preschool skills

W Is For Winter Craft Easy Snowman Oobleck Activity

January 10, 2024 | Leave a Comment
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W is for winter and there is so much to learn about for this delightful season and the letter W. Also, I have more alphabet letter fun on my page How to Homeschool Preschool.

You can dive headfirst into snow, ice, snowmen, icicles, snowflakes, frost, and more with the theme as you learn all about W.

I have a great collection of ideas for you to make a full and wonderful study.

W Is For Winter Craft Easy Snowman Oobleck Activity

There is a fun melting snowman oobleck activity, books, songs, and even adorable winter-themed snack ideas.

I kept the oobleck simple, needing just a couple of simple supplies.

But I can promise this activity is going to keep them busy no matter what the weather is outside.

So, bundle up and let get chilly with these fun hands-on activities.

Oobleck is a wonderful sensory activity that preschoolers love, a non-Newtonian fluid because it has properties that are both liquid and solid.

If you hit it fast or keep it rolling in your hand it almost seems solid like a playdough but stops the movement and it quickly liquifies.

More How to Homeschool Preschool Letter of the Week Activities

Language Arts Focus Day 1

W-w-w winter. Practice that sound a little each day as well as show it so they learn to recognize it. Because in life they will encounter it in many ways including environmental print.

I like to show letters in various fonts and settings. What other words start with W besides winter? Wet, wiggle, warm, white, wood, wool, and wind.

Letter/Sound Recognition- Grab a little snowflake punch to work on building muscles in little hands and let your child create this simple W is for Winter Craft.

Book- Over and Under The Snow is a precious story of what happens above and below a winter blanket of snow that has wonderful illustrations and simple text.

Craft/Activity-Learn How to Make an Adorable Toilet Roll Snowman for Winter Crafts for a fun wintery friend, maybe a whole gang of snowmen to decorate your home.

Song/Fingerplay- Learn the letter W with Jack Hartmann, a favorite.

Snack-easy and adorable try a cup of this Deconstructed Snowman Popcorn treat, you won’t even need any real snow to make this kind of snowman.

Science Focus Day 2

The science of winter is fascinating, from snowflakes to learning why some places don’t get snow. Break out a globe and show your child the equator.

This is a great time to explain that places closer to the equator are more consistently warm and don’t get snow like places that are farther away from it.

Letter/Sound Recognition- Name recognition and learning to spell it is one of the first literacy activities for preschoolers, help them put together this Name Snowman for some fun practice.

Book- The Snowy Day is a classic winter read about a boy waking up to find that it snowed during the night and his adventures in the snow.

Kids love the bright illustrations and the simple magic of a snowy day.

Craft/Activity- Raid your pantry for some aluminum foil and create this Stunning Sparkly Icicle Craft, it is fun, easy, and creates a lovely decoration for the house. Your preschooler can create one or a long strand.

Song/Fingerplay- I found not one, not two but three cute snowman fingerplays on this library website.

Snack- How cute and easy are these Baked Snowflake Tortillas, kids in Texas, Florida, and other places that don’t get snow will be tickled with this treat.

Math Focus Day 3

Count items, compare piles, ask which is less and which has more. Count the points on a snowflake. Work math naturally into your day.

Letter/Sound Recognition- This Snowy Letter Hunt activity can be practiced with all W’s or use all the letters your child is familiar with for review.

Book- Sneezy the Snowman.

Craft/Activity- Make Snowman Oobleck, and turn it into a math activity by counting buttons, eyes, “sticks”, and hats.

Cut the buttons out in different sizes and have them sorted and ordered by the size of each button, which one is the largest? Smallest?

Song/Fingerplay- Little Snowflake is easy to learn with simple lyrics that are displayed in the video so you can learn it with your little one quickly.

Snack- Aren’t these Marshmallow Snowman S’Mores just the cutest thing? It feels like a pretty simple snack that can be made.

History/Geography Focus Day 4

Point out places where it snows on a map like Antarctica, Canada, and Michigan. Look at my free lapbook and Arctic Unit Study.

Letter/Sound Recognition- These Hot Cocoa Letter mats are great for practicing letters with playdough, dry-erase markers, pipe cleaners, or marshmallows.

Book- Learn about Animals in Winter

Craft/Activity-Snowballs and Snow Plow Sensory Tray is a great segue into talking about city workers who clear the roads in the winter, an important community helper that happens to be a very important part of social studies for preschoolers.

Song/Fingerplay- Dance around to I’m a Little Snowman and use hand motions as they sing.

Snack-Make up a batch of Snowman Poop for a giggle, kids will love it.

W is For Winter Themed Books

W is for Winter Preschool Theme

Teach your child the sound of the Letter W and add in these fun books and resources about winter.

Over and Under the Snow

Part of the acclaimed nature book series that includes Over and Under the Pond, Over and Under the Rainforest, and Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt, this volume takes readers on a cross country ski trip through the winter woods to discover the secret world of animals living under the snow. Over the snow, the world is hushed and white. But under the snow lies a secret world of squirrels and snow hares, bears and bullfrogs, and many other animals making their winter home under the snow. This beloved nonfiction picture book reveals the tunnels and caves formed beneath the snow but over the ground, where many kinds of animals live through the winter, safe and warm, awake and busy, but hidden beneath the snow.

The Snowy Day

The magic and wonder of winter’s first snowfall is perfectly captured in Ezra Jack Keat’s Caldecott Medal - winning picture book. This celebrated classic has been shared by generations of readers and listeners, a must-have for every child’s bookshelf and a perfect gift for the holiday season.

Sneezy the Snowman

B-R-R-R-R! AH-CHOO! Sneezy the Snowman is cold, cold, cold. To warm up, he drinks cocoa, sits in a hot tub, stands near a warm fire–and melts! But the children know just what to do to build him up again–and make him feel “just right”. Hilarity chills the air with playful mixed-media illustrations by Stephen Gilpin as Sneezy attempts to warm himself with some silly results.

Animals in Winter (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science)

Have you ever seen a butterfly in the snow? Probably not. Butterflies can't survive cold weather, so when winter comes, many butterflies fly to warmer places. They migrate Woodchucks don't like cold weather either, but they don't migrate; they hibernate. Woodchucks sleep in their dens all winter long. How do these and other animals handle the cold and snow of winter?

There Was a Cold Lady Who Swallowed Some Snow!

The old lady is swallowing everything from snow to a pipe, some coal, a hat, and more! With rollicking, rhyming text and funny illustrations, this lively version will appeal to young readers with every turn of the page. And this time, there's a surprise at the end no reader will be able to guess!

Language Arts Focus Day 5

Letter/Sound Recognition- Draw W’s and several other letters on a piece of paper and give your child some small objects.

I found these snowflakes at Dollar Tree sold as table scatter decor. Have your child locate and cover up each W with their object. You could also print out some small wintery images and cut them into squares for your child to use.

Book- Remember the There was an old lady who swallowed a fly?

There are dozens and dozens of new variations out there that kids adore for the ridiculous items she swallows, There Was a Cold Lady Who Swallowed Some Snow, is perfect for this winter unit.

Craft/Activity- You can make these Fun Paper Cup Snowman Game Matching Upper and Lowercase Alphabet Letters in as many or as few letters as you want to practice.

Song/Fingerplay- Wonderful W is very fun and engaging.

Snack-You could make this Winter Wonderland Snack Mix with whatever white dry treats you have on hand.

Easy Snowman Oobleck Activity

You will need:

1 cup water
2 cups cornstarch
Craft foam
Scissors
Glitter-optional
Shallow container
Bowl
Spatula for mixing

First, in a large bowl mix water and cornstarch until combined.

You might want to get in there with your hands and mix it up well.

Grab some craft foam and cut out whatever items you like for your snowman like buttons, eyes, limbs for arms, hats, scarves, etc.

Make different items so your child has a choice of hats, arm positions, eyes, etc..

I couldn’t resist adding a little detail to the hat and carrots.

Now pour the mixture into a shallow container, these large ones at Dollar Tree are perfectly sized and come with a lid to cover it up when done playing.

Sprinkle on a little glitter if desired.

Set up the melting snowman items all around him as an invitation to play and let your preschooler’s imagination go crazy.

Alphabet Letter G is for Gorilla Fun Paper Plate Preschool Mask

January 9, 2024 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

G is for Gorilla is a fun opportunity to learn not only the letter sound but incorporate a fun much loved zoo animal unit. Also, I have more alphabet letter fun on my page How to Homeschool Preschool and my page Free Africa Unit Study for Kids Who Love Hands-on Learning | Free Continent & Country Reports.

While this can be a heavy zoology-based unit study there are still plenty of great ideas for math, art, geography, language arts, and more.

Throughout I have bundled it all here for you to make it easy to pick and choose your favorite activities.

Alphabet Letter G is for Gorilla Fun Paper Plate Preschool Mask

Gorillas are exclusively native to Africa.

This provides a solid lesson in geography where you can search the map for Africa, locate the Congo on the map, and locate where each of the two different species of gorilla call home.

For your lessons you might want to invest in a fun set of figures if you don’t already have some.

This adorable little gorilla family can be used in many ways, dramatic play, sensory bins, with playdough, and more.

More How to Homeschool Preschool Letter of the Week Activities

Language Arts Focus Day 1

Letter/Sound Recognition- Fill in this cute Letter G Animal Alphabet Dots Printable with do a dot markers or round stickers.

Book- Gorilla does a great job introducing the concept of empathy and sorting out feelings in a cute story about a gorilla and a little girl who dreams of seeing gorillas in real life.

Craft/Activity- Dramatic play is an important part of a child’s social and emotional development, this activity Zoo Animals – Dramatic Play Activity allow them to become zookeepers, create cages, and care for animals through pretend play.

Song/Fingerplay- ABC Mouse does letter songs and learning so well, I found this very catchy little song on YouTube to go over letter sounds and recognition The Letter G Song.

Snack- Keep it simple with single ingredients snacks that start with G, here are ideas for 5 Snacks For Kids That Start With G.

Science Focus Day 2

Science comes into play learning about gorillas, rain forests, and even other zoo creatures your child might spot there.

As a matter of fact, if you are able this would be a great time for a field trip to the zoo to see these animals in person.

Letter/Sound Recognition- Grab whatever letter tiles you have and spell out gorilla. At the top of a piece of construction paper write out G-O-R-I-L-L-A, spreading it out so there is enough space for the tiles to fit under each letter.

Give your child the pile of letters and let them match it below your written example. As they match each one, tell them the name of the letter if they don’t already know it.

This is not about learning to spell a big word like gorilla but more about learning to recognize letters and that letters put together create a word.

Book- Goodnight Gorilla is a classic sweet board book centered around a sneaky gorilla and an unsuspecting zookeeper.

While it doesn’t have a lot of words it tells a silly story through very expressive illustrations.

Craft/Activity- This Goodnight Gorilla: A STEAM Activity for Preschoolers was too good to pass up for our science activity, especially since it went so well with our book choice today.

Song/Fingerplay- Raffi songs are fantastic for kids with his warm voice and simple folk lyrics that tell stories, check out The Gorilla Song.

Snack- These Chocolate Banana Oat Pancakes look delicious and are a great portrayal of the key figure in our lessons.

Math Focus Day 3

You need not overthink math at this age, it is simply recognizing numbers and learning to add and subtract small amounts.

Grab items from around your house and count, like the gorillas in their plastic toys or banana bunches at the grocery store. Gather leaves into two piles and introduce concepts like more/fewer.

Letter/Sound Recognition- Shaving Cream Writing- Yep, it is as simple as it sounds.

Spread a thin layer of unscented shaving cream on a shallow tray and let your little one write with their finger.

I recommend printing and laminating your letters so they can be used over and over.

Remember to practice the sound the letter makes as they draw it with their finger.

Book- One Gorilla A Counting Book, I think the illustrations here are just darling and are perfect for simple math.

Craft/Activity- For preschool I especially like to avoid worksheets, but they also have their place.

I think a color by number like this is great for building fine motor skills and in preschool it is phenomenal for number recognition as they find and color a1-6 repeatedly. Repetition is a great teaching tool in preschool.

Song/Fingerplay- Cute and catchy you might have the Baby Gorilla Song stuck in your head before the week is out, it is to the tune of a familiar favorite-Baby Shark.

Snack- Make ‘Gorilla Goodies’ by creating a trail mix of whatever dry ingredients you have on hand, no need to run to the store for special ingredients.

Mix up pretzels, marshmallows, raisins, dry cereal, nuts, cookie pieces, candy, etc.

History/Geography Focus Day 4

Take a look at a map and find Africa, locate where gorillas live around the Congo. Incorporate social studies by talking about zoos and zookeepers and what they provide to communities.

Letter/Sound Recognition- Reinforce the letter sound and name by pre-writing with their finger on a salt tray. If you have a preschooler who loves to lick their finger, use vanilla or chocolate pudding.

Book- Ivan: A Gorilla’s True Story

Craft/Activity- This Simple and Fun Wildlife Craft Mountain Gorilla Layered Art Project may just need a little extra help from you but is completely doable by a preschooler.

Song/Fingerplay- I found The Mountain Gorilla Song that sings about a specific type of gorilla and can be used to talk about the two different species, eastern and western.

Snack-Simply because kids find poop so funny, Gorilla Poops, would make a nice addition to your study. Make them in different sizes and turn it into a lesson on larger/smaller.

Books for Learning About G is for Gorilla

G is for Gorilla Preschool Unit Study Theme

Bring learning to life for your preschooler with these G is for Gorilla books and resources.

4 Pcs Realistic Gorilla Figurines

Gorilla Family: Set of four gorilla animal toys with two adults and two kids.

Gorilla

Hannah loves gorillas and longs to see a real one. Unfortunately, her father is always too busy — or too tired — to take her to the zoo.

Photo Credit: www.youtube.com

"The Letter G Song" by ABCmouse.com

"The Letter G Song"

Good Night, Gorilla

Good night, Gorilla. Good night, Elephant. It's bedtime at the zoo, and all the animals are going to sleep. Or are they? Who's that short, furry guy with the key in his hand and the mischievous grin? Good night, Giraffe. Good night, Hyena. Sneak along behind the zookeeper's back, and see who gets the last laugh in this riotous good-night romp.

One Gorilla: A Counting Book

Here is a list of the things I love.One gorilla.Two butterflies among my flowers--and one gorilla.Tree budgerigars in my house--and one gorilla.

Gorillas

All the wild gorillas live in Africa. They are peaceful and intelligent, and live in family groups called troops. Here are descriptions of the physical characteristics of these primates as well as information about how they live, including how they eat, raise their young, and adapt to their environment. Gibbons's trademark style features kid-friendly explanations and visually presented facts.

Ivan: A Gorilla's True Story

The real-life inspiration for The One and Only Ivan. A gorilla captured as a baby, Ivan was brought to a Tacoma, Washington mall to attract shoppers. Gradually, public pressure built until a better way of life for Ivan was found at Zoo Atlanta. From the Congo to America, and from a local business attraction to a national symbol of animal welfare, Ivan the Shopping Mall Gorilla traveled an astonishing distance in miles and in impact. In a spare, powerful text and evocative illustrations, Newbery medalist Katherine Applegate and artist G. Brian Karas present the extraordinary real story of this special gorilla.

Little Gorilla

As beloved Little Gorilla grows up, he discovers that love grows with him. Perfect for bedtime or snuggle-time, this warm and timeless classic reassures readers that as they grow and change, they are always loved. Just about everybody in the great green forest loves Little Gorilla. His mother loves him. His father loves him. Even Big Boa Constrictor loves him. But Little Gorilla begins to grow . . . and Grow . . . and GROW. And then, when Little Gorilla isn’t so little anymore—everyone still loves him! A soothing, rhythmic text and expressive illustration create a heartwarming story about the security and constancy of love.

Gorilla mysteries

Discusses the habits of gorillas, giant apes of frightening appearance but gentle behavior, long misunderstood by their human close relatives.

Photo Credit: blog.allaboutlearningpress.com

G Is for Gorilla Gulp (With Teaching Tips for Letter G)

What goes together better than peanut butter, cocoa, and bananas? We can’t think of a better combination—and we think your little monkeys will be nodding between gulps of chocolatey goodness!

Language Arts Focus Day 5

Letter/Sound Recognition- Take a small gorilla toy or something like a pencil to use as a pointer and go through books, newspapers, pictures on the wall or anywhere else and locate all the Gg’s that you can.

Place the toy or pointer over it

Book- Gorillas by Gail Gibbons is great as a science reference because her books are so engaging for younger (and older children as well) with bright photographs and plenty of information to take in.

Craft/Activity- Make our fun Gorilla Mask while you talk about the characteristics of the gorilla, it’s fun for dramatic play and pretend.

Song/Fingerplay- Another fun and catchy song that is fun to dance too is The Letter G, Gimme G song, introducing movement adds another layer of fun making what they learn stick.

Snack- G is for Gorilla Gulp Shake is a great snack to practice letter sounds as you pronounce g-g-gorilla and g-g-g-gulp.

Fun Paper Plate Preschool Mask

You will need:

3 paper plates
Black craft paint
Grey craft paint
Ribbon or yarn
Scissors
Glue sticks
Paint brushes
Black marker

First, flip one plate upside down and let your child paint the entire backside of the plate black, set aside to dry.

Flip a second plate and paint the center a gray color, let it dry.

Take the third plate and paint the center black.

Once all the paint is dry cut ears and a little lock of hair from the center of the black plate.

And cut a gorilla face from the gray, the center of their face is kind of a squished heart shape.

You want the gray portion to be just a little smaller than the center of the main black plate.

Measure/Eyeball the eye holes with your child’s head.

Make it about 1 ½” apart should be great for a preschooler’s face.

And make them a little oversized to give them plenty of visibility.

Cut out of the whole black plate.

Lay the gray face under the eye holes and trace with a pencil then cut them out.

Draw features on the face like nostrils, mouth, and some little wrinkles.

Glue the gray face piece to the black plate and then the ears and hair tuft.

Finally punch holes on either side of the mask.

And tie the ribbon or yarn through to create a tie to hold on the mask.

Alphabet Letter M is for Monkey Handprint Preschool Fun Monkey Study

January 8, 2024 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

M is for monkey is a lovely theme that can be stretched out to include zoos, rainforests, bananas, trees, or any other direction you would like to go with it. Also, I have more alphabet letter fun on my page How to Homeschool Preschool.

It naturally includes science as you learn about different species.

Alphabet Letter M is for Monkey Handprint Preschool Fun Monkey Study

And you can work in geography by locating places on a map or globe where different monkeys are native.

Use banana manipulatives for simple math, and introduce geography/history concepts like teaching about people in the community such as zookeepers.

I found great ideas to cover all subjects to make your M is for monkey study fun, easy, and a great learning experience.

More How to Homeschool Preschool Letter of the Week Activities

Language Arts Focus Day 1

Letter M Song -I like to begin with a song that builds on letter recognition, the sound, and words that begin with that letter and it can be repeated throughout the week to reinforce it.

Letter/Sound Recognition- Cut banana shapes out of cardstock or construction paper.

Use a marker to write letters in upper and lowercase letters, or even numbers.

Mix up a few at a time and let your child match the letters.

For children who already know all their letters, you can write out the whole alphabet and let them place the letters in the correct order in a line.

Book- A Book of Monkeys- I just love the illustrations of this book that covers not only monkeys but all other primates breaking each one down with their characteristics.

This is a great opportunity to teach comparison of differences as well as similarities.

Craft/Activity- Start off the week with this Monkey Ears Headband so they can wear them all week as you learn about M and of course monkeys.

Song/Fingerplay- Let’s jump right into the obvious song for this theme-5 Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed, it’s classic and fun.

Snack-Bake some cupcakes and then decorate them together using this Monkey Cupcake Tutorial, enjoy them with a glass of milk.

Science Focus Day 2

Letter/Sound Recognition- Take this Monkey Sensory Bin activity and add lower and uppercase M’s to it,

You can use magnet letters, letter tiles, flashcards, letters cut from magazines, or whatever you have on hand. These magnetic letters will get a lot of use for all your preschool years.

Book- Use today to learn what a monkey is, before they are ready for more complicated taxonomy preschoolers can still learn to sort and classify.

Primates cover a wide variety of creatures but are not all monkeys.

The easiest way to learn and remember is that everything that is not an ape is a monkey and monkeys have tails while apes do not.

Chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans, and gibbons all do not have tails, so they are apes.

Wildlife Anatomy contains so much information on different monkeys.

For example, it has Howler Monkey, Squirrel Monkeys, Capuchin, Baboons, and Mandrills, and the illustrations are outstanding you will use this book again and again for different zoology topics.

Here is a great video that teaches different Monkey species.

Craft/Activity- Barrel of Monkeys is a great addition to your homeschool supplies, these monkeys can be used as manipulatives for math, in a sensory bin, or as the game is meant to be played for fine motor work.

Song/Finger Play- Three Little Monkeys Sitting in a Tree with finger motions.

Snack- We are going to keep it simple today with this free Printable Monkeys for Banana Treats all you need is a printer and a banana for this treat.

Math Focus Day 3

Letter/Sound Recognition – These Monkey and Banana Counting cards are a great thematic way to practice number recognition, counting, and sequencing.

I highly suggest laminating them, so they last throughout your unit.

Book- Sometimes the best way to open a dialogue about feelings and how to handle them is through a silly book like Grumpy Monkey.

Emotional intelligence is a very important part of preschool learning.

Craft/Activity- While the Smart Bananas Math Activities may seem simple but children will be getting so much natural math exposure through addition and subtraction, comparison, measuring, weighing, and counting.

Song/Fingerplay– 5 Little Monkeys Swinging in a Tree, oh those little monkeys were teasing Mr. Alligator, and this song and fingerplay is really easy to learn and so much fun to act out, teaching through Makaton Signing.

Snack- Kids will go bananas over these adorable Monkey Sandwiches and they are pretty simple to make if you buy premade PBJ sandwiches.

History/Geography/ Day 4

Learn about zookeepers as a simple social studies lesson and what it takes to care for the animals.

In addition, look at my Rainforest Unit Study and Free Lapbook.

Kids Learn About Zookeepers and Taking Care of Animals is a short 3-minute video set to music to keep it engaging.

Letter/Sound Recognition – Use Wikki Stix to create upper and lower case m’s, remember to repeat the /m/ sound often.

Book- How could we do a preschool monkey unit without the classic Curious George?

Craft/Activity- Create a Paper Bag Monkey Craft or create an entire troop of unique monkey puppets.

Song/Finger Play- Itsy Bitsy Monkey – (Sung to the tune of The Itsy Bitsy Spider)

The Itsy Bitsy monkey climbed up the coconut tree.

(“Climb” up the tree, alternating cupped hands one on top of the other in the air.)

Down came a coconut & hit him on his knee—OWWW!!!!

(Make a double fist above your head & hit your knee)

Out came a lion a-shaking’ his mighty mane—AND—

(Frame your face with your hands, fanning fingers out for mane.

Shake head & hands.

The Itsy Bitsy monkey climbed up the tree again!

Repeat motions.

Snack- Make a Monkey Rice Cake Curious George Snack to go along with today’s book selection and it is a relatively healthy snack to boot.

Books for Learning About M is for Monkey

11 M is for Monkey Preschool Books & Resources

Add these fun books and resources about monkey to your preschool theme.

A Book of Monkeys (and other Primates)

Can you tell a slow loris from a slender loris? Did you know that when it rains orangutans make umbrellas using leaves? What's the difference between a monkey and an ape? Discover all of this (and many more monkey facts!) in Kate Viggers' humorous, illustrated guide to monkeys and other primates.

Caps for Sale: A Tale of a Peddler Some Monkeys and Their Monkey Business

Children will delight in following the peddler’s efforts to outwit the monkeys and will ask to read it again and again. Caps for Sale is an excellent easy-to-read book that includes repetition, patterns, and colors, perfect for early readers.

This tale of a peddler and a band of mischievous monkeys is filled with warmth,
humor, and simplicity and also teaches children about problem and resolution.

Magnetic Alphabet Letters

Suitable for preschoolers and young children：EVA foam magnetic letters are an innovative early education toy suitable for preschoolers and young children. They can help children learn English letters, improve spelling abilities, and enhance their oral expression skills.

Winning Moves Games Classic Barrel of Monkeys

Classic Skill Game

Squirrel Monkey Plush

These realistic stuffed animals are created with high-quality materials and are surface washable in case you get its luscious fur coat dirty.

Grumpy Monkey

Jim the chimpanzee is in a terrible mood for no good reason. His friends can't understand it--how can he be in a bad mood when it's SUCH a beautiful day? They have lots of suggestions for how to make him feel better. But Jim can't take all the advice...and has a BIT of a meltdown. Could it be that he just needs a day to feel grumpy?

Fidget Toy Plus Arts & Crafts for Kids; Non Reusable Hands-on

Calming Sensory Fidget Toy: Soft And Pliable, Easy To Have On Hand To Help Tame Those Fidgety Fingers

Curious George

In this book, George meets his friend, the man with the yellow hat, and begins the life of mischief and adventure so beloved by generations of readers. The inspiration for television, films, and hundreds of books, Curious George is a mainstay of children's picture books

Monkey Puzzle

"I've lost my mum!" It's not too much fun being lost in the jungle, and little monkey wants his mummy. A kindly butterfly is keen to help, but they don't seem to be having much luck as the well-meaning butterfly misunderstands monkey's descriptions and leads him to all sorts of unsuitable animals! But eventually, they find... Dad! It's just as well that he knows exactly where mum is, and she's waiting with a well-deserved cuddle.

Hanging Stuffed Monkeys

Soft and Quality: monkey stuffed animals are made of plush, with evenly and full filling, which are skin friendly and comfortable to touch, not easy to deform; They have exquisite workmanship, are sturdy enough for long term use.

Wildlife Anatomy: The Curious Lives & Features of Wild Animals around the World

Julia Rothman's series of Anatomy books are beloved by children and adults alike. In Wildlife Anatomy, Rothman captures the excitement and distinctive attributes of wild animals around the world. The book is packed with hundreds of her charming, original illustrations, detailing the unique features of animals of the rainforest, desert, grasslands, oceans, and much more. From lions, bears, and zebras to monkeys, mongoose, bats, elephants, giraffes, hippos, and much more, Rothman's visual guide covers all the key features, right down to the anatomy of a lion's claw and a wild horse's hoof. All the illustrations are accompanied by labels, intriguing facts, and identifying details, such as: When is a Panther Not a Panther? and What Makes Aardvarks So Odd? Rothman's characteristic combination of curiosity and an artist's eye makes this wildlife treasury rich and full, and promises new discoveries every time it's opened.

Also, add day 5.

Language Arts Focus Day 5

Learning letter recognition and phonics are key facets for a foundation of language arts in the early years. I think that hands-on fun and repetition are key for the mastery of these skills.

Letter/Sound Recognition-I found this cute song- M Monkey, and it’s a cute repetitive song covering many of the simple words that start with M.

Book- Monkey Puzzle is a sweet little book about a little monkey who is missing his mom written by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, creators of The Gruffalo.

Craft/Activity- Gather up some old magazines and go on a Magazine Letter Hunt and Sort Activity for the letter M not only is it good for letter recognition but cutting and pasting help those fine motor skills by building up hand muscles.

Song/Fingerplay- Try out the Letter M song by ABCmouse.com, the tune is so much fun even for grown-ups.

Snack- Make this cute little Banana Sushi treat to finish off your week, after all little monkeys love those tasty bananas.

M is for Monkey Handprint

You will need:

Blue construction paper
Brown construction paper
Google eyes
Green craft paint
Brown craft paint
Paintbrush

First, let your child paint green vines wherever they like on the blue construction paper. Allow to dry.

Paint your child’s hand brown.

Stamp it down over the vines with the thumb pointing upward. Be sure to press down firmly over the whole hand.

Paint a circle of brown over the thumb to create the monkey’s head and give him a curling little tail as well.

Paint your child brown and use it like a stamp to create two round ears.

While the paint is drying, cut out a small brown oval for the mouth and two smaller ones for the inside of the ears.

After the paint has dried your child can glue on the mouth, inner ears, and some googly eyes with a glue stick.

Finally, use a pen to add a little more detail like a mouth and nostrils.

I like to also write down the upper and lowercase letters on the paper to reinforce what they are learning.

Alphabet Letter R is for Rainbow Craft for Preschool | Fun Rain Mobile

January 7, 2024 | 2 Comments
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Create this R is for rainbow craft. And find plenty more ideas to enjoy a rainbow (and rain) themed unit with your preschooler. Also, I have more alphabet letter fun on my page How to Homeschool Preschool.

Rain and rainbows are a perfect theme for introducing the letter R.

They are fun, colorful, and a natural part of life.

But rather than just focusing on rainbows you can use it as a starting point to create a fun little unit all about weather.

Alphabet Letter R is for Rainbow Craft for Preschool | Fun Rain Mobile

Add a special focus on r is for rainbow and incorporate math, language arts, science, and history as well.

There are plenty of great ideas to keep your preschooler busy and engaged throughout the study.

And you can choose as many or as few as you like to customize it to what fits your family and your schedule.

More How to Homeschool Preschool Letter of the Week Activities

Language Arts Focus Day 1

Start the week by demonstrating for your child how to make the letter R sound. You can use catchy videos to help what they learn really stick.

Letter/Sound Recognition- Learn the Letter R with a favorite of mine, Jack Hartmann.

His videos are so much fun while sounding out the letter. And words that start with the letter as well as hand motions, dancing, and memorable teaching.

Book- The sweet story A Rainbow of My Own is a great read aloud to tie in with the rainbow theme and is presented in easy-to-understand language.

Craft/Activity- I found a matching upper and lower case Rainbow Alphabet Activity that goes along with my book selection for the day- A Rainbow of My Own.

Song/Fingerplay- A little twist on an old classic, this version of Singing in The Rain will have your little one up and dancing.

Snack- Keep it simple but I think this Froot Loops Rainbow Craft and Snack will still be a big hit, just look how cute it is.

Science Focus Day 2

Keep preschoolers engaged with hands-on experiments and simple discussions about how it rains as well as why rainbows appear after a rain.

This Rain Cloud in a Jar activity is a fantastic visual for young children to understand why and how rain falls.

Letter/Sound Recognition- The Rainbow Alphabet Matching Game offers a free printable for matching lower and uppercase letters.

Book- The simple text of Rainbows introduces young learners to the science behind rainbows. Including why rainbows occur and what they are made of.

Craft/Activity – Try this super fun and engaging Scented Rainbow Science For Preschoolers activity, preschoolers love that fizzing foaming reaction.

Another fantastic science activity is the Rainbow Skittles Experiment.

Song/Fingerplay- While your child may already know the colors of the rainbow, they will still enjoy singing along to The Rainbow Colors Song.

Snack-Rainbow Yogurt Bark is healthy but will appeal to both their eyes and taste buds. I think this is a great easy snack that they can also help prepare.

Then add some R is for rainbow craft math.

Math Focus Day 3

Additionally, you can keep it very simple by creating a math activity with a single piece of blue construction paper and a marker.

Cut out 10 raindrop shapes and number them 1-10, have your child place them in order.

To make it a little more challenging line them up and pull out a number or two and have your child place the number in the correct spot.

As they advance you can also use them to ask your child to demonstrate things like show me one more than 3, one less etc.

Letter/Sound Recognition- Create the Raindrops Letter Matching craft.

Use construction paper or craft foam for an easy and fun game, focus on a few letters or all.

Book- Before you get the rainbow you get – Rain! A cute storybook about finding joy in the rain and all the fun it brings.

Craft/Activity-Another fantastic idea for math is to practice simple Math With a Rainbow Abacus that will delight your child while they learn basic number sense.

Song/Finger Play-Revisit Jack Harmann for a catchy song about the Colors of The Rainbow.

Snack- Enjoy a snack or lunch starting with R, here are some ideas to get you started -Ravioli, rice, ramen, ranch dressing, raw carrots, raisins, Romaine lettuce, and raspberries.

History/Geography/ Focus Day 4

This topic is a great time to introduce community helpers like meteorologists to your child.

Watch a few minutes of the weather report and talk it over with your child.

Letter/Sound Recognition- Remember that you do not always have to focus on just the letter you are learning for the week.

It is truly best to continually review what you have learned and at least introduce new letters and sound organically if not for mastery just for familiarity.

Cut rainbow colors of construction paper into ¼ their size and write the name of the color at the top so your child can see it.

Have them go on a hunt around the house and find objects of that color, as they place them practice sounding out the first letter of each object.

Book- The Rain Came Down.

Craft/Activity- Let your child enjoy dramatic play time as a meteorologist. Create this Fun Felt Weather Chart that is fantastic for daily use during your morning time.

Song/Fingerplay- Let’s go back to practicing The Letter R Sound.

Review upper and lower case, and learning words that start with the letter R.

Silly and memorable you may find your preschooler singing this song all day.

Snack-This treat covers rainbow and rice krispies! These Rainbow Rice Krispies look delicious and are a fun way to celebrate the theme.

Books for Learning About R is for Rainbow Craft

8 R is for Rainbow Books

R is for rainbow. Add some books and resources for a fun unit study rainbow theme.

A Rainbow of My Own

A small boy imagines what it would be like to have his own rainbow to play with.

Rainbows (Amazing Sights of the Sky)

One of the best things about a rainy day is the possibility of seeing a rainbow, but there's more to rainbows than meets the eye! Simple text introduces readers to the science behind rainbows. Including why rainbows occur and what they are made of.

What Makes a Rainbow?: A Magic Ribbon Book

A rainbow of ribbons magically appear when you open the pages of this innovative book! Toddlers will love listening to the charming story and seeing a different colored ribbon with the turn of each page. The last page is sure to delight with all the colors of the rainbow. What a fun way to learn colors!

Rain!

One rainy day in the city, an eager little boy exclaims, “Rain!” Across town a grumpy man grumbles, “Rain.” In this endearing picture book, a rainy-day cityscape comes to life in vibrant, cut-paper-style artwork. The boy in his green frog hat splashes in puddles—“Hoppy, hoppy, hoppy!”—while the old man curses the “dang puddles.” Can the boy’s natural exuberance (and perhaps a cookie) cheer up the grouchy gentleman and turn the day around?

The Rain Came Down

"On Saturday morning, the rain came down. It made the chickens squawk. The cat yowled at the chickens, and the dog barked at the cat. And still, the rain came down."The barking dog wakes the baby, the dog barks louder, and a policeman comes. His police car blocks traffic, and a woman in a taxi yells, so the taxi driver honks his horn. The truck driver in front of him gets mad and starts honking back. The beauty parlor owner comes out to look, and she bumps into the barber, and they begin to argue. A painter bonks the barber on the head with a can of paint, and then the baker opens up his umbrella and pokes the pizza man. On and on and on until suddenly . . . . . . the rain stops!The sun comes out, everything shimmers, and all of the bickering townspeople make amends–even the arguing children, who get free ice cream cones.

Who Likes Rain?

With spring come April showers. It's time to put on a raincoat, grab an umbrella, and head outdoors. The worms like rain, and so do the fish and frogs. But what about the cat and dog? In this lyrical picture book, one spunky little girl discovers just who likes rain―and who doesn't―as she explores the rainy-day habits of the world around her.

Newton's Rainbow: The Revolutionary Discoveries of a Young Scientist

Famed for his supposed encounter with a falling apple that inspired his theory of gravity, Isaac Newton (1642–1727) grew from a quiet and curious boy into one of the most influential scientists of all time. Newton's Rainbow tells the story of young Isaac―always reading, questioning, observing, and inventing―and how he eventually made his way to Cambridge University, where he studied the work of earlier scientists and began building on their accomplishments. This colorful picture book biography celebrates Newton's discoveries that illuminated the mysteries of gravity, motion, and even rainbows, discoveries that gave mankind a new understanding of the natural world, discoveries that changed science forever.

Quiet Bunny's Many Colors

Quiet Bunny loves the bright colors of spring: the yellow ducks, green frogs, and blue jays everything but his own mousy-brown and wintry-white fur. It takes the help of a wise old owl for Bunny to realize that it's the rainbow of colors, including his own, that makes the world so beautiful.

Also, add day 5.

Language Arts Focus Day 5

Of course, throughout the week you have been repeating the letter R’s sound, pointing it out whenever you see it,

Also, you’re doing a language arts rich activity like reading aloud.

But take another day to do some additional intentional activities.

Letter/Sound Recognition- Squishy sensory fun is a great practice idea for pre-writing skills, use the Rainbow Bag Writing Tray to introduce “writing” with a finger before picking up pencils.

Book- Who Likes Rain? I feel like this one is a wonderful combination of picture book and science book, as it talks about who and why they like (and need) the rain.

Craft/Activity- Create this Fun Rain Mobile below for an art project in line with our theme that can be hung up anywhere.

I am also quite certain that most kids would love to dig into a sensory bin with this DIY Rainbow Spaghetti as the base, colorful and squishy fun.

Song/Fingerplay- If you are not already familiar with them The Laurie Berkner Band is another really good resource for children’s songs covering a lot of topics and “Umbrella” is so contagious!

Snack-A healthy and easy treat to start off the day this Rainy Day Breakfast will be fun and delicious.

Finally, look at this r is for rainbow craft rain mobile.

Fun R is for Rainbow Craft Rain Mobile

You will need:

White and blue craft foam
Rainbow colored pipe cleaners
String
Scissors
Hot glue/tacky glue

First, lay two sheets of white craft foam together and cut out two symmetrical clouds shapes as large as you would like it to be.

Use a small cylinder-shaped object to bend lengths of rainbow colored pipe cleaners into somewhat similar shapes and sizes.

Layer the rainbow colors and attach with glue, talking to your child as you do it together about the order the colors appear in the rainbow.

You can use hot glue for a quicker dry time but if you want to let your child do as much of the project as possible opt for a strong hold tacky glue instead.

Cut varying lengths of string and glue across the bottom of one of the cloud shapes.

Make a small loop of string and attach to the top of the same cloud to create a hanger.

Cut raindrops from craft foam and glue onto the strings.

How To Make An Alphabet Teeth Cleaning Activity | 5 Preschool Letter T Crafts

January 6, 2024 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

T is for teeth, and I have a bunch of preschool letter T crafts and activities in the theme to make a full and fun study. Also, I have more alphabet letter fun on my page How to Homeschool Preschool.

Young children, especially, learn best when you engage all their senses – smell, touch, taste, sound, and sight in hands-on activities.

T is a great letter to use to learn all about dental health and dentists, but you can absolutely expand on it and include all kinds of T words.

How To Make An Alphabet Teeth Cleaning Activity | 5 Preschool Letter T Crafts

I have a great variety of preschool letter T crafts to help you build a hands-on unit study that will have your preschooler begging for more.

From snacks to books and crafts, they will help you build an amazing and full theme.

I also have step-by-step instructions for a fun alphabet teeth-cleaning activity that does not require any special supplies other than a toothbrush and can be used over and over.

If you want your study to coincide with National Children’s Dental Health Month, it falls in February.

More How to Homeschool Preschool Letter of the Week Activities

Language Arts Focus Day 1

Introduce the letter T as well as its lowercase counterpart. Practice the sound it makes with your little one over and over to familiarize them with it.

Letter/Sound Recognition – Alphabet Teeth Cleaning- See instructions at the bottom of the post for making this super fun letter recognition activity.

Book – The Tooth Book. This book is absolutely silly and is not only on theme with teeth, but it introduces lots of words that start with T as Booth waits for his tooth to grow in.

Craft/Activity- Digging in with this Dental Health Sensory Play will give your preschooler exposure to teeth-related items, spark their interest with a sensory activity, and make the lesson memorable.

Song/Fingerplay – Jack Hartman is a fantastic choice if you are going to allow small amounts of screen time, his alphabet songs are upbeat and catchy like Learn The Letter T.

Snack – Not just one snack option but here are options for 5 Snacks for Kids That Start With T for you to choose from.

Science Focus Day 2

Focus on the parts of the mouth, and teeth, and how to care for teeth for science.

This is something you will cover all week but give it extra focus today. If you haven’t already, this is a great time for a first dental checkup/field trip.

Letter/Sound Recognition- Book- Learn about all the amazing things teeth can do and all the different kinds of teeth in Dr. Seuss’s The Tooth Book.

Craft/Activity- Simple Science: Rotten Teeth

While this activity is written for a first-grade class I think it is very adaptable to preschoolers and will help teach them early on what certain foods and not brushing can do to their teeth.

Another super fun option for an activity is Crocodile Dentist, games are great for teaching children to take turns and follow directions.

Song/Fingerplay – Watch this video once or twice and you will have the words down pat to teach your preschooler –Brush Your Teeth.

Snack- The Tooth Book covers the teeth of more than just people, all kinds of creatures are featured, and their teeth. Try this Shark Tooth Snack Mix to highlight different kinds of teeth

Math Focus Day 3

Math is an everyday subject, but you can incorporate some intentional activities to teach number recognition and counting with nothing more than playdough and construction paper.

Letter/Sound Recognition- Counting Teeth. For this activity I simply cut an oval out of pink construction paper that resembled a wide open-mouth model.

Then provide your child with white playdough and a die.

Have them roll the die and then make that many teeth to put in the mouth.

Encourage them to count the teeth, roll again, and start over. You could also have them keep going until it’s full.

Book- How to Catch The Tooth Fairy – For a simply fun whimsical book I really like this story.

Craft/Activity- How cute is this Toothpaste slime? Throw in some plastic teeth and dental-related tools and this will keep the kids busy for a long time.

Song/Fingerplay – Make the motions with your hands as you teach your child this fingerplay/song.

This is The Way We Brush Our Teeth

This is the way we brush our teeth,

brush our teeth, brush our teeth.

This is the way we brush our teeth,

so early in the morning.

Brush them up and brush them down,

in little circles or round and round.

Don’t brush them from side to side,

for those sugar bugs will surely hide.

Snack- Make an adorable, silly, and fun mouth full of teeth by cutting apple slices, spreading peanut butter on one side, and filling with a row of mini marshmallows in between.

It’s tasty and educational!

History & Geography Focus Day 4

History and geography for preschoolers is largely learning about community helpers and jobs.

This is a great opportunity to talk about the dentist and what they do. I found this little dental set at Dollar Tree.

And it is a great way to demonstrate what a dentist does and what they look at. You can also use it as a model for good brushing techniques.

Letter/Sound Recognition- Practice making T’s with q tips, popsicle sticks, pretzels, sticks, or any similar object you find.

Book- Llama Llama Loose Tooth Drama – Within the next year or so your preschooler may begin to lose teeth, classic Llama is a great way to introduce the concept.

Craft/Activity These Popsicle Stick Toothbrushes also happen to start with T and are a cute little craft for them to make.

Song/Fingerplay Letter T Song is simple and repetitive teaching not only the t sound but words that begin with t and even teaching that it is a consonant.

Snack- A cute but simple lunch this Dental Health Month Lunch will be a big hit.

Books to Go With the Preschool Letter T Crafts

Next, look at the books you can use in this Letter T is for Tooth unit study.

T for Teeth Preschool Theme

Teach your preschooler and kindergarten the sound of T with a teeth fun study.

The Tooth Book

Learn about this very important body part that lets us talk, eat, and more in this useful guide from Dr. Seuss, illustrated by Joe Mathieu! From a lion's mouth to a clam's, explore all the things teeth can do, how they grow, and how to keep them in tip top shape! Dr. Seuss's rhymes will delight young readers and help them discover the world around them, starting with their own bodies!

The Tooth Book: For Children to Enjoy Learning about Teeth, Cavities, and Other Dental Health Facts

The Silliest Book You'll Read About Teeth!A few months ago, Booth lost a tooth. But what if, instead of a new tooth, another “T—” item pops out?Before you turn the page, have your child make a guess! Will it actually be a tooth or something else?

How to Catch the Tooth Fairy

From losing your first tooth to waiting for the arrival of the mysterious tooth fairy, How to Catch the Tooth Fairy celebrates this special event in your child's life with a lively story of the tooth fairy's escape from some very determined kids! Get ready to laugh along with this zany story as the tooth fairy dodges traps, drool, dental floss webs, and more in this fun bedtime book for children ages 4-10 that combines silly rhymes and bright illustrations with STEAM concepts! Can you catch her?

The Tooth Book: A Guide to Healthy Teeth and Gums

Taking good care of your teeth and gums is an important part of maintaining overall health. After all, you need your pearly whites to eat, smile, and talk. But what should you expect when you go to the dentist? What should you do if you lose a tooth? Full of straightforward advice and animated, colorful art, as well as some bite-sized bits of history and lore, this guide provides accessible information about taking care of your teeth. The much-needed dental advice in this book is both timely and accessible to today's children.

Llama Llama Loose Tooth Drama

Llama Llama's tooth is wiggling! Is it time for his first tooth to come out? He's excited, but anxious. Who is this tooth fairy everyone talks about? Mama Llama reassures him; the tooth will come out when it's good and ready. But no one is ready for what happens next...Suddenly, the tooth is GONE! Where did it go?

Crocodile Teeth Dentist Game for Kids

The joints that connect the lower and upper jaws have been redesigned and reinforced to ensure that the jaws will not loosen apart easily even when playing quite roughly.

Next, move on to Day 5.

Language Arts Focus Day 5

Letter/Sound Recognition- Go on a tooth hunt around the house or outdoors.

All you need to do is to cut out simple tooth shapes from white construction paper and write lower- and upper-case t’s on them.

Then hide them here and there for your child to find.

Have your child make the t sound each time they find one.

Book – If you want a book that is full of facts and teaches without being too much like a textbook then The Tooth Book: A Guide to Healthy Teeth and Gums is a good way to go.

Craft/Activity- Create this Mr. Toothy Easy Tooth Craft For Preschoolers, repeating the t sound over and over as they create it.

Song/Fingerplay- The Tooth Brushing Song is super silly and fun, it will definitely get them moving and ready to brush.

Snack-Make up a tray of good-for-your-teeth snacks and a few not-so-good snacks to enjoy.

Talk about how most of the time we should choose foods that are good for our teeth and bodies but it is okay to occasionally have a treat, brushing afterward of course.

Finally, look how to make this fun alphabet teeth cleaning activity.

Fun Alphabet Teeth Cleaning Activity for Preschool Letter T Crafts

You will need:

Ziploc bag
White cardstock
Toothbrush
Permanent Markers
Dry erase markers

First, to remove the print from your bag you can wipe it down with rubbing alcohol and it will take it right off.

You will probably need to trim your cardstock down to fit in your gallon bag.

Do this before you make your pictures to be sure you don’t have to cut any of it off.

Use a circular object to draw a circle almost as large as the paper.

Inside the circle draw a big grinning mouth with teeth as well as eyes, a nose, and hair if you want to make it fun.

I like to add a little color to make it more appealing.

To vary the practice during the week make a second one with just a big smiling mouth.

Slip paper in a zipper bag and close the top.

To play, write letters like T, t, or any letters your child is practicing on the teeth with a dry-erase marker.

Give your child a toothbrush and call out letters for them to erase using the toothbrush.

You could do the same thing with numbers or if your child is a beginning writer you can have them use the dry-erase marker to practice upper and lowercase T’s.

preschool skills

More How to Homeschool Preschool Letter of the Week Activities

Language Arts Focus Day 1

Science Focus Day 2

Math Focus Day 3

History/Geography Focus Day 4

W is For Winter Themed Books

Language Arts Focus Day 5

Easy Snowman Oobleck Activity

More How to Homeschool Preschool Letter of the Week Activities

Language Arts Focus Day 1

Science Focus Day 2

Math Focus Day 3

History/Geography Focus Day 4

Books for Learning About G is for Gorilla

Language Arts Focus Day 5

Fun Paper Plate Preschool Mask

More How to Homeschool Preschool Letter of the Week Activities

Language Arts Focus Day 1

Science Focus Day 2

Math Focus Day 3

History/Geography/ Day 4

Books for Learning About M is for Monkey

Language Arts Focus Day 5

M is for Monkey Handprint

More How to Homeschool Preschool Letter of the Week Activities

Language Arts Focus Day 1

Science Focus Day 2

Math Focus Day 3

History/Geography/ Focus Day 4

Books for Learning About R is for Rainbow Craft

Language Arts Focus Day 5

Fun R is for Rainbow Craft Rain Mobile

More How to Homeschool Preschool Letter of the Week Activities

Language Arts Focus Day 1

Science Focus Day 2

Math Focus Day 3

History & Geography Focus Day 4

Books to Go With the Preschool Letter T Crafts

Language Arts Focus Day 5

Fun Alphabet Teeth Cleaning Activity for Preschool Letter T Crafts

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