Putting The Pretty In Preschool

Finding Beauty In Everyday Early Childhood Experiences

sensory tray

Christmas Village Tuff Tray

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An inviting, snowy pioneer Christmas village tuff tray filled with people participating in outdoor winter activities.

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This Christmas Village tuff tray is filled with people figurines participating in outdoor activities. It’s the perfect winter play invitation to include in holiday celebrations.

A tuff tray is a sturdy, portable tray that can be used on a table, on the floor, or outside on the ground. Although it stores easily, it can also be set on a stand. I recently purchased a tuff tray online at Education Station, and love using it for this snowy activity.

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Supplies To Collect

A winter-themed pioneer village tuff tray filled with people participating in outdoor winter activities during the Christmas season.

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For the holiday tuff tray set up, gather the following:

  • wooden train tracks and train
  • wooden vehicles
  • silver and white placemats
  • tin foil disposable lid
  • snowflake window cling sheet
  • gem snowflakes
  • Christmas village-themed gift boxes
  • winter-themed people and animal figurines
  • miniature village signpost, mailbox, light post, fence, bench, and tree props

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Setting Up The Christmas Village Tuff Tray

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Place a large, round silver placemat in the center of the tray to represent a skating rink. Or add a circle cut from tin foil.

Lay wooden train tracks around the circular placemat.

Set in another snowy or icy area by trimming a white or silver rectangular placemat into a curved shape.

Add a round tin foil or white cardstock disposable container lid to suggest a third outdoor play space.

Then arrange the gift box buildings around the edge of the tray. These can easily be found at a dollar store.

Cut out large window cling snowflakes, leaving the backs on. Set them in open areas in the tray.

Next, put winter-themed people figurines and miniature village props on and around the “snow” and “ice.”

Generously sprinkle in gem snowflakes.

Finally, set a wooden train on the track. Or add community helper vehicles.

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Your little learners will be excited to investigate this Christmas Village tuff tray. If some of the figurines and props you choose to use are breakable, they need to be used carefully by little ones. The holiday play invitation must be supervised by an adult at all times!

This tuff tray setup is non-messy, so can easily be added to a session where there are ample other activity choices.

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Spider Theme Activities

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Spider theme activities little learners will love. Art, Math, dramatic play, and gymnasium play ideas are featured.

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For years I have been collecting supplies for spider theme activities. And fall is the best time to add to the theme, as spider décor and toys are everywhere in stores.

But I’ve been hesitant to do a whole theme about these little crawlers. That might involve just too many spiders for some children’s comfort!

This fall I decided to introduce just a few spidery things in the classroom, and touch on the theme a little more than usual. I added spider activities sequentially over a two-week period. It didn’t hurt that a family on the route to preschool positioned a humungous spider on top of their home, with a web that extended from rooftop to ground. I’m sure this helped break the topic in!

An oversized spider decoration.

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Here are some spider theme activities we completed. They would work well for the children in your life too.

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Spider Mask

Easily transform into a spider with this easy papercraft mask.

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First, we decorated a spider mask. I used a wooden puppet as a template and traced it on pieces of black cardstock. I cut out enough spider masks for each child to have one and then glued on little orange hats. Each preschooler glammed up a mask with sticker gems. Afterward, I punched holes on each side of the masks and attached 18-inch pieces of thin elastic cord. The activity went over well, and children were happy to pose for pictures wearing their masks.

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Spidery Dramatic Play

Oh so fun spider-themed accessories for the play kitchen.

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Next, I added a few spider décor pieces to a pumpkin store and play kitchen. The items were a hit with everyone, and both centers were popular play areas for the children.

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Spiders and Spouts Sensory Tray

An Itsy Bitsy Spider inspired construction and sensory tray little learners will love.

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The following week I added a “Spiders And Spouts” sensory tray, inspired by the Itsy Bitsy Spider sensory tub blog post by Rubber Boots And Elf Shoes.

For the tray, I selected tubes from a sports net, a musical instrument set, a marble run toy, and a construction set. I added paper webs, spiders in many sizes, and bug viewers.

We followed up the sensory play with Itsy Bitsy Spider nursery rhyme picture books. Some favorites were:

  • The Itsy Bitsy Spider by Joe Rhatigan
  • Pete The Cat And The Itsy Bitsy Spider by James Dean
  • The Eensy-Weensy Spider by Mary Ann Hoberman

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Other Good Spider Books

We also squeezed in the storybooks “Aranea: A Story About A Spider” by Jenny Wagner, and “The Very Busy Spider” by Eric Carle.

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Spider Math Tray

Once the children thoroughly explored the spiders and spouts tray, it was turned into a Math center where students could roll a dice and put the correct number of spiders on a paper web. They could also add in tiny ants as prey.

Bring on the math with spiders and dice counting game.

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Spider Web Printable

Feel free to download this printable for use in a sensory or math center.

Downloadable spider web printable for math, sensory, and art activities.

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Spider Web PrintableDownload

This printable is for personal or one classroom use only.

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Gross Motor Activities

Finally, we had spoon races with spiders, and used bouncy spider balls in our gymnasium. Playing with the bouncy balls was definitely the favorite activity of the children.

Easy to play spider and spoon game.

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Spider balls to get little learners moving.

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Throughout the spider theme, I stressed that all the spiders in the classroom were “play spiders” and “spider pets.” I assured the children that we would continue to rescue real spiders and set them outside.

All in all, the preschoolers embraced the spider theme activities and were not intimidated. As the theme wound down, two little girls insisted that some play spiders should be companions for sleeping baby dolls!

More spidery activities are featured in the blog post: World Book Day Theme: Just Itzy

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Related:

Green Huntsman Spider Facts and Activities

Ladybug Wand Craft

Spin Painting Butterflies

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Green Huntsman Spider Activities

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Get to know the webless green huntsman spider through crafts and sensory play activities. Free printable included.

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Do all spiders spin webs? And are they all black and brown? Well, the Green Huntsman Spider doesn’t fit this typical mold at all. But its unique look and habits are fascinating and can be readily explored by early learners in spider activities involving sensory and art.

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10 Green Huntsman Spider Facts

  1. Indigenous to northern and central parts of Europe, green huntsman spiders live in forest edges and damp woodlands.
  2. A clutch of green huntsman spider eggs is protected in a few leaves stitched together.
  3. 40 – 50 spiderlings hatch in about four weeks after the eggs are laid.
  4. The tiny spiderlings are yellowish-brown, and turn green in 18 months.
  5. Eight eyes arranged in an oval shape help green huntsman spiders see.
  6. These showy spiders eat small insects and other invertebrates.
  7. To catch their food, they wait for their prey to come by, and then pounce on it!
  8. Predators of this unique spider are geckoes, birds, wasps, flies, and nematode worms.
  9. The green spiders are camouflaged against leaves, so predators and prey cannot see them.
  10. Green huntsman spiders can live up to two years in age.
An oh-so-green spider sensory tray featuring green huntsman spiders.

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Spider Activities

Green Huntsman Spider Sensory Tray

Gather the following supplies for a spidery sensory tray with no web required.

  • green spider
  • green spider cupcake toppers
  • tiny black spiders
  • green leaves
  • small logs
  • wood slices
  • rocks
  • green marbles
  • spinach noodles
  • metal tray or plastic tub
  • gold acrylic paint
Loose parts to collect for a green huntsman spider sensory tray.

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Break up spinach noodles into small pieces and spread out on the bottom of the tray or tub. Add leaves, logs, wood slices, and rocks. Pick a spot to set the marble “eggs.” Put in the green spider and/or green spider cupcake toppers. If using cupcake toppers, snap off the toothpicks and make sure there are no sharp edges.

Paint the tiny black spiders with gold acrylic craft paint to represent the spiderlings. The acrylic paint will adhere quickly. When dry, add them to the sensory tray.

Green huntsman spider-inspired sensory tray using spinach noodles as a base.

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Tip: Split peas or shredded green paper can be used instead of spinach noodles for the base.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Playdough Green Huntsman Spider

Sculpt a green huntsman spider with the best playdough recipe.

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Make a batch of your favorite playdough and color it green. A basic playdough recipe with green food coloring added works well for this activity.

Invite your early learner to mold some dough into a squished circle or oval. Then your little one can add eight googly eyes to the dough.

Cut three green pipe cleaners into thirds. Invite your little learner to add eight pipe cleaner legs to the plump spider.

Sculpt a green huntsman spider including it's eight eyes!

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Green Huntsman Spider Craft

Craft a paper green huntsman spider. The spider won't need a web to be displayed!

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Download this template to make a green paper spider. Printing onto cardstock paper works best, but you can also use regular copy paper.

Spider template to cut out and assemble into a green huntsman spider, or to use as a pattern to craft spiders in colors of choice.

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Spider Template PrintableDownload

This printable is for individual or one classroom use only.

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Invite your early learner to cut out all the circles. Then have your little one glue the smaller circles to the large green circle to make a cute face. Help your child glue or tape on pipe cleaner legs.

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Tip: Cutting pipe cleaners into thirds works well for this spider craft.

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Spiders In All Colors

After assembling a green spider, your little learner may have fun creating spiders in other colors. Download the template and use the pieces as a pattern for cutting shapes from cardstock paper shades of choice. Have your early learner cut and assemble the circles into bodies of spiders, and add matching or complementary hued pipe cleaner legs.

Craft cheery spiders in your favorite colors. Grab your free template.

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The spiders could be hung from strings to provide colorful room decorations.

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And finally, you could invite your little one to craft a black and grey spider. Print the above template in black and white. Use black pipe cleaner legs.

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Leprechaun Sensory Play

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Easy to put together leprechaun sensory play trays with St. Patrick's Day loose parts.

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Leprechauns, shamrocks, pots of gold, and the color green are all associated with St. Patrick’s Day. And they make for super fun sensory play…especially the leprechauns! Here are two inexpensive, easy-to-put-together leprechaun sensory play activities.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more ideas.

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Leprechaun Facts

  • Leprechauns are tiny, mischievous, gold-loving characters in Irish folklore.
  • Shoemaking is how leprechauns spend most of their time.
  • These entertaining, energetic, miniature men love to participate in dance parties and expertly play the tin whistle, fiddle, Bodhran, and Irish harp.
  • Underground caves or hollow tree trunks in rural Ireland are where these solitary characters are said to live.
  • Leprechauns love to collect gold and store it in pots in the remote countryside (or at the end of the rainbow.)
  • The speedy tricksters can vanish quickly, so are difficult to capture.
  • But if a leprechaun is caught, he must grant three wishes.
  • Leprechauns are known all over the world.

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Related: St. Patrick’s Day Treasure Blocks

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Leprechaun Sensory Play

Here are two easy to set up leprechaun sensory trays:

Leprechaun Rice Tray

Gold coins, shamrocks, a money pot, and an oh-so tricky leprechaun are the highlights of this rice-based tray.

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Glutinous rice is the base for this tray. I love it because it is super white, and showcases the loose parts. Included are:

  • leprechaun figurine
  • money pot
  • tiny gold coins
  • white, green, and gold beads (because leprechauns like all kinds of treasure)
  • glittery, green hats (to collect any coins or gems that don’t fit into the pot)
  • shamrocks
  • St. Patrick’s Day greeting

The leprechaun is a repurposed plant poke topper. The other loose parts are snipped from inexpensive St. Patrick’s Day necklaces.

Shamrocks, gold coins, a money pot, and an oh-so tricky leprechaun are the highlights of this rice-based tray.

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Shamrock Confetti Tray

Instead of rice, generously sprinkled shamrock confetti with metallic gold pots added in is the base. The tray also includes a leprechaun, money pot, gold coins, beads, hats, and shamrocks.

The leprechaun has plenty of gold to collect in this shamrock confetti-based St. Patrick's Day sensory tray.

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For more facts about leprechauns, view these blogposts:

The Legend Of The Leprechaun (CBC Kids)

Legend Of The Irish Leprechauns (Your Irish Culture)

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There is plenty of gold for the leprechaun to collect in this shamrock confetti-based St. Patrick's Day sensory tray.

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Follow up a leprechaun sensory play session with a scavenger hunt for pots of gold, a leprechaun race, or a game of Hide And Seek.

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Arctic Animal Facts And Sensory Trays

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Arctic animal sensory trays featuring seals, narwhals, and a polar bear and igloo. Luxurious loose parts accent the trays.

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These Arctic animal sensory trays are inspired by a set of polar decorations spotted at a local hardware store. I saw them before Christmas and restrained myself from buying them. It was tough! I didn’t think of them again until just into the New Year, but then I just had to have them. Thankfully, one hardware store in the chain still had a full selection and I was able to buy the decorations for winter displays and sensory play.

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Polar Animal Sensory Tray Loose Parts

A large round tray, silver plastic table mat for water or ice, and the following loose parts work well with arctic animal figurines:

Polar loose part tray inspired by an igloo, seal, and narwhal figurine.

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  • pearl bead garland
  • large pearl beads
  • clear gems in various sizes
  • ice cube gems
  • silver bells
  • silver beads and bead garland
  • blue gems

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Seal and narwhal-inspired loose parts tray.

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Arctic Animal Sensory Trays

The polar decorations featured in these trays are breakable, so should be handled carefully. After discussing and exploring figurines such as these with your early learners, replace them with unbreakable Arctic animal and igloo toys for further learning and play.

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The first two sensory trays showcase seals and narwhals. Here are some facts about these aquatic polar creatures:

Narwhals are small whales nicknamed sea unicorns. Males have a tooth that grows through their lip to form a spiraling ivory tusk. The tusks grow throughout the whales’ lives. Narwhals live in groups in the cold icy waters of the Arctic. They have been overhunted for their sought-after tusks so are hard to spot.

A glittery seal and embellished narwhals are the highlights of this luxurious sensory tray.

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Six kinds of seals live in the Arctic. The seals spend much of their time in the frigid waters on or under the ice.  When the ocean freezes each year, they chew breathing holes through the ice with their teeth. They come up for air every few minutes, trying to avoid predators in the process.

Glittery seals take center stage in this aquatic polar animal sensory tray.

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This next tray features a polar bear, seal, and narwhal.

Polar bears are large, creamy white bears that weigh up to 1100 pounds. They have black noses and eyes and can walk and swim long distances. Polar bears live on ice floes, rocky shores, and islands in the Arctic. Their tiny bear cubs are born in December in dens on land or ice. The cubs live with their mothers for about two years.

Polar bear and seal sensory tray with luxurious loose parts.

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Below is a narwhal, seal, and igloo sensory tray.

Igloos are dome-shaped snow houses that can be large or small. They are made with slanted rectangular blocks of packed snow cut by skilled carvers. In times past, igloos were used as a winter home or temporary hunting shelter. The igloos were super strong and able to withstand fierce winds and polar bear attacks. The snow homes were heated with oil lamps and could get pretty toasty. Furs lined sleeping areas and covered doorways.

Arctic sensory tray featuring a seal and narwhal, and an igloo.

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The penguin below adds a cuteness factor. Penguins live in the Antarctic on the opposite side of the world but are also polar animals.

Polar sensory tray with a penguin, seal, narwhal, and igloo. Luxurious loose parts accent the tray.

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