Math

Recycled Card Mitten Matching

January 31, 2021 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

Mitten and snowflake matching math activity using recycled cards.

Christmas is one of the best times to collect recycled cards for classroom activities. I ask people to save their cards for me and then file them away for future use. Cards are beautiful and add an arty flair to any project. And winter-themed cards are perfect for this recycled card mitten matching challenge.

For this activity, select cards with a snowy, winter theme. Christmas cards frequently have this. Cut mitten shapes from the cards. Use one of these templates if you wish. I made the mittens in two sizes!

Large Mitten PrintableDownload

This printable is for personal or one classroom use only.

Mitten PrintableDownload

This printable is for personal or one classroom use only.

Punch shapes from the center of the mittens. I used a snowflake paper punch, but any shape could be punched or cut out. Then set the mittens and punched shapes out on a table. Invite early learners to match the cutouts to the mittens.

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New Year’s Countdown Activities

December 30, 2020 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

This post is an updated version of one of last year’s posts.

These New Year’s countdown activities give practice in number recognition and counting down from 10 to 1. And how fun is it for early learners to print fireworks with fringed toilet paper rolls!

Printmaking Fireworks

Supplies needed:

Happy New Year printable (downloadable below)

scissors

toilet paper rolls

magenta, yellow and light blue tempera paint

small plates or container lids

paint brushes

Happy New Year Printable

New Year's Countdown template to use for art and math activities with young children. Invitation to add paint print fireworks, count down from 10 t0 1 and match numbers.

The “Happy New Year” printable can be printed on 8 1/2 inch x 11-inch paper, or 11-inch by 17-inch paper.

Happy New Year PrintableDownload

This printable is for individual or one classroom use only.

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New Year’s Crafts

December 29, 2020 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

Glitzy, easy to make 2021 New Year's keepsake crafts that enhance eye-hand coordination, fine motor control, patterning, and number recognition.

2021 is just around the corner, and who doesn’t mind having some easy to do New Year’s crafts at their fingertips. These activities double up as 2021 keepsakes. You can choose from several versions.

2021 Collage Craft

Supplies Needed:

glitter gold cardstock

tan cardstock

8 ½ x 11-inch cream cardstock

gold sequins, stars, balls and confetti

gold glitter glue

glue paddle

collage containers

adhesive gems

black or gold metallic felt pen

pencil

scissors

glue stick or glue gun

Making The 2021 Collage Craft

Trace your little learner’s hand on a piece of tan cardstock, or let your child do the tracing.

Help your child cut out the hand.

Add gold glitter glue and the craft bits to small containers. Just collect any gold colored craft items you have around for the collaging.

Set out the gold bits, glue, glue paddle, and paper hand on a table.

Gold craft supplies to decorate traced hands.

Invite your little one to glam up the hand with the collage items, using the glitter glue as an adhesive.

Let the collaged hand dry.

Cut a number one and a pair of number two shapes from gold glitter cardstock or a gold gift bag. Download the printable further on in this post to use as a template if desired.

On cream-colored cardstock, help your little learner use a glue stick to tack on a number two, the decorated hand, another number two, and a number 1. Reinforce the shapes with a glue gun if needed. Add a greeting with a black or gold metallic felt pen.

Gold-themed traced hand 2021 keepsake craft.

The glitzy hand takes center stage in this craft.

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Christmas Sensory Play

December 15, 2020 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

Christmas-themed sensory play with festive loose parts in a rice based tray and a water tub.

With a host of seasonal loose parts available to purchase in fall, Christmas sensory play experiences are easy and economical to put together. These two festive tubs are sure to delight your little learners.

Christmas Rice Sensory Tray

Glutinous rice is the base for this tray. The word glutinous means glue-like; the rice does not contain gluten. The grains are super white, showcasing the loose parts in the tray. But any kind of rice would work well.

Pour a layer of rice into a tray or plastic tub. Add loose parts from the list below, or substitute accessories you have available. Invite your early learners to explore the tray.

Loose parts:

red, green, and white buttons

ice cube stars, snowmen, and trees

acrylic gem snowflakes and lights

metallic snowflakes

foam Christmas shapes and alphabet letters

candy-striped straws

red bowl and spoon

Christmas-themed loose parts tray for sensory play.

Additional containers for pouring and filling could be included.

Christmas-themed containers for sensory play.

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Maple Leaf Activities

November 1, 2020 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

Maple leaf paint print activities. Art, math, and display ideas for maple leaves.

Maple trees flourish in eastern Canada and turn vibrant colors in autumn. But I happily settled for these deep green maple leaves from a tree that can survive our harsh Alberta winters. When painted, they produce striking leaf prints. The prints look stunning displayed but can also be used for other maple leaf activities.

Maple Leaf Activities

Leaf Prints

Early learners can join in making maple leaf prints. Set out orange, yellow, and red tempera paints, paintbrushes, and large pieces of sturdy paper. Invite your little learners to paint the leaves, turn them over, and press them onto the paper. Encourage them to gently rub all over each leaf before removing them.

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Carrot Theme Activities

August 18, 2020 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

One of the easiest vegetables to grow in an indoor or outdoor garden is carrots. This makes carrot activities ideal for hands-on nature experiences with young children.

Carrot theme sensory, art, and baking activities.

We usually think of carrots as orange, but did you know that they come in a variety of colors? You can purchase a rainbow bunch, which has purple, red, orange, yellow, and white carrots. Being a lover of all things colorful, I chose rainbow carrots for some of the carrot theme activities.

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Sea Star Activities And Facts

August 3, 2020 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

Sea star theme activities for early learners. Art, sensory, and math activities featured. Sea star facts and links to resources included.

Sea stars have no trouble taking the spotlight along the sea edge or in an aquarium. They are stunning ocean creatures and come in a huge array of colors. And these sea star activities for early learners? They deliver.

Follow on Pinterest for more activities.

Ten Fast Facts About Sea Stars

Many sea stars live in shallow water; all live on the ocean floor.

Five-armed sea stars are common, but some have 10, 20, or even 40 arms.

Just like octopuses, sea stars can grow back a lost arm.

Sea star eyes are at the end of their arms and look like red spots.

Up to thirty-five years is how long sea stars can live.

Sea water gets pumped through sea star bodies instead of blood.

Hundreds of tube feet on the underside of their bodies help sea stars move, hang on to rocks, and pull away.

Sea stars have soft bellies and tough spiny or leathery skin on their backs.

Clams, oysters, and snails are foods these carnivorous creatures eat.

Their bright colors allow sea stars to blend in with their surroundings, and help scare off attackers.

Sea Star Activities

Sea Star Sensory Tray

Sea stars purchased at a craft store, and seashells, smooth rocks, and gems arranged in blue-hued water make an inviting sensory tray for early learners to explore.

Sea Star Counting

Colorful sea star counters and a ten frame give little learners hands-on counting practice. Download the ten frame here.

Taste Safe Playdough And Sea Stars

This no-cook, easy to make playdough recipe is taste safe. Anyone with a sweet tooth will love it.

You will need:

1 cup store-bought vanilla frosting

1/2 cup cornstarch

1/4 cup icing sugar

yellow and red food coloring

Mix and knead the frosting, cornstarch and icing sugar in a bowl. This should make a moldable dough. If the playdough is a little sticky, knead in a bit more cornstarch. If the dough is dry, add a spoon or two of frosting.

Divide the dough into a large and small lump. In the smaller lump, knead in a little yellow and red food coloring. Place the playdough pieces on a tray along with sea stars, sea star molds, shells, stars, and chocolate chips. (Read on to find out why chocolate chips are on the tray.) Any ocean-themed loose parts you have handy will work.

Invite your early learner to explore the playdough and loose parts.

Sea star sensory play invitation using taste safe playdough.

The recipe makes enough playdough for one or two children to use. Multiply the ingredients if more little learners are participating in the activity.

Playdough Chocolate Chip Sea Star

Yes, there are starfish named “chocolate chip sea stars!” These sea stars come in a variety of colors but always have dark brown spots on top. They grow up to 15 inches / 38 centimeters in size and make good pets.

Invite your little learner to mold a five-armed chocolate chip sea star with the vanilla playdough. Then encourage adding little dots of orange-red playdough to the top of the starfish, and pressing in chocolate chips. This will complete the sea star.

Chocolate chip sea star made with taste safe playdough.

This sea star is featured in the engaging picture book “I See Sea Food: Sea Creatures That Look Like Food” by Jenna Grodzicki.

Sea Star Art

The two-ingredient paint recipe used in this art activity has previously been featured in my Octopus Theme Activities blog post. It works well in sea star art too. This project is inspired by the pink short-spined sea star. Click the link below for a video tutorial.

Taste safe painted sea star inspired by the pink short-spined sea star.

View a Sea Star Art video tutorial.

Video tutorial featuring a taste safe painted starfish inspired by the pink short-spined sea star. This is an all-ages art activity.

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Charlotte’s Web Book Theme

April 9, 2020 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

Charlotte's Web storybook activities. Sensory tubs, crafts, and games for children. Art, math, and language arts opportunities to learn.

This Charlotte’s Web Book Theme is based on the best-selling children’s chapter book by E. B. White. The story centers around a pig named Wilbur, a spider named Charlotte, two farm families, and other colorful barnyard animals. The latter part of the story celebrates the sights, sounds, and excitement of a country fair.

For a summary of the book, click here:

E. B. White is quoted as saying that he wrote Charlotte’s Web for children, and for his own enjoyment. But I thoroughly relished rereading the tale through an adult lens.

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Chinese Valentine’s Day Activities

February 2, 2020 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

Chinese Valentine's Day celebration activities. Art, reading, math, light table and block play. These activities are perfect for a Chinese multicultural theme.

On the weekend of August 25 and 26, 2017, Chinese Valentine’s Day was celebrated at the Edmonton Chinatown Multicultural Center, located in downtown Edmonton. This traditional Valentine’s Day celebration dates back to the 1800s in China, and is celebrated on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month, in late August.

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Snowman Sensory Play

January 17, 2020 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

These snowman sensory play ideas can be explored any time of year – winter or summer. When it’s super cold out and there is real snow on the ground, I’d rather play with these activities indoors!

Snowman themed sensory play. Rice bins, sensory tube, and ten frame activities for early learners. Free printable included.

Snowman Sensory Play Supplies

Collect these supplies for the activities that follow:

clear chunky gems

silver snowflake confetti, bead garland strips, and balls

white pom poms

orange beads, pom poms and pipe cleaner pieces

black buttons and beads

snowmen buttons, ice cubes, and bottles

silver spoons

Loose parts and snowman themed supplies to use in a sensory tray or tube.

Snowman Sensory Tray

The materials are sprinkled on a white rice base in a square metal tray. The snowmen bottles are the find I was most excited about.

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