Our Play Incubator

              
No, this isn’t our play incubator.  This is our real incubator and since we can’t disturb the eggs I decided to create an incubator that the children can play with.
        
The incubator is a cupcake holder that I found at a dollar store.  The eggs are a bit too big for it but doesn’t effect the play value.
              

Each egg holds a different creature that comes from eggs.  I took photos of each one and taped them on the table for the children to match.
             
The children love opening the eggs to discover what is inside.  Is it a leftover sensation from Easter?
                         
Whatever the reason it has given them lots of opportunities to work those muscles in their hands.

Next week they will be surprised to find that inside each of the eggs there will be chicks – toy chicks.

What Comes from Eggs?

A couple of weeks ago I saw a picture on Instagram from Teach Preschool.  Debra shared this image that her assistant made of a game to match eggs to where they came from.  I thought it was a brilliant idea and made one for our centre.  Thank you Miss Abby for sharing the idea.
              
             
I found this plastic sorting box at a thrift store for $.49, just thrilled to find it when I needed it.  The toys came from a mix of bought Toob Toys and toys I already had in my centre.  The egg pictures were found on line by searching for habitats of each of the animals.  They are just taped in the bottom of each section so I can reuse the box later.
              
The homemade toy has been a playful way to learn more about creatures that come from eggs and their habitats.
                  
The children’s vocabulary has increased as they have learned more about each animal. 

They worked together to figure out which animal matched the right picture.

I Need Your Vote

I’ve entered a contest through Natural Pod to wind a $5000 natural play classroom and I need your help to win this great prize.

Please connect here and vote for my entry.
                  
                                                  Thank you

Playing With Eggs

               
 
    
  
I love simple materials.  Egg cartons, plastic eggs, tongs and lots of focus.

StoryWalk–A Tree is Nice

Yesterday when we were at the pond I set up another StoryWalk using the book “A Tree is Nice” by Janice May Udry.
             
            
I picked this book especially for Earth Day to help us celebrate trees. "Trees are beautiful. They fill up the sky. If you have a tree, you can climb up its trunk, roll in its leaves, or hang a swing from one of its limbs. Cows and babies can nap in the shade of a tree. Birds can make nests in the branches. A tree is good to have around. A tree is nice."
            
Beside the pond there is a big, open, grassy area that was perfect to spread out the walk. It meandered across bumpy grass and around the trees, offering the opportunity to see different kinds of trees.
 
The families took their time at each picture.  Giving the children time to look at the illustrations and talk about them.  Then reading the text of the story out loud before heading off to the next page.
               
A Story Walk is a relaxing activity that combines the love of book and the outdoors.  I’m already looking for our next story.

Happy Earth Day

We spent our morning at a nature park.
          
I visited the park a few days ago looking for frog eggs and brought
                           what I found back to school.
                
I learned that this mass of jelly eggs are not frog eggs but salamander. 
   
This morning we took them back to the pond to release them and look for
                                             frog eggs.
  
We walked along the shore of the pond, scanning the water, especially around
                                       the grass and reeds. 
             
All we found though were more salamander eggs.  Pretty cool but more work
then I’m ready to take on.  I’ll check out a few other ponds and hopefully find
                                             frog eggs.

Looking Forward to…

Last week we read lots of books about animals that come from eggs.  I told the families that this Tuesday, tomorrow, we will be getting eggs to hatch.  Tomorrow when the families arrive they will find incubators.

This one is to play with and learn about different creatures that come from eggs.
                
          
They can open the incubator and crack open the eggs.  After seeing what is inside each egg they can match the toy to the pictures.

And this one is a real incubator.  It is ready for our eggs which will arrive sometime Tuesday.
                 
               Twenty-one days from now we should have baby chicks.