MORE homemade games!

Today I am sharing more homemade games!  Check them out below:

Paint Chip Match

This game worked so well when we were working on matching.  First, go the hardware store and get two paint samples in each color you would like to work on with your child.  I found the Crayola paint samples, which I love!  The Mickey Mouse ears would be fun as well!  I glued one of each pair on the inside of a file folder game, but you wouldn't have to.  This is a great first step in visual matching and is so easy to make!

Is your child past matching of colors and can name all of thier colors?  Try getting a strip of different colored paint chips (the strip usually has 4 samples, all in the same color family).  Cut apart all of the samples.  Have your child group the like colors.  This helps children learn that both dark blue and light blue go together as blue.

Froggy Count and Colors

Nothing grabs my daughters attention better than a puppet!  I used one of my old frog puppets and some colored discs to make this game.  First, I cut a hole in the frog's mouth.  This is where he will eat his "food" (food being the colored discs).  You could even make clipart of food in different colors to feed to the puppet if you did not have colored discs or chips.  We play this game many different ways, but my child always get to 'feed' froggy and he munches down his snack (through the hold you made in the mouth).

Counting: Count as Froggy eats each piece of food.
Colors:  Name the colors as Froggy eats
Blah!: This is a favorite!!! I call out a color, child picks up that color and feeds it to Froggy.  If the wrong color gets fed to him ge spits it out BLAH!
Roll a Dice: Roll a dice and feed Froggy that many pieces of food.

Parallel Path Game

This game was made very easily with a file folder and some stickers!  This is a two player game and each player gets thier own path (which makes it easier for new players who may not be ready to share!).  In the game below, the players would sit across from each other.  Each player places thier mover on the cupcake.  The goal is to make it to the lollipop.  Roll and dice, spin a number spinner or pull a number out of a hat.  Move that many spaces.  This game is great for turn taking, social skills and counting.

Have homemade games to share?

I would LOVE to hear them!  Please use the McLinky below!

   

Homemade Games- Part 2

 More homemade games!  The teacher in me just LOVES games, especially ones I can make myself!  Here are three more games I have made:

Gone Game

A great game for counting and taking away (a beginning subtraction game). First, start off with a file folder.  Paste a large picture on each end of the file folder facing the opposite way.  I used teacher stationary I had got at the teacher store.  You would not have to have the same picture if you didn't want to.  Sitting across from the player, count out the same number of beans (or anything else you would like to use as counters) and place them on your picture.  Roll the dice.  Take that many away from your side.  First person that has all thier beans gone says "All Gone!"

Matching Jar

This matching jar is a fun and easy way to practice the skill of matching real objects.  Find a jar to store all of the items (I used an old formula can).  Then collect 2 of every item you want in the jar.  Find things around the house by using cotton balls, clothespins, money, beans, dry pasta, bottle lids and so much more!  To play, dump the contents.  Have your child find a match and place the match into the jar (cleaning up as we play- a plus!).  Have more items for experienced matchers and less for beginners.

Real Object Match

Another matching game!  But, instead of matching alike object to alike object, your child will match real objects to their outlines.  Collect a file folder and 6-9 household objects.  Trace around the objects on the inside of the file folder. To play, ask your child to take an object and find where it might go.  For older children, make it more challenging by turning some of the objects when tracing.

Please feel free to share your homemade games through the McLinky below!

 Come on back for more homemade games!

Homemade Games- Fine Motor

Don't you just love homemade?  Toys can be SO expensive and I have found that the time it takes for children grow out of them is too quick!  For the next 2 weeks I will be sharing some homemade games I have created for my tot.  Please feel free to link up your homemade games with the McLinky below. Check out these fine motor games that you can make at home for your Tot. 

Parmesan Can and Crayons/Straws

Save your old parmesan cans!  The small holes are great for putting crayons or cut up straws through.  This is great for helping your child's hands and eyes to work together.  Take a parm. can while out to dinner and use resturant crayons to keep your little one busy while waiting on food!

Straws in a bottle

Water bottles, gatorade bottles and pop bottles are the easiest way to make a fine motor game for your little one!  Add cut up straws and your little one will have tons of full filling and dumping.

Milk Jug Fun

Half gallon milk jugs work best, but a gallon would work too!  Give your child clothespins (the non-pinching kind) or foam hair rollers (with the platic piece taken off)  to put through the hole of the milk jug.

Spaghetti Noodles

Punch holes in the lid (plastic lid) of a container. I used a Gerber container.  Give your child different lengths of broken dry spaghetti noodles. Encourage your child to place the noodles through the holes.  It takes well practiced fine motor muscles!

Clink!

Use an old can: I use a formula can, but you could also use a Pringles can, or a coffee can.  Cut a slit in the plastic lid.  Collect juice can lids, baby food jar lids or large fake money (like you find around St. Patricks Day). Cut the slit to fit the type of manipulative you are using. Encourage your child to put the manipulative through the slit.  Once he or she becomes confident, turn the can (facing the slit in another direction).  Allow your child to problem solve to get the manipulative through the hole!

PLEASE NOTE:  Many of the items described in this post have small parts and may not be acceptable for very small children.  Please supervise your child closely when doing any of the above mentioned activities.

Feel free to share your wonderful ideas through the McLinky below.

COME BACK on Friday when more games will be shared!

NEW Products!

New! The Hop & Flop Easter Learning Pack is now available.  Go check it out! 

 

We just LOVE the book Brown Bear Brown Bear What do you See? by Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle. I have created a new story unit to accompany this book.  See it here.

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Story Unit is now available too!

What book would you love a Story Unit built around?

My little one is 2!

My little C turned 2!  She is in LOVE with baby dolls...therefore, we had a baby doll party with all her little friends!  First we sent out our invite, here is what it said:

It is time to celebrate that C---- is turning turning two. Being a little mommy is what she loves to do. So, a baby doll party is the perfect way to celebrate Saturday, February 20th at 2:30pm will be the date. Be sure to bring your favorite baby or stuffed animal along. Which ever you choose you can not go wrong. For those who do not have one to bring, don't worry I have plenty that's a sure thing! I can't wait to see you and your baby doll for a day of fun, at my house where the party can be found!


We sent the invitation through socialzr.com (I hate mailing invites and love having the immediate RSVPs).  This poem was inspired by something like it I found on the web.  I no longer have it bookmarked, so I am not sure where I got it (please let me know if you know so I can give credit!)

Then we had little stations (reminder these were for 2 year olds). Anything in italics the kids got to take home.

1. Feeding Station: I provided baby high chairs, spoons, forks (the cheep disposable kind), empty baby food containers with new labels I made, baby bottles (bought at Dollar Tree) and bibs that my mom made.
2. Diaper Station: I bought newborn diapers and packaged them with ribbon in packs of 5.  Each kiddo got thier small package of diapers.  I also had pretend powder and diaper changing mats.  We LOVE to use real wipes around our house for our baby dolls, which I hate wasting.  So, I have found that used dryer sheet work great and C doesn't really care!
3. Bedtime Station: They got toothbrushes (cheap ones from a free kit I got from Colgate), and I had an emtpy toothpaste container to pretend with.  They also had books to read to thier babies before bed, and of course baby beds to put them in!
4. Bathtime Station: I got out C's baby tub and they used it (I did not put water in it, wasn't brave enough!).  They also had baby towels to wrap them up in.  They got take home with them a washcloth for thier baby and an empty travel sized lotion or soap (with the lid glued on, those lids are little!)
5. Make a 'Baby Book'.  We used ziplocs stapled together with tape added over the staples to make a book (I did this ahead of time).  I also cut out pictures of all things to do with babies.  The kids glued thier pictures on a piece of pink paper and put it in the book.  Parents wrote a sentence under each picture.  They took this home too of course.

We also added baby sticker, Baby Bottle Pops and a Bingo baby shower game found at Dollar General. I cut it up and created a matching game out of it.

Overall it was a great birthday party!  I am sorry I didn't think to take pictures before all the kids arrived, so I don't have pics of the stations :(