Chunky Block Nativity Set

Here is an inexpensive gift for a child in your life.  Takes a little bit of elbow grease but is well worth the effort.  I can see these in my classroom and in my home for many years to come.

Nativity set made from a 4x6 scrap and old paint we had in the garage.   I cut, sanded, painted, sanded again (for the aged look), and then Mod Podged the graphic to the front of each block.

Mary, Joseph, Jesus (sprayed this block with gold before sanding the second time), the angel and star.

Caesar Augustus, Innkeeper, Wise Men and camel.

Shepherd man and boy, sheep, donkey and cow. 

I love how it's a very complete set.

I got the graphics from Prepared Not Scared.   They worked well and her script of the nativity play will go great while telling the story initially to my kids.  I'll laminate it as well so the kids can use it when they are playing with the set. 

Fall Project Update

After saving peanut butter jars for a year, I had enough to make alphabet jars!

Inside hold little things that start with that letter. The kids love to explore them and we try to guess the letter without looking at the top.  There are all sorts of things to do with these.

Here is the back-to-school sensory bin.

Back-to-school bulletin board

Fall bulletin board

Apple sensory bin.

Jamaican Mission Trip

It's been a week since we have returned from Jamaica and I still haven't processed it all.   I laugh.  I cry.  I long to go back to help.  I saw Jesus daily, which reminds me to keep my eyes wide open here.  It's hard to find the words to explain what took place while we were there.  The best way to find out is to go.  Go on a foreign mission trip.  I know there are plenty of needs here in the US, and we should be working every day where we are to help those around us, but to take yourself out of your comfort zone and be planted in a place where things are most definitely different will broaden your faith.  I encourage you to pray about a future distributed journey. 

Making Things for the Preschool Classroom

The minute school gets out I have a list of a dozen things I want to make for my classroom for next year.  Here are a few I have finished.

I love the Montessori Color Tablets because they have so many uses.  I've made my set with paint chips, trimmed and glued back to back so the same color is on both sides.  They will get laminated before use.  My students will start out practicing their visual discrimination, trying to put them in order, and learning what light and dark colors are.  They will be useful when teaching primary and secondary colors.

I got the idea for these craft stick barnyard animals from Make and Takes.  I'll use them in my barnyard sensory box.  Sensory boxes are another new thing I am doing this year.  I had a few very basic ones last year and the kids adored them.  I've been collecting things like mad to have one or two each month. 

Lots more to come.... 

On a side note, the spell check in Blogger isn't working.  Anyone else use Blogger and have this problem and know how to fix it?

Emma's First 5K

Emma ran her first 5K while we werer in MN with a time of 31:45!  Nice job girl!  I coached her the entire way and when asked if she would run with me again she quickly said, no.  LOL.  She'll always remember how hard she ran her first race :)

 

These ladies ran the kids race and did a fantastic job!