Paper Plate Butterflies

Kids love butterflies. This easy, hands-on activity encourages imagination, strengthens fine motor skills, and gives children a colorful creation they’re proud to display. Be sure to read children’s books about butterflies while making this project: “A Butterfly is Patient” by Dianna Hutts Aston and Sylvia Long; “The Butterfly Alphabet Book” by Jerry Pallotta, Brian Cassie, and […]

Make a Mouse from Shapes After Reading “Mouse Shapes” by Ellen Stoll Walsh

What can you make with one oval, two circles, and eight triangles? Just ask three clever mice. In “Mouse Shapes” by Ellen Stoll Walsh. In the book the mice play with shapes while hiding from a cat. In the end, the mice build a big mice to scare the cat away. After reading the book […]

Dig In and Discover Shapes!

Last month I started teaching the children in my care about shapes by making Shape Finders. This week I continued teaching about shapes with this sensory rice shape finder activity. It’s more than just scooping and swirling — it’s a hands-on adventure in early learning! As little fingers dive into the colorful rice to search […]

Shape Finders

Great lesson plan finding shapes

Coffee Filter Earth Day Sun Catchers

There’s something magical about turning the simplest materials into a tiny version of our big, beautiful planet. This Earth Day (or honestly, any day), try this simple coffee filter Earth sun catcher craft. All you need are coffee filters, blue and green markers, and a water squirt bottle. That’s it. No glitter explosions. No complicated […]

Building a Rainbow Garden and “Planting a Rainbow” by Lois Ehlert

After reading “Planting a Rainbow” by Lois Ehlert, bring the rainbow to life using colored craft sticks and matching paper flowers. Invite children to sort their flowers by color, then attach each one to the coordinating stick. It’s a hands-on way to reinforce color recognition and fine motor skills. The best part? No green thumb […]

Clothespin Easter Eggs

Little ones will love making these Peek-a-boo Clothespin Eggs I found on the One Little Project web site. The kids in my care were excited to see the chick play “peek-a-boo” when the egg opens and closes with a clothespin. It turns a simple craft into an interactive toy, sparking imagination, fine motor skills, and […]

Saint Patrick’s Day Sensory Bin

Kids will absolutely love making, and playing with, a Saint Patrick’s Day sensory tray filled with green rice, gold coins, festive pom poms, and tiny Irish holiday treasures. The bright colors instantly grab their attention, while the different textures of soft rice, shiny coins, fluffy pom poms, will spark curiosity and hands-on exploration. It feels […]

The Nanny’s Guide to Lovevery Play Kits and Smart Storage Solutions

If you’re a nanny, you know that Lovevery play kits are the holy grail of toys: engaging, educational, and actually worth the living room floor space. Lovevery play kits are beautifully made, developmentally spot-on, and designed with real child development experts in mind. The toys actually match the child’s age and stage so we’re not […]

Saint Patrick’s Day Sensory Bottle

There’s something magical about a holiday you can shake! Little kids will love this Saint Patrick’s Day sensory bottle idea from Pocket of Preschool filled with rainbow-colored pom poms, glittering gold coins, and tiny beads which turns festive fun into a calming, hands-on experience kids can’t resist. It’s simple to make, mesmerizing to explore, and […]