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!

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)

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)

Toothpick Grape Construction

Here is a fun (and yummy) building project.  Offering two colors of grapes allows for patterning.  


Variations: 
If your child likes this, he might also enjoy making fruit kebabs - another great fine motor and patterning activity.


What are we learning?
Early math (patterning).  Fine motor skills.  Problem solving.  Food activity.