Why Save Paper Towel Tubes? And Toilet?

We like Dramatic Play in my childcare environment. And when you need something to fill the time, you make something the children can take home. But first, we do a 'Test Run'. After all, it's more fun to play with friends! Right?!

So showing you how we turned a simple color page into a way to extend our theme of Fire Safety into the Dramatic Play Center. This color page is from about 16 years back so sorry no link for making a copy.

But maybe you could find a back issue on Amazon??

 Notice the $5.50 price? Unheard of today.

 

Here is a view of supplies needed including a color page. We printed ours on cardstock for more longevity.

1. The color and cut stage
   
   
   
   2.Connect the long tubes on each end ONLY.
   
   
   
   
   

   

Masking tape works best.

 

For the "People", firefighters in our instance, use tape loops and attach to the smaller tubes.

 

 Finally, slide the fire truck in-between the longer tubes. It should be a snug fit. Trim the ends if it's a little long. And there you have it! Individual play sets for your theme to enhance Dramatic Play.

 

Skills Learned from Dramatic Play:

 

• Learning to cooperate, to control impulses (like tearing it up by 'crashing', leads to less aggressive tendencies.
• Eye/hand coordination, fine and gross motor skills
• Developing literacy skills with use of new language, role-playing and problem solving
• Learning to ask and answer questions. This introduces a larger view of the world they are living in. Some of them will relate the events of the evening news they see at home to their play. Great opportunity to 'be there' to discuss our times.

 

Talk with your caregiver about the importance of Dramatic Play.

 

 

The Apple of My Eye

The poem of the week for our Apple Theme is pictured here from Pinterest.

 

 Sharing with you some of the "apples of My eye".

 

Our upcycled Apple tree before the leaves are added.

Pardon my primitive artistic ability.

I have a 'little' stash of Red Bags from last Christmas.

Perfect for the trunk and the apples.

I am my mother's daughter. I save stuff.

 Apple paper punches could be a big hit, but ours are pretty hard for little fingers.  So we improvised and turned the punches into strips.

This became cutting practice and letter recognition introduction all wrapped up in one.

Remember it's the process, not the product.

Learning rules like: keep Thumbs Up, only cut paper, start slowly & more.

Some of the strips were used for apple rubbings.

 Feeling and finding the bumps under a sheet of paper is also a texture/sensory experience.

 

The Sorting A/a Activity

     I

 

       See

            You!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ancient Tools

Today we discover ancient writing tools.

Our hunt and peck method of typing was very useful for typing number lines from 1 to 39. Tired of that, there was typing capital letter and lower case letters in order A to Z. And once that idea ran its' course, there was some actual spelling of names we know. Particularly Mom, Dad, and other family members.

Time to thank my mother for her foresight in donating this tool from yesteryear.