My adventures in homeschooling my kiddos.
Hi all! I've decided to do themes each month for the kids that includes foods, activities, research topics, signs, books, movies, and more. I will still do regular school with them, but this is just a little extra fun.
What I'll do is at the beginning of the month I'll post the theme and activities and such we'll be hopefully doing. Keep in mind that this is for my 2 year old and my 11 year old. Most of these can work for all ages, but if you want suggestions for older than 11 let me know!
I totally skipped April because I blinked and it was halfway over! But here is May's. The theme is spring, gardening, and insects!
This post however is for the SPRING theme. The other two will be posted after this one!
I will do another post for the S.T.E.A.M. projects.
Foods:
Flower-Shaped Sandwiches: Cut sandwiches into flower shapes using cookie cutters and fill them with your favorite spreads.
Flower Pretzel Bites: Use small pretzel twists. Dip them in melted white or pastel-colored candy melts (pink, yellow, lavender). Before they set, place a contrasting colored M&M or candy bead in the center to look like a flower.
Pastel Rice Krispie Treats: Make standard Rice Krispie treats but add a few drops of pastel food coloring (pink, green, blue, yellow) to the melted marshmallow mixture. You can even cut them into flower or egg shapes using cookie cutters once cooled.
Bird's Nest Cookies: Use chow mein noodles or pretzel sticks coated in melted chocolate or butterscotch chips. Form them into nest shapes on wax paper and let them harden. Fill with jelly beans or candy eggs.
Lemon Poppy Seed Mini Muffins: Light, bright lemon flavor screams spring. Mini muffins are perfect portion sizes for snacking.
Cucumber Tea Sandwiches: Thinly slice cucumbers and place them between slices of white bread with cream cheese (mix in some fresh dill or chives for extra spring flavor!). Cut off the crusts and slice into small fingers or use flower/butterfly shaped cookie cutters.
Carrot Cake: A moist cake filled with grated carrots and topped with cream cheese frosting.
Crafts:
DIY Bird Feeders: Use pine cones, peanut butter, and birdseed to create fun feeders for birds.
Spring Wreath: Make a colorful wreath using paper flowers, ribbons, and other decorations.
Nature Collage: Collect leaves, flowers, and twigs, then glue them onto paper to create a beautiful nature scene.
Kite Making: Create and decorate a simple kite using paper and string to fly on a windy day.
DIY Mini Terrarium or Fairy Garden: Layer pebbles, activated charcoal (optional, helps drainage), and potting mix in a clean glass jar or bowl. Add small, easy-care plants like succulents or air plants, moss, and maybe some decorative stones or small polymer clay creations (like tiny mushrooms or ladybugs).
Origami Flower Bouquet or Mobile: Learn to fold several different types of origami flowers (tulips, lilies, kusudama flowers) and leaves using colorful origami paper or regular paper cut into squares. Attach floral wire stems to make a bouquet, or string the flowers and some beads onto thread to create a hanging mobile.
Tissue Paper "Stained Glass" Suncatchers: Create a frame shape (like a butterfly, flower, or abstract spring design) using black cardstock or by outlining on clear contact paper. Fill the inside areas with colorful pieces of tissue paper, overlapping slightly. Seal with another piece of contact paper or glue onto wax paper. Trim and hang in a window.
Flower Stamping: Use cut-out flower shapes and stamp them with non-toxic paint on paper.
Paper Plate Flowers: Decorate paper plates with colors and cut out petals for a flower craft.
Handprint Butterflies: Use their handprints to create butterfly shapes with paint and paper.
Egg Carton Caterpillars: Paint sections of an egg carton and add googly eyes for cute caterpillars.
Flower Petal Collage: Gather fallen flower petals (ensure they are non-toxic), paper, non-toxic glue stick (with adult supervision).
Leaf Rubbings: Place a leaf under the paper and help your toddler rub the side of a crayon over the paper to reveal the leaf's texture.
Painted Pinecones: Let your toddler explore painting the pinecones with different colors. This is great for sensory exploration and color recognition.
Fingerprint Flowers/Bugs: Help your toddler dip their fingers in paint and make prints on the paper. You can then draw stems and leaves for flowers or add details like antennae and legs to create bugs.
Dot Marker Spring Scenes: Draw simple spring shapes (flowers, eggs, chicks) on the paper and let your toddler fill them in with the dot markers. This is great for fine motor development.
Sensory Exploration:
Water Play with Flowers: Let your toddler splash and play with the flowers and leaves in the water. They can explore floating and sinking, and the different textures.
Sensory Bin:
1. Blooming Flower Garden Bin:
Base: Dried pasta (painted in spring colors like pink, purple, yellow, green), shredded green paper, or dried split peas.
Sensory Elements: Toy flowers (various sizes and textures), silk flower petals, smooth river stones, small watering can, mini gardening tools (spade, rake).
Activities: Planting flowers, digging in the "soil," watering the flowers, arranging petals.
2. Rainy Day Worm World Bin:
Base: Cooked and cooled spaghetti (dyed brown with food coloring), damp soil (ensure it's safe and pesticide-free).
Sensory Elements: Toy worms (different sizes and textures), small plastic cups or containers (puddles), blue-colored water in a small pitcher (for "rain"), smooth pebbles.
Activities: Finding and burying worms, making puddles, pouring "rain," exploring the texture of the spaghetti "soil."
3. Chirping Chick and Egg Hunt Bin:
Base: Easter grass (various colors), yellow shredded paper.
Sensory Elements: Small plastic eggs (some empty, some filled with small bells or beans for sound), soft yellow pom-poms (chicks), small toy chicks, feathers.
Activities: Finding the eggs, shaking the eggs to hear sounds, playing with the soft chicks and feathers.
5. Springtime Water Play Bin:
Base: Water.
Sensory Elements: Floating toy flowers, plastic leaves, small toy ducks or frogs, bubbles (add a little tear-free soap), small cups and spoons for pouring.
Activities: Splashing, pouring, floating flowers and toys, blowing bubbles. (Requires close supervision due to water)
6. Fuzzy Bunny Burrow Bin:
Base: Cotton balls, white or light brown shredded paper, soft fabric scraps.
Sensory Elements: Small toy bunnies (different textures), carrot-shaped toys, small wooden blocks (for building a burrow).
Activities: Making a soft burrow for the bunnies, hiding the carrots, exploring the different soft textures.
Activities:
Nature Photography Scavenger Hunt: Provide a list of spring-themed items to photograph (e.g., a blooming flower of a specific color, a budding tree, a bird's nest, a bee on a flower, dew drops on a leaf).
Create a Wildflower Meadow: Research native wildflowers and prepare a small patch in the yard or in containers to sow the seeds.
Birdwatching Expedition: Learn to identify common spring birds in your area using a field guide or app. Keep a birdwatching journal and note their behaviors and songs.
Start a Nature Journal: Encourage regular observations of the natural world during spring. They can draw, write poems, or record scientific observations about plants, animals, and weather.
Pressed Flower Art: Collect spring flowers and leaves, press them carefully, and then use them to create artwork, bookmarks, or decorate cards.
Watercolor Spring Landscapes: Paint scenes of blooming gardens, rainy spring days, or vibrant landscapes using watercolor techniques.
Learn Flower Arranging: Visit a local flower shop or gather flowers from the garden and learn basic techniques for creating beautiful spring bouquets.
Learn About Spring Weather Patterns: Research the causes of spring rain, thunderstorms, and temperature fluctuations in your region. Keep a weather journal and track changes.
Flower Petal Collection: Go for a walk and let your toddler help you gather fallen flower petals (ensure they are non-toxic). Talk about the colors and smells.
Leaf Hunt: Look for different types of leaves that are emerging in spring. Compare their shapes and sizes.
Puddle Jumping: If it's rained, let them splash in puddles while wearing boots. This is a great sensory experience.
Planting Seeds (Simple): Let them help you put large bean or flower seeds into pots filled with soil. They can help with watering.
Nature Walk Scavenger Hunt (Simple): Look for things like green grass, yellow flowers, a bird, a bug (from a safe distance), a smooth stone. Keep it very basic.
Sensory Play:
"Flutter Like a Butterfly": Put on some gentle music and encourage them to move their arms like butterfly wings.
"Hop Like a Bunny": Pretend to be bunnies hopping around.
Sing Spring Songs: Sing simple songs about spring, flowers, and animals.
Research Topics:
The life cycle of a butterfly and its importance in spring. Different types of flowers that bloom in spring and their significance.
The role of bees in pollination during the spring season.
How animals prepare for spring after winter hibernation.
The effects of spring rain on plant growth and ecosystems.
Books:
(These might change depending on what I can get at the Library and what we own, but here is a fun list of books to check out!)
Fiction:
Non-Fiction:
Picture and Board books:
Movies:
Youtube videos:
My Spring themed playlist here
ASL:
Flower: Hold one hand in a fist, representing the bud. With your other hand, open your fingers and move them upward from the fist to show the flower blooming. Rain: Hold both hands above your head, fingers spread apart. Move your hands downward with your fingers wiggling to mimic raindrops falling.
Butterfly: Place both hands in front of you with your thumbs extended and fingers together. Move your hands in a fluttering motion, like butterfly wings.
Sunshine: Make a "C" shape with one hand and place it above your head. Rotate your hand slightly to mimic the sun shining.
Bird: Make a "B" handshape with one hand and place it near your mouth. Move your hand away from your mouth while flapping your fingers like a bird flying.
Tree: Raise one arm above your head with your fingers spread, representing the branches. Use your other hand to form a "base" by placing it flat against your opposite arm to show the trunk.
Spring: Make a circular motion with your dominant hand above your head to represent the cycle of seasons.
Picnic: Hold one hand flat, representing a table. Use your other hand to mimic placing food on the table.
Picnic: Hold one hand flat, representing a table. Use your other hand to mimic placing food on the table.
Life Skills:
These aren't necessarily life skills, but skills I still want them to learn.
Spring Cleaning: Involve them in organizing and cleaning their room or shared spaces, making it a fun spring cleaning challenge!
Cooking with Seasonal Ingredients: Encourage them to help prepare simple meals using spring vegetables or fruits, like salads or smoothies.
Outdoor Safety: Teach them about being safe while playing outside, like wearing sunscreen and staying hydrated.
Budgeting for Outdoor Activities: If they want to plan a picnic or outing, help them budget for snacks and activities.
For a 2-Year-Old:
For a 2-Year-Old:
Nature Walks: Take them on short walks to explore nature, pointing out flowers, bugs, and birds. This teaches them about the world around them.
Sorting Colors: Use spring-themed items like colorful flowers or fruits to practice sorting by color.
Simple Chores: Involve them in simple tasks like picking up toys outside or helping to water plants.
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