Birds are identified by colors, patterns, sounds, shapes, and even egg colors & shapes. This egg chart identifies birds common to the area. Do you have a nest in your yard? What type of bird is nesting?
Tuesday, April 28, 2020
Monday, April 27, 2020
What If You Find A Baby Bird On The Ground?
Spring is here, and baby animals are ! Sometimes due to weather or a crowded nest situation, baby birds fall out of their nests. Follow the flow chart to see how to handle this situation! Check with your vet or contact The Blue Ridge Wildlife Center in Boyce, VA at 540-837-9000 if you have any questions.
Why Reading The Same Book Repeatedly Is Good Your Child!
A good article that explains why kids like to read the same book over & over, and why it's good for them! It may drive you crazy, but it's really good for them!
https://www.readbrightly.com/why-reading-the-same-book-repeatedly-is-good-for-kids/
Friday, April 24, 2020
Birds--Duck Pond Lesson Plan 4/27/20-5/3/20
Duck Pond Lesson Plan Birds
Week: 4/27/20-5/1/20--Birds
Monday-TP Roll Tube Binoculars: Two TP Rolls or one paper towel roll cut in half, Tape(blue painters tape, masking tape, electrical, even hockey tape will work), hole punch, yarn or ribbon, glue or glue gun, markers/paint/crayons/stickers for decoration. Have your Duck decorate the tp/paper towel rolls with markers, crayons, paint. Let dry if painted. Glue the rolls together. Let dry if using liquid glue. Tape over both ends of rolls for support of binoculars. Now, punch one hole on opposite sides of the same end of the rolls. Thread string/yarn/ribbon through holes. The knot should be on the inside of the roll. Secure knowt with a piece of tape.
Wednesday-Coffee filter Peacock: Supplies-coffee filter (white paper cut into a circle works!), blue/green/yellow/purple markers, ½ piece of blue or purple construction paper cut into a bowling pin shape, scissors, sticker eyes (or draw them), if you're using the coffee filter--you will need a water mister, glue, and several 2-3 layers of paper towels or newspaper. Have you Duck color the coffee filter or white paper circle with markers. The more coloring on the page, the better! For the coffee filter only: Place the colored filter on paper towels or newspaper. Mist the filter 4-7 times until colors start to bleed. Take the filter off wet towels/paper and place on another dry towel. Let the filter dry (it will dry in about 15 minutes). Glue blue or purple bowling pin shape paper to the center of the dried filter/white circle. Add bird details!
Thursday-Feather Dough Sculpture: Supplies-playdough/model magic/salt dough, feathers
This is a great fun easy art project! Let your Duck smash, squish, roll, pinch some dough! Now the fun part, let them stick feathers into the dough. Yes, it’s that easy! Stress relief for everyone! Dough can get a little messy. The kitchen or outside patio table would be a great place for this project. If you don’t have any feathers, that’s ok! Use other items from around the house (dry pasta shapes, Legos, golf tees, etc).
Friday--Handprint Chick: Supplies-paint color of your choice, paint brush, Half sheet of light color paper/cardstock, orange & black marker for details. Paint your Duck’s hand. Place painted hand onto paper/cardstock. Let the paint dry. Add details with markers.
1. Use those plastic Easter eggs one/two more times this week and go hunting for bird eggs. Great indoor or outdoor activity!
2. Pastor Dave will have a special children’s chapel on Tuesday on FaceBook live through the St. Andrew’s FB Page or the NLC Public Page or the NLC Private “Active in the Neighborhood” Page. He would love to hear from everyone! Pastor Dave always acknowledges all the children watching with a personal “Hello!” shout out!
3. Bird seed makes a great outdoor surpervised sensory bin project. Just dump some in a plastic store container or box, add some cups, spoons, tp/paper towel rolls, etc and let your Duck have some awesome sensory fun! Once your Duck is done, just dump the seed into your yard. Let the birds and squirrels do your clean up work!
4. Go bird watching with your Duck and their new binoculars! What kind of birds will they see? Where are the birds perched? Are they large birds or small birds? Do the birds make any sounds? Do you have any bird nests around your home? Do you have bird feeders around your yard? What types of birds eat from it?
Have great bird enjoyment this week! We truly miss our Ducks especially on “Bird” Week!
D.I.Y. Salt Dough
Are you out of Playdough or did it dry up? Amazon/Target/Michael's/Wal-Mart out of Crayola Model Magic? Can't get the store right now? That's ok, here's a recipe for a simple salt dough to the rescue! Salt dough is easy and super cheap to make! If it gets a little sticky, just knead in a little flour into the mixture. Add a few drops of food coloring to the mix or paint your creation once the dough dries! Save this recipe for later in the year! Salt dough is great for a homemade toddler ornament gift to a love one!
Thursday, April 23, 2020
The Importance Proprioception & Vestibular Systems
"In order for kids to listen, focus and learn to sit still for a period of time, they must develop both proprioception and vestibular sense. The most critical time to develop a child’s proprioception and vestibular sense is before age six."
https://themilitarywifeandmom.com/why-kids-wont-listen/
Wednesday, April 22, 2020
Paper Rips & Scissor Cuts
Older babies & toddlers love to rip paper. Actually, they love to rip anything! Did you know that's great for their fine motor coordination? Give them grocery store advertisements, newspapers, old junk mail, foil, paper that should go in the shredder,etc. They will love it! As your toddler gets older, shredding paper may get boring. Now, it's time to introduce them to cutting with scissors! Scissor cutting should be strictly supervised!! In a larger plastic container or box, give your student lots/varied textures of materials to cut. Learning & practicing cutting with scissors often leads to later preschool & elementary success & confidence! If you have multiple age groups at home, let the kids work out of the same container. Toddlers get fine motor practice by ripping paper. More importantly, toddlers will learn by observation of older children using scissors. Older children will benefit by helping and teaching younger children about scissor practice. Teaching younger ones reinforce their current learning! Attention spans of toddlers & preschoolers are short. 10-15 minutes for toddlers. 10-20 minutes for preschoolers. Have fun!
Tuesday, April 21, 2020
DIY Paint Brushes
Toddlers love painting! Make painting a even more fun sensory experience! Do it yourself paint brushes! Look around the house. Cotton balls, kitchen utensils, fly swatter, sponges, balloons, etc. Try them all!
Monday, April 20, 2020
DIY Finger Paints
Are you running out of paint at home? Just make your own for pennies a jar from simple items you may already have in your home! It's a good way to reuse baby food jars or containers! Happy Painting!
Sunday, April 19, 2020
Duck Pond Lesson Plan-Earth Week 4/20/20-4/26/20
Duck Pond Lesson Plan Earth Week!
Week: 4/20/20-4/24/20
Monday-Water Bottle Bottom Stamp Flowers: Supplies-1 or 2 empty water bottles, light colored paper/card stock of choice, water based paints, paper plate or dish. Pour some paint on a paper plate or dish. With assistance, have your duck swirl paint with the bottom of the bottle. Have your duck stamp the bottom of the bottle onto the paper. Repeat with the same or different colors. Once finished, add painted stem to flower if needed.
Tuesday-Paint with or on Pine Straw/Sticks/Pinecones: Supplies--small sticks/small pine needle branch/pinecone, water based paint, paint brushes (fingers will also work), paper/cardstock (if needed). Out on your walking adventures, have your Duck pick up a few small sticks, a short/small pine needle branch, or a few pinecones. Have your Duck either paint the objects or use the objects to paint the paper/cardstock (or both)!
Wednesday-Leaf Printing or Etching: Supplies--medium/large leaf, crayons or water based paints, paper/cardstock. Again on your outdoor adventures or walks, have your Duck collect a medium/large leaf or two (3,4,5...know the ducks!). 1 Etching: Place leaf under paper (not cardstock). With assistance, have your Duck lightly color the paper with a crayon over the leaf. 2. Printing: Have your Duck finger paint their leaf. With your assistance, have your Duck turnover their leaf (painted side down) and press it onto the paper or cardstock.
Thursday-Newpaper or Cardboard Coloring/Painting; Supplies--water based paint, markers, crayons, stickers, or all of the above, newpaper( grocery store ads work) and/or cardboard. Ducks love coloring and/or painting on cardboard or newspaper! Add stickers for more fun! Let them color inside a box! Let them color outside a box!
Friday-Hand/Arm Dotted Tree: Supplies--water based paints, paint brush or very small sponge (to paint your Ducks arm), paper/cardstock. Optional-small water bottle with top. Paint your ducks arm from elbow to hand with your choice of paint color and press arm onto paper/cardstock. Let the page dry. Once dry, have your Duck either use painted fingertips to add leaves to their arm tree or press bottle top into paint and let your duck stamp leaves on their arm tree.
Activities: Remember with all story/books, please substitute when needed!
1. Straws & Bottles: Ducks and Bunnies love this activity! Just need a few tall bottles with a thin neck opening (wide necks are too easy for our Ducks!), straws (plastic or paper) cut in ½, and/or popsicle sticks. Once your Duck fills their bottle, dump it out and let them start again!
2. Building with Recyclables: Let all those Amazon boxes get a second use before heading to the recycling bin! Ducks love to stack and more importantly knock down big box towers!!! Add a few paper towel rolls and some egg cartons for more building fun!
3. Large rock collection: In the classroom, we use (under close supervision)large river rocks to discover weight, textures, shapes, etc. Don’t have large rocks? That’s ok!! Give your duck a bucket or basket, and let them collect their own rocks. For an extra fun activity, have your Duck paint their newly collected rocks!
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