Music

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to write a guest blog post on the "Daily Drool." (the Teetheme blog).  Because of the countless benefits to usng music as a teaching tool, I decided to write about this subject.  Even though I cannot carry a tune in a bucket, my kids and I love to sing!  All of the songs and fnger plays here at Teach Your Tot are a useful resource for getting ideas on singing and using music with your toddler! 

Check out the article here!

While you are visiting the Teetheme blog, be sure to check out their entire website including their amazing Teetheme boxes!  I'm so excited about the May boxes, because they included the Teach Your Tot decals! :-)

Mouth/Sense of Taste

Book Suggestions:
Mouth by Cynthia Klingel
The Wide Mouth Frog by Keith Faulkner
Whose Mouth is This? by Lisa Morris Kee
Taste by Maria Rius
Tasting by Kimberley Jane Pryor
Taste by Maria Hidalgo
Baby Senses: Taste by Silver Dolphin
Look, Listen, Taste, Touch, Smell: Learning about your Five Senses by Pamela Hill Nettleton
Taste by Patricia J. Murphy

Activities:

Face:
Materials: construction paper, glue, scissors

Description: Prior to doing this activity cut out a large circle (face), two small squares (eyes), one small oval (nose), one small rectangle (mouth), and two small triangles (ears). Show each piece to your toddler and have them name each shape. Help your toddler glue all the shapes together to create a face. When the face is complete have your toddler name each part of the face and tell you what it does. (Example: eyes see)

Skills Targeted: teach your tot shape recognition, teach your tot sensory development, teach your tot body part recognition, teach your tot language development

Taste different foods:

Materials: a variety of foods (include foods that are sweet, salty, sour etc)

Description: Provide a variety of different foods on a plate for your toddler. See if your toddler can name the foods. Talk about what part of the body they will use to taste these foods. Have your toddler taste each different food and talk about how it tastes. Is it salty, sweet, or sour? Ask your toddler if they like it or not.

Enrichment: Draw two columns on a piece of paper. Write like and dislike on the top of each column. Once your toddler tastes each food, ask them if they like it or not. Draw a picture of each piece of food in the like or dislike column and label each food. When they are finished tasting all the foods, use the chart to review what foods your toddler liked and did not like.

Skills Targeted: teach your tot sensory development, teach your tot to understand simple charts, teach your tot decision making skills, teach your tot language development, teach your tot about their sense of taste

Look in the Mirror:

Description: Take your toddler to a mirror and talk about different parts of their body that they see. Ask your toddler to find their mouth (eyes, ear, nose etc). Next ask your toddler to find the part of their body that they use to taste food (see, hear, smell etc).

Skills targeted: teach your tot sensory development, teach your tot body part recognition, teach your tot language development

Toothy Smile:

Materials: construction paper, glue, scissors, marker

Description: Draw or cut a large mouth and at least 10 smaller squares from white paper (teeth). Show it to your toddler and ask them where their mouth is. Glue the mouth to a piece of construction paper and have your toddler tell you where their teeth are. Ask your toddler what their teeth are used for. Have your toddler glue the small squares into the mouth. When the glue dries count the teeth with your toddler. Write the numbers 1-10 (or 20 depending on how many teeth you made) on each tooth. Hang this mouth somewhere that your toddler can see it throughout the week and refer to it often to practice counting.

Skills Targeted: teach your tot to count, teach your tot number recognition, teach your tot body part recognition, teach your tot motor skill development

My Senses Song:

Materials: draw or print pictures of eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and hands, popsicle sticks, glue

Description: Show each picture to your toddler and have them tell you what it is. Have your toddler find each body part on their body and tell you what each part does. Help your toddler glue each picture onto a Popsicle stick. When the glue dries use the pictures to sing the song My Senses found below in Songs and Finger plays. Your little one can hold up each different body part as you both sing about it.

Skills Targeted: teach your tot body part recognition, teach your tot language development, teach your tot sensory development

Different Textures:

Materials: a variety of different textured foods

Description: Not only can your mouth distinguish different tastes but it can also help tell the different textures of foods. Some foods are soft, hard , mushy, chewy etc. Provide a variety of foods for your toddler to taste. Have your child feel each different food with their hands and ask them how each ones feels. Now have your child taste each one ask them how it feels in their mouth. Is it crunchy or mushy? Does it feel the same in their mouth as it does in their hands? Talk to your toddler about chewing their foods. What foods to you have to chew more? (Hard ones) less? (Soft, mushy ones).

Skills Targeted: teach your tot sensory development, teach your tot language development, teach your tot to compare and contrast textures

Favorite Foods:

Description: Everyone has different favorite foods. Talk to your toddler about their favorite foods. Why do they like them? How do they taste? Have your toddler pick their favorite food and help you cook it. As you make the food, talk to your toddler about all the ingredients that go into making their special food. They may appreciate it even more after having to make it themselves. You and your toddler can have a special "favorite food party" and eat together. When you are both finished eating see if your toddler can draw or color a picture of their favorite food.

Skills Targeted: teach your tot language development, teach your tot life skills, teach your tot motor skill development, teach your tot decision making skills

Lip Prints:

Materials: lipstick, paper

Description: Show your toddler a picture of a mouth or have them take a look at their own mouth in a mirror. See if your toddler can find their tongue, teeth and lips. Your toddler can make fun lip prints by applying a small amount of your lipstick and pressing their lips onto a piece of paper. You could also do this and talk with your toddler about whose lips are bigger and whose are smaller. Be sure that you help your toddler put on the lipstick and be sure that they do not eat any!

Skills Targeted: teach your tot body part recognition, teach your tot creativity, teach your tot to compare and contrast sizes, teach your tot language development, teach your tot motor skill development

Happy/Sad Mouth:

Materials: felt, scissors, glue

Description: From felt, cut out a face, two eyes, a nose and two mouth (one happy and one sad). Glue the eyes and nose onto the face but do not glue the mouths on. You could also have your toddler do this part if they are a little older. Explain to your toddler that sometimes your mouth can tell other whether you are happy or sad. Show your toddler the happy smile and the sad frown. See if your toddler can make a happy face and a sad face. Make up or read a story to your toddler where the main character is happy and sad. As the character's feelings change, change the mouth from a smile or a frown or vise versa. Hang the face somewhere for you and your toddler to refer to it all week. As your toddler's feelings change throughout the week, change the mouth on the felt face as well. Always take the time to talk to your toddler about why the mouth changed on the felt face. You and your toddler can also practice making happy and sad faces.

Skills Targeted: teach your tot to understand feelings, teach your tot body part recognition, teach your tot language development, teach your tot to develop life skills

Songs and Finger plays:

My senses:
Sung to the tune of Mary Had a Little Lamb

I use my ears to hear,
ears to hear,
ears to hear.
I use my ears to hear many different sounds.

I use my mouth to taste,
mouth to taste,
mouth to taste.
I use my mouth to taste many different foods.

I use my nose to smell,
nose to smell,
nose to smell.
I use my nose to smell many different smells.

I use eyes to see,
eyes to see,
eyes to see.
I use my eyes to see many different sights.

I use my hands to touch,
hands to touch,
hands to touch.
I use my hands to touch many different things.

My Mouth:
sung to the tune of We Wish You A Merry Christmas

I have one mouth on my face
I have one mouth on my face
I have one mouth on my face
My mouth helps me taste

I have one tongue in my mouth
I have one tongue in my mouth
I have one tongue in my mouth
My tongue helps me lick

I have many teeth in my mouth
I have many teeth in my mouth
I have many teeth in my mouth
My teeth help me chew

I have two lips on my mouth
I have two lips on my mouth
I have two lips on my mouth
My lips help me talk

Mouth, Mouth, Mouth:
sung to the tune of Jingle Bells

Mouth, mouth, mouth
Mouth, mouth, mouth
I have one mouth.
It helps me taste
It helps me chew
I love mouths, don't you.

Mouth, mouth, mouth
Mouth, mouth, mouth
My mouth is cool.
It has a tongue
Teeth, and lips
and with it I can sip.

Online Fun:

Check out these videos at www.SesameStreet.org

Everybody Eats

Making a Face

One Fine Face

Recipe and Snack ideas:

Since we are learning about our mouth and sense of taste this week, simply try different foods with your little one. Talk with your toddler about how the food taste, if they like it or not, and how it feels in their mouth.

Its A...

BOY

We found out yesterday that baby #4 will be a boy, evening out the score! ;-)  I thought it was a girl the entire time until I saw the baby's face on the ultrasound!  It looked just like my son.  It was the first time I thought it could be a boy!   Now to decide on a name!  I would love to hear any suggestions!  We have the hardest time with names!

I just wanted to share our good news!

Paint

Book Suggestions:
I Ain't Gonna Paint No More by Karen Beaumont
Paint Job (Handy Manny Series) by Marcy Kelman
Paint by Two Can Publishing LTD
Mouse Paint by Ellen Stoll Walsh
Spot's Busy Day:  Paint with Water by Eric Hill

Activities:
Mix Paints:
Materials:  red, blue, and yellow paint, paint brushes, paper
Description:  Your toddler can practice mixing paints together to make new colors.  Help them mix red and blue paint to make purple, blue and yellow paint to make green, and red and yellow paint to make orange.
Skills Targeted:  teach your tot motor skill development, teach your tot sensory development, teach your tot creativity, teach your tot to appreciate art, teach your tot color recognition, teach your tot to mix colors to make new colors

Body Paint: Materials:  finger-paints, paper
Description:  Finger-paints don't have to be just for little fingers.  Encourage your toddler to paint with different parts of their body.  Their fingers, toes, elbows, knees, and heels are just a few fun ways to paint!  As your toddler paints with each different body part, talk about what part of the body they are using.  Also talk about each different color paint as they use it!
Skills Targeted:  teach your tot color recognition, teach your tot body part recognition, teach your tot motor skill development, teach your tot sensory development, teach your tot language development

Splatter Paint:
Materials:  paint, paintbrushes, paper
Description:  Your toddler will have fun painting in this untraditional way!  It is probably best to do this activity outside incase paint ends up on other places instead of your little one's paper.  Have your toddler dip their paintbrush into paint but instead of painting with the brush, teach your little one how to splatter the paint onto their paper by shaking the paintbrush.  Talk about the different colors as they use them.
Skills Targeted:  teach your tot color recognition, teach your tot motor skill development, teach your tot creativity

Different Art Tools:
Materials:  cotton balls, sponges, spoons, napkins, fabric, pipe cleaners etc, paper, paint
Description:  Provide a variety of different art supplies for your toddler to paint with.  They can take turns using all of the above craft items (or other household items that you think of) to paint with.  Talk about how each different item makes the paint look different on their paper.  Encourage your toddler to tell you what colors they are using also.
Skills Targeted: teach your tot motor skill development, teach your tot creativity, teach your tot color recognition, teach your tot sensory development

Straw Art:

Materials:  paint, straw, paper, shoe box (optional)
Description:  Cut a piece of paper to fit into a shoe box (this will just prevent the paint from getting anywhere besides your toddler's paper).  Pour a few drops of paint onto the paper in the shoebox and give your toddler a straw.  Teach your little one how to blow through the straw to get the paint to move around.  Encourage your toddler to blow the paint all over their paper creating a pretty picture!
Skills Targeted:  teach your tot motor skill development, teach your tot sensory development, teach your tot language development, teach your tot color recognition, teach your tot creativity

Paint with balls:

Materials:  shoe box, paper, paint, balls (golf balls work best)
Description:  cut a piece of paper to fit into a shoe box.  Pour several drops of paint onto the paper in the box.  Place a ball into the box and show your toddler how to move the box all around.  The ball will roll around the box, spreading the paint all over the paper.  Continue to add drops of different color paint as your toddler keeps moving the ball around in the box.  Talk about each color as you add it to the box.
Skills Targeted:   teach your tot color recognition, teach your tot motor skill development

Free Paint: Materials:  paper, paint, paintbrushes
Description:  Provide paint, paper and paintbrushes for your toddler and encourage them to paint a picture.  Give your little one some time to get creative.  When they are finished painting give your toddler prompts to tell you about their picture.  Ask our toddler to tell you about their picture.  If they give you limited information, ask them to tell you more or point to a certain part of their picture and ask them to tell you just about that part.  It is fun to see your child's imagination come to life through their art!
Skills Targeted:  teach your tot creativity and to use their imagination, teach your tot language development, teach your tot motor skill development

Paint Nature:

Materials:  rocks, sticks, leaves etc, paint, paintbrushes
Description:  Take your toddler on a nature walk outside.  Talk about all the different things and colors that they see.  As your walk, have your toddler collect some items from nature that they would like to paint.  (Rock, large leave and sticks would work well).  Have your toddler use their paints and paintbrushes to decorate their items from nature.  Let them dry and use them as paper weights or decorations around your house!
Skills Targeted: teach your tot language development, teach your tot motor skill development, teach your tot to appreciate nature, teach your tot color recognition

Paint with Water: Materials:  bucket,water, paintbrush
Description:  You and your toddler can paint your house, the sidewalk, a tree, your deck etc. using water and a paintbrush.  Simply fill a bucket with water, give your toddler a paintbrush and let them have fun painting with it.
Skills Targeted:  teach your tot motor skill development, teach your tot sensory development, teach your tot creativity

Paint Colors: Materials:  different color paint, paper, paintbrush
Description:  Sing the song Paint Colors (found below in songs and finger plays) with your toddler.  As you sing about each different color, have your toddler find and paint with that color!
Skills Targeted:  teach your tot color recognition, teach your tot to associate colors with their names, teach your tot motor skill development, teach your tot sensory development, teach your tot listening skills

Paint P:

Materials:  paint, paintbrush, paper
Description:  Since we are learning about paint this week, take some time throughout the week to review letter P.  Discuss what sound you here at the beginning of the word paint.  Show your toddler letter P. Have them practice writing and painting letter p’s throughout the week.
Skills Targeted:  teach your tot letter recognition, teach your tot beginning sound recognition, teach your tot pre-reading skills, teach your tot letter sound recognition, teach your tot motor skill development, teach your tot to write letters

Paint with shaving cream:

Materials:  shaving cream, paintbrushes, cups
Description:  This activity works best and makes less mess if you do it in the bathtub while your little one is taking a bath one day this week.   Squirt some shaving cream in a cup and give your toddler a paintbrush.  Encourage them to paint the sides and walls of the tub with the shaving cream.  This would be a great way to practice painting letter P also!
Skills Targeted:  teach your tot to be creative, teach your tot motor skill development, teach your tot to play

Songs and Finger plays:

Paint Paint Paint:
Sung to the tune of Jingle Bells

Paint paint paint
Paint paint paint
I love to paint
I use colors
red and blue
orange and green too.

Paint paint paint
Paint paint paint
Painting is so fun.
I paint trees,
birds and clouds
I can even paint the sun.

Paint Colors:
Sung to the tune of Mary Had a Little Lamb

I can paint with red paint
with red paint, with red paint
I can paint with red paint
R-E-D

I can paint with blue paint
with blue paint, with blue paint
I can paint with blue paint
B-L-U-E

I can paint with purple paint
with purple paint, with purple paint
I can paint with purple paint
P-U-R-P-L-E

continue this song using all the different colors!

Online Fun:

Videos:
Visit www.sesamestreet.org to view fun videos about painting and more.

Motion Painting

P is for Painting

A Boy Paints at an Easel

Snack Ideas and Recipes:

Paint with Icing:

Description:  You and your toddler can make cookies together, or simply use store bought cookies.  Provide some icing for your toddler (You could add a little milk to it to make it thinner).  Your toddler could also add food coloring to the icing if they wanted it a different color.  Encourage your toddler to paint their cookies using the icing.
Skills Targeted:  teach your tot motor skill development, teach your tot color recognition, teach your tot to be creative

Paint with food:

Description:  Provide a variety of foods for your toddler to paint with.  Strawberries, blueberries, jelly, etc.  Give your little one a piece of paper and encourage them to use their foods to make colors on their paper.
Skills Targeted:  teach your tot color recognition, teach your tot to be creative, teach your tot to recognize food

Inch by Inch by Leo Lionni

National Children's Book Week:  Book 5

Inch by Inch by Leo Lionni

Activity:  Measure

Materials:  a ruler, or create your own ruler using inch worms (I used Word Clip Art to create the one below. Simply insert the picture of the inch word into a new document, and copy and paste it across the paper.  Print and cut it out)

Description:  Have your toddler count the worms on the ruler or the number on a real ruler.

Help your toddler use the ruler to see how long items around your house are.  They can count the worms.  This pencil is 4 1/2 worms long. 

This book is 5 worms long!

Skills Targeted:  teach your tot to measure, teach your tot to retell a story, teach your tot to recall details from a story, teach your to math skills

Teetheme Winner!

We have a winner for the Teetheme giveaway!  Congratulations Sara Morrow, and thank you to everyone who entered!  Thanks again to Teetheme also! 
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Teetheme giveaway still open below!!