Dr. Seuss is great at any age!
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Getting Ready for Math - Alike/Different
As children begin to work on their math skills many parents are eager to just teach them to count. Counting is a skill we all need but it is not necessarily the best place to start with our math skills.
The earliest math skills will begin with the concept of alike and different. Show your child two identical cups. Ask her how they are alike (size, shape, color, etc.)
Now show your child a cup and a mug. Discuss how they are alike and how they are different. For example, they may be the same color and size, they both hold liquids but the shape is different. During your daily activities there are many times to see the likeness and difference of items.
Set two oranges and one apple on a table. Ask your child if the items are alike. Which one is different? Why is it different? What makes it different from the other two items? Why doesn't this item belong with the other two items?
Go through your house and take pictures of 5-7 items, like the toy box, the kitchen table, the refrigerator, the sofa, the bed and a chair. Now set up the game. Set the toy box picture to the side, go to the toy box though and lay the picture of the kitchen table on the toy box, now go to the kitchen table and lay the picture of the refrigerator on the kitchen table, etc. To start the game, explain to the child that he will need to look for the exact same item in person as is in the picture. Give her the picture of the toy box, when she finds the toy box she will find the picture of the kitchen table and keep going this way until he gets to the last item (a chair) where she finds a book that you can sit down together and read.
These type of scavenger hunts are perfect for the 2-4 year old set. It teaches them to look closely at items and gives them independence to complete the task. The end result is that they are awarded with private time to read a book with you and they are learning math skills.
The earliest math skills will begin with the concept of alike and different. Show your child two identical cups. Ask her how they are alike (size, shape, color, etc.)
Now show your child a cup and a mug. Discuss how they are alike and how they are different. For example, they may be the same color and size, they both hold liquids but the shape is different. During your daily activities there are many times to see the likeness and difference of items.
Set two oranges and one apple on a table. Ask your child if the items are alike. Which one is different? Why is it different? What makes it different from the other two items? Why doesn't this item belong with the other two items?
Go through your house and take pictures of 5-7 items, like the toy box, the kitchen table, the refrigerator, the sofa, the bed and a chair. Now set up the game. Set the toy box picture to the side, go to the toy box though and lay the picture of the kitchen table on the toy box, now go to the kitchen table and lay the picture of the refrigerator on the kitchen table, etc. To start the game, explain to the child that he will need to look for the exact same item in person as is in the picture. Give her the picture of the toy box, when she finds the toy box she will find the picture of the kitchen table and keep going this way until he gets to the last item (a chair) where she finds a book that you can sit down together and read.
These type of scavenger hunts are perfect for the 2-4 year old set. It teaches them to look closely at items and gives them independence to complete the task. The end result is that they are awarded with private time to read a book with you and they are learning math skills.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Monday Meanderings - Spring
Spring is in the air so I thought this would be a great time to list some Spring fun and activities for everyone. Hope you can find something fun and valuable in these plans.
My Mommy Makes It has a great tutorial on making a window greenhouse for the kids. She shows a couple of different types.
Busy Bee Kids Crafts has a very cute 3D caterpillar project using craft supplies that most people always have on hand.
Lastly, The Mama Dramalogues has a cute bug catcher for the kids to make. Every kid likes to catch bugs but the Mamas do not want the critters crawling all over the house!
My Mommy Makes It has a great tutorial on making a window greenhouse for the kids. She shows a couple of different types.
Friday, March 18, 2011
Animal Tracks
Take some time this weekend and get outside with the kids. Teach them about the local wildlife in your area. Even if you just go to a local park there are probably going to be some animals that have left tracks. Below are some great links for animal track information. Find the animals in your area and see if you can find tracks for them.
If your kids are very young start with the basic art of making prints at home. Give them some paper, crayons, markers, paint, stamp pads and play dough. The kids can trace their hand and foot prints, make fingerprints with the paint or stamp pads. Make a round disc with the play dough and make an impression of their own hands and/or feet. Once they understand about their own hand and foot prints, hand them some small plastic animals and let them make impressions of the toy's feet in the play dough and look at it. You can also see our blog post of September 3, 2010 where we showed how to make homemade fossils.
Next, head outdoors to find some real animal tracks. If you find some good tracks in the mud or sand you can even make a cast of the impressions. To make plaster casts you will need: Plaster of Paris (inexpensive at home supply stores), bottle of water, plastic spoon and bowl, paper towels, small trowel and a bag to carry your supplies in. Once you find a suitable track, pour about 1/2 cup Plaster of Paris in the bowl and add enough water to make it pourable but not too runny. Use your spoon to mix it up. Once it is mixed, tap the sides of the bowl to get the air bubbles out. Next you will want to spoon the mixture into the impression and let it set up for about 30 minutes. Next, use a small trowel to dig under and around the impression. Take it home and allow it to dry overnight. The next day you can brush off the dirt or sand. To get a really good look at it, the kids may prefer to paint the impression. The paint will go into the little lines and really bring out the details of the impression.
Next, I looked around online and found some great animal track pictures at Bear Tracker's Animal Tracks Den. Above is a picture of the front and hind feet of a gray squirrel. You can just pick the type of animal and the animal's name and she shows you the tracks. This is a great resource to use to print out the tracks and compare them to any you may see near your home.
If your kids are very young start with the basic art of making prints at home. Give them some paper, crayons, markers, paint, stamp pads and play dough. The kids can trace their hand and foot prints, make fingerprints with the paint or stamp pads. Make a round disc with the play dough and make an impression of their own hands and/or feet. Once they understand about their own hand and foot prints, hand them some small plastic animals and let them make impressions of the toy's feet in the play dough and look at it. You can also see our blog post of September 3, 2010 where we showed how to make homemade fossils.
The photo above is a dinosaur footprint, you will not find these but it is a good picture to show the kids.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Saint Patrick's Day
How do you celebrate Saint Patrick's Day? Historically it is a holiday from Ireland when Saint Patrick went back to Ireland.
Saint Patrick's Day Facts:
The history of the shamrock and Saint Patrick's Day relates back to Saint Patrick using the shamrock, a three leaved plant, to explain the holy trinity.
Saint Patrick's Day was originally a Catholic holiday but has gradually become a secular holiday to celebrate Irish heritage.
The color originally associated with Saint Patrick was blue but in the rebellion of 1798, Irish soldiers wore full green uniforms on March 17th to call public attention to their political statement.
Some of the ways Saint Patrick's Day is celebrated in the US:
The White House has dyed the fountain water on the North Lawn green.
Chicago dyes the river green and has done so since 1962. Originally they used over 100 lbs of vegetable dye and the river was green for a week, they currently use about 40 lbs of dye and it lasts for several hours.
Happy Saint Patrick's Day!
Saint Patrick's Day Facts:
The history of the shamrock and Saint Patrick's Day relates back to Saint Patrick using the shamrock, a three leaved plant, to explain the holy trinity.
Saint Patrick's Day was originally a Catholic holiday but has gradually become a secular holiday to celebrate Irish heritage.
The color originally associated with Saint Patrick was blue but in the rebellion of 1798, Irish soldiers wore full green uniforms on March 17th to call public attention to their political statement.
Some of the ways Saint Patrick's Day is celebrated in the US:
Happy Saint Patrick's Day!
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Wordless Wednesday - Who, me?
How could you possibly think I could ever do anything wrong? Do you not see my sweet face?
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