Eggs, Eggs and MORE Eggs!!

In the weeks leading up to Easter, I decided to take advantage of the abundance of inexpensive plastic Easter eggs from the Dollar Tree and the really cool project ideas on Pinterest. Here are the games that i made. I would put these out as special center options or special game time with me!

From this pin, I got the idea to make a matching game with the alphabet letters. It's a great review tool and a unique way to do a matching game than with just cards.

I also did the same thing with the numbers that we study in our class, 1-30. (This one is a little trickier than the alphabet, but my kids do a great job of trying!)

And don't forget our shapes that we study!

I wonder how something like that would work with word families??

From this pin, I got the idea for this SUPER CUTE mix, match and sort game. I mean how cute is this?? All you need is some felt, hot glue, eggs and an empty egg carton!

The Dollar Tree also had some cute crystal and patterned eggs that I got to make a mix and match game. the kids love it.

To add to these egg-cellent games, Walmart had a cute Pickup sticks game that came in a carrot and a bunny tic-tac-toe. Why not, right??

I love it!

Alphabet Envelope Games

I really wanted to have letter "games" on hand to play with my kids, or to let them play a game on their own. Using Letter of the Week projects from The Mailbox books, I created these little activities.

The instructions are the same for each game, I really wanted to make it simple for my kids to get them used to playing group games on their own. They have to take out all the pieces, divide them up, and then take turns figuring out if their picture starts with the letter or not. If they aren't sure what the picture is, I wrote the word underneath so that they *hopefully* use the letter clues. Each game is self contained in it's own envelope that I got from staples (of course I got the eco-friendly recycled ones =]) I mentioned these games in the Chicka Chicka Boom Boom post, but here are all the letters!

I love the idea of these games and can't wait to make more! I love having something in the centers that occupies the kids and the love. Maybe some math and science themed envelopes... hmm. =]

If you have done something like this, or have any ideas, please share!!

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom! (ABC review)

Our theme was"Chicka Chicka Boom Boom"Because of the short week, we had an ABC review week. **This week we did not get to do all of the activities that I had planned. We had a shortened day because of snow and I was also not able to get to school one day because of  the snow. I'll still include the descriptions and a picture of my example for the projects that we did not get to do. It's always good to have more letter activities than less!**

  

We read this week: Dr. Seuss' ABC's by Dr. Seuss
                              LMNO Peas by Keith Baker
                              Animalia by Graeme Base
                              Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr.
                              
Our question of the week was "What is your favorite letter of the alphabet? Why?" This was one of those questions that really got the wheels turning in their heads, because they couldn't just give me a letter, they had to give me a reason why.

Our song of the week was.... The alphabet! So creative, wasn't I? =]

For our theme of the week, we did SO much with letters!

I have thick plastic lacing letters that I put out for the kids to play with. These are great for practicing that fine motor control.

Each child decorated a hand print with their name on it to put onto our "Alphabet tree". I made it Valentine-y so that I could leave it up for a little longer. =]

In our school gym we did another obstacle course like last week, but we did this one while talking about the letters in the action that we were doing (ie. C=climb, S=slide, J=Jump...) I love to get my kids really moving!

Last year I made a "game" for each letter of the alphabet. Using projects from the two Letter of the Week Mailbox books that I have, I colored and laminated pieces that the children have to figure out if they start with the letter. These took a LONG time to do, but the kids love when I put them out, so it was definitely worth it. Here's the game for Aa. *If you are interested in any of the other letters, message me and let me know!*

I had planned for the kids to finger paint letters, because what's more fun than that?? But alas, the snow had other plans.

We went fishing for letters! I cut out fish and put one letter on each one. We played this is small groups and took turns "fishing" (I attached a paper clip to each fish and we used a magnet fishing rod from a puzzle in the classroom). Whichever fish they picked, they had to tell the group what letter it was and come up with a word that starts with that letter.

Ever seen a rainbow letter? Aren't they pretty?? So colorful!

Freeze dance to fun alphabet songs from Twin Sister Productions was a blast too.

Using the letters in each of their names, this children wrote poems!

We played alphabet toss. As each child got tossed the beanbag, and had to say the next letter of the alphabet. We started by just passing the beanbag around the circle. It got more challenging when they tossed it across the circle. They loved it!

When we read Chicka chicka Boom boom, of course we had to make our own letter trees!

Up next week: "Construction" and a focus on Pp, 13 and yellow.