May 8, 2013

What is a fun printable cut and paste kids activity that will help teach shapes to my preschooler?

The time has come for another exciting preschool series. This series will include a variety of printable cut and paste activities for preschoolers. Cutting and pasting is a classic activity in preschool and it’s classic for a reason. Cutting is a very important fine motor skill which helps with brain development, language development, and finger development. It takes a lot of work from different areas of the brain to cut on a line. When you add the pasting aspect it gives even more fine motor practice for your preschooler. Plus, the pasting usually goes in a certain place so that give your child practice in discrimination which is an important math skill.

 

Cut and paste activities and color, cut, and paste activities are great for preschoolers. But even better than that are free printable color, cut, and paste activities! I have a fun printable shape cut and paste activity for you today that is perfect for spring. Check back every Wednesday for the next several weeks for even more color, cut, and paste activities.

 

If you are looking for something for toddlers, be sure to stop by the blog on Thursdays or just check out the tags on the sidebar. Don’t forget to subscribe to our emails so you won’t miss out on a single post. :)

 

Now, for today’s cut and paste activity. This free printable is a preschool activity for shapes. You can see the paper has a tree with shapes on it. There are also some apples to cut out that also have shapes on them. Have your preschooler cut out the apples, then glue them onto the corresponding shape on the tree. By the end you will have an apple tree filled with shape apples.

 

If your child loves coloring (Little Bear does not really like coloring), then have him or her color the completed apple tree. Sit back happy knowing that your child just experienced some important learning and he probably didn’t even know it. ;)

We've found some fun people with great linky parties. You might just see this post linked up on one of these amazing sites! Link and Learn from No Time for Flashcards Sunday Showcase from Train Up a Child Share it Saturday from Teach Beside Me Tot School Gathering Place from 1+1+1=1 Montessori Monday from Living Montessori Now Tuesday Tots from In Lieu of Preschool Show and Tell from ABC & 123 For the Kids Fridays from Sun Scholars Finished Friday from All Our Days Weekly Kids Co-op from Frogs and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails Preschool & Kindergarten Corner from Homeschool Creations TGIF Linky Party from 123 Homeschool 4 Me

April 3, 2013

What is a math work mat my preschooler can use with pattern blocks?

I am so excited to be starting a brand new series all about pattern blocks. Before I became a preschool teacher, I knew that I wanted pattern blocks in my preschool classroom. So, the summer before preschool began, I dutifully bought pattern blocks because I knew they were perfect for math activities for preschoolers. Well, the kids certainly enjoyed them a lot at first, but after a little while, they just got bored with them. Luckily, when kids get bored, I get creative.

For the next several weeks, I will be sharing lots of pattern block math mats, pattern blocks templates, and plenty of ideas for how to use pattern blocks. Pattern blocks really are great for math activities for pre-k and throughout this series, you will see how many different ways you can use them.

The first activity in this series is a pre-addition pattern block game. Start by printing off the Pattern Block Pre-Addition activity sheet. I highly suggest laminated (or covering in contact paper) so that you can use dry erase markers on it.

Start with the activity sheet facing down. Pull out the pattern blocks and have your preschooler choose two shapes. I had Little Bear put the two shapes on the back of the activity sheet, then I picked out a few more of each shape (there were 3 diamonds and 2 hexagons).

Next, I had Little Bear count all of the diamonds. He wrote the number of diamonds right under the diamonds. He then counted all of the hexagons and wrote that number below the hexagons. I then had him count how many shapes there were total. He wrote the total at the bottom. We did that a few times until he got the concept down.

Little Bear was now ready to turn the activity sheet over with the front side up. I told him again to choose two shapes. He put the shapes in the middle of the activity sheet. He chose the trapezoid to be first, then he rolled some dice to see how many trapezoids should be on the mat. He rolled a one so he didn’t need any more trapezoids. He then rolled the dice for the hexagon. He rolled a 5, so he added 4 more hexagons to the math mat.

Again, I had him count how many of each shape there was, but this time he recorded the number on the chart on the left side. He then counted the total number of shapes and he recorded the total in the bottom right corner.

This is a wonderful math activity for preschoolers because it deals with addition, but not in the traditional sense. It is a pre-addition activity. Little Bear really likes this math mat because he gets to roll dice (always a favorite) plus he gets to play with pattern blocks! Little does he know that I am getting him ready for all the adding he’ll be doing in Kindergarten. :)

We've found some fun people with great linky parties. You might just see this post linked up on one of these amazing sites! Link and Learn from No Time for Flashcards Sunday Showcase from Train Up a Child Share it Saturday from Teach Beside Me Tot School Gathering Place from 1+1+1=1 Montessori Monday from Living Montessori Now Tuesday Tots from In Lieu of Preschool Show and Tell from ABC & 123 For the Kids Fridays from Sun Scholars Finished Friday from All Our Days Weekly Kids Co-op from Frogs and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails Preschool & Kindergarten Corner from Homeschool Creations TGIF Linky Party from 123 Homeschool 4 Me

January 3, 2013

What is a color game that my toddler and preschooler can play?

With all these color games I’ve been making for Smiley Man, I knew it was only a matter of time before I made some color puzzles. They are finally finished and I think they turned out very well. I really like them because of how age versatile they are. I can use them in lots of different ways for Smiley Man who isn’t even 2. Plus it is going to be part of my tot school with Smiley Man! However, since they have the color words on them, these puzzles are also perfect for Little Bear who is well over 4 ½.

To use these color puzzles, first print them in color (or print out the black and white version and color them) and then cut on all of the black lines. You will end up with 12 puzzles that have 3 parts each. I also laminated the puzzle pieces, but that is purely optional. If you want more durability, you could also print the puzzles on cardstock or cover the pieces with contact paper or packing tape. So far, we use these 3 part color puzzles in lots of different ways. Here are several ways to play for your toddler or preschooler:

Sorting

Put all of the puzzle pieces into a pile and have your child sort the pieces by color. With Smiley Man I only put the pieces for 2-3 color puzzles in the beginning pile. When Little Bear plays this game, I put all of the pieces in the beginning pile.

Matching

Put all of the puzzle pieces in a pile. When I play this with Smiley Man, I only include 2-3 colors in the beginning pile. Pick up one puzzle piece and name the color. Ask your child to find another piece that is the same color. Continue until all the pieces from the pile are gone. When I play this with Little Bear, all of the puzzles pieces for all of the colors are in the beginning pile. I pick up a puzzle piece and Little Bear has to name it. I then ask him to find both of the pieces that match that color. Continue until all the pieces from the pile are gone.

Color Find

Put the puzzle pieces in a pile (for Smiley I only include 2-3 colors, for Little Bear I include all the colors). Ask your child to pick out a red piece (or whatever color). Continue asking for specific pieces until all of the pieces from the beginning pile are gone.

Put the Puzzle Together

Have the puzzle pieces out and have your child put them together. For Smiley Man, I only put out one color at a time. I put all three pieces for one color in a pile and I allow Smiley Man to put them together correctly. When he is done, I give him all the pieces for the next color. When Little Bear plays this, all of the puzzle pieces are in a pile. Little Bear sorts the pieces by color first, then he completes the puzzle.

This is the preschooler version:

Write the Color Words

This game is for preschoolers only. After your child has put together all of the puzzles, have them get a blank piece of paper. Have them pick out a crayon that matches one of the puzzles, then have them practice writing that color word on the blank piece of paper. Continue until your child has written all the color words with the correct color of crayon.

This has been a really great color game so far and I love that Little Bear can do so much with the color puzzles. He knows his colors really well, but he still enjoys practicing them. I just want to mention that I do not in any way expect Smiley Man to recognize the name of the colors. These puzzles are giving him exposure to letters, but I do not expect anything beyond that. Be sure to print off your 3 part color puzzles and don’t forget to check out all of my other color games!

Check out 1+1+1=1 for even more tot school ideas!

We've found some fun people with great linky parties. You might just see this post linked up on one of these amazing sites! Link and Learn from No Time for Flashcards Sunday Showcase from Train Up a Child Share it Saturday from Teach Beside Me Tot School Gathering Place from 1+1+1=1 Montessori Monday from Living Montessori Now Tuesday Tots from In Lieu of Preschool Show and Tell from ABC & 123 For the Kids Fridays from Sun Scholars Finished Friday from All Our Days Weekly Kids Co-op from Frogs and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails Preschool & Kindergarten Corner from Homeschool Creations TGIF Linky Party from 123 Homeschool 4 Me

January 1, 2013

What kinds of New Year’s resolutions should my preschooler set?

My new year’s resolutions this year are to lose weight and save money. Just kidding. ;) Those are the classic new year’s resolutions that have turned resolutions in general into a joke. It seems like every year people say the same thing and every year, they do nothing about it. Truth be told, I’m happy about my weight and I’m already pretty good at saving money. I also have some new year’s resolutions, but they are not as general as losing weight and saving money.

My new year’s resolutions are much more attainable because they are specific and realistic. For example, here is one of my resolutions: Start tot school with Smiley Man and teach him all the shapes and colors by the end of the year. Here is another resolution of mine: Have a garden with at least 3 types of vegetables and harvest and least 2 of the vegetables. See the difference?

I think that New Year’s resolutions for kids, and goal setting in general, is very beneficial. I also think it is important to start teaching Little Bear how to set realistic, specific, and attainable goals. Put those three things together and what do you get? A New Year’s Resolution printable for kids, of course!

I made this printable so I could help Little Bear set some goals. I wanted to teach him to set specific goals so I targeted three areas of his life that he could set goals for. Life, Home, and Fun. I might even have him make a goal for church, too.

Even though I will help Little Bear make some new year’s resolutions, these resolutions will not be a joke. I want to teach Little Bear that goal setting doesn’t just include writing the goal down. I will talk with Little Bear about steps he can take to accomplish the goals that he has set. I might even write a few of the steps on the back of the paper so that he can remember them better. Last of all, I will have Little Bear choose a place to hang his New Year’s resolutions paper so that it is prominent. I want him to remember his goals throughout the year so that he remembers to keep working on them.

Making new year’s resolutions for kids or adults can be a joke or it can be very beneficial. If you are making new year’s resolutions with your child, don’t forget to print off this New Year’s Resolutions for Kids printable. Just remember to set realistic, specific, and attainable goals. :)

If you have any ideas for New Year’s resolutions for kids we would love to hear them! Feel free to leave a comment or email us.

We've found some fun people with great linky parties. You might just see this post linked up on one of these amazing sites! Link and Learn from No Time for Flashcards Sunday Showcase from Train Up a Child Share it Saturday from Teach Beside Me Tot School Gathering Place from 1+1+1=1 Montessori Monday from Living Montessori Now Tuesday Tots from In Lieu of Preschool Show and Tell from ABC & 123 For the Kids Fridays from Sun Scholars Finished Friday from All Our Days Weekly Kids Co-op from Frogs and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails Preschool & Kindergarten Corner from Homeschool Creations TGIF Linky Party from 123 Homeschool 4 Me