Your child still has a lot to learn about the world around him. Help your child observe the natural changes that occur with the seasons. He will be learning about the predictable rhythms of time. Because the most concrete signs of thee seasons are changes in nature, you will find that the activities in this chapter often use materials found outside.
Harvest-Time Fun
Harvest time is a fun season to celebrate with your child. Take this opportunity to talk about when food comes form. If you can, consider a trip to a local commercial farm. Many have programs for children where they can pick their own pumpkins, tase fresh apple cider, or participate in other activities.
Apple Prints
Celebrate harvest time with a bounty of fresh apples. This activity will help your child have fun with this popular fruit.
Activity for an individual child.
Age group: 18-40 months
Duration of activity: 10 minutes
What you need:
Knife
1 apple
Paper towel
Tempera paint
Shallow pie tin
Light-colored construction paper
1. Cut the apple in half crosswise. Dry off the inside with a paper towel.
2. Pour a small amount of paint into the pie tin.
3. Show your toddler how to grasp the apple to dip it into the paint. Have her press the painted apple on the paper to create a print.
Cornucopia
What is a more popular symbol of harvest the the cornucopia (horn of plenty)? Her is an easy way to make on. While you are working on this project, take the time to discuss with your child where different foods come from.
Activity for an individual child.
Age group: 30-40 months
Duration of activity: 20 minutes
What you need:
1 sheet brown construction paper
Masking tape
Magazines
Scissors
1. Roll the sheet of brown paper to create a horn shape. Secure the edges with tape.
2. Go through the magazine with your child to find appropriate items to add to the cornucopia. Explain that the cornucopia holds food from a harvest: fruits and vegetables that have been picked.
3. Assist your child in curing out the magazine pictures or have her tear out the picture. Let her tape the food into the cornucopia.
Corn Rolling
This simple painting activity produces a unique effect You may also wish to have your toddler try painting and printing with other vegetables, such as potatoes, cauliflower, and green peppers.
Activity for an individual child.
Age group: 18-40 months
Duration of activity: 15 minutes
What you need:
1 dried ear of corn
Tempera paint
Shallow pie tin
Light-colored construction paper
1. Have your child roll the corncob in the paint in the tin the say way that you would a paint roller.
2. Your child can then roll out different patterns and designs on the paper.
Harvest Bowling
Help develop your child’s motor skills while exposing her to some fall vegetables. Your child will enjoy exploring the different colors and interesting textures. Look for gourds that are shaped like bottles, with a wide base and thin neck.
Activity for an individual or a group.
Age group: 30-40 months
Duration of activity: 20 minutes
What you need:
5 small dried gourds
Masking tape
1 or 2 small round pumpkins
1. Set the gourds up like bowling pins.
2. Stick a strip of masking tape to the floor to make a starting line. This should be quite close to the gourds, as the pumpkins will not roll very far.
3. Show your child how to roll the pumpkins to knock down the gourds. Don’t worry about keeping score.
Leaves Are Changing
If you are fortunate to Iive somewhere where the leaves change colors in the fall, be sure to try some of these activities. When you do activities around fall leaves, you are promoting your child’s observation skills. This is a wonderful way for your child toes how things change and to observe the passage of time and seasons.
Leaf Rubbings
This is a great way for your child to explore the different shapes and textures of autumn leaves. Avoid leaves that are already dried out. This simple project seems to work like magic.
Activity for an individual child.
Age group: 30-40 months
Duration of activity: 10 minutes
What you need:
A variety of autumn leaves that your child has collected
Light-colored bond paper
Peele crayons
1. Have your child place one leaf or a group of leaves under the sheet of paper.
2. Show your child how to use the size of a crayon to rub on the paper. The shape and texture of the leaf will be revealed.
Leaf Crown
Your child will enjoy making this crown. He can use it as a prop in his imaginative play.
Activity for an individual child.
Age group: 18-40 months
Duration of activity: 10 minutes
What you need:
Measuring tape
Scissors
2 sheets construction paper
Stapler
White craft glue
A variety of autumn leaves
1. Measure the circumference of your child’s head. Cut 2”-wide strips from the construction paper and staple them together to make a band that will fit your child’s head.
2. Help your child glue the leaves on his crown.
Leaf Glitter
Here is a new way to add pizzazz to your child’s drawing and artwork. You may choose toads store-bought glitter to the mix.
Activity for an individual child or a group
Age group: 18-40 months
Duration of activity: 20 minutes
What you need:
Colorful autumn leaves, slightly dry
White craft glue
Construction paper
1. Help the child crumble up the leaves into fine pieces.
2. Let your child sprinkle leaf “glitter” to his glue design on the paper. He may also choose to add the leaf glitter to other pictures he has made.
Scary Things
You may or may not choose to celebrate Halloween with your young child. Toddlers have a great deal of difficulty understanding the difference between fact and fantasy, so common symbols and sights of this holiday can be truly frightening for them. Giving your child hands-on, safe opportunities to explore scary things can help her understand and feel more in control.
Egg Carton Bat
Popular culture has done much to malign the reputation of bats. Most bats are harmless and even helpful in keeping the insect population in check. You can talk to your child about bats while doing this craft.
Activity for an individual child.
Age group: 30-40 months
Duration of activity: 15 minutes
What you need:
Scissors
1 cardboard egg carton
Black tempera paint
Red tempera paint
Small paintbrushes
Black construction paper
White craft glue
1. Cut off one cup of the egg carton. This will be the bat’s body.
2. Let your child paint the cup black and then use the red paint to add facial features.
3. While the paint is drying, cut out two wings from the construction paper. Each wing should be no longer than 2”long.
4. Show your child how to glue the wing onto the bat.
Tissue Paper Ghosts
This is such a simple activity with a very cute result. Your child may want to make a lot of ghosts and then hang them around the house for decoration.
Activity for an individual child.
Age group: 30-40 month
Duration of activity: 10 minutes
What you need:
Tissue paper such as Kleenex
Cotton balls
Masking tape
Yarn cut into 12” sections
Fine-tip black marker
1. Show your child how to drape the sheet of tissue paper over the cotton ball.
2. Help your child secure the cotton ball by wrapping a piece of making tape tightly below. This will form the neck. If you wish to hang the ghost later, stick a piece of yarn under the tape.
3. Your child can use the marker to draw on the eyes and mouth. Hang the ghost where the breeze will catch it and make it fly.
Paper Plate Spiders
Even if your child is afraid of spiders, she is still likely to enjoy this cute craft.
Activity for n individual child.
Age group: 30-40 minutes
Duration of activity: 15 minutes
What you need:
Crayons
2 paper plates
Hold punch
2’ of yarn
White craft glue
8 strips black construction paper
1. Let your child color the front of the plates. She can draw in a face for the spider if she wishes.
2. Punch a hold in The Center of one of the plates. Knot the end and thread the yarn through the hold from front to back. This will be used hang the spider.
3. Help your child glue the black strips onto the back of one plate. These are the spider’s legs—they should be evenly spaced and should stick out past the rim of the plate.
4. Glue the two plates together back to back to complete the spider.
Masks
Masks can be particularly frightening for a young child, who may not recognize the transformed face as someone she knows and may not undertone that the transformation is temporary. This activity may help your child overcome and fear, but if she is reluctant to wear the mask, don’t force her.
Activities for an individual child.
Age group: 18-40 months
Duration of activity: 15 minutes
What you need:
Scissors
Paper plate
Crayons and markers
White craft glue
Craft stick
Mirror
1. Cut wide holes in the paper plate to make eyes and a mouth.
2. Have your child decorate the back of the plate to create a face.
3. Glue the craft stick onto the bottom serve as a handle. Your child can then hold up the mask to her face. Let her see herself in a mirror.
Spider Webs
Your toddler will enjoy making this unusual craft.
Activity for an individual child.
Age group: 18-40 months
Duration of activity: 15 minutes
What you need:
White craft glue
Shallow bowl
1 cup cooked spaghetti, cooled
Waxed paper
1. Pour some glue int the shallow bowl.
2. Show your child ow to dip each noodle individually into the glue. Have her hold the noodle over the bowl to let any excess glue drip off.
3. Let her arrange the noodles onto the waxed paper in her version of a cobweb design.
4. When the design is dry, you can lift off the paper and hang it from the ceiling.
Let It Snow!
When you wake up to find that it has snowed overnight, you may be annoyed or even angry. To your child, however, snow is a magical wonderland. Take the time to remember the fun of playing in the snow.
Jack Frost
Your child can paint the window with the mixture to make it look like Jack Frost has just paid a visit. When you wish, you can clean the window off with a wet cloth. Supervise your child closely so that he does not ingest any of the mixture.
Activity for an individual child.
Age group: 18-40 months
Duration of activity: 45 minutes
What you need:
5 tablespoons Epsom salts
1 cup beer
Sponge
Facial tissue or paper towels
1. Dissolve the Epsom salts in the beer. It should foam. Let this sit for 1/2 hour before using.
2. While you are waiting, clean off a window that your toddler can easily reach.
3. Your child can dip the sponge into the mixture and swirl it onto the window.
4. Pat the designs gently with wet tissues or paper towels.
5. When the painting dries, the salt crystals will sparkle, giving the window a frosted appearance.
Snowy Picture
Here is a special way to create a seasonal picture. Perhaps you and your child can think of other way to create a snowy effect.
Activity for an individual child.
Age group: 30-40 months
Duration of activity: 15 minutes
What you need:
White tempera paint
Shallow pie tin
Small paper dollies
Dark-coloured construction paper
Old toothbrush
1. Pour the paint into the pie tin.
2. Have your child arrange the dollies on the paper and paint over them create snowflake patterns. Remove and discard the dollies.
3. Let your child dip the bristles of the toothbrush into the paint. Show him how to flick the bristles over the paper to slater the paint for a snowy effect. Be sure he holds the brush from from his eyes.
Ice Cube Painting
This is a fun craft and science activity all in one. If you don’t have the paint, you can also use Kool-Aid or Jell-O powder.
Activity for an individual child or a group.
Age group: 18-40 months
Duration of activity: 15 minutes
What you need:
Ice cube tray
Craft sticks or small tongue depressors
Powdered tempera paint
Construction paper or poster board
1. Make a tray of ice cubes. Freeze each cube with a craft stick sticking in so that you have a square popsicle.
2. Let your child sprinkle the powdered paint on the paper.
3. Show your child how to use the ice cube on a stick as a paintbrush. The colors will swirl as the ice melts.
Snow Castle
Tired of snowmen. Why not pretend you’re at the beach? Your child can even paint the completed castles by spraying them with a mixture of water and tempera painter food coloring.
Activity for an individual child.
Age group: 18-40 months
Duration of activity: 20 minutes
What you need:
Sand pails
Small shovels and spoons
A snowy day
Show your child how to fill the bucket with snow. Have him dump and mold a case from snow.
Rainbow Melt
Your child will enjoy watching the colors run as he learns a little bit about science, too.
Activity for an individual child.
Age group: 18-40 months
Duration of activity: 25 minutes
What you need:
Salt
Food colouring in various colors
Paper cups
Ice (cubes or large block)
Shallow pie tin
1. Mix 1 tablespoon of salt with a few drops of food colouring and put into a paper cup. Repeat process for different colors.
2. Place the ice in the pie tin.
3. Let your child sprinkle the coloured salt liquid over the ice. Discuss what happens. Encourage him to observe how the colors run when he ice melts.
Arctic Animals and Hibernation
Young children are usually fascinated by animals. When you talk to your child about hibernation, share information about the habits of animals but also about the basic needs of both animals and people. How do we stay warm in the winter? Do we need to rest?
Groundhog Puppet
Here’s a cute puppet variation. You child may want to create an entire story around the groundhog that she creates.
Activity for an individual child.
Age group: 30-40 months
Duration of activity: 10 minutes
What you need:
1 small paper cup
Tempera paint
Scissors
1 piece of brown felt
Fine-tip black marker
White craft glue
1 craft stick
1. Have you child decorate a paper cup for the burrow. When the paint is dry, poe a hole in the bottom of the cup.
2. Cut a quarter-size circle from the felt to make a head for the puppet. You child can draw the face on with the marker.
3. Help your child glue the groundhog head onto the craft stick. Turn the cup upside down and push the bottom of the stick into the hold you made in the cup. Your child can push the stick up from the inside of the cup to make the groundhog pop up.
Find Me in the Snow
This activity will help your child develop the visual discriminatory skills she needs for reading. Be sure to use this opportunity to talk about camouflage and how it can protect an animal. You can use either magazine clippings or make your own animal outline shapes from white bond paper.
Activity for an individual child.
Age group: 18-40 months
Duration of activity: 10 minutes
What you need:
Scissors
White bond paper
White craft glue
1 sheet white poster board
1. Cut the shapes of a number of white animals (polar bear, lemming, snow hare) from the paper and glue it to the poster board.
2. Challenge your child to find the animals hiding in the snow.
Penguin Walk
This is a fun way to learn a little about penguins and help your child develop large motor skills at the same time.
Activity for an individual child.
Age group: 30-40 month
Duration of activities: 10 minutes
What you need:
Small beach ball
Help your child place the beach ball between her knees. Challenge her o keep the ball there while walking around the room. Once she masters this, have her hold her arms out to completely imitate a penguin.
Hibernation Party
Here is a fun and concrete way to teach our child about hibernation.
Activity for an individual child or a group.
Age group: 30-40 months
Duration of activity: 30 minutes
What you need:
Snack food
Blankets and pillows
1. Explain to your child that today you are gong to pretend to be bears and hibernate.
2. In order to have energy, you need to eat well before hibernating. Serve the child a nice snack.
3. Have your child help you set up a cozy bear den. You can do this by draping a blanket over a table. Use extra pillows and blankets to make the den comfortable.
4. Turn out the lights and encourage your child to curl up inside the den and pretend to sleep.
5. After a short time, turn on the lights and announce that spring is here! When bears emerge from their den, they do a lot of stretching. They may even be a big hungry again!
Springtime
Springtime is a time of change. Consider taking your toddler for a walk to observe the first signs of spring. Look fo budding trees, birds returning from the south, the first signs of early flowers such as crocuses, and more.
Wind Sock
When your chid is done with this project, be sure to hang it somewhere it can catch the wind. Do not be surprised if your child wants to make more than one.
Activity for an individual child.
Age group: 18-40 months
Duration of activity: 20 minutes
What you need:
Crayons or markers
1 large sheet poster board
Masking tape
Hold punch
Yarn or twine
Crepe or tissue paper
1. Have your child use crayons or markers to decorate both sides of the poster board.
2. Roll the board into a cycling and tape a securely on the edges.
3. Punch a hold at one end and attach a yarn loop for having.
4. Let your toddler tape strips the crepe or tissue paper to the other end.
Blossom Trees
Although they will not smell as nice as real flowering trees, you will be surprised how realistic these trees look. If you don’t want to use popcorn, you can have your child make little blossoms by crumpling up small pieces of tissue paper or Kleenex.
Activity for an individual chid or a group.
Age group: 18-40 months
Duration of activity: 15 minutes
What you need:
Brown crayon
Light-colored construction paper
White craft glue
1 cup popped popcorn
1. Have your child use the crayon to draw a tree trunk and branches on the paper.
2. Show your child how to glue the popcorn on the branches to make the blossoms. It works best if he puts a dab of glue on the paper rancher than on the popcorn kernel.
Soufflé Flowers
This simple activity in a craft with a nice fragrance that lasts a long time. Perhaps your child will want to make a whole bouquet.
Activity for an individual child or a group.
Age group: 30-40 months
Duration of activity: 15 minutes
What you need:
Paper baking cups or min soufflé cups
Watercolor paints
Paintbrush
Perfume
Cotton ball
White craft glue
Pipe cleaner
1. Show your toddler how to open and spread the baking cups out.
2. Let your toddler paint the cups.
3. Help your child dab a small amount of perfume onto the cotton ball. When the paint is dry, he can glue the ball into The Center of the flower.
4. Help your child attach the pipe cleaner to make a stem for the flower.
Egg Carton Tulips
This creative craft can be used for a festive centrepiece.
Activity for an individual child or group.
Age group: 30-40 months
Duration of activity: 25 minutes
What you need:
Scissors
Egg carton (cardboard works better than Styrofoam)
Paintbrush
Tempera paint
Pipe cleaners or chenille sticks
1. Cut the carton into individual egg cups.
2. Let your toddler paint the cups.
3. When the paint is dry, use the scissors to poke a small hole in the bottom of the cups.
4. Thread a pipe cleaner through each one. Pull enough of each into The Center to twist a small loop. This will keep it secure as a stem and create a little stamen. Always be sure that there are no sharp wires on the ends of the pipe cleaners.
Summer Activities
Here are a few activities to celebrate summertime. Remember that the most valuable way for your toddler to learn about summertime is through experience. Take the time to watch clouds roll by, go for a walk in a meadow, or drink homemade lemonade under the shade of a big tree.
Sunflowers
This cheery craft will bringer up any summer day. Children seem drawn to these giants of the flower world.
Activity for an individual child or group.
Age group: 18-40 months
Duration of activity: 15 minutes
What you need:
Marker
Brown, yellow, and green construction paper
Scissors
White craft glue
Sunflower seeds
1. Draw a circle on the brown paper and the outline of eight yellow triangles on the yellow paper. Make the circle as big or small as you want the sunflower to be. Size the triangles so that side by side, they will go all the way around the circle. Cut a stem from the green paper.
2. Either cut the shapes out yourself, or assist your child in doing so.
3. Show your child how to glue the pieces together to create a flower. When the flower is dry, she can glue on the sunflower seeds in the middle.
Sun on a Stick
This project makes a cute decoration to place into a potted plant. It can also be used as a puppet or a hand-held fan.
Activity for an individual child.
Age group: 18-40 months
Duration of activity: 15 minutes
What you need:
Scissors
2 paper plates
Yellow and orange tempera paint or crayons
White craft glue
Craft stick
1. Cut a big circle form The Center of one paper plate.
2. Have your child paint or colro the circle orange. Have her paint or color the intact plate yellow.
3. Help your child glue the orange circle onto the yellow plate.
4. Glue the craft stick onto the bottom to serve as a handle.
Everlasting Sand Castle
Bring the beach home with this unique craft activity.
Activity for an individual child.
Age group: 18-40 months
Duration of activity: 20 minutes
What you need:
4 cups sand
2 cups cornstarch
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
3 cups hot water
1. Mix all ingredients together and let cool.
2. Your child can use the mixture to build a castle by hand, or she can use shallow plastic containers for moulds. Coat the containers with Vaseline before using.
3. Give the castle three days to dry.
Flowery Window Clings
Decorate any sunny window with this easy project.
Activity for an individual child.
Age group: 18-40 months
Duration of activity: 15 minutes
What you need:
Scissors
Clear contact paper
Flower blossoms and leaves
1. Cut 4” squares of clear contact paper.
2. Help your child place flower blossoms and leaves of the sticky side of the paper. Leave enough of the contact paper uncovered that it will stick to the window.
3. Carefully pick up the squares and press on the window.
4. When you choose to take the flowers off the window, you can remove the excess adhesive with nail polish remover.