75 Interesting Ways to use an iPad in the Classroom

Not my usual kind of post but thought this couldn't be missed, there are so many fantastic apps/ ideas in here! Happy browsing.

                

So Autumn:- Pumpkin theme continued...

I've found some fabulous links here, most of them are not particularly Halloweeny!!!

Living Montessori Now pumpkin themed ideas

Living Montessori Now more pumpkin links...

My Montessori Journey pumpkin ideas

Growing in Peace a link to pumpkin growth sequencing cards

My Montessori Journey, pumpkin drawing

Mommy's Monkeys, pumpkin playdough

Roots and Wings Co, Pumpkin spice Playdough

OHP Creations

The possibilities of the OHP for creativity are endless and parallel and extend the possibilities of the light boxes that are common place in many preschool environments.

The resources to create "art" with were available on the table the OHP was on these included: string, pipe cleaners, lollypop sticks, colour paddles, cocktail stirrers, colour blocks, magnifying glasses, clear acetates and white board markers.

Given freedom children created some amazing compositions, and here are a couple of them.

There is more explanation on the designs at All Play on Sunday

And there is SO many cool ideas for using lightboxes at Play at Home Mom

All Play On Sunday - My new blog

Right guys, I realise I have been posting a lot on here re: Sunday school type stuff which wasn't the original intention of this blog. So I have created a new blog dedicated to just that. That will hopefully make it easier for followers to search and try to encourage me to post on here too with Early Years/ SEN/ Inclusion stuff.

So new blog is .... www.allplayonsunday.blogspot.com

Fish Stick painting

Couldn't resist the pun!! These fish made from paper pates with a triangle cut out and stapled to the opposite side make lovely fish. These ones were given an extra dimension by scratching on scales with twigs and sticks found in the garden (children's idea), they then painted little fish with the sticks, which proved to be a great motivator for reluctant pre writers.

A great how to can be found at Enchanted Learning

Maisy's Bus

Today more laminated props, this time for the lovely story of Maisy's Bus.
The road is made of a length of hessian (used to tie young trees to a steak)
The pieces were drawn and laminated (front and back of bus) with window of the bus cut out before laminating.
Putting velcro on the back of the bus allowed the characters to be stuck into their seats and driven along (characters also drawn and coloured both sides so the they can be seen both sides of the bus)

This is such a simple story it lends its self to retelling by the child with or without text, and allows opportunities to add more story lines and different journeys.

This lovely book is available through Amazon, and load of other book sellers (in UK often reduced in The Works)

Maisy's Bus is also available on YouTube.

Hooray for Fish

Matching words to pictures.

I simply love Hooray for Fish so simple, but wonderful illustrations and text!! I made these cards some time ago and they haven't been used for months then all of a sudden today- look! Don't you just love how you think something has past its use then all of a sudden it's used again.

Words and pictures all matched!

I love using props and pictures to accompany stories (particularly favourites) and find they are so useful for extending and engaging involvement in the story. You can download my story cards from TES Connect.

There is a video available on youtube of this wonderful story too!

Five Favourite Valentines blogs

I din't have time to take photos today (couldn't post without so boring so googled this one, playdough tray tomorrow) so am giving you links to my five favourite blogs that suggest Valentines activities for preschoolers (mainly Montessori based), hope you will find then as inspiring as I do.

Valentine's card making basket @ Chasing Cheerios

February shelf activities (montessori) @ Counting Coconuts

Valentine's craft activities @ Crafty Crow

Valentine's activities @ My Montessori Journey

Valentines shelf activities @ Montessori Spanish

Sorry one that I couldn't really pass without drawing your attention to it, it is not strictly a "children's activity" but think you could use with children very successfully.

Heart Page Markers @ It's all Fiddle Fart

Godly Play (David and Goliath dolls)

As I said in my previous post I would add different characters as and when I needed them. Here's the first one- Goliath, simply using a larger bead and longer pipe cleaners, and a few embellishments.

Goliath here pictured against another doll to show the hight difference.

David and some sheep- which were incredibly easy to make simply rolling up to woolen fleece sewing together, poking pipe cleaners through fabric underside and sewing on a face.

I am advocate of the concept of Godly play when "sharing" bible stories with children, which is based upon Montessori's principles and ideas. But I am not purist and simply love the opportunity for children to engage and explore stories and concepts at their level. Having resources available for children to explore at their own leisure (including in the home) feels to me comparable to an adult pondering the greatest theological questions. There are a couple of good links that explore this in greater depth Godly Play at Home and Watkins Every Flavour Bean, I particularly agree with "watkins..." views on Godly play.

"Religious ideas and stories are given tangible form that encourages the child to 'handle' and work out the ideas and their feelings for themselves. This helps the children to really get 'in' to the story in reflective and 'playful' frame of mind - the mode in which they do their deepest 'work', engaging with their whole selves - mind body and spirit.
Every story or 'lesson' has its own handcrafted set of figures or objects, made from wood or fabric wherever possible. The children are encouraged to handle these things (just as the ideas they symbolize) with great care - as things of beauty, meaning and which will last. There is nothing plastic, disposable or broken. The quality of the materials is matched by an attempt to strive for simplicity of design. Figures do not have detailed features or colorful clothes, for example, to allow children to project imaginatively their own feelings and ideas about the narrative." (Godlyplay.org)

David and Goliath play scene ready for children to play with.

David's seven brothers "chillin" before Samuel visits and David in the background.

David minding his sheep, I could have added a staff but I ran out of brown pipe cleaners (hence why david has black arms).

Saul and Samuel, with Goliath in the background.

Irresistible Ideas for Play Based Learning

I just have to take a moment to draw all readers to THE most amazing and inspirational blog Irresistible Ideas for Play Based Learning! And it is simply all irresistible. You will never ceased to be amazed and inspired by their creative ideas. Now the bloggers responsible for this are going "on the road" and will be visiting other early years settings for more inspirational ideas, with assurances that the blogging gloves have not been hung up. So all the best Sherry and Donna and bloggers everywhere check this blog out!!

www.playbasedlearning.com.au

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

Favourite Pre-School Apps

Now... before I say anything else, I am not generally one to promote the use of media technology with little children and this is not me saying you "have" to upload this to your iphone/ ipad. However we live in a world where children are exposed to technology and I think such resources have their place and can be used to support other hands on learning and simply as a bit of fun alongside a supportive adult, NOT as a baby sitting service. So rather than giving them a go on your crazy birds game, upload some more appropriate apps.

Tozzle

An incredibly well made app, with the right degree of simplicity and skill. The child has to drag and drop the object/ number/ shape from the top right hand corner to the correct space on the screen. If s/he gets it wrong the first time it guides with an arrow, wrong the third time it prompts with a big circle where it should go and then when the picture is complete rewards you with a "lovely" piece of music and sometimes a little animation.

The Little Red Hen Story

A fabulously clear and simply animated (when each character is tapped) story. Several options including different languages and reading to self are included. It is read by a child in any case and you will never read the little red hen again, without hearing the child's voice in your head. I got this when it was free but it's definitely worth 59p. The company that make this do other stories, which I was unaware of until finding a link to post here I will be looking at these!! :)

Toddler T

Not a very interesting app in my lame opinion, but to a three year old seems incredibly appealing and extremely fulfilling. No aim here simply create different coloured tracks with your finger, each track makes a different noise as you create it. And then when you have finished track building or any time really pop some trains on the line. Seems dull, but I tell us adults don't always know best. And let me tell you our tracks are far more "creative" than that, don't think health and safety would pass inspection but definitely creative.

Shape Collage

I've rather taken to Shape Collage, a free upgradeable application that allows you to turn your photos into a collage of any shape in minutes (well seconds actually). Check it out!

Creative Blogs

I simply have not had the time to post a blog this weekend, as every time I begin I am distracted by someone elses blog and subsequently have ended up being inspired to make something! So thought I'd post this weekend's blog discoveries, a bit of a creative theme going down, enjoy...

• Paper and String: A crafting blog full wonderful ideas.
• It's a Fiddle Fart: Another fabulous blog with loads of creative crafts.
• I'm a Teacher Get Me Outside of Here: Some really inspirational outdoor learning/ creative projects, including some story stones very similar to mine.
• Mama Rokas: A Wonderful blog with so many amazing craft projects to make for little ones. The site is in Latvian, but if you scroll down on the left their is a translator option which does an ok translation, but even without that well worth it simply for photos.

"It never ceases to amaze me how many ideas can stem from a single seed of inspiration." Bea

Versatile Blogger Award

Versatile Bloggers Award!

What a surprise!! I have received a Versatile Bloggers Award!!! award from Honey at Mondorfment. I have seen others getting awards before but never got one myself so a huge thank you to you Honey.

There are rules to receiving this award which apparently is not uncommon so here goes.

Rule number 1:

Thank the person who gave you your award.

Already done, but thank you again I'm just glad you found it helpful and "versatile"

Rule number 2:

Share seven things about yourself.

1. I work in early years special education.
2. I spend large proportions of my time day dreaming creative ideas, particularly making things for kids needs. One day I'll make a fortune with some of them (I doubt it)
3. I set up my website www.alljoinin.net in order to share some of my ideas, because I wanted to preserve them and help others and didn't have the time or commitment to make a fortune from them.
4. I set up the alljoinin blog because I couldn't always add stuff really quickly to my website and was really into reading others blogs so thought it would be a good option and it really has been great.
5. I am a Christian, my faith is who I am
6. I am desperate to adopt a child with special needs.
7. I think I haven't quite grown up yet (prob never will) and still love skipping and dancing and singing as if no one is watching.

Rule number 3:

Pass the award onto 15 bloggers whom you have recently discovered and who you think are fantastic!

1. The Work Plan
2. Teaching Learners with Multiple Special Needs
3. The Crafty Crow
4. Little Blossoms
5. Learning and Teaching with Preschooler
6. Playscapes
7. Preschool-daze
8. Brick by Brick
9. Patti's Nursery School
10. There's a Dragon in my Art Room
11. Sippy Cup Central
12. 4 Crazy Kings
13. Teach Mama
14. Tot Play
15. Joyful Mama's Place

My TOP 5 Blogs

I still can't access my photos to add some more posts, so thought I'd share with you guys my favourite blogs which always inspire me. I hope they inspire you too.

1. 1+1+1=1
2. Irresistible Ideas For Play Based Learning
3. Counting Coconuts
4. Filth Wizardry
5. Chasing Cheerios

"Our best thoughts come from others." Ralph Waldo Emerson

World Cup Resources online

I have made several resources and have a few additional ideas, but currently have no photos so until I upload those thought may be useful to suggest some good online resources.

World cup printables including flags (coloured and for colouring) with name, football kit designs and trading cards, available from activity village

Simple animation (no words) story, fully switch accessible called "Goal" available from Helpkidzlearn

"Penalty Shoot Out" game available at Priory Woods School resources section, again fully switch accessible.

Football Shimmy song and dance available from Boogie Beebies

"Football is an honest game. It's true to life. It's a game about sharing. Football is a team game. So is life." Joe Namath