Storytelling path...

Storytelling path:

 

This is definitely being tried out with the fun with words programme.  What a fabulous idea!  Parents and children can make these together or the children might like to make their own.  Love the way that pictures have been drawn along the way as reminders of the story along the path. 

 

This would also make a beautiful personal story with family members / pets along the path etc or a story path from birth to the age the child is now.  So many possibilities as well as using traditional tales and much more!

 

Language skills, memory skills, sequencing, developing imagination and creativity, fine motor skills when drawing or sticking pictures on....can also include number if using traditional tales as well as how many footsteps it takes to go along the path.  So many directions for this activity.  Love it!

 

Found this via pinterest on http://fairydustteaching.com/

 

Pop on over to this

 

Fabulous site!

 

Sarah x

 

Guided reading beach balls

Another fabulous idea i'm adding to the resource pile for the fun with words programme for parents and children.  Loving the idea of using them in the sessions.  What a great ice breaker for parents too....the questions could be different?  Found these over at:

http://catalog.teachersaidnc.com/guided_reading_beach_balls

Language skills, thinking skills, physical activity and if your low on storage space they fold up too.

Sarah x

Story rolls from imagination soup

This is another fabulous resource I have started making with the families I work with from http://imaginationsoup.net/2011/04/make-and-write-a-story-roll/

It fits in brilliantly with the fun with words programme early reading / writing section.  So simple to put together too.  Pop on over to the site to find other fabulous ideas too.  You wont be disappointed!

Sarah x

We're going on a Bear Hunt....

We're going on a Bear Hunt

 

This is one of my favourite books I use with the children as it has lots of great repetitive language.  The pages inside are colour...black and white....colour.....black and white.  I love this element as it enables the children to use their imagination and creativity to bring the pages alive.  After all the sky isn't always just blue, the grass can sometimes be muddy....you get my drift.

 

I always get the parents and children I work with to act out the story with actions.  We love it and add various pieces of material to act as mud and the river and hang cd's up from trees to use as the snowstorm that we go through.

 

But I am definitely going to add this extra element that I came across the other day on pinterest from makedoandfriend.blogspot.com

 

Especially as we haven't always got the room to be physical.  Imagine using chocolate powder for the sensory mud - the smell, the taste, the feel of it.

Language development, sensory play, developing imagination and creativity.

 

Sarah x

Story wands

I have recently been developing a programme based on fun with words with parents and children with some of my lovely deliverers.  The programme also focuses on supporting parents with strategies to support their children with reading. 

 

 

I have just come across these amazing story wands from Lindsay Collins on Pinterest.  Fabulous! I ma in the process of making some of these as the children are going to love them, especially with a little twist of Harry Potter.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Lately I have been making story boxes with the parents and children I work with.  One of our favourites has been the Very Hungry Caterpillar.  I love making these as so many recycled materials can be used.  A simple shoe box then houses it all.

Some parents worry that they aren't creative enough to make these.......you don't have to be ale to sew or draw to make these with your children.  Your child will already be full of ideas of what they want to do and include in it, its about having fun with your child.

Here are some links to great sites that I use to produce resources to support the children and parents.

Pop on over to these great sites to see more...

Sarah x

1.These pintables are fab to use as props for the story as well as to develop early number skills through counting, shape and colour....

http://omazingkidsyoga.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/the-very-hungry-caterpillar-story-props-from-kizclub-com-color-version-6-page-pdf.pdf

 

 

2.These rocks from Sam @ Thrive 360 are amazing.  Great for developing sequencing skills for older children too. 

 

http://www.thrive360living.com/2013/04/the-very-hungry-caterpillar-painted.html

 

 

3. Mommie Nation has made a stunning button snake caterpillar with felt food pieces which I am in the process of making to have a go at with the children I work with.  I know this is going to go down really well.

 

http://mommienation.wordpress.com/2012/06/18/the-very-hungry-caterpillar-activity/

 

 

 



Farmyard craft ideas...

Well as I have recently made the sensory farm play mat, I thought I would share some farmyard craft ideas which I use with the children I work with.

Paper plates - one of the best resources ever.  So many things you can do and make with them.  So here are some of the great ideas I have come across to use......

http://www.clickacraft.com/crafts-material/paper-plate/paper-plate-cow

http://www.livingonalatte.com/2012/07/paper-plate-farm-animals.html

http://www.allkidsnetwork.com/crafts/farm/

http://www.dltk-kids.com/crafts/miscellaneous/mpiggybank.html

Or what about these really cute farm animal finger puppets?  I made some similar to sing Old MacDonald and I went to visit a farm one day.  The children also made some so they had their own set to use to sing with too.

http://seevanessacraft.com/2012/10/tot-school-tuesday-farm-animal-finger-puppets/

Pop over to these fab sites...you wont be sorry!

Sarah x

Cornflour Clay which can be air dried and painted

Cornflour clay (cooked on the hob)

 

What you need:

 

2 cups of salt                     Cup

1 1/2 cups of water           Measuring jug

1 cup of cornflour              Large saucepan

                                          Small bowl

                                         Wooden spoon

 

How to make:

 

1. Put 2 cups of salt and two thirds of a cup of water into a saucepan and bring to the boil.
2. Meanwhile, put the cornflour into a bowl and gradually stir in two thirds of a cup of water.
3. When the water and salt mixture has boiled, remove from the heat and stir into this, the cornflour and water mixture.
4. Return to the hob and heat slowly, stirring all the time.
5. When this has begun to thicken, remove from the heat and stir until the mixture is very stiff.
6. Turn out onto a lightly cornfloured surface and knead well.
7. When cool, store in an airtight container.

This clay can be air dried in approximately 72 hours - depending on the size of the finished item, and then it can be painted,

 

WARNING: The cornflour clay looks very tempting to young children at this stage and can be very hot when removed from the pan.  Not suitable for children to make!

 

You finished clay should be strong enough to make something similar to the picture above.

 

Have fun x



Special dolls house

This is my version of a ring binder dolls house victorian living room and bedroom.  I was amazed at this idea if your limited for space with a dolls house, as these can be folded and put back onto the bookshelf...brillaint or what!!!!!

The inspiration came from the wonderfull southern dispotition blogsite....

http://southerndisposition.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/diy-three-ring-binder-barbie-dollhouse.html

Kendra's files are made into rooms more from the 21st Century and she shows you how to make some amazing furniture too!

Pop on over you wont be disappointed....I wasn't with my effort.

P.s I made the bed from a chocolate biscuit box, recycled material and a christmas decoration.

Sarah x

Sensory farm play mat

Sensory farm play mat

I made this play mat from some recycled materials.  The various texures make it great for variations in fields for the animals and crops.

The play mat enables opportunities for:

Sorting animals into groups

Developing imagination and creativity

Developing language

Singing - Old MacDonald.....I went to visit a farm one day.......5 little ducks

Matching opportunities

...and much more!

The best thing is it folds and rolls up small so that it can be stored away easily.

Sarah x

Sensory rolls

Sensory rolls:

Brilliant home made resource for both babies and older children.  I use these with the babies as a sensory tickling game.  They are made from kitchen roles and various pieces of fabric wrapped around them with different textures.

Older children love them to....roll them across their hands or feet.

They fit perfect into a shoe box too.

Brilliant for language development: rough, smooth, furry, fluffy, soft, .....

Great resource to make from recycling too!

Sarah x

Incy Wincy Spider

Incy Wincy spider song prop:

Making this song prop provides a great sensory experience when using the black paint with your hands.  The children love squelching the paint and making marks with various items they choose as well as their hands of course.  One of the best tools we have.

To make the prop you will need:

• Kitchen roll tube
• Long piece of wool
• White card
• Black paint
• Small piece of white / black card

You can see in the pictures that the spider is a child's handprints back to back to produce the spiders body and legs.

Make a small hole in the top of the kitchen roll tube and another on the opposite side of the bottom of the tube.  Thread the wool through the top hole, down the tube and then thread through the bottom hole.

Attach a small piece of card to the wool threaded through the bottom hole (see picture).

Attach your Incy Wincy to the other end (see picture).

By threading the wool in this way and attaching to the piece of card, a mechanism is formed to pull Incy up and down the tube.

The children love making hi and have so much fun using this prop to sing the song.

Have fun!

Sarah : )