My New Favorite Way to Use Learning Cards

{This post was initially shared in 2014 at Upsidedown Homeschooling Blog where I was a contributor. That blog can now only be found using the Wayback Machine, so I am resharing the post here for easier access.}

Between homeschooling and tutoring, I make and use a lot of learning cards! Vocabulary cards, spelling cards, math cards, Alerting Activity ABC Cards, 3-Part Movement Cards, Saint Symbol Cards, Life of Mary Sequencing Cards, 3-Part Bob Book Cards, M and N Discrimination Cards, Act Like and Elephant Cards… You name it. Week in and week out, my children, my tutoring students and I use all types of cards to tackle new learning objectives and to review old ones.

Almost any learning objective becomes hands-on and interactive when learning cards are involved.

Of course, being so card crazy, we have developed a regular repertoire of 10+ games and activities for using learning cards, and, we love adding to it!

Even when little ones are too young to play with siblings, they can with your help. My youngest likes to place markers when I play with my oldest.

Over the past two weeks, we did just that!

We revamped the simple strategy game of Tic Tac Toe to be a learning card game

Playing is easy, effective and engaging.

Winning rounds happens quickly, which keeps the game pace moving along and motivates children to keep learning and reviewing.

To play, you need nine or more learning cards and two piles of distinct markers. (We use Bingo chips, but coins of two different colors or any distinctly colored or shaped small objects would work.)  Set your cards up in a 3 x 3 grid.  Then, you are good to go.

Playing Learning Card Tic Tac Toe

1. Have Player One start the game by selecting a card. If Player One can read the card, spell the word on it*, solve the problem on it, state a key fact related to it, make a sentence with the word written on it, name the part of speech of it, answer the question posed on it or do whatever the learning objective of the card is, Player One may put a marker on it.
2. Player Two then chooses a card and does likewise.  Play continues until a player has three markers in a row or until all the cards are covered.
3. At that point, players shuffle the places of cards within the grid, or trade new cards into the grid, and play another round.
4. Whoever wins three out of five rounds is the winner.

It’s that simple!

A Note on Playing with Spelling Words

Flip the cards over to use Tic Tac Toe as a Spelling game.

To use Tic Tac Toe to practice spelling words, place all cards face down.  Have Player One hand a card to Player Two, who reads it to Player One.  Player One then must spell the word correctly in order to place a marker down.

Learning Card Tic Tac Toe is adaptable, too!

Just like learning cards themselves are, so is Learning Card Tic Tac Toe, and that is one of the reasons I love it.  I am constantly coming up with new variations and uses for this easy card game:

• Learning Card Tic Tac Toe can become Four-in-a-Row or even Five in a Row to cover more material in one round.

• For students who need more movement in order to meet sensory needs, the game can be super-sized with full-sized sheets of paper as cards and stuffed toys as markers. 

•  To make this game equally valuable for multi-disciplinary review as it is for focusing on one specific learning objective, cards used can target a single subject or a mixture of subjects and skills – English Language Arts, Math, Science, Character and Virtues, Social Studies, just about any topic...

• Students who are reluctant to practice handwriting or spelling can be encouraged with the “carrot” of making game cards.

• Almost any age can play.

In fact all three of my children, plus two of my tutoring students, have played round after round of this game with me in the past couple weeks.

My three year old used Learning Card Tic Tac Toe to practice basic phonic sounds; my six and eight year olds mastered spelling, vocabulary and reading words with it; my high school tutoring student learned and reviewed SAT materials with it; and my fourth grade tutoring student practiced parts of speech, sentence building and target reading words with it.  In doing so, all of us found Learning Card Tic Tac Toe quick, easy and effective at providing lots of learning through enjoyable repetition.

Learning Card Tic Tac Toe is a keeper!

So, what are you waiting for? Grab some cards and markers and go play a quick game with your learner today.

Baby Steps to Better Breakfasts: Produce Power! (with Free Printable 3-Part Fruit Cards!)

Three years ago, I began using “Fruit first!” as a motto with my children to encourage them to choose produce before anything else in the morning.  To help them with this choice, I sometimes even greeted them first thing in the morning with a variety of fruits to nibble on or to squeeze the juice out of.

Likewise, I started the 2013 calendar year off with an effort to instill a “Raw Foods First” habit for myself – reaching for raw nuts, seeds, fruit or veggies first thing in the morning.

Both of these initiatives worked for us for a time. 

However, somehow, towards the end of last month, I noticed that our healthy habits had slipped.  We were reaching less and less consistently for Produce Power first thing in the morning.

That’s not good.  I thought to myself.  Time to make it better!

So, just before September began, I shared my observation with the kids and asked them what they thought would help us all focus on Produce Power first thing each morning.

Luke’s suggestion was, “First we eat all the starch in the house, then all we’ll have left is the protein...then the produce... then we eat our whole house.  Every wire.  Every battery.  Every chair.  Every crumb.  Every ant.  Every mouse.  Every shelf.  Every book.  Every tile.  Every pot.  Every pan.  Each other...”  Yep.  That’s my Luke.  My carb-(and apparently non-food-item-) loving boy with a great imagination who gets more and more ridiculous with every giggle he is able to elicit from his younger siblings.

Jack of course burst forth with many giggles as Luke went on and on, and, then, dovetailed his own suggestion on Luke’s, saying, “Eat the ceiling and the couch... and the tree....and a mouse.... and a squirrel ... and a chipmunk...”  (Oh, if only the mimicking could be the opposite way around, with big brother modeling after little brother in eating habits.  Then, my entire Produce Power campaign would be a non-issue since Jack happily chooses more fruits and veggies than either of his siblings ever do!)

Lucky for me, Nina’s suggestion was far more practical and succinct than either of her brothers’ had been: “Buy fruits that we like.” 

That was a baby step this mama could handle.  Done and then some!

The children and I created a list of fruits that the kids like.  I went out an purchased a variety of them.  The kids enjoyed strawberries and Asian pears first thing the next morning and we’ve been going strong ever since, with at least a little bit of fruit each day before the rest of breakfast.

Then, because the turning of the calendar page to September has had me in a mode focused on consciously encouraging independence and learning for my kiddoes, I took things a step further:  I made some Produce Power (Fruit) cards for us, which I am sharing here in case anyone would like to use them for pocket chart menus, encouraging healthy eating or early language lessons with their children.

On the cards are fruits my children favor as well as some that I am working on getting them to accept.  If any of your children’s favorite fruits are not included and you would like me to make additional cards, just list the fruits in the comments and, when there are eight of them, I will make an additional page to share.

Enjoy!

What baby steps towards better breakfasts are you taking this month?

This post is being shared at Living Montessori Now's Montessori Monday.  Check out other helpful Montessori ideas there.

Free Printable: 3-Part Weather Cards Pack

We've been enjoying catching up on our Weather Tree lately, and, as an extension to it, I made some 3-part cards for my children to play with.  They enjoy the variety of games we use the cards for, and I love that the cards reinforce early language skills, such as decoding weather words, and early math skills, such as matching and classifying!

Today, I thought I would share the cards so that others can enjoy and learn from them, too.   To get the free 3-Part Weather Cards Pack, just click here. 

Of course, there are more cards and styles than the ones shown in the image above.  I am just not computer savvy enough to make one of those fancy preview images that some folks make that shows all the pages of the file.  If anyone has an EASY tutorial on how to make such a preview image collage, I'd love to try it out.  Please leave a comment with a link.

Likewise, I have had a few readers who have emailed to request that I share files directly from blog posts rather than through 4shared links.  I would LOVE to do so, but I do not know how.  So, if anyone knows a FREE  and EASY way to offer printable documents to readers directly from a blogspot blog, do share!  I am always up for learning something new, and if, through doing so, I can save readers a little time or offer them greater convenience in the future, all the better.  Thanks for your help and input!

Enjoy the free, printable cards!

St. Michael’s Symbols 3-Part Cards Free Printable

This morning, in preparation for an activity that we plan to enjoy as a part of our family’s St. Michael’s Name Day Tea later this week, Luke helped me select images from Wikimedia for St. Michael’s Symbols 3-Part Cards.  I am sharing them today in case anyone else would like to use them this week in preparation for the Feast of the Archangels.

In the set of cards, there are three styles:

• Style 1 has words on the bottom and images with arrows pointing to corresponding parts of the images on the top.

• Style 2 does not include the arrows on top.  Instead, it includes descriptive phrases under the images to be matched with the words on the bottom of the cards.

• Style 3 contains images with titles, dates and artists underneath them on the top portion of each card and words naming symbols of St. Michael on the bottom.

The cards can be found here.

To use these cards as traditional Montessori 3-Part cards, simply print out two copies of any one style of cards.  Cut each card out around the outside black lines.  Then, with one set of cards, cut along the dotted lines, too. Then, use as in this video:

Or, enjoy any variety of games with the cards:

• Classifying Challenge (for 1 or more players): As a math tie-in, players try to classify cards by different attributes, for example making groups by wing color, by dark and light images, by images with shield and without.

• Concentration/Memory (for w or more players): Print two copies of any one style of cards.  Cut them out and lay the cards face down in even rows. Then, take turns revealing two cards. Anyone who finds a match gets to keep the match and go again, until they find no match.  Alternately, print one copy of one style of cards.  Cut each card out and then cut across the cards on the dotted lines.  Match the image portion to the word portion.  (For extra challenge, should you choose this option, you may want to attach the card parts to index cards so they will all be of a uniform size.)

• Go Fish (for 2 or more players; if there are many players, use more sets of cards): Print out two sets of cards. Cut them out and place them face down in a “fish pond”.  Have each player draw two cards. Then, Player 1 asks another player, “Do you have a ___?”, based on the words which correspond with the symbols of St. Michael.  If the person asked has the card requested, the card is given to Player 1, who lays the match down. If not, the person says, “No. Go fish!”” and Player 1 takes a face down card from the “fish pond”. Player 2 then takes a turn. Play continues until all cards are matched.  (For pre-readers who cannot figure out the picture cue, simply have them turn a card around so another player can see it, saying, “Do you have a card like this?”)

• The Everyone-Gets-One Slap Game (for 2 or more players): Print out enough sets cards so that each person can collect one in the end.  After cutting the cards out, lay out all the cards, minus one set, face up, so that each card is showing. Give the remaining set to the Caller as a deck. Have the Caller look at the first card and says, “Find a ___,” reading the word on one picture card.  Then, the other players should each take a corresponding card. Play ends when all cards have been collected.  (As an art study lesson, have the Caller ask other players to find cards with certain details in the images as opposed to just naming symbols.)

• Guessing Game (for 2 or more players): Lay one set of cut out cards face up so that all cards are showing.  Have Player 1 offer clues, such as, “I am thinking of an image that has an angel on it.”  “The colors used in the painting are mostly warm.”  “There is a sword in the image.” Etc.   Other players should try to guess which card Player 1 is thinking of.

• Scavenger Hunt Match (for 2 or more players):Using two sets of cut-out cards, Player 1 hides one set of cards in different places in the room and holds another set as the calling deck. Player 1 draws one card from the calling deck and describes it, telling Player 2 to go find its match. Player 2 has to find the match in the room.

• The Competitive Slap Game (for 3 or more players): Use two sets of cut out cards. Lay one face up so all of the cards show. Have a Caller hold the other set as a deck. The Caller should draw a card and name it by symbol, a description of the image or the meaning of the symbol.  Other players compete to be the first to slap the corresponding face up cards. Whoever slaps it gets to keep it. Whoever has the most cards at the end gets to be the next Caller.

• Lotto (for 3 or more players):  Give each child a set of cards.  Have all but one player select six of their cards to lay out in a 2 cards x 3 cards grid.  Have the other player act as the Caller, holding all eight cards as a calling deck.  The Caller should then describe one of the images or name one of the symbols.  Any player who has the card described, should turn it face down.  When a player turns over all of his or her cards, s/he wins.

However you choose to use the cards, enjoy!  Happy Michaelmas!

Want to be inspired with others' Montessori ideas an work?  Click on over to Montessori Monday and enjoy.

Halloween 3-Part Charades Cards Free Printable

Happy Halloween and All Saints Day Eve!

Today, we are headed off to Co-op and a fun All Saints Day celebration where we will be playing this teamwork/engineering/problem-solving game among others.  But, before we do, in honor of Montessori Monday, I wanted to share some free printables that fellow Montessori-inspired friends might enjoy:

Saturday, Luke and Nina helped me plan and prepare for a Halloween party that they wanted to host for Grammy, Grampy and a cousin.  Among the activities they wished to include in the party was an adapted version of Charades for Kids, a board game that we have been enjoying as a family some nights after dinner as a part of the Million Minute Family Challenge ,which I wrote about at Signature Moms.

For our adapted game, the kids wanted Halloween-themed picture-word cards to act out.  They helped me pick out the graphics for these, which I put into a template that would allow us to use the cards as:

1. Playing Cards for Charades for Kids at the party.
2. Traditional 3-Part Cards in Montessori lessons in the coming week (as well as for years to come).
3. Matching Cards to play Concentration, Go Fish, the Slap Game, the Dice Game and other Card Crazy games with.

Now, we are sharing them in case you would like a fun last minute Halloween activity to do with your children. To use them, simply click on the graphics above.  Click "print" on the graphic that pops up and you should get full-sized cards to cut and enjoy in traditional Montessori 3-part card style or in other ways.

We'd love to hear how you use them, so please leave a comment.

P.S.  If you are going trick-or-treating tonight, have fun and please be extra-careful when crossing roads.  Let our scare from last year be your reminder for this one and with little ones, practice Road Safety songs or role plays before heading out.

 

This post is being shared at Montessori Monday hosted by One Hook Wonder and Living Montessori Now.

Disclaimer:  If you click on any Amazon links at this blog and make any purchase, I may receive a small percentage that can help defray the cost of training my children up.  THANK YOU for considering supporting us in this way.  Every little bit helps!

5 Ways to Use Montessori 3-Part Bob Books Cards

The other day, I decided to make Luke some 3-part cards to go along with the first four stories from the Bob Books, Set 1: Beginning Readers.  So far, these have been a hit as we have explored them in an introductory way.  Luke has been having fun creating phrases and sentences with the cards.

What are some ways you and your child might use the cards (and ways we’ll be using them here)?

• Introduce the Cards:  Print one set of cards.  Cut them out on the solid lines only.  Then, let your child explore them, trying to make words and phrases. 

• Use them as Traditional 3-Part Cards:  Print a second set of cards.  Cut this one on the solid and the dotted lines.  Use the first set you cut as control cards for these. 

•  Play Card Games:  Using two sets of cards cut only on the solid lines, play games such as Go Fish, Concentration and the Slap Game.

• The Hallway Game:  Using cards cut on the solid and dotted lines, put the picture portion of the cards at one end of the hallway and hold the word portion of the cards at the other end.  Have your child draw a word card and then crawl, jump, skip or run down the hallway to find its match.  Then, play by drawing the picture cards.

• Build a Sentence:  Using the word portion of the cards, have one person build sentences.  Then, have the other find the matching picture portions of the cards or simply draw their own illustration of the sentence on a blank page or whiteboard.

Playing with the cards both independently and with others, your child is sure to master the words from the first few Bob Book stories, thus gaining confidence and fluency the next time the actual books are picked up to be read.

To print copies of these cards, simply click on the small graphics of them.  A larger graphic should pop up on your computer which will print on a regular sized piece of paper.  On the blank cards, you may wish to write your child's name and attach his or her picture.

 

This post is being shared at Montessori Monday hosted by One Hook Wonder and Living Montessori Now.

Of course, if you choose to use these cards, I'd appreciate it if you'd stop by to leave a comment about how it went. And, if you'd like to share them, please share the link instead of the cards themselves.  Thanks!

Disclosure    If you click the Amazon links at Training Happy Hearts and purchase anything, I may earn a small percentage to use towards our homeschooling expenses.   We thank you for supporting us should you choose to do this.

Resource Round Up of Body Parts Cards

Most early childhood and elementary school checklists and assessment guidelines state something to the effect of, “Child will be able to name, point to and use various body parts appropriately.” Unlike with many directives in official State standards documents, most parents and educators have no qualms about helping children to meet this one. Age appropriate activities and fun abound when doing so.

One avenue for exploring this standard is through playing games using Body Parts cards. Of course, there are loads of traditional and less-traditional card games that can be played, such as the ones we shared about here and here. Then, there are more unique ways to use the cards – attaching tape to them and having children race to attach them to appropriate places on dolls or actual bodies; attaching them to the sides of large dice and playing “Move your ~” after rolling the dice, grabbing a bean bag or small stuffed toy and challenging children to balance them on whatever Body Parts card they draw from your hands… Ideas for using Body Parts cards are almost as numerous as resources for the cards themselves.
And, it is with these resources in mind that I share the following round up of links to some of our favorite free Body Parts cards:

• For those who like photographs and prefer Montessori-style three-part cards for learning and activities, check out the 22 different ones that Basia at United Teaching made.
• For those who like realistic graphics and would like cards that could be used three-part card style, but are a small enough for children’s hands to handle easily for games such as Memory or Go Fish, check out the four sets at the bottom of the page on Kids-pages.com.  We used some of these for our travel activity bags, which we wrote about here.
• For those who would like a quick deck to keep in your pocket or purse for long card rides, waiting room time, etc., feel free to use the ones I made for one of our car trips. Just click on the graphic on this post. When you do, a large picture of the graphic, ready for printing and cutting, should pop up. (or, if you’d prefer a Publisher version of the file, simply leave a comment with email address and I will send you one!
• For those who want to choose the size of their picture cards – large, medium or small – or would like power point flashcards. As well as for those who would like some ideas and plans for use, try the ones at MSL English Free Printables for Teachers.
• For fun smaller ones that can be printed in black-white or color, Bingo style, follow the steps a DLTK’s Custom Bingo Cards.  The third click of the process (which is actually labeled “second step”) will allow you to choose body parts.
• For a variety of small or larger body parts cards, with words or without, see the downloadable ones at ESL-Kids. These are great for early readers as they use the written style "a" not the type print style one  that is used throughout thisw post.
• And for those who like giggle-inducing cartoon-like drawings, there are three sets of picture cards available at ESL Flashcards.

Of course, with a topic as ubiquitous as “Body Parts”, wonderful resources – both free and otherwise – abound. We’d love links to those you enjoy as well as comments about how you explore body parts with your own children.  and, be on the look out at Sensational Homeschooling in the next few days for the Don’t Lose Your Head! Keep Body Parts Cards Handy this Summer post, which will offer simple, silly and sensory-smart ideas for using Body Parts cards to hone in on each of the senses.

Resource Roundup of Animal Card Links

“They are acting like animals!”  It’s a common comment when spending time with toddlers and even older children.  Well, sometimes, that is exactly what they are supposed to be doing.  At least here at Jammies School they are.  We so enjoy acting like animals during Music Time, Outdoor Time... Anytime!  Plus, we love animal card games of all kinds, sometimes at the playground (as described in my guest post over at Hartley’s Life with 3 Boys) and sometimes as we go card crazy inside (with adapted versions of card games described in this post and post).  Truly, we need no excuse to act like animals. But, sometimes, a few free resources are helpful.  So, today, I would like to share a Resource Roundup of Animal Card Links:

For those who like real pictures of animals and want to use three-part cards for further studies, try the ones under “Animal Classification” at Montessori Materials.

For those who want larger pictures (think visual needs), some categorized by animal types can be found here.

For an entire Animal Classification Unit with beautiful photo cards at the end, this one is for you!

For picture book lovers, some great  animal photo classification cards that go along with Before Five in a Row stories can be found on Homeschool Share.

If  you would like an entire alphabet of animal photo cards, check out Billy Bear 4 Kids.

For those desiring cards with semi-realistic looking animal graphics in their habitats, the Animal Habitats cards on this site are cute. 

For a wide variety of word and animal graphic matching cards that are simple black and white outlines that kids can color in, Kaboose offers some.

For some very cartoonish animal cards of common animals, if that’s what your children like, try ESL Flashcards.

And, of course, If you have some favorite animal card links that are not listed, let us know with a comment so we can check it out.  Plus, while you are at it, leave a comment to tell us how you enjoy acting like animals in your home!


 And, if you are as thankful for something as I am for finding great free resources like these and having some animal fun with them with my kiddos, link up with Thankful Thursday, this week at Grace Alone, where you can share your gratitude for all things - great and small!

Making Picture-Word Labels for Learning Environments -- A Simple How-To

Someone asked me what my actual picture-word labels look like for our Music and Movement area and how we made them.  Here's the low down:

1. After deciding where things would go, I took pictures of each thing in its basket, drawer, etc.
2. I uploaded the pictures onto our computer.
3. Using Microsfot Publisher, I created a document much like that I use for Montessori three-part cards.  For each card, I inserted a small picture of a specific material.  Below, I typed the name of the material.
4. I printed two copies of the document, "laminated" them with contact paper and cut them out.
5. I put one picture-word label in the actual basket, drawer bottom, etc. that its corresponding material goes in and one on the outside of the cupboard or drawer or on the shelf that we put that container.  (This way, the kids (and Daddy for that matter!) know which material goes in which container and which container goes in which place.)

I find that this system works well for us in a home environment.  I think it would work in a classroom one, too, although I might suggest larger labels.

As a side note: I purposely made the cards small enough to fit nicely into baseball card page protector pockets.  That way, as I rearrange our home or switch out materials, I can simply take the tape off the backs of the cards before placing the cards into a three-ring binder full of pocket protectors.  Then, the kids can use this 3-ring binder to choose activities and supplies as I catalog more of them and get the binders organized.  (This is my hope, at least.)  A similar idea could work well in other home and school environments.

Likewise, I purposely made them three-part card style so that if I ever desire, I can use any of our picture-word label cards as nomenclature and matching ones as we move along with different homeschool endeavors.

I would love to hear how you label your home or classroom for ease of use, organization and future activities. please leave a comment.

Alerting Activity ABC Cards

This past weekend, we had our first family yard sale.  As I collected items for it from amongst the clutter of our home, it made me think about how much “stuff” we think kids “need” or “could use” only to find they outgrow it quickly.  Then, when I was at a friend’s house for a playdate, we ended up talking about the “too many toys syndrome” that plagues so many homes these days.  Thus, later, as I began flipping through an SPD resource catalog, coveting pricey supplies and games, I immediately caught myself.  “Neither my kids nor my budget needs any of this!  We have been doing just fine with frugal ideas and the view from my SPD lenses.”  Still, I thought we could use something “new” to spice up late afternoons when I am thoroughly wiped from third-trimester pregnancy just as the kids are primed for some sensory fun.  “Hmmm..." I continued to think, "I would really like something that would allow me to sit and them to move... Something that costs just pennies."  It was then an idea struck: Alerting Activity ABC Cards!

I am  excited to say that I just finished making some.  They were inspired by a mind for frugal fun, a desire to meet the kids late-afternoon need to move and mine to sit and, also, by some wonderful ABC Exercise Cards*  that an awesome activity bag swap partner I had included in a box of goodies for my children a couple months back.  (I wish I knew who created the cards originally, so I could credit that person.  if you know, please tell me!)

You see, Luke and Nina love the ABC Exercise cards, as well as some sensory diet inspired movement cards I put together for them for a recent road trip.  So, I was confident that Alerting Activity ABC Cards would be a hit, allowing me a few minutes on the couch while still facilitating late-in-the-day movement and sensory diet activities for the kids...

Perhaps, you’d like to use them to.  Please do!

To Prep the Cards:

Simply click on the thumbnails of the cards throughout this post.  When you do, larger, printable versions should pop up.  (Since I have not yet had time to figure out how to share documents through any of the free online sharing sites that exist, and do not have a PDF file maker yet, I simply uploaded the cards as images.)    Should you want a Publisher version of the cards instead so you can tweak my creation to suit your own child's need, simply leave a comment and your email address and I will get a copy out to you.  (Of course, if you do this, I would expect the courtesy of getting copies of your tweaked cards in return!)

Once you print the cards, simply cut them out and laminate them for durability of you wish.  (I simply use clear contact paper).  Then, stack the cards in a pile on a tray (Montessori style), tuck them in a Ziploc (activity bag style) or hole punch their corners and put them on a ring (handy style).  And, you'll be ready to play.

To Play

Be aware that in the set of cards, there are quick activities kids can do to alert each of their seven senses: auditory (hearing), gustatory (taste), olfactory (smell), tactile (touch), proprioceptive (muscle sense), visual (sight) and vestibular (balance).  With just their bodies and some typical items found at home (or prepared ahead of time if at school, camp or other locations), kids can use the cards to key into each of their seven senses, enjoying a few minutes –or as much time as they wish—of simple, fun activities aimed at “speeding up their engines”.  Before playing, in deference to your child's individual needs and abilities, as well as to what supplies you may or may not have on hand (think lemons and lemonade!), take a quick flip through the deck to pull out any that might not work for your child.

Once the deck is ready, when your child needs some alerting activities, pick a random card – or have the child do so – and follow the challenge on it.  It’s that simple!  Pick one at a time; pick several in a row; pick only ones of certain colors (The cards are color-coded by sense.)  Spend two minutes or twenty.  Whatever works for your child!

Or, for Variation, try these activities:

Board Game Style:  Lay the cards out, face down, in a “snake”,  board game style.  Choose small objects as place markers and grab a coin.  Place the markers before the first card in your game board snake.  Have the first player flip a coin.  Heads= two spaces.  Tails =one.  Move accordingly.  Flip the card over and follow the challenge on it.  Play until someone gets to the end of the “snake”.  (Of course, you can use dice or a number spinner for this game, too if coins are too small and, thus, a choking hazard, for your child or if finger dexterity does not allow for flipping.)

Spelling Snake:  Play as above, but have players collect the cards they land upon and meet the challenges of.  Whoever collects enough cards to spell a word wins.  (Printing two or more decks, or at least extras of the letters A, E, I, O, U, R, S, T, L and N can be helpful for this version.)

Pick a Letter, Any Letter:  Have your child choose a letter of the alphabet.  Then, find the corresponding card.  Follow the challenge on it.

Mother, May I?:  To help practice the habit of polite questioning and obedience, give each child a set of the cards.  Have them pick one and ask, “Mother, may I (do whatever is pictured on the selected card)?”  Answer, “Yes, you may,” or “No, you may ot” and have the child respond accordingly.

What letter Is It?:  To practice letter recognition, show players a card.  Whoever can name the letter (or its sound if working on phonics) first is asked to meet the challenge on it and gets to keep the card.  The winner is the player who ends up with the most cards.  Or, for more cooperative play, ask each player a letter directly by turn (not racing to be the first to name them) and consider it a "win for all" once all letters have been identified and all challenges met.

Can You Think Of...?:  For creative kids that have become familiar with the cards, set a challenge:  Can you think of another activity you could do that uses this letter?

Three-Part Cards: Although not traditional 3-part./nomenclature cards, I made these cards with the 3-part card style in mind.  So, Montessori-inspired folks, feel free to print out two copies of the cards.  Leave one whole and cut the other right below the letters.  Then, use one as the control set and one as the matching set, having children complete the challenges as they successfully match the cards.

Of course, there are many other ways to use the cards... Let your children take the lead (as mine often do!) and they will make up their own game versions.  You'll be amazed!  So, now, stop reading and get to having some sensory fun by printing out the Alerting Activity ABC Cards!

Then later, if you have a moment, stop back by this post to let me know how you and yours enjoyed using the cards.  And, please also leave any tips you might have for improving or modifying them.  (Since the cards were made in snippets of time between life’s many duties, often with the kids-in-lap, there are likely things that could be improved about them.  So, don’t be shy.  I value constructive criticism as much as kudos.)

Finally, for others' Frugal Friday ideas, please check out the links at Life As Mom.

NOTE:  The Exercise ABC cards I mentioned can now be found at The Homeschool Share site, My Body Lapbook on pages 54 to page 60, as I understand.

If You Cannot Find It, Make Do: 3-Part Life of Mary Sequencing Cards

Okay, I admit it!  My computer files are in the same shape as the rest of our home right now – in dire need of some purging and organization.  This point was driven home to me the other morning when I spent fruitless time searching for some Life of Mary cards I thought I had downloaded at some prior point, only to realize that not only was I confused (I had actually downloaded some wonderful 3-Part Rosary Cards from The Bookworm), but also that my documents folders are suffering in cluttered disarray.  So, I am adding their organization to my May Focus intent and moving on...

Or trying to move on...You see, I am a Mommy-Educator who gets caught up in ideas and has to bring them to fruition at times so they won't continue to edge out other thoughts (such as, “You have a few minutes, Martianne.  Get purging and organizing!)  So despite the fact that Elaine, from the Creative Kingdom yahoogroup I belong to, made some wonderful Mary Matching cards in response to my question of if anyone else knew of Life of Mary cards online, I still had it in my head that I wanted cards chronicling the events of Mary’s life. Unable find any, during snippets of time here and there this week, I made some. 

Now, I am so excited to use our newly created 3-Part Life of Mary Sequencing Cards with the kids!  And, I am equally excited to be able to share them here, as a small thanks to all the amazing, creative bloggers whose ideas the kids and I have so appreciated benefiting from.

First, the cards themselves.  You'll find images of them throughout this post.  If you click on the images, you should get full-sized ones you can print out.  If you don’t and you want copies  in JEPG or Publisher, simply leave me a request in the comments!  Also, if you find any errors, feel I have left something out or feel I have misconstrued any of Mary's life events, please leave a comment to let me know.  As I explained, I created these cards during small snippets of time - often with kids on my lap - so it is likely there may be something that your careful eyes will catch that my distracted ones did not...

Now, how to use our new cards? 

Of course, first by printing two sets, contact-paper laminating them and, then, cutting them.

Then, for some favorite activities, try out some of the many matching games my kids love:  Concentration, the Slap Game, Go Fish, Who can Find the ~?, etc.  (If you need directions for any of these, just ask!)

Or, how about Card Bingo.  Basically, each child gets a set of 9 (or 16 if they get really good at the game) cards to lay out, face-up, Bingo-grid style.  The caller describes an event or shows a copy of a card.  If the kids have the corresponding card, they turn it over.  When a child has an entire row turned over, that child has Bingo!

And, by printing out an additional copy of each page to use as control cards, you can make a matching-skills file folder game with the cards.

Plus, you can use them as is for sequencing-and-story telling activities – use the cards with clothespins and a line, magnets and the fridge or simply a big area of floor space, to put the cards in order, time-line fashion, retelling the story of Mary’s life.

And, of course, the cards can be used for visual discrimination and picture study activities, including a recent favorite: “I Spy”.  (Need further explanation for these? Just ask!)

Plus, as we hope to do, you can use the cards as inspiration to help the kids each create books of their own artwork depicting Mary’s life.

As for us here at Jammies School, even if we only get to a small portion of these activities this year, we say, "No problem!"  The beauty of the cards (and what made them worth allocating so much time to making them) is that we can use them year after year, every Month of Mary, eventually even using them in the traditional Montessori 3-part cards way once the kids are reading a bit on their own.  With that in mind, I would love to hear about how you use the cards if you print them.  Your ideas are sure to provide inspiration for years of fun and learning to come.  Thank you and enjoy a blessed Month of Mary.

Frugal Fridays (Vol. 2): Sensory and Skills Spring Activity Bags with a Bit of Montessori Inspiration

Today, as I continue to reflect on how blessed I am to have the time (sometimes!), talent (or at least inspiration from other Moms, bloggers and authors) and resources (gotta love recycling!) to provide my children with fun activities, I continue to be thankful for the fun and inspiration Activity Bag exchanges have brought my family. These exchanges provide for a such frugal fun and learning! Thus, I thought I would wind up my recent Activity Bags series of posts with a Frugal Friday one. For, the official Activity Bags are meant to cost but $1 or less each, and, original idea bags can cost even less, especially when they are made using recycled, up-cycled, re-purposed, or on-hand materials. Can’t beat that in this day and age of often costly fun and learning games and activities for children!

And, I cannot beat the gratitude I fe el for one of the best activity swap partners ever, in my opinion, a talented and creative mom named Kim who I just did a second swap with. Her ideas and activities are awesome (see this post to see what she sent us during our first exchangeand this one to see what she ust sent us) and her enthusiasm for parenting and playful learning is contagious (be inspired by her Savino Stories blog) Plus, the motivation that swapping with her gives me to kick myself from “thinking” to “doing” gear is great!

With that motivation in mind, recently, when Kim got in touch with me about a Spring Activity bag exchange, since she and her kids had offered positive feedback on most of the Montessori in a Bag activities I had created for them before, and since I have fallen away from focusing on Montessori with Luke and Nina, but want to get back to it, I planned on creating more Montessori in a Bag activities. But, then I decided, that since we’ve recently discovered Luke has mild SPD (Sensory Processing Disorder), and since Kim mentioned she is interested in S.I. (Sensory Integration) activities, I would challenge myself, instead, to focus on Sensory and Skill Activities in a Bag with a Bit of Montessori Inspiration thrown in. Additionally, I sought to limit the materials for the bags to recyclable and repurposed ones, as well as anything I had on hand – as that was what Kim and I had agreed upon for our prior exchange parameters, with both "green" and budget responsibilities in mind.

So, here’s what I came up with, which, admittedly, pales in both breadth and also fun with manipulative when compared with what Kim put together for us, but still has been providing a host of fun and learning for the kids, while offering some additional sensory experiences.

(1) Activity Name: Bunny Blow (Oral/Motor and Practical Life)

Aims: alerting/ “speed up the engine” activity to help with oral/motor function, strengthens the respiratory system and speech articulators (tongue, cheek and lips), increased visual range and accuracy, control of movement, etc.
Activity Directions: Place the “Bunny Box” on the floor. Move away from it. Place cotton ball on the floor. Using straw, try to blow cotton ball to the spot on the “Bunny Box” where the tail is.
Extensions/Variations: (1) Make a stand up bunny out of card stock or cardboard with the tail portion cut out. Try to blow the cotton ball through the hole. (2) With two or more people, race to be the first to get your tail to the bunny. (3) Use different sized straws and other objects of different lengths, widths and shapes to blow – twisty straws, drink box straws, toilet paper tubes, etc. (4) As a Montessori Practical Life activity, use a small broom and add have child try to sweep the cotton ball tail to the bunny.
Control of Error: unable to blow cotton ball to match the place of the tail on the “Bunny Box”
Bag Includes: “Bunny Box”, 2 straws, 2 cotton balls
Source Inspiration: "Spirited Shepherd”, p. 210 of The Out-of-Sync Child Has Fun by Carol Stock Kranowitz, M.A.
Spring Connection: Bunnies, of course!
Swap Partner’s Descriptor Inspiration: “--struggles with fine motor... and excels with most large motor activities.” (This activity allows for some gross motor skills as children crawl along to blow the cotton ball, but it also enhances fine motor skills as they use the pincer grasp to hold and point the straw.)

WARNING: Although intended for children to use somewhat independently, this activity includes a plastic bag, which may pose a suffocation hazard if placed over head and small objects which may present a choking hazard. Adult supervision is required.

(2) Activity Name: YogaKids Cards (Proprioception, Tactile, Practical Life)

Aims: calming, proprioception activity; tactile activity (if done barefoot), which helps with core strengthening, motor planning, control of movement, balance, calming oneself, concentration, body awareness, etc.
Activity Directions: Place all cards on a plate, face up. Pick up a card and attempt the pose. Then, place card, face down, on the other plate.
Extensions/Variations: (1) Make up your own poses based on animals, vehicles and other things of interest. Try to think of “spring things” to make up your own poses about.(2) Switch out cards with other yoga pose cards. (3) Try to find picture cards or toys to match the names. Put them in a bag or basket and draw one out to decide which pose to do. (4) See MANY ideas and extensions and further explanation of poses in Yoga Kids videos and books by Marsha Wenig (whose website is where these cards fame from!)
Control of Error: unable to perform pose to own satisfaction
Bag Includes: 24 yoga pose cards and 2 plates
Source Inspiration: Yoga Kids, Montessori by Hand, Integrated Yoga: Yoga with a Sensory Integrative Approach by Nicole C. Coumo and New Child Montessori. 
Spring Connection: Better weather! Grab a mat or blanket and do these outside. No mat? No problem? The lawn will provide some great tactile feedback for the feet.
Swap Partner’s Descriptor Inspiration: “...you did these wonderful yoga cards...” (I thought more of a thing that worked would be welcome.)

WARNING: Although intended for children to use somewhat independently, this
activity includes a plastic bag, which may pose a suffocation hazard if placed over head. Adult supervision is required.

(3) Activity Name: Mini Weather Geo-Board (Proprioception, Sensorial)

Aims: proprioception activity for fingers (stretching rubber bands isolate the index and middle fingers and provide traction to those fingers), which helps with control of movement, reinforcement of shapes, motor planning, etc.
Activity Directions: Using the picture-word cards, try to create similar outlined shapes with the elastic on the mini geo-board.
Extensions/Variations: (1) Make shapes freely. (2) Use multiple elastics and layer the shapes. (3) As a hammering or construction activity, make larger geo-boards together using scrap wood and nails or push pins. (4) Practice numbers by challenging child to put elastic around a certain number of push pins. (5) Use tweezers or other “pincer” grasp objects to move the elastic about.
Control of Error: unable to create shapes to own satisfaction
Bag Includes: 1 miniature block-and-push-pin geo-board, 1 elastic, 4 picture-word cards
Source Inspiration: Montessori Services (Email me if you want my cards document for this one.)
Spring Connection: seeing shapes in spring
Swap Partner’s Descriptor Inspiration: “-- is very physical... -- (loves)...anything small or mini.” (My active son loves playing with elastics like this, so maybe yours will, too. And, my daughter, who also likes all things small, finds this just the right size.)

WARNING: Although intended for children to use somewhat independently, this activity includes a plastic bag, which may pose a suffocation hazard if placed over head and small objects which may present a choking hazard. Adult supervision is required.

(4) Activity Name: Tiny Treasure Egg Carton (Tactile, Proprioception, Mathematics)

Aims: tactile (textures of objects found); proprioception (climbing hills, hiking, etc.) activity that helps with one-to-one correspondence, pincer grasp for picking up objects and placing in carton sections, etc.
Activity Directions: Go for a walk outside – up and down inclines, in the woods, if possible – and try to fill each section of the carton with objects from the pictures on the carton.
Extensions/Variations: (1) Instead of using the pictures, simply fill each section of the carton with a different object. Upon completion, explore each object, talking about its texture, what it is called, etc. (2) Before going out, brainstorm 12 or more small objects you might find outside in the spring that would fit in the sections. Race to find them and fill the egg carton. (3) For additional egg carton walk ideas, see Egg Carton Nature Walks.
Control of Error: able to find objects to fill each section of the egg carton
Bag Includes: 1 egg carton with pictures on it
Source Inspiration: a sunny day and an empty egg carton :) (Email me if you want my tiny treasures picture document for this one)
Spring Connection: getting outside in the good weather
Swap Partner’s Descriptor Inspiration: “We are trying to make sure that we get outside more often...” (And here’s a fun way to do it!)

WARNING: Although intended for children to use somewhat independently, this activity includes a plastic bag, which may pose a suffocation hazard if placed over head. Adult supervision is required.

(5) Activity Name: R Playdough Mats (Tactile, Language)

Aims: tactile activity with helps with fine motor coordination, phonics sounds, letter recognition, vocabulary development, etc.
Activity Directions: Using red and blue playdough, make raindrops on one side of mat and any ‘r” objects on the other. Also, using playdough “snakes”, make playdough “R’s” on the outlined “R” and “r” on each side of the mat.
Extensions/Variations: (1) To practice numbers, in dry-erase marker, write a specific number inside the umbrella and make that many raindrops. (2) Draw or print picture cards of different “r” words for use as inspiration for making creations. (3) Pointing to “r’s”, make the phonetic sound for “r”. Then, try to find the other “r” words in the sentence on the mat and decide which color playdough represents an “r” word. (3) Make playdough together and use it in lots of ways.  recipe and ideas at my Playdough in a Tutor's Toolkit post.
Control of Error: unable to fill in “r’s” or to make “r” creations with playdough
Bag Includes: ½ cup red playdough, ½ cup blue playdough, double-sided “R” playdough mat in page protector
Source Inspiration: none in particular -- playdough is a well-known S.I. activity (Email me if you want the two-sided mat document for this one.)
Spring Connection: spring rain
Swap Partner’s Descriptor Inspiration: “We are still working our way through the alphabet...” (Have you gotten to “r” yet? If so, time for a review.)

WARNING: Although intended for children to use somewhat independently, this activity includes a plastic bag, which may pose a suffocation hazard if placed over head. Adult supervision is required.

(6) Activity Name: Puddle Jumping (Proprioception, Language)

Aims: proprioception (jumping) activity, which helps with balance, meaning of prepositions, etc.
Activity Directions: Put the “puddle” on the floor. Using the picture-word cards, decide whether to jump in, over or next to it.
Extensions/Variations: (1) Fill a dishpan with water and put it on the puddle for extra added fun. (2) Add more instruction cards, for example: stomp in, tiptoe through, walk around, etc. (3) Go outside and use the cards for real puddle jumping fun!
Control of Error: unable to match body actions to pictures on the cards
Bag Includes: 1 blue material “puddle”, 3 picture-word cards (in, over and next to), one chant card
Source Inspiration: Learn to Move, Move to Learn by Jenny Clark Brack (frog theme)
Spring Connection: spring rain
Swap Partner’s Descriptor Inspiration: “-- is constantly going, loves to ...just be in motion...” (This activity will focus some of that energy!)

WARNING: Although intended for children to use somewhat independently, this activity includes a plastic bag, which may pose a suffocation hazard if placed over head. Adult supervision is required.

(7) Activity Name: Rain Droppers (Fine Motor/Pre-Handwriting, Practical Life)

Aims: calming fine motor activity to help with focus, concentration, fine motor skills, pincer grasp, etc.
Activity Directions: Fill blue lid with water. Put white lids inside circles on mat. Then, using the dropper, transfer the water to other lids making it “rain” on the “green grass”, on the “trees”, on the “housetop”, but not on “me”.
Extensions/Variations: (1) Draw your own grass, trees, housetop and self. Put in pocket protectors. Then, use a wet sponge – wringing it – to make it “rain” enacting the poem. (2) For fun, watch a you tube video of this poem/song, such as this one. (3) Make up your own things it could rain on and change the pictures on the jars accordingly.
Control of Error: unable to transfer the water
Bag Includes: 1 poem mat in page protector, 4 lids, 1 dropper
Source Inspiration: The Out of Sync Child Has Fun by Carol Stock Kranowiitz (p. 305, mention of pincer grasp)
Spring Connection: spring rain
Swap Partner’s Descriptor Inspiration: “-- seems to be picking up anything that -- isn't supposed to ...anything that's 'adult.'” (How about glass jar being used instead of recycled capss?!) “-- struggles with fine motor...” (Droppers are great for developing fine motor skills!)

WARNING: Although intended for children to use somewhat independently, this activity includes a plastic bag, which may pose a suffocation hazard if placed over head. Adult supervision is required.

(8) Activity Name: Make Your Own Clouds (Tactile, Science)

Aims: tactile activity that helps with science vocabulary, nature observation, etc.
Activity Directions: Pick a cloud card. Using cotton balls, create a similar cloud on blue background paper.
Extensions/Variations: (1) Use glue, cotton balls, pom poms, white glitter and paper to make cloud collages inspired by picture cards. (2) Use cards as part of “circle time” to identify clouds outside each day. (3) Make a matching set and play games with them – Go Fish, Concentration, etc.  (Some further ideas for playing with cards can be found at my Card Crazy post.)
Control of Error: do not feel that cotton creation represents picture cards
Bag Includes: 7 cloud identification cards, various cotton balls, several pieces of blue paper
Source Inspiration: ETC Pres Inc. Cloud Types
Spring Connection: getting outside to look at the clouds
Swap Partner’s Descriptor Inspiration: “-- likes cards and note pads, anything --size.” (Thought some new cards might be welcome then!)

WARNING: Although intended for children to use somewhat independently, this activity includes a plastic bag, which may pose a suffocation hazard if placed over head and small objects which may present a choking hazard. Adult supervision is required.

(9) Activity Name: Spring Flowers Find –n-Color (Proprioception, Fine Motor, Pre-Writing)

Aims: proprioception activity (if the nature walk includes lots of climbing and “hard” walking), fine motor activity that helps with fine motor, nature observation, colors, etc.)
Activity Directions: Go on a nature walk to search for each of the flower types. Inspect them. Note their colors. Then, come home and color the pages.
Extensions/Variations: (1) Use the coloring sheets as playdough mats, making playdough insects fly on and around the flowers. (2) Play “Run and Get” inside with another person by laying all the flower pictures face up and having one person call the name of a flower while the other runs to get it. (3) Play “Run and Touch” outside with another person by having one person use the pictures as calling cards and the other person running to touch an appropriate flower, something that is the same color as it, something that starts with the same letter as it, etc. (4) For even more sensory input, use scented crayons or markers for coloring and be sure to smell the flowers!
Control of Error: unsatisfied with coloring
Bag Includes: 5 coloring pages in a page protector, crayons
Source Inspiration: Activity Village
Spring Connection: Spring flowers
Swap Partner’s Descriptor Inspiration: “--likes coloring, reading, and writing...” (Well, then, these should be a hit and should help with a nice nature walk.)

WARNING: Although intended for children to use somewhat independently, this activity includes a plastic bag, which may pose a suffocation hazard if placed overhead. Adult supervision is required.

(10) Activity Name: Spring Match-n-Run Cards (Proprioception, Sensorial)

Aims: proprioception activity to help with visual discrimination, language, memory, etc.
Activity Directions: Put one set of cards face up on the floor. Some distance away, place the control cards on the floor, face up. Close eyes and drop a pom pom on the control cards. Run/crawl/hop/jump to find the matching car for whatever picture the pom pom lands on. Continue until all cards are matched.
Extensions/Variations: (1) Cut second set of cards and lay “Go Fish”. (2) Cut second set of cards and play “Concentration”. (3) See Maitri Learning's good ideas. (4) Adapt ideas from my Card Crazy post.
Control of Error: cannot match cards – cards left over
Bag Includes: 1 sets of 16 spring photo cards, 3 pages of control mats for cards, 1 pom pom
Source Inspiration: Montessori for Everyone
Spring Connection: Spring objects and scenes.
Swap Partner’s Descriptor Inspiration: “-- likes cards.” (These cards should be appealing then, and as both kids love to be on the move, all the running will be fun!)

WARNING: Although intended for children to use somewhat independently, this activity includes a plastic bag, which may pose a suffocation hazard if placed over head and small objects which may present a choking hazard. Adult supervision is required.

(11) Dandelion Life Cycle Models (Tactile, Science)

Aims: tactile activity that helps with fine motor, motor planning, science concepts, nature observation, etc.
Activity Directions: Look at Dandelion Life Cycle Cards. Choose one. Using pom poms and chenille strips build a model of a dandelion at a specific stage. Untwist everything and try making a model of a different stage of the dandelion.
Extensions/Variations: (1) As a connected motor activity that helps with oral/motor function, strengthens the respiratory system and speech articulators (tongue, cheek and lips), go outside and find dandelions in different stages of their life cycle and then, blow, blow, blow some for seed dispersal (2) Place cards in the correct order of a dandelion’s life cycle.
Control of Error: cannot make models to satisfaction
Bag Includes: 2 white pom poms, 2 yellow pom poms, 2 green pom poms, 3 green chenille strips, 6 Dandelion Life Cycle cards
Source Inspiration: Sparklebox  (I am taking down the link to Sparklebox and giving warning to all about something I just learned:  The woner of the site was jailed for reasons related to children and the internet.  See this article.)
Spring Connection: Dandelions are growing.
Swap Partner’s Descriptor Inspiration: “-- struggles with fine motor.” “We are trying to make sure that we get outside more often...” (Making the models will help with fine motor skills will presenting different tactile sensations. Getting outside to the see the real is a great connection! Plus, somewhere in your blog, I thought I saw you mention the kids love pom poms!)

WARNING: Although intended for children to use somewhat independently, this activity includes a plastic bag, which may pose a suffocation hazard if placed over head and small objects which may present a choking hazard. Adult supervision is required.

(12) Spring Bug Hunt (Proprioception, Science)

Aims: proprioception activity (if using a lot of crawling, hill climbing, lifting rocks, etc.) that helps with one to science vocabulary, one correspondence, fine motor skills, pincer grasp, etc.
Activity Directions: Choose one strip of bug picture cards. Take it and the clothespins outside. As you spot a bug, clip a clothespin to its picture.
Extensions/Variations: (1) Go to Sparklebox. Print a second set of pictures and use them for Lotto or other matching games. (2) Using playdough or modeling clay, try to create models of the bugs. (3) Set a time limit and try to find as many of the bugs as you can during it. (I am taking down my links to Sparklebox as of 5/2/10 after learning that the owner of the site has been jailed for reasons involving children and the Internet.  See this article.)
Control of Error: cannot find bugs and clip clothepins to cards
Bag Includes: 3 bug picture card strips, 6 clothespins
Source Inspiration: Sparklebox.co.uk
Spring Connection: The bugs are all coming out this season
Swap Partner’s Descriptor Inspiration: “-- struggles with fine motor.” “We are trying to make sure that we get outside more often...” (Clothespin work helps with fine motor and pincer grasp – a great pre-writing activity. Looking for the bugs will get you outside.)

WARNING: Although intended for children to use somewhat independently, this activity includes a plastic bag, which may pose a suffocation hazard if placed over head and small objects which may present a choking hazard. Adult supervision is required.

Of course, I would love to hear about variations others do with activities modeled after these or with similar types of activities, as well as to receive links to posts about additional Activity Bag and Sensory Integration Activities (bag or no bag). So, please leave a comment.

And, if you just cannot get enough Activity Bag ideas, please be sure to click here for my growing series of posts on them. In doing so, you will find posts with pictures and descriptions of over 50 different bags that we have enjoyed so far – Montessori, Fun and Learning, Skills, Travel and all!

Finally, if you would like to check out others Frugal Friday tips, I invite you to visit the links at Life as Mom for tips on all topics - homeschooling, housekeeping, sewing, shopping -- you name it!.