Writing Party - add the sprinkles

 Learning to write should not be a chore.  It shouldn't be all worksheets and tracing.  Let it be a party!  With this writing activity, making letters and writing is a sensory activity and fine motor exercise (& yummy too).  I found sprinkles at my local dollar store and have had this wood try for a while. I found it in the craft section at Walmart, but any flat tray will work.

 Simply pour in the sprinkles and let the kiddos make the letters in the sprinkles.  It's that easy.  Learning should be fun and - in this case - very colorful!

 You can use salt, seasonal sprinkles, flour, so many possibilities.

Have a fun and playful day!
Mel

Sensory for Infants and Toddlers

 Sensory for Infants and toddler is easy peasy with items you have around the house.  I found these little containers at the Dollar store - 12 for $1.00!  I gathered up some items around the house and in the pantry that will make different noises when shaken.

I simply filled the containers and hot glued shut for safety purposes.  Babies, Toddlers, and Preschoolers will make all kinds of music with these sensory shakers.

Have a fun and playful day!
Mel

Reindeer Games - Math Concepts

Hard to believe that Christmas is just days away.  It's time for presents and visits from Santa and making cookies (lots and lots of cookies!)  It's also the perfect time for teaching math concepts to your little ones.

I set up a simple math game here.  This concept is number value.  Kiddos will understand that the written number '5' means five objects.  I only did 1-5 with this layout.  Start out simple and work your way up to 12 objects.

 You can use a whole host of items to teach this concept.  These small wooden reindeer, I found at Michael's Craft Store in the holiday clearance section.  I think there was a package of 20 for $2.99, but they are 70% off this week.

First, lay out the numbers (or simply write them clearly on a piece of paper) in order - 1, 2, 3,4,5.  Then ask the child to show you how many reindeer for each number.  If they place four reindeer under the number '2', don't say No, that's not right.  Say something like, Let's count those together.  While counting put your finger on each reindeer.  It helps to reinforce the number value.

You can use any objects that you have around the house - jingle bells, cotton balls, candy canes, etc. The play possibilities are endless!

Have a fun & playful day!
Mel

Board Books - not just for babies

 Board books are works of art in the hands of children.  Usually colorful illustrations accompany simple text.  This is what makes them perfect for early readers.

 Want to encourage a toddler or preschooler to get a bath? Read a book like this where different animals get different kinds of baths and pair with an animals.  Let them take the animals into the bath with them.  Clean the animals. Clean yourself.  It's a parent win!

 Board books are great for teaching early concepts like counting and letter sounds.  One Tiger is thee perfect counting book!

 Add animals to any book for kiddos to get excited about storytime and reading.  Someday, when I decide to go get a PhD, I am going to write about how making characters from a book tangible to children helps them to comprehend and retain the book more completely.  And, hey, how cute is this Schleich Bear?  When children have props, they can later act out or retell the story.

Make the story come alive.  Preschoolers love the book Dinosaur Roar!  let them retell it with their favorite dinosaurs.

The Power of the Peg Doll

 I am happy to share that my peg dolls have been purchased and shipped all around the world along with my play mats, mountains, boats, & more.  As an early childhood educator and parent, I know that children's imaginations are sparked by the simplest things - a cardboard box, a stick, a peg doll. These simple wood turning dolls are handcrafted by a fellow Ohio artisan and hand painted by me.  They are sealed with a natural, non toxic sealer safe for children.

 Peg dolls can be anything and everything. One simple doll painted with a green body can be a zookeeper, a fairy, a mommy, a garbage man, and so much more.

 No bells. No whistles. No batteries. No small pieces to break off.  These peg dolls are unisex and hold a whole universe of imagination within them.

 Children have BIG ideas for these little peg dolls.  Adults do, too.  I have heard that they are being used for imaginative play, home decor, in classrooms, and even in play therapy!  I love the fact that not only are my peg dolls part of your children's childhood, but also that they can be part of the healing process for children. That's the power of the peg doll.  My heart is full.

This is the magic of childhood.

Have a fun and playful day!
Mel

Tell Me A Story - A Young Prince

 Once upon a time
 there was a young prince
who traveled to a far away land
where he met people
with beautiful songs
beautiful hearts
and beautiful smiles
He fell in love with the people
the land and their song
He asked how he could help
They needed a well dug,
a school built,
food and clean water
The young prince worked tiredlessly for weeks
he dug the well alongside the people
who sang as they worked
that song filled his heart
After the gardens were planted
the young prince knew that it was time to return to his kingdom
but he promised again
to the beautiful people of this beautiful land
The people sang him a song that stayed in his heart for a year

 Their song stayed with him
and he returned the next year with friends and resources
The people again greeted him with a song
He loved how they were always singing
He felt like he was home
The young prince and his friends finished the school for the children
they planted many fruit trees
They began construction on a new medical center
The young prince cared for the people and the animals of this beautiful land
His heart was full
He promised to return again

And he did
year after year until he died
The prince tended to the gardens, protected the animals,
and danced with the children.
They sang their beautiful song in celebration and thanks
to the Prince
Though his kingdom was hundreds of miles away from them
their song stayed in his heart forever

Play Dough Perfect Play

 Early childhood education will always have a special place in my heart.  I taught preschool for 12+ years and loved it so much!

 I used to tell parents, "Play isn't rocket science, but it is IMPORTANT."

 Two of the most beneficial things that parents can do with their child:
1.) Read
Read lots of books. Read all types of books.  Read all the time.
2.) Play Dough
The benefits of play dough outweigh any mess that may occur.  Child are squeezing and pinching and poking and rolling play dough.  These actions are strengthening their small muscles in their fingers that will someday soon need to be strong enough to hold and control a pencil to write their letters, their name, the next great American novel!  :)

 Play dough brings out the imagination.  This morning, in a matter of 30 minutes, Roo made a forest scene, a nest, and an ocean.

 My friend Kira @z_dough makes wonderful wonderful wonderful scents in her play dough.  This morning, we played with Blueberry, Wntergreen, and Eucalyptus.

 Did you know that smells "awaken the brain" to learning?  They do!  Why not incorporate smells (good ones!) into play?  Children will be using the sense of smell and touch when playing with ZDough.

Play is important.

Play does not have to be complicated.

Books.

Play Dough.

Splashing in water.

Finger paints.

Pretend play.

Don't over think it.  Let your child take the lead. See what interests them and play along! As I always say, the play possibilities are endless.

Have a fun and playful day!

Mel

zdough.etsy.com

@z_dough on Instagram

Play is a powerful thing

 This weekend, Toys R Us had a sale on Schleich toys. I bought some baby elephant calves. My husband said that I bought the whole herd! Funny man, that one! :)

 The girls and I follow several Elephant conservation groups on Instagram. Every morning, we check in for updates on the different elephants in their care. We love seeing pictures from Elephant orphanages in Africa.

 The girls - ages 3 and 6 can locate Africa (&some of the countries within Africa!) on any map or globe now!

I am setting up a play elephant orphange with all these baby elephants from Schleich. Can you see the DETAIL on these toys? I mean, their leathery skin! Amazing. No. I am not getting paid by them, but I do love their animal replicas. Each one is hand painted!

It is on my list to visit Schleich when I go to Germany! Someday, someday.

Through play, we have learned about the elephants, people who care for them, and also people that try to hurt them. We talk about people who run the conservation centers and their jobs. We talk about people who champion for The end of the ivory trade. Prince Harry and Prince William always are mentioned :) The girls take on the roles of vets and caregivers of the elephants and love "feeding" them with baby shower favor baby bottles.

Africa is thousands of miles away. And poaching and extinction of elephants are big concepts for little ones. But through play, the concepts have become tangible and close to their hearts.

I am sharing the world with children through play. Play is a powerful thing.

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

Math Games Mondays - Desert

Math Games Mondays returns with a simple and fun game.

I found this cactus clipart on etsy.com  Simply buy, download, and print out one sheet for each child playing.  You could also use stickers on a piece of cardstock in a grid fashion.

The "game pieces" are Safari Ltd Desert Toob toys. (This is not a paid endorsement, but I do LOVE their toys!)  You will also need one dice or spinner per child.

The child rolls the dice and counts the number of dots. Then, he covers up that many cactus. For example, if  rolls a 4, then he would put 1-2-3-4 toys on the game board. 4 cacti would have 4 toys on them (one on each). The, they roll again and again until the whole game board (all the cacti!) are covered.

This game teaches counting and one to one correspondence.

Have a fun and playful day!
Mel

Math Games Mondays - Desert by melanieshanks featuring Omniware serveware

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Orange Twist

 Have you ever been on a Color Hunt?  It's where you say, "Find me something...orange!" (any color will work). The kiddos go on a hunt for anything that color.

Once you have all the orange things, have the kiddos sort those items into like things.  So fun! It's a fast, easy activity.

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

Makin Monsters

 Wanna make some crazy monsters or creatures or maybe aliens?

 Super easy. Super fun. Give your kiddo a glob of playdough, some straws, pasta, googly eyes, and other materials you have on hand.

 Let them poke poke poke away, adding whatever they like. I had fun making one, too. Playdough is therapeutic, I think.

What will you make today?

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

Straw Necklace Update

Our straw necklaces turned Put super cute with this orange polka dotted ribbon that we had left over from another project. Miracle of miracles, we had just enough ribbon for BOTH necklaces! Simple and easy easy project.

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

Cabochons

Have you heard of cabochons?  Have you used them in your projects?  I recently used them on my whimsical rainbow garden playscape seen below.

I ordered them from WhimsyPop on etsy - a lot of amazing things.

I ordered them for this project, but I also have been using them as counters.  Lettuce counters. hee hee I know, I know.  My brain works in weird ways. And have been using them for teaching small, medium, and large.  I guess, you can find inspiration for teaching math anywhere. :)

Have a fun and playful day
Mel

Tell Me A Story

I love to simply show a child a picture and say, "Tell me a story."

Their imagination kicks in and...

I am amazed every time.

Kids are so funny.

Sometimes, they need prompted.  So I ask questions like, "What are the mice doing with all that cheese?"or "What is the teddy bear doing on the flamingo's back?"  Sometimes questions help to spark the imagination.

You telling a child stories or them telling them stories develops their vocabulary and verbal skills and parts of a story (beginning, middle, end) skills and their imagination.

We do this a lot in the car.  I have photos of toys that I have staged printed off and handy.  To pass the time, I hand G a photo and say, "Tell me a story."  I love the things she comes up with and I get a break from kids songs on the radio (you know that they annoy you, too!) These photo cards can be good while waiting at a restaurant or before bed.

Have a fun and playful day.
Mel