Curriculum for Preschool and Kindergarten Students

Free Printable Valentines Day Cards for the Preschool and Kindergarten students to print, cut out and sign - then Share

2012-02-12T13:10:00.000-08:00

Printable Template Patterns for Kid Valentine's Day Cards

Easy to make …. Print the Valentine Day Card page, cut out the cards and sign to give to friends, classmates and family. Card stock / heavy weight paper is recommended.

There are four different sets of six unique Valentine Day Cards available …. and presently they are free (complimentary).

The printable school resource is available on the 'More' page at http://www.Tools4PreschoolandKindergarten.com

These tools for Preschool and Kindergarten are perfect for more than just preschoolers and kindergarteners. Use these with any early childhood level student that is celebrating with a Valentine's Party.

Cute Sayings Included!

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Video Flash Cards in PDF have been added to the download membership sampler - Get it for free

2012-02-09T17:21:00.000-08:00

Preschool and kindergarten curriculum resource for FREE - The flash card poster books are located in the download membership sampler here - sign up and get an access coupon savings code for 100% savings.
Go Here and then to the Frequently Asked Questions Page to find the sign-up location.

http://www.Tools4PreschoolandKindergarten.com

Preschool Video book collection for preschool curriculum resources - free and buy cheap

2012-02-09T15:12:00.000-08:00

I just added the rest of the preschool videos on youtube - http://www.youtube.com/user/thinkingofourfuture

Hope this helps .... these are great for teaching preschool, kindergarten, ELL, ESL and more. Supports beginning sounds, reading, spelling, sight words and more.

I will update you as soon as I have the coordinating flash cards (that match the video ebooks) uploaded to the free sample download membership at http://www.Tools4PreschoolandKindergarten.com

Teaching the Letter A - Beginning Sounds for Preschool and Kindergarten

2012-01-22T17:37:00.000-08:00

Visit the youtube channel http://www.youtube.com/thinkingofourfuture
to see the video book. More information will be posted tomorrow.

Fire Safety theme unit for the preschool classroom, lots of ideas and suggestions

2012-01-16T13:58:00.000-08:00

Sparks the Fire Safety Pup http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxQtQCTrnso&feature=youtu.be

This theme is a safety theme as well as introduces a community helper / hero.

This theme is a crucial part of the safety curriculum requirements for any preschool or kindergarten.

The students will make their own safety 911 badge necklace, practice dialing 911 on the phone (worksheet), go over escape plans and routes within the classroom and at home with their families, create a collage, create a 'Please Answer Me Book' all about safety / and not so safe objects, practice Stop – Drop – Roll techniques, use a rebus to create a fire truck snack and receive an award certificate for being a Fire Safety Friend.

Guess what? There is even more in this themed unit!

The unit contains over 30 pages ….. and includes a great Helping our Fire Fighter Friends folder game.

Autumn / Fall preschool theme suggestions and ideas

2012-01-16T13:56:00.000-08:00

Attie Autumn http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WdRuW1EQ8s&feature=youtu.be

This is an obvious seasonal focused curriculum unit.

It includes making a lunch bag puppet (template printable patterns are always included), discussing weather appropriate attire, counting and number recognition, fall based colors and a tactile / textured art piece that is just as much fun collecting for it as it is making it.

Have the students make a cute little leaf book again focused on colors.

Decorate pumpkins with fun 'emotion' faces.

Collect corn and figure out what a piece of apple pie is selling for – coin recognition.

Next answer 'What belongs together?' and sort the harvest of apples by size.

Make some lacing cards that can be utilized over and over or sent home for great keepsakes or use as practice lacing mats.

The folder game will have the students matching corn and pumpkin upper and lower case alphabet.

This unit covers several topics all under one umbrella of 'Autumn'.

Apples and Pumpkins themed unit for preschool available at www.Tools4PreschoolandKindergarten.com

2012-01-16T13:55:00.000-08:00

Apples and Pumpkins, Oh My! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Exy-PC8YQAA&feature=youtu.be

This theme will take your students on Little Pumpkin's Adventure.

They will make cute little pumpkin stick puppets and you will begin a story with a special 'story starter' suggestion. The students will take turns using their puppet to add more details to the 'on going' adventures that the Little Pumpkin is having.

Graphing with apples and pumpkins has been incorporated to reinforce colors and counting.

Little Pumpkin even has it's very own book for each student to make that explores common emotions.

The Happy Apple Face activity will have the children giggling once they have completed making their own Happy Apple jack'o lantern'.

The children love snack time when they read the rebus to make a very special treat …. with your help, of course. :-)

The filefolderfun game is a real treat with Apples for Apples. This is a focused pattern game that contains words that all begin with the letter A.

Each themed set includes several activities – not all will be included in these descriptions for www.Tools4PreschoolandKindergarten.com

Teaching Insects and Bugs to preschool and kindergarten - Anita Ant

2012-01-16T13:53:00.001-08:00

Anita Ant http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPT7Gz2WuEY&feature=youtu.be

Anita is a worker ant and this theme will explore where she lives, finding food and taking care of the 'babies'.

A brief description is given about ants for the instructor.

The first activity in this theme has the children cutting and coloring while learning about Anita Ant's body (parts).

Another focused activity explores the life cycle of the ant and provides an interactive worksheet with lots of pasting and coloring.

Next the student will help Anita find her home with tracing or cutting along the broken line.

Graphing has also been included in this fun theme concerning some peoples favorite insect.

The Science suggestion involves going on a 'treasure hunt' of sorts for a variety of ants and this includes lots of measuring.

The fun does not stop there. The student will then create a fun little book that asks lots of questions. This particular book will expand this theme tremendously by discussing things that Anita loves to Eat and would a person eat it too?

The templates are included for a fun game that includes lots of muscle movement while learning the colors of the 'ants'.

There is even more focused ant activities in this themed set – like where does an ant live and what does the inside of their home look like.

Finally, within the 37 pages, is an Anita Ant File Folder style game. The game has the students matching Anita's body parts by matching the number to dots. This game will reinforce the location of the abdomen, thorax, legs, head, antennae and more.

*All folder style games include directions and recommend lamination for long term durability.

Theme sets ..... 47 original units for preschool and kindergarten - Very Affordable

2012-01-16T13:51:00.001-08:00

Themed Curriculum

Where to begin?

This set contains 47 theme based units and can be utilized over a 50+ week period.

This is not your typical 'recommendation' set up. You will not open up anyone of the themed ebooks and find any of the following:

Sing 'this song' during circle time …..

Cover the color Yellow this week.....

Dress everybody up as cowboys and play 'the West' in centers....

Read 'this book' to support this theme this week......

It is not that the 'recommendation' set-up is not a prevailing style presently …. but does that really work when you are a home school parent or daycare provider – when there really is not enough time in the day to lay out a 'lesson plan' and collect all of the pieces needed to accommodate the 'recommendations'.

Do you want it NOW and be able to set it up relatively easily and quickly? If the answer is 'YES' - this is the set for you.

The Themed Curriculum set was inspired and created with that purpose in mind.

Admittedly, this set is excellent for any preschool or kindergarten based classroom. It can be expanded upon to meet any educational recommendations and guidelines.

But even more importantly is the ability for the homeschool parent and home day care based instructor - to have the ability to provide a sound and fun curriculum without the demands of NO 'planning period' or assistants to help create and collect the bits needed for a lot of the resources and curriculum found now days.

There are companies out there that will ship you a nice 'convenient' set-up of 3 or 4 activities a week and suggested supports for their curriculum at a cost that equals a very large chunk of money per student …. And yet, you will still be expected to collect and plan additional pieces and activities for the week or month.

That alone makes this set appear even more practical and definitely a lot less expensive. It even comes with a lot more 'Bells and Whistles' than the prepackaged sets provide.

The Themed Curriculum set at www.Tools4PreschoolandKindergarten.com was created specifically with convenience and affordability in mind.

With the prepackaged sets ….. you have to continue to order month after month after month - and you will need to be sure to order enough sets to accommodate each student, since they are usually sold as a per student price. Adjustments to your classroom or daycare may occur quickly with students coming and going ….. yet you may not have enough 'arts and crafts' pieces to include each student. You, also, do not want to leave anyone out! What can you do? Order more? You do realize that the additional sets will not arrive by the next morning …. of course - you do! :-)

If any of this sounds familiar ….. This small piece (Not Really.... It has over 1725 pages of usable curriculum / activities within the Themed Curriculum Package) of The Ultimate Resource for Preschool and Kindergarten is exactly what you have been waiting for!

When designed, it was with the intention that any person could easily add a quality preschool type program easily and quickly.

Each unit includes (in PDF printable formatting) a minimum of:

5 Themed Based Activities

File Folder Style Game

Spanish and Sign Language Flash Cards

Individual Worksheets for -

letter

shape

color

number

Fine and/or Gross Motor Activity Suggestion(s)

Science Suggestion(s)

Obviously …. you control what is included within your preschool program and can alter the letter, shape, color and number sheets included in the unit. Why? Because YOU can!

With the download membership …... you have so many more support pieces, curriculum, activities, worksheets – the list goes on and on.

You are in control and not at the mercy of 'what is sent' in a prepackaged curriculum.

All you will need to do is …. print off what you want to use.

Are you wondering what can be within the many pages of the themed sets? You will probably be a little, if not a lot, surprised.

This set was designed for a need of minimal gathering of objects (if anything would need to be gathered, you will most likely already have it around the house or classroom) and the simplicity of printing off exactly what you need.

Teaching the Basics for Preschool and Kindergarten - Hot - free - coupon code savings

2012-01-16T13:49:00.000-08:00

The Basics

Let's begin with the beginning ….

When it comes to education, the basics include the alphabet, colors, numbers and shapes. This is the foundation of The Basics.

The Basics is an excellent introduction to the letters, colors, shapes and numbers. The first 10 lesson units introduce the numbers 1 – 10 as well as the colors and shapes. In addition to the basic concepts, each lesson includes fun activities that will expand the possibilities for success.

The 26 lesson units each include a 5 page book covering various concepts, search & find sheet (search mat), tracing / cutting and a mini file folder style game.

This Educational Set would be appropriate for the very advanced 2 year old with a lot of 1 to 1 teacher support or a special needs student needing basic concepts work support. Absolutely perfect for the pre-k to kindergarten level pupil.

One more thing..... this is not to be confused with a lesson plan that instructs you to do …. but is designed for you to ACT!

Each unit introduces a new letter (that is why there is 26 sets) and provides you with the ability to print off what you will need to accommodate each and every objective. It contains over 270 pages of printable / usable tools and curriculum.

Get started NOW with the very first unit, the letter A.

It is provided here for FREE

http://www.justgiant.com/unita.pdf

Also available is a video (provided via YouTube channel Thinking of our Future) – Watch it here http://youtu.be/iWrXK6n7Zug

This is only the beginning of the quality curriculum and resources within the download membership at Tools for (4) Preschool and Kindergarten.

Ultimate Resource for Preschool and Kindergarten -Description

2012-01-16T13:47:00.000-08:00

What is the Ultimate Resource for Preschool and Kindergarten located at http://www.Tools4PreschoolandKindergarten.com and

why do I need it?

The Ultimate Resource for Preschool and Kindergarten is an extensive curriculum / resource package that can be incorporated into many different types of teaching environments. This includes daycare, home school, preschool, kindergarten and special needs situations. The resources can be utilized by therapists too. This includes speech, occupational and physical therapy.

Tools for Preschool and Kindergarten has bundled numerous digitally formatted e-books into conveniently zipped down-loadable files that are easily saved onto a hard drive. Once the storage of each file has been completed, the folders can be unpacked and opened to display huge amounts PDF printable books.

This formatting and storage method makes the resources at Tools 4 Preschool and Kindergarten the perfect teacher friendly curriculum.

Shopping for curriculum, lesson plans, reading supports, math concept material and so many additional tools has never been so easy. This Digital Download Resource E-book Membership allows the purchaser to utilize the material for years to come and at a very affordable, if not downright, insanely cheap price.

What is the one event that all teachers dread? After spending an enormous amount of money on one activity ….. a piece is lost, damaged or the game (activity) wears out. Sure, the item has served the purpose and was purchased as a 'disposable'. This definitely redefines the terminology 'disposable income'. :-)

Wouldn't it be wonderful if when something was lost, damaged or wore out the company would send you a new game, book, activity or whatever the tool was? Of course the answer is a resounding 'YES'. We all know that this is not how it works …. until now.

www.Tools4PreschoolandKindergarten.com gives you the ability to replace those lost, damaged and wore out activities by simply printing off and creating the item again …. and …. again …. and … again!

Tired of the black-line master that over time becomes so ridiculously faded that you need to sit down and actually trace over the tiny letters and designs so you can use it just one more time? Seriously – if you enjoy this activity ….. you do not need the download membership …. you do need a new hobby. :-)

The Ultimate Resource for Preschool and Kindergarten is a tool unlike anything else you will find on the internet or any other location. Sure, you will find several options of downloadable material or cd /dvd's loaded with curriculum and resources – but it is a relative certainty that not one of these tools will provide you with the variety, typical and unique, that is available within the Ultimate Resource for Preschool and Kindergarten.

Why so certain …. You ask?

Well ….. let's explore all of the numerous resource sets that are included within the download membership located at www.Tools4PreschoolandKindergarten.com

www.Tools4PreschoolandKindergarten.com Review

2012-01-05T19:29:00.000-08:00

I am going to begin a series of site reviews dedicated to the Tools 4 (for) Preschool and Kindergarten web site.

This site contains so many diverse pieces of educational material that it is a little overwhelming if you just happen to land on the web site.... especially if you have no idea of what this site actually is.

All I will say in this blog piece about www.Tools4PreschoolandKindergarten.com is that
it is comparable to a 5 star Restaurant (like the Broadmoor in Colorado - by the way - I am in no way connected to the Broadmoor - It is an amazingly beautiful piece of history) in the curriculum world of preschool and kindergarten level education - yet is bundled and priced like the family friendly Buffet that you might find on any corner of your city or town.

It is a one stop, one price curriculum / resource that any teacher, parent, daycare provider .... would love to receive as a gift.

It is perfect for the new instructor that has very little for their group of children.

The experienced teacher will find so many new and wonderful pieces that they too will want to print, make and create all of the typical and unique sets within the many (did I say - MANY!) downloadable zipped files that contain huge amounts of ebooks. Each file is loaded with so many beautiful and enriching pieces.

The site contains thousands of pages .....

I will try to give true justice to each piece that is available within the Download membership .... But truly will probably not be able to cover every piece - there is just sooooo much!

Did I mention that everything is included in the one price .... Everything!

Mini Site Review for LetteroftheWeek - Preschool curriculum

2012-01-05T06:52:00.000-08:00

This site includes suggestions for nearly everything and is even curriculum friendly for the infant / toddler category.

Some of the resources on this site include:

Nursery Curriculum for Ages 0 - 1
Brightly Beaming Baby (Nursery Age 0)
Recommended Reading for Parents
Literature
Nursery Rhymes
Poetry
Bible
Rhyme Bible
Speech/Vocabulary
Classical Music
Baby Games
Lullabies
Sign Language
Foreign Languages
Exercise
Baby Massage
How to Schedule
Brightly Beaming Toddler (Nursery Age 1)
Recommended Reading for Parents
Literature
Bible
Poetry
Nursery Rhymes
Speech/Vocabulary
Sign Language
Indoor Games
Outdoor Games
Classical Music
Musical Exploration
Children's Songs
Lullabies
Foreign Languages
Puppetry
Exercise
Nature Study
Arts & Crafts
Art Appreciation
How to Schedule
Brightly Beaming Steps to Reading Program for Ages 2 - 7
Step One: Preparatory Curriculum (Ages 2 - 4)
Curriculum Outline
Weekly Themes
Learning Poster
Vocabulary Words
Colors/Shapes
Letters
Numbers
Nursery Rhymes
Monday Schedule
Tuesday Schedule
Wednesday Schedule
Thursday Schedule
Friday Schedule
Preparatory Book List
Step Two: Letter of the Week (Ages 2 - 5)
Scheduling the Year
Alphabet Intro Week
Basic Letter Weeks
Review Weeks
Alphabet Party!
Monday Schedule
Tuesday Schedule
Wednesday Schedule
Thursday Schedule
Friday Schedule
Any Day Schedule
Letter of the Week Book List
Step Three: Sound of the Week (Ages 3 - 6)
Curriculum Outline
Basic Sound Weeks
Sound Wall Poster
Reviewing the Letters
Handwriting in the Curriculum
Sound of the Week Book List
Sound of the Week Printout
Celebration Party Week
Step Four: Story of the Week (Ages 4 - 7)
Curriculum Outline
Lesson One
Kindergarten Curriculum for Ages 4 - 5**
Science of the Week (Kindergarten Ages 4 & 5)
My Science Journey Poster
My Science Journey Journal
From Seed to Pumpkin
What's It Like to Be a Fish?
Germs Make Me Sick
Penguin Chick
Sunshine Makes the Seasons
What Happens to a Hamburger?
What Makes a Magnet?
Country of the Week (Kindergarten Ages 4 & 5)
Curriculum Outline
Angola
ArgentinaJuly 28, 2011
Ireland

The countries below will one day be revised for inclusion in Country of the Month a curriculum for ages 6 - 11.
China
Egypt
Russia
SpellBright Level One (Kindergarten Age 5)
SpellBright Level One Spelling Lists & Activities

Primary Curriculum for Ages 6 - 8

SpellBright Level Two (Primary Age 6)
SpellBright Level Two Spelling Lists & Activities
Primary Journal Ideas (Primary Ages 6 - 8)
January Journal Ideas
February Journal Ideas
March Journal Ideas
April Journal Ideas
May Journal Ideas
June Journal Ideas
July Journal Ideas
August Journal Ideas
September Journal Ideas
October Journal Ideas
November Journal Ideas
December Journal Ideas
Orchestral Beams (Primary Ages 6 - 8)

Elementary Curriculum for Ages 9 - 11**

Blazers of Greatness
Curriculum Outline
Albert Einstein
George Washington
Benjamin Franklin
Abraham Lincoln
Mother Teresa
Madeleine de Verchères
Early Childhood at Home
A Balanced Home Education
The Arts of Religion & Character
Bible Study
Sacred Art Appreciation
Sacred Music Appreciation
Character Studies
The Arts of Communication
Early Literacy
Phonics
Beginning Reading
Literature
Poetry
Nursery Rhymes
Penmanship
Spelling
Speech
Recitation
Grammar
Composition
Vocabulary
Sign Language
Narration
Typing & Computers
The Arts of Thinking & Educational Skills
Memorization
Critical Thinking
Library Skills
Reference Skills
Study Skills
The Arts of Mathematics
Preschool Math
Kindergarten Math
Primary Math
Math Games
The Arts of the Social Studies
Preschool/Kindergarten Themes
World Geography
Biographies of Famous People
U.S. History & Geography
Canadian History & Geography
State/Province Studies
World History
Timelines/Book of Centuries
The Arts of the Natural & Scientific World
Nature Study
Preschool Science
Kindergarten Science
Primary Science
The Arts of Languages
Languages Around the World
French
Spanish
Italian
Latin
Greek
The Arts of Physical Education
Exercise
Games
Baby Massage
Sports
Health
Nutrition
Drill
Safety & First Aid
The Arts of Cultural Expression
Music
Music Appreciation
Art
Art Appreciation
Dance & Movement
Puppetry
Drama
Mime
The Arts of Life
Handicrafts
Children's Chores
Manners
Scrapbooking/Notebooking
Personal & Family History
Scheduling
Organization
Goal Setting
Life Skills Lists
Levels of Learning
Nursery Age 0
Nursery Age 1
Preschool Age 2
Preschool Age 3
Kindergarten Age 4
Kindergarten Age 5
Primary Level Age 6
Primary Level Age 7
Primary Level Age 8
Elementary Level Age 9
Elementary Level Age 10
Elementary Level Age 11
Homeschool Information
Getting Started
Books to Read
Curriculum Providers
Helpful Homeschool Sites
Methods and Philosophies of Home Education
Charlotte Mason
Maria Montessori
Glenn Doman
Shinichi Suzuki
Classical Education
Thomas Jefferson Education
An Environment for Learning
Homeschool Forms and Tools
Opening Exercises

(The list was so extensive that I just copied and pasted it directly to the blog ..... I wanted to do the site justice .... WOW :)

LetteroftheWeek contains some extraordinary topics and suggestions. This site is definitely worth taking a look at when working with preschool and kindergarten aged (developmentally established) students. Even more when working with older students in upper grades.

Letter of the Week contains numerous ideas that cover many advanced areas of curriculum.

http://www.Tools4PreschoolandKindergarten.com

Valentine Day Sugar Cookies - Great Project to Decorate with Little Ones

2012-01-05T06:37:00.000-08:00

This is a Sugar Cookie Recipe that has received a lot of positive feedback.

This recipe does require that you chill the dough prior to rolling out for cutting with cookie cutters. Dip the cutter in flour prior to cutting - this will decrease the stickiness.

The cookie will spread a bit .... but not too bad.

You will need the following ingredients:

1 cup white sugar
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup butter
1 cup shortening
2 eggs
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or almond extract - my favorite)
1/2 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Cream together the sugars, shortening and butter.
Mix in the eggs and mix well.
Stir in flour, cream of tartar and baking soda. Mix in vanilla (or almond) and salt. Stir until well blended.
Roll dough into walnut sized balls.
Flatten with glass bottom dipped in sugar (and cinnamon - optional).
Bake for 10 minutes (Time may vary depending on the oven and location).
Let the cookies cool then decorate.
These make a great treat for the preschool / kindergarten group - but also make great gifts for the parents ( guardians) or that someone special.

Printable File Folder Games - New and Available for Free at www.Tools4PreschoolandKindergarten.com

2012-01-04T17:19:00.000-08:00

Just added the new filefolderfun game of funky fish shapes on to the download Sampler membership site.

The directions are included .... no reason to watch a video. These are so easy to make and use. The file folder games (the new ones that were just added) can also be used as fun shaped memory match lotto cards for additional options in education expansion.

Instead of pasting the fish onto the folder - cut them out and laminate (still make two (2) copies of each fish page). Play as you would a normal memory game.

I have added (copy and pasted) directions from:
http://www.ehow.com/how_7559722_memory-game-directions.html

Instructions

- 1
  Flip all of the cards over so that the picture sides of the cards are face down. Arrange the cards into a rectangular grid. Keep the grid as uniform as possible, in order to prevent giving unintentional clues to players, which would make it easier to memorize the locations of certain cards.
- 2
  Have the youngest player take the first turn. The player turns over any two cards in the grid, flipping them all the way over and laying them down with the pictures facing up. The player collects the two cards if the pictures on them are the same, otherwise the two cards are turned back over and it is the next player's turn. A player that makes a match takes another turn, and continues to take turns until they fail to make a match.
- 3
  Have the next oldest player take his turn in the same manner. Continue to take turns, youngest to oldest, until all of the matches are made.
- 4
  Have each player count up her matches. The player with the most matches wins.

Tips & Warnings

The object isn't to just randomly flip over cards and hope to make a match, but rather to memorize the locations of the cards as the game goes on.
Play the game solo by setting up the cards in the same grid formation. Then count how many turns you have to take, in order to pair up all of the cards. Try to decrease the number of turns it takes you with each additional play of the game.
Children too young for the Memory version of the game can still play with the cards: play all of the cards picture side up, and have the young child put together the cards in pairs. This will teach him how to group like items together.

Hope these suggested directions are more clear than my explanation could be.

Here is a video of the set ....

Check out the youtube channel ThinkingOfOurFuture
for a lot of videos of great (and affordable - if not free) preschool, kindergarten, special education and early 1st grade level resources / curriculum.

New Idea for the Valentine Heart Puzzle Project ..... Very Easy and Fun to make

2012-01-04T15:45:00.000-08:00

Using the same template set ..... print off your chosen heart size onto white card stock.

Do not cut it out yet.

Choose a picture - most likely digital format - (preferably a personal picture that you will cherish in heart puzzle form). Print this picture over the heart print out.

Now you can cut it out and laminate it. Cut it into your favorite puzzle shapes ...... and have fun putting it back together.

This makes a great Valentine's Day Gift for parents, students or for another adult.

Shopping for a Heart Puzzle - Make it for nearly free with the Free Heart Template Pattern Set - Art

2012-01-04T15:37:00.000-08:00

This is the easiest project (arts and craft) for nearly every person ..... even if you need to provide a little bit of extra assistance.

Print the heart pattern - many sizes available in the template set .... did I mention that it is free ( check out the FAQ page at www.Tools4PreschoolandKindergarten.com )

Print it out on Card Stock and cut out the heart (Valentine). Decorate the heart (make sure it can be cut easily into the desired pieces). Once the heart has been decorated .... cut it into squiggly and zig zag shaped pieces. Puzzle has been finished and on the cheap!

Valentines Day Heart Basket Arts and Craft including Free Pattern - How to make it for Cheap

2012-01-04T15:28:00.000-08:00

Use the largest heart template pattern included in the sampler download membership (get a free coupon code at www.Tools4PreschoolandKindergarten.com ).

Print off two of the hearts for each student. These can be printed onto red paper or have the student decorate it for individual uniqueness (my favorite).

Cut out the pair of hearts and place the one Valentine heart on top of the other (stack them). Hole punch the bottom edges and have the student 'sew' the two hearts together with yarn. This creates the bottom of the basket.

Optional .... if you would rather have the student not sew the basket ..... do not hole punch. Use Glue and / or staples to connect the two hearts on the lower portion - forming the basket.

Now - use a strip of construction paper (and staple onto the heart basket top) to form the handle. This is the easiest but not my favorite. Optional: Use pipe cleaners for the handles (hole punch on both sides and loop the cleaners through the holes forming a more stable and strong handle) or use yarn with holes punched as above (with the pipe cleaners). The handle can be made nearly any length using yarn - just cut it to the desired length.

Lacing Cards to print and laminate for preschool children ( Educational Resources ) from www.Resource4Preschool.com

2012-01-03T18:47:00.000-08:00

Lacing is a great activity for developing the fine motor skills, improving hand / eye coordination and focus.

Easy Instructions for the sets - Print and cut out the lacing cards onto card stock paper (recommendations: Follow the individualized directions for each set). Laminate, and cut carefully around the edges. Using a single hole punch, punch holes around the edges (the gray hole areas). This area is just inside the line - If modifications are necessary - follow the shape as much or as little as it would be appropriate for the age of your child(ren). Remember that younger children might need a
simplified outline, while the older (or more advanced) student may be able to lace a more complicated design.

Use a shoe lace or colored yarn (spun wool) with the ends 'solidified' with either sticky tape or white glue to
thread the shapes a lot easier (with less difficulty). Older children can use a large holed blunt needle
and a bit more yarn.

Beginning Sound Lacing Set at www.Resource4Preschool.com contains 27 PDF printable lacing cards.

The cards are designed to have added strength, since each card will be doubled thickness of the recommended card stock weighted paper.

The lacing card set includes a generic apple while the rest of the set includes an appropriate picture with the written word near it on the front of the lacing card.

The set includes: apple, ball, car, dog, elephant, fish, globe, horse, iguana, juice, kangaroo, lamb, monkey, nose, octopus, penguin, quail, rabbit, snake, top, umbrella, vase, worm, x-ray, yams and zebra.

The set is beautiful and easy to complete. The graphics used are fantastic (check out the FAQ page for the variety of clip art utilized in this set).

The set at www.Resource4Preschool.com retails for $9.97 .... and it is definitely worth it.

You download (save it) the zipped file with purchase. Once you have it saved onto an external drive (my recommendation) ... you unzip the folder and click on the PDF. It opens and you print off what ever you want.

The nice thing is that if you (or your child) loses or tears up a piece - the entire set is not 'trashed'. You have the right to print off another piece!

Sure .... you cannot resale the set, nor can you give it away in any form (why would you - that is the same as stealing - just like in the music or movie business) .... But .... this set is able to be used by you for your students for years to come. It is always available at your fingertips (okay..... in your hard drive).

Again - it is definitely worth $9.97 .... but if you use the coupon code - LACECARD75 You will save around 75%. This is not even a clearance ..... You actually will get the entire PDF for only $2.49

Preschool and Kindergarten Site Reviews

2012-01-03T13:19:00.000-08:00

If you would like for me to include a mini site review of your focused preschool and kindergarten sites.... let me know. If it looks awesome and offers a lot of great resources. I will (with time availability) try to cover it.

www.preschoolexpress.com Review Preschool curriculum and More

2012-01-03T13:13:00.000-08:00

WOW! www.PreschoolExpress.com has quite a variety of resources. The site shares many 'station' categories. These include: calendar, party, toddler, art, game, food, discovery, alphabet, number, skill, music and rhyme, story, celebration inspiration, theme, learning and advice.

The Theme station is very extensive with ideas and suggestions. These include:
friends, birthdays, bats, dinosaurs, owls, all about me, textures, families, corn, pies, apples, lanterns, polar bears, ice, reindeer, gifts, bears, sleds, snow people, valentines, stars, pigs, clouds, mud, umbrellas, kites, garden, lambs, bunnies, hats, birds, eggs, quilts, farm, spiders, pumpkins, houses, leaves, turkey, babies, body parts, vegetables, candles, mittens, gingerbread, penguins, snow, stars, sky, trees, forest, chicks, baskets, shamrocks, flowers, ducks, rainbows, ladybugs, wind, rain, building, camping, collections, crabs, whales, sun, ice cream, fish, butterflies, sunflowers, bugs, sesert, flags frogs, picnics, shells, worms, pets, diamonds, ovals, circles, rectangles, shapes, hearts, triangles, squares, red, gold, silver, blue, brown, green, orange, black, airplanes, boats, buses, trains, librarian, firefighters, grocery store, police, teachers, doctor, nurse, mail carrier, dentist, veterinarian, purple, gray, pink, white, yellow, water, turtles, outer space, oceans, out west and the moon.

This list is huge .... I am sure you will agree. I am not certain that this is even a complete list.

The site includes activity calendars for toddlers, preschool and teacher planning.

This is actually suppose to be a mini review, but I think that I will need to do a second review of www.preschoolexpress.com because the site contains a ton of links.

www.Tools4PreschoolandKindergarten.com

www.preschoolbystormie.com review

2012-01-03T12:24:00.000-08:00

The review for www.preschoolbystormie.com will definitely not cover everything that is available on this site. It is quite massive.

The site offers a curriculum index which is quite nice and convenient.

It has a 'Potpourri of Ideas' - Great area with an abundance of suggestions from many individuals that work with preschool and kindergarten students. This list includes parents, daycare providers .... just about everybody!

This site even offers a 'Teacher Preparation' area for aspiring teachers and home school parents.

Hope you find this mini review of www.preschoolbystormie.com of great use.

www.Tools4PreschoolandKindergarten.com

www.FreeABCSchool.com

FileFolderFun Review File Folder Games - Preschool and Kindergarten

2012-01-03T12:01:00.000-08:00

I wanted to do a couple of reviews of some great sites.
The first one I want to look at is www.FileFolderFun.com

This site offers a large variety of file folder themed game sets for several developmental stages of early education based curriculum.

You will find themes that include: animal, apple, arctic, back to school, bugs, cake, character development, Christmas, circus, cupcake, dinosaur, flower, food, heart, leaf, ocean, pumpkin, robot, roman numeral, shamrock, space, Thanksgiving, weather and the west.

This is a very large assortment that will meet many lesson plans and curriculum guides.

Hope you find this useful ....
www.Tools4PreschoolandKindergarten.com
www.FileFolderFunGames.com

Heart Butterflies Art Project - Great for Preschool through 2nd Grade

2012-01-03T11:18:00.000-08:00

Heart Butterflies are an easy art project for Valentine's Day, Life Cycle theme or even a Spring project.

Use one of the Heart patterns from the Sampler Download Membership (www.Tools4PreschoolandKindergarten.com). The complimentary membership contains several sizes of hearts.

Cut out 2 of the hearts per art project and have the students decorate using markers, glue and glitter, magazine pictures, letters - example: B, stickers, yarn or anything that would be developmentally appropriate for your group. Let the hearts dry.

Use a large craft / popsicle stick to paste the pointed tips of the hearts onto (place on the upper area of the stick). Leave enough room to glue googly eyes and antennae onto the butterfly (or draw them onto the stick).

This project can also be used to create puppets for circle time, to act out a story or even a rhyme.

This is a great after school activity for even older students when you need to pass a few minutes in between activities or assignments.

Valentine's Day art projects - February Preschool Curriculum can be used for other classes too

2012-01-03T11:02:00.000-08:00

Do you need some art patterns .... get going now and grab the Sampler download membership at www.Tools4PreschoolandKindergarten.com.

It contains a bunch of new currriculum / resources. Just added the heart template - many sizes of hearts.

Use the hearts for Valentine's Day decorations, coloring pages, make up calendar pieces - Great for making texture / tactile items (use sand and glue). So many ideas for the heart / Valentine set.

Your suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Join my blog and add your suggestions.

I am also open to suggestions for new pieces of curriculum.

Here's the video of the Valentine Heart Resource Set:

A Fun Activity for Preschool and Kindergarten - A Spin on Hot Potato - the Game

2012-01-01T11:40:00.000-08:00

Have the students sit in a circle – Provide a bag with

lots of funny clothing items in it.  Play some music

and have the students pass the bag around the circle.

Stop the music – the person with the bag must reach

into the bag (without looking) and pull out an article

of clothing and put it on over their other clothing.  Then

begin the music again and pass the bag... repeat the

process until the bag is empty.

When everything has been put on – discuss which

person looks the funniest with the wacky clothes or

which person has the most pieces on …...


This game is a lot of fun especially in Phys. Ed.

Ball Battle - Indoor or Outdoor Fun and Games for Preschool and Kindergarten - Fine Motor and Gross Motor

2012-01-01T11:38:00.000-08:00

Okay, I am never one to encourage indoor throwing of items – but this game can be played inside or outside – and it is relatively safe for anyone to play.

Give each of the students an equal amount of quarter sheet paper scraps (newspaper works well too and is inexpensive). Have the students wad up each of the sheets into nice 'soft' balls.

Separate the students into two opposite sides. Ideally the 'teams' should be a minimum of 20 feet apart – indoors this may not be possible (it will also depend on the age of the students – preschoolers could be separated by as little as 3 – 5 feet). The space between the teams is considered to be a 'no entry' zone.

Set up a timer or use music – begin the music and have the students throw the soft balls across to each other ….. while the music or timer is still running – the students can pick up all of the balls that have landed on their side and throw back to the opposite side.

When the timer has went off (or the music) – have each team count how many paper balls have landed on their side.

The game can stop at this point …. or a score can be kept …. and the side with the least amount of balls wins. Older kids may want to play that the team that reaches 100 or even 500 first - loses.

Simple Balancing - Science Time Activity for Preschool and Kindergarten

2012-01-01T11:35:00.000-08:00

Simple Balancing is an excellent and fun science project.

You will need:

2 light weight containers that are identical (butter tubs work well)

a hole punch or something that can poke holes in the containers

6 pieces of yarn or string – cut the same length

and a hanger

Carefully punch 3 holes equal distance around the rim of each container.

Thread the yarn thru each hole and tie in a knot – leaving equal amounts of yarn on each container.

Tie and knot the three pieces onto the hanger – do this with both containers – one on each side of the hanger.
This will create a simple balancing scale.

Hang the scale from a hook or door knob ( the scale cannot be leaning against anything for more accurate results).

Once the scale has been completed – have the students compare objects weight.

Which item is heaviest? Lighter? Weighs the same?

Also use 'prediction' as well. Graphing the results adds another dimension to this fun activity.

Preschool Story Time Reading Activities

2012-01-01T11:31:00.000-08:00

It does not matter if you are a home school educator or a preschool teacher, story time is an important part of any preschool student's educational experience.

Story time can be as simple as reviewing popular nursery rhymes or as extensive as a story soap opera.

Depending on the preschool student's leveled abilities and/or interests, story time can include the ever popular Humpty Dumpty or the divisional break down of popular books such as The Three Little Pigs.

The reading item should be chosen based on attention span and actual interest of the preschool student.Preschool leveled students have limited attention spans and the love of reading can be encouraged via fun activities. Include attention grabbing props such as a story time hat, a special story time pillow or chair, a story time flag, special made story mats, a special story time march around the room, a song or even a drum chant.

Some of the items can be made by the preschool student. The pillow could be decorated with hand prints using fabric paint. The flag could be made of card stock and pictures collected from old magazines or discarded books.

The preschool class could even make up their own song and dance for use during transition to story time. Involving the preschool students encourages their love of reading.
Preschool leveled students will also respond to special activities related to the story.

Examples include:

          A story show and tell; Announce the story of the week and ask the students to participate by bringing in an item that relates to a part of the story.

           Incorporating Sign Language; Teach the students special signs that relate to the story line.

A story treasure chest; Fill a small box with surprise items related to the story.

Prior to removing an item from the chest to share with the preschool students, provide a brief verbal description of the item, then have the class guess what the item could be.

The variations are extensive and are only limited by the vision of the instructor.

Story time excitement can be created in the preschool classroom with a student made book.

At the beginning of the preschool year the student could create an ‘About Me’ styled book.

Include pages about their favorite foods, family pets, favorite color, a hand drawn family portrait or even a self-portrait. Add the books to the preschool class library to encourage not only the love of reading but individual familiarity.

A book extension activity will also encourage the understanding of the book being read. Many extension activities include the creation of a ‘mimic’ styled handmade book produced by the student.

It may also include activities / worksheets based on the book being introduced but are inclusive of the basic concepts introduced in a preschool classroom.

Again, the limits are only set by the vision of the instructor.

Story time, with its many facets, is an important part of any preschool curriculum. Encouraging the love of reading will not only span the ages but extend the imagination of the preschool student.

Alphabet Treasure Hunt for your Preschool and Kindergarten Group

2012-01-01T11:26:00.000-08:00

Struggling with your class recognizing the alphabet? You are not alone. Teachers everywhere must accommodate many forms of learning to reach every student.

Although the following suggestions are not necessarily original in thought, sometimes we need reminders of how many options there are for working with the alphabet.

*
If you are just beginning with the introduction of the alphabet and it is possible to tour your neighborhood on foot, take a Letter Treasure Hunt.  Pencil and pad for the teacher and searching eyes for the students are all that is needed for this adventure.

Walk the area looking for signs that contain your letter and jot down what is found.  Do not restrict the search to just written forms, look at nature for natural occurring forms of your letter.  The clouds, grass blades and even the branches of the trees can naturally produce some forms of letters.

*
Do you have old magazines, newspapers and books available? (If not you can always print off various pieces from the Internet for this activity)  If so you can keep the Letter Treasure Hunt indoors on those chilly mornings.  Give each student a letter (upper and lower case) or assign the entire group a single letter, which ever is the most appropriate for your classroom.

Scissors in hand, the students will then spend focused time on the letter assigned, snipping and pasting their found treasure onto a blank piece of paper.  You can make this a game – who can find the most? Or you could create a wall decoration using the assorted letter filled pages.

If each group or student was assigned various letters (example – a word of the week was the name James – each group or student could focus on only one letter of the word), once the pages are dry, cut out a larger form of the letter and post the entire word onto the bulletin board.

This activity is incredibly easy to do and reinforces letter recognition and spelling at the same time.  Not to mention the additional bonus of some motor skills work.

*
Another form of the Treasure Hunt concept is the classroom styled search.

Prior to the students arriving, place numerous copies in various fonts around the room.  Be creative when locating the letters, hide them in the construction center and science center too, not just taped to the wall.

The letters can be made with textured papers, various construction paper colors, salt dough and even scraps of fabric, do not limit yourself with just the standard magnetic and / or plastic letters that can be purchased at super centers or the dollar stores.

*
Set aside a discussion time for the Treasure Hunt.  It does not matter which style of the search that has been incorporated into the day… Discuss it.

Have the children reminisce about the clouds that looked like the W or where they found the letter N.  Was the letter N located at the bottom of the sand bucket?
Or hanging from the ceiling … or both?

Did the students locate more than ten or less than five – bonus: basic addition and subtraction intro.  Do the students like the new room decorations that they helped create?

The discussion time is an important part of the day when the students know that their little voices can be heard. For the teacher, it is important as a time of reinforcing the lessons of the day.

*
Teaching the alphabet can be a fun part of any day. With just a little imagination and some creativity accommodations can be made for every student.

Alphabet Adventures for Your Preschool Student

2012-01-01T11:22:00.000-08:00

Working on the alphabet with your preschooler or kindergartener can be a glorious adventure. The alphabet is literally all around us. Opening their eyes to this magical world will eventually lead to the door of a successful reader.

Getting to this final destination can take a lot of hard work or a little imagination. Introduction of the alphabet needs to go beyond the traditional song, tracing exercises and flash cards.

Using the world around us can make this more than just a part of the time-honored routine we have become accustomed to over the years.

Look around your home or classroom; do you see a favored toy of your student(s)? Does it contain the focused letter of the week?

If not, choose an object that will meet this need. Create a display or activity center using this item as the focal point. Create individual letter cards to spell out the item / word and add numbers onto a corner of each card to indicate the ordinal pattern of the letters. This activity will reinforce any numeric work you are focused on as well. Add to this center a small picture or toy that represents the beginning sound of each of the letters of the larger, display object.

If the exposure to additional letters / sounds becomes too overwhelming for the student(s) then concentrate on the ‘letter of the week’ only. If focusing on the ‘letter of the week’ is the primary goal then add a variety of picture cards with the letter located in various positions –

Example: For the letter B, a toy bus may be the focus object; use picture cards of a boy, tub, ball, cab, bubble, baby, etc…… be sure to add the spelling onto each picture card. Many other items can be added to the center / display as well.

Creating the display can incorporate some of these additional suggestions or they can stand alone as alphabet / sound activities.

1) Textured Letters: Trace a letter (different fonts are fun too) with glue (add sand or salt if wanted) and let dry. These are wonderful tactile experiences for the young student.

2) Name Scramblers: Using a student’s name – create individualized letter cards – mix them and challenge the student or fellow students to reorganize the letters to recreate the name. This can be done with more advanced students too – challenge the class to come up with as many words as possible from rearranging the ‘scrambled’ word.

3) Letter Memory Game: Using the focus letter of the week – create cards with different font styles (use upper and / or lower case) of the letter; make 2 copies (laminate for durability); cut out; mix the cards; and lay out individually face down; Play as any traditional lotto style game.

4) Play Dough Mats: Create large letters (laminate) and have the students roll out dough snakes and place over the letter lines to create the focus letter. A variation of this activity would be to use cookie dough – repeat the activity; then bake the shape for eating during snack time.

5) Class Room Labels: Place labels around the room depicting the objects; Have the students roam the room and count how many of the focused letter they can spy. Change the labels from day to day to create a new, yet fun, educational routine.

These are only a few of the activities that can be incorporated easily into the day. As parents, day care providers and educators we need to provide the key to the door that leads to reading success. Only your imagination will further their success and make the journey on this adventure wonderful.

Letter Hunt for Preschool and Kindergarten students - Early Reading

2012-01-01T11:16:00.000-08:00

Do you sit and read the newspaper … you're not alone … get your students involved too!

Provide your students with newspaper sections and send them on a letter hunt. Specify if you want a certain letter, upper case or lower case ….. whatever you are working on at the time. Have the student circle the letter or mark it with a highlighter.

A variation of this activity is to use a magazine and have the students cut out or tear out the letters.

This is a fun sit at the table or desk activity and can inspire future reading too.

Keywords that are associated with www.Tools4PreschoolandKindergarten.com

2012-01-01T11:13:00.000-08:00

Keywords for this blog include:

preschool, preschool education, preschool curriculum, preschool themes, preschool activities, preschool lesson plans, education, perpetual, preschool craft, preschool calendar, preschool teacher, free coloring, ECE, Early Childhood education, childhood, early childhood education, pre-k curriculum, early childhood development, daycare curriculum, childcare themes, daycare themes, childcare curriculum, kindergarten curriculum, kindergarten themes, lesson plans, themes, curriculum, four year olds, three year olds, coloring, 4 year old, 3 year old, kids, parenthood, parents, family, parent, arts & crafts, snacks, kid recipes, teachers, teach, teaching, preschoolers, children, early childhood, edu, songs, home school, home schooling, parenting, moms, educational, ask the preschool teacher, writers wanted, free, lesson plans, lessons, daycare, family child care, nanny, child care, babysitter, toddlers, rainy day activities, dads, kid crafts, free preschool themes, child care provider, curriculum ideas, curiculum, curriculum, activities, families, preschool edu mailing list, freebies, stay at home mom, sahm, wahm, work at home mom, library, book suggestions, lesson plans, themes, curriculum, snacktime, kid friendly recipes, teachers, teach, teaching, preschoolers, children, early childhood, edu, songs, home school, home schooling, parenting, mommy time, educational, ask the preschool teacher, writers wanted, free, lesson plans, lessons, daycare, family child care, nanny, child care, babysitter, toddlers, rainy day activities, dads, kid crafts, free, child care provider, curriculum ideas, activities, families, preschool edu mailing list, freebies, stay at home mom, sahm, whm, work at home mom, books, suggestions, A free lesson plan resource for parents, teachers, educators to discover the fun in learning, free ideas, songs, craft projects, other developmentally appropriate themes, center ideas, literacy, math, science, sign language, Reading, language, ESL, autism, spectrum disorder, ABA, down syndrome

Tons of creative activities, lesson plans and curriculum for the early childhood level student for the preschool, kindergarten and special needs individuals. Gifts for the teacher, parent, grandparent and provider of these special people!

Framework Recommendations - Preschool - Use in Daycare and Home School

2012-01-01T11:08:00.000-08:00

This list was compiled awhile ago but is still very pertinent today. It includes many of the recommended guidelines for preschool to early kindergarten leveled curriculum.

http://www.pbcframework.resource4preschool.com/frameworkguidelines.pdf

It's Magic ... Pretend Play for preschool and kindergarten

2012-01-01T11:05:00.000-08:00

This is a great pretend game to get the imagination flowing.

Provide a hat, cape, jacket …. or any item that can be worn safely.

Tell the students that it is magic and will let them pretend to be anything they would like to be.

Have a student put the item on and pretend to be something or someone different …. have the other students in the room take turns guessing what that student is.

After everyone has had a turn or the student identifies what they are … it is then the next student's turn.

This is a fun game and can be theme directed even. Example – The theme is 'safety' – the students can be a fire hydrant, police person, fire person or even an emergency vehicle! Have Fun with it.

Special Days in your Classroom or Daycare ... Home School - It's a Party Event

2012-01-01T10:57:00.000-08:00

Have a special day every week. Children (like adults) love to have something to look forward to doing.

The special days can be something as simple as Bubble Day ….. Set up a bubble table and have the children see how many bubbles they can fill up the room with (while blowing several bubble sticks – everyone at the same time).

Another would be 'Plane' Day – Make paper airplanes and fly them around the room or outdoors. Have contests to see which will fly the farthest or the fastest.

Have a book party – everyone bring their favorite short read – provide a special snack and take turns reading. Another option would be to read a book that has a coordinating movie – read the book first – then watch the movie during rest time and discuss it afterwards.

Backwards Day is always popular – wear your clothes backwards, come to school in pajamas, eat dessert first, have rest time before lunch – anything that gets the kids giggling.

Favorite Toy Day – Let everyone bring their favorite toy to play with during free time.

There are so many options – you could have a different special day every week for the entire year without repeating the event.

Some additional suggestions:

Camping Day

Carnival

Beach Party

Art Fair

Grown-up Day

Do something Special Day

Song Day

Fashion Show

Hat Day

Favorite Cartoon Day

Circus Day

Luau Day

Pajama Party

Puppet Day

and so many more!

The Freeze Dance - Exercise and Fun with a Twist - preschool and kindergarten

2012-01-01T10:50:00.001-08:00

You played it when you were a kid …. but this is a new variation of the same game.

You need something to play fun music (if able to create a collage of styles – it is even more fun – Use music with varying rhythms – slow to super fast)

Play the music and have the students do silly dances and movements – when you stop the music they need to freeze in place ….. remember this game now?

The variation is that you will take pictures of the students immediately when the music stops.

After playing and photographing this game for a little while ….. have a review of the photos and discuss the pics. (Make sure you have taken an equal amount of photos for each student – of course).

The students love this game and if you can print off a picture (in black and white – more affordable) of each of the student's funniest pose as a surprise for the parents (or guardians) – the parents and students can have a great memento for the day and this can inspire further discussion of the activity at home.

Exercise Roll - for preschool, kindergarten - any grade or skill level

2012-01-01T10:45:00.000-08:00

This is such a fun way to get the kids moving …. and they want to do it!

First you will need to make some dice – use 2 - larger square boxes for this. You will need to decide appropriate exercises for your group of students – older kids can do considerably more activities than younger preschoolers. Whether you are choosing jumping jacks and running in place or doing an obstacle course as an option – choose carefully so that every person in your class can accomplish the task.

You will need 6 activities – Options could be windmills, toe touches, knee bends, knee hugs, arm circles.... even rolling on the floor. For younger students – words printed on the die may not be sufficient – create a picture of the activity – either print a picture off of the internet or use your great skill to 'draw' it (I personally am not a great artist – give me simple any day!) Paste the drawings onto the sides of the box.

The other box will need numbers printed on the sides – for older students – use numbers counted by 2 or 5 – but for the younger students that may lose interest quickly or have the need for 'counting' practice – number it 1 – 6.

Now you are ready to choose a student to be the first to roll the dice – example if the top sides says 3 and jumping jacks – then the students will need to do 3 jumping jacks. Have the students take turn rolling the exercise.

Play Dough / Clay Doh - No Cream of Tartar Needed - Great Preschool Recipe

2012-01-01T10:39:00.000-08:00

Have you ever ran out of Cream of Tartar?

Seriously ... the other day I was making some new dough for the kids and absolutely no cream of tartar. So I made several different kinds of 'doh' - all without the cream of tartar (which has always been my favorite type) and realized that the play doughs with oil have a nice consistency.

After experimenting ..... I discovered (many of you may already realize this ..... and your one ahead of me) that adding a little oil to any of the basic clay doh recipes will make them more malleable and of a decent texture.

Now our play dough area smells great with peppermint, coffee, pumpkin / cinnamon and some type of candy scent - and yes I did make that many different recipes to experiment with adding a little oil - and they all turned out great.

One more thing ...... I did have to add a little extra flour to some of the recipes when kneading the dough. Hope you find this helpful .... and have a great day.

Arts and Crafts for Your Preschooler

2012-01-01T10:32:00.000-08:00

Aside from free time, arts and crafts play is the most exciting time for the preschool student. The creative bug takes over and the imagination climbs to new heights! As an educator for these young students we must find new ways (or maybe old ones rejuvenated) to incorporate targeted goals while having fun. Some of the most incredible times evolve from the simplest activities created using home made mixtures.

Bubbles and more bubbles, whether blown through a straw or wire hoop, happen to be one of the most appealing summer time thrills in the preschool setting.

A very easy but beautiful work of art comes from placing a narrow cup in the middle of a large piece of craft paper. Fill the cup with safe, colorful bubble making ingredients and give the budding artist a straw. Have the student blow an overflowing amount of bubbles up and over the top edge of the cup.

Watch out for the giggling that this activity could bring about or more than just bubbles will be on the craft paper.

Variations to this activity include using several different colors of bubbles - allow the paper to dry between blowing sessions. Once the art has dried, decorate the walls with cut outs that reinforce your lesson plans
.
Pudding paint is also a popular 'condiment' in the preschool or home school class. Using vanilla flavored pudding, add a couple of drops of food coloring to tint for a rainbow palette that will excite even the ficklest of artists.  Again using craft paper, cut out shapes that will supplement your chosen lesson theme. Paint the shapes and decorate with sugar 'glitter'.  This has always brought about rave reviews.

Preschoolers love to create clay style bowls to give as gifts. These items are among the most economical pieces a student can create that are three dimensional. Once you have chosen a favorite clay recipe and tinted it (unless the artist will paint the bowl when dried), assign a shape for the base.

Example: If working on the square, have the student create a square base to build up the sides upon. The variations to this activity can include sensory items. Add small rough items to the clay prior to the building of the bowl or add peppermint oil to the clay for a sensory excitement explosion.

This is an arty item that no one will every become tired of creating because of the endless variations.

Although these are truly fun and exciting activities, the possibilities are endless. Using the many home spun concoctions we can instill a love of creating while reinforcing the educational / developmental goals of the preschool aged student.

Never forget that FUN is always a wonderful foundation to build upon!

Art Supply list Suggestions for Early Childhood Classrooms and Daycare

2012-01-01T10:18:00.000-08:00

If you are home schooling, teaching via day care or an instructor in a school system – supplying the classroom with basic materials for hands-on learning is a necessity. I know that when I began Peanut Butter Crunch years ago (it took me over a year just to complete the initial submission for the site which is a fraction of what is on the site now) – I began with the homeschool / private care provider in mind. Individuals usually do not begin with an abundance of resources – money or otherwise – but still want the same or better educational value that the larger institutions are providing.

So with that in mind, I created basic theme sets that needed very little beyond the very basic art supplies. Crayons, markers, glue, paper, salt / glitter, scissors, etc…. things that most households have on hand with little ones around. I also felt it pertinent to make it affordable – especially in today’s economic environment. I know – because I have been repetitively told – that the value for PBC is incredibly higher than what little I am asking for monthly memberships – but I also know ink / toner and printer cost money too ….. and if you need more than one item because you teach 5 or 15 students – the price of resources can nickel and dime you to death or at least bankrupt your savings account. After experiencing what one small resource book costs - let alone 50 - I decided that everyone that works with early childhood education leveled students needed a very affordable / convenient tool to assist in teaching our children. Peanut Butter Crunch was 'born'.

In addition to curriculum, I thought it would be nice to add some suggestions here at Legend of Learning for the daycare / private provider .... so for starters .....

In this installment to Legend of Learning (this was my original attempt at blogging) – I thought I would create a list (not completely comprehensive – but a good start) for the ‘basic’ art supplies needed in your home school / daycare area.

Crayons

Markers (thick & thin)

GluePaste

Paper (lined, construction, cardstock, shiny, wrapping, heavy ‘butcher’ style ….. too many to list)

Colored Tissue

Chalk

Tape (packing, duct, masking, clear, etc….)

Food Coloring

Tempera Paint

Water Colors

Brushes (different sizes)

Swabs

Paper / Styro (not as earth friendly) – Plates, Cups, Bowls

Lunch Bags

Stamps / Stickers

Rubber & Sponge Stampers

Washable Ink Pads

Straws

Toothpicks

Glitter

Sequins

Buttons

Felt

Scrap material

Contact Paper

Wiggly Eyes

Grommets

Brads

Paper Clips

Feathers

Pipe Cleaners

Doilies (paper)

Stapler

Staples

Hole Punch (various designs too)

Rubber Bands

Index Cards (various sizes)

Eyedroppers

Colored Pencils

Spray bottles

Craft Sticks – all sizes – mini, Popsicle and tongue depressors

Old magazines and catalogs

Sand (colored too)

Pebbles / Rocks

Shells

Cotton balls

Pom Pom style balls

Egg Cartons

Foam Peanuts (the starch based packaging ones are biodegradable and stick together with a little dab of water)

Paper baking cups

Paper towels

Poster board

Streamers

Yarn, Thread, String

Ribbon & Lace

Smocks or large old t-shirts / button up shirts

Bubbles

As you can see – the list can be quite extensive – but adding items to the area is easier to manage if you add items only as you need them and keep the leftovers for later projects.

Color Blending for Science and Fine Motor Skills Expansion

2012-01-01T10:13:00.000-08:00

Have fun mixing colors with your students (even the older students enjoy this activity).

You will need:

½ cup of water

½ cup salt

1 tsp. Oil

food coloring ( red, blue & yellow)

Choose 1 color and mix the above ingredients ( you will need to make this recipe 3 times – one for each primary color)

Add - gradually (approximately) 1 ½ cups of flour

and 1 tsp. Cornstarch

Knead until the mix forms a ball that is malleable.

Once the 3 colors of salt dough have been made – give the student the dough and encourage them to break off pieces of the 'colors' and blend to create new colors. Challenge them to see how many colors they can come up with – if you would like to add some additional color options – make a 4^th mix with no additional color – to create variations like pink, lt. Blue, peach, etc......

This is an excellent science project for your early learners as well as incorporating some great fine motor work into the classroom.

Visual Discrimination - Unique Picture Puzzles

2012-01-01T10:11:00.000-08:00

This is a fun puzzle (visual discrimination activity) set. Take a snap shot of each student – print off a small picture of each student (no larger than 2” squared). Create individualized name to picture puzzles by pasting each photo onto a recipe type of card – photo on the left side and the student's name on the right side. Cut a zig-zag line down the center of each card (make sure the lines on each card are unique). Now the students can practice recognizing their own name and their classmates names with these fun (yet simple) puzzles.

Fun to Compare – Building Block Creations - Preschool Creations

2012-01-01T10:09:00.000-08:00

In the block center, set up two 'separated' areas (use a curtain or cardboard - not absolutely necessary if you have the time to work with the students individually in a private setting so the students do not 'copy' each other) with the exact same blocks. Have students take turns building a structure with the blocks. When they have finished creating take a snap shot of the creation. When everybody has had a chance to complete the project – do a comparison of what each student did.

Ask questions - example: What did you build? Why did you put the purple block on top? Did you want to make it larger? - Simple questions that get the student thinking.

This is a great opportunity to praise each student on their creativeness and to create a unique bulletin board for the next week. This activity has a lot of possible variations – but the most important thing is that the students have fun with it.

Fine Motor work with Pennies - Cheap to Nearly Free Activities

2012-01-01T10:07:00.000-08:00

These are fun activities – but close monitoring will be needed since working with objects that could be placed in young peoples mouths.

Using a bucket with water in it – place 10 to 20 pennies in the bottom – have the student collect the pennies one at a time and place on a paper towel or wash cloth.

Using a container of dry oats ( remove some of the oats so they do not spill all over the place when the student is digging in the container) – add 10 – 20 pennies into the oat container. This is a very 'textural' activity. Shake the container – so the pennies will be 'floating' throughout the oats. Have the student pick out each of the pennies.

Same 'game' as above – but instead of using oats – use play dough. Hide 10 – 20 pennies inside of the dough prior to giving the student the glob of dough and have them pick them out. On the opposite end – give the student a mound of claydoh and have them insert the pennies or stick the pennies onto it.

Penny stacking – give the student 10 – 20 pennies and have them stack them one at a time on top of each other. Skills will vary with this activity – so have the student graph their accomplishments from day to day – the challenge is to add 1 more penny to their last previously graphed – you will notice that this one is not just a fine motor activity – but math too.

Penny Tracing is an excellent fine motor activity but is not a good activity for many very young preschoolers. Have the student trace pennies with a pen or pencil onto a piece of paper – these circles could be set up that they create snowmen or other objects with the drawings.

Penny counting – use small containers with lids - or zip style bags will work for this activity and provide an additional fine motor challenge. If using containers – write numbers on the side and have the student add the correct amount of pennies to each of the containers (either have the student remove the lid or you will need to cut a slit in the lid prior to doing this game. If using baggies – add a recipe card with a number written on it and place the card into each of the baggies. Have the student unzip the bag and add the correct amount of pennies – then zip the bag up using the thumb and index finger.

Of course there are many other games that can be created using pennies – this is only a few of them – just be creative.

Practice Functional tasks while building Fine Motor Skills

2012-01-01T10:05:00.000-08:00

Incorporating everyday tasks into your therapeutic setting is an important part of growing the fine motor skills of any individual with delays or difficulties.

If your child or client has the ability to even attempt the tasks below – go for it! Every effort made is not one wasted!

* Zipping a Jacket and unzipping

* tie shoes and untie

* buckle and unbuckle a belt or bag strap

* do puzzles (any level)

* working with Legos or other snap together blocks – be sure to take apart too

* buttoning and snapping

* using scissors (with appropriate monitoring – of course

)

*painting (be sure to utilize several different angles – use a 90 degree then the next time use the 180 degree – just an example)

More suggestions coming – here are some sample pages from the Fine Motor Fun for Everyone Download Membership – I hope these help to get you started.

http://www.Tools4PreschoolandKindergarten.com

Common Problems associated with Fine Motor Delays - Interesting Article that I did not Write

2012-01-01T10:01:00.000-08:00

Fine motor skills can become impaired in a variety of ways, including injury, illness, stroke, and congenital deformities. An infant or child up to age five who is not developing new fine motor skills for that age may have a developmental disability. These problems can include major health conditions including cerebral palsy, mental retardation, blindness, deafness, and diabetes.

Children with delays in fine motor skills development have difficulty controlling their coordinated body movements, especially with the face, hands, and fingers. Signs of fine motor skills delays include a failure to develop midline orientation by four months, reaching by five months, transferring objects from hand to hand by six months, a raking grasp by eight months, a mature pincer grip by one year, and index finger isolation by one year.

Developmental coordination disorder is a disorder of motor skills. A person with this disorder has a hard time with things like riding a bike, holding a pencil, and throwing a ball. People with this disorder are often called clumsy. Their movements are slow and awkward. People with developmental coordination disorder may also have a hard time completing tasks that involve movement of muscle groups in sequence.

For example, such a person might be unable to do the following in order: open a closet door, get out a jacket, and put it on. It is thought that up to 6 percent of children may have developmental coordination disorder, according to the 2002 issue of the annual journal Clinical Reference Systems. The symptoms usually go unnoticed until the early years of elementary school. It is usually diagnosed in children who are between five and 11 years old.

This is directly copied (and pasted) from the address below- visit for more great info (this site is not associated in any fashion with the site below).
http://www.answers.com/topic/fine-motor-skills

Basic Ingredients (Recipe) for Fine Motor Success

2012-01-01T09:58:00.000-08:00

The preschool years are a very important time in the development of fine motor (hand based) skills. The lack of including appropriate activities can impede the future development of independent living. This is particularly true with individuals that suffer from diagnoses including autism, cerebral palsy or any neurodevelopmental disorder.

The exploration of activities can become overwhelming and expensive, but it does not need to be either. If you are a caregiver to an individual needing additional fine motor based activities and not certain what to do. STOP and look to your kitchen for some basic items. Do you have flour? Do you have sugar? Salt? If the answer is Yes …. then you are ready to begin.

Does your special person have any textural concerns? This activity is great for exposure to various tactile items as well. Use a cookie sheet or pan with a lip if wanting to keep the mess isolated to a certain space. Place approximately one cup of flour or salt or sugar on the pan and have the student smooth the powder out over the pan. Now have the student draw in the powder. You may need to do the activity first to set an example of what you would like to see happen. If the pan does not stay in place while the student is working and you have a dedicated therapy area, there is an easy remedy. Place a piece of hook tape onto the underside of the pan and place the loop tape onto the table to stabilize the pan while the student is working.

Additional ingredients in the cupboards that make excellent workable items include cornmeal, corn starch and baking soda. All have different textural qualities and are not considered dangerous unless inhaled inadvertently or allergy identified.

A variation to this activity would be a hide and seek game. If drawing at this time is not an option for the student, then place one of the items in a bowl. The bowl and quantity of the textured ingredient needs to be large enough to bury safe treasures in it. Once you have decided on the bowl (with lid), add about 3 – 4 inches of the tactile ingredient. The lid is necessary not only for storage purposes but so the 'treasures' can be shaken and buried. Suggested treasures would be plastic alphabet letters, mini plastic animals ….. anything that is considered safe for your student and would intrigue them enough to want to locate the treasures. Now have the student locate the hidden items. If you happen to be using cornstarch, you could add the activity of 'cleaning' each treasure as it is being removed since cornstarch tends to adhere to everything.

The suggestions are certainly expandable. Just remember that safety should be considered the primary concern when working with any object that is small enough to be placed in the student's mouth.

Fun Preschool and Kindergarten Activities - Visiting the Preschool Zoo or Circus

2012-01-01T09:55:00.000-08:00

Ohhh! Look …. It's a lion! … and a llama! Imagine the journey of little feet visiting the zoo or the circus. The simple amazement of big eyes trying to take every little detail in, wishing that the day would never end. Well, it does not have to end there. At home or in the classroom, create your very own zoo or circus to keep the experience alive.

What animals did your little ones see? Was there a snake, an elephant, an ostrich or an iguana? What animals would they have liked to have seen? Did they want to see a koala, yak, turtle, vulture, whale, zebra, alligator and rhino? The simple solution is to make your own – sounds included.

All of the items that you will need to make your own preschool zoo or circus will be crayons, scissors, paper lunch bags, glue, printer with paper - of course, animal templates and an imagination. Your preschoolers will provide the imagination …. you will need to gather the rest.

You could create your own animals using the basic shapes (circles, squares, ovals and rectangles) or you could use ready made bag templates. If using the templates or printables …. have the student color the pieces prior to cutting out the shapes. This process eliminates a lot of frustration on the little one's part. Next cut out the pieces, follow the directions and paste the pieces onto the bag. Once the critters have been created and dried.... let the imagination take over. If you do not readily have any bag templates, visit http://www.Tools4PreschoolandKindergarten.com for a cute, complimentary llama template to get you started.

Creating the lunch bag puppets does not have to compliment a zoo or circus trip. It can be a fun rainy day activity, themed based art project or a fun fine motor task. No matter the reason for creating these wonderful animals, it is always a joy to see the smiles on the students' faces as they roar, growl, meow and chirp.

Fine Motor Skills and the Four to Five Year Old

2012-01-01T09:50:00.000-08:00

Preschoolers have an incredible adaptive ability. The 4 to 5 year old has typically achieved numerous skills by this age. They can dress themselves, even if a few items 'look' backwards. They feed themselves. They use the toilet. They use their imaginations. So many accomplishments in such a short period of time, yet they still have a world to conquer.

Fine motor development for a typical preschooler, up to this age, has included many obstacles to overcome. Including putting together a 6 to 8 piece puzzle, cutting thru paper and play dough, putting tiny toys into tiny containers, screwing and unscrewing a container and winding up toys. This is only to name a few of the accomplishments of the already four year old child.

By the time these skills have been somewhat mastered, the preschooler is ready for new challenges. These fine motor objectives should come naturally to a child that does not have any delays or concerns. The goals for this age period should include:

*completing a 5 – 10 piece puzzle

*creasing paper with fingers

*drawing a picture that is recognizable

*prints name with a modeled example

*capable of placing a paper clip onto a sheet of paper

*readily traces shapes and letters

*places a key into a lock successfully

*builds with blocks and connective toys

*cuts out pictures from newspapers and magazines

*draws a line between two objects on a piece of paper

*uses a dominant hand the majority of the time

This list is not complete but should provide an idea of the type of accomplishments a preschool aged child without delays or impairments should be able to conquer.

Hand Mapping and Fine Motor Development in Preschoolers

2012-01-01T09:48:00.000-08:00

Fine motor work generally refers to 'working with the hands'. Many of the actions come naturally to most individuals. Normally we do not need to focus on bringing a spoon to our mouth or a tissue to our nose, but for those with fine motor concerns, it is not so natural.

The first step in focusing on fine motor development is to recognize the terminology. Finger pads are simply a persons finger tips. Pincer grasp is when a person can hold a small item, like a piece of dry circular cereal, between their thumb and index finger. Finger opposition is the ability for the thumb to touch the finger pads. Finally, the tripod grasp is when a person typically holds a pencil or crayon. The item rests along the side of the longer middle finger and is grasped between the pads of the thumb and index finger.

When dealing with fine motor delays or the initial development of these skills, incorporating fun activities makes the process (or therapy) go along more quickly. Some simple activities can include:

*pegs placed on a pegboard

*washing hands with scented soaps

*using hand lotion (rubbing it in throughout the tops and bottoms of each hand and in between each finger)

*sorting small items (like dry cereal) into small, clean trays (ice cube trays or egg cartons work nicely)

*using a spoon in a mug ¼ filled with jelly beans to relocate each bean to a color specific designation

*use tongs or tweezers to sort small to large sized items

*place pennies in a piggy bank

*roll balls of clay in between the palms of both hands or on a flat surface like a table

If the tasks are a little to difficult for the student, not because of physical limitations, but focus – break the task down to simple steps. Truly give specific steps for each movement and / or show by doing it yourself first.

Any activity that incorporates hand movement is perfect for developing the fine motor skills. Some examples would be:

*rolling, tossing or throwing a small ball

*find the coin game – two people needed for this game. One person takes the coin and mixes which hand the coin is grasped in (usually done behind the persons' back) while the other person has to patiently wait. The coin holding person brings both clinched hands out in front of them and the other person must decide (guess) which fist the coin is located. If the person guesses correctly – it is their turn. If the person does not guess correctly then the coin person gets to do the 'mix-up' again. The key to extending the fine motor work is to be sure that the person needing the work has to place the 'guessed' coin (using pincer grasp) onto the other person's opened hand (palm up). If that person is the guessing person, then they should take the coin (pincer style) from the coin holders open hand. This game is a lot of fun to do while waiting for appointments.

*do the wooden puzzle boards that come with the tiny knobs. If the board puzzles do not have the small knobs, add your own. This is really easy using push pin style tacks. Push a tack into the center of the wooden puzzle piece and remove. Dab a bit of wood glue or super glue onto the metal pin and bottom of the plastic tack topper. Push the pin back through the same pin hole and let dry. Do this with all of the pieces of the wood puzzle.

Fine motor work can be integrated into nearly any event with simple alterations to how a person holds, throws or distributes the pieces needed to complete the activity. Next time you are playing a board game that has small objects, observe how the players grasp and relocate the pieces. In other activities notice how a person will toss a foam ball or tap a bouncing balloon. Simple observations and corrections can go a long ways in adding to the developing skills of the preschool leveled student.

Generalized Fine Motor Checklist for 18 to 24 Month Children

2012-01-01T09:46:00.000-08:00

Ever wonder if your child is on target for fine motor success? Most children of this age love to mimic what the teacher, parent or therapist is doing. Success is an individual destination but does come with some basic mapped guidelines for reaching it.

Can your child build a tower with four cubes? If he or she can, they are well on their way to positive fine motor development. Does your child clasp his/ her hands together and is capable of folding a piece of paper? Does your student love to play with clay? Do they tear small bits off of the mound of dough? Are your students mimicking crayon strokes when they are scribbling? Do they copy demonstrated horizontal, vertical and circular motions while coloring? Do they roll a ball when shown how to do it or toss a small ball across the room?

So far this list sounds just like playtime.... probably because this is what most little ones love to do. You will find that the exposure to these simple activities are steps in climbing the mountain to fine motor skills success.

Do they love to make a Cheerio bracelet that has been laced onto string licorice? Do they love to scoop dry rice into small bowls with a spoon? Do they love to pour sand out of a cup onto a cookie pan? Are they able to place a circle, triangle and / or square shape into the correct hole of a form board or puzzle cube? If you see the student doing all of these fun things, you know that your child is successfully climbing the fine motor skills mountain.

The success of accomplishing these simple, suggested activities are only a small portion of evaluating a child or student for any fine motor delays. Please keep in mind that an actual diagnosis of a delay should only be made by a professional diagnostician.

Hand and Eye Coordination - Fine Motor Skills

2012-01-01T09:42:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year .....

I mentioned before that this is the first 'real' blog that I am doing .... well- what that means is that I have attempted in the past and it just was really difficult for me to do (I also mentioned that this really is 'stepping outside of my box').

So - I am going to add a few of the pieces that I shared in the past. These will be articles and suggestions that are definitely pertinent to special needs, preschool and kindergarten level individuals.

First is :

Yarn Balls ….. they can be made with different types of yarn and varying sizes. You will need the yarn (twine can be used as well), a small strip of cardboard (about 2 inches wide) and scissors.

Wrap the yarn around the cardboard – rotating the 'ball' to get it 'round'. When the ball has been completed to the desired size snip the yarn and thread the end into the yarn ball … bring it back through to the top and tie it off with a knot.

Tossing or even rolling the textured ball is a lot of fun for the little ones and will help develop the hand and eye skills.

Preschool, Life Skills and Autism

2011-12-31T19:16:00.000-08:00

It is almost a new year ..... Happy New Year to all!

I have been sitting here (with my youngest) pondering what the new year will have in store .....

I wish all of you the most happiness and success!

I do want to add my idea of success ..... are you happy?
If you can say 'in your heart' that the answer is 'yes' .... then you are 'Successful'!

How do I know this? I know because I can look at my youngest son and appreciate how easy a lot of the people in the world has it.

Have you taken those little things for granted? Probably .... but when you realize how much energy and effort it takes for some people to be able to walk, pick up a fork .... you know.... those everyday little things that are part of typical development for most individuals .... and know that it was not so easy for some .....

I know I am rambling .... and I will elaborate more over the next month or so .... but do know that if you have people that care for you and you care for them ..... then you are successful!

I hope you feel as blessed as I do ...... Love to All and a very Happy 2012 New Year!

Lacing Cards ..... Huge Variety of Activities and a Coupon Code - Huge Savings

2011-12-30T18:39:00.000-08:00

Have you seen the lacing cards .....

These cards are so easy to make and can be used for more than just lacing. Make several sets of these cards and have the children use them for making words .... practice spelling lessons or making rhyming words. The cards were also created using a color pattern - red, yellow, blue and green. Have the students sort into color sets. I am certain this is not the only activities that these letters can be utilized for .... let your imagination run wild ---- okay ---- use a little control.

The set is over at http://www.Resource4Preschool.com

The Lacing set is listed for $4.97 .... but if you use the coupon code ABCLACE - you will will get it for only $1.24 .... I think that is around a 75% savings on the set.

File Folder Games - Pumpkin - Really adorable - Free Sample

2011-12-29T18:55:00.000-08:00

If you have not found this adorable pumpkin file folder game - see the video and get the link at my youtube channel -
http://www.youtube.com/ThinkingOfOurFuture

At the moment I have a lot of videos up to showcase some of the curriculum I have designed over the years .... but I do plan on adding some more 'original' pieces that I hope you will enjoy.

I hope you find the file folder game useful.

Transitional Activities for the preschool or kindergarten class - Free sample

2011-12-28T18:10:00.000-08:00

Are you working with kindergarten or advanced preschool level children? This is actually great for the non-traditional environments too! This is a basic version of a 250+ page book.

The free sample includes 40 activities on half page printable sheets (pdf).

I am going to add the introduction -

Hands-on and teacher directed activities that are perfect to begin each day in the classroom or home school environment are included in this PDF based book. The activities are designed to be solved in 5 minutes or less. A few activities may require a little more time depending on the student's skill level. The sheets are also excellent transitions activities.

Warm-ups include work in counting, shapes, colors, writing, measuring, tracing, logical reasoning, patterning, stats, money, time and more.

Each page contains 2 activities .......

You get the idea .... right?

I created this set a while back and it is appropriate for any student at that focused grade level. It is an excellent resource that fits with most teaching plans - (hands-on or monitored guided work) - this is a great set ..... especially if your students are distracted easily or have ADD (ADHD) - not a lot of time required to do these simple half sheets. The book contains so many subjects that are meant to be thought provoking exercises.

The sample book is free at www.FreeABCSchool.com -

Included in the sampler - trace the number sheets; circle the set sheets; color the correct amount sheets; fill in the missing number sheets; write in the entire week's dates; tracing shapes; continue the pattern shape sets; write simple sight word based sentences; trace the sight words; create 3 letter rhyming words by adding a letter sheets; same and different sheets; complete the tracing pattern; graphing; repeating patterns on an empty grid (fine motor work); draw matching sets; measuring; more, less and equal; copying (mimicking); completing tables; telling time; basic word problems (math); counting money and word search puzzles.

This is everything in the free sampler ..... I hope that you find it useful.

Suggestion for your classroom ..... make a copy of this book (bind it) and send it home with assignments for homework. It is also great to send home for the summer as an educational book to help the students maintain some of their learned skills.

Have fun with it .... and tell a friend or co-worker about this blog .... or www.FreeABCSchool.com .... I would really appreciate the 'word of mouth' help.

Are you a Teacher?

2011-12-28T16:58:00.000-08:00

Are you a teacher?
Of course you are!
Every person in this world is a teacher ... whether officially educated as one .... or by simple example and direction.
Our children - whether son - daughter - niece - nephew - student or neighbor - look to the adults to guide and protect no matter your position.
Always remember this ..... you are the example to our future generation of leaders.

Easy Punch for a bowl or fountain

2011-12-28T16:50:00.000-08:00

This is random, but my daughter said I should share this incredibly easy recipe that we used over the holidays to make punch for our new plastic punch fountain. With teenagers (and others) this was a huge hit. We made several variations and all went well.

The fountains held approximately 1.25 gallons of liquid each and the main issue was that we could not really use anything with carbonation and nothing that would foam (like sherbet). My youngest really wanted tropical punch kool-aid in one ..... so ..... The first recipe was really tasty.

One gallon mixed tropical punch kool-aid and add 1 container of straight frozen-concentrate lemonade. I allowed the fountain to mix them and added water to the 'max' line on the fountain bowl. Not too sour - but tangy.

Next one, did the same with Tang (needed the Vitamin C - lol) but added apple juice to the 'max' line. This went over very well.

The punch went over so well that my youngest wanted more the next day. I mixed tropical fruit kool-aid (same as above) - but used 100% grape juice concentrate and adjusted water - this too was very tasty.

Hope you like these very simple (and colorful) fruit punches.

Your Family and Mine

2011-12-27T11:15:00.000-08:00

I want to establish what I think a family really is .... It is a group of people that care about one another and only wants the best for those in the group.
Who is in your family?
Example: I can honestly say that I have a dear friend that I consider a sister and a sister that I consider a dear friend - and yes I am speaking of 2 completely different people.
I hope that everyone in this world can have relationships that not only offer love and support ..... but stimulating conversations .... and an understanding and acceptance of not all things identical in nature.

Where Do I Begin.......

2011-12-27T11:05:00.000-08:00

This is the first true blog that I will be doing ..... and I am definitely stepping outside of my personal little box. There will be more than just curriculum for preschool and kindergarten discussed on here - so .... I hope you decide to become part of my online family (because family really is where it all begins).