May 11, 2010

Tot School Tuesday

This week's Tot School Tuesday post is a bit different...

The boys and I worked really hard and put our heads together to come up with our favorite summertime Tot School activities.  And this week, we're sharing those with our church's Teen MOPS group.  Very exciting!

The idea is to give the girls (moms) the opportunity to see how important play is in each child's learning experiences.  I feel so blessed to share one of my passions and am praying that the girls will really learn from my experiences.

We'll have five stations total (each chosen by the boys):

1. Shaving cream numbers, shapes and letters:  A fine motor activity as well as a sensory activity.  It can also serve as a pre-math/pre-reading activity depending on how you use it.  Here's how to make your own at home:


First, fill the bag with shaving cream...


Sometimes this is kind of tricky and messy...


Next, add a few drops of food coloring...


Make sure you seal the bag super tight...


Squish everything together really well (let as much air out of the bag as you can before sealing to make this step go smoothly)


Now you can practice writing your letters, numbers and shapes!

2.  Sidewalk chalk:  Fine motor, pre-reading activity

3.  Bubbles:  Pre-verbal, oral-motor, gross motor activity

4.  Sand pit:  Fine motor, sensory and gross motor activity.  I've also heard that Crayola is selling colored playground sand this year.  I have a friend on the lookout.  If she can find it, we can also use it as a pre-math, pre-science activity.

5. Water table:  Fine motor, pre-math, pre-science activity.

What are your favorite Tot School summer activities?

This little post wouldn't be complete without an update of our plant growing from last week!


I'd say we have some green thumbs in this family!


3 comments:

Those Dandy Dillards said...

I saw colored sand last year at Walmart in the toy area... it may be there again soon with their summer stuff. So check there!

Anna said...

My mom always had fun crafts for us - seemed like we were always making something! One that seems pre-school appropriate is stringing pasta shapes (painted or not) or wooden beads onto a rope/yarn/string. Then it could be a necklace, or a snake, etc. It can teach numbers, colors, sorting, etc. I never thought about all this stuff being educational!

JJB said...

"The chalk is for drawing not eating!" "Please don't paint your legs"
"Ryan, did you put sand in your sister's ears?"
"Finger paint the paper not yourself"

Brit, is it ok if I just start dropping mine off at the Chambers Tot School? I mean, my sanity might be at stake soon :-)