Thanksgiving Theme Unit for Daycare & Preschool

During the month of November families in the US celebrate the joys of Thanksgiving. Take this Thanksgiving theme across the curriculum to commemorate this holiday.

To coincide with this holiday, focus on curriculum activities that relate to the famous book, Over the River and Through the Wood by Lydia Maria Child [North-South Books, 1998], and the traditional song of the same name.

I'm Thankful Bulletin Board

Thanksgiving is a time for giving thanks. In the past, Pilgrims and Native Americans worked together to host the first Thanksgiving. Today, this holiday is celebrated with family, relatives and friends. At circle time, discuss "Things I'm Thankful For." Together, look through magazines and cut pictures of these items. Have the children bring in pictures of their family, including grandparents. Create a cooperative bulletin board or poster.

In the Pumpkin Patch

The Thanksgiving season is a good time to do pumpkin activities. A pumpkin pie, flavorful with spices, is traditional in most American homes. Take a pumpkin and cut off the top. Invite the children to look at the pumpkin talking about its color and shape. Look inside at the strings and seeds. Ask," Does the outside and inside look the same? How does it smell?"

An adult can cut pieces of pumpkin into shapes. The children can take a paintbrush and paint a thin layer of tempera on the shape. Press this down onto paper to make a print. Printing is a fascinating activity for children because they love to keep repeating this process. Clean and roast the pumpkin seeds. Place a few into cups for the children. They can count the seeds and then eat them as a nutritious snack.

Another sensory activity is to paint pumpkin pies. Cut paper into circle shapes and paint them orange. While the paint is still wet, sprinkle an assortment of spices like nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice or ground cloves on the pie. Smell the aroma!

Off to the Grandparent's House

Glue five Popsicle (craft) sticks down on construction paper in the shape of a house. Fill in the details, like windows, doors, chimney, and such with crayons, markers or glued-on fabric.

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This article first appeared on Suite101.com by Tania K. Cowling

Fun Foods for Halloween

Think of Halloween as a creative time to make spook-tacular foods to please goblins and ghouls of any age.

Whether you are hosting a “boo bash” party or just making Halloween treats for the family, these recipes are easy and fun to create.
Halloween Bones and Blood
Ingredients:

• 1 jar Marinara sauce (blood)
• canned breadsticks (bones) (can found in refrigerator section)
• cookie sheet
• Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions:

1. Cut the breadsticks into halves.
2. Curve the ends of each breadstick into bone shapes.
3. Sprinkle the "bones" with Parmesan cheese.
4. Bake as directed on the package.
5. Place these bones onto a dish and serve with a bowl of warm Marinara sauce.

Spider Punch
Ingredients:

• 1 envelope Kool-Aid orange flavor unsweetened mix
• 3 quarts cold water
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 quart bottle ginger ale (chilled)
• black plastic spiders
• ice cube trays
• pitcher
• large spoon (for mixing)

Directions:

1. Place plastic spiders into ice cube tray sections. Add water and freeze.
2. Pour the Kool Aid and sugar in a large pitcher. Add water and mix together.
3. Just before serving the punch add the ginger ale.
4. To make a spooky punch, add spider ice cubes to the pitcher.
5. Remember to tell your guests "don't drink the spiders"!

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Article by Tania Cowling, first published on Suite101.com

Photo courtesy of Tania Cowling

Educational Toys for Preschoolers: 3 Products from MoMA and Chronicle Books

Who are MoMA and Chronicle Books?

Chronicle Books (a major book publisher) and MoMA have designed the concepts for three new educational toys. Together they have developed a line of toys and playthings that inspire children to develop their creativity. MoMA stands for the Museum of Modern Art that is located in Manhattan, New York. The museum has numerous galleries, exhibitions, and educational programs that attract many visitors. MoMA gives the public access to the world’s finest collections of modern and contemporary art, holding a numerous amount of works including paintings, sculpture, drawings, photography, film, media, and design objects. For more information about MoMA visit their website.

String-Along Books

Young children, some as early as toddlers, are beginning to master the skill of stringing and lacing. One of the first activities is bead stringing, where children thread a bead, pulls the lace through and releases the lace so the bead slides down. The child’s finger movements will become more precise and must master a three-step sequence with this activity. Eye/hand coordination is also developed.
String-along Books is a toy by MoMA that contains 10 little books and a lace. This is a multi-functional toy where you read the tiny books together and then string them on a cord. The idea is based on classic wooden stringing beads; these little books introduce colors, shapes, and patterns and will keep your preschooler (or toddler) engaged for a lengthy period of time. Recommended for ages 3 and up.
Photo by Tania Cowling

Lacing Shapes

Another toy in this collection is Lacing Shapes. Here you connect the dots and lace the cards together to make your very own book. The sturdy cards are full of colors, shapes, and patterns. They can be strung together to create a wall hanging or bind them into a book. The set includes 10 different lacing cards and 11 laces. The concept of this toy was developed by Chronicle Books for MoMA and copyrighted in 2010.
Preschool children love to thread the lace in-and-out along the outline and reverse the operation to unthread the lace. Before playing, identify and talk about the pictures on the card. Encourage your child to trace the outline with his index finger and to feel the holes.
To guide lacing practice, begin by tying a knot in one end of the lace and bring it through one of the holes so that the knot is tied on the wrong side of the card. Give your child the lace in whichever hand is his dominant and the card in the other hand. Guide his stringing until he understands that he should lace through the holes in order along the line and that he must come through the holes alternately from the front and back of the card. At first you may need to indicate the next hole, but in time the child will be able to choose the holes alone. When finished, praise the child for his mastery. Next it’s time to teach the reversal to unlace the cards. This toy is recommended for ages 3 and up.

Photo by Tania Cowling

Create Your Own Museum

Nothing is more important to a preschooler than the art he creates. MoMA has a toy Create Your Own Museum which is an art activity kit that encourages young artists to make and display their own modern masterpieces. The kit comes with 20 4-color frame decals, 5 decorate-your-own frame decals, 8 activity sheets, and 3 colorful museum reproduction sheets. The children can display their art for the entire family to see.
These are only three of the many educational toys for preschoolers that are available through Chronicle Books in conjunction with MoMA. Check out other selections and ordering information on their website.
Photo credit: Chronicle Books
A review made by Tania Cowling

Getting Ready for Summer Without the Boredom

Whether you are experiencing bad weather or the kids are out of school, it never fails that you'll hear the infamous, "I'm bored, and there's nothing to do!" One thing I didn't want my kids to do is plop down in front of the television or gaming device and spend hours there. I wanted them to participate in outlets of creativity, whether they engaged in homemade games or presented me with artistic crafts. I want to see my kids smile and hear the shrills of excitement. Read more...

Another company that helps me with summer boredom (or ideas any time of the year) is Crayola. They have so many fun kits for creative expression out in the market. Read on for some great ideas and new products this year.

You can find many Crayola products on this page and on their official website.

Photos courtesy of Amazon.com

Stock up on products or create your own homemade fun and enjoy the season!

A New Book: Piggybanks to Paychecks

One of the most important things a parent can teach a child is how to handle and save money. The author of this new book is a friend of mine, who will give you wonderful tips on presenting money 101 to your youngsters. Please meet Angie Mohr, CA, CMA, with this introduction to her new book, "Piggybanks to Paychecks."

Advertising's Impact on Kids

“Mom, you should get X brand of dishwashing detergent.  It works five times better than other brands.”

Do you ever have those types of conversations at your house?  When my kids were small, they knew every ad on all the kids’ television channels.  They could recite them verbatim and sing the jingles.  It didn’t seem to matter whether the commercial was touting toys or...dishwasher detergent.  They had them all memorized.  When they began watching television shows on non-children-oriented channels, I started to get questions about what depression and erectile dysfunction were. Why is it that kids pay attention to ads, often above paying attention to there parents?

1) Small children often don’t understand what a commercial is.

While it’s clear to adults that commercials are paid for by companies to flog a product, young kids frequently mistake them for part of the show they’re watching.  They don’t understand the difference between programming and paid programming.  This gives ads credibility with kids that ads often don’t deserve.  Kids think that, if it’s on television, it must be true.

2) Ads are relentless.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, kids are exposed to over 40,000 advertisements on television alone.  And that’s just ad spots.  Now, companies are paying to have product placement in the shows themselves, so now kids see their favorite characters and actors favoring one brand over another which subtlety affects their brand perceptions.  Ads are also becoming more common on the internet, on electronic reading devices, in schools, and even in church.  Kids are literally bombarded with sales pitches from the time they wake up in the morning until the time they go to bed.  No wonder they become walking, talking billboards as soon as they’re able to talk.

3) Ads sell lifestyle.

Advertisers have become very adept at not only selling a product or service, but selling a better life.  This happens in ads aimed at both kids and adults.  Buy X brand of disinfectant spray and your family will be relaxed and happy.  Buy Y brand of jeans and you’ll have more friends and school and be more popular.  Adults have a difficult enough time fighting off these embedded perceptions.  Kids don’t stand a chance.  If they’re led to believe that having an mp3 player makes them cool, it’s hard for parents to break that perception.

So, what’s the answer?  Never allowing your kids to watch television, listen to the radio, pick up a magazine, or go online?  Of course not- in fact, that only makes them less ad-savvy.  The more you teach your kids to be wise, if not outright cynical, consumers of advertising, the better they will be able to filter out the noise in the future.

For more tips and information on teaching your kids money smarts, join me on my March book blog tour here: http://www.piggybanks2paychecks.com/p/piggy-banks-to-paychecks-2012-blog-tour.html

Click here for Angie's Website

Find this book on Amazon.com

The Circus is Coming to Town~~~

Come one, come all - the circus is coming to town! So "step right up" for activities with a circus theme that children will love. Whether you have the opportunity to visit the circus in person or conduct a pretend one at home or school, the children will find this very entertaining.

The special enchantment of the circus is made up of many things that has always spelled excitement. Children can have this in preschool or daycare with just a little imagination from the caregiver. Here are a few ideas to get started. 

Try this clown craft from Education.com for a fun project.


Suggested books to read:

Don't Forget About Thank You Notes!

There are many reasons to give thanks, especially at this time of year. The holiday season is full of gifts and invitations that call for an important gesture - a thank you note, even from the youngest recipients. Giving a "thank you" is one of the most fulfilling gifts you can give a person. Feelings of gratitude are important to nurture. To help children get in touch with these feelings, make time to create thank you activities, from the simple note to other creative ways of showing appreciation.

Read on for fun and creative ways to sent notes and other forms of gratitude.

Also, check out some of the paints and art supplies available for crafting with preschoolers.

Images courtesy of Amazon.com

Are your kids enjoying the winter vacation?

The holiday hustle and bustle is over and it's time to relax and unwind. Well, it's the same for the kids from school. One thing children really love is to get together with their friends and family for the almighty sleepovers. It's almost like a rite of passage - a part of growing up that we always remember.

Here are a few tips on planning a child's sleepover, no matter what the age. Keep the time frame and activities age-appropriate and all should go well. Also look into craft kits and supplies to keep the kids entertained and get their creative juices flowing. OK, mom and dad, it may be one long night, but your children will be forever grateful for this experience!

Make a Santa Key for Christmas Eve

Do your children ever wonder how Santa can visit the house if you don't have a chimney? Have no fear, your preschoolers can make a Santa Key for him to enter your house and deliver the packages on Christmas Eve.

Here is a cute craft to make. Just follow my instructions on Education.com:
http://www.education.com/activity/article/santa-key/

Welcome Everyone!

Hello and welcome to my new blog full of creative activities and crafts for preschool children. Many of these ideas can be used in schools, homeschooling, by parents and grandparents. Check back often for instructions on crafts, games, lesson plans, new books and toys on the market and so much more.

Feel free to comment and email me for things you need and ways to enhance what I have posted. The site is new and under construction, but the first links will be up very shortly.

Happy Holidays,
Tania K. Cowling