B is for Banana

• Examine a banana
  1. What does it look like?
  2. What does it smell like?
  3. What does it feel like?
  4. What does it TASTE like?!

 

• Make a Banana ‘B’ … I wasn’t planning on this, but we ended up making a ‘B’ out of our bananas!

• Read “Pete the Cat and the Bad Banana” by James Dean … we love Pete the Cat books here. In this book, Pete loves bananas, until he eats a bad banana one day. It takes some time to realize he really loves bananas again Book available here.

• Do ‘B’ journal page
  1. Write ‘Bb’ on the next blank page
  2. Write “BANANA” on the page.
  3. Practice writing big B’s and little b’s.
  4. Add banana stickers to the page. I used some that I found at JoAnn. There are some fun scratch-n-sniff banana stickers here.

• Use Bananagrams to Read, Build, Write … Bananagrams available here.
  1. Print these ‘Read, Build, Write’ cards here. Laminate the cards. I use this laminator at home. 
  2. I wrote a word and drew a simple picture so my 4-year-old could “read” the word.
  3. Use the Bananagrams to “build” the word.
  4. TIP: You could also use Scrabble tiles or ABC magnets or simply print the letters out and cut them apart.
  5. Let your preschooler practice writing the word.

• Read “Banana!” by Ed Vere … this book is uses only two words. Banana and please It’s a fun picture book about two monkeys learning to share one banana. Simple and cute. Available here.

 

• Banana chip counting … great counting and one-to-one practice
  1. Print this banana counting page here.
  2. We used these transparent counting chips and they worked great. I was going to use these banana candies, but I just didn’t order them in time.
  3. Roll a die and count the dots.
  4. Cover that number of bananas with counting chips (or banana candies).
  5. TIP: My 2-year-old loved just covering each banana with a bingo chip. That works too

• Slice a banana & make a snack
  1. Help your preschooler peel and slice a banana. A simple butter knife or plastic knife works well.
  2. Place banana slices in the bottom of a dessert cup.
  3. Mix a small package of banana-flavored instant pudding.
  4. Pour over the bananas.
  5. Refrigerate 5-10 minutes.
  6. Top with freshly whipped cream and mini Nilla wafers.

B is for Bears

 

• Turn into a Bear! … we used a little Halloween makeup to turn into Bears for the day
  1. Use black Halloween makeup to make a black nose and line down to the mouth.
  2. Cut out a pair of brown ears (we used cardboard). Color the inside a darker brown.
  3. Tape to a headband.

• Read “Bare Bear” by Miriam Moss … a cute rhyming book about a bear whose clothes are blown from the clothesline. He goes searching for them and meets several fairy tale characters along the way. Book available here.

• Read “Found” by Salina Yoon … I wasn’t planning on reading this book, but my 4-year-old noticed the bear on the front and asked to read it. Turns out this book is really cute. Available here.

• Do ‘B’ journal page
  1. Write ‘Bb’ on the next blank page.
  2. Write “BEAR” on the page … I show my 4-year-old the word “bear” on the cover of one of our books and she copies the letters.
  3. Draw a bear!
  4. Add bear stickers. We used bear paw stickers that I found at Michaels.

Gummy Bear Song (To the tune: Five Little Ducks) Down at the candy shop, what did I see? Five little gummy bears looking at me. Along came (child’s name) with a penny one day. She bought the (color) one and took it away. Down at the candy shop, what did I see? Four little gummy bears looking at me … (repeat until all the gummy bears are gone!)

• Gummy Bear Song & Game
  1. Pick out several gummy bears … all different colors.
  2. Give your preschooler the same number of pennies.
  3. Sing the song (above) and have your preschooler choose a gummy bear and “pay for it” with one penny.

 

• Gummy Bear Color Sorting
  1. Print this free ‘B’ colors sorting page here.
  2. Give your preschooler a small bowl of gummy bears.
  3. Help them sort their gummy bears onto the matching colored ‘B’
  4. Ask questions:
     • Which color has the most gummy bears?
     • Which color has the least gummy bears?
     • How many gummy bears are on the blue B?
     • Which color is your favorite?

 

• Make Circle Bears … detailed instructions on last year’s post here.
  1. PREP: Cut out all of the circles needed ahead of time. I traced around a plate, small bowl, cup and small lid to get my circles.
  2. My 4-year-old asked to help cut the circles out! She did a great job!
  3. Use a glue stick to make your circle bear.
  4. Use words like large, medium, small, dark brown, light brown as you work together!
  5. Write a large B on the tummy.
  6. The pictures show the difference between my 2-year-old and my 4-year-old. I love them both!

• Make a Bear Snack … it’s always easier to make snacks myself, BUT the kids love to help and it’s great practice for them! If I’m feeling patient and we’re not in a hurry, I try to let them help out.
  1. Spread a piece of bread with Nutella or peanut butter.
  2. Slice a banana. Use them for the eyes, muzzle, and ears.
  3. Add a raisin (we used chocolate-covered raisins) for the eyes.

B is for Butterfly

• Read “Butterfly Butterfly: A Book of Colors” by Petr Horacek … we love this book. The illustrations are bright and fun. Our favorite part is the pop-out butterfly on the last page. Available here.

• Read “Butterfly Park” by Elly MacKay …
1. This author/illustrator is one of my new favorites. Her illustrations are unique and beautiful.
2. In this story, a girl moves to a new house right next to a park called “Butterfly Park”.  There are no butterflies until the girl, a few neighbors and a few flowers welcome the butterflies. Book available here.

• Do ‘B’ journal page
  1. Write ‘Bb’ on the next open journal page.
  2. Write (or have your preschooler write) ‘Butterfly’. We find the word on one of our books and my 4-year-old copies the letters.
  3. Practice writing ‘B’ and ‘b’.
  4. Add butterfly stickers to the page. Several available here.
  5. Or draw the left half of a simple butterfly. Have your preschooler practice writing ‘Bs’ by making the wings for the right half. I tell my preschooler “Down. Bump. Bump.”

• Butterfly Colors Song & Game … we have to do this one every year. My kids all love this song and game. We played this over and over.

  

1. PREP:
   • Print this butterfly page on red, orange, yellow, green, purple and pink paper.
   • Laminate and cut out each butterfly. I use this laminator and absolutely love it.
2. Watch the “Butterfly Colors” video (above) and enjoy the song.
3. Watch the song again. This time, have the kids choose the color that matches the butterfly in the song and stick it to the wall (I have pieces of tape rolled up ready to go.)
4. We played it a 2nd time and moved the butterflies from the wall to the back door. Then a 3rd time from the back door to the TV stand. They loved it because they had to run back and forth grabbing the right colors. Got a little energy out

• Butterfly Coloring Page
  1. Print your favorite butterfly coloring page. We used this one.
  2. Color!
  3. Or get fancy and use glitter or sparkly pens.

 

• Read “Are You a Butterfly?” by Judy Allen & Tudor Humphries … a more detailed explanation of the butterfly cycle but still very simple to read. Available here.
• Read “Butterfly Garden” by Margaret McNamara … read along with a class learning the life cycle of a butterfly. Simple and cute. Available here.

• Play Butterfly Life Cycle Game … this is a colorful and simple animation about the life cycle of a butterfly.
  1. Click here to go to play “Butterfly Life Cycle” hosted by TurtleDiary.com
  2. The life cycle animation is about 1½ minutes long. There are two simple games following.
  3. TIP: The first game is a little challenging for a preschooler, but is still a great teaching tool!

     Ask, which word has only 3 letters? Which word starts with a ‘C’ and ends with an ‘R’? Which word starts with the /C/ sound? What do you think this last word says? (The last word is right next to the picture of the butterfly.)

  4. I love the last game. The pictures are simple and it’s a great sequencing activity for the kids.

• Life Cycle Game
  1. Print these simple, adorable and FREE butterfly life cycle cards from TheMailbox.com. I did have to register with my email to be able to print.
  2. Color & cut apart.
  3. TIP: I colored one set ahead of time to play with. Then gave my preschooler her own set to color after we played the game.
  4. Sequence activity: Have the kids put the life cycle cards in order.
  5. Game: Have the kids cover their eyes. Remove one of the cards and see if the kids can guess which card is missing! Repeat.

 

• Butterfly Hat
  1. Cut a piece of colorful cardstock into half (lengthwise) and tape together.
  2. Glue the newly colored life cycle cards in order to the paper headband.
  3. Curl two pipe cleaners and tape to the headband for butterfly antennae.
  4. Fit the headband to your preschooler’s head and tape.
  5. TIP: Add a pair of dollar store wings and have fun flying around like a butterfly.

• Butterfly Snacks
  1. Grab your favorite snack (skittles, M&Ms, even a snack-sized baggie filled with grapes or crackers
  2. Clip a clothespin in the middle of the package to make the body and butterfly wings.
  3. Bend a pipe cleaner in half and clip inside the clothespin (I added a little hot glue)
  4. Add googly eyes. I love hot glue because it’s strong and quick.
  5. Have your preschooler color the clothespin with crayons or markers.