Baking in the toddler classroom is a fun way to learn through our senses. We made simple pumpkin muffins with mini chocolate chips. The toddlers used their eyes and noses to experience the orange pumpkin that we added to our batter. We put together all the ingredients to a big plastic bag and took turns “mixing”. Each child took a turn scooping a teaspoon of mini chocolate chips. The result: yummy pumpkin muffins for snack!
An invitation to play is arranging the environment so that it “invites” young children to come to an area in the classroom to explore, investigate, question, examine, participate, touch, feel, and manipulate through as much independent play as the materials can possibly allow. It can offer children the opportunity to direct their own play, follow their interests, learn more about the world around them, express themselves creatively and use their imagination to extend upon the initial invitation.
For our dinosaur unit this month we have combined invitations to play, invitations to create, whole group manipulatives, crafts, books, songs, and much more to engage our young learners.
Toddlers are experimenting, thinking, solving problems and learning all the time. Through exploration and experimentation, children develop the ability to think, understand, communicate, imagine, and work out what might happen next. In September our cognitive development focus is on the five senses.
I filled our mystery can with big marshmallows. We shook the can and listened to the marshmallows bounce around using our sense of hearing. After taking the lid off – I gave the toddlers a peak of what was inside. We described the marshmallows as white, round, and bigger than tiny marshmallows.
The toddlers used their noses to use their sense of smell.
Every child got to choose one to use their sense of touch to feel and squish.
The best of the five senses was getting to taste the marshmallow!
We took our cognitive development focus one step further and put a lemon in the mystery can. We went through all five senses and compared the lemon to the marshmallow. The tasting resulted in some fun pictures.
Because our color of the month is yellow and our shape is circle – We used large lemons to do prints!
We have been focusing on the color yellow in the toddler room this month. Our sensory tub is filled with fun items to “make lemonade”. We are creating with yellow play dough and yellow collage free art.
We created an alligator out of the letter A for our letter focus this week. Add eyes and teeth….Chomp!
“A circle goes around and around”… is the song we sing as we make a circle collage.
We are so “hoppy” to have had a terrific frog theme inspired orientation week. The children explored the classroom, played outside, made some new friends, sang Five Little Speckled Frogs, and did a sticker craft. We are so excited about the year ahead!
The toddlers are having a great time this week. We are very busy with crafts, games, playing with friends, fun snacks, and exploring.
We took turns trying to lift the heavy watermelon.
Our activity turned into a yummy snack!
We also made a “One in a Melon” craft.
Our sensory bin is filled with water beads and ocean animals.
Pool Party!
The toddlers had a great time at the Zoo Summer Playdate!
We created a handprint monkey.
We had music with Ms. Joanie on Monday.
The toddlers went on an animal hunt obstacle course. We had to cross the river of crocodiles!
Kona Ice on Wednesday!
A fork print lion craft on Thursday!
What a fun week here at Creative Tots! We dressed up in hats, played games, and made our own pirate hats and princess tiaras to wear home.
The toddlers used playdough and mats to create pirate faces. We also painted our hands to create a special craft to take home. Morning tables included a large color page and stickers!
Pirate ship snack!
Discovery bins full of treasure!
At camp, we also have time to make new friends, play outside, and Music Mondays with Ms. Joanie!
Creative Tots has specialized in the private education of both toddlers and preschool age children for over 15 years. We began in the heart of Madeira and now also have a new Mason location. We are specifically designed to focus on early childhood development for children ages 18 months to 5 years.
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