Last Minute Toddler Class Gifts

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It’s that hour…things are getting crazy out there! I am an amazon prime person completely. That being said sometimes you just don’t know what you want to get someone and so you want to go out and look. God bless all of you who venture out to stores this week. If you’re looking for last minutes toddler friends gifts I’ve got you covered.

I always try to do something new and fun for the kiddos. It’s also nice to have a nonfood gift for the littles especially since so many have allergies nowadays.

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Row and I made these fun and easy snow discovery bottles to hand out to her music friends. Great for toddler, babies, and honestly my Kindergarten kiddos would have loved these too and probably up to second grade.

Supplies-

smaller sized water bottles

silver glitter

hot glue gun

tags-I found snow tags!

Remove the labels from each bottle.

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Open and remove the equivalent of two gulps 🙂 out of the bottle. You want the bottle to be full and be able to put the glitter in so don’t take out too much water. Add 1-2 scoops of silver glitter to each bottle. Using your hot glue gun glue the cap of the water bottle onto the bottle-I simply applied glue in a circle on the cap.

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Tag. Shake. You’re done!

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Easy and the kids loved them! Oh and you’ll look super crafty and it literally took 15 minutes for me to make. That’s less time than if I bought goody bags and stuffed them! And… these are great because if children in the class don’t celebrate Christmas it’s not super Christmas specific! Sno

Merry Christmas!

Discovery Color Bottles

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This week we went to the beach for Grandma’s birthday and we made discovery bottles! So I’ve been eying discovery bottles since I taught Kindergarten. I always had this pile-o-projects of things to make for the classroom and discovery bottles were definitely on it. So Row and I have been focusing on colors-a different one each week. Easy! Nothing major I just talk about one color more when it comes up naturally in conversation. When we read everyday I point out one thing in the book that is that color. So when I started the discovery bottle journey I decided to start with colors.

Red R-E-D-that’s where I started….why? Because I happened upon the red glitter at the craft store first. This is also your excuse to buy every color glitter imaginable. The first thing is choosing a water bottle that’s just right. On a side note the one I chose for this bottle I wouldn’t choose again. It’s too flimsy and I’ve decided I want a little bit smaller one. Aquafina small bottles! They’re firmer and smaller.

 

To make simply add in supplies-similar to those shown-remember that Dollar Store post???

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Fill with a couple of red items-not jammed packed, glitter, and water-not to the brim-just below. HOT GLUE THE LID! That one’s important step!

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Row is loving it and she can sling it around the room and it’s fine. I plan on making all the primary colors for now-a couple of weeks apart so as to not overwhelm her. We went to Galveston today for Grandma’s birthday and we walked on the beach-Row’s first time. We also gathered some seashells and sand to make a beach bottle!!!!

 

Do you have any cool ideas for discovery bottles? Any ways to store them? That’s definitely on my list!

Shopping at the Dollar Store like a Teacher

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The dollar store ahhhhhhhhh!!! It’s teacher heaven, unless you live in Houston because there is an actual store called teacher heaven and I must say they nailed that one on the head. It’s so amazing the things you can find at the dollar store. Even more amazing is how teachers look at things a little differently and can find ways to use the most ordinary things in extraordinary ways. Come shop with me!

As a teacher I went to the dollar store weekly. As a mom I go monthly. It’s a great inexpensive resource for sensory play. I’m going to layout what’s in the bags and telll you how I plan on using the items. No doubt you’ll see a bunch of them in upcoming posts. IMG_0828

We will be going left to right, top to bottom-the way we read-teacher habit.

1. Brushes-snag these-they’re $10 at Hobby Lobby! I plan on using these to chalkboard paint my crock pot-hopefully sooner rather than later. I also am dying to make some burlap wreaths. Only problem I can’t really draw.

2.Pack of Gourds-Fall sensory tub

3. Spiders-Halloween Discovery bottle, sensory tub, cupcakes toppers-I used these to play a one to one correspondence game in Kindergarten where you roll the dice and put that many spiders on your hand-super cute.

4.Hair Ties-color discovery bottles-I want to make them so badly! I need more glitter!

5.Pumpkin-sensory tub and bathtub/water table play.

6. Vanilla Pudding-sensory play-put edible food coloring in and we will be making edible finger paint.

Next Row

1.Strainer-sand table

2.Beads-cutting apart for discovery bottles-notice a trend?

3. Grow a Robot-scientific method-I mean robots are cool!

4.Dinosaurs-Dino discovery bottle, sand table

5.Glow Sticks-bathtub play in the dark, discovery bottle

6.Baster-water table, bathtub play, and painting

7. Measuring Cups-sensory tub play, water table play

Bottom Row

1.Leaves-Fall sensory tub

2.Mike Wysowski-green discovery bottle-had too.

3. Q-Tips-used to make skeletons on paper for Halloween and an upcoming contact paper sticky project, also great to use for paintbrushes or for sharing glue.

4.Beans and Pasta-sensory tub base

 

Once you start looking at things differently it’s amazing what you can find. I always go with some upcoming projects in mind-on the burner and look for things that might fit. For example, I knew I wanted to make a Fall sensory tub for Row and start with the basic color discovery bottles.  Have you found anything cool at the dollar store? Any upcoming projects? BTW-water beads are at the dollar store too!!!! We already have them.

The same goes for garage sales! I’m a garage sale junkie! You’d be so amazed at what you can find.