Theme for the Week - Easter
Easter - The most important day of the year for Christians. Let's make a handprint lily, learn some new Spanish words for Easter-related things, learn the sign language for "Easter," read the beautiful Jan Brett's new book The Easter Egg and much more. Happy Easter!
This week, moms and toddlers will have fun learning more about Easter and having some fun with Easter-related activities. If you would like to keep the focus strictly on Jesus and the true Christian meaning of Easter, click this link from Kings Kids Stuff that is filled with fabulous history, fun facts, scriptures and activities. We could have just given this link for the entire week!
Letter of the Week: J - for Jesus. Point out things that start with "J" - jelly, jello, jiggle, jar. Show your toddler a picture of both a capital J and a lower case j. Draw a J on paper and let him/her trace over it, or use your child's finger to draw it in the sandbox or dirt. Use bath tub or refrigerator letters to show him/her this letter as well.
Number of the Week: 4 - When you show your child anything say "4 jars" (or whatever you are counting). Write the number 4 on paper or show your toddler a flash card. Show your child 4 things at a time and count them - "one, two, three, four" - so your child gets used to the pattern. If nothing else, just to hear the number is good for him/her.
Songs of the Week: Easter Songs - We couldn't choose just one so here's a whole bunch of songs to sing.
Story of the Week: Jan Brett's The Easter Egg - This book is just too beautiful to not recommend. Her illustrations are incredibly detailed; your child will be fascinated even if the story is longer than his/her attention span. Recently, I searched my local library on-line and placed holds on all the books I wanted and in a couple of days, they were ready to pick up. Instead of trying to browse the shelves with a busy toddler, I picked them up, checked them out and was on my way. Here's a link to public libraries in the United States if you'd like to see if your local branch is here.
Snack of the Week: Carrots - what else? - dip carrots in peanut butter or spread cream cheese on celery and add raisins (ants on a log). My toddler doesn't eat the carrots - he just licks the peanut butter off.
Spanish Words of the Week: Easter in Spanish is Pascua. Here is a great link of Easter-related words with pronunciation! Also check out the BBC's Muzzy from Early Advantage for teaching Spanish (or many other languages) to your child. They are fabulous!
Do It Myself: Use a Spoon - If you haven't already allowed your toddler to try feeding himself, you may want to try by giving him/her a toddler spoon with a small amount of applesauce, yogurt, etc in a shallow bowl. We especially like deep silicone spoons because they hold the food and make it easier for your toddler to get something to their mouths.
Activity of the Week: Handprint Lily - This is such a cute craft. I really wish I had seen this one when my older kids were small. What a great keepsake - you could also make some now and send them off for Mother's Day which is only a few weeks away!
Yoga Pose: Upward Salute - Since we honor the Lord this week, this is a fitting pose. This link is from Yoga Journal. PS - Our kids always liked the Yoga Kids series if you'd like more ideas for doing yoga with your toddler.
Sign Language Sign of the Week: Easter, Rabbit, Jesus, Cross (Crucifix). If your toddler is still learning how to talk, sign language can be a great way for them to communicate. And as they get older, they'll pick up signs faster and it can be more of a fun thing versus a way to communicate.
Remember to give your toddler/preschooler a hug and tell him/her you love them. Hope you have a wonderful week!
