Putting The Pretty In Preschool

Finding Beauty In Everyday Early Childhood Experiences

music

New Year’s Rice Bin

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A sensory bin is one of the easiest ways to usher in a new theme, and this new year’s rice bin does just that. I have this gold and silver-laden bin waiting for my preschoolers to explore when they return from their Christmas break next week.

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Supplies In The Bin

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The following supplies are in the glitzy bin:

  • gold and silver wrapped foam mini presents
  • silver star-shaped dessert cups
  • tiny gold trophies
  • gold play coins
  • silver beads
  • gold clip tree decorations
  • gold spoon
  • silver bell ornament

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New Year’s Rice Bin

As with many of my sensory activities on the blog, a white bus tub is the bin of choice. It is large enough for two or three children to explore comfortably and doesn’t require an exorbitant amount of sensory base.

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White glutinous rice is the base for the bin, another one of my favorite sensory supplies.

Scooping and pouring rice using the tiny gold trophies and silver star-shaped dessert cups develops eye-hand coordination.

Little learners can gather and count the gold coins.

Gold clip tree decorations and silver beads (cut from a garland) add glitz to the bin.

Spoons are a basic accessory my preschoolers always want to be included in a sensory bin.

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The silver bell is not just a plain bell. It is shaped like an octopus. To see how it is made, view my blog post Octopus Christmas Craft. There is a free template to download should you decide to make an octopus-themed bell to help ring in the new year.

Happy New Year!

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More New Year’s Activities

New Year’s Eve Sensory Tray

New Year’s All Gold Sensory Activity

New Year’s Countdown Activities

New Year’s Crafts

New Year’s Sensory Tray

New Year’s Art and Math Activities

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Octopus Christmas Craft

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Bells and Christmas go hand in hand, and this jingly octopus Christmas craft fits right in. It is easy to make and is guaranteed to be treasured by your little learners.

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Supplies To Collect

Gather the following supplies to make all three colors of this Christmas musical instrument craft:

  • red, green, and silver cardstock paper
  • large red, green, and silver jingle bells
  • small Christmas foam balls
  • wiggly eyes
  • white glue
  • scissors and pencil

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Making the Octopus Christmas Craft

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To make this festive musical craft, start by cutting out a circular design with eight curved legs from red, green, and silver cardstock paper. Feel free to download this octopus template to use for the craft.

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Octopus Craft PrintableDownload

This printable is for individual or one classroom use only.

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Next, use white glue or a glue gun to adhere a large jingle bell in the same color to the middle of the eight-legged base.

Afterward, glue a similarly colored small glitter foam ball to the tip of each paper leg.

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Finally, add two wiggly eyes to the jingle bell-themed octopus.

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Variations Of This Octopus Christmas Craft

Here are a few ways to vary the octopus craft to make it your own:

Instead of using a large jingle bell for the leggy craft, use a similarly-sized foam ball that has been spray-painted with red, green, or silver paint.

Rather than adhering small foam balls to the tips of the legs, glue on small jingle bells or large round beads cut from garland. Either of these will add a little weight to the octopus legs, allowing the metallic decoration to hang nicely when held.

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Each octopus Christmas craft can be made in two or three complementary colors instead of a monochrome palette.

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Christmas Octopus Craft Play

This jingle jangle Christmas craft is not just meant to look pretty sitting on a decorated mantle. Set the shiny octopuses out in a space your little learners can access. Tell them that this craft is a musical instrument, so should be handled gently. The wiggly-eyed octopuses will be moved around to different spots and your little charges will enjoy listening to their soft and gentle musical sounds.  

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The octopus Christmas craft also makes unique jingle bells for your little learners to use to accompany popular holiday songs such as Jingle Bells and Jingle Bells Rock.

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More Christmas Crafts

Paper Airplane Christmas Craft

Spin Painting Poinsettia Craft

Paper Bag Christmas Ornaments

Monochromatic Christmas Tree Art

CD Case Christmas Craft

Christmas Sheep Craft

Washi Tape Christmas Pots

Handprint Angel Craft

Turtle Christmas Craft

Christmas Tree Art

Christmas Dove Art

Handprint Angel Christmas Keepsake

Woodland Fox Treat Holder

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Jellyfish Theme Activities

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Jellyfish theme with art, math, scissor skill, water play, and light table activities. Interestng jellyfish facts and free printables included.

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It was clear jellyfish that got me interested in this unique sea creature, and are the inspiration behind this jellyfish theme post. Three transparent jellyfish crafts are included in the theme, along with scissor skills, math, and water play ideas.

Sea jelly is the proper name for jellyfish since these creatures are not fish. Fish have a face, brains, tails, fins, and backbone, which sea jellies don’t have. But since most people still use the term jellyfish and find activities by searching this name, I’m using both words in my facts and activities.

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Fascinating Jellyfish Facts

Here are ten interesting facts about jellyfish:

  • Sea jellies are found in waters all over the world: cold or warm, shallow or deep, near shore or deep in the ocean.
  • These graceful creatures have a bell-shaped body, with oral arms and tentacles that look like streamers.
  • Jellyfish come in many colors and are often luminescent.
  • The tiny stinging cells on their tentacles capture prey. The tentacles can also sting people.
  • Inside the bell, sea jellies have a mouth to eat food with.
Make this sparkly iridescent jellyfish craft that doubles as an ocean drum and movement prop, It displays beautifully indoors or outdoors.

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  • These floaty creatures eat fish, crabs, shrimp, tiny plants, and zooplankton.
  • Their predators are large fish, sea turtles, and sometimes other jellyfish.
  • Sea Jellies are slow swimmers, pulsing along. They often get overpowered by strong currents that carry them along.
  • From small to humungous, sea jellies come in many different sizes and shapes.
  • The Portuguese Man Of War is the biggest sea jelly. Nomeus fish live in their deadly tentacles and do not get eaten. The tiny fish help attract large prey that this massive sea jelly ends up eating.
  • Jellyfish live for just under two days to under a year.

For more facts about sea jellies, view the blog post “Jellies” on montereybayaquarium.org.

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Iridescent Jellyfish Crafts

These three jellyfish crafts are inspired by the moon jelly, which has a transparent, umbrella-shaped bell. Iridescent craft supplies shine in the stringy crafts.

Supplies To Collect

Simple supplies to create three different transparent jellyfish crafts. Iridescent craft supplies take center stage in the projects.

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Gather the following supplies for the transparent sea jelly crafts:

  • two clear disposable dinner plates
  • opaque or clear transparent disposable drinking cup
  • clear dessert bowl
  • iridescent beads
  • two kinds of sparkly, textured, thin yarn
  • iridescent curly ribbon
  • iridescent metallic shreds
  • glue gun
  • wiggly eyes

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Clear Plate Jellyfish

Create this stunning iridescent jellyfish craft using clear disposable plates and iridescent craft supplies. Great for music, movement, and language arts activities.

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To make this large jellyfish, start by positioning one clear dinner plate right side up, and laying metallic shreds and a small handful of iridescent beads on it.

Next, cut strips of sparkly and /or iridescent yarn and curly ribbon and glue them in a row at the bottom of the plate using the glue gun.

Then glue the second dinner plate upside down on top of the first one by applying hot glue to the edge of one or both plates.

Lastly, glue two large wiggly eyes to one of the plates, and affix a yarn strip to hang the jellyfish on the other side.

Make this sparkly iridescent jellyfish craft that doubles as an ocean drum and movement prop, It displays beautifully indoors or outdoors.

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This jellyfish looks beautiful displayed in the classroom in a sunny spot, or outside on a tree. The crafted jellyfish also makes an ocean drum musical instrument and can be a unique accessory for language arts. music, and movement activities.

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Dessert Bowl Jellyfish

Design this simple hanging jellyfish craft using gorgeous, iridescent supplies. Display it is a sunny location for maximum shine.

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This second jellyfish craft most replicates the moon jelly shape and is so easy to make. Just glue one end of the yarn and curly ribbon strips to the inside of the bowl so that they hang down like jellyfish arms and tentacles. Affix a loop to hang on the bottom of the bowl, and this sea jelly is ready to be displayed.

Hanging outside at night, it looks like a sea jelly floating deep in the ocean.

Design this hanging jellyfish craft using gorgeous, iridescent supplies. Displayed at night, it looks like a sea jelly floating in deep ocean waters.

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Disposable Cup Jellyfish

Design this cute jellyfish cup craft using iridescent supplies. Display it indoors or outdoors to add ambiance to an ocean creature theme.

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Make this craft just like the one above using a clear or opaque disposable cup instead of the dessert bowl. Add wiggly eyes for the finishing touch.

Design this simple jellyfish cup craft using gorgeous, iridescent supplies. Display it is a sunny location for maximum shine.

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More Jellyfish Activities

Scissor Skill Jellyfish

Here’s an easy jellyfish scissor skills project to download for your little learners. Invite participants to cut out along the lines to create sea jelly tentacles, and then cut out the bell-shaped body.

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Free Jellyfish PrintableDownload

(This printable is for individual or one classroom use only.)

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In this next activity, trace and cut out jellyfish bells from colored cardstock paper, and then print and snip apart the numbered tentacles. Invite little learners to glue tentacles to their jellyfish bell in order from one to five. Use this second printable for the project.

Download this free jellyfish math template for little learners to create a paper craft, practice scissor skills, and order numbers form one to five.

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Free Jellyfish Math PrintableDownload

(This printable is for individual or one classroom use only.)

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Invite little learners to practice scissor skills and math concepts by completing a paper craft jellyfish with numbered tentacles.

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Or simply photocopy the jellyfish printable on pastel-colored paper or cardstock to add pops of color to the activity.

Invite little learners to practice scissor skills and math concepts by completing a paper craft jellyfish with numbered tentacles.

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More Jellyfish Math

Use paper jellyfish or jellyfish figurines in counting rhymes and songs.

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Light Table Jellyfish

Invitation to create jellyfish on a light table with transparent stir sticks and page divider cut outs. Wiggly eyes are the finishing touch.

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Invite little learners to create jellyfish on a light table with transparent page divider cutouts and stir sticks.

Invitation to create jellyfish on a light table with transparent stir sticks and page divider cut outs. Wiggly eyes are the finishing touch.

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Jellyfish Water Play

Include jellyfish dive toys, fishing nets, strainers, and foam numbers in a water table, tuff tray, or bus tub. Little learners can count, sort, and scoop the colored jellyfish in the bin.

Include this easy-to-set-up jellyfish water play activity with dive toys, large shells, sand dollars, and acrylic gems in your next ocean theme.

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Related:

Sea Turtle Theme Activities

Octopus Theme Activities

Sea Star Theme Activities

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Valentine’s Day Treasure Blocks

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These Valentine's Day treasure blocks offer a host of learning opportunities paired with loose parts and other blocks.

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To add interest to block play activities, treasure blocks are always a good choice. Their contents can be changed to match the current theme you are doing as well as your child’s interests. Since we are in the month of February, Valentine’s Day treasure blocks blend in perfectly and can be used in a variety of creative ways.

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Supplies To Collect

There’s no shortage of items to gather for valentine treasure blocks. You can go entirely with recycled loose parts or use economical purchased items. Or you can use a few of both.

The supplies I feature are red, pink, purple, and white – traditional Valentine’s Day colors. Gathered and added to the blocks are:

  • cut straws
  • beads cut from garland and necklaces
  • buttons
  • heart and rainbow erasers
  • acrylic hearts
  • gem craft hearts
  • hair ties

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Valentine’s Day Treasure Block Activities

At first, the filled treasure blocks can be set out on their own on a table or in a carpeted area for children to explore.

The blocks can be used as musical shakers, and children can be challenged to order them from quietest to loudest. With my blocks, the one with the hair ties hardly makes a sound, and the ones with bead garland balls and acrylic hearts tie for making the loudest sound.

These Valentine's Day treasure block shakers can be ordered by softest to loudest sounds.

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Another day, introduce new items to the treasure block play area. Featured here are little monsters, inspired by the endearingly illustrated storybook “Love Monster” by Rachel Bright, and Valentine’s Day loose parts. The monsters are actually repurposed dog toys, so they stand up superbly to block play! And they are squeaky, adding another element of sound to the play experience. Pairing the blocks, monster figurines, and loose parts together encourages children to think creatively in new ways.

These Valentine's Day treasure blocks offer a host of learning opportunities paired with monsters and loose parts.

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Asking the question “What can you build for the monsters?” will foster even more creativity. When I asked my preschoolers this question some of the answers were:

  • “I’m building a monster lair.”
  • “I am going to make a monster hiding place.”
  • “I made a house for the monsters.”

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More Block Play Possibilities

Pairing treasure blocks with mirror blocks is always a hit. The blocks are similar in size and shape and combine well for building large structures.

Pair Valentine's Day treasure blocks with mirror blocks and monsters for creative and imaginative play.

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And counting monster teeth and eyes, and discussing block shapes are ways to incorporate math into the play.

On their own, or combined with loose parts and other blocks, Valentine’s Day treasure blocks offer many opportunities for learning.

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Paper Plate Ocean Drum

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This DIY paper plate ocean drum can be personalized with a picture of a family member and/or pet.

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Ocean drums are versatile musical instruments that imitate the soothing sound of gentle waves hitting the shore. Your early learner can help create a paper plate ocean drum to make water sounds and will be able to use it in many other ways. The drum can be personalized and will look awesome displayed.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more ideas.

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Supplies To Collect

  • two 9-inch paper plates
  • 9 x 12-inch white cardstock
  • transparency film or clear file folder
  • photo of a child, family, or a pet
  • small beads
  • cinnamon candy hearts
  • alphabet letter beads
  • adhesive gems
  • scissors
  • glue gun
  • glue stick or glue tape

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Making The Paper Plate Ocean Drum

Steps to create a personalized paper plate ocean drum.

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Cut out the middle part of one paper plate.

Print a favorite photo onto cardstock paper. Or use a picture from a vintage calendar or magazine. Trace a 15.5 cm / 6 1/8 inch circle around the part of the picture chosen for the drum. Cut the circle out and use glue tape or a glue stick to paste it on the center of the second plate.

Cut the same sized circle from a clear file folder or sheet of transparency film.

Use a glue gun to attach the clear circle to the cut plate.

Sprinkle cinnamon candy hearts, letter beads, and small round beads onto the photo-enhanced plate. Alphabet letter beads that spell love or the name of a child or pet would work well.

Glue the edges of the two plates together with a glue gun.

If desired, decorate the paper frame of the drum with adhesive gems.

This paper plate ocean drum can be personalized with a picture of a family member and/or pet.

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Playing The Ocean Drum

The crafted drum can be played many different ways, creating a variety of sounds:

Tilt the drum in all directions by rolling your wrist slowly while holding the instrument by its frame. The encased beads and candies will roll over the bottom and mimic the relaxing sound of waves lapping the shore.

Stop and start playing the instrument suddenly to make the sound of crashing waves.

Hold the drum over your head and tilt it.

Move the drum around your body.

Tap the drum gently with a drumstick.

Scrape the drum.

Use the percussion instrument as a shaker.

Make loud, soft, fast, and slow sounds.

Tap or shake a pattern of sounds.

This paper plate ocean drum can be personalized with a picture of a favorite pet.

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Ice Drum Musical Instruments

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Easy to set up ice drum musical instruments that can be played indoors or outside any time of the year.

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These ice drum musical instruments can be played outside or indoors any time of the year. The musical activities are inspired by the Siberian percussion group Etnobit, who experimented with playing ice on Lake Baikal, the world’s deepest lake.

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Supplies To Collect

  • food containers (yogurt, sour cream, margarine, etc.)
  • bowls
  • food coloring
  • drum sticks
  • large tub
  • spoons for stirring and drumming

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Making the Ice Drum Musical Instruments

Freeze water colored with food coloring in different-sized food containers and bowls.

When frozen, remove the ice shapes from their molds and place them in a tub. Sprinkle snow in the tub first if it is available. Add drumsticks and objects for striking the ice.

Ice drum musical instruments that can be played indoors or outside any time of the year.

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Playing The Ice Drums

Invite your early learners to experiment with drumming sounds on the ice chunks.

They can tap:

  • fast sounds
  • slow sounds
  • loud sounds
  • soft sounds
  • one slow note/ two fast notes rhythm
  • one loud note/two soft notes rhythm

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The little learners can also tap their own melodies on the ice drums.

Ice drum musical instruments that can be played indoors or outside any time of the year.

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Watch this video to see the percussion group Etnobit playing music on ice slabs.

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Frozen Water Glass Xylophone

Another frozen water musical activity is to fill clear drinking glasses with varying amounts of colored water. Freeze them overnight and then set them on a table in a row. Have your little charges tap the water glasses with drumsticks to make higher and lower notes and experiment with melody making.

An easy to prepare frozen water xylophone for music exploration.

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Related:

Winter Playdough Recipe

Snowman Sensory Play

Spray Paint Snowflake Silhouette

Blue Candy Cane Science Experiment

Winter-themed Treasure Blocks

Kid’s Winter Wonderland Tablescape

Polar Bear Small World

Winter Sensory Trays

Painting Ice and Snow

Winter Wreath Paper Plate Craft

Frozen-Inspired Shadow Box

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Valentine’s Day Musical Instruments

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Valentine's Day containers with loose parts added make drum and shaker musical instruments perfect for sound exploration.

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Save those little containers that valentine treats and crafts come in! Empty chocolate boxes, plastic jars, heart-shaped bowls, and small containers make excellent sensory and art supplies. And when used with drumsticks and filled with loose parts, they can also be Valentine’s Day musical instruments.

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Valentine’s Day Loose Parts To Collect

Here’s a supply of loose parts that early learners could choose from for music-making:

Loose parts to add to Valentine's Day containers to make shaker and drum musical instruments.

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  • mini rubber balls
  • coins
  • erasers
  • heart necklaces
  • heart-shaped cookie cutters
  • red heart gems
  • pompoms
  • buttons
  • X and O game pieces

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This compartment tray holds the above items and the ones below:

Loose parts to add to Valentine's Day containers to make shaker and drum musical instruments, and a variety of drumsticks.

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  • pony beads
  • red and white round gems
  • large red beads
  • striped straws
  • wooden hearts

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Making Valentine’s Day Musical Instruments

Collect Valentine’s Day-themed containers and set them out on a table with a tray of loose parts. Encourage little learners to fill containers with one kind of loose part and add lids. Have them use the filled containers as shakers.

A collection of Valentine's Day-themed containers with loose parts and drumsticks for music-making.

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A heart-shaped bowl and small tin make excellent drums. Just add drumsticks!

An overturned plastic heart-shaped bowl and small tin make excellent drums.

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When covered with a lid and tipped from side to side, this pony bead-filled tin becomes an ocean drum.

A heart-shaped tin with pony beads added makes an ocean drum.

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Why not go big? This large chocolate box heart works wonderfully as an ocean drum too. A few beaded necklaces add the sound.

A heart-shaped empty chocolate box with necklaces or loose parts added makes an ocean drum.

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Your early learners will love making sounds and tapping beats with these recycled containers. To extend the investigative play, add the containers to a large tub filled with rice. Invite your little learners to add rice to them to create more Valentine’s Day musical instruments.

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Related: Rubber Band Paint Box Musical Instrument

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Loose parts to add to Valentine's Day containers to make shaker and drum musical instruments.

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A collection of Valentine's Day-themed containers with loose parts and drumsticks for music-making.

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Hawaiian Party

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Hawaiian party ideas for an all-ages get together. Food, crafts, songs, and music for an easy to manage get together.

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Here’s a Hawaiian Party that works for all ages. We did it with a group of seniors, preschool children, and their parents. It was dreamed up because this school year our preschool classes were invited to visit a senior’s home to socialize with the residents. February was a great month to show some kindness, so we planned our visit then.

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Hawaiian Holiday Theme

Hawaiian Holiday was the theme of choice. Our city was in the middle of a cold-weather spell, so the thinking was “If we can’t be in Hawaii, (where we would ALL rather be), then let’s bring Hawaii to us.”

Our preschool brought food and activities for the visit.

As seniors, preschool children, and preschool parents entered the social room at the home, music from the CD “Golden Hits Of Hawaii” wafted through the air. (This is a favorite CD of Hawaiian music, and we’ve played it at school on some of our coldest days. The music lifts our spirits every time.)

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As everyone chose a spot to sit, they were invited to make a paper lei.

Paper Hawaiian lei party craft suitable for all ages.

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Next, our school group performed some action songs for seniors and parents. Songs from Dr. Jean Sing Along Read Along books and CDs were our choice. (Dr. Jean has many singing and learning activities available on her website and her YouTube Channel.)

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Hawaiian Party Food

Then refreshments were served. Hawaiian-themed paper plates were passed out.

Little muffins with parasols for decoration were offered.

Muffins decorated with parasols for a Hawaiian party snack.

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Each table got a palm tree scene fruit plate.

Palm tree scene made with fruit and coconut rolls for a Hawaiian party snack.

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Crispy coconut rolls were a last-minute find for the palm tree trunks.

A selection of cookies rounded out the snack options.

A cookie tray with rainbow, oatmeal, and chocolate chip cookies.

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Extra fruit was available to make sure everyone would have some.

Fruit tray with strawberries, blueberries, grapes and honeydew.

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Closing Activity

Our last activity was choosing a Hawaiian-themed picture to color. Scented markers were used for this. The seniors were proud to show us their finished work.

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As we were preparing to leave, many seniors showed appreciation for our visit. They said we brightened their morning, which is what we had hoped for! Preschool parents who helped supervise our activities were complimentary. A good time was had by all.

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