fall

DIY Portable Mud Kitchen

October 7, 2022 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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I am a huge fan of mud kitchens but also love a DIY portable mud kitchen option. A “to go” mud kitchen that can be taken on nature outings or set anywhere in the classroom is economical and easy to set up. And it offers a multitude of imaginative play opportunities.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Portable Mud Kitchen Supplies

Supplies for a portable mud kitchen that can quickly and easily be set up indoors or outside, Fall leaves are the highlight.

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To make a pop-up mud kitchen, simply use supplies you have on hand. Gather the following:

milk crate
small wire shelves
cardboard box square
play pots and pans
loaf pans and muffin tins
soup spoons
wood slices
pine cones
rocks
leaves
black permanent marker
black crayon
circle tracers

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The DIY Portable Mud Kitchen

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This portable mud kitchen can be set up anywhere. In the classroom, it allows you to bring in natural materials for early learners to explore in an effortless way.

To put it together, start off by using circle tracers (think food container lids) to draw stove burners on a cardboard box square with a black permanent marker. Color in some of the circles with a black crayon.

Place the stove top drawing on an upside-down milk crate. Or draw stove burners on the bottom of a box.

Set the crate and drawing (or box stove) in a sensory table (sand and water table.)

Add small wire shelves (available at dollar stores).

Collect old pots, pans, muffin tins, and serving bowls and place them in the table. Include serving spoons.

Sprinkle in rocks, wood slices, pine cones, and leaves in a variety of colors. Invite little learners to explore the center.

It’s that simple!

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More Mud Kitchen Play

This setup can be taken outside and arranged on the ground or on a bench. Load all the supplies in the crate for easy transport.

A metal bowl “sink”, a pitcher of water, tea cups, whisks, potato mashers, and ladles would add interest and sensory opportunities to this center.

An active world tray positioned on the ground works well as a base instead of a sensory table. Or set up the supplies on a tarp.

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Related: Fall Sensory Play

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Flower Stand Dramatic Play Center

September 12, 2022 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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A flower stand dramatic play center can be set up in minutes and will be a colorful, inviting place for your little learners to play. It was this summer’s dramatic play center at my preschool, and absolutely everyone enjoyed it. In addition to making a great spring or summer pretend play area, it’s perfect for Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Supplies To Collect

Dollar stores are an excellent resource for stocking a flower stand pretend play center, as they often have a good selection of artificial flowers at a low price. Keeping an eye out for flower theme supplies on regular shopping runs will lead to discovering interesting accessories to add to the stand.

Here’s what’s in my flower stand:

a variety of artificial flower branches
small decorative garbage cans
flower-themed plates, bowls, and ice cube trays
pool noodles flower slices
flowery gift bags
bulletin board slabs in a flower shape
flower erasers and reusable ice cubes
flower-themed silicone baking molds
plastic vases
watering cans
gardening gloves
play money
flower stand sign
signs with plant quotes

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The Flower Stand Dramatic Play Center

The flower branches are set out in small decorative garbage cans. They look appealing when organized in individual or analogous colors.

Color sorting artificial flowers in a flower stand dramatic play center is a good way to learn about colors.

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There is no harm in setting out the sprigs randomly. Little learners will eagerly rearrange the blooms in ways that suit them.

These artificial flowers can be arranged by color in a flower stand dramatic play center.

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Other supplies are arranged on a shelf and/or table. This user-friendly shelf on casters houses supplies superbly and is perfect for dramatic play centers.

Flower stand accessories are housed perfectly on a shelf with casters.

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Flower-theme silicone baking cups with different colored inserts are great for developing eye-hand coordination and for discussing colors. In this center, they are repurposed as mini-interchangeable puzzles!

Flower-themed layered baking cups make great mini-puzzles for a flower stand dramatic play center

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Flower-shaped pool noodles cut into thin slices make pretend play “cookies.”

Sliced flower-themed pool noodles make great "cookies" for a flower stand dramatic play center.

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Tip: Slice a pool noodle section into one to two-inch wide flower-shaped treats on a cutting board with a sharp kitchen knife.

Succulents, a last-minute find, add variety and texture to the flower choices. Their smaller size makes them easy for little learners to handle and move around. My preschoolers loved them, so I will definitely be adding more over time.

Artificial succulents are just the right size for little hands and add texture and interest to a flower stand dramatic play center.

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A flower stand sign and quotes about blooms add opportunities to engage with print.

A fower-themed sign and quotes add a literacy component to a flower stand dramatic play center,

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Click here to view the Flower Stand Dramatic Play Center as a video.

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Learning Through Play Possibilities

There is a lot of learning through play potential in this flower stand dramatic play center. The center has opportunities for:

discussing job titles such as florist, cashier, and delivery truck driver.
taking turns to be a customer.
recognizing colors of flowers and accessories.
counting supplies and coins, sorting flowers by color, and discussing large and small bouquets.
experiencing and handling beautiful, aesthetically pleasing things.

A flower-themed cardmaking station would be an awesome center to go along with this flower stand. Little learners would be thrilled to make cards for the store.

A card-making center compliments a flower stand dramatic play center.

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And wouldn’t a flower stand be wonderful in bright, warm fall colors? My flower stand is transitioning to an autumn-themed one next week!

Setting up a flower stand in fall colors is a good way to celebrate the autumn season.

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Apple Theme Activities

August 8, 2020 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

Apple themed art, sensory and baking ideas for early learners.

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Apples are a handy educational resource. Whether these fruits are picked from a tree, given by a neighbor, or purchased from a store, they shine in early learning projects. Read on for engaging apple theme activities, and projects inspired by them.

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Apple Toothpick Sculptures

Slice up green, red, and yellow apples into small pieces. Dip the chunks in lemon juice to prevent browning, and pile them on a tray. Add toothpicks.

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Invitation to build an apple chunk and toothpick sculpture. Green, red, and yellow apples are used in this construction challenge.

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Early learners enjoy the challenge of creating a structure with toothpicks and apple pieces. They can work by themselves or collaborate with an adult or child.

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Apple chunk and toothpick sculpture. Yello, green, and red apples are used to make a colorful structure.

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Paint Chip Apple Art

Cut apples, stems, and leaves from green, yellow, and red-themed paint chips. Invite your little learners to glue the shapes to a neutral background using a glue stick. The ombre color schemes in paint chips are so attractive in art.

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Rodin Inspired Painted Apples

Early learners love the opportunity to paint fruits or vegetables. The primary colors used for these crab apples are inspired by an Auguste Rodin painting. Gold glitter sprinkled on top adds glam.

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Apples painted in primary colors and sprinkled with glitter. This art activity is inspired by an apple painting by Auguste Rodin.

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Apple Prints

Slice apples in half in two different ways:

vertically from the stem down
horizontally in the middle of the apple

Children enjoy seeing the star-shaped center of the horizontally cut apples.

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Apple print set up with apple halves, black and metallic tempera paints, and gold glitter.

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Offer tempera paints on trays in traditional or unexpected colors. Ask your little learners to dip apple halves in each paint color and press them on a large piece of sturdy art paper. Featured below are black and metallic gold apple prints, with gold glitter sprinkled on for a finishing touch.

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Black and metallic gold apple prints with gold glitter for the finishing touch.

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Apple Fruit Stand

Keep a lookout for apple-themed play props at Dollar stores and art supply stores. Before long you will have a nice supply of accessories for an apple fruit stand.

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Apple Pie

Use ready-made pie crust dough and apple pie filling to make it easy for your little learners to help bake an apple pie.

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An early learner can easily help make this apple pie. It is made with a premade pie crust and apple pie filling.

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Bird And Apple Small World

Apples aren’t only tasty food for people. Many animals, including birds, love them too. This small world is an invitation for early learners to play with rocks, logs, leaves, apples, and bird figurines.

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Small world with apples, bird figurines, tree blocks, rocks, and leaves.

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There are so many apple theme activities available to choose from. And because they are plentiful in fall, they are a popular topic to introduce at the beginning of a new school term. For more apple exploration ideas, check my Pinterest board “Apple Activities For Kids.”

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What is your favorite apple activity? Share in a comment below.

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More Apple Activities

Watercolor Apples With Markers

Apple Print Activities

Apple Playdough Tray

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