Butterfly Match

I bought two packages of butterfly party favors so the children can play a matching game. C also likes to sort them by color and line them up in patterns.

Coin Sort

Rummage up a handful of change and have your child sort the coins. Identify coins and explain their values.

*Extension: Open up shop and "sell" a few items to your child so he or she can practice counting the money.

Postal Clerk

I'm going to forgive myself the last week or so that I haven't posted. I've had an awesome time with my boys and my husband and enjoying summer has been our top priority!

Set up your very own pretend post office with a table and chairs and various writing utensils, paper, printing tools, and materials to encourage writing. Include materials for mailing- envelopes, stamps (stickers), address labels, greeting cards, postcards, stationery, lined and unlined paper, etc. Write, sort, and deliver!

*Extension: This is a great use for "junk mail," especially business reply mail envelopes. Pat yourself on the back for recycling!

Pre-Cutting Activities

Strengthen your child's scissoring skills with some simple ideas:

1. The wooden clothespins (the kind that do NOT pinch open and sort of look like little soldiers) slide easily onto the lid of a container-oatmeal, frosting, box...make up a game?

2. Squeeze clothespins

3. Playdough, cutting playdough with scissors

4. Real clay with clay tools and hammers

5. Sort pom-poms or manipulatives

6. Finger plays, hand and finger puppets

7. Tear paper (torn paper collage)

8. Snip or fringe paper

To encourage proper grip on the scissors, make up a little tune and repeat this

Thumb on the top

Fingers on the bottom

Keep your elbow in

Pom Pom Sort

80 ct. assorted Pom Poms, $1 @ Dollar Tree

Collapsible Storage Box, $1 @ Dollar Tree

Another color sorting activity requires crafting pom poms and a divided container of some sort. I found this one with 8 sections at Dollar Tree, but you could use cups, dishes, plastic lids, 6-pack rings, dessert cups, pinch bowls, recycled clean plastic fruit cups...just about anything that makes for clear visual "dividers" so children can easily see groupings.

I just poured the pom poms onto the ground and let C decide how he was going to sort them. It was tricky because a few of the shades were visually hard for him to discriminate (white, pink) and he had to decide what shades could be put together (green, neon green).

*Variation: Buy a package with different sizes and colors of pom poms and challenge children to find new ways to sort them.

*Variation: For younger children, choose basic colors and remove some of the shades. Give them a jump start by placing one pom pom of each color into the groupings you are looking for.

Clothespin Color Sort

This is a hit with the younger preschool crowd.

Plastic Tumblers set x 6, $1 @ Dollar Tree
Plastic Clothespins set x 15, $1 @ Dollar Tree

Opportunity for color sorting and fine motor development, priceless! Pile the clothespins and your child can pinch them open to attach to the right color of cup. Fine motor development helps your child strengthen finger and hand muscles, useful for learning to hold and manipulate writing utensils.

*Variation: Younger children can drop them into the cups.

*Variation: Go on a search around the house for items of each color that fit in the cup.

*Variation: Color with marker on wooden clothespins to match the color of cups you already have available. The more colors and cups you have, the more challenging it will be!