Saturday, March 25, 2017

Easter Magnetic Fun

In one of my other posts this month, I wrote about some tips and ideas for using Saint Patrick's Day magnetic sets with preschoolers and kindergartnersI found the magnets at the Dollar Tree.  If you'd like, you can read about those ideas HERE.  In this post, I've added a sixth tip which is important if you're teaching preschoolers. 

I made another trip to the Dollar Tree to see if they had a similar product as the Saint Patrick's Day refrigerator magnets with an Easter or spring theme.  I found four new sets and they're just too cute!  I thought I would show you some photos along with tips and ideas for using them.
 

Some of the pieces sparkle!  Here are the tips for using them:

Tip # 1:  Keep the pieces at the children's eye level instead of an adult's eye level.  This way the children can manipulate the pieces easily and see the images.

Tip # 2:  Use a LARGE cookie sheet to set the pieces on if you are using them as a center station.  Young children have limited spatial planning abilities.  This means that children will struggle to fit the pieces on the cookie tray.  An oversized cookie tray provides an accommodation for children's spatial deficiencies.  Use a tray that is 11 inches by 17 inches or one that is slightly larger.


Tip # 3:  Provide children with a visual model of the completed image (the chick or the rabbit) when applicable.  The packaging material might have an image that can be cut out for that purpose.  (Some of the pieces in the sets were flowers and eggs.  I don't need a model for those pieces.)


Tip # 4:  Remove the pieces from the magnetic sheets carefully!  The cut-outs are perforated but they'll tear if you pull them apart too vigorously.  Use your scissors for pieces that don't come apart easily.  Remember that you only paid a dollar per set!


Tip # 5:  Keep your individual sets organized by labeling the backs with a white permanent marker.

Tip # 6:  If you're working with preschools and you have the pieces on a cookie sheet, they might not have the dexterity to pull the magnets off of the cookie sheet.  You can accommodate for this by adding a magnetic coin to each piece.  This raises the piece so that it is slightly off the cookie sheet allowing the child to have success at grasping the piece.

I used a package of adhesive magnetic coins that I purchased at the craft section in Walmart.


ActivitiesOne of the obvious activities that you can do with these sets is patterning.  I've created an ababab pattern with the blue and pink Easter eggs in the photo below.

Another thing that you can do is compare numbers as I'm doing with the eggs and the flowers shown below.

The objects can also be explored and manipulated on a cookie tray without a specified purpose.

A visual memory game can be played by showing the children three objects on the tray.  Then, one of the objects is removed without the children's eyes in view.  The tray is shown to the children again and they are asked to name the missing piece.

If you are scheduling an outdoor event for Easter or spring, the magnetic pieces (along with several cookie sheets) could be one of your outdoor stations.   

Cost of this station for 2 or 3 children to use at one time 

Outdoor Area:  Free!
4 Sets of Spring Themed refrigerator Magnets:  $4.00 
4 Packages of Adhesive Magnetic Coins:  $8.00
4 Cookie Sheets:  $20.00 ($5.00 per tray at the Family Dollar)

Total Cost:  $32.00
Total Cost for Future Years:  $0.00
  
$32.00?  Yikes!  Maybe you can bring this down to $12.00.  You might be able to borrow cookie sheets from your school's cafeteria if it's not against division policies . . . and if the cafeteria uses cookie trays that attract magnetsBe sure to get the proper permission first and promptly return the trays to the dishwasher!

Make your spring themed event fun with an activity that works with even the youngest participants!  Whether you are planning an outdoor egg hunt or are just celebrating the arrival of spring, this activity is sure to be a hit with the children during the event.  All you need are a few cookie trays that attract magnets and some decorative refrigerator magnets.  Read this post to learn how to set up this station and where you can go to find the cutest magnets at an affordable price!

Do you need another outdoor station idea for a spring themed event for preschoolers?  Check out my previous post HERE.  I can't wait to see what the Dollar Tree comes up with for a summer themed refrigerator magnetic set!  If you want the spring themed ones featured on this post, you better hurry over to your local Dollar Tree while supplies last!

Make your spring themed event fun with an activity that works with even the youngest participants!  Whether you are planning an outdoor egg hunt or are just celebrating the arrival of spring, this activity is sure to be a hit with the children during the event.  All you need are a few cookie trays that attract magnets and some decorative refrigerator magnets.  Read this post to learn how to set up this station and where you can go to find the cutest magnets at an affordable price!
  

That's all for now!

Molly, Lessons by Molly 
 

Tuesday, March 21, 2017

Outdoor Spring (or Easter) Activity for Toddlers

Hippity hop!  This dramatic play activity won't be a flop!  Are you having a spring themed event for your students this upcoming April?  Perhaps you're planning to have an egg hunt outside along with some other outdoor activities.  

If you're working with toddlers or special needs preschoolers, I have a pretend play idea that you might be able to use.  You'll need an outdoor grassy space for the activity.  You'll need garden fencing that is of low height.  Additionally, you'll need several small, lightweight objects to toss or throw over the fence.  I found the cutest little "hopping-good" plush animals at the Dollar TreeThe plush animals are my  "toss/throw" objects for the activity.  I was thrilled to find two animals that seem to hop as they move which are a frog and a rabbit. 

They were just one dollar a plush so I don't mind if they become a little "grassy" at the end of the event!  (This is the last week that you can order Easter items online at the Dollar Tree!  Here's a link you might like: PLUSH TOYS.)

I also found some decorative garden fencing.  I bought the garden fencing at the Dollar Tree as well.  Any store that sells gardening supplies will have something similar during the spring season.  I purchased two pieces of fencing but could have used a few more.

There are connector tabs on the ends of the fence so that several pieces can be attached.  The bottom of the fence has stakes which allow them to be driven into the ground.  We had a very mild winter in Virginia and the ground is already soft.  This made it easy to push the stakes into the ground.

Now the fun begins.  The children toss or throw the objects over the fence!  Then, the walk over to the other side of the fence and toss/throw again.

This activity has no winners or losersThe low height fence makes it easy for many children of varying abilities to have success!  This activity develops eye hand coordination, motor skills, and social skills.  It also exposes the children to a few prepositional words when the supervising adult is interacting with the children as they play.

  
There needs to be at least two objects per child to toss or throw over the fence.  If three children are using the activity, you need to have at least six toss/throw objects.  The small plush animals are lightweight so I know that no one will be injured if a child is accidentally hit by the stuffed toy.


The cost of this station for three children to use at one time:

Grassy Area - FREE!
3 Pieces of Garden Fencing - $3.00
6 Plush Toys - $6.00 (Free if I use something I already have!)

Total Cost:  $3.00 to $9.00
Total Cost for Future Years$0.00  


I recommend that you have several other activities for the children to choose from along with this "Toss or Throw" activity.  A good child/activity slot ratio is 1 to 3.  That is, there are 3 activity slots for every child.  If I have 6 students, I need 18 slotsAn example of this is to have 5 activities that allow a maximum of 4 children to participate at once.  (This is a total of 20 slots with 6 children)  When the activity slot ratio is 1 to 1, there is no room for flexibility and the children are required to rotate the activities at a set time frame.  There is no allowance given for revisiting an activity, leaving an activity early, or to continue to stay in the same spot.

Two and three year olds have sporatic attention spans!  They might attend to an activity for less than a minute and then become involved in something that occupies them for several minutes.  Creating "Flexible Stations" makes events run smoothly with children in this age range.  "Flexible Stations" do not use the "Rotation Station" method.  "Flexible Stations" allow children to come and go to the various areas as they please.  This means they may never visit some stationsThey may revisit the same area repeatedlyThey may stay in one area for under a minute and then leave.  Unless there is a specific reason as to why I would want two and three year olds to attend to every station, I'm satisfied if they are highly engaged in the activities of their own choosing.

Be sure to enter my giveaway HERE.  It ends on March 31, 2017.

That's all for now!

Molly, Lessons by Molly