sensory

Ugly Christmas Sweater Activities

November 19, 2019 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

The Ugly Christmas Sweater trend has resurfaced, and for a few years I couldn’t figure it out. Having a passion for fashion, I didn’t understand why anyone would want to wear a tacky sweater. Until…I read that people host Ugly Christmas Sweater Parties, often to raise funds for charity. Then I saw purpose and humor in them.

Ugly Christmas sweater activities for young children and their families. Art, sensory, playdough, games, and cookie making.

Aside from wearing an ugly Christmas sweater, the trend shines in some easy to introduce early learning activities the whole family can participate in.

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Wink The Ninja Book Theme

October 24, 2019 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

The picture book “Wink, The Ninja Who Wanted To Nap”, written and illustrated by J. C. Phillipps, is filled with energy, wisdom, and tidbits about Japanese culture. For young children, the story is a captivating read. The illustrations provide inspiration for multicultural story extensions.

In the story, a little ninja named Wink is excited that he is a famous circus performer. But he cannot get in a much-needed nap because his fans follow him everywhere! He walks through a garden of cherry trees, and moves through and hides in different parts of town, but his followers persist.

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Reptile Egg Science

September 10, 2019 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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.

Reptile egg activities. Make a rubbery reptile egg and use turtle and snake figurines with egg theme play mats.

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.

Scroll to the bottom of the page to download free printables to extend this activity.

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Activities With Sunflowers

August 26, 2019 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

Sunflowers are a summer showstopper on a patio or balcony, or in a garden. They make stunning cut flowers. When mature, sunflower parts are ideal for Art, nature, and sensory activities with young children.

Art, nature and sensory activities with a variety of sunflowers and their parts.

Growing Sunflowers

Sunflowers are easy to grow. And there are so many varieties to choose from! Featured below are golden yellow midsized ones (Golden Hedge), rust and yellow sunflowers (Evening Sun) and a fluffy double flower “teddybear” kind.

Sunflowers in different colors, shapes and sizes.

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Dinosaur And Sweet Potato Vine Activities

July 26, 2019 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

One Spring I was greenhouse shopping, and a ledge of sweet potato vines caught my attention. The sales clerk suggested that the leaves looked like dinosaur footprints.
That thought stuck with me, and soon after I picked two uniquely colored sweet potato vines to add contrast to the flowering plants on my deck. I was also eager to use some leaves in dinosaur themed nature play.
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Father/Preschooler Superhero Party

May 28, 2019 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

As everyone can attest, Superhero activities are hugely engaging for children. Superheroes is also a topic I was hesitant to plan a full theme around for many years. I was afraid that the children’s excitement level would go up, and never return to a manageable rate.

One year I decided a generic Superhero theme could be feasible as the last one of the school term. I thought the children might get riled up, but I would be sending them home for the summer afterwards!

The Superhero theme was a hit, and turned out to be perfectly manageable. Dress up props were available in the gymnasium, where loud noises and running were the norm. A number of books read in the classroom highlighted good character traits of Superheroes. Puzzles, manipulative toys, and sensory trays rounded out our activities.