Get the kids outside and play today!

Some treasuries to share....

Slate, by me.

Elegance, by emeeme. 

My Stack of Teacups photo is among beautiful company.

Today's Inspiration....

Image Credits: Little Circus

A handmade market site from designers and crafters around the globe. 

Clothing, bedding, decor, toys (many Montessori-inspired), books, and plenty of other sweet lovelies, too.

Welcome to Little Circus.

Butterflies....updates, activites, and links! ♥

"Teaching a child not to step on a caterpillar is as valuable to the child as it is to the caterpillar”

-Bradley Millar

Source: nadjaseale.com via Elena on Pinterest

Remember the Butterfly Kit we received from the Easter Bunny?  Well, the caterpillars arrived, ate, and have now formed their chrysalides.  I must say I've learned a few things already as well.  First, the caterpillar stage is not all that cute.  These particular caterpillars will transform into Painted Lady butterflies, but the caterpillars themselves are just brown.  They aren't very active, mostly clinging to the side of their container and pooping.  So, I didn't post any pictures of that (no need to thank me).  Second, I learned that silk is very strong!  When they created their chrysalides, I had to gently take the lid of their container off, remove the paper disc that they were hanging from, detatch the silk strands, and pin the disk into the mesh house that will be the birthplace of the butterflies.  The silk strands look like cobwebs, so I thought they would pull apart like cobwebs.  Instead, they are much tougher, and it is a delicate process to detangle them from the lid without knocking off any of the chrysalides.  Luckily, I managed.  We have 5 chrysalides (the photo is a little blurred because I had to take it through the mesh sides of the kit), and hopefully we will have 5 Painted Ladies.  I can't wait!  Oh, and the kids are pretty excited too. :)

There are SO many things you can use to study butterflies.  I had to stop myself from looking, or this posting would go on for pages.  But, here are some activites, products, and links to get you started!

We have been looking at the book The Butterfly Alphabet, by Kjell B. Sandved.  Kjell worked for more than 25 years, with visits to more than 30 countries, to discover and photograph all the letters of the alphabet in butterfly wings.  The name of the butterfly is given, along with a short poem accompanying each photo.  Jojo posted a while back about cards that go with this book, and I've been looking for them ever since.  If you happen to come across them, please let me know!!!

This Caterpillar to Butterfly 5 Layer Puzzle shows a stage in the life cycle of a butterfly with each layer.

Let your child experience how to drink like a butterfly with this activity from Wondertime Magazine.

Children become butterflies themselves by creating a paper flower that has a cup in its center for nectar (a.k.a. apple juice), and then sipping the nectar through a straw."

We have this 3D Life Cycle manipulative set from Oriental trading.  It is a great deal, as you receive both the tadpole-to-frog and the caterpillar-to-butterfly models for only $5.99.  I used these to introduce the process to the kids before we even received the caterpillars so they knew what to expect.  These are also great to go along with 3 part nomenclature life cycle cards (see some options below).

For $1.99 you can have a PDF instant download of these Butterfly Life Cycle Sequence Cards or the Butterfly Nomenclature Book for $2.79  from Montessori Print Shop.

Or, try these!  I discovered these free downloadable life cycle cards, from Homemade Montessori!  You'll find lots of other great resources there as well.

Choose from pre-selected words to easily create your own butterfly haiku poetry here.  You can select from beginning, intermediate, or advanced vocabulary for more challenges.  Copy or print your final poems, and add illustrations.

Get your body involved by integrating yoga poses into your unit.  The butterfly is one of the simplest poses, one that even your young children can master. 

"Sit on your mat with the bottoms of your feet pressed together and knees out to the side. Imagine that your legs are colorful wings. Slowly flap your legs like the gentle movement of a butterfly."

Lazy Lizards Yoga gives you lots of fun animal poses for children.  Print them off, cut them up and laminate them into cards, and keep them on a bookshelf for the children to grab and try themselves.  Or, make it a part of your daily routine to help you and your child stretch and destress.

Want more yoga?  Try these: Little Yoga: A Toddler's First Book of Yoga., Sleepy Little Yoga: A Toddler's Sleepy Book of Yoga,  Itsy Bitsy Yoga: Poses to Help Your Baby Sleep Longer, Digest Better, and Grow Stronger, or  Storytime Yoga: Teaching Yoga to Children Through Story.

I couldn't resist adding this Butterfly Life Cycle Craft Kit.  Just $7.99 and it makes 12, so invite some other children over and have a butterfly party!

Indie Fixx has a great tutorial on how to make this beautiful butterfly mobile to add some spring into your home, using things you already have around your house and yard.  I also am in love with this bird mobile!!!

I'd love to know your great ideas!!!

Some pretty, pale beauties

 

My photo is lucky enough to have a home in this treasury today.

Thank you to Monarchdancer for the beautiful selections!

International Postcard Swap

I read about an International Postcard Swap this morning, thanks to Jojo, and wanted to spread the word.  Postcards are great for your culture boxes and to extend your geography lessons.  Plus, isn't it just fun to receive mail from around the world?  Postcards look great displayed on a shelf or countertop.  Or, make a book with them by sliding them into the slots in a photo album and looking at them over again. Click the image above to jump to the website to sign up!

I also wanted to extend a big thank you to Anna for including this blog on her list of

50 Must-Read Montessori Blogs!!!

I'm way too excited and honored that my blog made the list with so many other wonderful resources. 

A rich treasure box of great sites are listed here.♥

Happy Earth Day! New to the Blog: Subscribe by Email

I ♥ Earth Day!!!  Today we purchased a small tree to plant, and a few more pots of flowers for the garden.  I am going to try to plant them tomorrow, time permitting. 

 Along with the holiday, I created a Mossy green treasury. 

There is something so soothing about this color for me.

I just want to wrap it around me like a clean, soft old quilt and take a nap.

If you have a moment, stop by the Earth Day Network and add in your act of green.

"The land is where our roots are. The children must be taught to feel and live in harmony with the Earth."
“We must therefore turn to the child as to the key to the fate of our future life.”
-Maria Montessori

I also added in an email subscription option on the right sidebar.
All the tips, links, and ideas conveniently delivered to your email! :)
 It needs love too. ♥

New in the shop today!

New in the Shop today....  Pink Gerbera Daisy Photograph Series. 

Earth Day Giveaway!

I read about this great giveaway and wanted to share it with you.

Plant a tree, visit Figs & Ginger to upload your photo of the process, and receive this beautiful necklace!

Get the little ones involved.  Take them to the nursery to select the tree and soil together.  Get your hands dirty.  Dig the hole with their help and let your child discover what is living in the earth.  I still remember watching my dad plant trees when I was little, and being enthralled with watching the earthworms.  Take a photo of the tree every year to watch its progress. 

Earth Day is April 22nd. 

Today's Inspiration

Wovenplay. 

Wow.

Like architecture marries imagination and has a child named clothing.

All photos from Wovenplay website.  Photo credits: Walter Gropius, Marisa Crawford, Kelly Roper, Tamara Muth King

10 items, $10 and under

Want to spruce up your Montessori curriculum but don't want to spend a lot of money? 
Here are 10 items I found for only $10 or less...

1.  Teaching Montessori in the Home: Pre-School Years
A book written some years ago with ideas that are still relevant today.  By Elizabeth Hainstock.  New, $9.36 from Amazon, plus free shipping with minimum purchase of $25.

2.  MÅLA, Long sleeve apron.  Ikea.  $2.99 (Yes, that price is correct).  Great smock for art projects and messy play of all kinds.

3.  KID O Arranging Narrow to Wide Puzzle.  $9.95.  Colorful wooden puzzle engages children while promoting skills that help down the road with reading and math. Children exercise hand-eye coordination, concentration, spatial relations and problem solving. From narrowest to broadest, the multiple hues of this beautiful green puzzle compel children to discern gradual variations in width.   Other variations of this puzzle also available at Amazon as well.

4.  Pink Series Beginning Sounds Set from Montessori for Everyone.  $4.99.  PDF file including This material consists of: 10 Pink Series Picture cards with missing beginning sound (vowels in blue), 10 Consonants to fill in the missing sound, Chart that shows all the pictures completed correctly, black and white master with all the words for children to trace, black and white master with guidelines so children can write the words, and instructions for making and using this work.

5.  A Montessori Transferring, Counting, Sorting, Pouring, Manipulative STARFISH Activity from Fun Cards.  $9.99.  Multiple colors and designs are available so you can keep it fresh and interesting, or change seasonally.

6.  Lacing Frame from Alison's Montessori.  $6.  Use coupon code alisons at checkout and get an additional 10% off your order.  Buckling and Safety Pin Frame also currently available at the same price.

7.  Pink Tower and Brown Stair Pattern Cards from Montessori Print Shop.  $4.49.  PDF file instant download.  Children view the cards and select one, and transfer the pattern into 3D using the pink tower and broad stair.  Set 2 is also available.

8.  Grow Your Own Elm Tree from Montessori Services For Small Hands.  $6.25.  Hands on science activity.  Everything included is biodegradable and organic — just add water. The Siberian Elm is a robust variety, chosen for quick growth and the ability to thrive in a variety of climates.  Seeds are guaranteed fertile; ours sprouted within two weeks, right on time. Plant outdoors when seedlings are about 6" tall. Includes instructions and reference material.  5% of proceeds benefit the Arbor Day Foundation.  Great activity for Earth Day on April 22nd.

9.  Melissa and Doug Stack and Sort Board.   Engage kids with this stack and sort board that helps build matching and counting skills. Little learners can simply match the color and quantity of the colorful pieces to the key on the sturdy solid-wood board, and then stack them up on the peg. Comes with 15 wooden stacking pieces and base.

10.  Geometric Nomenclature Card set.  $3.80 (on sale from $16).  From Adena Montessori.

Nova Natural Toys

I just discovered Nova Natural Toys, and I think I'm in love.  I couldn't help but devote a post to their shop.  Their toys are dedicated to bringing beautiful, quality toys that encourage a child's creativity and spirit.  I think they are pure temptation to spend our entire tax refund in one place. :)  Here are some of my favorites: (Photos and descriptions are from their website)

on the farm wooden book

Perfect for little hands, our On the Farm Wooden Book is a fun tool for teaching children about life on the farm. Each "page" contains whimsical pictures that illustrate a range of activities, from planting to harvesting to milking a cow.  $23. 

interlocking blocks

In sets of 46 or 92 blocks, kids can build organically shaped structures using our Interlocking Blocks. Handmade by the villagers of Camphill Village, they have protruding dowels on top. The dowels fit into holes in the bottoms of the blocks. This allows children to build curved walls that will hold together rather than falling down with a toddler's sometimes clumsy touch. $25. 

  {The second photo of the product (don't you just love the boots!) is from SouleMama.  If you haven't visited this blog, please take a look- I guarantee you'll find yourself inspired!!!}

snake pencil holder

Keeping art supplies organized can be challenging so we are happy to offer our Snake Pencil Holder. Its slithering body holds 12 pencils such as the Lyra Ferby Color Pencils ($10). Because all of the colors are in one row with the points sticking up, each color is easily at hand! $17.

natural stacker

Alternating rings of lightly dyed wood and wood au naturel create a stacking toy that is engaging and aesthetically pleasing. $22.

window crayons

Don’t let a rainy day get in the way of having some fun! Window Crayons make a splash of color on any glass surface. They are non-toxic and clean up easily with soap and water. On sunny days, the light will shine through larger blocks of color, illuminating them radiantly.  $14.

alphabet card game

These artfully illustrated cards make learning the alphabet fun for your budding reader. Each card depicts an animal with the pictured letter in its name. Use the included game ideas to teach the sounds of the letters and spell simple words. $10.

Sand Trays and other fun ways to Prewrite!

I featured this item in an Etsy treasury a while ago, and it is just so wonderful, I had to write about it here as well.  This Sand Tray (pictured here),  by Little Alouette, is a great way to engage your little ones in motor, prewriting and letter skills.  Providing a fun tactile, sensory experience at the same time is just a bonus!  I love how you can use this as an extension for the sandpaper letters, almost like bringing them to 3-D.  Best described by Little Alouette, "The impermanence of the writing of the child in salt/sand gives freedom and a non-stressful sense of learning. One simple shake of the tray makes the surface smooth and ready for more practice. Children can redo without worry.  The Little Alouette Sensory Tray is 8.5 x 8.5 x 2.5 and made from Birch Ply. Deep sides keep sand/salt inside."  And the best part is that it is very reasonable at $16.00 plus shipping.  The rest of their shop is fabulous, so stay around and fill up your wish lists- plenty of handmade, organic, eco friendly wooden toys to choose from (like this Gigi Teething Giraffe-how precious!). 

Want to make a sand tray yourself?  Solid vintage fruit crates, shoe boxes, a single wooden drawer or a plastic tub can substitute.  Simply fill it with sand, and enjoy!

Some other great activities that can be added for a little diversity give a lot for your money as well.  Need an activity to grab using something from around the house, like, now?  Go grab a can of shaving cream, spray it onto your table and let them finger trace, draw, and erase to draw again until their little hearts are content.  Be careful, it can be a little messy, but it cleans your table at the same time (bonus!), smells fresh and clean, and washes out of clothing.  Just a little monitoring required to make sure they don't pretend it is whipped cream and decide to ingest it.  The squeals of delight will last for at least 45 minutes.  A simple wipe-down with a wet cloth afterward is all you need for cleanup.

Another variation is to put liquid paint (like poster paint) into ziploc baggies (I prefer the ones with the zipper so you know when they are closed), be sure they don't have too much air in them, and let the children draw with their finger on top of the closed bag.  Just squish the bag to erase and start again.  With supervision, this can also be a great color-mixing exercise.  What happens when you mix blue paint and yellow paint in the baggie?  The letters turn green!  Don't have paint?  Shaving cream or whipped cream and a little food coloring works great as well.

In celebration of Spring!!!

Here's hoping it is beautiful outside in your corner of the world!  Go outdoors and enjoy life! ♥

Front Page!

Just a little note to say thank you to Etsy for putting my photograph on the front page today, and to Emmamaha who spotted it and sent me a message to let me know.

♥

The Moveable Alphabet: Lots of wallet friendly alternatives for your home (and links to make it simple!)

If you have been thinking of purchasing a movable alphabet, you have probably already researched your traditional options.  A beautifully made, quality moveable alphabet from a Montessori company such as Nienhuis (pictured above) can easily set you back around $80, plus the cost of the storage box (pretty much a must-have) which can often be almost twice the cost of the alphabet itself.  The storage box is important because it provides a structure, a place for each letter (and each letter in its place), a routine to spelling and knowing where to find them, so the emphasis is on the spelling out of words and the tactile experience of the letters and not searching through a chaotic heap of letters spilled out onto the floor.  This is an investment, and although it is a good investment, it may be one that you are not able to make.  If this is the case, despair not, as I have found you plenty of alternatives that won't overwhelm your budget!  The important things to consider as you read through these alternatives and you are weighing your options are your priorities in the following aspects: the tactile sensation of the letters (will your child be able to feel the letter shape), that the letter sets are lower case, and whether or not the color coding is important to you, as traditionally vowels are blue and consonants are red.

Option one is to go bargain hunting.  Ebay and craigslist are places that you may be able to track down a new or gently used moveable alphabet set for a fraction of the retail cost.  I have seen Montessori schools, retiring teachers, or parents that are clearing out their used items to replace them with new, selling their used sets to the highest offer.  I haven't ever been lucky enough to spot a set at a thrift shop, but I've heard about people who have and blushed with jealousy. :)  If you do purchase from Ebay, I would suggest that you read their feedback to ensure you are purchasing a set that is quality and will last for you.

Option two is to purchase the Classroom Magnetic Letters kit from Lakeshore Learning  at $39.95.  Plus, use their coupon code 1211 and receive $5 off your purchase (of $25 or more).  You receive a total of 240 lowercase magnetic letters—all in a compartmentalized storage box with handy labels for easy organization.  These letters are lower case and color coded, but the vowels are red and the consonants are blue.  The bonus of these is that your child can use them on the floor, but also on a cookie sheet, side of a filing cabinet, the fridge, or a magnetic dry erase board surface as well.  I own this set myself, and the letters are durable and easy to use.  The storage box is designed similar to the wooden storage boxes for the traditional moveable alphabet sets.  Because there are multiples of each letter, your child won't hit a wall when they are spelling out "ball" or "Mississippi", and it allows for children to work together and share the materials for cooperative learning.  Yes, magnetic letter sets are commonly available anywhere toys or groceries are sold for only a few dollars, but I urge you to consider that these are usually upper case sets, generally many colors (not consonant/vowel color coded), and not as durable as a set intended for classroom use.  The magnets tend not to be very strong, and they can fall off the letters all together, which makes the letter potentially unusable and poses a choking risk.

Option three is this set of 30 Large Chipboard Letters from Oriental Trading.  This set is currently on sale for $3.99 per set (regular price is $10.99) so they are a bargain, but you would want to purchase multiple sets to provide your child with the spelling options for words with repeated letters.  Also, they are white, so you (and your child) could color code them yourself with crayons, markers, or paint.  The downside of this option is that they do not come with a compartmentalized storage container for the letters, and though chipboard is pretty durable if handled carefully, if they were exposed to moisture or abused, you may find yourself needing to order additional sets in the future.

Option four is to purchase a pre-designed set of the movable alphabet like this one from Montessori Print Shop.  At only $5.99, the price is hard to beat, as is the instant gratification in receiving your purchase in an instant download PDF file.  This set includes instructions for use, 3 color combination choices, 3 letter and 4 letter small picture cards, and a word list.  The tradeoffs are that your child will not be able to feel the letter shape, and you will need to find your own method for storing the letters.  The set of letters can be printed off and laminated for durability, and the bonus of the picture cards and instructions for use makes it easy to implement them with confidence and expertise.  I have downloaded materials from Montessori Print Shop in the past and have always been satisfied.  The bonus of this kit is that if you need to replace lost or damaged letter, you just need to reprint them off your computer!

Option five, if you are crafty, is to make them yourself out of felt.  Here is a great tutorial from Indie House, and it looks like they could even be hand sewn if you don't have access to a sewing machine.  This tutorial can be modified for your needs.  They created their set in rainbow, upper case letters and attached magnets to the back, but to simplify and cut your costs even more, just choose red and blue felt (or 2 colors of your choosing), use lower case letters, and don't attach magnets.  You may want to make multiples of the letters to facilitate spelling longer words. Other fabrics could be substituted for the felt.  I love the handcrafted and 3 dimensional aspect to this project, and it brings to mind an alternate as well: you could just even just cut out the felt letters (or purchase sets, like this one) and use with a felt board or mat on the floor.  If you do choose to attach a magnet to the backs of your letters as in this tutorial, be sure your child is supervised during use to prevent choking.  Again, you will also need to decide on an organized method for storing the letters.  Here is a also good template for tracing the letters onto felt, or printing them out and coloring them yourself.

Option six, the most financially savvy option, is to print out your own set of letters using this free Montessori font from Macrhino.  They say it has always been a free font and will stay that way, so download away!  Color code and print to your heart's desire.  I would suggest printing multiple letter sets on cardstock and laminating them for durability.
You can also visit Montessori Materials, where they provide you with a FREE premade printable PDF moveable alphabet, which you can simply cut and laminate as many copies as you would like!

Hopefully I've given you some new ideas, and if you have suggestions of your own or stories about what has worked for you, I'd love to hear them!