Green Olives & Ham

January 2010 themes

As some of you may know, I love the idea of themes, it just doesn't always happen.  We tend to start strongly and finish with "What were our themes again"?  But if you do themes each month, here are some ideas for themes from across the world ... wide web.

Disclaimer:  I'm going to be adding some links to sites, where you can purchase curriculums.  I'm doing this only to let you know where I got the idea for the theme.  I do not purchase curriculums, as I find them incredibly expensive.  I also feel that it can be quite overwhelming to have all these activities and lessons in front of you at one time.  So I don't have any experience with these curriculums and am certainly not recommending them.

The first is from Mother Goose Time.  Their January 2010 theme is "Dinosaur Dig".  Also in January, they do the letters T, Q, and E; the numbers 5 & 15; the square shape, and the colors yellow & orange.  How they determine all this?  I have no idea, but it all sounds great.

Next, is the Learning Box Preschool.  Their January 2010 themes are Penguins & Polar Bears (which I love by the way) and "Soups On".  Also in January are the letters P, I, and Y; the number 6, the shape oval, and the colors white, yellow, and black.

At the Preschool Corner, their January 2010 theme is Weather & Seasons, New Year's and Martin Luther King's Birthday.

At apreschool.com, their January themes (I have no idea if this is old information, there is no year indicated) are New year's week, hibernation week, color week, and Teddy Bear week. 

And finally, at Green Olives & Ham (Oh, wait that's us), we haven't really decided on themes, but our activities will certainly revolve around new years and Winter.  I know the first day of Winter is in December, but with all the holidays in December, we didn't touch on Winter.  So we will in January.

We'll continue our letters of the week, but honestly they are not planned in advance.  We decide on this stuff at the very last moment.  And I'm more of a spur of the moment type.  Having a set schedule is, well I know that it's helpful for children, but at the same time, I enjoy the less regimented life that we currently have (I don't know how much sense that makes, but I think you know what I'm getting at). 

Seriously though, we won't have this too long.  With preschool (besides the Green Olives Preschool, of course) and kindergarten around the corner, it's all a matter of organized chaos soon.

Boy, this post took an interesting turn.  Happy New Year!!

- Michelle

That's my name, let's wear it out

So as you may know, we've been learning our letters and have been going alphabetically.  Even though we're really only on "C", so it hasn't been a letter of the week.  It's more like a letter of the month or month and a half.  Anyway we've decided to take a short break from the letter of the month and a half and learn to spell our names.

We've begun by singing it like we sing the alphabet song.  B-e-l-l-a now we know how to spell Bella's name.  No my daughter's name is not Bella, but I've read other blogs where when they talk about their children, they'll say "Oh, French Fry did this and Hamburg did that".  So I'm thinking that they don't want their children's names out there on the World Wide Web.  So I thought I'd give my daughter a ficticious name, too.  You know like blogger see, blogger do.

And although I hate to admit this, we've started learning to spell our name on the computer.  We opened our word processing program and started typing away.  Yes, my little blogger in training is on the computer.  We only did it a few times, but now every time I turn around my almost three year old is on the computer.  When I ask her what she's doing on the computer, she says "Spelling my name".

In an effort to get "Bella" off the computer, I wrote a letter of her name on 12 x 12 pieces of cardstock.  So now we'll put these on the floor and dance on them while we're singing the "alphabet name song", or jump from one letter to the next while yelling "I'm on the "a".

So what's in a name, anyway?  A lot, just ask Chrysanthemum!

- And my name really is ... Michelle (but maybe I need a pen or keyboard name)?

Who screams for file folder games

I do, I do!! And ice cream, too!

Here's a file folder game that we created -- just in time for National Ice Cream Month, which is in July.

The above was made using cardstock for the scoops of ice cream and the cones.  You could use construction paper or use regular paper and ask the children to color them using different colored crayons. 

They really won't take too long to cut out if you put multiple pieces of paper together and cut more than one.  The cones were glued to the file folder.  I did not glue the ice cream scoops.

The left side can be used as a matching game, where you put different colors on one of the cones.  Then ask the children to put the appropriate color scoop on the other cone so that the two cones match.

The cones on the right side have numbers 1-5.  I also included the English and Spanish words under the numbers.  The children are then asked to put the appropriate number of scoops on the cones.

There are so many variations to this file folder game.  My daughter had fun just making ice cream cones.  The blue one was blueberry, the red one was strawberry, the orange was ... well orange (orange creamsicle, maybe). 

And remember -- I scream, you might scream, but not everyone screams for ice cream.

- Michelle

Lovely Ladybugs

I'm a little ladybug,
small and red.
Here is my wing,
and here is my head.

When I get hungry,
watch me eat.
Aphids are my favorite treat!

It seems whenever my daughter and I make up a song, it's always to the tune of "I'm A Little Teapot". Now I know that ladybug song isn't going to get us a grammy, but it took us about three minutes to write.  Not too shabby, even though most of us probably don't know what an Aphid is.  All I can tell you after googling (that seems to be my favorite word lately) them is that Aphids are also known as plant lice.  As a matter of fact, they are destructive to plants.  So I guess it's good that our friend, the ladybug, enjoys Aphids.

Ladybugs are pretty interesting little ladies ... & guys because ironically enough, there are male ladybugs.  And did you know that the males are smaller than the ladies (or the females).  For other interesting Ladybug Facts, click here.

I don't do a lot of craft activities on this blog.  Maybe because my daughter at 2.5 is not interested in a craft for longer than two seconds.  But I did cut out all these pieces below, and we made this ladybug. 

Oh here's a special note:  the circles on this ladybug were not hand cut (obviously, right because they are perfect).  I have invested in a million different punchers that punch my favorite shapes.

When you're doing a craft like this with the youngest toddlers, it would be good to have a finished one for them to look at.  Then you can ask them where certain pieces go, and help them attach the pieces.  My daughter really doesn't enjoy too many crafts, but she likes using a glue stick, so an activity like this is perfect practice.

You can also make ladybugs out of egg cartons, which is so fun, and who doesn't love saving some egg cartons now and then.  Go green ... ish!

I also created some other ladybugs.  They are different sizes, so that you can have the children put them in order from smallest to largest or largest to smallest.

We made more than two, but I think it's good to start out with just a couple so it doesn't get too overwhelming.  We also had a great time putting all the ladybugs on the floor and jumping over them.  We certainly don't want to step on our friend, the ladybug, and it's always fun to practice our jumping.

I also thought you could do the ladybugs above, but leave off one wing.  You could use a different number of circles on the wings, and ask the children to match the attached wing by counting the number of circles.  You could also do it as a color activity since not all ladybugs are red.

If you're doing a whole ladybug theme, I found this great idea in Woman's World Magazine for some Ladybug Cookies.  I would provide you with a link, but I couldn't find one.  So here's the recipe: 

24 vanilla wafer cookies
1 can (16 oz.) creamy vanilla frosting
Red paste food coloring
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
24 Milk Duds or Junior Mints

Normally, I wouldn't post such an unhealthy recipe for children, but on occasion there's nothing better than a cookie.

I may update this post with other Ladybug ideas.  If I do, I'll put those updates in red.  Just sticking to the Ladybug theme, even though not all ladybugs are red.  On a final note:

Five Little Ladybugs:

Five little ladybugs climbing up a door,
one flew away and then there were four.

Four little ladybugs sitting on a tree,
one flew away and then there were three.

Three little ladybugs landed on a shoe,
one flew away and then there were two.

Two little ladybugs looking for some fun,
one flew away and then there was one.

One little ladybug sitting in the sun,
she flew away and then there were none.

Again, the above is "Author Unknown".

- Michelle

 

 

Fish on a stick number matching game

I've been pretty lax lately on coming up with monthly themes and activities.  It just seems like once I start, something else comes up. Then what I started kind of just sits there and doesn't get completed.

I did create these fish on a sticks though. I should call them fish sticks, but I don't want the children to try eating them thinking that they are "fish sticks".  Besides fish on a stick just sounds better.  I did numbers 1-5, but I'll just show you # 1.

 

At first they were a little hard for the children to get the sticks in the tank, but I had to unglue some at the top and now it's much easier.  I also normally like to write "One", as well as, "Uno" on these along with the number.  I think it may help the children as they get older to recognize the written word as well as the number. 

My daughter has been learning Spanish, sort of.  Well learning to count in Spanish, so it's good to have the Spanish word, too.

These characters on a stick can also work as story time friends.  If you're working on a certain theme, then create these "story time friends" that can help you read the stories to the children.  I especially like doing one for each of the holidays.  Then when you're all done with that holiday, you've got a great pumpkin, turkey, and santa clause stick puppet that the children can continue using.  They can create some great stories with these characters.

- Michelle

Plastic Easter Egg Activities

I hit the jackpot when I purchased those plastic Easter eggs. They were .79 at Target, and I think there were 20 (maybe 10) in a package. There are so many different activities the children can do with these eggs and it's very little prep work for you.

- Some children will enjoy just trying to open and close the eggs.  Others may get frustrated because twisting the bottoms off and then putting them back together is not easy.

- When putting them back together, you can have the children find the matching bottom.  Some children may enjoy putting different colors together.

- The eggs that I bought had 2 of the same colors.  So you can hide one set and have the children find the matching colored egg.  Or you can hide both sets and have the children find both sets.  I work with young children, so I hid one set of eggs.  I explained to the children that I hid them, but didn't have them go look for them right away.  They've been finding them as they are playing with other things, and they get really excited when they find them.

- You could also put the eggs on the floor and maybe put 3 different colors in a row.  The children can try to match them by color.  For example, put them in order (yellow, blue, purple).  Then see if the children can use the other set to put them in the same order (yellow, blue, purple).

- You can have the children count the eggs.  I put them in a basket on the table and when it's clean up time, I ask the children to put them back in the basket, counting as they put them away.

The list really goes on and on.  Just be creative and happy egg hunting!

- Michelle

No sleep for you!

I'm really trying to blog on a regular basis, but currently I feel like I have bloggers block.  It might be because of lack of sleep.  My daughter is really a great sleeper, but lately it's just taking forever to get her asleep.  Once she falls asleep though, she's out for the night. 

The truth is no sleep for me is nothing new.  I don't sleep well.  I sometimes lay in bed and count sheep.  After about five minutes of counting sheep, I think "Should I count sheep just standing there, or count them jumping over the moon?"  Then I think "Well, it's actually the cow who jumps over the moon, so the sheep must be just standing there".  Then I think "Hmm, does counting sheep really work"?  I know what you're all thinking -- I've come here to read such nonsense.  But really it isn't nonsense.  I mean whoever thought up counting sheep, and why sheep anyway?  I suppose you could count anything.

Anyway, my point of this blog was to talk about the changes that children go through.  My daughter is 2 1/2 and is still in her crib.  We've been thinking about transitioning her to a toddler bed, but now all of a sudden, she is having a tough time sleeping.  So I think we need to hold off.

I just don't know how children deal with it sometimes.  It's like all of a sudden:  No bottle, no whole milk, no diapers, no crib.  I know it's called growing up!

I think I need a nap!

- Michelle

Match the Easter Eggs - a file folder game

I honestly love these file folder games.  They keep everything so organized!  Here you have an Easter egg file folder game.  It helps children with their colors and to learn about matching and patterns. 

Now I must warn you, this picture does not do the game justice.  Seriously, I'm not a photographer (I'm a blogger, of course)!  But if you can get past the really strange looking photo below, I think you may enjoy this game.

The eggs on the right have been laminated to the file folder, so those aren't going anywhere.  The eggs on the left were cut out using construction paper and then glued to pieces of cardboard from old cereal boxes, then laminated.  This is a two-fold great idea because these pieces will be handled a lot with the children sticking and unsticking them to and from the velcro.  So they need to hold up well.  In addition, you are using old cereal boxes that are thrown away and wasted half the time.  Kudos to you ... or to me for recycling and reusing!

Now that you know how this was put together, I will tell you how to play the game.  Even though I'm sure you can figure it out, I don't want to assume anything.  The children match the colors that are on the right hand side by sticking the eggs in the appropriate spot on the left.

I guess you could also purchase those plastic eggs and do the same type of activity.  But as I've said, I am construction paper crazy and March is National Craft Month.  Seriously, I think they have a National Day or month for everything. 

That reminds me, do you know what May 8, 2009 is?  Well I'll tell you right after this break.  Another thing you probably don't know about me, I'm a game show fanatic. 

Alright, that was a long enough break.  May 8, 2009 is Childcare Provider Appreciation Day.  We'll have a celebration on my blog that day for all the Childcare Providers who read my blog.  You deserve it.  Well not for reading my blog, but for the job that you do everyday!

Hey what about Blogger Appreciation Day????

- Michelle

I Love Hearts

I'm sure you've all realized by now that I am construction paper crazy.  Well today while I had all the construction paper all over the place, I realized that I'm also heart happy.  There are so many things you can do with construction paper hearts.

I am a picture person so here are some photos of things you can do with construction paper hearts.  I showed these to my two year old who knew what these were supposed to be.  I showed these to my husband, and they became lots of things they weren't.  So as you look at these pictures, please use your imagination:

The above is of course a beautiful flower.  Yes, I still need to add the stem, but what an easy way to make flowers.  Fold some construction paper in half and cut out a heart shape, and you have a flower.

The above may need some explaining, but it is a butterfly ... or the start of one.  I guess these are the butterfly wings.  This is a great project for children, but start with the caterpillar and the next day add these wings and turn that caterpillar into a beautiful butterfly.

My husband really thought this was a bow tie, which is just another thing you can make with hearts.  This would make a great craft for Father's Day, as well.  What father wouldn't want a handmade bow tie?

The above is a fish.  Do you love this as much as I do?  I mean it's just so easy.  What else can you make with a construction paper heart?

Let's go from hearts to circles.  I've already told you that I'm construction paper crazy.  I'm also circle happy.  The reason is because of this amazing little thing that I purchased at Target.  It just makes circles, and it is absolutely wonderful!  Oh it's by Fiskars.

If someone could only invent this same thing that makes squares, triangles, numbers, and the alphabet.  Maybe it's already been invented.  If so, to whoever invented it, thanks!

I hope this blog doesn't malfunction with all these photos I uploaded, and I really do love hearts!

- Michelle

Answers to the Dr. Seuss contest

I'm going to give you the answers to the Dr. Seuss contest early because we are expecting a major storm on Monday, and our computer never works when it's snowing.  So I may be M.I.A tomorrow, but I committed to one post per week, and I've got a lot more than one this week.

So the first book you could see which was "One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish".  The one behind it was "The Tooth Book".  The one behind that one was "Green Eggs & Ham" (one of my favorites), and of course the last one you could see which was "Oh, The Places You'll Go".

"Oh, the places you'll go! There is fun to be done! There are points to be scored. There are games to be won. And the magical things you can do with that ball will make you the winning-est winner of all." 

From "Oh, The Places You'll Go" by Dr. Seuss

Well New Englanders, we're not going anywhere with all the snow that we're supposed to get.  So sit back, relax, and enjoy a good book.  A Seuss book perhaps.

- Michelle