How To Social Distance Without Giving Up WONDER
Social distancing is just wrong in early childhood. You know it. I know it. But what if you are mandated to do it? Recently, I was on a Zoom call, and an educator told us about her colleagues who had made taped squares in their rooms. In those squares they put a chair...
A Wonder-Filled School in the Philippines
In July 2019, I had the incredible honor of presenting a seminar in Manila. Mia Villavicencio, who is in my Wonder Tribe membership, was there and invited me to visit her center. It was such an honor and treat. Here is a peek into her amazing center! To enter this...
Toddler Tales ~ A Dinosaur Provocation
My little one is really into dinosaurs. I attribute this to his older brother's obsession spilling over onto him, nonetheless, we play with dinosaurs A LOT in my house. One day I decided to put a little dinosaur provocation on the light table and see what he would do...
DIY Blocks! So Easy!
When I made the move up in grades from PreK to First grade, I was a little taken aback that blocks would not be an item that was provided by the district I worked for at the time. I cannot use the word shocked as that would be exaggerating, but I was definitely...
GUEST POST: The Life & Times of a Beloved Doll
In a small village in the north of France (not far from the ocean), lives a little girl in a big buttercream house. She has blue eyes, pink cheeks & long blonde braids. Every day she dances & sings as she plays happily in the garden. When it is cold or wet,...
The Human Game Board
The human game board is so simple - yet so fun! A game pathway is created with laminated sheets of construction paper. I made "stones" that are leading to the Red Goblets. The beautiful thing is that the path can be set up anywhere in any configuration. We use a large...
Chinese Painted Fans & Dancing
You are currently reading our archived blog. While these older posts may not reflect our current vision and direction, we encourage you to visit our new website at wunderled.com to explore our latest, updated content. There, you'll find a wealth of valuable articles,...
Building the “Great Wall” of China
Building the Great Wall of China with brown bags is a great collaborative project. Today the class worked together to create a wall as long as they could. It required placing the bags side by side. The children had to make decisions about which directions the wall...
The Story Table
The Story Table is a vital part of my classroom. It is a miniature world of nature complete with animals. STEP ONE: The Base - I like to use a strong base so children can push on it and it will not collapse. This is a shelf laid flat. STEP TWO: Cover the shelf or...
Make a 3-D Game Board!
This is another idea I shared in my Summer Institute. It is one of my favorite math activities - a hand-built 3-D game board. The best part - the children get to construct it. Base - a shoe/boot tray. This one is from Target and is copper. I have used cheap black...
DIY Sand Blocks
It is super simple to make your own sand blocks - and on the cheap! These are wonderful for a Music center. You can do group music as you can make a class set for under $25. Woo hoo! What you will need: 60 coarse grit sand paper wood blocks (wood craft section of...
Dramatic Play: It's Brain Smart!
Dramatic Play is not only a source of wonder and magic -- it is good for cognitive development! Pretend play requires the ability to transform objects and actions symbolically; for example, pretending to be mommy or a doctor; pretending a bowl of nuts and leaves is...
Storytelling in Blocks
Oh my word! I was so excited to discover a lost thumb drive with photos from my classroom in 2007-2008. I thought I had lost all of my photos when my first laptop crashed. My daughter found a random thumb drive and . . . well . . . a treasure trove of photos! One...
My Favorite Things: Playstands
I cannot imagine my classroom without playstands. These simple structures are truly the heart beat of my room. I house my housekeeping center under these canopies. There is this natural impulse in children to seek hidden, tent-like places. The playstands satisfy...
My Favorite Things: AlphaBeat
My Favorite Things: What I feel every Early Childhood Teacher should have in their bag of tricks! Here is my first recommendation: If there was one CD I would recommend for movement with young children - it would be this one. I first found this CD in my public...
Waldof: Table Puppets
Waldorf table puppets have to be one of the most powerful things I have ever taken into my teaching practice. They are simple standing puppets. People make them in a variety of ways and materials. This table puppet is a part of a late spring Nature Table. She is...
Waldorf: Marionettes
There is nothing so magical as the art of the marionette - Waldorf style! These etheric creatures are made of hand dyed silks and lovingly sewn into special characters. For the newbie to Waldorf education - the lack of facial features can seem odd. But wait and...
5 Great “Where the Wild Things Are” Ideas
Who doesn't just love "Where the Wild Things Are"? This is a wonderful book to bring a good dose of art. Just watch the story come alive in your classroom. . . IDEA #1: Wild Things Cardboard Tube Puppets For more information go to: Funderberg IDEA #2: Have a Wild...
5 Great Puppets to Make
PUPPET #1: Paper/Cloth Rod Puppets These are wonderful for retelling fairy tales. For more details go to: We Bloom Here PUPPET #2: Popsicle Paper Puppets This is one of my favorite ways to make puppets - let the children draw them! They always turn out so adorable...
Getting Your Groove On! Dance!
Dancing is one of my most powerful weapons against the lack of recess. We dance and everything works better. Yesterday I shared my "Dance Off" technique. Today I want to share my "Dance Circle." Dance Circle Instructions Gather everyone onto the carpet standing on the...
Dance Breaking! Move it!
One of my favorite movement tricks is what I call "Dance Off." At some point during the day - during table work, maybe centers, walking down the hall - who knows when this special moment will come. . . . We break into dance! Yup! I turn off the light and say "Dance...
Cheap Imaginative Play Ideas!
You are currently reading our archived blog. While these older posts may not reflect our current vision and direction, we encourage you to visit our new website at wunderled.com to explore our latest, updated content. There, you'll find a wealth of valuable articles,...
A Simple Puppet Show
This is such a simple process that produces the most endearing results! I had each color family (groups of four children) write their own story. 1. The first round I let each group write and collaborate on their own a story. Each group picked someone to record...
The “Living” Dollhouse. . .
So dang sweet, it is! It could be called a large fairy garden but I love calling it the "Living" dollhouse because I put dollhouse dolls and furniture in it. Here's how I did it: I used a large box that I cut down to just 6 inches tall. I lined it with a plastic...
A Fun Dr. Seuss Idea
Okay, so I am a day late and dollar short but here is a fun thing I did for my students: Using a science fair tri-fold, I painted the cat and the hat on it and cut out face holes. So much fun! I drew it free hand but you could use a projector or even your smartboard...
Fabric in Blocks = Magic
I adore block play! One of the most amazing things to provide block play is fabric! Here is a student who made a "puppet" theater with the fabric and told a story --- "The Three Giraffes and the Monkey." It was the story of the three bears retold with giraffes and...
The Noodle Shop
I loved the felt noodle idea so much! I put out pieces of felt and let the children cut noodles. They loved it! Noodle Shop is open!
Preparing for Chinese New Years
This last week my classroom has been a buzz preparing for Chinese New Years. Here's a peek into our preparations: Each color family designed a Dancing Dragon. Colors and designs were recorded. We built the head of Dancing Dragon out of cardboard boxes. Painted it...
Chinese New Year Ideas for the Kindergarten
Next week I start my two week unit on the Chinese New Years (officially on January 23). I have been planning and thinking about what I want to do this year. Here are a few ideas I found on the web from fellow bloggers. Do you have any good ideas? Let me know! I...
Ooo yummy felt foods!
I absolutely adore making my housekeeping a yummy place to play! Loading it with real props and avoiding plastic toys are my starting point. I try to keep those ugly plastic food sets out of my housekeeping center. It is so much more fun to make our own food out of...
Block Play: Wrap it up!
My wonderful intern, Katie, created the best little activity during centers last week. She pulled out the blocks, a couple rolls of wrapping paper, scissors and tape. Bam! A great center for fine motor skills! How many of you are wrapping present challenged? It...
Pine Cone Elves
I saw this idea all over Pinterest and had to give it a try with my kinders! What you will need: assorted pine cones (mine came from a friend's yard) popsicle sticks wooden beads for head little red caps (I found mine at Hobby Lobby) pipe cleaners cut into fourths...
Bread Dough Gingerbread
Sometimes I will adapt the traditional bread dough ornament recipe by adding brown food dye (Wilton brand makes it nice and dark.) This gives the dough a "gingerbread look" for making gingerbread men and more. I feel it is important to bring a direct experience from...
Elf Hats
Oh what fun! With the Elf on the Shelf rage - we had to make Elf hats! I printed the ears on construction paper and the children cut them out. On a 12 x 18 sheet of construction paper, the children made a pattern. Next, they folded the corners. The hat is made by...
Got That Thanksgiving Feeling. . .
We have been busy bees in the kindergarten making all kinds of wonderful stuff. Here are a few of the things in process. I will post finished work tomorrow! I have been having too much fun, forgetting to take photos! There are about five projects undocumented!...
Invasion of the Bats
Black construction paper, a lesson on bat making and well, the rest is history. . . BEFORE: AFTER:
Little Red Hen's Bakery
A little peek into my current housekeeping center: I stock the center with lots of baking tools, containers of baking ingredients, the pretend bread items the children made, and more. I put a little lamp on the table. It creates such a special mood. I love to use the...
The Three Pigs Table Puppet Show
Letting the children retell a fairy tale is very powerful in building comprehension. The table puppet show can be very simple like this one. I use simple plastic pigs and an old wolf puppet. It works! The children love it! The Three Little Pigs Table Puppet Play...
I'll Huff and I'll Puff and . . .
My educational method is to present one fairy tale for at least two weeks. I read multiple versions of the tale, retell it orally, retell it with puppets, and at the end - have the children act it out. It is a method that I have developed over the last 12 years or...
The Power of Table Puppets and Retelling a Story!
This is pure educational magic. Pure gold! Give it a try if you have not. It is very simple to do. I have made basic table puppets for the children to use but you could use dollhouse dolls and brown bear figurines. The children just need something to "pretend"...
A Peek into My Classroom
The story of the Three Pigs offer so many extensions. Here are a few currently underway in my classroom: I set up my IKEA roadway rug (super cheap and wonderful) with matchbox cars, little wooden cars and a set of little wooden traffic signs. I like to bring the...
Building Plans
This week we are dwelling inside the story of the Three Pigs. This week I will be posting some of my activities for this fairy tale. First, this is such a perfect story to bring the vocabulary and work of architects. I have a wonderful book called "Homes" that...
Oh So Lovely!
I have found the most amazing needle felted artist, Daria, on Etsy. I ordered Mother Earth for my nature table. It is more beautiful than it is in these photos. Her talent is extraordinary! If you are looking for nature table dolls - I recommend checking out her...
Make a File Folder Puppet Theater!
One day I had an inspiration while making a "mini-office." I realized the file folders would make a perfect puppet theater! What you will need: 2 file folders per puppet theater, scrapbook paper, tape, glue sticks. I used two special types of file folders. The...
Ocean Block Play
This week the children reminded me of the incredible value of providing materials for block play. With each change of theme - I like to put out new cloth and items related to our stories. I put out blue fabric for water, green for earth and brown as well. I had an...
Playstand Transformation – Tiki Hut
This week the theme in the kindergarten classes at my school is "Hawaii." We make volcanoes, have an Hawaiian Luau, to name a few things. So, of course, I had to transform the playstands! I found lots of Hawaiian themed items at my local party supply and Big Lots. ...
Making a Space Ship Play Center
I absolutely love my playstands. I think I would rate these as the one of the best buys I have ever made for my classroom. They are so easy to transform into a variety of things to fit the mood of current happenings. And they make great space ships! I start by...
Farmer's Market
With the study of plants and flowers - it only made sense to open a farmer's market in the classroom. The first thing we did was discuss and brainstorm what was found at a farmer's market. We then decided what we would make. The children made green beans, peas,...
Insect Play Around the Kindergarten!
Sometimes in the middle of a life crisis, a little spark of creativity can eek in. This week I have been dealing with my daughter's illness (numbness on the left side) and last night, fed-up, I took her to the ER. On the suggestion of my daughter-in-law, I began...
Creation Station!
This week I pulled out a huge bag of boxes and containers I have saved for "Creation Station." I told the children they were to create (invent) something that they can use. (I provided construction paper, glue, scissors, tape) What they created had to have a...