Preschool Advent Song Book

When I was a child, I went to “Junior Church.” We didn’t run around the gym or have a snack every 30 minutes – no, we had our very own church service. We all sat in chairs and listened to the “program leader” announce each hymn (and we would sing every stanza!) before hearing our teacher give the lesson and ending with the song, “Come into my heart, Lord Jesus.” We had several Christmas traditions in Junior Church too – we always lit an Advent candle each week, there would always be a birthday cake for Jesus, and… we would always sing this version of “The Twelve Days of Christmas” that would tell the nativity story.

a 4th grade mini-me with Mr. Yates (December birthday buddies!)
and the birthday cake for Jesus in Junior Church, Christmas 1996

I wanted to pass on this song to my 4-year-old class a few years ago, so in preparation for Christmas we made a simple page every day leading up to our Christmas break. Then I bound them in books for each child to take home and teach the song to their families!

Toddler Tuesday: Thankful Bags

Here’s a quick, easy, simple Thanksgiving gift that even toddlers can make for parents, grandparents, family, friends, neighbors… whoever!

Toddler Tuesday: Picasso Turkeys

This is one of the simplest art projects that has turned into a classic in my classroom. It is so easy, but each child’s always turns into a unique keepsake.

First, just prepare what you will need for one turkey. I cut out a pear-shaped body (kinda looks like Mr. Potato Head!), and each child also got 2 googly eyes, a triangular beak, a little red gobbler, 2 feet, and some colored feathers.

Toddler Tuesday: Smelly Bottles

I don’t want to neglect this severely forgotten sense, and this is a cheap and easy way to get toddlers learning with their noses!

Texture Turtles

Our toddlers just finished a month focusing on our five senses, and this was one of the many fun projects we made! 

Of course we try to incorporate our five senses in what we do all throughout the year, and this simple activity would be fun for an animal unit, learning about colors or shapes, enriching a study about textures, and more.

Toddler Name Paintings

The beginning of the school year is a time of getting to know one another’s names, and this is a fun way for toddlers to be introduced to the look of their own names!

Class Friendship Quilt

The beginning of another school year is upon us, and so far my little ones have enjoyed lots of painting projects! This was one of their favorites – a way for us to introduce colors, make a fun collaborative work of art, and get messy with some paint!

Fireworks for Toddlers

Happy Fourth of July! I’ve been hearing the fireworks all day and look forward to more tonight. Until then, here are some fireworks crafts that our toddlers painted last week! These projects are both great ways to practice fine motor skills, talk about colors, and get in some sensory play.

Stars & Stripes: Patriotic Crafts for Toddlers

Only 2 days until our nation’s birthday! Here are a few patriotic projects our toddlers have been working on.

Patriotic Star Garlands

It’s almost the 4th of July, Independence Day in the United States! We have been having a lot of fun with red, white, and blue to celebrate! 

Wet Chalk Painting

Yesterday the toddlers made something super simple and inexpensive, with impressive results.

End of the Year Cleaning Tip

It’s the end of the school year, and our tables looked like this!

Alphabet Book: U-Z

Here are the last few pages of our alphabet book! Be sure to check out all the other letters in the series!

Alphabet Book: P-T

Welcome back to the next installment of our awesome alphabet book! If you haven’t already, go back and read the explanation behind it and the previous alphabet page ideas!

Alphabet Book: K-O

Welcome back to the next installment of our awesome alphabet book! If you haven’t already, go back and read the explanation behind it and the previous alphabet page ideas!

Alphabet Book: F-J

Welcome back to the next installment of our awesome alphabet book! If you haven’t already, go back and read the explanation behind it. Now, on to the letters!

Alphabet Book A-E

Finally the alphabet book is here! Or at least the beginning of it. The toddlers have been working on this all year, but that’s because it is not the main focus of our days. This could easily be done in a week.

So first, the reasoning: no, I’m not drilling little one- and two-year-olds on their letters. No, we’re not doing a “letter of the week” or “letter days.” Although that might work in preschool, toddlers are just not going to get that. Instead, we are introducing letters to the little ones and letting them play with them so that letters become something they associate with fun. 

Rainy Day Crafts for Toddlers

April showers bring crafty powers!

Because some afternoons in Florida look like this.

DIY Magnet Boards

Magnets are something every child should get to play with, and I wanted to incorporate them into our science center, but they’re just so expensive! Then I saw this idea on Pinterest, and I knew I had to do it! So I did!

Easter Story Cookies

These cookies have become a tradition for our family, and I hope they will be for yours too! I don’t know where this recipe originated from, but what a wonderful opportunity this presents to further teach the truth of Easter!

Begin this recipe on SATURDAY, the night before Easter.

Easter Story Cookies

YOU WILL NEED:

1 cup whole pecans

1 tsp. vinegar

3 egg whites

a pinch of salt

1 cup sugar

zipper baggie

wooden spoon or wooden meat hammer

duct tape or packing tape

Bible