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Cranberry Playdough, Candy Cane Play Gel, and Nutcracker Activities – Preschool and Kindergarten Community

Dec52014
December 5, 2014 by 2 Comments

Homeschool Preschool: Preschool and Kindergarten Community linkup at Homeschool Creations

Encouragement and learning ideas are two of my passions and I LOVE that you all are sharing both during the Preschool and Kindergarten Community linkup times each week. While being inspired is important for teaching, encouragement is needed so very much for each of us. Be sure to look through the links today too – stop by, read a few links, and encourage each other with comments! Have a great week!

Christmas Scented Playdough

Preschool-Sensory-Activities-for-Christmas-Playdough

Bring the yummy smells of Christmas into your home with these cranberry and cinnamon playdough recipes from Learning 2 Walk. I may just make a batch of the cranberry playdough for myself – yum!

Montessori-Inspired Nutcracker Activities

greater than less than nutcracker

Deb from Montessori Now has some cute ideas for a Nutcracker theme. I love this greater than/less than activity using a nutcracker – how great is the above picture?

Candy Cane Play Gel

Candy Cane Play Gel

Have some squishy sensory fun with the candy cane play gel tutorial from The Science Kiddo. She tells you how to make your own using an unused diaper and some food coloring – kids will love this!

Penguin Craft Fun (and a Free Download offer)

Penguin Crafts for Kids

Grab links to these cute penguin crafts and find out how you can get a free penguin printable pack during the month of December. ‘’

Love Giveaways?

Giveaway-Penguin-Fun-Kit-500x500-75value-4

Head over to the All About Learning Press blog and enter to win a penguin prize pack valued at $75. It includes some fun books, a learning game, a DVD, and a penguin puppet.

Follow the PreK and Kindergarten Community Pinterest Board

Preschool Pinterest Board

Each week I am  pinning many of your links onto the Preschool and Kindergarten Community Pinterest Board. I’m a visual person, so having pictures to help me remember posts is super helpful. Be sure to jump over and follow the board – and find some fun ideas at the same time!

 

Were You Featured in the Preschool & Kindergarten Community?

If you were featured in one of the weekly posts, feel free to grab the button coding below and display it on your site!

Homeschool Preschool

 

Link Up with the Preschool and Kindergarten Community!

Share what you are doing with your kids! Please link your exact blog post to the Mr. Linky below and link back here too! Grab a button for your post and be sure to take a minute to visit the person who linked up before you.

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Filed Under: Christmas, PreK and K Community, Preschool Corner 2 Comments

Family Advent Devotional – Unwrapping the Greatest Gift

Nov182014
November 18, 2014 by 2 Comments

Unwrapping the Greatest Gift family advent devotional

There are few holidays in our home that we really make a big deal about, mainly because we want the focus of them to point to the real reason we celebrate those days. More than anything, I hope our kids leave our home with a deep understanding of how the story of Jesus isn’t just focused on one small chunk of the Bible – it is one that was hundreds of years and stories in the making! And the result of that incredible story is the incredible love of Jesus for them.

Whether it be by candlelight at night or circled around the school table in the morning,  celebrating Advent is a constant for our family in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Advent is a time of reflection and this year our family will be reading Unwrapping the Greatest Gift by Ann Voskamp to look more deeply at the family tree of Jesus.

In years past we always wait until after Thanksgiving to start with anything Christmas, but this family advent devotional is one that we’re already reading together and using as our morning Bible time. And you all will love it too.

Peek Inside the Book

Unwrapping the Greatest Gift-12

Unwrapping the Greatest Gift focuses on the Jesse Tree and is such a story of redemption (our redemption!). Even the family tree of Jesus had its share of heartache and brokenness – and yet, we are fully His and made perfect. Really, just thinking about that amazes me each and every time.

Unwrapping the Greatest Gift-11

The 25 daily Advent readings, starting December 1st,  includes a Scripture passage for study, a devotional that is a perfect length (so kids stay focused), questions for discussion, and family activity suggestions.

Unwrapping the Greatest Gift-4

You all – this book is gorgeous. The artwork throughout brings so much to the book, and your kids will be drawn in to each devotional through Ann’s amazing story telling ability.

Unwrapping the Greatest Gift coloring pages-1

There are some fun, hands-on features for the book as well. We are setting up a small tree to hang our daily Jesse Tree ornaments. While we read the story for the day, the kids color one of the go-along coloring pages. Each colored stroke helps the themes sink in….

God is with us. Jesus is with us. Jesus stays with us. Always.

This is one Christmas experience your family will never forget — that they will be passing down from your Christmases to their Christmases — because this is the gift we all want.

Come Christmas day — your kids, and your Christmas tree with all 25 ornaments, will be telling the full love story of  Jesus’ coming, right from the very beginning!

What better gift to give the whole family this Christmas  — than the wonder of the full love story of Jesus?

Find  out how to unwrap the Greatest Gift together this Christmas.

Resources for Unwrapping the Greatest Gift

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Filed Under: Advent, Holidays 2 Comments

60+ St. Patrick’s Day Activities – Preschool and Kindergarten Community

Mar72014
March 7, 2014 by 6 Comments

St. Patrick's Day crafts and activities for kids

March 17th is just around the corner and here are some fun St. Patrick’s Day activities, snacks, resources, and printables from past Preschool and Kindergarten Community link ups that you are going to love! Rainbows, leprechauns, and gold abound – get ready for some fun!

Homeschool Preschool: Preschool and Kindergarten Community linkup at Homeschool Creations

Color Wheel Paper Plate :: St. Patrick’s Day Crafts :: Rainbow Water :: Painting Rainbows :: Rainbow Collage :: Rainbow Wind Chimes from Happy Hooligans

Rainbows & Leprechauns :: St. Patrick’s Day Math Printables :: St. Patrick’s Day Sudoku Puzzles from Homeschool Creations

Rainbow Tot Pack :: Tot School Rainbows :: Rainbow Lapbook :: from 1+1+1=1

R is for Rainbow from Delightful Learning

Rainbow Activities :: St. Patrick’s Day Fine Motor Activities from Trillium Montessori

St. Patrick’s Day activities :: Sneaky Shamrocks :: Leprechaun Pancakes and Rainbow Whipped Cream from The Nature of Grace

St. Patrick’s Day Printables :: Kindergarten extension pack ::  Shaemus Shaun the Leprechaun :: Family Theme Night – St. Patrick’s Day ::  St. Patty’s Count and Color Books from 2 Teaching Mommies

St. Patrick’s Day Felt Board from Munchin and Bean

Shaving Cream Gold Hunt :: St. Patrick’s Day Sensory Bags :: Handprint Rainbow Craft from House of Burke

Homemade Felt Leprechaun :: St. Patrick’s Day Sensory Bin from Wildflower Ramblings

Shamrock File Folder Games ~ a variety of different file folder games. Pick one to use with your kiddos!

St. Patrick’s Day Literacy Activities :: St. Patrick’s Day Math Activities from Stay at Home Educator

Shamrock Hidden Shapes Tray :: from Crayon Box Chronicles

Trim a Leprechauns Beard :: Preschool St. Patrick’s Day Part 1 :: St. Patrick’s Day for Preschoolers Part 2 from Sorting Sprinkles

Felt Shamrock Matching Game :: Shaving Cream Shamrocks :: Along the Way

Magic Leprachaun Rocks :: Shamrock Hunt :: Pasta Rainbows :: Magic Fizzing Shamrocks :: Rainbow Do-a-Dot Worksheet :: Stringing a Rainbow Necklace from Gift of Curiousity

Homemade Rainbow Paint :: Peppers and Shamrocks :: Erupting Rainbow Sidewalk Chalk :: Marshmallow Rainbows :: Rainbow Resist Art :: Rainbow Eruptions :: Rainbow Slime ::  Rainbow Flour Paint :: Rainbow Sand Slime from Learn, Play, Imagine

Painting the Irish flag :: Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day :: FREE St. Patrick’s Day Unit :: Rainbow Pasta from Pinay Homeschooler

40+ St. Patrick’s Day Sensory Tubs :: Montessori St. Patrick’s Day Math :: Homeschool St. Patrick’s Day ::  Montessori Inspired St. Patrick’s Day Activities from Living Montessori Now

Color rainbow experiment from Joyfully Weary

R is for Rainbow Printables :: Rainbow Crayons from Confessions of a Homeschooler

Lucky Charm Treats from Beautiful Chaos

Rainbow Sensory Bin :: Magic Leprechaun Baking Soda Fine Motor Play :: Rainbow Scissor Skills  from Little Bins for Little Hands

Shamrock Garland from Stir the Wonder

Find even MORE great St. Patrick’s Day ideas on my St. Patrick’s Day themed Pinterest boards…

St. Patrick's Day Pinterest

 

 

 

Follow the PreK and Kindergarten Community Pinterest Board

Preschool Pinterest Board

Each week I am  pinning many of your links onto the Preschool and Kindergarten Community Pinterest Board. I’m a visual person, so having pictures to help me remember posts is super helpful. Be sure to jump over and follow the board – and find some fun ideas at the same time!

 

Were You Featured in the Preschool & Kindergarten Community?

If you were featured in one of the weekly posts, feel free to grab the button coding below and display it on your site!

Homeschool Preschool

 

Link Up with the Preschool and Kindergarten Community!

Share what you are doing with your kids! Please link your exact blog post to the Mr. Linky below and link back here too! Grab a button for your post and be sure to take a minute to visit the person who linked up before you.

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Filed Under: Holidays, PreK and K Community, Preschool Corner 6 Comments

A Sense of the Resurrection – Easter Activities for Families

Mar62014
March 6, 2014 by 3 Comments

A Sense of the Resurrection

If you are looking for hands-on activities that will help your family internalize all of the events in the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection, you’ll want to grab a copy of A Sense of the Resurrection from Oh Amanda.

A Sense of the Resurrection has 12 simple activities that you can do with your children in the weeks leading up to Easter. The activities are hands-on and focused on using the five senses to grasp and understand events like the Last Supper, Jesus’ anointing, the empty tomb and more. It includes printables, Scriptures, and conversation starting points for kids of ALL ages.

Find out more and view a sample of ebook A Sense of the Resurrection here!

 

Amanda is the creator of Truth in the Tinsel (another fabulous resource for families) and this ebook is another tool that you can put in your teaching toolbelt – and one that will have a lasting impact on your kids!

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Filed Under: Easter 3 Comments

An Advent Giveaway and a FREE Download for You

Dec22013
December 2, 2013 by 28 Comments

Today I’m excited to team up with Kerry from How to Homeschool My Child to start Advent off with a giveaway. We’re giving away THREE Christmas and Adent ebooks and also offering a free download for you too!

christmas & advent giveaway ~ ChristmasCelebrationIdeas.com/giveaway

By the way, if you want to get a copy of any of the books, Kerry has given me a Promo Code to let you save 40% … just for my readers. Use the promo code "dec13" during checkout.

Take a look at these 3 ebooks that help you keep Christ as the focus of Advent and Christmas. I’ve included a little information about each one, but you can click on any image to find out more.

Star of Bethlehem Family Bible Study

Star of Bethlehem Bible Study - What is the star? ~ ChristmasCelebrationIdeas.com

The Star of Bethlehem Family Bible Study (updated 2012) will be great for your family. You can print out as many copies for your "immediate family" as necessary. Pick up a copy of the Star of Bethlehem study…

  • if you want to study Matthew 2 to learn what the Star of Bethlehem is
  • if you have older children and you’re looking for family Bible study
  • if you want to tie together Bible and science
  • if you would like to learn more about astronomy
  • if you would like a BONUS item, the Skies of the Cross Bible Study

Christmas Celebrations: Advent, Christmas, Epiphany 

Christmas Celebrations - Dozens of ideas to put Christ back into Advent, Christmas, & Epiphany ~ ChristmasCelebrationIdeas.com

Your family will find the Christmas Celebrations ebook helpful as well. Kerry updated & expanded this ebook with an additional 30 pages of ideas, adding homeschool tie-ins throughout. You can also see a list of 47 ideas included in Christmas Celebrations, click here.

The Christmas Celebrations ebook would be perfect…

  • if you have young kids or older kids
  • if you want to integrate homeschooling into Christmas (it’s already done for you in this ebook)
  • if you want to learn about the Christian meaning of our Christmas symbols
  • if you want to focus on Christ during Advent
  • if you want to celebrate the Twelve Days of Christmas or Epiphany

Christmas Around the World Unit Study

christmas around the world unit study ~ from HowToHomeschoolMyChild.com

The Christmas Around the World Unit Study would be a fun unit study for your family this year. Your family will love studying how other countries celebrate Advent & Christmas. The unit study comes with easy 1-week or 2-week lesson plans ready to go and would be great…

  • if you have elementary or junior high kids
  • if you want to learn more about the history of Christmas
  • if you want to use a scope & sequence to plan your homeschool
  • if you want to make some crafts or cook food from different areas of the world
  • if you want a list of books to read that reflect other countries’ Christmas celebrations

      A Freebie for YOU!!

    Free Advent Calendar

    All of my readers are eligible to download a FREE Advent Calendar and FREE Christmas workshop from Kerry by clicking here. Thanks, Kerry!

Enter to Win

This week you can enter to win one of the three Advent ebooks above. There will be three different winners.  Names will be drawn on Saturday, December 7th. Just follow directions in the Rafflecopter widget below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

We’re looking forward to celebrating this Advent season using the Star of Bethlehem Family Bible Study with our girls and would love to have you join us!

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Filed Under: Advent, Giveaways 28 Comments

Fourth of July Idea Roundup – PreK and Kindergarten Community

Jun272013
June 27, 2013 by 4 Comments

Preschool and Kindergarten Community at Homeschool Creations

The 4th of July is just around the corner and you all have been linking up some fun ideas that are too fun not to share with everyone. If you have a link that is 4th of July specific, be sure to say so in your link and leave a comment today so we can find it quickly!

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These ‘flower fireworks‘ are made using markers, coffee filters, pipe cleaners, and some water. These turned out so neat and are basically tye-dyeish. CUTE and super easy to make!

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Our Country Road shares some fun activities and printables that they used to work on a 4th of July unit.

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These 4th of July hats and pencil sparklers are ones that you can make and use in year to come {they are still hiding out in our closet and get pulled out each year!}.

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Because art with young kids is more about the process than the product, I LOVE this USA flag craft from I Can Do That! So Can You…

beans for fourth flag

This flag pattern activity from Moms Have Questions Too is simple but would be a great one to teach the colors of the flag and have a little hands-on fun.

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These puffy fireworks from Enchanted Homeschooling Mom – well, they aren’t really just for little kiddos are they? They look like so much fun!

There are TONS of other fun ideas on my 4th of July Pinterest boards linked below. Just click on the image and start re-pinning!

Fourth of July Pinterest

Additional Fourth of July links and printables:

    What fun activities do you have planned for the 4th of July?

Ready to Link Up?

Share what you are doing with your kids! Please link your exact blog post to the Mr. Linky below and link back here too! Grab a button for your post below and be sure to take a minute to visit the person who linked up before you. You can read more in the updated guidelines for Preschool and Kindergarten Community. By linking up, you are granting permission for me to share your wonderful ideas and pictures with others in periodic show-and-tell posts.

Be specific in your ‘link title’. Leave either your blog name or theme and provide an age range for your activities. Something a little like this:

Police Officer Theme {ages 4-5}

 

Were you featured?

If you were featured in one of the weekly posts, feel free to grab the button coding below and display it on your site!

Preschool Corner

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Filed Under: Holidays, PreK and K Community, Preschool Corner 4 Comments