Theme for the Week - Painting
On September 12, 1940, the Lascaux Prehistoric Cave Paintings were discovered. They've been dated to over 14,000 years old. The teenagers who found the paintings were chasing their dog in the cave. This week, we'll have some fun with paints!
Letter of the Week: C - for cave (we did P recently). Show your child a picture of both a capital C and a lower case c. Draw a C on paper, or use their finger to draw it in the sandbox or dirt. Use bath tub or refrigerator letters to show them this letter as well.
Number of the Week: 12 - For the 12th. When you show your child anything say "12 carrots" and show them a picture of the number 12. Write the number 12 on paper. Show them 12 things at a time and count them - "one, two, three, ..." - so your child gets used to the pattern.
Songs of the Week: Painting Songs - Here's a whole bunch of really cute songs about color, painting, the rainbow, etc.
Story of the Week: Mouse Paint by Ellen Stoll-Walsh
I first saw this book at the doctor's office. It was so loved and beat-up. It's a fantastic story, with very simple illustrations. Helps teach colors and is so cute.
Snack of the Week: Bread Painting Snack - That's right - painting bread, with food coloring mixed with milk. How fun is that?
Spanish Words of the Week: to paint - pintar, paint - la pintura, artist - el artisto, colors - los colores
Do-It-Myself Activity: Wash hands - After the activity below, you'll want to help your toddler wash his/her hands very well. Remember - front, back, scissor, tickle palm. I sing a little song "Front, Front, Back, Back, Scissor, Scissor, Tickle Palm, Tickle Palm" so they wash really well.
Craft of the Week: Finger Painting - This gives you three different recipes for finger paint - two you must cook and one that you don't have to - hence the name "Easy Fingerpaint."
Yoga Pose: Upward-Facing Dog Pose - Since the kids who found the cave paintings were chasing their dog, we'll do a "dog" pose this week!
Sign Language Sign of the Week: Paint, Color, Artist - If your child is still learning to speak, sign language can realy help with frustration. Also, my son speaks very well - he's 2 1/2 now - but when I sign to him and say it, he pays attention better, such as signing"time for" "bath" works better than just saying "bath time!"
Most of all - give your little one a hug and say "I love you" as many times a day as you can think of! You can never give them enough love.
