog.
2- Your post must be family-friendly.
3- Your post must be somehow related to education (or, this week, CHRISTMAS OR HOLIDAYS!).
4- After you link up, visit some of the other links and let them know what you think!  Everybody likes to get feedback and know their post is appreciated!
5- This is optional, but I'd sure be grateful if you spread the word by posting the Teach Me Tuesday button (above) on your blog or post!  The party only gets better with more bloggers!

I hope you have a beautiful day filled with love and memories!

Sharing Saturday: Christmas Around the World

Today is Christmas Eve, so I am scheduling this post and I want to keep it simple!  Still, I wanted to share a fun idea that could easily be adapted to all ages: a Christmas Around the World Advent.  Now, I know it's December 24th, but you could also choose one or two of the ideas on this advent to do with your kiddos sometime during the next week as you talk about how children around the world celebrated Christmas this month!  This advent is coming to you from Lindsy at Preschool Alphabet.  Check it out here!

Teach Me Tuesday (11-20-11)

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Teach Me Tuesday, a link party for all things related to teaching, homeschool, and education, was so much fun last week!  Here is a great big thank-you to the bloggers who linked up with us on our first-ever link party!!  You rock!  The links were amazing!  Before we get started with this week's party, I am so excited to feature the link clicked on the most last week: Snowman Tot Pack from Royal Baloo and Logi Bear Too.

This fun preschool-appropriate package includes sequencing, puzzles, Which One Is Different?, and more!  Thanks for sharing, Royal Baloo!


Now, On to this week's Teach Me Tuesday Link Party!

Feel free to link up anything related to education--this can be a craft, a game, a printable, a homeschool activity, a lesson plan, a curriculum, an essay, a recipe your kids helped with, or something else related to education!

Then, grab a cup of hot chocolate and your teaching calendar and see what great ideas you want to use!

The guidelines are simple:

1- Link to your post, not your whole blog.
2- Your post must be family-friendly.
3- Your post must be somehow related to education (see above comments).
4- After you link up, visit some of the other links and let them know what you think!  Everybody likes to get feedback and know their post is appreciated!
5- This is optional, but I'd sure be grateful if you spread the word by posting the Teach Me Tuesday button (above) on your blog or post!  The party only gets better with more bloggers!

That's it!  I can't wait to get to know you and see what you're up to!  Also, you're always welcome to follow me on GFC, Facebook, or subscribe to my monthly newsletter (links are in the sidebar)!

This will be a weekly party!  Next week I will feature the most popular link...you know you're excited!!  Also,  in honor of the holiday season, next week will be a special Teach Me Tuesday--we'll be linking up holiday-related posts!  I can't wait!

Snowflake/Icicle Craft Tutorial (Do It With Your Preschooler!)

This festive icicle takes shape in just minutes, and it strengthens small muscles in your preschooler's hand too!  If you make six you can tape them together to make a gorgeous snowflake!

1.  Start with a square:

2.  Fold it to make a triangle:

3.  Draw "cutting lines" on it like this and let your child cut them:  (Make sure the cuts do NOT meet in the middle!)

4.  Open up the square!

5.  Fold the middle two flaps together and tape them:

6.  Flip the square over and repeat step five with the next two flaps:

7.  Flip the square over again and repeat step five with the next two flaps:

8.  Flip the square over again (this is the last time!) and repeat step five with the outer two flaps:

9.  Ta Da!  All done!  You can tie a string on and hang your icicle, or make five more and tape them together to make a snowflake!

Sharing Saturday: Math, Memory, and More!

The holiday season is such a fun time of year!  I love the way these preschool resources smoothly combine a festive spirit with school-time basics!  Here are this week's preschool resources from around the internet!

Christmas Candy Math Flip Book.  Marlana at Lil' Country Kindergarten posted a Christmas Candy Math flip book last month!  There is still plenty of holiday time left to enjoy this fun flip book that combines matching, counting, and number recognition into a hands-on activity!  Check it out here!

Family Memory.  Kylee and Tara at The Mud Pie Makers have this fabulous  memory game/memory exercise to help kids recognize extended family members!  Even after the holidays are over, this is sure to be a hit!  Check it out here!

Rudolph Antlers.  Rockabye Butterfly shares a completely new take on good ole' Rudolph!  This creative use of crayons will have your preschooler begging for more and coming up with her own ideas for artwork!  Making Christmas Trees with it would be a blast!  Rockabye Butterfly actually did this craft herself, but it can easily be an engaging activity to do with your preschooler and talk about melting and color mixing!  Check it out here!

I'm a Little Reindeer (preschool Christmas craft and song!)

Reindeer are a magical part of the childhood Christmas experience...they run, fly, and help deliver presents!  Make magic with your preschooler by turning her foot and hands into a reindeer!  For even more fun, act out the I'm A Little Reindeer song below!

Supplies:  
2 different colors construction paper
markers
scissors
paint
painting tin
glue
any other embellishments you want to add!

Let Your Preschooler:
1.  Trace her foot onto one piece of construction paper, then cut it out. Some preschoolers need help tracing and cutting.
2.  Glue the "foot" onto the other piece of construction paper.
3.  Add eyes, nose, and a mouth.
4.  Choose a color of paint for the antlers and pour a small amount into your painting tin.
5.  Smear her whole hand in the paint until it is completely covered and make a hand print for one of the antlers.
6.  Repeat step 5 for the other antler.
7.  Fingerpaint on another piece of paper while the reindeer dries, then add any other embellishments or decorations you choose!

** Reindeer are also called caribou, but you won't see a caribou fly!
** Male and female caribou grow antlers!

I'm A Little Reindeer (to the tune of I'm A Little Teapot)

I'm a little reindeer, see me run!   (point at self)
I like to chase my friends for fun!   (run in place)
If you look up high above my head,     (point up and pat head)
You will see two antlers--"antlers" I said!    (wave fingers behind head like antlers)

Note:  You can also do this craft with toddlers, but you may end up doing most of the work. Toddlers also love to act out this song!

Teach Me Tuesday (A New Linky Party!)

Everybody loves a good party, so here is one you won't want to miss!  I am starting Teach Me Tuesday, a link party for all things related to teaching, homeschool, and education!

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Yes, children learn from crafts--link those up!
Yes, children learn from games--link those up!
Yes, children learn from experiments--link those up!
Yes, children learn from cooking and reading recipes--link those up!
Yes, teachers and parents love printables--link those up!
Yes, teachers and parents want to know how you feel--link that up too!

Then, grab a cup of hot chocolate and your teaching calendar and see what great ideas you want to use!

The guidelines are simple:

1- Link to your post, not your whole blog.
2- Your post must be family-friendly.
3- Your post must be somehow related to education (see above comments).
4- After you link up, visit some of the other links and let them know what you think!  Everybody likes to get feedback and know their post is appreciated!
5- This is optional, but I'd sure be grateful if you spread the word by posting the Teach Me Tuesday button (above) on your blog or post!  The party only gets better with more bloggers!

That's it!  I can't wait to get to know you and see what you're up to!  Also, you're always welcome to follow me on GFC, Facebook, or subscribe to my monthly newsletter (links are in the sidebar)!

This will be a weekly party!  Next week I will feature the most popular link...you know you're excited!!

Snack Patterns For Preschoolers!

Preschoolers love patterns!  They like to find what comes next, they like to make their own patterns, and they like to eat their patterns!  Patterns can turn snack time into a great learning time!  Chex Mix, Cheerios, grapes, raisins, dried cranberries, Fruit Loops, apple slices, orange slices, carrot sticks, crackers, and many other foods make great pattern pieces.  Go ahead...let them play with their food!

Sharing Saturday: A New Feature: Preschool Printables and Crafts!

A New Feature:  As I've "met" more people through blogging, I have been so excited to see all the wonderful resources available for families and daycares with preschoolers and toddlers.  There is such a wealth of free information and ideas available on the internet!  On my new feature, Sharing Saturday, I will share 3-5 links to fabulous printables or great ideas for people teaching preschoolers.  I don't get anything for sharing these links.  I just think they're wonderful and want to let you know about them!  Check back each weekend--I'll share a new set early every Saturday morning!  If you have something you'd like me to link to, send me a note (WholeChildCreativeCurriculum at gmail dot com) and I'll take a look at it! 

This week, I'm excited to share these great ideas:

Curious George Preschool Pack.  Beth at Living Life Intentionally put together a fun Curious George preschool pack that includes age-appropriate activities to strengthen math, science, pre-reading, and pre-writing skills!  Check it out here!

Astronomy Unit for Preschoolers.  Nicole at Just Like Mary put together an exciting Astronomy Unit--if your little ones are interested in astronomy, this unit is a great place to begin!  Some of the activities and information can easily extend beyond preschool age as well!  Check it out here!

Snowman, Snowman What Do You See.  This free, printable, interactive mini-book from Katie at Playing With Words 365 is fun and strengthens pre-reading skills while providing fabulous educational activities!  Entertaining, language development, fine muscle development, colors, clothes, and creativity--this little book really has it all!  Check it out here!

Mooseltoe.  This easy-to-make activity from Lorie at Reading Confetti can be adapted in so many ways!  It teaches letters, colors, one-to-one matching, and ties in a holiday theme!  Check it out here!

Christmas Preschool Packet (Free!)

Click here to download the free Christmas Preschool Packet!

The free Christmas Preschool Packet is now available to download!  It has 11 pages filled with fun worksheet-style activities that strengthen preschooler's pre-reading, pre-writing, and early math skills!  "Which One Is Different?" "What Comes Next?" and "What Do I Start With?" are just a few of the pages included.  This packet even has two Christian-themed pages for this special time of year!

Activities can be completed on the worksheets in the packet, or individual pieces can be cut out and used as manipulatives--the possibilities are endless!  

You can download the Christmas Preschool Packet for free here!

As always, I'd love to hear from if you use the packet--you're welcome to send me an e-mail (WholeChildCreativeCurriculum at gmail dot com) or leave a comment!  Of course, you can use it without telling me too...I just get excited when I hear from you!