winter

Honeycomb Cereal Necklace Lacing

February 11, 2023 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

_______

Honeycomb cereal is tasty to eat, but is also super fun to use in a craft activity. In this post, the craft idea is honeycomb cereal necklace lacing.

_______

Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

_______

Honeycomb Cereal “Snowflake” Necklace

With its six sides, each honeycomb makes a nice “snowflake.” And having holes, the cereal is perfect for lacing a “snowflake” necklace.

A thin lacing cord works best for threading honeycomb. In fact, the thinner the cord the better.

Older children may enjoy the challenge of lacing each honeycomb down one side and up the other. And they can make a game of it by seeing who can string the most honeycomb cereal in the shortest amount of time.

For younger children, it’s best to suggest lacing through the center hole.

A fun and tasty lacing honeycomb cereal activity for little learners.

_______

Some honeycomb pieces have holes that are too small to thread lacing cord through, so they are perfect for snacking on.

Stretching the cord while working may break a few, but again, the honeycomb bits are just another excuse for snacking on the tasty morsels!

After some practice, this first string of honeycomb is ready to be tied as a necklace.

A fun honeycomb cereal "snowflake" necklace lacing activity that is great for fine motor control and eye-hand coordination practice.

_______

More Honeycomb Cereal Necklace Lacing

Naturally, it’s hard to stop after lacing just one string of honeycomb cereal. Here’s a pink version for Valentine’s Day.

A fun honeycomb necklace lacing activity that is great for fine motor control and eye-hand coordination practice.

_______

And below is a version for a bumblebee theme, the most natural fit for honeycomb cereal.

_______

Finally, since the lacing cord comes in Easter colors and I have a few jube bunnies hanging around, the chewy treats are included in a necklace craft photo.

_______

Lacing honeycomb cereal is a perfect opportunity to practice eye-hand coordination and fine motor control while casually snacking on the flavorful cereal.

_______

A fun bee theme honeycomb cereal necklace lacing activity that is great for fine motor control and eye-hand coordination practice.

_______

Related:

Bunny Candy Art

Silhouette Easter Bunnies

_______

[Read more…]

Penguin Pretend Play Tablescape

February 9, 2023 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

_______

Penguins are well-loved animals and are a popular subject for art activities and sensory bins. Here they get a further notice in a penguin pretend play tablescape.

_______

Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

_______

Supplies Collected

_______

My preschoolers love to discover seasonal loose parts in a dramatic play center. And just a few themed accessories and matching loose parts make for engaging learning through play. Supplies collected for this penguin-themed tablescape are:

crafted foam penguins
penguin coasters and cookie tin
muffin tin and cupcake liners with a penguin theme
mini penguin erasers
penguin ice cube tray
black bowls, baskets, trays, and serving spoon
white spoons and forks
clear cups and faux ice cubes
black and white plaid styrofoam balls
red, black, and white stuffed felt hearts
black and white letter tiles
cotton balls
white buttons and pearl beads
black and white gift box, placemat, and striped straws
play food fish and eggs
penguin themed key chains
white tablecloth

_______

The Penguin Pretend Play Tablescape

Even though we have snow in our area well into March most years, penguin-themed supplies are usually only available in fall or early December. If you see them, you buy them because there is no guarantee you will spot them again.

_______

In this bin, the penguin-themed coasters, cookie tin, and ice cube tray are dollar store finds.

Black bowls, serving spoons, and trays as well as white forks and spoons fit the color scheme.

Mini penguin erasers and penguin-themed cupcake liners add character to the theme.

Crafted foam penguins and stuffed felt hearts make great play cookies.

Penguins eat fish and lay eggs, so fish and egg play food is a good fit.

_______

A black and white gift box and placemat add design elements. The letter tiles give the opportunity to spell the word “penguin.”

A mound of cotton balls is a reminder of the snowy environment most penguins live in.

The penguin-themed key chains make great dinner party favors.

Black and/or white loose parts such as buttons, straws, pearl beads, and cloth-covered styrofoam balls round out the supplies.

All accessories are set on a white tablecloth.

_______

This penguin-themed pretend play tablescape is a good example of how a few themed supplies and inexpensive complimentary loose parts offer many dramatic play opportunities.

_______

Arctic Animal Facts And Sensory Trays

Penguin Small World

_______

[Read more…]

Llama-Inspired Winter Sensory Bin

January 29, 2023 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

_______

It’s very common to spot llamas in art looking beautiful in color-coordinated desert scenes, so I’ve always imagined them to be desert-dwelling creatures. But a little research shows that llamas are native to mountainous areas and high plateaus in South America. In fact, due to their thick, warm coats, they are even comfortable in snowy winter weather. So that is why two bluish llama ornaments spotted on sale just after Christmas are the stars of this llama-inspired winter sensory bin.

_______

Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

_______

Sensory Bin Supplies

Winter-themed loose parts for a llama-inspired winter rice sensory bin.

_______

This winter-themed bin has the following supplies:

unbreakable llama ornaments
small white styrofoam balls
blue and clear snowflake gems
white and gold snowflakes
blue and clear round gems
snowflake erasers
snowman ice cubes
light pink and blue pompoms
white pompoms
wooden people figurines

_______

The Llama-Inspired Winter Sensory Bin

_______

White glutinous rice is the base for this bin. It is the “snow” in the sensory invitation.

Small styrofoam balls make great “snowballs.”

The blue and white snowflakes are dollar store finds, and the white and gold ones are cut from garlands.

Snowflake erasers and snowmen reusable ice cubes add interest to the bin.

The wooden people are painted in pink, silver, and shades of blue to match the winter theme.

The child-friendly llama ornaments fit in perfectly with their baby blue, white, and soft pink coloring.

White, pink, and blue pompoms represent the decorations llamas are often depicted with. They color-coordinate with the wooly animals.

_______

Variations Of This Llama-Inspired Winter Sensory Bin

Below, a curvy wooden block and snack cups and spoons add more play possibilities to the bin.

This adorable llama-themed winter sensory bin offers hands-on learning through play opportunities.

_______

In this next bin, scarf-adorned alligator ornaments are the stars, and pink pompoms are exchanged for red ones.

An adorable crocodile-inspired winter sensory bin your little learners will love to play in. An easy-to-prepare rice-based bin.

_______

Ten Fast Llama Facts

Interested in learning a little more about llamas? Here are ten fast facts about them.

Llamas are close relatives to camels but have no hump.

These hardy, sure-footed animals are native to the Andes mountains, comfortable in high altitudes with air low in oxygen.

Long necks and legs, large banana-shaped ears, smallish heads and short tails characterize them. They can grow up to six feet tall.

Grasses, plants, and small shrubs are foods llamas forage on.

Llamas can run fast, which helps them get away from predators such as coyotes, mountain lions, and ocelots.

Llamas have one baby, called a cria.

Able to carry loads ¼ of their weight, llamas make great pack animals. They are useful for wilderness trekking.

Protective of other animals, a lone male llama is sometimes used as a guard for smaller livestock.

Llamas are a source of food and wool.

There are no more of these affectionate, intelligent creatures living in the wild.

_______

Unbreakable, child-friendly Christmas ornaments transition well from being festive holiday decorations to becoming loose parts for themed play throughout the year. Next, the llamas in this post will be incorporated into a Valentine’s Day sensory bin.

_______

Winter-Themed Treasure Blocks

Kid’s Winter Wonderland Tablescape

Snowmen Sensory Play

Painting Ice And Snow Activity

Polar Dinosaur Sensory Play

Ice Drum Musical Instruments

Winter Wreath Paper Plate Craft

Recycled Card Mitten Matching

Winter Playdough Recipe

_______

[Read more…]

Monochromatic Christmas Tree Art

December 17, 2022 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

_______

This simple monochromatic Christmas tree art is completed in four different color themes. The art activity is easy to implement at home or in a Christmas art program. Finished projects display beautifully on a bulletin board or feature wall.

The color theme chosen for this gorgeous art activity is inspired by the exquisite pastel-colored miniature Christmas tree ornaments spotted on shopping trips around town this holiday season.

_______

Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning activities.

_______

Supplies To Collect

Just a few supplies are needed for this pretty craft:

12 x 18-inch sturdy paper
magenta, yellow, teal, green, and white tempera paints
glitter in magenta, teal, gold, and green colors
large magenta, gold, teal, and light green gift bows
paint palettes
paint pots
paintbrushes
spoons
ruler
pencil
scissors
hot glue gun or white glue
plastic tablecloth

_______

Preparing The Tree Art Project

This monochromatic Christmas tree art project is done in pastel shades of green, yellow, teal, and magenta. The trees look beautiful on display.

_______

First, select 12 x 18-inch sturdy paper for the art project. I used manila and manila tag and both kinds worked well.

With a ruler and pencil, draw a long, narrow triangle on each sheet of paper. The triangles should fill the whole page.

Next, cut the paper triangles out.

Then mix a variety of shades of magenta, yellow, teal, and green tempera paint in small pots by adding various amounts of white to each color. For each hue, the shades should range from light to dark.

Tips:

To warm up the yellow just a little, add a drop of red to the hues.
To make teal paint, mix a little yellow into blue paint. Or use teal tempera paint straight out of the bottle.

Afterward, spoon different shades of each color into paint palettes. Each palette should have shades of one hue only. Include a little white tempera.

_______

The Monochromatic Christmas Tree Art Process

_______

To offer this tree painting project, cover an art table with a plastic tablecloth.

Choose one monochromatic color scheme to work with.

Then set out a triangular-shaped paper tree, filled paint palette, and brush for each child participating.

Invite participants to paint their tree, using as many shades of the chosen color as they can.

When the trees are fully covered and the paint is still wet, let little artists sprinkle similarly toned glitter on their projects. They will love this part of the process.

After the paint has dried, use white glue or a hot glue gun to affix a matching gift bow to the top of each tree. As an alternative, glue silver or gold bows on the trees.

On another day, pick a different paint color and offer the Christmas tree painting project again.

If there is time, complete the tree art in all four colors.

_______

When finished, display the painted trees together on a wall. They are sure to be admired!

Note: The paint colors used for this art project also make awesome ombre Christmas trees.

_______

Related: Christmas Tree Art

_______

December Kindness Activities Printable Set

A December Kindness Calendar and Kindness Jar are two activities to teach empathy and kindness at home or in the classroom. Download this gorgeous pastel holiday printable set of kindness activities in my Skills N Smiles Etsy Shop for a low-low price. You’ll have the December kindness activities ready in minutes!

_______

[Read more…]

Painting Ice And Snow Activity

January 29, 2022 by Annette Kaminsky 1 Comment

Ice cakes are the highlights of this painting ice and snow sensory table activity little learners are bound to love.

_______

A painting ice and snow center is one of the easiest activities you can set up, and little learners love to participate in it. Stacking the frozen ice into triple-layer cakes will level up the fun factor and visual appeal.

_______

Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

_______

Supplies To Collect

For this frozen-themed snow and ice sensory table activity, gather the following:

activity tray
round plastic food containers in different sizes
ice cube trays
small metal bowls
large pail
snow
food coloring or liquid watercolors
paint containers
paintbrushes
sturdy tablecloth

_______

Setting Up The Painting Ice And Snow Activity

How to set up a painting snow and ice sensory table activity for early learners.

_______

Freeze water in food containers for several days. Empty yogurt, sour cream, ice cream, and margarine containers work well for the molds.

Set up a large activity tray on a round table covered with a tablecloth.

Scoop up snow in a pail and dump it into the tray.

Take out the ice shapes from their molds and drop them on top of the snow. Stack smaller ice chunks on larger ones to make triple-layer cakes.

Set out ice cubes in small metal bowls.

Add liquid food colors to paint containers, or mix a little food coloring into water to make the hues. Featured are paints in primary colors.

Include brushes and invite little learners to paint the ice cakes and snow.

An easy to put together painting ice and snow sensory table activity the whole family can enjoy.

_______

The watercolors in the containers stay quite pure in this activity, without having to ask anyone to rinse their brushes between hues used. And there will be lots of excitement when new colors such as green and purple pop up in the snow.

Little learners will love to participate in this snow and ice sculpture painting activity.

_______

If you are short on preparation time, offer snow, ice cubes, and paints with a variety of kitchen accessories. Think muffin tins, bowls, spoons, pans, and frozen dessert sticks. Your little charges will enjoy painting the snow and ice cubes, and will excitedly use the accessories in snow kitchen activities.

Kitchen accessories add to the play experience in this snow painting sensory table activity.

_______

If snow is not available where you live, the activity will work fine with ice shapes alone. Little learners will be thrilled to focus on painting the ice cakes and can add ice cube embellishments.

_______