Supporting Christian Science families and their young children
Ingredients
Seedless watermelon
Popsicle sticks
Directions
Cut 1 inch thick circular slices of a seedless watermelon. Then cut each slice into quarters and then halves to make eight triangular watermelon shapes. Using the knife, jab it into the rind for easier popsicle stick insertion. Store in refrigerator until serving.
Materials
Butcher paper
Red and green tempera paint
Paper plate
Apple halves
Fork
Directions
Place butcher paper on a long table, on the floor, or hang outside on a wall. Pour tempera paint onto a paper plate. Invite your child to help you stab the fork into the apple half and then dip apple into the paint. Allow your child to explore painting and printing with the apple halves.
This game can be adapted to meet various skill levels.
Materials
Simple cut out of apple tree glued onto heavy cardstock or cardboard
Red dot stickers
Red pompoms
Homemade spinner or cards with letters, numbers, or sight words
Directions
Place red dot stickers on tree to represent apples. Write an uppercase letter on each dot. Make a simple spinner or create flash cards with the same uppercase letters. Invite your child to spin the spinner or turn over a card. He then places a red pompom on the red dot sticker that matches the card or letter on the spinner. Continue playing until all the red dot stickers are covered with pompoms.
Adaptations
1. Match uppercase letters to lowercase letters.
2. Use a die and match the number of dots on the die to the number symbol on the red sticker dots.
3. Create a spinner or flashcards with sight words: and, the, is, to, in, etc. Write same sight words on red dot stickers. Child reads the word from the spinner or card and places a red pom .pom on top of the matching sight word on the red dot sticker.
1 cup frozen strawberries
1 cup milk
1⁄4 cup sugar
1 banana
8–10 ice cubes
Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Makes 2–3 smoothies.
2-gallon Ziploc bag
Clear duct tape to reinforce edges
Variety of flat shapes (plastic or foam shapes work well)
Water
Tape edges of the Ziploc bag. Add shapes and approximately 1-1/2 cups of water. Zip closed and reinforce with tape. Invite child to name shapes, sort shapes by moving them around the bag, and count the shapes. Have fun!
MaterialsTempera paint
Large paper
Flyswatter
Place a glob of tempera paint on a large piece of paper that is taped to the table. invite your child to use a flyswatter, tap it in the paint, and then around the paper. Allow to dry and then display.
(This activity works best outside.)
Dyed Tubular Pasta
1 piece of yarn or shoestring (approx. 24 inches long)
Place pasta noodles in a basket or container. Tie a noodle to the bottom of the yarn. For easier threading, re-enforce the threading end of the yarn with a piece of masking tape. Invite your child to thread the noodles onto the yarn. How many can she thread? Count the noodles.
Great fine motor work – practicing eye/hand coordination and strengthening the pincer grasp!
1 wooden skewer
1 piece of floral styrofoam
Plastic beads in a small container
Dice
Place the wooden skewer into the piece of styrofoam. Invite your child to place beads onto the skewer. For an added challenge, provide 1-2 dice. The child rolls the dice, counts the number of dots, and places that corresponding number of beads on the skewer.
Knox unflavored gelatin, 3 packs
Light corn syrup, approximately ¼ cup
Microwave-safe bowl or saucepan
Water
Red food coloring
Resealable plastic bag
Boil ½ cup water. Remove from heat or microwave. Stir in three packs of Knox unflavored gelatin and add red food coloring. Let stand for 1 minute. Measure the mixture as you transfer it to another bowl. Add enough corn syrup (approximately ¼ cup) to make 1 cup total mixture in the bowl. Stir and mix. The mixture will thicken as it cools. To make it thinner again, add water. Store in re-sealable plastic bag.
Note: Never pour slime down the drain. Dispose of it in the trash.
Enjoy reading Katie and the Starry Night by James Mayhew