Putting The Pretty In Preschool

Finding Beauty In Everyday Early Childhood Experiences

musical instruments

New Year’s Rice Bin

by Leave a Comment

_______

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.

_______

Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

_______

Supplies In The Bin

_______

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

_______

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.

_______

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.

_______

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!

_______

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

_______

[Read more…] about New Year’s Rice Bin

Octopus Christmas Craft

by Leave a Comment

_______

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.

_______

Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

_______

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

_______

Making the Octopus Christmas Craft

_______

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.

_______

Octopus Craft PrintableDownload

This printable is for individual or one classroom use only.

_______

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.

_______

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

_______

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.

_______

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

_______

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.  

_______

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.

_______

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

_______

[Read more…] about Octopus Christmas Craft

Valentine’s Day Treasure Blocks

by Leave a Comment

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

_______

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.

_______

Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

_______

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

_______

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.

_______

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.

_______

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.”

_______

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.

_______

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.

_______

_______

[Read more…] about Valentine’s Day Treasure Blocks

Paper Plate Ocean Drum

by Leave a Comment

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

_______

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.

_______

Follow me on Pinterest for more ideas.

_______

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

_______

Making The Paper Plate Ocean Drum

Steps to create a personalized paper plate ocean drum.

_______

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.

_______

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.

_______

[Read more…] about Paper Plate Ocean Drum

Ice Drum Musical Instruments

by Leave a Comment

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

_______

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.

_______

Supplies To Collect

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

_______

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.

________

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

_______

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.

_______

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

_______

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.

_______

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

_______

[Read more…] about Ice Drum Musical Instruments

Valentine’s Day Musical Instruments

by Leave a Comment

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

_______

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.

_______

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.

_______

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

_______

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.

_______

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

_______

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.

_______

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.

_______

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.

_______

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.

_______

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.

_______

Related: Rubber Band Paint Box Musical Instrument

_______

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

_______

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

_______

[Read more…] about Valentine’s Day Musical Instruments