LEGO MAZE

Create a lego friends maze for your children or the children can also assemble the lego themselves. 

I told my son a story about the animals in the zoo. One of them is lonely so that the other friends are going to visit him. The marble is intended to be the friend who is going to visit the lonely one.

This activity is good to improve children concentration, fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. It also strengthens hand muscles to prepare writing skill.

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Buat lego FRIENDS maze untuk anak-anak Anda atau anak-anak juga dapat merakit lego itu sendiri.
Dalam permainan ini, saya membuat cerita tentang hewan-hewan di kebun binatang. Salah satu dari hewan tersebut kesepian sehingga teman-teman lain akan mengunjunginya. Kelereng diimajinasikan sebagai teman yang akan mengunjungi teman yang kesepian tersebut.

Kegiatan ini baik untuk meningkatkan konsentrasi anak, keterampilan motorik halus dan koordinasi tangan-mata. Dan yang tak kalah penting, untuk memperkuat otot tangan dalam mempersiapkan kemampuan menulis.

Science: Life Cycle of a Ladybug

Introduction to Ladybug Life Cycle:

One morning, Arya saw a ladybug on a leaf in our garden and he asked me about it. I directly grabbed a set of ladybug life cycle figurine from safari ltd and put them on the leaves. We were talking about the adult ladybug but he wanted to name the other figurines so I named them. He pointed at the right figurines when I called them out one by one. Then he jumped overjoyed when he could name the figurines. After that, he played and used his imagination to create a story of a ladybug.

Matching and Fine-Motor Skill Activities

Materials:

1. put each of the figurine in a plastic egg
2. put the plastic eggs randomly on the tray
3. place a control card in a tray. The control card can be downloaded here.

Activities:

He has to open the plastic eggs – as a fine motor practice, take out each of the figurine and match it on the right picture in the control card.

Sensory Play
Sensory play is one of his favorite. What is sensory play? Sensory play is an activity that stimulates young children’s senses: touch, smell, taste, sight and hearing. Sensory activities and sensory tables provide exploration and encourage children to use scientific processes while they play, create, investigate and explore. Stimulating their senses helps children develop cognitively, linguistically, physically and creatively, socially and emotionally.

  1.  Water beads/ Hydrogel

Water crystal gel or Water Beads is any gel which contains a large amount of water. Water gel is usually composed of a water-absorbing polymer such as a polyacrylamide (frequently Poly(methyl acrylate) or Sodium polyacrylate). Sometimes referred to as super absorbent polymer (SAP) or, in dry form, as slush powder.

I provided a cup for transferring activity and scissor scoopers for practicing and building the muscles needed for scissor cutting.

It was his first time trying the scissor scoopers. He couldn't coordinate his fingers yet so he opened the scoopers and poured the water beads in it. However, he used his hand-eye coordination to transfer the water beads so that they did not spill.

2.  Light Table: Counting Ladybug Dots

Materials:

printed ladybug picture

magnetic chips

magnet

control cards (a set of cards which have different pictures of the ladybug dots)

Purpose:

basic counting

science: magnet

Activities:

place the magnetic chips on the ladybug’s wings based on the control cards or

take the chips from the ladybug’s wings by counting them one by one.

3.  A Variation of Light Box Activity

Put the ladybug in the geometric solids and the children will love the colors of the translucent solids. They can learn about shadows of the stages of ladybugs. 

Painting a Ladybug

I prepared a colouring sheet of a ladybug and asked Arya to paint it. He chose the colours himself and he just loved to spill all of the paint in the tray and brushed it.

Pretend Play
I made him this cardboard ladybug costume because he liked running and buzzing around the house as if he was a bee. I know I should have made a bee costume instead of a ladybug but I'll make him one for our bee-themed activities. He loves this ladybug costume, though. While running, he was looking for green things to perch. Then, he pretended to eat them as if they were leaves. This activity is called pretend play.

All of these ladybug-themed activities might take two weeks or a month because he just did the activities whenever he showed his interest in ladybug. Moreover, we could repeat the same activities on the other days. 

It's fun learning about ladybug, isn't it? You can also read some books about ladybugs.

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Pengenalan tentang Siklus Hidup Kepik:
Suatu hari, Arya melihat kepik pada selembar daun di kebun kami dan ia bertanya pada saya tentang binatang itu. Saya langsung mengambil satu set miniatur siklus hidup kepik buatan Safari Ltd dan menempatkan miniatur itu pada daun-daunan. Ketika kami sedang membahas tentang kumbang dewasa, Arya ingin mengetahui nama miniatur yang lain jadi saya menyebutkannya satu per satu. Kegiatan Arya selanjutkan adalah menunjukkan miniatur yang tepat ketika saya menyebutkan tiap-tiap siklus kepik. Kemudian dia melompat gembira ketika bisa menamai semua mainan tersebut. Setelah itu, ia membuat cerita tentang kepik dengan imajinasinya.

Mencocokan dan Kegiatan Motorik Kalus

Bahan yang perlu dipersiapkan:

1. masukkan miniatur siklus kepik ke dalam telur plastik

2. letakkan telur plastik secara acak ke dalam nampan

3. tempatkan kartu pengendali di dalam nampan. Kartu pengendali dapat di unduh di sini.

Aktivitas:
Anak harus membuka telur plastik - sebagai kegiatan motorik halus, mengambil masing-masing miniatur dan mencocokkannya pada gambar yang tepat dalam kartu pengendali. 

Permainan Indera
Pemainan indera adalah salah satu kegemaran anak saya. Apa itu permainan indera?  Permainan indera merupakan kegiatan yang merangsang indera anak-anak: sentuhan, penciuman, perabaan, penglihatan dan pendengaran. Permainan indera mendorong anak-anak untuk menggunakan proses ilmiah saat mereka bermain, menyelidiki, mengeksplorasi dan menciptakan. Merangsang indera mereka membantu anak-anak mengembangkan kognitif, bahasa, fisik dan kreatif, sosial dan emosional.

1.  Manik-Manik Air/ Hidrogel

Manik-Manik Air/ Hidrogel adalah setiap gel yang mengandung sejumlah air. Hidrogel biasanya terdiri dari polimer yang menyerap air seperti poliakrilamida (sering Poly (methyl acrylate) atau Sodium polyacrylate). Kadang-kadang disebut sebagai polimer superabsorben (SAP) atau dalam bentuk kering, bubuk lumpur (source: wikipedia).

Saya sediakan gelas untuk kegiatan memindahkan hidrogel dan gunting penyendok untuk melatih dan membentuk otot-otot yang diperlukan untuk memotong dengan gunting.

Ini adalah pertama kalinya Arya mencoba gunting penyendok. Dia belum bisa mengkoordinasikan jari-jarinya tetapi ia mencoba membuka gunting itu dan menuangkan hidrogel  didalamnya. Arya juga menggunakan koordinasi tangan-mata untuk memindahkan hidrogel supaya tidak tumpah.

2. Meja Lampu: Menghitung Kepik Dots

Bahan:

gambar kepik

chip magnetik

magnet

kartu pengontrol (satu set kartu yang memiliki gambar titik-titik yang berbeda di sayap kepik)

dasar berhitung 1-10

IPA: magnet

Aktivitas:

menempatkan chip magnetik pada sayap kumbang berdasarkan kartu pengendali atau

mengambil chip dari sayap kumbang dengan menghitungnya satu per satu.

3.  Variasi  Kegiatan Meja Lampu

Masukan kepik dalam bangun ruang transparan dan anak-anak akan menyukai warna transparan bangun ruang dan bayangan siklus hidup kepik. 

Mengecat Kepik

Saya sediakan gambar kepik dan Arya mengecatnya. Dia memilih warna sendiri dan lebih senang menuangkan cat ke dalam nampan dan menguasnya.

Bermain Peran
Saya membuatnya kardus kostum kepik ini karena Arya menyukai berlari dan mendengung di sekitar rumah seolah-olah ia adalah seekor lebah. Saya tahu seharusnya saya membuat kostum lebah bukan kumbang, makanya saya juga akan membuatkan kostum lebah. Arya senang sekali memakai kostum kepik ini. Ketika berlari, dia mencari benda-benda hijau seolah-olah daun untuk hinggap. Kemudian, ia pura-pura makan daun-daun tersebut. Kegiatan ini disebut bermain pura-pura.

Semua kegiatan bertema kepik ini mungkin memakan waktu dua minggu atau sebulan karena Arya hanya melakukan kegiatan setiap kali dia menunjukkan minatnya dengan kepik. Selain itu, dia bisa mengulangi kegiatan yang sama pada hari-hari lainnya.

Bukankah belajar sambil bermain tentang kepik sangat menyenangkan? Anda juga dapat membacakan anak beberapa buku tentang kepik.

SELAMAT BERMAIN.

Book-based Activities: Noah's Ark

I just found some good books about bible stories. These were Arya's first bible-based activities and he enjoyed them very much. The story book doesn't have much writing. Moreover, it provides sound effects of the story. Arya liked to produce the sound effects as I read him aloud.

Next, he painted a used-plastic jar which I had prepared before. He was going to make Noah's ark by painting the front part himself. Then, I finished the back part. I let it as it is though there are some white spots, just to make it original. However, Daddy and Arya's cousins said the Ark looked more like a house lol 😅.

Book-based Activities: Ants

Book-based activity is one of Ar's favorites. I usually prepared a tray of 'invitation to play' to make him interested doing the activity. This time, I integrated reading activity with spooning as the practical life. Spooning is good for hand-eye coordination and it prepares the children's hand muscles in writing.

Reading book: Ants
1. I read the book about ants, showed parts of their body, pointed at some type of ants.
2. He started touching the sands and the ant puzzle.
3. He used the ant's stomach as if it was a spoon.
4. He pulled put the ant's legs and count them.

Sensory Play with Ant Life Cycle Figurines

Space Themed Activities

The Order of the Planets from the Sun: Ordinal Numbers, Planets

Arya was 26 months old

Materials:
I inserted eight straws in two bars of sponge. You can have a bar if the sponge is long enough. I labeled the ordinal numbers on the sponge below the straws. Next, I prepared the planets along with the pins from the solar system planetarium. My child's task is to put the planets on the straws in the right order.
We have read a book about the order of the planets several times. Arya has got the idea where the planets belong to. He took the planets randomly and inserted the pin of the planets in the straws. I still had to remind him which planet went to which straw by asking, "What planet is that? Is it the first? Is it the fifth?" When he answered correctly, I gave confirmation, "Yes, Jupiter is the fifth! Which one is fifth?" Then he placed the planet on the right straw. When he had known the correct order, I didn't ask any questions since it would distract his concentration. I just gave confirmation. This activity needs hand-eye coordination.

Extension activities:
Imaginative play
Arya suddenly blew the planets on the straws as if they were candles. We sang "happy birthday" and "let's blow the candle" song. I changed the 'candle' into the names of the planets. He enjoyed blowing them one by one.

This activity took 30 minutes with several repetitions since Arya tend to drop the planets after singing. It means he wanted to do the activities more and more.

After being tired singing and blowing, he pretended licking the planets as if they were lollipops. He offered me, "Mama, Here is Saturn lollipop." I said thank you and pretended to eat it. We can teach about good manners in offering and receiving things.

This activity is still a hit two days after. Arya is getting better in choosing the right order and more skillful in placing the planets on the straws.

EGGMOTICONS

Materials:  emotion board, matching cards, emotion eggs.

Pre-work from teacher/parent:
1. Introduce some feelings
2. Mime the expressions (the children will be interested to see the real expressions)
3. Explain why, in what situation and how to overcome negative feelings

Activities for children:
1. Point out the feeling mentioned by the teacher/parent
2. Match the cards with the emotion board
3. Match the emotion eggs with the board
4. Or take an emotion called out by the teacher, run to put it at certain point
5. Mime the emotions

Follow up:
Read books about feelings

This activity is good to teach children how to manage their negative feelings

Land and Water Forms Activities

Here are some Land and Water Forms activities. I gave a pair trays everyday so that he will remember them easily.

LAKE AND ISLAND

He was working on his den. We talked about the differences between land and water and what animals live there. He filled the tray with waterbeads in the water area.  He somehow insisted on putting the hippo, tiger and lion in the water. He said they were having a bath.

DIY: LIGHT BOX

I adore how Motleytoddler made her light box, therefore I followed her instructions to make an affordable one but I also made some adjustments.

Materials:
container (IDR 24,000 or USD 2)
silver spray paint (IDR 24,000 or USD 2)
tape
LED emergency lamp (IDR 35,000 or USD 2)
tissue paper

Steps:
1. Tape the outer edge of the container to avoid stains when spraying the paint
2. Spray silver paint around the inner side of the container and let it dry
3. Spray the silver paint once again, let it dry
4. Peel off the tape
5. Cover the container lid with tissue paper
6. Put the LED emergency lamp in the container
7. Close the lid of the container
8. Put any toys or media you want to explore on it

DONE!! All cost less than USD 7. Seriously?

Applying silver paint is to avoid the light goes through the sides of the container. I couldn't find frost spray paint for the lid as motleytoddler's suggested so I changed it with tissue paper. I could finish the project in 15 minutes because the paint dried fast. I'm overjoyed to see the result and can't wait to surprise my son 😍❤️💕.

This is not purely montessori method. It's more on reggioemilia method, but montessori also has geometic solid materials. I combined the geometic solids activity with the light box to improve my son's sight sensory.

HUMAN ANATOMY

I actually kept a human anatomy model for Ar when he is a bit older but he always dragged the box out of the closet. Therefore, I made the human organs sensory bin to satisfy his curiosity.

First, he pinched and squeezed the water beads. He is not interested in the organ models. Second, he made as if the large intestine is a maze for the water beads. Third, he took the organ I called out. Fourth, he he ran through his pool and threw the organ I mentioned in the pool.

ORGANS
I introduced human organs through three-period lesson and we continued doing racing game. I call out an organ, he took it, ran to his pool and throw the organ there. we did it until all of the organs were thrown to the pool. i downloaded the cards from suzie's blog.

To make it more dramatic, I poured some jelly into the human torso model and let it cool. Ar was ready to do an autopsy towards that body. let's call it autopsy because he might not return the organs on the right place as it is in a surgery.

 He cut open the 'flesh' and carefully took the organs one by one. He named them and asked what certain organs were for. We had serious discussion and he repeated the functions as if he was explaining to someone who hasn't known the functions yet.

Tweezers are great tool in this activity. They can strengthen the fingers and hand muscles so that children are ready to write. 

In the end, sprinkle some glitters onto the bowl of jelly to create a magical sensory play. Ar squeezed the jelly and he said it was wiggly and wobbly. Another thirty minutes were spent well.

SKELETON
Since he likes 'Skeleton Dance' song by Super Simple Song lately, I made a skeleton puppet and introduced parts of the skeleton. I haven't discussed about the scientific terms of the skeletons yet. As long as he knows that the bones are connected to each other, that's enough for me.

Follow-up activities: pasting parts of the skeleton. 

I cut parts of the skeleton, Arya glued and pasted them on a piece of paper. He could placed them in the right position though he still had difficulties in coordinating his hands when putting them on the paper. This activity is good for hand-eye coodination. Older children can cut the skeleton themselves.