M is for . . .

. . . maracas

. . . magnets

. . . marble mazes

. . . music

I have to say that I was super excited for our music lesson. We have started doing rhythm and basic notes during our carpet time. So it was fun to explore music a little more during this lesson. We listened to different genres of music and the kids danced to them. FYI country is not a big hit with this class. :) We watched a clip from Blues Clues the Big Musical with Ray Charles and the Tones as the voice of musical notes who teach Steve and Blue about high/low, tempo, and rhythm. While we watched the kids used their maracas to play along while they learned. We listened to some classical music and the kids drew pictures while they listened. We played on different instruments like the recorder, piano, drums, etc. It was a busy day, but a lot of fun!

M is for Maraca

I found this fun idea on pinterest (where else right?). It has been a favorite around our house all week and it was so easy! I think I might need to make a class set for when I start doing classes again. These would also be great for singing time at church!

All you do is fill an Easter egg with something small and hard (beads, beans, rice, etc.). Then sandwich it with two plastic spoons and wrap in fun duct tape. Awesome!

M is for Magnet Math

We love exploring with magnets - seeing what sticks and what doesn't, talking about why some metal things work and some don't, talking about why some things that don't seem metal (i.e. pipe cleaners) but still stick, etc. 

This year we also added a little bit of math to our magnet fun. I cut up pipe cleaners into little pieces. Then, the girls tried to see how many they could get to stick on. After, we counted how many pipe cleaners were stuck to our magnet. It was good for practicing counting to high numbers.

Monster Bookmarks

Wouldn't these little guys be a fun addition to your child's pencil box or backpack or to your home library? Make them as a back to school gift or make them together as a fun afternoon activity. 

We had a lot of fun making these bookmarks that help you eat up a great book. (Excuse the pun ; ) Even though my preschooler doesn't "need" a bookmark to save her place. She loves putting it on the books she is looking at or on the books she wants me to read to her.

We used the great tutorial at Tally's Treasury and added a bow for extra beauty. She includes a printable template as well as a step by step for the how-to. For detailed instructions click here. 

Happy reading!

Marble Painting

   P is for paint and M is for marble. This activity was originally scheduled for letter m week, but we had so many other things going on that week that we did it during letter P week instead. It worked out because p is for paint. This is a fun and easy painting project that is relatively mess free. How often can you say that about a painting project? 

Here's What You Need:

A box lid or shallow container like a baking pan 

paper

tempera paint

marbles

Here's What You Do:

1. Tape the paper down inside of your container.
2. Dot your paint around the paper. (Small dots work better.)
3. Put 4-6 marbles into your container and tilt your lid at different angles so that the marbles roll around.  
4. Take out your marbles and let your project dry. Then take out your new masterpiece. 

Monkey Bread

We had monkey bread for snack today and the kids asked me to share the recipe with their moms so they could make it at home. So, moms. . . this is for you. : )

Monkey Bread

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 cans (16.3 oz each) Pillsbury® Grands!® Homestyle refrigerated buttermilk biscuits

• 2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease 12-cup fluted tube pan with shortening or cooking spray. In large -storage plastic food bag, mix granulated sugar and cinnamon.
2. Separate dough into 16 biscuits; cut each into quarters. Shake in bag to coat. Arrange in pan.
3. In small bowl, mix brown sugar and butter; pour over biscuit pieces.
4. Bake 28 to 32 minutes or until golden brown and no longer doughy in center. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Turn upside down onto serving plate; pull apart to serve. Serve warm.

 I used the recipe from pillsbury.com, but lessened the amount of caramel topping to make it a little less rich. It was a little heavy the last time I made it and I thought it was perfect this time!

M is for . . .

Marble Mazes

Music and songs like 5 Little Monkeys and the Muffin Man

Magnets

If You Give a Moose a Muffin

For letter M week we read If You Give a Moose a Muffin and then made blueberry muffins for our snack.
Yummy!