The Big Orange Splot by Daniel Manus Pinkwater is a wonderful book about a neighborhood where all the houses are the same. A bird flies by and drops orange paint on one man's home, creating a 'splot' on his roof which becomes offensive to the neighbors. He ends up being inspired by the 'splot' to make the house look like the home of his dreams. One by one, he convinces the … [Read more...]
Archives for 2015
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle Costume Theme
It is fun picking out themes and making costumes for Halloween. It all started two years ago with Little Bo Peep and her sheep followed by the Hey Diddle Diddle nursery rhyme last year. Before that, they were ducks and then raccoons. Since they have always loved The Very Hungry Caterpillar it was the perfect … [Read more...]
Detective Pretend Play
There is something about mysteries that capture the imagination. Our kids get super excited about mysteries. So, I decided to tie into that with a pretend play detective box. This would work well in a classroom pretend play area with a few duplicate items. *This post contains affiliate links. Read … [Read more...]
Making Shapes With Our Bodies-Group Activity
It is really fun for kids to make shapes and letters using their bodies. It teaches them cooperation and is great for visual spatial skills. This activity can be done at any age. I remember doing it in high school and college acting classes as a silent group cooperation activity. Younger children may need verbal cues and … [Read more...]
Learning About Trees in the Forest: Coniferous and Deciduous
The forest is beautiful and awe inspiring. We noticed that our four kids appreciate the beauty as much as we do. We decided to take the appreciation a step further and turn it into a science lesson. Luckily, Grandpa, a retired college science professor, was on hand to teach them the differences between coniferous and deciduous trees. This … [Read more...]