Shaving Cream Letters {toddler activity, homeschool, creative play}

I can remember this activity from my own kindergarten days! It's simple, really. Grab a can of men's shaving cream next time you're at the grocery store. Nothing fancy, just the cheap stuff in the red and white striped can. Clear your table, roll up your sleeves, and squirt a nice, big pile of the cream onto the table.

If you use your hands to spread the cream around, you have a perfect place for letter and number practice, or for drawing silly faces and favorite shapes. "Erase" the letters or pictures with the swipe of your hand, and you've got a blank slate.

When we were done playing, I used a towel to scoop the cream off the table, and then wiped everything down with a wet cloth. The end result? A clean, sparkling table and some effortless letter practice!

Homeschool: The Letter E {crafts, preschool, toddler activities, elephant, eagle}

I'm running behind!! We've seen a whirlwind of overnight visitors lately, and while I've enjoyed every minute, I have neglected my blog just a bit.

So, without further delay, I bring you... the letter E!

E is for Elephants! {paper plate craft}

These elephants were quite the silly project! I was literally opening the cap on the gray paint when Camden said, "mama, I want PINK elephants!" So, we made pink elephants. We painted three paper plates, set them aside to dry, and then cut out legs, ears, and trunks. Twine with a knot tied in the end made tails, plus a couple of tiny twine bows for the "mommy elephant, and the baby elephant!" Finally, we added a googly eye for each of our friends. {The baby elephant was made by cutting the center circle from the third painted plate.}

E is for Elephant {hand print craft}

This might be my most favorite project to date. I just love that little hand print, and the elephant parts make it even more adorable! We applied paint to Camden's hand, made a print, let it dry, and then cut it out. He helped me paste it to the red paper, and then I went to work with a thin black marker. I added leg detail, trunk detail, an ear, an eye, and a tail. Camden wrote the word elephant at the top by tracing the letters I provided for him.

E is for Eagle {hand print craft}

How CUTE is this guy?? We followed this template to make our little eagle, and then used letter stamps to spell out "eagle" along the top.

Homeschool: The Letter D {crafts, preschool, toddler activities, dinosaur, dandelion, donkey, D is for...}

We've wrapped up another week! I won't lie--this week was a tough one, in some respects. My sweet boy is really exploring his boundaries lately, and I know I've said it before, but sometimes I really struggle with keeping my "mom hat" tucked away in favor of my "teacher hat." We're navigating the waters together, though, and I'm THRILLED to report that today {the beginning of a new week} went amazingly well, and we were able to accomplish so much together.

One day at a time, yes?

It is my goal to write about our best moments together, but also to let you in on our not-so-good moments too. My intention won't ever be to paint a false picture of reality, or to pretend that we don't come to occasional road blocks in between all of these fun, creative projects.

How about you? What do you struggle with while you're working with your child{ren}?

Moving along. The letter D!

D is for Dandelion

Without question, this is my favorite project yet! Do I need to explain why??

It was a simple craft that we were able to complete in a single sitting, but with several techniques and textures. The craft easily held Camden's attention, which is top priority for us.

I began by cutting a strip of grass from green paper, then glued it to the blue. I wanted to create a starting place, where the dandelions would be 'anchored,' for an easy start. I also snipped several q-tips in half before we began.

We bent two green pipe cleaners to have the appearance of a stem and a leaf, and then attached them with a glue gun. {I've said it before, but use your own judgment with a glue gun and your own child. I have been over the safety factors several times with my little guy, who is almost four.}

Next, we attached a cotton ball for the center of each dandelion, and then we worked our way around each cotton ball, adding q-tip pieces to create the dandelion look.

Finally, I lightly outlined the word 'dandelion' for him to trace. Writing without disturbing the dandelions for a bit tough for Camden, so you might also consider stamping the word, or writing it before beginning the project.

D is for Dinosaur: Letter Craft

This project was a good idea, in theory. I wanted to wind up with a 'cute' dinosaur, so I added the spikes to a dinosaur that has the appearance of a brachiosaurus, because of his longer neck. My son, who is obsessed with dinosaurs, was NOT impressed. He spent a great deal of time explaining to me that a brachisaurus doesn't have spikes--that, clearly, I was mistaken and had meant to create a stegosaurus. But the neck was too long for that, "you see, mom." Nevermind that, though. This is a cute use of the letter D for your preschooler.

Begin with a large letter D, cut from green paper. Supply your kiddo with glue, and the following pieces... neck/head, tail, spikes {optional, of course}, and legs. Add a mouth and eye.

Help your child write or stamp the word 'dinosaur' above their creation.

D is for Donkey: Paper Plate Craft

This was a big hit in our house! The steps were simple, and could be personalized in so many ways. Our steps went something like this... paint a plate and some white construction paper gray {if you've got gray paper, feel free to use it!}, then set aside to dry. Cut a circle from white paper, and draw on a smile and nostrils. Cut a bit of a mane from from black construction paper. Cut ears from gray painted paper. Attach the parts and pieces with glue, then add a pair of wiggly eyes.

Homeschool: The Letter C {crafts, preschool, toddler activities, color wheel, corn, bubble wrap printing}

Another letter on the Chicka Chicka Boom Boom tree! We had a lot of fun this week, though we didn't spend as much time working as we have previously. I have finally come down with Camden's month-long head cold, and then daddy unexpectedly took Friday away from work, so we did some crafting that day as a family. More on that later, though, when the Friday project is finally complete. Anyway, we still thoroughly enjoyed the projects we worked on!

As a side note, my little guy is almost done with his Kumon uppercase letters workbook. When it is complete, we'll move to the lowercase letters workbook. I love to see how accomplished he feels after completing the pages, and his improvement is already so obvious.

C is for Colors: Color Wheel Activity

This was a really fun way to spend an afternoon. There were several steps involved, but my three-year-old didn't lose interest because we were up and moving around part of the time. We also spent a great deal of time talking about colors, primary colors, mixing colors, and so on. He really took to the conversation. To make a color wheel like ours:

1. Cut out a large poster board/tag board circle. I used my largest mixing bowl as a template.
2. Divide the circle into six equal sections, marking them with a pencil.
3. Fill in each section with the colors red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. We used the torn paper mosaic approach, but you could paint the sections or attach pieces of construction paper pre-cut to fit the sections.
4. While the glue dries, it's time for a scavenger hunt. Dig around to see what you can find to fill each section with the corresponding color. {the bulk of our goodies came from the craft closet downstairs... can you tell??}
5. Attach the items you found. We used a glue gun. {My little guy is very well-versed in glue gun safety, so I feel comfortable working WITH him to use a glue gun safely. If you don't feel comfortable with this idea for your little one, consider another glue, such as craft glue.}

C is for Cat Paper Plate Craft

With Halloween rapidly approaching, I wanted to include another fitting craft. I love the way this black cat turned out! There are many options for this craft, including making a "scary" cat face, etc., so use your imagination.

We painted TWO paper plates using washable black paint, and set them aside to dry. While my son was busy with another task, I cut the center out of one plate to make the body, and then used the center portion to make his head by cutting off the ridged edge to form a circle. Next, I cut apart the second plate to make the tail and ears.

We glued everything together using craft glue, then embellished our black cat with wiggly eyes, a pink puff ball for the nose, and a pipe cleaner cut into four pieces for the whiskers.

C is for Corn: Bubble Wrap Printing

Corn is a big hit in our house, especially when it is served on the cob, fresh off the grill. I knew my little guy would also love to make his own ear of corn. He was also excited over the new technique... bubble wrap printing! In this case, the print from the bubbles gives the appearance of corn kernels.

We started with a piece of blank construction paper {ours was a light tan color}. I showed Camden that he could use his paint brush and yellow paint to put a light coat of paint on the bumpy side of a piece of bubble wrap, and then we quickly flipped the wrap onto the paper. While I held it in place, he gently patted the bubble wrap {he was oh, SO tempted to pop those bubbles!} to transfer the paint to the construction paper.

After plenty of time for the paint to dry, I cut out an "ear" {of corn} shape, plus two green shapes to form the husk. With a glue stick, my son put everything together. He wasn't feeling very well that afternoon, so he asked me to write "corn" on, rather than trace the word himself or use stamps to spell the word.

C is for Castle {coming soon!}

We're making a castle! Check back soon for details.

The Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Tree {preschool, homeschool}

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. Have you read it? No? You really should. It's really quite cute, and has a catchy ring to it that sucks everyone right in.

We read this story several times a week. It has helped my son in learning the alphabet, and it is a fun way to introduce the letters of the alphabet.

But the best part? We've got our own Chicka Chicka Tree! Our tree hangs on the wall in our homeschool room. Every week, we'll finish up by hanging our newly-learned letter in the tree. The tree serves as a visual reminder of the letters we have already focused on, and is a fun way to 'celebrate' completing another letter.

There are many ways to create your own tree, including making your own. We found a jointed palm tree cut-out at Hobby Lobby for $2.99 and stapled it directly onto our wood-paneled walls. The letters are from the dollar store. Each package included the entire alphabet in one color, so I purchased the four available colors to make things more interesting.

If you're inspired to create your own Chicka Chicka Tree, I'd love to see it.

Homeschool: The Letter B {crafts, preschool, toddler activities, bumble bee, Blueberries for Sal, boat}

Moving right along to the letter B! Last week, I felt a bit... stiff. My crafting plans felt a bit generic to me, even though my little guy thoroughly enjoyed each project. This week, I am feeling a bit more confident and capable, and I love it!

B is for Boat Paper Craft

What little person doesn't love boats?? The was a very simple craft that went together a bit like a puzzle. I cut the pieces ahead of time, and then we talked about what the different pieces are called and what their purpose is. Camden required a bit of help mapping out the pieces, but he handled the rest on his own.

When I asked him if he wanted to stamp the word "boat" on the page, he said, "no mama, I want to WRITE it!" I wanted him to feel successful, so I very lightly outlined the letters in pencil. Using a red marker, he traced the letters. The look on his face afterward was absolutely priceless!

B is for Bumblebee Fingerprint Craft

We really had fun with this project. You can make it as simple or as elaborate as you'd like. To begin, use a yellow stamp pad and your thumb to place bumblebee bodies on the page. Using a crayon or marker, add stripes, wings, stingers, and so on. Camden asked me to draw the wings and things on this day, but you could also leave that part up to your child.

B is for Bats!

We're approaching Halloween! What perfect timing for this activity. See the tutorial here.

B is for Blueberries! Reading and Paper Craft

When I went off in search of our copy of Blueberries for Sal, I couldn't find it. I was on a mission, though, and didn't want to let the little guy down. A quick YouTube search resulted in a homemade video of a mama reading Blueberries for Sal to her children. We listened along, and then got to work on a blueberry pie.

First, I cut a circle from construction paper. Second, I provided Camden with some blue paint and some simple instructions to make "blueberries" using the tip of his finger. Third, we made woven "pie crust" top for our pie by cutting strips of paper, then weaving them together and gluing in place. Fourth, after the paint had dried, we glued the crust to the top of the pie, and then trimmed around the edges so that the square, woven mat fit our round pie. Fifth, we glued our pie to another piece of paper. Finally, we finished off the pie project by stamping "blueberry pie" over our work.

During the entire process, we talked about the parts of a pie, and what I would do if I were making a real pie.

B is for Bird Paper Plate Craft

I think this might be my most favorite project yet! This little guy is just so happy... round! To make your own bird, start by having your child paint two paper plates.

After the plates have dried, grab your scissors. Cut one plate in half. Cut one half of the plate in half again, so you're left with two 1/4's of the plate. One piece will make his wing. Cut the second 1/4 piece into three smaller pieces to create his tail feathers. Cut a beak from orange construction paper, and two stick legs from brown paper.

Attach the wing to the front of the second plate. Attach the beak to the front of the plate. Attach the tail feathers to the back of the plate. Attach the legs to the back of the plate. Attach a large wiggly eye, or fashion an eye from construction paper or markers.

Extras:

Remember that learning opportunities are everywhere. While we're driving or shopping, we try to spot objects that begin with the letter we're learning. Imagine Camden's surprise when his sandwich became a boat!

Homeschool: The Letter A {crafts, preschool, toddler activities, apple, alligator, acorn}

Our first week! I was blown away by so many things this week. The sense of pride I saw in my little man's face was priceless. He was thrilled with each new accomplishment and project, and wanted more, more, more! He has grown by leaps and bounds in just one week of more structured learning time, and I find myself constantly amazed at what he is capable of.

I struggled a bit here and there. It is challenging to keep my "teacher hat" on, and to keep my "mom hat" tucked away. Of course I want to keep Camden on task, but I also want him to enjoy his time "at school." I try to be conscious of the subtle differences because, well, it's important.

Because he's not quite four, my goal for this year has been to keep things light. If he isn't "on" for a couple of days, we step back and do a couple of extra crafts instead. I encourage him to finish what he has started {no throwing in the towel half way through that worksheet!}, but if he isn't taking to an activity, we find a stopping point and save it for another day.

Anyway--those activities I'm sure you're eager to see.

Each week, we will repeat some activities. For example, these letter templates. Camden begins each week by filling in the circles with circular color-coding labels. Dot markers, or bingo markers, would also work. While he's filling in the stickers, we talk about the letter. We practice making the sound(s) the letter makes, and we list a few words that begin with the letter. I found that keeping the chatter light and simple was the best way to keep his attention.

We also tear the appropriate letter page from another workbook I bought at Target, made by Mead. This week, he was really eager to do a few additional worksheets, so I used Pinterest and google to find things I thought he would enjoy.

Letter-specific activities we enjoyed...

A is for Apple Paper Plate Craft

Paint a paper plate red, then glue apple seeds near the center or draw seeds with a marker or crayon. Cut a leaf shape from green construction paper, and a stem from brown paper, and attach with a glue stick.

A is for Apple Mosaic

Draw or print an apple shape. Cut or tear small pieces of paper from red construction paper, and attach with a glue stick. Repeat with green paper. Fill in the stem by repeating the paper process, or use a marker like my little guy did. Cut out the entire shape {renewing the apple shape, if your child's torn paper went over the edges}, and glue to another piece of paper, if desired. Use letter stamps to stamp the word "apple" above the image.

A is for Alligator Letter Craft

Cut a large letter A from green paper. Cut small triangles for the teeth, and small circles for the eyes. Attach the pieces to turn the letter A into an alligator. Stamp the word "alligator" on the picture, if desired.

A is for Acorn Mosaic

Draw or print an acorn shape, and then tear or cut brown paper into small pieces. Attach the pieces using a glue stick. At this point, Camden chose to fill in the white spaces with brown marker. Cut out the entire shape, then glue to another piece of paper.

Homeschool: Preserving Little Bits of Autumn

We've been collecting little bits and pieces lately. When you're three, everything that falls from a tree is to be considered a treasure. And you know... I agree with him!

Some of these things are pretty sturdy, or will stand up to play and creativity. Others... not so much. So I went on a mission to preserve these little treasures, in a sense.

Here is what we came up with. Camden is thrilled! He has enjoyed stacking and sorting the discs, and likes to discuss what made the different imprints, and how those imprints feel. Making them was very simple:

Using an 8 oz. brick of polymer clay, we first broke the large brick into chunks, and then softened the clay a bit by playing with it. Next, we rolled the clay into different sized balls, and used a rolling pin to create smooth disks about 1/4-inch thick. We placed different bits and pieces over the disks, and then carefully pressed the objects into the clay.

To harden the disks, we transferred our creations to a foil-lined baking sheet, and followed the package instructions to bake at 275 degrees for 15 minutes.

These would also make great gifts tags or tree ornaments. Just poke a hole {perhaps with a drinking straw} somewhere in the disk prior to baking, then thread with ribbon or twine.

Homeschool: Halloween Craft; B is for Bats!

How CUTE are these bats?! When I spotted them on Pinterest, via Craftgawker, I knew we would need to make some. The steps are very simple, and the craft was just right for my almost-four-year-old. We painted each bat together, as he did grow a bit impatient with making sure the entire surface was covered.

You'll Need:
An egg carton
Scissors
Black paint
Brushes
Wiggly eyes
Glue
Thread or ribbon for hanging

Ready?? 

A little behind-the-scenes work was necessary to get the egg carton ready to be painted. Egg cartons can be a bit tricky to cut, with all of their ridges and things, so I pulled out the mommy scissors and formed four bats while Camden was busy elsewhere.

A one-dozen egg carton will produce four bats, each using three section from the carton. Cut the lid and closure flaps off of the carton, and then cut down the length of the carton so you're left with two six-section strips. Cut the strips in half, and you've got four pieces.

Round the edges a bit and pretty them up, then cut some notches in the outer sections of each bat. These will be the wings.

Paint! We used black tempera paint because of the easy clean-up factor. Cover the inside and outside of each bat.

After the paint has dried, use a bit of glue to attach wiggly eyes to each bat.

There are several options for hanging your bats. I used a toothpick to poke a small hole in the top of each bat, then threaded them all on to one length of string so they would hang vertically. Stop each bat where you want it on the length of string by tying a knot or attaching a small piece of tape to the thread. {It'll be hidden by the bat.} I love how these bats swirl and twirl a bit because they're hanging on a single piece of string.

You could also glue a piece of Halloween-themed ribbon to the top of each bat, tying the ribbon into a lop for hanging.

Homeschool: P is for Pumpkin Paper Plate Craft for Autumn

This was a simple little craft for Autumn. You could take it a step further and add a jack-o-lantern face for Halloween.

The process hardly needs explaining, but it goes something like this:

1. Paint a paper plate orange and set it aside to dry.
2. Cut a stem {my three-year-old cut his own stem} from construction paper.
3. Twist a brown pipe cleaner around a pencil or marker to create a spring-shape and attach.
4. Add a jack-o-lantern face, if desired, with paint or construction paper.

Homschool: Supplies We Use

Something new has arrived at Dandelion's on the Wall! Homeschooling! This is a new adventure for us, and we're taking a very play-based approach to a year of preschool. I've discovered a major love of crafting and creating in my three-year-old, and we're taking advantage of every minute. I couldn't let all of these creations and ideas go without sharing them somewhere, and this seems like the logical place.

My {very loose, incomplete}  plan for the blog is to begin with a few introductory posts, and then move to once-a-week, letter-themed posts. Occasionally, you'll see some extra crafting projects that I hope you can enjoy with the little people in your lives. If you're only here for the recipes, have no fear! Those recipes aren't going anywhere, and I'll continue to experiment in the kitchen so that I can share my recipes with you.

To access a running list of ALL homeschool posts at any time, click on the "Homeschool" tab in the top right corner.

We're still very new to the world of homeschooling, but I'm proud to say that we're quickly finding our happy place. There is a rhythm to our day, and with that rhythm comes a list of preferred tools and supplies.

Preschool, in my mind, is a time for fun. My primary goal is to see my son develop his love for learning through playful, creative interaction, which is why you'll see so many craft supplies and craft projects in my posts. Of course, there are other goals: developing motor skills, learning the alphabet, and so on. Through this creative learning time, we're accomplishing all of those goals--plus a whole host of other amazing things.

I'm sure this list will change and evolve, so feel free to check back from time to time to see what tools we're most enjoying.

Our Favorite Supplies:
A printer and plenty of ink
Colored paper suitable for printing
A large three-ring binder
Clear page protectors
Construction paper
Round, "color coding" labels
Toddler-friendly scissors
A writing instrument {pencil, etc.}
Glue sticks
White school glue
Crayons and Markers
An alphabet puzzle
Kumon books {We're working on uppercase letters and will move on to lowercase letters.}
Other learning books or printables, found online via google, Pinterest, etc.
Letter and number templates
Stickers {for projects, for rewards, etc.}
Alphabet stamps {we've got one set now, but hope to purchase a couple more in different "fonts" soon}
Stamp pads in a variety of colors
Temperah paint and brushes
Contact paper
Paper plates {the inexpensive kind with ridges around the outside edge are great, and come in bulk}
Coffee filters
Wiggly eyes, pipe cleaners, and pom-pom balls
Counting Bears
Pattern Blocks {we have been using this awesome, free printable set for letter recognition practice!}
Alphabet-based stories {Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, Dr. Seuss's ABC: An Amazing Alphabet Book!}
A large palm tree cut-out and letter cut-outs. {Read about this--coming soon!}
Play Dough

Like I said before, this is an evolving list. I'll add items as we discover them. I would also love to read about things YOU would add to the list. Leave a comment letting me know what your must-haves are.