Making Music with Meeow!

I came across a great series of books by Sabastien Braun.  Meeow is a creative little cat who turns pots and pans into a marching band, a cardboard box into a fire truck, and some chairs into a train.  The words are simple and the illustrations cute and colorful.  Best of all, they set up an irresistible invitation for children to use their imaginations.  

After hearing this book, Teo industriously set about gathering drums of all sorts (as well as a drum stick for each).  I also read the book to my class, and they went on to happily bang on a variety of pans and bowls.  

My little musician also had the great idea of playing a song by stomping on several squeaky dog toys.  I was pretty impressed that he could stomp, sing and strum the guitar at the same time.  Not sure I could manage that!

Small Town with Ice Cream Parlor and Strawberry Tree

 

Because I'm a working mom, I treasure the weekends when Teo and I can do something special together.  That might mean taking the bus to the library, going berry picking, or going to a park.  What he really seems to crave, though, is time at home to just play together.  

 

Last weekend, I surprised him with this little masking tape town.   When he woke up on Sunday morning and saw it, his face reflected wordless delight.  His favorite part was the ice cream shop.  To set this up, I rolled some construction paper cones, fastened with tape to fit the marbles from a Chinese Checkers game. 

The garden was Teo's idea.  He asked me to make seeds, which he planted and watered, and then he waited for them to grow (so of course I made some vegetables).  Oh, and one of the trees is a strawberry tree (wouldn't that be cool?). 

 A note of caution - masking tape can damage some tables. 

Variations: 

Let your imagination run wild.  Many props can be made with construction paper, but you can use other materials, too.  Some dry grass could line the stalls for toy horses if you add a farm.  Small sticks standing upright (just stick them in a little play dough), can be fence posts or tree trunks.  A little water in a bowl could be a pond or swimming pool.  Blocks, carpet remnants, tin foil, yarn . . .  

For more ideas, Anna from The Imagination Tree is a genius at this stuff.  Check out her shaving cream "Park in the Snow" or  moon sand "Seaside." 

What are we learning?

Dramatic Play, Language and Literacy - enhance vocabulary and understanding of many concepts by talking in rich detail while you play with your child.  For example, if you are exploring the garden theme, build on what your child already knows.  Add in new concepts - "edible" "compost" "sprout" "harvest."  Introduce new vegetables.  Talk about the parts of plants.  All this is best when worked naturally into the play dialogue, not offered as a lesson. 

Nature Soup

“If we want children to flourish, to become truly empowered, then let us allow them to love the earth before we ask them to save it.”    -David Sobel, Beyond Ecophobia

This is a simple but rich activity for your child.  Simply head outside, offer a bucket or cooking pot filled with water, and suggest that he make some soup.  If your child is old enough, a pair of scissors can be helpful for cutting plants.  A spoon or ladle and some small bowls for serving will add to the dramatic play.  

When I have done this with my son, he becomes very inward and focused.  I try not to interfere in his process other than to make occasional observations.  "I see some clover over there.  I wonder if that would be good in the soup," or "Wow, you found four different types of grass seed."  Mostly, though, he just wants me to delight in the exquisite taste of his masterpiece when it is finished.  

Variations
Work with your child to create a recipe.  On a large sheet of paper, glue one of each of the items that your child puts in the soup.  Write the number of the quantity your child decides the soup needs next to each item.  

Or, as Childhood 101 suggests, offer scavenger hunt challenges: 
Can you find something small and yellow?  Something prickly?  etc.

What are we learning?
Connection with Nature, Dramatic Play, Language and Literacy (names of nature items, recipe writing), Early Math (recipe writing), Problem Solving (scavenger hunt), Fine Motor Skills (using scissors, serving with a ladle)

Muffin Tin Prints

I originally saw this idea on The Imagination Tree, and it's become one of my favorites!  Teo was about 2 when we tried it, and he was instantly focused on the fine motor task of painting the tin.  I've also done this with kids up to age 5. 

To set it up, lay out a large sheet of paper on a tarp.  Offer some paint, a brush, and a muffin tin turned upside down.  After your child paints the bottom circles, you can demonstrate how to turn it over to make a print.  Then your child can try doing it herself (or maybe she will find another way to explore). 

Variations

An older child might be interested in using a finger or the end of the paint brush to draw letters or symbols in the paint circles before printing.  I'm tempted to do this project myself and write L  O  V  E on the circles and use the finished piece as wrapping paper. 

Once you've tried printing with a muffin tin, let your imagination run wild and try other objects for printing.  Here are a few suggestions.

- a potato cut in half and carved with a shape / letter / etc (an easy way to do this is to press a metal cookie cutter into the potato and use a knife to cut away the extra)

- a child sized rolling pin or a toilet paper tube with cardboard or foam glued on

- wooden blocks with a raised letter  OR  legos

- nature items like pine cones, leaves, stones, etc.

- kitchen utensils (potato masher, fork, the rim of a cup, cookie cutters)

- other household items (clothes pin, fly swatter)

- toy animal / doll foot prints

- body parts (hands, feet, elbows, noses)

As you can see, the possibilities are endless. 

What are we learning?

Fine Motor Skills, Creative Expression, Early Math (possibly patterning, counting), Sensory, Language / Literacy (if letters are involved, or if you talk about shape names, etc)

Body Painting

Offer your child a variety of non-toxic WASHABLE paints (I use tempera), and some brushes.  Set him naked or diapered on a tarp / old sheet, and let the body art begin.  Of course, this is more fun if you join in as well!

If you are doing this in a classroom, you can simply roll up the children's pants and offer this activity as Foot Painting instead of full body. 

Check out Pepper Paints to see some lovely African tribal face painting for inspiration!   

What are we learning? 
Body Awareness, Language (names of body parts),  Creative Expression, Fine Motor Skills, Sensory Experience. 

Magnetic Scavenger Hunt

Offer a selection of magnetic letters (or other magnets).  Tell your child that magnets stick to a special kind of metal called iron.  Model trying magnets on different surfaces, narrating as you go - "No, the magnet doesn't stick to the wooden table."  "Oh, it does stick to the refrigerator.  There must be iron in the refrigerator!"  If your child is interested, turn him loose to explore what other objects the magnets will stick to.  

Variation

If your child is a bit older and can identify first sounds of words, he can put the first letter of the object name on the object (ex. the W on the washer).  

What are we learning?

Physical Science, Close Observation and Concentration, Problem Solving, Language (names of different materials, letter names)

Calling All Mail Carriers!

To make a little post office, draw a rectangle for each mail slot on a cardboard box.  Cut the sides and bottom of the rectangles with a utility knife to make little doors.  Cut rectangles of different colored paper for each door, and affix with tape.  Write names on the doors (this could be names of family members, friends, or story / cartoon characters).  

Next, poke a hole in each door with the tip of your scissors, and thread through a piece of yarn to tie in a loop (this will make the doors easier to open).  Cut out rectangles for mail from each color.  Your child may enjoy writing / drawing / placing stickers on the mail. 

You may want to put the mail in a basket or bag for your little mail carrier.  Show her how the mail matches up to the mail boxes.  


Variations: 
If your child is beyond color matching, you can make each door the same color and your child can match by name (in this case, write the name of who the mail is for on each piece of mail as well).  Or, you can use single letters, shapes or numbers.

What are we learning?
Early Math (matching).  Fine motor skills (slipping the mail through the slots).  Dramatic play.  This activity also supports literacy learning in a meaningful context.   Even if your child is matching by color, she will probably begin to notice the letters on the mailboxes, and you can point them out as well:  "Oh, I see that Katie and Kerry both have names that start with K."  "Jo has a very short name.  It is only 2 letters."