Repurpose Sand Box for Preschool Sensory Exploration

I homeschooled four kids in a single-wide old mobile home. So I'm all about frugal, recycling and simplicity. A favorite way to do all three is with repurposed materials. We made outdoor toys do double duty in winter with indoor uses. For example, their Little Tikes Sand Turtle was filled with Lake Michigan beach sand and enjoyed all summer. Then in winter, I cleaned it out, bleach and sanitized and brought it indoors.

I placed a recycled old plastic tablecloth under it (you could use a shower curtain, sheet, paint drop cloth or blanket). I filled the box with colorful aquarium rocks. This costs about $15. It's my version of preschool sand and water table or the Montessori rice tub. I don't like to use food stuffs as it A) teaches food waste and B) draws bugs. Read more. Repurpose Summer Toys for Indoor Preschool Play-- Sand Box

Interactive Affective Preschool Activities--Getting Along, Anti-Bullying

 Bullying is a social blight that can cause dangerous emotional health repercussions. From 25 years teaching and a degree in psychology, I've written lesson plans to raise awareness to ills like bullying. From my Montessori/ special education background, I've learned to make lessons interactive. Here's an anti-bullying object lesson I picked up 20 some years ago. It's appropriate for preschool to upper elementary school. Interactive Affective Activities, Anti-Bullying Lesson Plans

Anti-Bullying Object Lessons for Kids: Warm Fuzzies, Cold Pricklies

Bullying is a social blight that can cause dangerous emotional health repercussions. From 25 years teaching and a degree in psychology, I've written lesson plans to raise awareness on bullying. From my Montessori/ special education background, I've learned to make lessons interactive. Here's an anti-bullying object lesson I picked up 20 some years ago. It's appropriate for preschool to upper elementary school.  Anti-Bullying Object Lessons for Kids: Warm Fuzzies, Cold Pricklies 

Preschool Learning Center Format

Early childhood preschool classrooms have been shown to function most effectively when designed on a learning center format. Special needs or general education employ learning station format. High/Scope, Montessori, Voyagers, Head Start--all recognize the importance of center-based learning. .

Here is a template to set up preschool center environment. Use in home school and traditional settings. Depending upon space, class size and program, set up from four to six centers. Combine and adapt as needed. Each center should have an accompanying book basket with related reading material.  How to Set Up Learning Centers in Preschool Classrooms and Homeschool

Hands-On Homemade Reading Crafts, Book Activities, Literature Games

Homeschoolers, need cheap, homemade language arts lesson plans? Special needs teachers, want interactive reading games? Here are hands-on reading activities for preschool to high school. Use cheap, recycled materials. Lessons are based on HOTS (Higher-Order Thinking Skills): analysis, application, synthesis and evaluation. Perfect for all ages from preschool on up.  Hands-On Homemade Reading Crafts, Book Activities, Literature Games

Homemade Preschool Dramatic Play Animal Costumes, Habitats

Dramatic play develops preschool social, emotional, artistic, creative and communication skills. Plays lend themselves to all content. Here are homemade costumes, props and settings for life science theater. I call it bio-drama. Using recycled materials teaches real-life environmental science! Perfect for preschool, ECSE (PPI), special education and elementary lessons. Adaptable to homeschool or Halloween costumes, too. Homemade Preschool Dramatic Play Animal Costumes, Habitats

Using Food to Teach: Edible Learning Activities to Reinforce Content

Since 1982, I've taught every age from 1-104 (seriously) and every subject from astronomy to zoology. I chose education to teach special needs kids. Special education, Montessori and adult education training frames my teaching. Every lesson I plan includes hands-on applications. Students see, touch, taste and smell content. One of the best multi-sensory delivery methods is food. I call it edible learning. Here's how it works in theory and practice.  Using Food to Teach: Edible Learning Activities to Reinforce Content