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Creative Ideas & Articles
WINTER CRAFT AND ACTIVITY IDEAS WITH THE DIE CUTTER
We presently have Winter die cut packages for sale for $20.00. They contain over 200 pieces and include: snowmen, snowflakes, igloos, hearts, shamrocks, polar bears, penguins, winter tree…and of course a hand-out with ideas, songs, poems and rhymes.
Here are some of the ideas in the hand-out:
Mittens – Check out November/December 07 newsletter for 2 pages of ideas. *
Hearts – Check out Jan/Feb 08 newsletter for 2 pages of ideas. Many of these ideas can also be used with Shamrocks.*
*Don’t have these issues – come into the office on a Wed., night and you can photocopy them – or send us a stamped, self-addressed envelope with a note requesting these articles.
Bare winter tree. Using seasonal cutouts (snowflakes, hearts, shamrocks…) print each child’s name on one. Everyday at the beginning of circle time each child takes a turn at finding his or her name and putting it on the tree. This can lead into a discussion of the different seasons and holidays.
Realistic Snowflakes:
1. Paint precut snowflakes with a thick mixture of Epsom salt and water.
2. Snowflake designs: Need: Black or dark blue paper, cotton balls, white paint. Directions: Lay a snowflake on top of a black or dark blue piece of construction paper. Dip a cotton ball in white paint and "dab" all over the snowflake with the paint. The paint will go through the spaces in the snowflake and onto the paper. Then, remove the snowflake. There will be a beautiful snowflake painted onto the paper.
Igloos: Have children draw and colour winter scenes – using die cuts if desired (igloo, snowman…). Then have them paint over the entire picture with a mixture of (Adult Part!!) 16 ounces Epsom salts dissolved in 4 ounces of very hot water. As the picture dries, frosty crystals will appear.
Penguin art – Glue the penguin onto white paper (omit the stomach and face piece that should be white). Draw in beak and colour feet.
Activities/Games:
Hoola Hoop Igloos – Tell the children that the hoola hoop is an igloo. Have them run around it, crawl through it, jump up and down in it…
Igloo Puzzle – Paste the igloo onto cardboard or place on sticky back fun foam. Cut into pieces – size will depend on ages of your children.
Ice Flow math – with 5 white paper plates turned upside down – place a number on each (1 – 5). Children place the corresponding number of polar bears on the ice flow. (Or use white paper or light blue paper cut jaggedly for the ice flow; or better yet – jagged pieces of Styrofoam – provided your children won’t eat it).
Polar Bear/Penguin Hide and Seek – Laminate a polar bear or penguin. Hide in the room. Ask the children to find it – let them know when they are “warm” or “cold” if they need help. When it is found all children (except finder) close their eyes and the finder gets to hide it.
Fishing in the ice: Let the children make polar bear or penguin head bands and pretend to fish in the ice. Place a white sheet on the floor. Cut out fish and attach a paper clip to them. Place them over the sheet. Attach a string and magnet to a stick or wooden spoon – voila – a fishing rod. Or place Styrofoam or fun foam fish in water and set outside until a thin layer of ice forms on top. Let the children wear their polar bear or penguin head bands and go fishing.
References
http://stepbystepcc.com/arctic5.html
http://www.fastq.com/~jbpratt/education/theme/biomes/polar.html
http://www.hummingbirded.com
http://www.preschoolrainbow.org/preschool-winter.htm
http://www.kidssoup.com
For your Winter package and hand-out, please call the office to arrange pick up. If you live in Orleans, Barrhaven or Stittsville we can arrange pick up from a staff member’s mailbox.
VALENTINE'S FUN! by Laura Laforest
Art Activities
*Provide red, pink and white construction paper, glitter, glue, stickers, doilies, ribbon and markers out for the children to design their own Valentine's. Write down the messages they want on the cards.
*Encourage the children to sponge paint heart designs on paper. Provide red and pink paint. Count with the children the number of hearts placed on their page.
*Encourage the children to make a variety of hearts using materials of their choice: tempera paints, crayons, wallpaper scraps, construction paper and/or markers.
*Have the children mix red and white paint to make their own pink paint.
*Provide many heart shapes in a variety of sizes and colours for the children to glue onto paper or doilies.
*Provide the children with hearts, stickers, glitter, ribbon, etc to make their own Valentine's bags.
*Give the children doilies and glitter and let them have a ball!
Cognitive Ideas
*Provide hearts of various sizes and shapes and have the children sort them by colour and size.
*Give each child 10-15 heart candies or Valentine's M&M's and a piece of paper divided into as many sections as there are colours of candies. Colour in a heart matching the colour of the candies for the children to graph the candies according to colour.
*Have a pile of hearts or a jarful and have the children guess how many there are.
*Provide candy hearts and an empty egg carton. Write the numbers 1-12 in the bottom of the cups and have the children place the appropriate number of hearts into the cup.
*Make patterns using different colours of beads.
*Assist the children in delivering Valentine's to their daycare friends. Assist the children in identifying the names on the bags.
Dramatic Play Ideas
*Place old Valentine's with envelopes for the children's us.
*Provide red clothes, shoes, etc. for them to dress up in.
Fine Motor Activities
*Assist the children in making their own necklaces, using macaroni dyed red, pink and white or with felt hearts.
*Have heart shapes drawn on paper for the children to cut out, trace or just colour.
*Provide large heart cutouts and lace. Encourage the children to glue the lace around the outer edge of the heart.
*Encourage the children to pick up candy hearts using tweezers.
Gross Motor Activities
*Place hearts or Valentine's all over the room and have a Valentine hunt.
*Toss heart shaped bean bag into box.
*Encourage children to hop, skip, jump or tiptoe on a line of hearts or a heart shape taped onto the floor or chalked onto the driveway.
Group Activities
*Have children take turns giving out their Valentine's to their daycare friends.
*Place the game "I Took My Friend A Valentine". Children sit in a circle while one child carries a Valentine around the outside of the circle, then stops to place the Valentine behind a friend. That friend then becomes the carrier.
Science Activities
*Mix red and white paint to make pink or red food colouring and white frosting to make pink frosting. Then eat!
*Discuss the heart. What it does in our bodies, where it is, etc.
*Place red, blue, or green colouring, water and a tablespoon of vinegar into individual bowls. Provide the children with multiple strips of cloth cut from old sheets or rags that are white, yellow or brown. Have the children predict what colour each strip will turn when dipped into each colour.
Homemade Infant and Toddler Toys – by Stacey MacKay
Homemade toys are an inexpensive way to add stimulation to your daycare environment. It’s also a great way to give new life to some of your old things. So here are a few ideas to get you inspired.
Blocks – For nice wooden blocks that are cheap, take some scrap wood and cut it into different shapes. Make sure that you sand them well and that they are too big to fit down a toilet paper roll. If they can, they are too small and could be a choking hazard. You can paint them if you want with non-toxic paint or finish. You can get scrap wood from homebuilders, a high school shop class, or ask if any of your daycare parents have some.
Another way to make blocks is by saving milk cartons. Wash them very well, unfold the top, and then fold the top down flat. Use clear packing tape to secure it. You can leave them empty or stuff them with a few bells, beads, or buttons – anything that would make a bit of noise. Just make sure you tape them very well. For an added twist you can even use different sizes of milk cartons.
Balls/beanbags – Take clean old socks or if you can sew, make beanbags out of different textured material (old jeans, cords, fleece, etc). Next, stuff your socks or beanbags with different things such as tissue paper, rice, lentils or beans, cotton batting with or without some bells in the middle, ect. For added safety, you may want to put your filling in a plastic baggie first and then into your ball. Then sew your bag or sock shut. If you don’t sew you can just knot the sock.
Can Games – Take a clean coffee can and cut a hole in the lid large enough that the children won’t scratch their hands on it when trying to reach in. For safety from the sharp edge, glue the lid to the can. Then take clothespins, balls, or other objects and have the child drop them in the can. You can paint the clothespins or draw numbers on them for some added educational fun. Infants also enjoy pulling things out of the can. Try stuffing it with scarves. If a coffee can seems too big, try using a Kleenex box or a smaller can like hot chocolate.
Resources:
http://baby.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Homemade_Infant_Toys
http://www.robynsnest.com/homemade.htm#Oatmealcan
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