preschool

Chinese New Year Noodle Bin

January 10, 2020 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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Sensory bins are always welcomed by little learners, and this Chinese New Year noodle bin promises to be a hit. And with this bin, you’ll be ready to celebrate the next Chinese New Year, which is on January 25.

To add interest, the noodle-based bin features the Chinese zodiac animal for the year 2020 – a rat! The rodent is a metal rat and is associated with qualities such as industriousness, quick wit, persistence, and kindness.

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Year Of The Pig Sensory Bin (Chinese New Year 2019)

Year Of The Ox Sensory Tray (Chinese New Year 2021)

Year Of The Tiger Chickpea Bin (Chinese New Year 2022)

Year Of The Rabbit Sensory Bin (Chinese New Year 2023)

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Supplies In The Chinese New Year Noodle Bin

This bright and cheery Chinese New Year noodle bin has a "year of the rat" theme. Your little learners will love to explore it.

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The bin used is a square silver metal tray. The noodle base is a package of German egg pasta, selected for its gold color.

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Loose parts for a Chinese New Year noodle bin with a "year of the rat" theme.

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In addition to the noodles, the following loose parts are in the bin:

rat figurine
gold play coins
coin purse
red buttons
pink and white cherry blossoms
silver and red balls cut from garland
bead garland strips
silver bells
red tassels cut from hanging decorations
gold miniature present, bow, and drum decorations

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The Year Of The Rat Noodle Bin

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The German egg pasta is layered in the bottom of the “year of the rat” bin.

Red and gold are common Chinese New Year colors, so there are plenty of loose parts in both hues.

The official metal rat color is white. My rat is grey, as that’s the color I have handy. The grey metal tray and silver bells and beads are intended to match it.

Since rats do not have a good reputation, little learners may be hesitant to play with the toy rodent. So flowers and tassels are intentionally added to the bin to soften up the look and feel. Tassels are a staple in Chinese New Year decorations, and the flowers represent the coming of spring.

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For more early learning play ideas, follow me on Pinterest.

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Handprint Angel Christmas Keepsake

December 21, 2019 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

Handprint Angel Christmas craft with silver metallic leaf wings. An easy to make keepsake craft that all children can do.

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There are so many adorable handprint crafts, and the choices for Christmas are incredible. One of my favorites is a handprint angel. It is a cute craft that doubles as an adorable keepsake. It is also a piece of cake to make and can be whipped up at the last minute.

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Supplies To Collect

white tempera paint
pie plate or small tray
grey fade-resistant cardstock
cream colored fade-resistant cardstock
grey-based patterned 8 ½ x 11-inch cardstock
stem with silver metallic leaves
circle tracer (juice lid size)
pencil
children’s scissors
craft scissors
glue stick
glue gun
silver glitter

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Making The Handprint Angel

This craft can be done independently by older children, or as an adult-child collaborative project with preschoolers.

Cut individual metallic leaves from the leaf stem with a pair of craft scissors.

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Have your child make a handprint with white paint on grey cardstock.

Invitation to make a handprint with white paint on grey paper.

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When dry, cut out the handprint or have your child do so.

Invite your child to trace a circle onto cream-colored cardstock and cut it out.

Invitation to trace and cut a circle for the face of a handprint angel.

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Ask your child to draw a face on the circle with a pencil.

Help your child glue the handprint, face, and metallic leaf wings onto grey-based patterned cardstock to create an angel. Use a glue gun to help secure the wings.

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Have your child make an oval swirl on top of the angel’s head for a halo.

Invitation to swirl an oval shape above the angel's head with a glue stick for a halo.

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Invite your child to shake silver glitter over the glue swirl.

Invitation to add a silver glitter halo to a handprint angel.

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Handprint Angel Holiday Greeting

If you like, a favorite holiday greeting can be added to the craft for a finishing touch.

Handprint angel craft with the caption "Merry Christmas." An easy to make keepsake all children can create.

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Feel free to download this printable and use one of the holiday greetings for your craft.

Printable with the seasonal greetings "Merry Christmas" and "Happy Holidays." This printable coordinates with the Handprint Angel Christmas keepsake.

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Holiday Greeting Printable Download

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A handprint angel craft with the caption "Merry Christmas." An easy to make keepsake all children can create.

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This handprint angel picture is made in white, cream, silver, and grey tones. The inspiration was a stem of metallic silver leaves found at a local dollar store. Traditional Christmas colors or your favorite color scheme would work wonderfully for this keepsake.

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For an exquisite Seashell Angel Christmas Ornament craft, view the tutorial at hellowonderful.co.

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Reptile Egg Science

September 10, 2019 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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Animal eggs come in different colors, shapes, sizes, and shell textures. Bird eggs feel hard. Snakes and many turtles lay soft-shelled eggs with a rubbery feel. Snake eggs are usually oval; turtle eggs are round to slightly oblong.

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Make A Reptile Egg

Here’s an easy-to-do Science experiment to transform an unshelled, boiled egg into a rubbery reptile egg! It’s perfect for the classroom or to do with your children at home.

A container of cider vinegar and an egg.

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Supplies Needed:

one unshelled, boiled egg
1 ½ cups / 375 ml cups of cider vinegar
clear 2 cup / 500 ml jar
tablespoon
dessert plate

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Boil the egg and let it cool. Ask children to describe the color and feel the hardness of the egg.

Place the unshelled, boiled egg in a jar of cider vinegar. Discuss the color of the liquid…yellow, red, and orange are words children might use for the hue. I suggest the word amber.

Put the jar in the fridge.

A boiled egg immersed in a jar half-filled with cider vinegar.

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After a couple of days, take the jar with the egg out of the fridge and have everyone view it. The cider vinegar will look a little foamy.

Scoop the egg out of the jar, place it on a dessert plate, and invite children to feel it. The egg will be tinged with brown residue. Ask children to describe the texture, which has turned rubbery.

A boiled egg taken out of cider vinegar after two days.

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New Discovery

The above egg is the result of the second time I tried this experiment! The first egg I used was not boiled, as I forgot to do it! I left the unshelled egg (in a jar of cider vinegar) in the fridge for two weeks before noticing it! When I finally took it out, it had a neat visual appeal. The outside of the uncooked egg felt rubbery, just as the boiled one did. When I poked it, soft insides spilled out. It was a happy accident that led to a new discovery!

An unboiled egg after being immersed in cider vinegar for two weeks. — Forgotten Reptile Egg

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An unboiled egg placed in cider vinegar for two weeks, then pricked with a fork to show the soft inside. — Forgotten Reptile Egg Insides

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Reptile Egg Science Printable

Extend the Science experiment by setting out this printable with reptile egg shapes to decorate and cut, or use as a play mat for matching turtle and snake figurines.

Reptile egg shapes printable to color and cut. Or invite children to place snakes and turtles in the circle, oval and oblong-shaped eggs.

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Match snakes and turtles to their corresponding egg shapes.

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Reptile Egg Shapes Free PrintableDownload

(This printable was created in PicMonkey and is for personal or one classroom use only.)

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Do you have a favorite experiment to do with eggs? I’d love to hear about it!

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To view a video showing a snake hatching from an egg on the DK website, click here.

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Mother’s Day Crafts And Gifts

April 30, 2019 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

Mother's Day paper crafts with jewelry and decorative key chain accents. Art ideas all children can do.

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Mother’s Day is just around the corner, and every mom deserves to be treated special. Here is an easy Mother’s Day craft that is bound to hit the mark. A key chain or brooch makes a lovely addition as a gift.

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Supplies used:

flower and butterfly paper punches
craft paper with cream, gold, and silver tones
gold and silver metallic bead stickers
white pearl and silver jewel stickers
butterfly adhesive shapes
template with the word MOM
decorative silver key chains
glue stick

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Follow me on Pinterest for more ideas.

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Making The Mother’s Day Craft

Create a template with the word MOM on it or download one of my templates.

Decorate the word "mom" with gorgeous paper butterflies and flowers. This craft is suitable for all ages and works great for Mother's Day or word review.

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Mothers-Day-TemplateDownload

This template is for personal or one classroom use only.

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Paper punch small flowers and butterflies from patterned paper with complementary tones.

Add on sticker beads.

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Have children use a glue stick to attach butterflies and flowers, or just butterflies to the lines of the letters that spell the word “mom.”

Add a brooch or key chain gift to the finished picture.

Mother's Day collage craft with flowers and butterflies glued on to the word 'Mom.' A starfish keychain is fastened on as a gift. This craft is suitable for all ages.

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Metallic sticker beads are the inspiration for this color scheme. I was thrilled to find a scrapbook pad called “Bless Our Home” with paper sheets in patterns of gold, silver, grey, and cream. The paper theme is perfect for a Mother’s Day craft, and the colors and patterns complement the shiny gold and silver beads.

Mother's Day paper collage craft with butterflies glued on to the word "mom." A silver flower brooch is added on as a gift. This craft is suitable for all ages.

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Leftover paper flowers and butterflies can be used as table scatter for a Mother’s Day Tea.

Tan denim cloth flowers and butterfly and flower table scatter. — Table Scatter And Tan Denim Cloth Flowers

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Other Decorating Ideas

Invite children to decorate the word “mom” with sticker pearls and jewels. This craft is simpler but just as beautiful. A sea turtle key chain is added to the picture below.

Mother's Day craft with sticker pearls and silver jewels added on the word 'mom.' A sea turtle key chain is added on as a gift. This craft is suitable for all ages.

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Or have children decorate the word “mom” with jewel and butterfly stickers. A fish key chain is a finishing touch.

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A sparkly flower brooch compliments the picture below.

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A glitzy shoe key chain enhances this craft.

A pretty key chain gift fastened to the word "mom" in a Mother's Day paper collage craft. This art activity is suitable for all ages.

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Download a template that is easy for little learners to read and decorate here.

"Beautiful mom" printable for little learners to decorate with sticker beads and gems. The easy-to-read letters promote word recognition skills. A craft perfect for Mother's Day.

Beautiful Mom TemplateDownload

This template is for personal or one classroom use only.

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A Handmade Key Chain Option

Michelle (craftymorning.com) features Handprint Shrinky Dink Keychains that would go along well with a rainbow-colored version of this craft.

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Which of the above designs is your favorite?

What color schemes are inspiring you right now? Leave a comment below.

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Try this beautiful Mother's Day papercraft with a choice of jewelry or decorative key chain accents. A keepsake that all children can make.

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Spring Bunny Canvas Art

April 20, 2019 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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The birds are chirping, and there is excitement in the air. Everyone seems to have a skip in their step. I think it is because spring has come early to our city and… it’s the Easter long weekend!

Here’s an easy spring bunny art activity that will add some hop to the skip, and be sure to keep everyone’s good mood up.

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Spring Bunny Canvas Art

A few simple supplies are all that is needed for this activity:

white canvas panel (12-inch x 18-inch)
non-toxic paint dot markers
colored cardstock
bunny template
scissors

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The Bunny Canvas Art Process

Trace a bunny on colored cardstock in a size that leaves room to paint dab around it on the canvas board. I sized the bunny to fit just inside the edges of an 8 x 11 ½ piece of paper.

Cut out the cardstock bunny and place it in the middle of the canvas board.

Choose your favorite dot marker colors.

Dab paint dots around the bunny template.

Let the canvas dry.

Dot markers used to paint around a bunny template on canvas. An easy art activity suitable for all ages.

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For this project, I used an inexpensive canvas board from a Dollar Store.

The dot paint markers were a great find at Michaels. I was excited to see so many colors in the package! I chose blue and teal, inspired by a bunny art project I had seen painted in similar tones. Your favorite color scheme would work just as well.

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This spring bunny paint project dries quickly…a real plus. It can be displayed on a small easel along with matching decor.

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Easy dot marker Spring bunny canvas art suitable for all ages. This is an attractive art activity to display.

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