Pom-pom flowers

Maybe this will be the last flower post, unless we get into them again (which is of course entirely possible). This has proved quite popular, which actually surprised me. I only had the brainwave as I was packing away another pom-pom activity and was looking for a place to put the pom-poms, and remembered the making of pop-pom flowers on scarves a week or so ago.

"One test of correctness of educational procedure is the happiness of the child." Maria Montessori.

Flower parts

I saw this idea in a link on Little Blossoms from The adventures of Bear about a poor man's flower puzzle. The Adventures of Bear's idea used felt, I used funky foam and drew around the pieces to make the guide.

Currently this has not been played with, despite my enthusiasm! I will keep you posted, because I love it and hope it will become a favourite that happens sometimes doesn't it.

"I perhaps owe having become a painter to flowers." Claude Monet

Flower Silhouettes

Was thinking up activities relating to plants and flowers and knowing matching is a popular activity was going to find some pictures online to print and match. But no ink not an option!! However when looking through a Waitrose catalogue thought of making this activity that requires more skills than regular matching and doesn't require a printer, you could do this for any theme or with any clear photos.

1. Select photos from magazine/ catalogue.
2. Blue tack the back to piece of black paper.
3. Cut carefully around picture.
4. Remove blue tack.
5. Stick silhouette to some card/ backing paper.
6. Laminate.

"It's paradoxical that many educators and parents still differentiate between a time for learning and a time for play with out seeing the vital connection between them." Leo F. Buscaglia

How does your garden grow?

With the continued theme of plants and flowers, thought that Mary, Mary quite contrary would be a great little play corner. So here's what's in it.

Book and doll

Flowers poked into the bottom of an egg box

Shells and bells

Flower bead threading

Flower buttoning

Threading flowers with silk flowers

"I was always making up rhymes. But I never thought that poetry would become my life." Saul Williams

Flower Power

On this week's theme, this flower buttoning activity has proved incredibly popular this week, it's always so exciting when something that has been around for a while suddenly becomes a favoured item. From the amount of times this (along with other buttoning activities) has been done this week we are going to have expert dressing skills!!

Today's quote is from three year old doing the buttoning after being told, "You have been working hard at doing those buttons and you did them, well done!"

"Yeah, and it is REALLY hard work... But I can do it now!!!"

The Great Plant Hunt ideas

If not a little delayed, here are a few ideas and resource links for the Great Plant Hunt. First idea, create artistic collages of plant/ flowers from fabrics and materials and take photos as the end result.

Create flower arrangements from cut flowers, or pick daisy's and dandelions.

Create collages of flowers from observation.

Jasper's Beanstalk Visual aids for story telling and ordering. Download from TES, you will need to register but it's free (make sure you save your password and username)

Create flowers by threading silk flowers onto pipe cleaners with yellow pom-poms. For larger pom-poms you can thread the pipe cleaner through smaller ones need pipe cleaner folding it over, adult to do this part. You can buy bags of of silk flower petals or purchase cheap lei's from party shops and cut the string off. Make leaves out of funky foam and poke a hole in using a biro. In this example I have created little cards for children to copy patterns, early reading and ordering. But I would not suggest that are used at all times as it may inhibit creativity.

I will be adding a few resources onto all join in printables, but am having a few uploading issues, if you can't wait email me at alljoinin1@googlemail.com and I'll email them. There are also a few ideas on the spring themed page.

"If dandelions were hard to grow, they would be most welcome on any lawn."

Andrew V. Mason

Great Plant Hunt Week

Don't you just love it when a thought turns into a fab plan. After yesterday's post about needing to think up some more flower activities, turns out next week is The Great Plant Hunt Week. So some activity ideas, shall be added on Sunday ready for Monday, maybe do tonight or Sat but prob not. Add some ideas (so I can use them) before I do. Definitely check out the website above.

"People from a planet without flowers would think we must be mad with joy the whole time to have such things about us." Iris Murdoch