Eggs, eggs, eggs

This environment was set up in response to an interest in the vast collection of egg cup and the Easter period (last year)

 It was used in a variety of ways over a period of some weeks, as simple sorting/ collecting/ joining to playing egg shops or resteraunts.

 The chick egg collector was from poundland, Im not sure if they are doing them this year also.

Spiky eggs, sorted, little chicks...

A basket full of egg cups (never have enough it would seem, all purchased from charity shops)

Chapel Hill Snippits has a wonderful Eggs story book on her blog to down load, which has accompanying printable PCS symbols

Five Little Monkeys

I have had these resources for some time, and related resources have been available at www.alljoinin.net for sometime, I just thought I'd take this opportunity to show you (need a quick post, been too busy making something/ watching Children in Need). The resources are things I have available for singing the song, but are also what I used to make the resources. There is a printable book, and an interactive powerpoint. Some example power point slides are below:

5 Superheroes Rhyme

Here is the that instigated the Peg Superheroes. .

There are more related resources currently hosted on TES, I will upload them onto www.alljoinin.net sometime soon, I promise. In order to access the above resources you will need to register and log in with the site, it is simple and free

five little men in a flying saucer

Five little men in a flying saucer, rhyme tray. Felt pieces and talking point buttons.

I printed the elements on t-shirt transfer paper, ironed it onto white felt then cut out. The window on the flying saucer I cut out prior to ironing on, so that it would be "felt" rather than the shiny plasticy feel that the little men wouldn't grip on.
Talking point buttons have each verse of the song on. Each button has the corresponding amount of stars on e.g. five little men: five stars.

And these little men, actually went to live on earth.

Download pictures for this @ alljoinin.net I shrank mine to A5

Counting Ducks

Often the best learning is selected independently and as I have said previously, you can have the most creative ideas in the world but it's often the child who extends the activity, theme or learning in the most imaginative way. And then we get to use their ideas at some later stage in planning for other children, whilst never forgetting that again it may go off in another direction totally or fall flat as a pancake with other children.

Continuing on the same theme as the last post on 5 little ducks, we have a large box of bath ducks of various sizes, colours and designs, one set has numbers written on the bottoms (ones pictured) others light up, change colour or quack in water. Note to self "We don't need any more ducks, no matter what the price!"

The child in the picture selected all the ducks with numbers on the bottom and placed in this tray (original purpose: dip tray £1 Tesco), added water from the water butt and found a net from the fish box (net designed for getting the fish from your tank to clean out the fish very cheap and perfect size for play).

He then played with this various ways talking as he did so. "I'm finding the 2" fishing out the ducks and checking whether it is the correct duck, sometimes remembering where it was from previous fishes. Or making up sums and fishing out the answer, or on occasion fishing out two or three ducks and adding up the total.

When planning consider posing challenges such as the ones set by this child. Or perhaps draw shapes on the bottoms.

Five Little Ducks Basket

Song/ poem baskets/ boxes go down most wonderfully, perhaps their size appeals to little hands and inquisitiveness. The basket contained, the felt pond, funky foam duck stickers and song card (below printed to 1/4 A4 size)These baskets seem to encourage independent singing and song play like no other resource.

Valentines Activities

5 Pretty flowers song I created to the tune of five current buns. I have created a little song box to accompany the rhyme (I actually did it the other way around but...that's just highlighting the outcome before the activity frame of mind I'm disposed to I guess) I added, a little bag, purse money song card and created peg flowers. I wrote the cost on the flowers to support in adding money (for those at that level, not necessary though)

Copy and print the rhyme below to create your own rhyme box.

Extending from the popular button snake, I've created a button heart. Incorporating size into the activity and a bit of problem solving required to thread the hearts in the correct size order.

Sorting felt hearts (and a bow) by colour/ shade.

Creating repeating patterns from the sorted hearts.

Ten in the Bed

Fed up with seeing the vast array of expensive ten in the bed resources, which usually incorporate ten teddies I set off on a search to find ten similar looking bears. I didn't wait long before I came across these teddy key rings in a clearance sale, 50p each so a total of £5. Bed was made using an old GHD box and sticking a piece of fleece for a blanket onto the box and coloured scourers for pillows. The head board was made using a plastic folder of the same colour as the box cut to size and then velcroed to the back. I also made coloured tabards and matching hats for each of the teddies, two of each so we could look at colours, matching and the concept of the same. All teddies live inside.

Intently counting to those tired teddies!

Felt butterflies

It's late car broke down so quick post. I may have already posted this but found these pics while looking through photos, and reminded my how lovely this activity was and how we must do it again.

This was such a simple activity to create, using coloured scoring pads as the base although felt would work just as well. Butterflies created by felt cutouts I provided at least two of each coloured shape to ensure they could create symmetrical butterflies.

Colour sheep and shepherds

I had promised a doll making how to today, but have been at church all eve and not enough time now to write it. So... What to post today? More dolls... Shepherd colour matching dolls to compliment the David story. Just an idea I had when I was sorting out the sheep from the other sorting animals.

The dolls were made in exactly the same way as the bible dolls, (which I will show how to make tomorrow) and in fact I think the blue one will make a perfect Mary

More great apps

Smoky the Train

I have been reliably informed that this is the current favourite app, really simple concept but seemingly very rewarding if you love trains. Child has to copy the track on the left by dragging the track from the bottom of the screen. Lots of opportunity to talk about positions and direction, and not forgetting the amazing way smoky goes around corners.

Addition Under the Sea

A great app, for those interested in addition or currently working on that skill area. Simple and adaptable by adult. Combining the right degree of reward and visual display alongside simplicity. Great for those who also love puzzles as each "sum" is completed a picture is formed.

Addition Under the Sea

Number Train

A very simple number line train I made ages ago, but had been "lost" in a lox for a bit found in the Christmas clear up and popped it on the shelf today and it was a huge hit! It is simple to make, with all shapes being cut from funky foam (EVA Foam) and simply glued onto pegs with a hot glue gun. The track is piece of strong thick elastic I obtained from a scrapstore, but I'm sure other materials would work equally well. Obviously this is a great number sequencing activity for children who love trains, and I wish i'd have thought of it years ago when working with certain children with autism who would have loved this activity.

Christmas Tree addition and subtraction

Counting activities involving counting have been a firm favourite previously in a moment of inspiration I came up with this idea to use up a few scraps of green card. Initially I was going to write the numbers on the trees but instead did addition sums/ number sentences what ever you call them, knowing that this would be a very visual way of introducing the written concept of something that has been worked on verbally many times. I wrote the answers on trunks to match up to the correct tree once the decorations had been added and the answer had been established.
As requested by a little mathematician I put the corresponding subtraction sum on the back of each tree.

Pieces were stored in a little tray with small pieces contained in an empty Branston pickle and cheese snack pot. The counting decorations were mini craft gems and sequins (without sticky backs)

The activity was a real hit and so good for fine motor control, counting those tiny gems on to the trees which had a terrible incline to slip rather frustratingly at times. We ended up doing on a try in the end as carpet made the trees quite wobbly, I think I would use thicker card, laminate or use felt if I were to do it again.

Remember, learning should always be tailored to the individual needs of the child. Addition and subtraction should not be attempted until the child is confident in counting with one to one correspondence, has lots of experience or dealing with numbers in everyday activity, has experience of language such as one more, lots more, take one away etc. in everyday activities and through songs. The child can then begin to deal with problems in play and everyday activity e.g. "We've eaten two biscuits how many are left?" Only when a child is confident with such "problems" can addition and subtraction in this way even be contemplated.

For a printable version of this activity go to TES simply register for free and you can down load for free http://www.tes.co.uk/teaching-resource/Christmas-Tree-Addition-6066768/requestAction/update/