Commissary/Grocery Store Hunt!

Taking your little one to the commissary or grocery store can be a daunting task for all parties involved. Turn your next trip grocery shopping into a fun learning experience with our KinderJam Grocery Hunts. Click on the image below and print. Happy Hunting!!!!

Check It Out!!

My little one is so intrigued by the computer…probably because Mommy spends so much time on her laptop. So every now and again, I like to visit websites that are preschool friendly. Preschool websites make for a fun 10 – 15 minute activity that you can enjoy with your little one. Another one of our favorites is Billi Bear.  My little guy's favorite activities are the Hide and Seek and the ABC's. Click on the image and Check it out!!

Commissary/Grocery Store Hunt!

Taking your little one to the commissary or grocery store can be a daunting task for all parties involved. Turn your next trip grocery shopping into a fun learning experience with our KinderJam Grocery Hunts. Click on the image below and print. Happy Hunting!!!!

Cooking Fun!

Cooking is a great kinesthetic activity to do with your little one. It may get a little messy in the kitchen with your extra set of little helping hands but educational value and the fun factor in tremendous!!!! Not only is cooking a wonderful experience for the tactile learner but it is also a wonderful opportunity to introduce and reinforce basic math skills...like counting, addition, measurement, and more and less. While cooking with your little one, be certain to narrate each step. Call out the name of each ingredient and give your little one the opportunity touch and explore the different texture of each ingredient. Also open up a dialogue while mixing your ingredients. Say things like: “Let’s point to all of the white ingredients.” “Do we have more water or pizza sauce?” “Which spoon is bigger, the table spoon or the teaspoon?”

Most importantly enjoy the activity and live in the moment with your little one!

Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
½ cup Pizza Sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Toppings (place 3-5 toppings in little bowls to give your little the option of choosing what he would like to  put on the pizza)

Directions

1. Combine flour, salt, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl. Mix in oil and warm water. (Let your little one mix the ingredients together with their hands to enjoy the gooeyness and the change in texture.)
2. Spread out on a large pizza pan.
3. Spread your pizza on your dough.
4. Sprinkle on your cheese
5. Now have lots of fun discussing, selecting, and placing your topping on your pizza!
6. Bake at 375 degrees C (190 degrees C) for 20 to 25 minutes.
7. Enjoy!

Commissary/Grocery Store Hunt!

Taking your little one to the commissary or grocery store can be a daunting task for all parties involved. Turn your next trip grocery shopping into a fun learning experience with our KinderJam Grocery Hunts. Click on the image below and print. Happy Hunting!!!!

Video of the Week!

Noodle Writing

Pasta is an excellent tactile manipulative for little ones. You can find Pasta in all different sizes, shapes, textures and colors. One of my family’s favorite activities is Noodle Writing. With Noodle Writing, you use pasta right out of your pantry to create shapes, letters, and words. Pasta is the perfect tool because it come curved and straight varieties. Try Noodle Writing with your little one and make learning Super Fun!!!!!

What You Need:

• Penne Pasta (for straight lines)
• Elbow Pasta (for curved lines)
• White School Glue
• Construction Paper

What To Do:

1. Write your shape, letter, word on a piece of construction paper. Make sure make your shapes and letters large enough to give your little one ample space to place several pieces of pasta. Also if writing a word, make sure you give enough space between letters, to avoid crowding once your little one glues the pasta to the paper. Remember when writing proper nouns, such as your child’s name, start with a capital letter and make the remaining letters lowercase.
   
   
   
2. Before you begin, go over the shape, word letter with your little one. Trace it with your finger. Then have your little one do the same.  
3. Next model the use of the penne pasta for the straight lines and the elbow pasta for the curved lines. Have your little one try it a couple of times before adding the glue. 
4. Now, you are ready to use the glue. With your little one, squeeze the glue while following the line for your shape, letter, or word. Once the glue is down, add your pasta. Place the penne pasta on the straight lines and the elbow pasta on the curved lines.

Your little one will love this activity so much that it will asked for by name, like in my house. Keep plenty of pasta in the pantry because you will soon have an entire gallery of Noodle Writing!!!! Enjoy!!!!

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Noodle Name Writing

Commissary/Grocery Store Hunt: A is for Apple!

Taking your little one to the commissary or grocery store can be a daunting task for all parties involved.  Turn your next trip grocery shopping into a fun learning experience with our KinderJam Grocery Hunts.  Click on the image below and print.  Happy Hunting!!!!

How to Print:

For PC: Double Click on the image.  When the larger image appears right click on the image and select "Print Picture".


For Mac: Right click on the image below and select "Open in New Window". Click on the image to zoom out. Then print.

Check It Out!!

My little one is so intrigued by the computer…probably because Mommy spends so much time on her laptop. So every now and again, I like to visit websites that are preschool friendly. Preschool websites make for a fun 10 – 15 minute activity that you can enjoy with your little one. One of our favorites is starfall.com. They have great interactive phonics activities that are wonderful for Early Childhood and ESL students.  Click on the image and Check it out!!

Video of the Week!

What is Kinesthetic Learning?

Simply put, kinesthetic learning is “learning by doing”. As parents and teachers, we know that playing is what toddlers and preschoolers do best! So Kinesthetic learning for a toddler or preschooler is “learning by playing”.

Children have an innate enthusiasm for learning. Learning takes place when a child is in an absolutely positive state of mind…so let’s meet them at their “Happy Place”. Children learn best by moving, wiggling, exploring, and playing. In a kinesthetic learning environment children are allowed the freedom to move about in an effort to make learning tangible and fun.

Kinesthetic learning activities can be easily prepared by any parent or educator. Simply decide what skill you would like to introduce or reinforce then figure out a way to make that skill come alive. For example if you are focuses on farm animals this week, Make your home our classroom an imaginary farm. Have your little ones become the animals you wish to teach. Moo and graze like a cow...quack and waddle like a duck...gallop and neigh like horse...and watch your lesson come to life and your little ones' faces light up.

In our KinderJam blog we will share simple and fun activities that you can do in your home or classroom to make learning come to life for your little ones. Enjoy!