February 8, 2010
One thing I love to do is cut out a bunch of hearts in different sizes and in different colors and put them in a basket for the kids to create with!
In the past, we’ve made heart animals and heart people (not included in picture):
Today we used the hearts for Valentine cards for our grandparents. I also provided glitter and foam heart stickers I got for a dollar. My kids worked for an hour, and then my daughter pulled them out again this evening:
My sweet son made this one for my grandpa, who lost his wife a couple of weeks ago. It says, “Great-Pada (that’s the word they use for “grandpa”), I am sorry that you lost your wife.” Oh.my.gosh! My heart about melted. He came up with all of it all on his own. How sweet is that?!
February 6, 2010
We are having fun in our kitchen today! This is a classic activity that I’m sure many of you are doing!
Make sugar cookies in Valentine shapes. Mix up some different shades of pink frosting. I like to provide white, as well. Whip out all your red and pink sprinkles, as well as red hots or candy hearts. We used red M&Ms, too. Let your children go at it and decorate and EAT!
What cookie-making traditions do you have in your house?
February 5, 2010
I wrote this post last year for Blissfully Domestic. I share one of my favorite Valentine books and a fun art activity. My pictures are gone though so I posted those here. Visit me there to see instructions!
crayon shavings
February 4, 2010
Last year, I found these foil hearts* left over in my cupboard. I knew my kids would love them so I created a fun educational game for them!
I wrote a different number on the inside of each heart. (If you don’t want to waste the hearts, you could put a slip of paper inside each one instead, like in my picture.)
Your child’s job is to count that many candy hearts (or any other small object you have on-hand) to place into each foil heart.
My kids LOVED this game! 
*I think I found them in the tinfoil/Ziplock bag section.
February 3, 2010
I shared a similar activity at Christmas, but this is definitely a favorite for little ones so I wanted to share it again, once again to show how the same activity can be used throughout the year! I love that it’s so open-ended AND that there is so much learning going on.
1. Cut a bunch of hearts out of colored paper.
2. Write one letter (or whatever skill you are learning) on each one. I like to make lots with the letter we are learning and a couple with review letters.
3. Hang at children’s eye level around the room. Make sure the letter is facing out.
4. Have your children hunt for the letters. Have your child choose ONE, say the letter AND the sound, and bring it to the carpet or table. They can then go find another and do the same thing! If you are doing this in a classroom setting, I would limit the number each child can find!
5. When all the hearts have been found, let the children “hide” the hearts again (hang them back on the wall). This is their favorite part!
6. Begin again!
February 1, 2010
Visit me over at Stories for Snuggling to see this fun craft we’re making for Groundhog Day!
January 29, 2010
Preparation:
1. Draw a parking lot on a piece of paper, with spaces in between wide enough for a toy car to fit. You can see that mine is VERY simple.
2. In each space, write a skill you are working on: numbers, letters, colors, sight words, etc.
Play:
Call out a number, letter, etc. Have your child drive the toy car into the correct parking space. A HUGE hit with little boys!!
January 28, 2010
Preparation:
1. Draw some trucks on colored paper. Cut out. Laminate for durability, optional.
2. Write one letter you are learning on each truck. I chose to do uppercase letters.
3. Cut out small circles, 2 for each truck. I did mine on brown. These will be the wheels for the trucks.
4. Write the corresponding lowercase letter on one wheel.
5. Find a picture with each beginning sound and glue onto the other wheel.
Play:
1. Lay out all the trucks and wheels.
2. Have your child find the wheels that match each truck: the lowercase letter and matching picture. Place the matching wheels on each truck.
**You could do this with other skills, as well. When I taught 1st grade, I did contractions. I wrote the contraction on each truck and the words in the contraction for each wheel (ex. “can’t” on the truck; “can” and “not” on the wheels).
January 27, 2010
Take a field trip this week! Visit a friend who owns a semi-truck. Take a tour of the fire station or police station and explore their vehicles. Drive some go-carts or watch car racing. Watch a monster truck rally. Visit a local train show. Take a ride on a train or subway. And watch the light in your children’s eyes as they experience something fun!
My son beaming at the train show
What field trips have you done that teach about transportation?
