The title of this post is "how leaves breathe," but leaves technically don't "breathe." Instead, leaves engage in processes called respiration and transpiration. This activity provides kids with a visual way of understanding the second process, that of transpiration. A very brief description of transpiration is this: Leaves contain small ... Continue Reading
Learning to write letters with Wikki Stix {101 Ways to Teach the Alphabet}
The next installment in my 101 Ways to Teach the Alphabet Series uses a popular item in our household: Wikki Stix! If you aren't familiar with Wikki Stix, they are flexible sticks of wax-coated yarn that can be shaped into endless different forms. They easily stick to paper or to each other, but require no glue and leave very little mess to ... Continue Reading
The best way to preserve leaves: Comparison of 3 different methods
Perhaps the most enduring symbol of fall is the changing colors of the leaves on the trees. In our area, the leaves generally don't begin changing color much until at least late September, but sometimes not even until late October. Last year we collected a number of beautiful fall leaves, and we thought it would be fun to try different ways of ... Continue Reading
Fall Printables Pack with more than 70 fall worksheets and activities for kids!
Can I make a confession? Making this Fall Printables Pack has been on my to do list for the past two years, and I've only just now gotten around to putting it together. I've had a Winter Printables Pack available for several years, and I have been wanting to create a printables pack for the rest of the four seasons. However, ... Continue Reading
11 books about leaves for kids
Leaves are a great topic to study in both the fall and the spring. In the fall, the leaves change colors, which is a fascinating phenomenon for children to observe. And in the spring, the leaves sprout again on the trees, heralding the approach of a new season. In this post, I have written a review of 11 books about leaves for kids. ... Continue Reading
Montessori sandpaper letters {101 Ways to Teach the Alphabet}
The next installment in my 101 Ways to Teach the Alphabet Series is a long overdue post about one of the most basic, but also effective, tools I like to use for teaching my kids how to form their letters: Montessori sandpaper letters! When I was first starting to educate my kids at home, I was very inspired by the Montessori way ... Continue Reading
Extension activities for Ten Apples Up on Top
With the approach of apple season, parents and teachers everywhere are dusting off copies of Ten Apples Up on Top by Theo LeSieg, aka Dr. Seuss. This book is a fall classic written in typical Dr. Seuss style. It features animals attempting to outdo each other by balancing more and more apples on their heads. Lots of creative bloggers have shared ... Continue Reading
Apple Montessori activities
Fall is just around the corner, and the apples will soon be ripening on the tree. So it's the perfect time for an apple unit study! In this post I'm sharing 10 different apple Montessori activities that would be great for 2 to 5 year olds. Note: For more apple activities, see my Apple Unit Study page. Apple fine motor ... Continue Reading
Writing letters in apple sauce {101 Ways to Teach the Alphabet}
The next installment in my 101 Ways to Teach the Alphabet Series involves writing letters in apple sauce. This activity combines letter writing practice with a fun sensory experience. It is also taste safe, so kids can lick their hands (or table top?!? :-) ) when they are done! (It goes without saying that this activity is not appropriate ... Continue Reading
Apple fine motor game using tongs
My kids love any excuse to run around and go crazy. So when we did our apple unit last fall, I planned an outdoor activity that would allow them to do just that. Plus, I added some tongs to work on their fine motor skills. And voila! This apple fine motor game was created! Note: For more apple activities, see my Apple Unit ... Continue Reading
