When children creatively use objects with meaning and purpose completely on their own, that is one of my ultimate joys! I'm going to share about our child-made Easter egg music shakers. This is also a great alternative if you prefer to put something that is not candy into Easter eggs. I am completely convinced that pea gravel is the ultimate sensory experience for kids! It is the most used View Post
Ice Cube Mold Ideas and Activities for Kids
It's no secret that I adore ice cube molds! Some of the greatest activities with children come from the simplest items, and this is no exception. Ice cube trays and molds as well as silicon molds are very versatile, and they make for amazing play activities. There is a super affordable selection from IKEA, and the Dollar Store has seasonal ones that we use on a regular basis too. We have a growing View Post
Play-Based Learning: Why it Matters
Learning through play may seem like casual play, but the truth is that it is an art! For the longest time, I tried to figure out what "learning through play" meant. Some thoughts that ran through my head were: Is it structured? Does it involve planning? What is the role of the teacher or adult? Are children really learning? Don't get me wrong, I learned about it in college, but View Post
Lacing Bead Drop: “Just Playing?”
"The true object of all human life is play. Earth is a task garden; heaven is a playground." G. K. Chesterton This week I am joining up with a blog hop called "Just Playing?" I encourage you to visit a couple (or even all) of the links below by some incredible bloggers who understand the power of play in children. We are all examining the importance of "just playing" and asking you to View Post
Hands-On Easter Activity for Preschoolers
Have you ever wondered how to teach young children about Easter? The Easter story is undoubtedly a foundation and anchor in our family, but at the same time, it is absolutely R-rated. This week I had the great privilege of guest posting for True Aim, and I give my mother/teacher perspective on what is important about Easter and what you may want to leave for later. Just click on this link: Make View Post
Butterfly Diorama
One of my favorite concepts to teach to preschoolers is the life cycle of a butterfly! What an incredible process it is going from the egg to the caterpillar into a chrysalis and finally transforming into an amazing butterfly. We always love hands on activities to help reinforce the concepts, and today's post is just that! It is a simple diorama that you can enjoy making with little ones created View Post
Butterfly Symmetry Activity
We are excited for Spring, and what better way than with BUTTERFLIES! These fascinating creatures are delicate, beautiful, graceful, necessary, and just plain fun! Today we have a fun craft that teaches about butterfly symmetry. Butterflies are symmetrical, so Marta came up with the incredibly fun way for children to learn about and understand what symmetry means and looks like using craft View Post
Butterfly Alphabet Matching Cards
What do you get when you combine amazing photos of butterflies with a great preschool literacy activity? This great butterfly alphabet matching game! I must say that these are some of the most beautiful printables I have ever seen (and I have seen a lot), which were created and designed specifically for you all by our very own contributor, Marta. I love literacy games for preschoolers, and View Post
Fun Butterfly Facts for Kids
These fun butterfly facts for kids are a perfect way to teach children about caterpillars and butterflies. It doesn't take long before a child falls in love with a butterfly. They are enchanting, and when one lands on you, it feels absolutely magical. I love teaching a butterfly theme each spring in my preschool class from my preschool curriculum because it's a study that every class View Post
Montessori Shamrock Activity
Lately, I have become more and more interested in Montessori techniques. The more I find out about it, the more I love it! I even feel that I have been missing out the past 12 years of teaching without it. I recently had the incredible honor of having an amazing Montessori teacher come over and teach me how to do a lesson. She showed me so much, and I wanted to share it with you! Here is the View Post