This hot cocoa craft preschool activity is great for chilly winter days to create cozy winter themed crafts. Also, look at tips, crafts, and curriculum ideas on my page How to Homeschool Preschool.
Today’s craft is a great way to practice name recognition with preschoolers and a sweet little art project.
It is a wonderful activity to do together on a chilly day while sipping on a real mug of marshmallow filled cocoa.
Engaging a preschooler’s senses through multi-sensory activities with color, texture, and today, with scent engages more learning styles.
It enhances memory retention, increases a child’s engagement, and promotes better recall and retrieval.
Prewriting skills are important early learning fundamentals.
Pre-writing skills include drawing, copying, tracing, and the ability to form basic shapes and lines.
But before they even get to those skills children should learn to recognize letters (visual perception) and one of the first things they can learn as a toddler or preschooler is recognizing their own name.
And because name recognition is such an important skill for preschoolers, I have also gathered up 10 more fun multi-sensory ways to practice their name no matter what theme you are looking for.
Preschool How-To Homeschool Resources
First, I’ve rounded up some homeschool preschool resources to help you kick your teaching journey off on relaxed footing.
12 Homeschooling Preschoolers Resources, Activities, and Curriculum
There is no doubt play-based learning is hands down the best way for preschoolers to learn.
You'll love some of these resources which can help you both teach and schedule if you want to do a bit more formal teaching.
n Mommy, Teach Me author Barbara Curtis, a mother of twelve, shares secrets on how to turn everyday experiences into learning opportunities for preschool children.
Designed to be used with children ages 2 through 4, Before Five in a Row is a rich treasury of creative ideas that help you gently, consistently prepare your children for the lifelong adventure of learning.
Preschool Course Book, Preschool Folder Activities, Preschool Practice Sheets, Access to Learning Songs and Videos
Encourage a love for learning as you engage your child in active, hands-on learning with this BJU Press Homeschool Pathways for Preschool Activity Packet!
With the fun, engaging Horizons Preschool Curriculum Set, preschoolers are introduced to social studies, language arts, math, phonics, and science.
A bit more pricey but they provide themed kits each month.
We have loved every subscription box we did in the preschool years.
It’s time to change the way we see toddlers. Using the principles developed by the educator Dr. Maria Montessori, Simone Davies shows how to turn life with a “terrible two” into a mutually rich and rewarding time of curiosity, learning, respect, and discovery.
Blossom & Root Early Years was designed to provide parents with a preschool (Vol. 1) or Pre-K (Vol. 2) curriculum that focuses on the development of the whole child. Each of the 36 weeks of lesson plans
This newest addition to the best-selling GIANT Encyclopedia series expands the scope of the series by offering complete lesson plans. Written and created by teachers, The GIANT Encyclopedia of Lesson Plans has more than 250 complete lesson plans, covering topics from colors and numbers to seasons and nursery rhymes.
Since children don't come with directions, a retired kindergarten teacher with over 25 years of experience wrote this how-to manual which bridges the gap between home & school. It is a money-saving preschool resource which informs parents & caregivers as to what they could & should be doing to teach basic readiness skills that are necessary for a child to achieve success in school.
Looking for a homeschool preschool curriculum for your child? Meet Playing Preschool Year 1: a new way to preschool at home. This is a 190 day program of hands-on, play-based learning. Themed units anchor the learning as children explore math, reading, science, art activities, and much more!
Next, look at these multi-sensory ideas.
10 Multi-sensory Preschool Name Recognition Activities
- This French Fry Name Recognition Activity is such a cute way to practice with a very recognizable treat.
- All aboard the Name Train for a fun take on creating a name with a transportation theme.
- Crayon Name Puzzles
- Multi sensory activities like this Playdough Name Activity help to promote language development and build nerve connections in the brain.
- Long before they write it themselves children need to be exposed to seeing their name in many ways like with these DIY Foam Name Stamps.
- These DIY Name Puzzles include not only their name but also incorporate a cute picture of the preschooler themself.
- Clothesline Names also works on fine motor skills as it teaches a child to recognize and order their name as well.
- How pretty is this sunflower Name and Fingerprint Craft and so fun to put together?
- Try the How to Make a Name Bracelet Activity for a fashionable way to practice name recognition that incorporates fine motor practice.
- What active preschooler wouldn’t love to Learn Their Name With Hot Wheels?
Other Ways to Use The Hot Cocoa Craft Preschool Craft
While I did create this as a hot cocoa craft preschool name practice activity there are a few more fun ways that you can set up this activity for your child and get more out of it.
Write out all letters on foam marshmallows, set a line in the mug like A _ C D_F and have your child fill in the missing letters.
Create numbers on the marshmallows and play math games in the mug like adding small numbers, placing them in order to create a small number line, and having your child decide between two numbers which is a bigger number.
After all letters and their name have been mastered, they can use the craft foam marshmallows to practice simple CVC words like the, cat, and cup.
Finally, look how to make a hot cocoa name craft.
How to Make a Cocoa Name Craft
You can use either baking cocoa or a spoon of your favorite hot cocoa mix to create this heavenly scented paint.
You will need:
- 2 paper plates
- Brown craft paint
- Color craft paint of choice
- White craft foam
- Black marker
- Baking cocoa/cocoa mix
- Foam brushes
- Scissors
- glue
First, have your child paint the ruffled edge of the plate all around whatever color they like.
This represents the rim of the cup.
On the second plate paint the ruffled edge the same color along about 5”. On both sides. Set aside to dry.
Add a little hot cocoa mix to your brown craft paint and mix it up well.
Let your child use this delicious mixture to paint the entire center of the plate. Allow the paint to dry completely.
Cut out the strip of colored plate and bend into a handle and glue to the underside of the plate.
While you’re waiting for your paint to dry, cut as many “marshmallows“ out of craft foam as there are letters in your child’s name.
Write each letter clearly on a marshmallow with a permanent marker.
To start with, add the letters in order beneath the “mug” and let your child transfer them to the cocoa.
As they become more familiar with their name you can mix up the letters and have them put them in the correct order identifying each one and the sound it makes as they go.
Have them practice making their name until they are able to do it well and then the marshmallows can be glued into place.
To store, slip your cup and marshmallows in a gallon ziploc bag to reuse it over and over.
