Helping children with feelings of anxiety is a part of parenthood and childhood. We hug them in the dark and when they hear scary noises. We hold their hand as we go to new places and while meeting new people. We talk with them about their fears and worries and even show our children there are no monsters in the closet from time to time.

Starting school can bring up some worries in our children. Some worries are about if they will make friends, will they get lost, will the teacher be nice and like them or even will it be too difficult.

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Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes is a great book to read to children to help them with their feelings of anxiety about the world around them and starting school. In the story Wemberly worries about big things and little things and her parents are concerned she worries too much. 

I love how it addresses some common worries of children so that they can relate to her and know that they are not alone in their worries. One of her biggest worries is about starting school. 

In the end, she finds that she’s not the only one who worries through a special friend who somehow makes things a little less worrisome.

Activities for Back to School Worries

Identify your child’s worries with them. Are they big worries or little worries?

OR

We used a board to write down and discuss our worries. You could easily use a sheet of paper too. As we wrote down our worries we put them under Big Worries or Little Worries. Sometimes it helps them to be able to sort out what we should really worry about because it’s dangerous or something that just might happen but it’s not a big deal. 

As you talk about your child’s concerns about School or anything for that matter encourage them to categorize these concerns with you. 

It’s a difficult thing for smaller children to do, just think of how intensely you may have felt when you thought a shadow was a “real monster”. But the more you talk about when it’s not really happening the more they will begin to understand. Have them relocate those worries if they’ve placed them in the incorrect category.  

Some terms to use as you discuss these worries are the likelihood of them happening.

Ask them to sort their worries into groups of just might happen or not likely.

Once you’ve identified some true concerns that just might happen it’s time to talk about them and come up with strategies for them.

Here are some Examples and Strategies

Worry: I will forget my lunch

Truthfully it just might happen…. so make a plan.  Having them come with you to give the food service money might assure them that there is money there waiting for them just in case they leave their lunchbox at home.

Worry: I won’t have any friends

We hope that this never happens to any child but know that it is a big concern and rightly so. Come up with strategies for your child to make new friends. I encouraged my daughter to just remember only 3 names on the first day of school. It can be overwhelming to meet so many people at once. The next day I asked her to remember who she sat by at lunch or who she stood by in the line. Encouraging them to make those connections will help with forming friendships.

Worry: I won’t know the answers

I think it’s human nature to want to know things all the time but encouraging your child to ask questions and know that they are there to learn new things will help with this one. Also encouraging them to speak up and raise their hands when they don’t understand. A teacher is there to help you learn and understand is a great phrase to teach your child.

Worry: I’m going to miss my Mommy & Daddy

This is one of those things that you just never know how your child will react to until they are there at school. You can guess from experience in the past with child care providers but I know as a Mom of a crying child on the first day of Kindergarten I never saw that coming since he had done so well at preschool the year before.

Literally, the teacher had to pry my son off of me so that I could go to teach my classroom for my first day of school too.

Here are some Suggestions for Helping with Back to School Worries

• Create a heart for them to carry in their pocket or backpack. Curly Birds has a great tutorial on how to create them.
• Create First Day of Magic School Dust, we have a printable just for you with ideas.
• Read lots of books about school.  Here’s our list of favorite Back to School Books.
• Read Kevin Henkes collection of Mouse books they address so many social issues that children go through in school.
• Create your own Back to School Book.

We’ve created a printable for you. You can sit with your child and personalize their own book about school to talk about some concerns they may have and to also discuss the rules and procedures at school.

• Visit 6 Ways to a Less Worried Child from Awesomely Awake
• Visit Loving ways to Ease School Separation Anxiety by Imagination Soup
• Read Llama Llama Misses Mama on We Give Books, it’s even online!

• Create your own Wemberly Worried inspired by Mrs. T’s First Grade, she’s included tons of printable activity ideas too!
• Follow our School Pinterest Board for more Resources for Back to School.
• Role Play with Finger Puppets some of the worries your child may have and some of the words that can use in those situations.
• Preparing for School Brings Big Emotions for Kids and Parents too
• Download Kevin Henkes Wemberly Activity Guide. Includes a Maze, Dot to Dot, Coloring Page, Finger Puppets, Word Search, Songs and MORE!

Downloadable Wemberly Activity Guide from Kevin Henkes

If you haven’t read the story here is an online version.

We wish you the best of luck as your child begins school. Even if it’s their second or third year of school don’t forget sometimes their worries might even get more intense as they have memories of years prior. Communicate with your child and communicate with your child’s teacher to create the best environment for your child. I think we all have a little Wemberly in all of us! 

Who knows they just might want to make Wemberly’s Ice Cream Star next!

Here are some additional Back to School Resources to make your school year kick off with success!

ABC Order with Giant Pool Noodle Alphabet Beads.

Learning Objective: Put letters into alphabetical order.

Materials Needed

• ABC Pool Noodle Beads
• Long string.
• Alphabet chart

Click here for directions on how to make the ABC Beads.

How to play Pool Noodle ABC Order

1. Set the basket of pool noodle beads out with the string. Lay the alphabet chart near the basket.

2. Sing the alphabet song with your child. Point to the letters as you sing.

3. Talk about real life instances when you are using alphabetical order to help you complete a task.

• Looking up numbers in a phone book.
• Finding a word in the dictionary.
• Locating books in the library.

4. Search for the letters in alphabetical order.  Add them to the string together.

5. We tied the letter a on as a base so the pool noodle alphabet beads would not slide off.

6. When you finish beading the alphabet. Tie the Z.

7. Sing the alphabet one more time, pointing at the alphabet beads as you sing them.

Click here to watch a video on how to cut the Pool noodles to size for Pool Noodle Games

Pool Noodle Learning Activities for Kids

We have several Pool Noodle Learning Activities that you might also enjoy.

• Build a Word Tower with Pool Noodles 
• Pool Noodle Sight Word Boat Races 
• 15 Pool Noodle Activities for Kids 
• Giant ABC Beads with Pool Noodles (You’re Here)
• Pool Noodle Boat Matching Game 
• Pool Noodle ABC Basket 
• Base Ten Basket with Pool Noodles 
• Pool Noodle Alphabet Order Obstacle Course 

Click on the images below to see how to make and play these pool noodle learning activities! 

Which Pool Noodle Game will you try first?

Let’s make an edible sensory garden!

It is finally that time of year when we can spend more time outdoors due to the cooler weather. This means that is it a perfect time for gardening.

Edible Sensory Garden for Kids

This year, I am working on creating a sensory garden for our family. What is a sensory garden? A sensory garden is a garden that activates the maximum senses. Because I have 2 young kiddos that garden with me, I wanted to make sure that all the plants were safe to touch and eat.

This meant I focused on HERBS!!!

I tried to gather a variety of herbs with different colors, textures, smells, and tastes.

Rosemary adds a light bluish-green color, a strong odor when picked, and tall leafy stems to the sensory garden.

Chives add the bright lime green wispy, long, smooth leaves.

I originally did not use markers in the pots, but realized, I was the only one who knew which plant was which. Adding words and markers to the garden increases real-world literacy. My almost 3-year-old is now starting to identify the words that say the name of each herb.

I used the free paint sticks (but only painted the top 2/3). There are many other ways that your could label your plants too!

The best part is letting the kids help with the watering, weeding, and harvesting. I can walk into our garden and smell the plants that they have been “playing” with. The added bonus of herbs is that the more the kids pick them, the more they grow.

I encourage the kids to pick one or two herbs anytime they walk by. Not only do we use these herbs in our everyday cooking, but they also use the herbs when pretending to cook in their outdoor pretend kitchen!

Do you have a sensory garden?

If so, what would be the #1 plant that you would recommend adding???

You may also enjoy these gardening activities for kids…

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Here’s how to make your own Easter Wreath.

We just finished reading The Easter Egg by Jan Brett and talked about selfless acts for others, just like Hoppy in the story did.  My daughter and I came up with an idea to help us remember ways to do this. 

Let’s Make a Wreath of Eggs with Selfless Acts inside them just like Hoppi does in the story.  Although he really wanted to decorate eggs too, like all the other characters, so let’s have some fun decorating eggs too! 

Here’s the book we’re reading…

The Easter Egg by Jan Brett

This post contains amazon affiliate links .

If you haven’t read the book you can check out this online version too, my daughter really enjoyed listening to the narrator discuss Hoppi and the choices he has to make in the story.

Now it’s time to make our Easter Egg Wreath!

Grab a few sheets of construction paper and create eggs by folding the paper and then cutting on an egg shape, making sure to keep on side folded so it can open. Then inside of the egg write your ideas about selfless acts.

Hoppi in the story protected a baby bird’s egg while the Mommy was away and missed out on decorating the Easter eggs. His heart was his true gift.

Then on the front of the egg decorate it anyway you want too. We used crayons but you could also use paint or glitter or sequins, whatever you heart desires to make the prettiest eggs ever! Then attach the eggs to the wreath and hang up to remind us of all the Selfless Acts of Kindness we can do for others.

Take Action

Here’s a note my daughter wrote to her teacher as one of her Selfless Acts she thought of. We’re making Bunny Bread to bring to our neighbors and friends next week. I can’t wait to see what else she’s inspired to do for others.

Making authors become real people and role models is a great way to inspire future story writers.  Here is Jan Bret herself talking about how she illustrates stories and comes up with ideas. 

Jan Brett has such a hands-on way on how she creates her Easter Egg Book, the kids will love this video.

Resources for Bunny Activities

Easter Coloring Sheets from Jan Brett

Draw a Bunny

Want to know how she draws a bunny?  Take an Art Lesson from Jan Brett herself on thus VIDEO.

Books, Songs, Crafts and Recipes all about BUNNIES

Write your Own Bunny Story

Want to make your own Hoppi?

Hop on over to Little Hands that Cook with Books to make BUNNY BREAD

What will you add to your kindness wreath? Need ideas click here

Affiliate links included in this article.

Duckling Costume Felt Headband

The Duckling Gets a Cookie by Mo Willems is a picture book for the young reader about Ducking, his friend Pigeon, and a nut cookie. Duckling is the model for politeness, whereas Pigeon lists all the things he has asked for, but never received.  It ends with a gesture of friendship – sharing.  And another polite request for another cookie (without nuts!).

The following activity, DIY Ducking Costume Headbandis a great way to tie literacy and life skills together into an at home project for grade school children. It is a great addition to a dress up bin or even a Halloween costume for children.

I do supervise all sewing projects and help thread needles, otherwise, my 8 year old and 4 year old sew independently. Adults could of course make one as well.

Supplies Needed:

• Yellow, black, grey or light blue and white felt
• Needle
• Thread
• Ruler
• Scissors

Direction to Make the Duckling Costume Felt Headband

1. Cut a green felt rectangle 23 inches by 3 inches. This will fit most children’s heads.

2. Cut 2 white circles around 2 1/2 inches in diameter. Set these circles on top of the black felt and cut 2 black circles slightly bigger in size.  2 grey or light blue ovals for the pupils.  1 beak shape.

3. Assemble the pieces in their places. Glue or pin in place. Set the eyes wider apart than you think.  They will look ok when they are wrapped around a head and not laying flat like pictured.

4. Using a straight stitch, sew the pieces together.  Switch thread colors as needed.  Match like colors if possible.

5. Try the headband on. Pin closed where it would make the best fit for your child. Using a straight stitch, attach.

Story Extensions for The Duckling Gets a Cookie?!

Story Retelling

Now that you have made a Duckling Headband, the kids can re-enact the story. Think about what his voice would sound like and what things he would say. Let your children explore their creativity in the story retelling activity.

Some great phrases from the book:

“May I have a cookie please?”

“Oh, THANKS!”

“So I could give it to you!”

Make your OWN story

Use the character and create your OWN story. Have them act it out in a performance for the family!

Talk about using Manors

Practice using please and thank you.

Discuss what it means to ask politely for something.

Make sure to buy (or check out from the library) your copy of Knuffle Bunny and some of Mo Willems other kid-favorite books:

Are you a Mo Willems fan? Have you read Cat the Cat yet? These are for young readers. Find out more about these books and Mo Willems in this video.

Did you miss the Mo Willems inspired bunny costume headband?

Or here to find out how to make an owl costume headband

Let’s let our kids READ – MAKE – and PLAY!!!!

Great for ages 3-7.

Note: The links to blog articles pictured from our blogging friends have an * Affiliate links to products are also included in this post.

Lady Bug Theme Playdate Craft

Make a super cute paper plate ladybug craft *.

Housing a Forest has her kids paint the paper plates first, but we’ve found that using a red plate speeds up the drying time.  Parents can take their kids craft home with them at the end of the Ladybug Themed Playdate

Set out

• Red Paper Plates
• Small red circle for the ladybug face
• Black paint and paintbrush
• Googly Eye stickers
• Black yarn
• Scissors
• Black pony beads ~  This is a great addition for older children to work on fine motor. Skip this step for 2 and 3 year olds.
• Glue and tape
• Regular paint brush and a circle sponge brush

Ladybug Theme Playdate Learning Activities

Ladybug Shells Hide- N-Count

Set Out

• Ladybug Shells
• Number Leafs

Dye a set of shells the week before your playdate to give the shells time to dry.  You “could” do this during your playdate as a craft, but it is messy! Then add in the head and spots to make your ladybug sea shells*.

During your playdate, let the children hide the ladybugs and take turns finding them in your backyard.

Ladybug Number Match with Leaves

If you want to tie in math, hide a specific number, such as 12 ladybugs. Then have the children search until they have found all 12.  You can make a set of numbered leaves * and set your ladybugs on them as they are found.  Call out the numbers as the insect is set down. Count them all and hide again!

Ladybug Count-a-Dot

Set Out

• foam ladybugs
• container with black gems

In this ladybug counting activity*, children select a numbered ladybug and place the specific number of black gem spots on the ladybugs.

You could make multiple sets of ladybugs and let each family take a bag home to continue learning and counting throughout the week.

Magnetic Glass Ladybug Counters

This magnetic ladybug craft is perfect to add to your themed activities. You can do a color sorting activity or patterning too since there are various colors. Here’s how to make!

Ladybug Theme Books

Are You a Ladybug? This delightful tale describes what a day would be like if you were a ladybug.

Ladybugs This book is also a non-fiction reader for kids all about ladybugs. From facts about their characteristics to the role they play in our environment, children will be sure to learn something new about this bug!

Ladybug  This short, non fiction reader, provides children with basic facts about a ladybug’s life cycle. 16 pages.

You may also enjoy these ladybug activities here at The Educator’s Spin On It

• The Grouchy Ladybug Activities
• Kid Created Ladybug Science Experiment
• Ladybug Science
• Art Challenge: Create a Ladybug Habitat

CLICK HERE FOR MORE LADYBUG ACTIVITIES

Make one for your front porch or ask your classmates to join in for a whole class activity.

Today, we have a guest writer here at The Educators’ Spin On It to share this awesome Story Book Pumpkin Literacy Activity that her school put together. The pumpkins were created by the children and their families for a family literacy night and displayed in their school library.

There was so much excitement and positive attitudes towards literacy and creativity that Becky Morales wanted to inspire others to try this simple, but oh so fun activity with their children and students.

Parents – are you helping out with a fall party?  Set up a station during the fall party that encourages children to showcase their favorite book. Consider bringing a set of mini-pumpkins and decorating supplies in to the classroom and letting the students decorate their own story book pumpkin to take home!  

Affiliate links included to Amazon in this post. 

Storybook Pumpkin Literacy Activity

By Becky Morales from Kid World Citizen

I love the pumpkin recipes and fall decorations- maybe because I live in Houston where we don’t really have four distinct seasons. Despite (or maybe because of!) our lack of changing leaves and cool temperatures, we DO have lots of pumpkins, and families and schools decorate for Halloween throughout October.

One fun activity our school organized this fall was a school-wide project called “Storybook Pumpkins.” Each student who was interested could prepare and decorate a pumpkin as a character from their favorite book. Their literary creations would be displayed in the library until Halloween for all to see!

Often we paired the pumpkin with its book, or at least a picture of the book cover. The students were so creative, and we had a huge variety of storybook pumpkins!

To make your own character jack-o-lantern, begin by picking out the perfect pumpkin.

For Fly Guy, we found a long and skinny squash, but for the cupcake from Bake Sale we found a very round and fat pumpkin- and a tiny pumpkin for the cherry on top!

Pumpkins take paint really well- we used regular acrylic paint to paint directly on the dry pumpkins. Next make your accent pieces: for example yarn braids for Laura Ingalls Wilder, tissue paper and pipe cleaners for Fly Guy’s wings.

We used a hot glue gun to attach our pieces to the pumpkins.

Get creative!

JOIN OUR HALLOWEEN BOOK CHALLENGE! 

Storybook Pumpkin Inspiration Starters:

Here are just a FEW ideas that the students and their families came up with.  You can use these as inspiration for creating your own pumpkin story book character!

Directions on how to make the Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Book 1) Inspired StoryBook Pumpkin Character:

1. Paint the pumpkin with a skin toned acrylic paint.  Paint the Eyes and hair.
2. Cut a paper scarf out of construction paper and hot glue it on the bottom of the storybook pumpkin.
3. Using a craft stick or wire, make and attach the glasses.

Directions on how to make the Don’t Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late! Inspired Story Book Pumpkin Character:

1. Paint the pumpkin teal blue.  Paint the Eyes with large white and black circles.
2. Cut a yellow diamond out of construction paper, felt or cardboard and glue in the middle.

*** Make a Mo Willams inspired duckling headband to go along with this story book pumpkin too!

Directions on how to make the Where the Wild Things Are inspired Story Book Pumpkin Character:

1. Paint the pumpkin white and let dry.
2. Glue faux fur to the top and back of the pumpkin
3. Draw on the facial features with a black permanent marker. Paint the eyes and nose.
4. Cut white horns of card stock or cardboard and glue to the top.

Directions on how to make the The Lorax inspired Story Book Pumpkin Character:

1. Paint the eyes and mouth.
2. Use faux fur, yarn, or even a yellow boa to create the eye brows and mustache.
3. Glue on a felt of pom-pom nose.

Directions on how to make the Pinkalicious inspired Story Book Pumpkin Character:

1. Paint the pumpkin light pink.
2. Add the facial features in dark pink.
3. Glue on chenille stick or yarn hair.
4. Add a store bought or kid made sparkly crown to the top.

*** Are you a PINK fan? Make a pink pumpkin of hope for Breast Cancer Awareness. Directions here.

Directions on how to make the  Pippi Longstocking inspired Storybook Pumpkin Character:

1. Paint the pumpkin with a skin tone.
2. When dry, paint on facial features.
3. Using chenille craft sticks or yarn, glue on the hair.  Twist upwards.

Directions on how to make the Sassafras: The True Confessions of a Poodle Princess inspired Story Book Pumpkin Character:

1. Paint the pumpkin pink.
2. Turn the pumpkin on its side and paint on eyes and a mouth.
3. Glue a black pom-pom on the stem for a nose.
4. Glue faux fur or a hot pink boa on the top.
5. Add a collar with soft fabric. Glue on bling to make it fancy.

Directions on how to make the The New Captain Underpants inspired Story Book Pumpkin Character:

1. Glue on a new pair of underpants to the pumpkin.
2. Paint on a face.
3. Cut a cape out of fabric and glue to the back.

Directions on how to make the A Bad Case of Stripes inspired Story Book Pumpkin Character:

1. Paint horizontal stripes along your pumpkin in vibrant colors.
2. When dry, paint on facial features.
3. Glue on yarn to the top.
4. Clip on a pink bow.

Directions on how to make the Lalaloopsy: Meet the Lalaloopsy Girls inspired Story Book Pumpkin Character:

1. Paint the pumpkin skin toned color.
2. When dry, pain the mouth and cheeks.
3. Glue on buttons for the eyes.
4. Pile and glue yard on top of the pumpkin.
5. Tie a large bow around the pumpkin stem.

Directions on how to make the Little Town on the Prairie (Little House) inspired Story Book Pumpkin Character:

1. Paint the pumpkin a skin tone color.
2. When dry paint a face.
3. Braid yard.
4. Glue on top.

Directions on how to make the Fly Guy inspired Story Book Pumpkin Character:

1. Make a nose out of air dry clay. Glue before painting.
2. Paint the gourd brownish gold.
3. When dry, add a mouth.
4. Make wings out of paper towels or felt and glue on.
5. Paint two mini pumpkins white.
6. Glue the mini pumpkins to the top for eyes. Paint a black circle in the middle of each.
7. Add chenille craft sticks for arms, legs, and antennae.

Photography by Becky Morales A guest post at The Educators’ Spin On It.

Celebrating literacy is a great way for the kids to engage their creativity and showcase their favorite books— plus browsing through the rows of pumpkins was fun to try and guess the characters.

I hope you enjoyed these whimsical storybook pumpkins.

If you’re looking for more pumpkin activities, see how to learn with pumpkins and activities in every academic subject. Also check out this fabulous pumpkin math, science, and literacy packet for more hands-on pumpkin activities!

Special Note: If asking children to bring in their pumpkins to school for a collaborative display, it might be important that the children do not actually carve the pumpkins or puncture the skin with pipe cleaners and accessories; keeping the pumpkin whole helps the pumpkins to last longer and won’t invite unwanted insect visitors.

Becky Morales shares activities to teach kids global and cultural awareness at KidWorldCitizen.org. She also recenty co-authored a book for parents and teachers called the Global Education Toolkit for Elementary Learners, authored with hundreds of activities and resources to expand young minds and go global. She is the mother of 5 active, multicultural, and bilingual kids who keep her busy laughing.

The collection of books that inspired these Story Book Pumpkin Characters:

Sneak in a little literacy fun this Halloween!  JOIN OUR Halloween Book Challenge! 

Looking for more Halloween Ideas for kids this fall? You might also like…

How to Make a Collage with Toddlers

Does your toddler resist craft projects, but you still want to do tot time lessons with them?  When crafting or having “lessons” with toddlers, I have found that it is best to have open ended projects that allow them to practice age-appropriate skills; ripping, painting, cutting, gluing and sticking.  In small doses, these lessons can be fun and add up to a cute completed project.  

We may spread the project out over the entire day or several days depending on his mood!

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What do you need to Make a Collage with Toddlers?

• Feathers
• Glue
• Stickers
• paint
• paper
• crayons
• markers
• anything you have on hand!

This is a project that we spread out into several “mini-lessons” throughout the day and can be adjusted to any theme!  You could do one color a day for a week to make a total of 5 color collages.

We add these papers to some items I have already selected and he sorts them into piles based on the category.  Sorting is a great toddler math activity.  He would show me a color and smile, then put it in the wrong one and laugh.  We get silly and try to have fun.  

I also try to remember to label my categories with words.  He is NOT reading, nor am I trying to teach him to read, but I will say something like, “This is where we put everything that is black.  Here is the word black.” and I point to the word.  

This will help him build early literacy skills and math at the same time!

We color and paint the background.

Squeeze the glue and stick everything on!  As we put the items on we talk about what they are and several attributes such as the color, texture, or weight of an item.  When we put the pumpkin pictures on, I reminded him that these were orange pumpkins like the ones that we saw at the pumpkin patch.  

These connections will help him develop connections between the projects we do and his past experiences!

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I’m always trying to find ways to expose my children to various mediums of art and famous artists and pieces of art. This week we did a quick lesson using this adorable book called Touch  the Art: Make Van Gogh’s Bed by Julie Appel and Amy Guglielmo.

Touch the Art: Make Van Gogh’s Bed

I think this is such a great series to teach children about art and incorporate reading! Since it’s a tactile series it is perfect for this age of exploration.

Van Gogh’s Starry Night with Start Prints

Supplies

• yellow paint
• apple core
• blue paper
• black paper
• pencil top eraser
• scissors

Directions

The piece we selected to recreate was Van Gogh’s Starry Night. We’ve been learning about apples this week, an easy tie in was to find the star in the middle of the apple core. 

We cut the core into half and had two stars to use for stamping with yellow paint. 

My daughter decided to use blue paper since it matched the background in Van Gogh’s painting.  Then she took yellow paint and stamped stars all over the blue background.

To create the village below she used black paper and cut out squares and triangles all by herself. I cut the paper into smaller strips for her to manage.

Then once she glued them down she used a pencil eraser tip to stamp windows onto the homes.

Here’s her finished project!  I can’t wait to have her create more pieces of art from this famous artist in this book and from the other books by the authors. 

For more Starry Night Activities visit Relentlessly Fun, Deceptively Educational for a Printable Book and Van Gogh Study

For more about the Touch the Art Series by Julie Appel and Amy Guglielmo check out the author visit with Amy Guglielmo. They have several books that they have published in the Touch The Art Series.  

Here’s our Interview with Amy Guglielmo, come watch as she shares a few more kids activities with her books.  I can’t wait to do more of them with my daughter!

Click here to watch our Video Interview with the Author of Make Van Gogh’s Bed Amy Guiglielmo

Check out our Top Resources for Teaching Art to Kids 

Star Themed Art Projects for Kids

Both of my girls have an obsession with the glass gems that you can buy at just about any craft store. We’ve found a fun way to use them for learning with play!  

I love that this is an activity that both of my girls can do together as a sibling activity.

For the bigger kids….. Create Sight Word Gems!

For the younger kids…… Create Alphabet Gems!

It’s really very simple but fascinates children of many ages!

Sight Word and Alphabet Fun with Gems for Kids

Materials Needed

• Clear Glass Gems 
• Permanent Markers 
• Paper

Grab a bag of gems and some permanent markers and start creating!  We used various colors for our Gems as it makes for a fun sorting activity for the younger ones too and so inviting for play.  

The moment I started writing them my youngest, who’s 2, starting singing her ABC’s and identifying the letters.  

Now she didn’t get any of them right at first but she knew I was adding letters and she walked around all afternoon with her letters in her little basket telling everyone to be careful they are “breakable”.

{You know you’re own child and what they can handle for safety purposes,  please use caution with this material, when they break it is broken glass}  

Once you’ve added your letters to the Gems it’s time to create opportunities for learning.

Alphabet Game with Gems

Now that you’ve added your Sight Words or Spelling Words to the Gems it’s time to create opportunities for learning.

For a younger child you can encourage them…

• place letters on a matching paper
• place them Alphabetical order
• sort by colors
• sort by short and tall letters
• sort by circle and stick letters

Sight Word Game with Gems

For an older child you can encourage them to…

• match sight words on a matching paper
• find matching words
• use letter gems to spell sight words or spelling words
• sort by number of letters in word
• practice word families

The ideas really are limitless.  The best part is that when you’re done with one concept you can usually get permanent marker off by using nail polish remover or hair spray.  Wash with soap and then create a new game with the gems.  

Numbers might be fun too!  

Can’t wait to work with my daughter and all of her 2nd grade sight words to get her ready for this school year and our After School Activities.

I’m also really looking forward to working with my 2 year old with her letters as we plan out activities for Tot School and Playful Preschool.   

What would you add to the glass gems for learning with kids?