Fishing For Names

I teach a class of three and four year old children and at the moment I am working on lots of name recognition activities. 

This is a great outdoor activity that involves three of my favourite things- water, recycling and STICKS!!

Using an empty plastic milk container, I cut out various fish shapes and wrote each child's name on a fish. I punched holes for eyes (the bigger the better) and put them in the water trolley.

The children then had to make their own fishing rod and catch their name fish!!!

The fishing rods were made by winding a pipe cleaner around a stick and bending a little hook on the end.

This was a tricky activity but a fun way for the children to find and identify their name- even if some caught the fish with their hands! This could be done with letters of the alphabet, numbers, colours or just as a fine motor activity.

Have fun

Niccola

Bottle Top Ideas

I have a bowl in my kitchen full of lids from milk, juice and cool drink bottles. I never let anyone throw them away because they are soo useful.

Here are a few simple ways to recycle your collection of bottle tops.

Game Pieces

Alphabet Sorting

Printing 

Wheels 

Water Trolley - Matching lids to bottles

Playdough

Threading

Christmas Alphabet

Number Bingo

Wheels for playdough cars

Sorting 

 Making Pictures

Start recycling your lids and get creative!!

Niccola

Rope People

I love school holidays. We are half way through and are having such a relaxing time. My daughter finished her crocheted blanket, my son is doing a painting for a school art project and my youngest is in the process of making a teepee. 

I did a workshop with Juliet Robertson on Saturday and learnt so many wonderful things and feel so inspired. 

My sister is an art teacher and we spend countless hours talking, crafting, and sharing ideas for our schools and homes.

Yesterday she popped in for a coffee and crocheted me another basket for school while I made some little rope people. All was completed by the time we had finished our drinks!!

This is my sister....thanks Colleen x

My daughter made some little baskets for me a while a go and I use them regularly at school.

The rope people can be played with in the sand, garden, block area...or really anywhere!!

They could be used in so many ways from story telling, games, ordering, counting, role playing or even throwing and catching. 

This is the rope I used. 

I hope we inspired you to do some 30 minute craft.

Niccola

Crochet Prints in Playdough

A lovely little girl in my class would often get dropped to school by her Grandma and she told me she loved to crochet. I asked her if she could possibly make me some coloured crocheted circles to use in the classroom, and she whipped up some beautiful circles. I told her that it didn't matter what size they were or what colours they were.

The children have used them in the block area, with little animals, with figurines and on the wonder table with painted pebbles. They love to stack them up, spread them out or use them as stepping stones.

The other day I had some lovely strawberry scented playdough and added various utensils, including rolling pins on the playdough table. Before I knew it, the children were getting the crocheted circles and using them on the playdough table to make some beautiful prints.

I love it when children initiate their play and learning by finding uses for materials on offer.

Niccola