The One with May Plans, Week 2

Hi!!!

This is our last week of specific themes until we have fun reviewing games for the end of the year! I'm so excited we made it to Z week! Here's whats going on this month and week:

Print the monthly calendar here.

Z Dot Art
Directions: print file. print file. Introduce the letter of the week: Z!  Allow child to decorate the uppercase and lowercase z. (You can use circle stickers, dot stampers, play dough pieces, or pom poms) You can read Dr Suess's ABC book and demonstrate which letter is big Z and which one is little z. Discuss that z makes the "zzzzz" sound, like in zebra and zipper!

Rectangle Shaving Cream Tracing
Directions: On a smooth, wipeable surface (like a tray, cookie sheet, or kid-safe table) spray out some shaving cream. Smooth it out into a thin layer and practice making rectangles with their fingers. This is a great and simple sensory activity for young kiddos! Even if they get off task, it's still fun manipulate the cool shaving cream in their fingers. One of my twins doesn't really like to get messy, but she will gladly play like this if I give her a paintbrush to work with.

Butterfly Coffee Filter Craft
Directions: Use markers to decorate and color coffee filters. Next, drip water onto the coffee filters to watch the colors run and flow together. It will have a tie-dye like look. (We used eye droppers, but medicine droppers, turkey basters, or small teaspoon scoops will help them dispense small amounts of water). Lay the coffee filters out to dry (or zap them in the microwave for a few seconds!). Now you can bunch the coffee filter in the middle to create wings.  Clip on a clothespin as the body of the butterfly. Bam. Cute and very toddler friendly!

 

Z Snack: Zebra Pretzel Rods
Directions: Make some fun Zebra pretzel rods! This is a simple cooking activity that toddlers can easily participate in. Purchase some pretzel rods and some of these microwavable chocolate dips. I got white chocolate and milk chocolate. (You simply microwave the chocolate in the provided plastic tubs and stir it!) My kids love to stir, so this is no problem for them! Once the white chocolate has melted, dip your pretzel rods in. Next, melt the milk chocolate and drizzle that across the white chocolate in order to look like zebra stripes. It's a tasty delicious snack for all ages!

Z is for Zebra Craft
Directions: Draw a large letter z onto a piece of blank paper. Add a fun little face so that it's recognizable as a zebra. Invite your child to glue on some little black strips of construction paper along the Z in order to make a zebra. Remind them that z is for zebra!

Yellow Suns-Stringing on the Rays
Directions: Decorate a paper plate yellow (color of the month) like a sun (theme of the month) using markers, crayons, paint, etc. Punch 8 holes around the plate and attach strings/pipe cleaners around the radius of the plate to look like sun rays. Count out the 8 (number of the month) sun rays together. Now your kiddo can lace cheerios, beads, etc on the the rays! I love keeping my kids busy with this lacing while I'm cooking dinner. I just throw a bunch of cheerios on the table and they go after it! 

Z Letter Recognition
Directions: print file. Discuss that this is the letter Z. "There are some little z's hiding on that big z! Can you find them all?" Encourage them to identify the letter z's by marking them with a dot marker, sticker, or simply circling them. They should hopefully be able to find all the Z's by the end of the week!

Figure 8 Car Racing
Directions: Fill a large zipper bag with hair gel. You know, the old school LA Looks that reminds you of the 90's? It's super cheap. Seal the bag very well! Trace the shape of a figure 8 (number of the month) into the gel through the bag. Encourage your kiddo to trace along with the finger as well. Next, give them a little matchbox car to race around the figure 8! This is a great tactile way for them explore the number 8.

(pic coming soon!)

Free Printables:
Z Dot Art
Z letter recognition