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tablescapes

St. Patrick’s Day Tablescape

March 16, 2022 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

This St. Patrick's Day tablescape is filled with green and gold loose parts, perfect for encouraging imaginative play.
This St. Patrick's Day tablescape is filled with green and gold loose parts, perfect for encouraging imaginative play.

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My preschoolers love loose parts. One of the places they especially enjoy using them is in the play kitchen. Lately, unless loose parts are added to the center, they aren’t too impressed. And so for the first few weeks of March. I set up this St. Patrick’s Day tablescape.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Supplies To Collect

Set up this inviting St. Patrick's Day tablescape that is filled with green and gold loose parts to spark creative, imaginative play.

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Here are table décor and loose parts to gather for an eye-popping St. Pat’s tablescape. You can go all out in adding accessories or just choose a few items.

  • shamrock-themed plates, cups, napkins, and serving tray
  • green bowls, serving utensils, and ice cube tray
  • orange, green, and yellow cutlery
  • plastic shamrock “coasters”
  • yellow, green, and orange fruit and vegetable play food
  • felt “cookies and pretzels”
  • green buttons, bottlecaps, eggs, and marbles
  • leprechaun hat, rainbow, and shamrock erasers
  • green beads and bead strips cut from garland
  • yellow and green pom poms
  • gold and green coins
  • light up green teddy bear
  • St. Patrick’s Day necklaces and bracelets
  • metallic shamrock table scatter
  • white and green carnations in a plastic jar vase
  • green or orange plastic tablecloth

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The St. Patrick’s Day Tablescape

Arrange the table décor and loose parts on toy shelves and in play kitchen appliances. There will be many inviting pieces for early learners to explore and use.

Set up this cheery St. Patrick's Day tablescape that is filled with green and gold loose parts and plenty of shamrocks.

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The tablescape above is mostly done in shades of green with a little bit of gold. In the set-up below, an orange tablecloth and green, yellow, and orange produce add color to the play center.

Set up this inviting St. Patrick's Day tablescape that is filled with green, yellow, and orange loose parts to spark creative, imaginative play.

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Including a variety of loose parts allows children to use their imagination in dramatic play. Garland strips become green noodles, marbles transform into pickles, and pot of gold erasers are served as popcorn. Other pieces are used to make cake batter for a triple-layer cake. This serves up a whole lotta fun!

As said earlier, it is okay to set out just a few of the above supplies. They will add interest to dramatic play activities, and help your early learners join in on celebrating St. Patrick’s Day.

Set up this cheery St. Patrick's Day tablescape that is filled with green, yellow, and orange loose parts and plenty of shamrocks.

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Related: St. Patrick’s Day Store

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[Read more…] about St. Patrick’s Day Tablescape

Filed Under: dramatic play, preschool, sensory, St. Patrick's Day Tagged With: loose parts, pretend play, sensory play, shamrocks, tablescapes

Kids’ Winter Wonderland Tablescape

January 25, 2022 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

A sparkly, kids' Winter Wonderland tablescape with snowman, snowflake, and snowball accessories for little learners to explore.
A sparkly, kids' Winter Wonderland tablescape with snowman, snowflake, and snowball accessories for little learners to explore.

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Catching fluttery snowflakes on mittens, building a humungous snowman, and having a splattering snowball fight are all activities little learners gleefully participate in outside. This inviting kids’ winter wonderland tablescape takes snowflake, snowmen, and snowball activities indoors for further snow-themed exploration.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Kids’ Winter Wonderland Tablescape Supplies

Let your little learners explore a sparkly Winter Wonderland tablescape with snowmen, snowflake, and snowball accessories.

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For this cozy pretend play setup, I feature snowmen, snowball, and snowflake accessories from the supplies I have available. Craft bits and other loose parts feature prominently in the resulting collection.

Items in the winter tablescape:

  • snowman-themed tablecloth, dinner plates, cups, baking dish, oven mitts, cookie tin, and bottle
  • snowflake erasers
  • foam snowflakes
  • snowflakes cut from garland
  • blue and clear gem snowflakes
  • snowflake serving utensils, cupcake liners, and tin
  • large and small styrofoam balls
  • round winter-themed gems
  • cookie sheet
  • muffin tin
  • plastic forks and spoons
  • play food buns
  • Winter Wonderland sign

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Setting Up The Tablescape

Changing up the decor in our play kitchen is one of my favorite things to do. And little learners always eagerly dive into each new setup.

When it's cold and chilly outside little learners can explore snowmen, snowflakes, and snowballs indoors in a Winter Wonderland play tablescape.

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For this kids’ winter wonderland tablescape, a fabric snowman-themed tablecloth is a base.

The buns are the only real play food on the table.

A variety of loose parts add a dose of glam, and little learners can imagine them to be any number of foods. For instance, the foam snowflakes make good cookies to bake in the play oven. The large foam craft balls can be reimagined as snowball cookies.

A sparkly, kids' Winter Wonderland play tablescape with snowman, snowflake, and snowball decor for little learners to explore.

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And the smaller loose parts displayed in the snowman baking tin and scattered around the table could be candy.

A sparkly, kids' Winter Wonderland pretend play setup with snowman, snowflake, and snowball play kitchen decor for little learners to explore.

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A polar animal theme would work fabulously for winter pretend play too. Here’s a super fun penguin-themed tablescape by birdsparty.com.

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Related: Chinese New Year Tablescape Play Invitation

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[Read more…] about Kids’ Winter Wonderland Tablescape

Filed Under: dramatic play, preschool, pretend play, winter Tagged With: loose parts, pretend play, snowflakes, snowmen, tablescapes

Chinese New Year Tablescape Play

January 20, 2022 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

Little learners will love to explore this Chinese New Year tablescape set up filled with Asian artifacts and red and gold loose parts.

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This Chinese New Year tablescape play invitation features Asian artifacts and decorations. Little learners will love exploring the unique items on the table, learning about Asian culture along the way.

Chinese New Year, also called the Lunar New Year or Spring Festival, is an important celebration held in late January or early February in China. Many other East Asian countries, as well as Chinese people around the world, celebrate the holiday too.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more ideas.

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Chinese New Year Tablescape Supplies

A Chinese New Year tablescape filled with Asian artifacts and red and gold loose parts for little learners to explore.

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Here are the Asian-themed supplies featured in the tablescape:

  • wicker decorations and hat
  • gold serving bowl
  • chopsticks
  • red bowls
  • gold glitter cups
  • tiny cups with calligraphy
  • candy decorations
  • fish ornament
  • play food fish
  • gold garland “noodles”
  • game chip “play food”
  • tin ornament candies
  • coin purse
  • money envelopes
  • small tins
  • vase with artificial cherry blossom branch
  • gold coins
  • lion string puppet
  • fabric ornaments with tassels
  • plaque with Chinese calligraphy
  • red tablecloth

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Tablescape Play Invitation

A Chinese New Year tablescape filled with Asian artifacts and red and gold loose parts for little learners to explore.

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In setting up the dinner table play invitation, I use artifacts collected long ago, supplies available in stores around Chinese New Year, and red and gold loose parts.

Bowls and chopsticks are important pieces, as they are commonly found in Asian tableware. Fish is a traditional New Year’s dish and is equated with an increase in prosperity. The gold garland strips represent longevity noodles: long, uncut noodles that symbolize a long life. A coin purse and money envelopes are ready for coins to be added. And a lion string puppet is poised for the lion dance.

Little learners will love to explore this Chinese New Year tablescape set up filled with Asian artifacts and red and gold loose parts.

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More Chinese New Year Play Inspiration

This tablescape play invitation is bound to engage little learners. For more Chinese New Year play ideas or to host a vibrant party, view the blog post “How To Throw A Stellar Lunar New Year Party” by So Fort Worth It. The post showcases a host of decorating and activity ideas that can be adapted for little learners.

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Related: Chinese New Year Money Tree Activities

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[Read more…] about Chinese New Year Tablescape Play

Filed Under: Chinese New Year, dramatic play, New Year's, party, preschool, pretend play Tagged With: loose parts, tablescapes

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Hi, I'm Annette Kaminsky. I am a preschool teacher who loves to share easy and fun early learning activities. Thanks for visiting my blog. Feel free to stay awhile!

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I may have been a little obsessed with leprechauns I may have been a little obsessed with leprechauns the past few weeks. This one’s having a hard time hiding in this St. Patrick’sDay light table tray. Details for the bin are on the blog…click the link in profile to get to it. Happy St. Patrick’s Day! ☘️☘️☘️

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Dragon necklace craft my preschoolers will do this Dragon necklace craft my preschoolers will do this coming week. We meant to fit it in earlier in the month, but time got away on us. I’m 100% sure they will enjoy making and wearing the craft anyways. Instructions and free template are on the blog. Link in profile leads to the post. 

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Chinese New Year chickpea bin. 2022 will be the “Year Of The Tiger.” Link in profile leads to the blogpost about how to put together this sensory bin. 

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Embrace the “winter blues” with these winter-t Embrace the “winter blues” with these winter-themed treasure blocks. Link in profile leads to a blogpost about these see through fillable blocks. ❄️❄️❄️⛄️❄️❄️❄️☃️❄️❄️❄️☃️❄️❄️❄️☃️❄️❄️❄️☃️❄️❄️❄️

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Easy and fun winter playdough. Link in profile for Easy and fun winter playdough. Link in profile for the recipe. ❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️

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