Ocean Matching Game

I'm slowly introducing games to the little one and this is one that I had created a few years ago.

I had gathered items from my ocean bin and took pictures of each of item.

The idea is that she picks one toy and tries to find the picture that is the same.

This was her first time seeing these toys so she spent some time looking at each.

She especially liked the shark and was intrigued with it's wide open mouth.

She stuck her finger in it a few times and mimicked it.

She even cuddled it while saying mom.

She quickly picked up on the matching idea and would challenge me by placing a wrong toy on a picture and say 'same' in a questioning tone.

As she pulled more and more toys out she now began to look closer at the pictures.

Her second favourite is the clown fish.

The game ended when she went away to cuddle the shark.

We did play it again when mom and dad came home.

She surprised me by signing 'different' accurately.

What kind of games do you play with toddlers?

Discovering an Ocean

During the Canada Day long weekend our daughter, son in-law and grand daughter came home for a visit.

It was the first time we could take Our Little One to the beach. 

Not just a sandy beach but an ocean beach where we find crabs, fish, barnacles and more.

We found little crabs, hiding under rocks, as soon as we got closer to the water's edge.

Then we found the waves and the sandy shore.

These little waves were a challenge for her little legs.

Good thing she had help from mom and dad.

Time to explore the shore.

The sand is so much fun to grab with little fingers and transfer to the bucket.

And fun to splash it all off.

Dad found a little fish as he was combing the edge of the surf.

Opa found our Little One as she was running across the sand.

Back at the Little One's home I created an ocean discovery bin for her.

I started with real and toy shells, fish, snails, crabs and more.

I covered those with strips of blue and green, thin vinyl tablecloth.

I stuck in these little plastic trees, that look a bit like floating seaweed, and more shells, fish and shiny flat pebbles.

Time to explore.

Her favourite was the shiny flat pebbles.

The bin is fun but nothing compared to the real live ocean and tide pools.

Fingerpainting the Ocean

I had some blue jello in the fridge that has been there for a long time

so we made it into fingerpaint.

At first the children wanted to use the spoon to spread the jello around,

I realized then that I haven't been offering enough art sensory activities

that just require their hands.

I removed the bowl and spoon and modeled using my fingers

and that seemed to give them the nudge they needed

to do it too.

Loved seeing them get their whole hand into the action.

I had added white glue to the jello so the children could add paper fish

and shaped sequins to their pictures.

Under the Ocean

Our corner has been turned into a little piece of the ocean.

What makes it special is a light that makes it look like we are under the water.

It looks even better with our classroom lights off.