Mystery Box: Explore Sense of Touch

Young children love to learn about the five senses and the sense of touch is a favorite. I can remember using a mystery box when I was in preschool. It was one of the my favorite activities! So I reached into my box of trash treasure to find the materials to create a new tactile mystery box for my own kids.

Tactile Mystery Box

What is a tactile mystery box? It is simply a bag or box that hides the contents from a child’s eyes. Kids will reach into the mystery box and feel the object(s) inside. The purpose of this activity is for children to rely on their sense of touch to identify an object.

Children are unable to see the object, so they must use their fingers to explore the contours of the object. It is a great time to identify descriptive words.

 

Identify Descriptive Words

Before kids begin to reach into the mystery box, help them build their vocabulary. Brainstorm words that can describe how something feels.

Touch & Describe

Start by introducing an object. It can be any type of object; however you may want to select different objects that will elicit a variety of different tactile feelings. Smooth, rough, soft, hard, slick, round, bumpy, prickly, and slimy are just a few of the possible adjectives that you want children to identify.

Children will begin to build a bridge of knowledge, by associating the physical feeling of the object with the descriptive words.

Classifying Through Sense of Touch

The first time the kids use the Grab & Guess mystery box, introduce 3-4 different objects and allow students to see and feel the objects. Then, hide all of the objects out of sight and place one of the hidden objects in the mystery box. Students can take turns putting their hands inside the mystery box and using descriptive language to identify what they feel.

Emphasize that all children should have a turn feeling the object, before the children guess which object is actually inside the mystery box. You can also switch objects for each turn, so that each child gets a different object to grab & guess!

Partner Play

Children can play “Grab & Guess” with a partner. It is a great way to build relationships and have children focused on teamwork. One partner will visually identify an object and secretly place it in the mystery box. The other child will put their hand through the mystery box and use their sense of touch to describe and identify the object.

Free Play

Another way to use the Grab & Go mystery box is through free play. Students can put their own objects into the box. Even though the child knows what the object is, when they place the object inside the mystery box they are focusing primarily on their sense of touch. Without visual cues, they must rely on their sense of touch.

DIY Mystery Box

You can simply use a bag or box as a mystery box, OR you can create a container that kids will just need to reach inside. It is easy as dressing up the bag or box. By adding a few colors and pictures, it becomes something spectacular!

This particular version of a mystery box is made out of a Pringles can and a sock! It was so easy to make and kids LOVE reaching their hands inside of the sock. Here are DIY directions to make your own Grab & Guess box.  

Materials

• Pringles can
• Long sock (I used my son’s old soccer socks)
• Hot glue gun/glue
• Paper to create signs on the sides

Directions

1. Cut the end off of the sock.
2. Pull sock over top of Pringles can.
3. Hot glue the sock to the back of the Pringles can. This prevents kids from ripping it off the can.
4. Draw a picture or words for the side of your can. Attach the signs to the sides of the sock.
5. That’s it!

Want more ideas for hands-on learning?  Check out these posts with lots of hands-on learning ideas!

Hands-On Comprehension Activities

 

 

 

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Activities

August 5, 2017 by lauraschachter@gmail.com (Edit)

Back to school time always brings coconut trees and ABC’s to the front of my mind. It’s not because I love the island breeze, although I do. Back to school time is inevitably tied to the classic book “Chicka Chicka Boom Boom”, by Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault. I can feel the delight that surrounds Chicka Chicka Boom Boom activities.

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“Chicka Chicka Boom Boom!”

“Chicka Chicka Boom Boom” is a fantastic rhyming book. The rhymes introduce the letters of the alphabet in an engaging way. Children are sure to remember the sing-song rhymes and the bright, vibrant pictures in the story. “Chicka Chicka Boom Boom” is a fabulous read.

Sing Along

Want to take the story to a new level? Share this video where the story is relayed as a song. Catchy and sure to stick in your kids’ minds!

Extension Activities

There are so many amazing activities to go along with the story. Here are a few of favorites that you should definitely check out.

• Chicka Chicka Boom Boom STEAM activity from Preschool Steam
• Coconut Tree Mats from My Fabulous Class 
• Play Dough Mats from Kindergarten Celebration
• Ideas to make Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Sensory Tub from Crayons & Cuties in Kindergarten

Hands-On Coconut Trees & ABC’s

I am obsessed in love with DIY craft projects. I’ve seen so many fun ‘Chicka Chicka Boom Boom’ projects that range from cookie sheet trees to pool noodle trees. Check out a few of my favorites here:

• Magnetic Cookie Sheet Tree from Little Page Turners
• Pool Noodle Coconut Trees from She Bakes and Creates
• Palm Tree Made w/ Umbrella from Mrs. Jump’s Class
• Magnetic Palm Tree from Pre-K Pages

The magnetic palm tree was my absolute favorite! I love that kids can hold each letter and interact with it directly on the tree. I couldn’t just admire it online, I had to create one two myself!

Pre-K Pages uses fake leaves for her leaves, which is genius. Low prep and quick! Unfortunately for me, I did not have any leaves handy at 4 AM (when I do my best crafting), so I had to improvise with felt & pipe cleaners.

‘Chicka Chicka Boom Boom’ Magnetic Tree DIY

Pre-K Pages has fantastic directions on creating a magnetic coconut tree. My trees follow the basic outline of her directions. Any can will work, as long as it is metal. I created two different sized trees.

Large Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Tree

This tree is made out of 3 jumbo sized coffee cans. Follow the directions on Pre-K Pages to tape them together. The best part about this Chicka Chicka Boom Boom tree is that all the pieces can be stored inside!

DIY Felt Leaves

The leaves for both trees are made out of felt. Follow these easy directions to create your leaves.

Large Leaves- Option #1

1. Cut out the leaves out of a large piece of green felt.
2. Glue a pipe cleaner in the middle of the leaf. 1 on the front and 1 on the back. (I used a light green for the back of the leaf to add contrast).
3. About 2-3 inches of pipe cleaner should overhang the end of the leaf.
4. Use an razor blade to cut an X in the middle of the lid. 
5. Thread the overhanging pipe cleaners through the lid.
6. Optional: Glue a piece of felt over top the inside of the lid to cover the ends of the pipe cleaners and to hold them in place.

Small Leaves- Option #2

1. Cut out the leaves. Cut out a light and dark green leaf for each leaf.
2. Hot glue a pipe cleaner to the inside of the light green leaf.
3. Hot glue a pipe cleaner down the middle of the dark green leaf. Leave 2-3 inches of the pipe cleaner hanging off the back of the leaf.
4. Thread the overhanging pipe cleaners through the X on the plastic leaf.
5. Optional: Glue a piece of felt over top the inside of the lid.

Using the Magnetic Tree

Use your magnetic tree with any type of magnet. Letter magnets that you use on the fridge work, or make your own magnets! Here is a free download to create your own set of colorful alphabet & number magnets. Plus, there are a bunch of ideas on how to use the magnetic coconut tree with your kiddos.

More Hands On Letter Activities

Need more hands-on alphabet and number activities? Check these out!

• Kids will flip over these transportation themed tracing mats. Kids can practice letter and numeral formation while ‘driving’ on the letter and number roads. See it in action here. Pick up a copy from my store here.
• Get kids up and moving as they learn about letters of the alphabet. Romp and Stompin’ Letters has tons of interactive fun to explore the alphabet, letter formation, and letter attributes. See it in action here. Pick up Romp & Stompin’ Letters here.Thanks so much for joining me for my Saturday crafting!

Christmas in July Craft Ideas

July 22, 2017 by lauraschachter@gmail.com (Edit)

By the end of July, summer fun tends to stagnate a little in our house. We need a little something to beat the heat and spark creativity. It’s the perfect time for Christmas in July!  Check out these fun Christmas in July craft ideas that are sure to bring a little Christmas joy to the long hot days of July!

Why Christmas in July?

1. Beat the heat!

The heat continues to rise outside. The pool does not spark the same level of excitement as it did at the beginning of June, so July’s end has us all searching for something new and exciting to occupy our time. The kids and I long for something novel to capture our attention. Christmas crafts give us the perfect chance for creative fun indoors!

2. Bring Christmas kindness back to our lives

Sometimes the giving spirit of Christmas gets lost amidst the ads and hoopla that are associated with the winter holiday time. I love the idea of setting a time that focuses solely on giving and kindness. It helps refocus our daily actions in a more positive way.

3. Creativity with a Christmas twist

Christmastime just makes me smile. I love the reason for Christmas, but I also love all of the traditions and fun that surrounds it. Creating ornaments and decorations is an integral part of our family celebrations. It allows all of us to gather together and get creative! The kids were so excited that it will happen twice this year!

4. Teach kids about delayed gratification

In the age of instant gratification, my kids tons of practice in patience and delayed gratification. The idea of creating fun activities and hiding them away for 6 months, is going to blow their minds! It’s great practice for them (and for me, too!)

Christmas in July Craft Ideas

Whether you are a DIY whiz or afraid of the glue gun, I’ve got you covered! Check out these fun ideas to make your Christmas in July so much fun.

DIY Christmas Crackers

My family loves Christmas crackers. It does not matter what is inside the cracker, the joy is in the anticipation of the mighty pull! You would not believe the excitement over a shoe horn…

I thought July would be the perfect time to create our own set of  Christmas crackers. They are unbelievably easy to make and so much fun. There is unlimited creativity in creating these crackers. The first round of crackers included a joke and a Christmas eraser, but anything can go inside!

Materials:

• Toilet paper rolls or paper towl rolls cut in pieces
• Some type of festive paper (wrapping paper, scrapbook paper, or child-decorated paper)
• Tape
• String or ribbon
• Little trinket (eraser, decoration, ornament, sticker, etc.)
• Optional: Stickers, glitter, or any other type of decoration

DIY Christmas Crackers:

1. Write a joke or special message on a small slip of paper. I used a post-it note.
2. Place the paper inside the toilet paper roll.
3. Put a small trinket inside the toilet paper roll.
4. Wrap a piece of festive paper around the toilet paper roll. Cut about 3-4 inches of extra paper on each end of the toilet paper roll.
5. Tape the paper in the middle.
6. Tie a piece of decorative ribbon or string around each end of the cracker.
7. Decorate the rest of the cracker, if desired.

DIY Christmas Streamers

Make your own Christmas streamers out of cheap materials. Cut up a plastic table cloth and tie it to a pony tail holder. Instant fun for dancing, running, and more!

 

DIY Ornaments

Making ornaments is a tradition in our house. We love creating with salt dough, clothespins and more! By creating ornaments in July, we are able to take our time while making each ornament. The kids love planning out who will get each little treasure. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Salt Dough Ornaments

 

 

Salt dough ornaments are always a hit, so we decided to create some ornaments now to give to friends and family in December. Check out our salt dough fun. My all-time favorite is the kissing hand ornament.

Sporty Ornaments

We have quite a few sport fan relatives, so these ornaments are always a hit. Get the directions for the sporty ornaments here.

Kindness Rocks & Decorations

Kindness rocks are all the rage in our town. My kids are having a ball painting rocks and leaving them around town to brighten someone’s day. They will love creating rocks with a Christmas flair. I can’t wait for the kids to find the perfect spot to leave our rocks. A few easy winter themed rocks are snowmen, Christmas trees, snowflakes, and penguins. I admit, penguins is stretching it a bit!

Summer Themed Ornaments

I have a ton of ornaments on my to-do list for this week. My kids love collecting shells at the beach and lake, so we have a ready supply to use. Check out my Christmas in July pinterest board for tons of great ideas!

Here are a few of my favorite Christmas in July Craft Ideas:

• Light Bulb Ornaments: Upcycle That
• Golf Ball Ornaments: Crafty Morning
• Twiggy Star Ornaments: Happy Hooligans
• Keepsakes with Sand Clay: The Imagination Tree
• Sandy Feet Ornaments: Crayons & Cuties in Kindergarten

Hope you found some fun Christmas in July craft ideas and activities to share with your family, class, or camp. Stay tuned for some ‘Christmas in July’ deals & steals, giveaway and more! The fun starts tomorrow, so get ready for some Christmas in July fun!!!