Lesson plan: Sea life

                                                                         

Our plan for today!

Sea life

Key words: sea, beach, sand, fish, whale, shark, dolphin, turtle, octopus, urchin, jellyfish, eal, starfish, crab, lobster, shrimp, shell, stone

Learning objectives: tactile experiences with food that simulate the sea life, name sea animals and learn new, distiguish the animals that are similar like lobster-crab, match by shape, practise the scissors cutting skill, etc.

Materials/preparation: box/tray, spaghetti, blue food coloring, scissors, plastic animals/sea figurines, flashcards about fishes and sea, egg carton case, fingerpaints & acrylics, sea animals stickers

🌊Spaghetti sensory box

For this activity you need to hard-boil half package of spaghetti and let it cool. Put them in a zip bag and add at least five drops of blue food coloring and start shaking and lightly squeezing to spread the color. I also used a few shell pasta with brownish orange to be seashells-follow the same proccedure. Leave the pasta in open air to dry for two hours and they are ready. Decorate your sensory bow/tray with plastic animals or figurines you have related to the theme. Supply your children also with tods, chopsticks, etc. to grab and transfer the pasta into plates. Another great tool is scissors and this way they can practise their cutting skill with a different from paper object.

🌊Sensory play with water and semolina

Another idea for sensory play is to prepare two boxes, one with blue colored water for the sea and one with semolina you have in the kitchen to be the sand. Place the animal figurines on the enviroment they mostly live and let your children enjoy the fun and the mess to move from one box to the other.

🌊Flashcards/matching game

If it's easy for you to print, you can easily find online flashcards about sea life. There are too many creatures in the ocean that your children can learn about, so I suggest to talk about 3-5 per day according to their age in order to remember them. I also have a memory game so we used it for a matching activity with the flashcards and a blue cloth to be the sea. It is a super exersise for visual discrimination. Moreover, you can double print the flashcards to make your own memory game.

🌊Sea box craft

This craft takes a couple of day to finish but it worths it. Use a carton egg case to make the sea box and some blue acrylic color and a brush for your children to paint. Let it dry and the next day you can print their hand on the top of the case to make a fish. Use a bright color and decorate the fish. You can also stick some semolina on a small part of the case to have the feel of the sand or real sand if you can. This treasure box can be used to put in all the goodies you can collect from the beach and the sea like stones, shells, dried algae, etc. and examine them at home.

🌊 Match by shape

Here is an easy and funny activity to do on a piece of paper using either the animal figurines or sea animals stickers if you have, like I did above but it's harder to sketch. Place the animals on the sheet and sketch around them to reflect their shape. Then your children has to recognize the animal and match it with its shape.

''Enjoy your summer!''

SM

Lesson plan: My feelings

 Our plan today!    

😺😼😾😿🙀                   Emotions              😺😼😾😿🙀

''Dear children & parents,

The Covid-19 era is over floated with emotions and it is the perfect time to work on what we feel with our children. I chose five emotions -happy, sad, angry, scared, surprised-for the lesson that I think are the most common. I hope you like it.''

Key words: feel, happy, sad, angry, surpised, scared

Learning objectives: To name these five emotions, be able to identify them, match each of them with the right face expression and understand when we feel these emotions.

Materials/preparation: paper rolls, markers, cardboard, balloon, flour, spoon, funnel

😢Introducing the feelings

To open the subject you can question your child when he/she is happy, if it lasts for ever and what other feelings he/she might have felt. Then,  take a piece of paper and draw gradually the emotions we are working on one by one. Name them and try to describe  why the face expressions are like this ex. when we see/hear something shocking most of the times we open our mouth due to thesurprise or

we feel sad when we don't succeed to do something we want and try for. Then, ask your child to make his/her own faces that feel these emotion and name them.

😮Matching game

This a cute and easy game that can also work in a class. Cut in the middle those paper rolls you are saving and draw the 5 feelings. Cut out of cardboard small pieces that can fit in the rolls and draw the same faces. Give the pieces to the child and you keep the rolls. Call to find the happy face and put it in the right roll. Do the same for all of them. This way they have to identify and match the right face exression that escorts the emotion. 

Note💥You can dodouble cards and more emotions to create a DIY memory game.

😲Sing and dance

In the following link you can a find an action song that includes emotions and moves. You can add your own emotions and extra moves also ''If you are happy..''. Encourage your child to sing and move with you.

Lyrics:

If you're happy happy happy clap your hands(x4)

If you're angry angry angry stomp your feet(x4)

If you're scared scared scared say, ''Oh no''(x4)

If you're sleepy sleepy sleepy take a nap..(x4)

😀Pantomime 

It is time to act and imitate the faces on the rolls. Sit down with your child facing each other. The child should have the emotion card from the previous activity faced down. Pick one card at the time without showing it to you and imitate the feeling so you can guess. Then you can swap rolls and let your child guess and name the emotions you reflect.

😤Squeezy balloon face craft

 Use a funnel from your kitchen or make a diy from a plastic bottle like I did by cutting the top and you can use the bottom of the bottle to put the flour in and the child can transfer it into the funnel to fill the balloon. Sometimes you will have to push the flour down with a pencil. Pour flour until is full and tie it. Let your child decide which emotion is the one for the squeezy balloon and draw it with a permanent marker. 

Note: It's great idea for adults also to fight the daily stress.😉

Lesson plan: Seeds & plants

Our plan for today!

Subject: seeds and plants

Key words: seed, sprout, plant, flower, stem, leaves, roots

Learning objectives: Learn and name the parts of a plant, observe the stages of a seed's life, understand and be able to complete the sequence of the seed's life cycle. 

Materials & preparation: laptop/tablet, different seeds(lentils, chia, beans, etc.), cardboard, scissors, glue, markers

🌱E-book

Let's get in the subject flipping through a free e-book which introduces the parts of a plant. Plants 

You can also watch this video Seeds & plants that analyzes perfectly how the seeds are turned into plants and the parts of it.

🌱Agriculturists
We learn together about the part of a plant and how a seed is growing into a plant. Let's watch the videos and examine the different stages of life and the parts of a plant/flower.

🌻Seed

🌻Sprout/seedling

🌻Young plant

🌻Adult plant/flower

🌻Fruit

🌱Your plant
The results of this activity will come in time after days because a seed needs time to sprout and grow. However, it really worths waiting. You can choose any seed you want and follow the steps as in the video. You can keep a calendar to save the days and the changes your plant is having. 

🌱Seed mosaic
For this fine motor and tactile activity you can use any seed you have. Draw the picture you want according to the theme and fill it up with glue and the seeds. Use neccessarily cardboard and not a plain sheet of paper cause it will be heavy of the seeds. Remove the excess by tapping lightly and let it dry overnight. Your seed mosaic is ready!

🌱Seed's life cycle
This sequence activity is for the children to put  the stages of seeds' life in order .You can print this or make your own easily. After the previous activities the children should be able to complete which picture goes first, second, etc. It works as a revision.

🌱Flower's parts

Make your own puzzle with the parts of a flower. Draw and cut it into pieces. Then ask your child to put them in order and name each part.

''I hope you liked one more spring lesson plan. See you soon with more.''
SM

Lesson plan: Spring

Our plan for today!

Subject: Flowers

"Dear children & parents, 

the spring project begins and it's gonna be multi-layered. Have fun!🥀"

Key terms: spring, flower, petals, leaves, stem

Learning objectives: To realize that spring is the season of blossom, to see different types of flowers and work through them and to create artificial flowers.

Materials & preparation: tablet, printer(optional), bowl with water, flowers, scoops and strainers, cups, dice, newspapers/magazines, scissors, straw, double-sided tape/glue, colored sheets, markers

💮E-book
Following this link ''Now that it's spring!'', you will find a short e-book with spring images to welcome you to the project's theme.

💮Sensory water activity

As you will see in the video, we are making a fairy soup with petals, flowers and leaves, play with them and freeze them at the end▶️2nd video.
Pick some flowers and follow up! You also need a bowl with water, scoops and cups, ice cube tray or cupcakes.

  

💮Board game

You can download my DIY board game in this link→Spring's board game! You need a dice and you are ready to revise numbers and counting in a flowery version. If there is no printer, make your own handmade board game!

💮Flower crafts with easy materials

For the first craft you will need: coloured paper, scissors, double-sided tape and a straw. Watch the steps to make a lovely hyacinthus.

For the second craft you will need newspapers/magazines/brochures to draw on and cut out flowers. Then, paste them on a colored sheet and draw stem and leaves.  Simple but nice. You have so many flower choices.

💮E-games

Here are two memory games with spring images for your little one based one their age to play and exercise their memory and eye perception. 

Memory game for toddlers

Memory game for preschoolers

💮Practice fine motor and pre-writing skills

I forward you some worksheets for tracing lines and cutting by @motheringwithcreativity. You can find more on TeachersPayTeacher. These are great pre-writing activities to practise. Firstly, trace the line with the finger and then, use a marker. There are also spring themed sheets for scissors cutting.

Printable spring worksheets

"Stay tuned for more spring fun following!''
SM

Lesson plan: 4 Seasons

Our plan for today!

Subject: Four seasons

Key terms: four, seasons, spring, summer, autmn, winter

Learning objectives: Name the four seasons, familiarize with some facts of each season  and discriminate them by pictures.

Materials & Preparation: laptop/tablet, printer(optional), scissors, glue, brown cardboard, white A4 sheets, Q-tips, elastic bands, food coloring-flour-water if you do the DIY paints,

🍁Introduction

To lead the children in the theme, you can watch the following educational video where the four seasons are introduce, together with some basic words that match with each of them about heat and activities[ex.spring=warm, flowers/summer=hot, beach, etc.]. Also, at the end of the video there is a small revision, so the children can repeat the words and learn some new vocabulary.
🎥Four Seasons

🍁E-Book 

The children heard and saw about winter, spring, summer, autumn. Let's see more! If you don't have any flashcards or book about the seasons, you can flip through the one in the link. Short but good- includes colors, pictures and description about each season. There is also audio narration version.
🕮 Seasons_Ebook.

🍁Arts & Crafts

Let's make a craft-astic art project with four season trees. Follow the links to see how to make DIY edible paint, if you don't have, and how to create the four trees. The videos include clear instructios.

🔗How to make paint at home
If you have paints you can skip this↖ video and go straight to the craft↙.
🔗4 season trees craft
For the craft i used DIY glue. Here is the recipe if you wanna do it.
Simple No-Cook Flour Glue
1 cup flour
½ cup water
1/8 teaspoon salt

🍁Sorting activity

Having done the previous activities, it is time to test children's new knoledge. Here is a nice activity where kids have to match the pictures with the right season. I forward a link from the website teacherpayteachers.com, a great resource with free printables!⇀Season sorting

At the same time, children can practise on the scissors cutting skill.

Note: If you can not print, you can always make your worksheets with simple drawings.✎

🍁Action game
This time we are going to combine the seasons with the weather. That is why I suggest to have already gone through the Lesson plan: Weather. For this game you will need clothing and items according to seasons. It's a dress up game where the kids have to dress themselves up with the right clothes. For example, take shorts, t-shirts, flip-flops, boots, jacket, coat, jumper, dress, sunglasses, hat, umbrella, etc. Place them on the floor and ask ''What should you wear on a (windy) autumn's day?''. Like this ask for all the seasons. Don't forget that some clothes/items can be used for more than one season. I think your children are gonna love the transformation!
👚👗🌂👢🧥🕶👟

''I hope you liked the fun plan!😀''
SM

Lesson plan: Weather

Our plan for today!

☀☁☂☃
Subject: Weather

''Dear parents & children, 

this lesson fun plan is mostly based on videos and virtual learning. I hope you will like it!''

Key terms: weather, sunny, cloudy, snowy, windy, rainy

Learning objectives: Children will be able to discriminate the weather conditions using adjectives and pictures.

Materials & preparation: computer/tablet, jar, water, shaving foam, blue food coloring, papers and markers for the flashcards

➤ Introduction

Let’s see the weather flashcards together and name the different conditions. You can also make you own weather flashcards like I did: sunny, windy,cloudy, rainy, snowy.

↪Note: Flashcards I use mostly to introduce the subject and to test the new knowledge. Intoduce the different weather conditions to your children and encourage them to repeat. After, point at each of them one by one and check what they remember.

➤ Time to sing
Let’s sing together ‘What is the weather like?’. In this link you can find a very nice song →Weather song. You can use hand gestures for the weather words:

sunny: slowly spread your arms out

rainy: wiggle your fingers downwards like rain

windy: gesture wind blowing out of your mouth

cloudy: make cloudy shapes with your hands

snowy: wiggle your fingers downwards like snow and shiver

➤ Look outside

Can you look outside the window and tell me what is the weather like? Go go and see! Now choose from the flashcards which are suitable for the day and describe it.

➤ Yoga

Time for some yoga poses according to the subject. Come with me and follow the link->Yoga class 🙆

➤ Little scientists
Let’s make an experiment and put the rain in a jar. Follow up!

➤ Online game

This is a game you are going to love. The kids have to dress up an animal of their choice according to the weather. Enjoy! ➙dress_for_the_weather

SEE YOU SOON!

Easter fun plan activities!

“Dear parents & children,
I hope you are fine and healthy. Easter has come and I have gathered some great activities for you. Enjoy!”

Key terms: Easter, bunny, egg, chocolate, hunting, basket, chicks

Learning objectives: Get familiar with the words Easter, bunny, eggs, enter the Easter mood and have fun playing.

Materials & preparation: plastic eggs, chocolate eggs, basket (optional), white cardboard, pink paper, scissors, glue, orange and green paper, salt, water, flour, bowl, acrylic paints, glitter (optional), flowers & leaves, eggshells, plastic hammer/spoon



➤ Introduction
In this video Captain English is looking for the chocolate easter eggs, can you find them? This way yourchildren will get familiar with the words Easter, bunny, chocolate eggs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54nDbehiLr0

➤ Craft time
It’s time to become the easter bunny! Make a simple and cute headband with the rabbit’s ears and hop around the house. You need a piece of long white cardboard or put together two pieces to make the headband in the perimeter of the child’s head. Use some pink paper for the inside of the ears or color it with pink and stick them on the headband. You ’re ready bunnies!

➤ Action game
Now that you are the easter bunnies you can go for some egg hunting. On the condition that you have some plastic or chocolate eggs, hide them around the house, give a basket to your children and let them go hunting. You can use an egg carton case for a basket with ribbons for handles.
🐰Note: If you have plastic eggs you can hide inside only some of the chocolate eggs as a reward for your children ;-) Another option is to hide different items in the plastic eggs to intensify the idea of the treasure. And if you have none of them, make the sensory activity first so you have easter eggs (check below).

➤ Salt dough
This time we are making salt dough eggs. You will need: * ½ cup of salt * 1 cup of flour * ½ cup of water. Mix the flour and the salt in a bowl and gradually add the water. The dough is ready to get shape. Use something round to cut eggs if you don’t have oval cutter. Make a hole on top if you want to use them as ornaments to decorate your house and hang them. Bake them in a preheated oven at 160 C’ degrees for 20-30 minutes, depended on the thickness, keep an eye on them. After they have cooled down, you can paint them with acrylics, make patterns and add some glitter.
Alternatively, you can split the dough in parts, color them with food coloring before baking, create colorful easter eggs and then put them in the oven.

➤ Bunny out of flowers
This little spring bunny is gonna bring you so much joy. It is necessary to have already collected a few flowers and leaves. This is my floral easter bunny. Are you ready to do yours?

➤ Arts & Crafts

Follow the link to make together cute chicks with a paper roll!🐥 You need: a paper roll, yellow paint, a white A4 paper, black, pink, orange markers and a toothpick.

Note: I made the yellow paint myself because I didn’t have. If you are in the same position->Mix 1 part of flour with 1 part of water and enough yellow food coloring drops. I used 2 tbsp of flour/2 tbsp of water/4 color drops-you don’t need much.

➤ Crack an egg

All these Easter days you are surely doing some baking with eggs. Save the eggshells for this math activity. Write the numbers 0-10 on the halfs  and place them on a tray or towel. Write the numbers also on paper pieces folded so they are not visible. Put the paper pieces in a cup and the kids will pick one at the time like lottery. Identify the number, match it with the correct eggshell and crack it with a toy hammer or a spoon. 

                                                         

''Happy Easter everyone! Have a great time with family and friends at home!''

SM

Lesson plan: Farm animals

Our plan for today!

Subject: Farm animals

Key terms: farm, animals, horse, duck, chicken, pig, cow, dog, sheep

Materials & preparation: computer, white papers, markers, farm animals figurines, food supplies for the diy farm

Learning objectives: Have fun with the farm animals, learn their names, identify them and make their sounds.

➤Flashcards

You can print or you can make your own flashcards easily like I did. This time we are going to learn about the pig, the horse, the duck, the chicken, the cow, the dog and the sheep. Of course there are more farm animals but we can't include them at once. Ask your children what animal are they and introduce them all.

➤Animal sounds

Show to your children one by one the animal cards in order to answer back with the sound they make. Kids love to replicate the voices of the animals. 

The cow makes MOO!

The dog makes Woof!

The sheep makes Baaa!

The chicken makes Cluck!

The horse makes Neigh!

The duck makes Quack!

The pig makes Oink!

➤Matching game
You will need the flashcards and your animal figurines for this fast and simple game. They have to pick an animal, name it and place on the right card.

➤ Which animal is this?

A funny game in the darkness where the children have to identify the animals by their shadow. Use a torch to create the shadow of each animal but make sure that they can not see the figurine.

➤ Sensory DIY farm

Make your farm with any materials you have. Use the animals figurines, bricks, lentils, corn, flour, make a muddy puddle for the pigs with cocoa or coffee, bowls, just improvise. Check my DIY farm! 

🎥https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cQVPHQB5ivAB8XhXYKzigi3JUy53I0zs/view?usp=sharing

➤ Memory game ‘Who is missing’?

Flip over the flashcards, take away one and ask the children which animal is missing.Train their memory and enhance the visual perception.

➤ Scavenger hunt It is the popular game of treasure hunt where the treasure this time is the farm animals. Draw a matching map with the animals you are using and then hide them. The kids have to search for them and match the animals every time they find one until they have found them all. Here is my map.

Have fun everyone!

Lesson_Plan: Numbers_Revision

Our plan for today!

Subject: Numbers 1-10

Key terms: number,one ,two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten

Learning objectives: Revise counting one to ten, start identifying the numbers.

Materials and preparation: computer/tablet, printer (optional), tray/plate, salt/flour, lego bricks, white papers, markers, scissors, glue, bucket, newspaper/junk papers, brush, materials for collage[check below on the arts & crafts part]

➤Sensory activities
Time to get messy!💕 We have two activities using these materials: some flour/salt, a tray/plate - any color except white -, markers, an A4 page, a small brush and the numbers’ flashcards.

👉The first one is a pre-writing activity where you need the flashcards for the kids to see and copy the numbers and the tray to write the numbers on with their finger. One card at the time please. About the tray/plate, must not be white because the flour and the salt is also white and they will not be able to see what they write.


👉The second activity is about seeking and matching the numbers. Write, all across an A4 page, all the numbers from 0 to 10 with different color marker. Write down in line the numbers on a second paper also. After, cover the numbers and the page with a layer of flour/salt and give the child a small brush to start brushing the flour/salt up and revealing the numbers. Everytime the child finds a number, has to name it and delete it from the list. Good luck with the excavation!



➤Lego constructions
Get ready to build some towers! Firstly, lay all the flashcards on the floor in order, from 1 to 10, you can ask some help from your child. It’s not an easy task, so do not worry if they can not find the right following number every time. Once the cards are ready, take the lego bucket, start from the beginning, identify the number and put the right amount of bricks to build the tower for each number, like the example. Count every time the bricks to be sure.

 1   2   3  4  5   6   7  8  9  10

💚💛💙💜💛💙💜💚💚💙

      💛💙💜💛💙💜💚💚💙

           💙💜💛💙💜💚💚💙

                 💜💛💙💜💚💚💙

                       💛💙💜💚💚💙

                             💙💜💚💚💙

                                  💜💚💚💙

                                        💚💚💙

                                              💚💙

                                                    💙 

➤ Action game

For this game you will need some old newspapers/magazines, supermarket brochures or any paper you don’t need. Screw the papers into balls with your children and make plenty of them. Find a bucket and place it in a small distance from you. Write down your names and throw by turns equal number of balls in the bucket. Count how many you put in and see who is the winner! 😁

➤ Arts & crafts

✂This is a big project craft about the numbers that is going to keep your children busy all week long. You have to gather eleven different materials to fill in the big numbers. Print big numbers or sketch your own on papers, one for each number. Provide your children with a glue and let them stick the materials you have given between the lines of the number. One different material for each number. Some materials you can use are (*don’t forget to keep an eye on the children and ensure they are safe*): lentil, rice, couscous, salt, cereals, different colored papers, feathers, pom poms, crepe/tissue paper balls, ribbons, buttons, pencils’ shavings  or anything you can think and find in the house that can be glued. In this way you will create different texture card numbers to feel and you can also hang them in the kids’ rooms to practise every day.

➤ Educational online games

💻The following game is about the order of the numbers and the kids have to click on the one missing. It is challenging so you should give it a try!

🎮https://www.splashlearn.com/math-skills/kindergarten-grade/numbers-up-to-10-gk/count-forward-up-to-10

Note: If you like, you can have the flashcards in order next to you so the kids can see the numbers.

💻This game is also enjoyable offering multiple choices on the tasks. You have to put on the ladybug’s dots by counting, matching or ordering. Easy peasy!

🎮https://www.topmarks.co.uk/learning-to-count/ladybird-spots

''That was it! I hope it was a useful project and you had fun. See you soon!''

SM

Lesson_Plan: Numbers 6-10

Our plan for today!

''Hello parents and children,
Let’s continue the weekly program focused on numbers. I am vibing positive energy to you through the lessons and hope you enjoy your time at home!''🌞

Subject: Numbers

Key terms: number, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, fingers

Learning objectives: Revise counting one to ten, get familiar with the shape of five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten and start identifying these numbers.

Materials and preparation: computer/tablet, flashcards, playdough, white paper, markers, toy car, generally toys(plastic fruit, teddies, balls, etc.)

➤Introduction

Today we are singing together and counting our fingers. Please follow the link below and watch the video. Let’s count together!😃

🎦Ten little fingers✌

➤Flashcards
Use the rest of the flashcads you have from the first number lesson. Let's practise counting for number six, seven, eight, nine and ten. Ask your children to repeat after you.

➤Fine motor activities
The fine motor activities are the same like the first lesson plan about numbers 1-5:

1. For the first activity you are going to use the flashcards 6-10 and some pom poms. Ask for each card ‘Which number is this? Let’ count!’ and count the figures on the card to find which number it is. Then, ask from your child to put as many pom poms as it is needed according to the number. Repeat for each number.

2. In order to familiarize with the shape of the numbers, you can draw huge numbers with small lines in between so they look like roads. Take a car and drive in the lines like this. 💥It is important for the children to get used to the shape of each number. Be the model for them and with your finger show them how you write the number and ask them to follow the line with their finger after you.

                                                  

3. For the last fine motor activity you need playdough. Take one big number card and try to place with your child the playdough on the number so you create the shape of it. The best option is to make a huge worm and then put it between the lines. Repeat for numbers six to 10.

➤ Educational online games

Ιn the link you can find a great math game about counting and recognising the numbers from 1 to 10. The kids have to click on the birthday cake candles to light them up, count them and find the right number. It is funny, easy to play and a bit challenging to answer. Enjoy!

🎮https://www.abcya.com/games/kindergarten_counting

➤Action game

For this game you will need many toys of any kind like plastic fruits, plastic kitchen tools, teddies, books, etc. Choose ten corners in the house and place the number flashcards on the floor. Ask your children to recognize the numbers one by one and they have to put the corresponding amount of toys on each number(ex. 1 ball on 1, 2 pans on 2, etc.). They have a lot of counting to do! Have fun!

''I hope you liked it! The revision lesson plan is coming soon.''

SM

Lesson_Plan: Numbers 1-5

Our plan for today!

Subject: Numbers 0-5

Key terms: numbers, zero, one, two, three, four, five, ducks

Learning objectives: Count one to five, get familiar with the numbers shape and start identifying the numbers.

Materials and preparation: computer/tablet, printer(optional), scissors, glue, colored papers, beige(or any color for ice-cream cones) cardboard, playdough, markers, toy car, glue, flour/shaving foam

➤Introduction

To start with, you can listen to the famous song 'Five little ducks' which you are going to use for dramatic play later. You can find it here:Five little ducks.
The story is about five ducks that went to the lake with their mom but one by one was going far away until only one left when daddy duck called them and all came back. Numbers and counting up to 5 are used in the song so the children can start to get used to the sounds. You can print or draw the ducks you need-5little ones, mommy & daddy, even a lake- in order to play the story and practise counting. Should be fun!

➤Flashcards
You can easily find online free number flashcards or can create your own, by writing down the numbers in different cardboards cut in small size like the ¼ of an A4 page. It is important to draw for each number the analog of objects in order to count the objects every time they are looking for a number (three balls for number three, four butterflies for number four, etc). Don't forget zero! Let’s practise counting! You parents should the models count one by one with clear voice and encourage the children to repeat the numbers.

➤Fine motor activities

1. For this activity you are going to use the number flashcards and some pom poms. Ask for each card ‘Which number is this? Let’ count!’ and count the figures on the card to find which number it is. Then, ask from your child to put as many pom poms as it is needed according to the number. Repeat for each number.

2. In order to familiarize them with the shape of the numbers, you can draw huge numbers with small lines in between so they look like roads. You can also find them online as number road mats. Take a car/trolley and drive between the lines. It is important for the children to get used to the shape of each number. Be the model for them and with your finger show them how you write the number.

3. Another pre-writing activity you can do is to write them with playdough. ✵You can find the recipe for DIY playdough in the lesson  about primary colors here→ theme_plan:colors1.
Take one at the time number road mat and try to place  the playdough on the number so you make the shape of it. The best option is to make a huge worm and then put it between the lines.

4. Last but not least a sensory tray with shaving foam or flour where the children can experiment with the numbers writing. You can use the flashcards as reference to help them remember the numbers. So simple and exciting the same time.

➤Arts &Crafts
Cut out of cardboard the cones and the numbers till five. Cut out the correct number (15 in total) of ice cream scoops out of different colored paper. The children have to glue the corresponding number of scoops to the ice cream cones ex. one scoop for number 1, two scoops for 2, etc. You can decorate them with glitter glue, stickers or anything you have available.They can take the ice creams in their play kitchen and use them anytime.
                                      

''Enjoy the project. See you again for number 5-10!''
SM