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Preschool Themes for June: Father’s Day, Beach,& More

As busy moms, we’re always looking for easy ways to make our day a little less stressful and enjoy summertime! With these free and practical resources, you can encourage your super active kids the ENTIRE month with wonderful hands on learning tools. Here are the Preschool Themes for June, ready to go for my fellow teachers!

Insects, Bugs, and Creepy Crawlies

Bugs and creepy crawlies are great subjects for our small and sweet scientists in the sizzling summer! Grab these 10 Bug Color and Learn Pages that are SO easy to prepare — just print and go! Your kids will learn facts, practice their writing and coloring skills, and better yet, it’s all free!

You’ll also want to check out these insect crafts, printables and projects to enhance your bug unit studies and thematic lessons. From butterfly life cycles to Scientific Discovery Notebooking Printables, there’s something for everyone!

Father’s Day Ideas DIY

Kids love making their Dad a homemade Father’s Day gifts and we got some great ideas for them! Try these fun and free DIY Father’s Day Ideas including cards and crafts you can make with children for Father’s Day!

These priceless memories include printables for Father’s day cards, handprint crafts, fishing cut and paste activities and so much more.

In addition, you can also grab Father’s Day Gift Ideas with these Free Father’s Day Bible Crafts, Activities, Minibooks, and more! Whether you’re creating these as a family or for homeschool or Sunday School, they will provide lifetime memories and are perfect keepsakes!

At the Beach

When you think of the beach and kids together, what’s the first word that pops up in your head? For me, it’s sand — but sometimes it’s not in a good way. So, let’s think of fun ways we can incorporate sand into a pleasurable activity!

Get your kids excited for the beach trip coming up with these beach type sand crafts including this super silly Sandpaper Starfish craft and some beautiful artwork with a Sand Art craft.

The beach also reminds us the vast ocean that God miraculously has made for us! Children are fascinated to see amazing ocean creatures!  Check out our video tutorials on how your child can make these ocean themed crafts! You’ll find inspiring activities to create a spiky sea urchin, a sea creature fan book and a sparkly sea anemone.

Plus, don’t forget to grab these valuable resources for ocean themed unit studies! Take your child to our magnificent under water world with this Ocean Life Book and DVD or get sticky with this vibrant, high quality Ocean Sticker Book.

Vacation Days

Speaking of the beach, let’s talk about the many ways of transportation taking us to our relaxing vacation destination. And, kids love to play and talk about those various ways of transportation — that’s why we made these Preschool Transportation Printables!

Which also reminds me, are you taking a road trip and need to homeschool at the same time? Here are some essential tips to make your travel trip an easy and educational ride! It’s very cool and hip when you are Car schooling like a Ninja!

Fruits and Vegetables – Farmers Market

Don’t you just love to see those signs on the road that proudly display “Farmer’s Market Today”?!!! Buying fresh produce from side stands not only supports local farmers, it supports a healthy immune system!

Why not hone in on these flavorful roadside stands and make it a teachable lesson? Play this easy and engaging fruit and vegetable game to get those fruit juices flowing!

Need some more resources to teach about healthy food and what makes them so special? Try this fun and fruity collection of healthy mazes for your kids or students!  Each activity sheet teaches about the health benefits of a specific fruit.  Students read, write, maze and trace their way right to a delicious and juicy healthy fruit.

That’s a wrap, my friends! Hope you have a wonderful month of June, and don’t forget to enjoy the warm sun, contagious smiles, and a lot of laughter!

The 10 Best Butterfly Books for Preschoolers

Wondering what the best thematic books are for your preschoolers? I’ll share with you one of my favorites — butterflies! Butterflies are such fun insects to explore with your little one. Here are the 10 best butterfly books for preschoolers that include counting, nature’s miracles, and beautiful images!

Teachers and homeschool moms alike will be thrilled with this hand-picked selection of engaging titles. These butterfly books for preschool incorporate important subjects and skills including math, science, and visual discrimination! Your student or child will be able to count, learn about the transformation of a metamorphosis, and enjoy God’s creation.

Using a theme centered subject in your homeschool or classroom encourages children to make connections and understand patterns. Not only can you incorporate these books below, there are many wonderful activities and resources available. Let’s get started with the ultimate list of caterpillar and butterfly books for preschoolers!

Best Butterfly Books for Preschool

Admittedly, any book with Cat and the Hat is a huge hit with any mom! You and your preschooler will love My Oh My- a Butterfly! as a keepsake. Also, it’s a special book about butterflies for preschool. They’ll learn all about the metamorphosis of an egg to the transformation of a butterfly! This book is packed full of fun facts, and teachers will be surprised to learn a thing or two!

Coloring and Math Books about Butterflies for Preschool

While it may seem like a simple book of colors for preschool students, the illustrations are riveting. Plus, your student will learn all about the type of insects and even get a little pop up surprise at the end! Grab this easy to follow find if your looking for books about butterflies for preschool.

Butterfly Colors and Counting is a great tool to use for teaching numbers 1 through 10. Plus, they’ll be delighted to learn the colors of the rainbow. concept book for the smallest butterfly lovers. While the book covers simple terms and numbers, your young butterfly reader will also discover a new species of butterflies!

All About Caterpillar and Butterfly Books for Preschoolers

The In the Butterfly Garden is not your typical pop up book! You and your preschooler will be amazed with the intricate details of the beautiful butterflies! And, along the way you’ll see insects hiding while inchworms make their way chomping on leaves. And, of course, the magnificent journey from a cocoon to butterfly is always an astonishing story.

National Geographic is well known for its vivid, breath taking images and this book doesn’t disappoint. The text is simple, yet comprehensive for young students. And, it’s even quite factual for any budding scientist. You’ll especially love the fun and challenging riddles throughout the book Caterpillar to Butterfly as well.

The I Am a Butterfly book is a great read aloud that captivates the beauty and amazing transformation of a Monarch butterfly! You’ll find a list of fascinating and informative butterfly facts including life cycle and butterfly types. Plus, we learn how to help the Monarch’s blight to the endangered species list.

A Butterfly is Patient is another beautifully illustrated and detailed nature book that’s perfect as a read aloud. With written and cursive words, each pages includes factual statements. In addition, you’ll find plenty of art, including explicit drawings and watercolor type illustrations.

Story Telling Butterfly Books for Preschool

Grab this adorable tale of Hurry and the Monarch! It will keep your preschoolers intrigued and even amazed about the fascinating migration of butterflies! And, it holds value for everyone as a read aloud for young children, a great early reader, and a ton of info for parents. Hint, it might even be a tear-jerker!

The delightful fictional story of Bob and Otto is about two best friends doing everything together as squiggly insects. The creepy crawlies eat leaves, dig, and love playing in the dirt. Yet, one day, Bob does something unimaginable. He has grown wings while Otto is still the same worm! This is a sweet and funny story about friendship and how their differences make them special.

The comprehensive preschool book list is complete with Eric Carle classics! Don’t miss this best seller of growing list of caterpillar and butterfly books for preschoolers.

While the illustrations are eye catching and colors are vivid, the sturdy board book pages are perfect for small hands. Teachers and homeschoolers everywhere, add The Very Hungry Caterpillar to your collection. The handy book is great for learning colors, fruits, foods and even counting!

Need more ideas for butterflies like butterfly printables, butterfly activities, and butterfly crafts? Try these Butterfly Activities and Printables!

Butterfly Bingo

Butterfly Matching Game

Every year, my kiddos enjoy watching tiny caterpillars turn into beautiful butterflies. There is just something so magical about the transformation into such a beautiful creature. When Spring comes around it’s time to bring out all of your butterfly activities, games and teaching resources!

Butterfly Classroom Games

If you are looking for a fun classroom game you can play with your homeschool or preschool students then we have just the game for you! Bingo games are great for end of the week activities, or anytime you need to settle children down to transition from one learning activity to the next.

It’s important that even when playing games you are providing your preschool students with the chance to build key learning skills they will need in the coming years. This particular game helps chidlren work on their visual discrimination skills as they must identify each butterfly based on the teacher’s description.

With five different bingo boards, you’ll want to print up one for each student, then an extra boad you can use for calling cards. In small group settings students can take turns turning over a butterfly to reveal which one they need to find on their board.

Listening Skills & Visual Discrimination

For an added challenge, a parent or teacher can do the calling and announce each butterfly by giving slow visual instructions.

“This butterfly has a green body……yellow, purple and orange top wings….”

“This butterfly is mostly purple with yellow and orange circles on the bottom wings.”

Just be sure students are ready for this type of activity so it doesn’t lead to unnecessary frustration…..sort of ease into it. And of course, be near to assist your younger kiddos with finding the correct butterfly.

50-Piece Set of Mini Erasers

TIP: Provide your older students with colorful bingo counters or even mini butterfly erasers if you have them! Just be sure your

HINT: For younger students not yet ready to play BINGO, you can print two copies of the same board and make your own Butterfly Matching Game!

Butterfly Bingo Games:

    Butterfly Bingo Gameboard 1

    Print this free butterfly bingo game for your preschool classroom today!

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      Butterfly Bingo Gameboard 2

      Print this free butterfly bingo game for your preschool classroom today!

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        Butterfly Bingo Gameboard 3

        Print this free butterfly bingo game for your preschool classroom today!

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          Butterfly Bingo Gameboard 4

          Print this free butterfly bingo game for your preschool classroom today!

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            Butterfly Bingo Gameboard 5

            Print this free butterfly bingo game for your preschool classroom today!

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            The Best Free Butterfly Worksheets for Preschoolers

            The amazing butterfly is a wonderful teaching tool to use for a thematic approach during any season. There are so many great butterfly activities for the preschool age online. However, I’m going to share with the best FREE butterfly worksheets for preschoolers!

            Kids love butterflies — their movements and beauty can keep them entertained and laughing for hours! That’s why these butterfly worksheets are the perfect fit for young children. They can learn much about their shape and parts alone with these valuable butterfly resources.

            You’ll find a ton of free educational resources below including symmetrical butterfly worksheets, butterfly math worksheets, butterfly tracing worksheets, and even a butterfly matching game! All of these printables are easy to obtain with a click of a button. So, what are you waiting for? Find the best butterfly materials for you and your preschooler!

            Symmetrical Butterfly Worksheets

            During the preschool age, kids are ready to understand symmetry. It not only builds their learning skills, it also helps children develop the ability to observe and identify patterns. Three important subjects use symmetrical recognition: math, reading, and art.

            These free butterfly worksheets below allow your student or child to develop these essential skills easily! Not only will your child enjoy seeing these eye opening patterns, they’ll also love their own creation.

            Butterfly Math Worksheets

            Young children have a natural sense of organizing and sorting through play. Yet, it’s also a huge benefit to be intentional about their math skills.  Take advantage of these free butterfly math worksheets for developing counting and number readiness.

            With these free math butterfly worksheets linked below, your student will gain confidence in learning how to count, subtract, and even sort using these incredibly easy printables!

            For an extra treat, try using your own manipulatives like erasers, coins, or M & M’s. You’ll be amazed how fast they can get their butterfly math worksheets done when M & M’s are involved!

            Butterfly Tracing Worksheets

            Giving your student opportunities to trace has so many benefits. It teaches them how to draw, independence, and understand the concept of drawing. Tracing also bridges the gap between a simple straight or round line to curves, bends, and zig zag patterns.   

            That’s why these Butterfly Dot to Dot Worksheets are so important to use in educating your preschooler! They make connections, build their writing skills, and gain creativity with these wonderful math tools!

            These worksheets will also give your child practice with fine motor skills using the alphabet and tracing lines. These writing worksheets will give your child more practice with their upper case and lower case alphabet tracing!

            Butterfly Matching Game

            Need some help teaching your preschoolers on how to identify colors? This easy and less mess butterfly matching activity allows your child to learn their colors with just a few steps.

            Simply print out the FREE Butterfly Matching Game printable. Then, paste the butterfly worksheet on a file folder. You’ll need to grab some scissors, cut, and that’s it! Your child is now ready to match the butterfly to the correct flower — easy peasy!

            With all of these free and valuable butterfly activities for preschoolers, you’ll keep your child or classroom busy and engaged. At this young age, it’s all about learning and having fun at the same time!

              Butterfly Math Worksheets: Addition

              This fun and free butterfly preschool printable will teach your child addition math facts.

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                Butterfly Math Worksheet: Count and Write

                This free butterfly math sheet will teach your preschool child counting and numbers in just a few minutes!

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                  Butterfly Math Worksheet: Addition Facts using Dots

                  Download this free butterfly math printable for preschoolers learning their addition math facts!

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                    Butterfly Math Worksheet: Subtraction Mat

                    Teach your preschooler subtraction math the easy way using the beautiful butterfly shape!

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                      Butterfly Tracing Worksheet: Lower Case

                      This preschool butterfly printable is perfect for tracing lower case alphabet letters and practice tracing lines.

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                        Butterfly Tracing Worksheet: Upper Case

                        Your preschool student will love this free and fun butterfly alphabet printable for help tracing alphabet letters in uppercase and tracing lines.

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                          Symmetrical Butterfly Worksheet

                          This free butterfly printable teaches preschool students how to identify symmetry patterns.

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                            Butterfly Worksheet: Symmetrical Patterns

                            Teach your child all about a butterfly's symmetric patterns using this free butterfly preschool printable.

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                              Butterflies Worksheet: More Symmetry Patterns

                              Download this free preschool butterfly activity for teaching young ones all about symmetry patterns.

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                              Easy Instructions on How to Draw a Butterfly

                              Butterflies are the perfect drawing subject when learning how to draw. Their wings alone hold a certain pattern that once mastered, it’s very easy to emulate.  Would you like some help on learning how to draw a butterfly step by step? Teachers and Homeschool Moms everywhere will appreciate these easy instructions on how to draw a butterfly!

                              How to Draw a Butterfly Step by Step

                              At first glance, butterflies may seem a bit difficult to teach preschoolers how to draw. Yet, your child can draw the perfect butterfly with very little effort. You just need the right tools!

                              You’ll be amazed how easy it is after you watch how to draw a Butterfly step by step. With my simple video tutorial below, it’s easy as 1-2-3! Plus, this downloadable FREE How to Draw a Butterfly Printable is a valuable incremental guide. Let’s get started!

                              Step 1: Download your FREE Butterfly Template

                              Download the FREE How to Draw a Butterfly Template and print a couple of copies for extra practice. It is likely your students will want to make multiple butterflies of all different sizes.

                              Print

                              Step 2: Gather Writing Utensils

                              Choose your preferred method of drawing, whether it’s coloring pencils, crayons, or erasable markers. And, don’t forget to include a black marker, crayon, or pencil to trace the butterfly.

                              Step 3: Watch How to Draw a Butterfly Step by Step Tutorial

                              Watch the How to Draw a Butterfly Step by Step Video tutorial. Doesn’t it make drawing a butterfly so much easier?!!

                              Step 4: Show Child How to Draw a Butterfly

                              Now it’s time to show your child how he or she can draw a butterfly! Butterfly tracing is a great way to teach symmetrical patterns. They can use their creative side with a little guidance! They can draw a pattern on one side of the butterfly wing and mimic on the other. For example, adding symbols, dots, zig zag, and diagonal lines work great.

                              Are you convinced now that the How to Draw a Butterfly Template is right for you? It builds a ton of confidence in you and your child as you grow and learn tracing, drawing, and patterns together!

                              What an engaging, but simple way to teach your child that they can draw anything with just a little practice! Plus, the How to Draw a Butterfly free printable encourages your preschooler to develop fine motor skills, visual analysis, improves eye coordination, and builds creative problem solving!

                              Directed Drawing: Draw & Write

                              Did your student enjoy this easy step-by-step drawing worksheet? Be sure you check out our Draw and Write Activity pages for more fun! Children follow the six-step drawing guidelines to create their own fun characters. Drawing builds small motor skills, increased confidence and provides writing opportunities for children to create stories for their creations.

                              Free Butterfly Coloring Pages

                              Looking for more butterfly resources? You’ll find everything you need right here including coloring pages, art projects, life cycle worksheets, math worksheets, and SO much more! Find out more about our Butterfly Preschool Printables here!

                              Did your kids enjoy designing the butterflies? If so, you may want to take advantage of their excitement and get this HUGE 30 page activity pack! It includes not only life cycles of butterflies, chickens, and frogs, but also plant stages, make a rainbow, and much more!

                              Free Butterfly Template Ideas for your Preschooler

                              Butterflies are amazing creatures – they seamlessly float in the air with their beauty and delicate features. It’s no wonder that kids love to watch and mimic their every move! That’s why we created this free butterfly template for preschool and younger.

                              Need some quick ideas using our butterfly template printable? We’ve got some easy, intermediate, and advanced ideas for your young ones! Your kids will love their new drawing skills while you enjoy igniting their imaginations.

                              Butterfly Template Ideas

                              This free butterfly template is designed for preschool, pre-K and even Kindergarten. It will give your students a lot of wiggle room for creativity. There are so many facets to a butterfly unit study- activities, crafts, games, book lists and more! Yet, you’ll be amazed at how a simple butterfly template will get their creative juices flowing!

                              Butterfly Tracing

                              This easy butterfly template outline will help your child visually and tactically learn how to draw a butterfly. For young children, a simple way to teach the art of drawing is tracing — a butterfly outline is a perfect start!

                              Preschoolers can use crayons, colored pencils or washable markers. It’s a simple method, yet it will teach them how to draw a butterfly shape independently. In no time, your child will be able to draw a butterfly using freehand.

                              As they finish the first trace, the next layer can begin with another color. Pretty soon, your student will have a beautifully arranged rainbow colored butterfly shape!

                              Butterfly Craft: Dab & Dot Activity

                              Have you heard of daubers or dab and dot markers? If not, your preschooler is in for a real treat! These handy dabbers are shaped like markers, but fairly larger with a sponge like tip. They were created for little fingers with less mess and are non-toxic.

                              With just the dab of the dauber, your child can create a wonderful array of color. Try using symmetrical patterns straight, or zig zag patterns. The possibilities are endless! Grab some dot markers and let your kid have a ton of fun using the butterfly template!

                              Butterfly Preschool Activity: Pom-Pom Symmetry

                              Need to continue building pattern symmetry skills with your preschooler or toddler? Pick up some PomPoms and a dab of glue for this creative craft! The free and versatile butterfly template is a wonderful skill builder using a bit of guidance.

                              Using the image above, instruct your child to add the same colors evenly on each side. For example, add pompoms in a diagonal row on both sides of the butterfly’s wings.

                              In the middle of the butterfly outline, choose another complimentary color. Next, begin gluing vertically. They choose the colors, you lead them in the right direction! This would be a great time to introduce vertical and horizontal lines.

                              Butterfly Symmetry Art and Lesson

                              This easy and beautiful butterfly craft also teaches symmetry. You may wonder — why is symmetry so important when teaching preschoolers?

                              While children have a build in sense of symmetry and balance, these type of activities develop them even further! Their ability to recognize patterns strengthens along with their observation skills.

                              The basic subjects like math, reading and art is covered in these type of lessons.  It not only develops the essential elements, it gives them more confidence and motivation! Don’t be surprised if they’re ready for the next butterfly activity!

                              Now that we’ve discussed these incredible skill builders, let’s get back to our subject – an engaging butterfly craft!

                              As you begin, don’t forget to print out several copies for your student or child. They will not stop at one after seeing his/her gorgeous creation!

                              Next, grab 3 or 4 colors of washable paint. Let your child choose his or her favorite paint jars. Then, carefully fold the butterfly template in half.

                              Make sure to guide your child dropping just a few spots on only one side. Be careful not to make the drops too big! Also, be careful to stay in the lines as much as possible.

                              Now gently close the butterfly up. In just a few seconds, viola, a gorgeous, colorful butterfly appears! After drying, don’t forget to show off your child’s masterpiece on the frig. Better yet, grab a frame from the store or shelf and display it on the wall.

                              Or, better yet, give it as a gift. There are so many family, friends, and relatives who would cherish this masterpiece. In fact, Grandma would love bragging rights for this beauty!

                              With just 4 simple ideas using a free butterfly template, it’s astounding at what your child can create!

                              If you’d like to explore even more ideas, check out my Butterfly Preschool Printables for preschoolers.

                              These Butterfly Preschool Resources are a wonderful supplement to your thematic unit. Don’t miss out on these valuable butterfly activities including life cycles, sequencing cards, coloring pages, and more!

                              Butterfly Art Project for Kids

                              Using this free butterfly template, preschool students can make a stunning butterfly craft with very few materials. Just looking at this beautiful butterfly you would think that the process was quite difficult. However, as you’ll see in the step-by-step tutorial below, this craft is quick, simple, and just right for classroom display projects.

                              Butterfly Craft Project Materials:

                              The first thing you’ll want to do is print out one butterfly template per student. The reason each student needs their own template is to cut down on smudging, and because there is an optional 3-D art element that involves the template, something you’re kids are definitely going to want to create.

                              Once you have the template cut out, you’ll want to tape it down gently in the center of your black construction paper. Tape by rolling into a cicle and placing in the center of the butterfly. Do not tape the edges of the butterfly because the tape will get in the way of the magic we are about to create!

                              Starting in the center, choose a color from your chalk pastels. Show children how to lay down the pastel horizontally to drag color from the center of the butterfly out to the black paper. Do a few strokes with the color then try another.

                              Continue to add color all the way around the butterfly. You may need to turn the paper so that students can get a good stroke from the center out to the edges. Point out all the overlapping colors and the new hues that your students are creating.

                              Once you’ve filled your entire paper, stand back and take a look at your creation. Really, it’s beautiful, and you can stop right here and hang the project on the fridge with pride. However, if you want to add a little extra to your butterfly art project, then carefully peel the template off your black construction paper.

                              You’ll see you are now left with a butterfly’s shadow. The places where the template laid are left black and untouched, save a few smudges in the center. TIP: a soft tissue will buff those smudges right out so not to worry!

                              Now for the fun part! Instead of discarding your template, we’re going to add it back to our picture!

                              First, fold the butterfly along the body outline. Look closely at the picture to see that I’ve folded each wing in to create the outline of the butterfly’s body. This will also give some shape to the template.

                              Then, using a small amount of gluestick, paste the bottom part of the butterflies body to the corner of your page. Next, paste the wings down on either side so that they are raised up just slightly. It’s hard to tell in the photo, but the wings are not laying flat, I pasted them just above where they might lay in order to give them a 3D effect.

                              Use a little bit of the white chalk to make a dashed line for the butterflies path. How fun is that? It looks like the butterfly is flying up off your page!

                              This project works amazingly well for end of the year display boards! You can add your students names and a special “graduation” message. Imagine your bulletin board filled with these beautiful butterflies, each representing a child who has successfully completed

                              ButterflyTemplate
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                              Free Butterfly Template

                              So what are you waiting for? Print your Free Butterfly Template, and get started on this project today!

                              Expand your butterfly unit with these free butterfly activities, games, and life cycle printables.

                              Butterfly Printables

                              Butterfly Printables

                              This is a butterfly printable your preschool is going to love! Best of all, we’ve designed a handful of fun, enriching, and educational activities you can use alongside them in your preschool homeschool. Before you get started, you might want to add this handy resource to your classroom.

                              Homeschool Teaching Supplies

                              This EK Circle Punch is one of my favorite teaching supplies because it takes my prep work time down to a few minutes instead of an hour or two.

                              Butterfly Activities

                              I flip mine upside down to punch because it has a window view to see what I’m doing. It’s no fun to blindly punch circles when you are trying to be accurate. This punch is 1.5″ and it is the same size I use for all of the Free Circle Punch Games on File Folder Fun.

                              FreePrintableGames
                              Click Here for More Free Printable Circle Punch Games

                              Maybe it’s just me, but I loathe all of the cutting and prep-work involved with teaching preschool. I love all the hands-on games and activities, but the cutting…..I can’t spend another minute cutting anything. That is why I also love my Guillotine Paper Trimmer, it literally cuts straight lines through stacks of pages and my prep is done in no-time.

                              Using the circle punch makes quick work of all these adorable butterfly counters. PRO TIP: Printing on cardstock helps with durability. I usually stack my pages, punch a row, then cut off the excess. This will get it out of your way so that you can continue to punch the next row. I work from top to bottom so that if my stack of pages gets out of order, I can easily line them on my straight edge at the base. That may seem a bit neurotic, but this method has saved me the hassle of misaligned pages, improper punching and the dreaded walk of shame back to the computer to print another sheet. Who has time for all that?

                              Butterfly Games & Activities

                              Once you have all your butterflies punched out it’s time for the fun to begin!

                              Obviously, it’s fun in itself just having a huge pile of colorful butterflies to play and explore with. You can use this set like you would any set of counters, here are some ideas to get you started:

                              Make Picture Shapes:

                              First, encourage your student to experience these counters with some gently lead free play. Students might realize they can sort the colors or even make pictures with the butterflies. You might sugget making an actual rainbow, or even a rainbow-butterfly-butterfly, because that is just the coolest thing ever:

                              Patterns & Sequencing:

                              Because you have a variety of colors in this set, you can easily use them to teach your preschool students about patterns and sequencing. Start with ABAB patterns (red, blue, red, blue) and work your way through ABCABC patterns (purple, orange, green, purple, orange, green). You might even try starting a pattern and asking your student to complete the pattern.

                              Printable Butterfly Games:

                              One of the very first games children can learn to play is called “SLAP!” This is a fun 2-player game in which both players take reveal their next card at the same time. If the cards are the same then the first one to SLAP the pile wins all the cards in the pile. If the cards are not the same, both players continue to reveal one card at a time until there is a match. You can adapt this as a 1-player game by revealing all the cards in a row and slapping when there are two in a row the same.

                              Butterfly Color Sorting Mat:

                              Butterfly Worksheet

                              As part of this set we’re including a free pritnable butterful color sorting mat. Students sort the butterflies into rows that match the flowers below. You can expand this activity by only providing students with a portion of the counters so their results will be different each time. Have them count up their results and report the color with the most or the fewest butterflies. Students who are learning to add can be asked questions like, “How many red and blue butterflies are there?”

                              Butterfly Template

                              The possiblities for these butterfly printables are endless, here are some more quick ideas to inspire you:

                              Hands on Addition & Subtraction: Use the butterflies as counters to make visual representations of simple math problems. “If Sally has 3 red butterflies and Max gives here four blue butterflies, how many butterflies does she have in all?” This is a great tool for visual and kinestic learners.

                              Roll & Grab Game: Assign a color to a number on the dice then roll and collect. First one to make a rainbow wins!

                              Butterfly printables like these are very versatile and they don’t take up much room. I keep mine in a small plastic bag near our homeschool table.

                              ButterflyPrintable
                              Butterfly Printable
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                              ButterflyWorksheet
                              Butterfly Sorting Mat
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                              If you are looking for more hands-on butterfly fun, be sure to check out our monthly Fine Motor packs. They are filled with hands-on activities,

                              Life Cycle of a Butterfly Worksheet

                              Learning about life cycles can be a wonderful opportunity for preschool students. This butterfly worksheet covers both fun & learning with simple cut and paste activities, alongside simple handwriting practice. There is just something so exciting about the possibility of change, and with all the extremely different stages in the butterfly life cycle, it is the perfect focus of a preschool science unit.

                              butterflylifecycleprintables

                              There is just something so exciting about the possibility of change, and with it’s unique developmental stages, the butterfly is a wonderful creature to study for preschoolers. Even the youngest of students can appreciate how drastically a creature, like the butterfly, has to change for each stage.

                              To start this activity, each student will need our Butterfly Life Cycle Workeet. This is available in color or black at white at the bottom of this post. The black and white version is handy if you don’t like to print color ink, or if you have a student who is set on coloring their own butterflies.

                              First, instruct students to cut a straight line across the bottom dashed line. This will make things much easier as students can then cute each square from a smaller strip. Be sure you take the time to instruct any students who are having difficulty holding the scissors. This project is designed to help work those fine motor muscles, so be encouraging and don’t rush this part of the activity.

                              Once your student has their stage all cut out, encourage them to place them (without gluing) around the circle where they “think” the stages might go. NOTE: We’re not trying to trick anyone with these stages….”two butterflies” is intended to represent when a butterfly finds a mate. If it helps you can have children draw a little heart on that square for a reminder…..lest they think that this is the stage when the butterfly splits into two different parts: Original Butterfly, and Apocalyptic Zombie Clone Butterfly. Science just doesn’t support that at all.

                              Once your student has assembled the worksheet correctly, and traced over the butterfly vocabulary words, encourage them to present their fine work by mounting it to a piece of colored construction paper. I especially like a black backing to contrast the orange in the butterflies wings,

                              The black and white version of this activity is basically the same setup. I generally like to print in black and white myself, which is why most of the resources I make here are in black and white too. However, sometimes students can become frustrated with the small graphics such as these and give up coloring them all together. Which is why I wanted to offer both a color and a black and white version.

                              ButterflyLifeCycleWorksheet
                              Butterfly Life Cycle Worksheet
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                              ButterflyWorksheet
                              Butterfly Life Cycle Worksheet Color
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                              Butterfly Coloring Pages

                              Butterfly Coloring Pages: If you have a student that loves butterflies, try printing our Easy Butterfly Coloring Pages. These were developed especially for preschool students and include a thick black line around the edges as well as extra letter formation practice. There are enough pages to make a small booklet for students to take home.

                              April Preschool Themes

                              Spring is a wonderful time for learning! There are SO many options to consider. The beauty of a rainbow after a storm, the life cycle of a frog, and Easter filled activities are just the beginning! These April Preschool Themes will get your students excited about learning.

                              And not to worry. You’ll be relieved to hear that you don’t have to do it alone. We have created, just for busy teachers and moms, an easy, engaging and low prep packet for hands-on learning with our April Fine Motor Pack!  Theses 60+ interactive and thematic educational sheets are perfect for classrooms and homeschools everywhere.  

                              You can expect a ton of activities including Geoboards, Playdough Mats, Tracing, Mazes, Cuisenaire Rods, Pom Pictures, Cut and Paste, Science Sequencing, Dot & Poke Pictures & More. Download your printable preschool packet instantly by clicking here!

                              Now, let’s get started on our monthly themes for April. Our themes for the warmer month are Earth Day, Rainbows, Weather, Life Cycles, and Easter! We’re going to share with you several resources for each theme to help you quickly plan your lessons with ease and free of frustration.

                              Earth Day Preschool Printables & Activities

                              Did you know that Earth Day is April 22nd?!! There’s no time to waste (pun intended) on pulling resources together for your classroom! You’ll LOVE these FREE printables that includes printable charts, games, minibooks, activities, crafts and so much more. Grab all of these ideas on taking care of our earth by clicking here or the image above.

                              Earth Day is also a wonderful opportunity to teach your children about the days of Creation! Your preschool students will LOVE all the Creation games and activities available free here.

                              In addition, try this list of books below to pair up with those fun-filled, print worthy Earth Day activities:

                              Weather Preschool Science Activities

                              How’s the weather today? Wondering whether the rain will stop?!! Printables are a perfect solution if you’re looking for indoor ideas.

                              Regardless of whether it’s rainy or sunny, use these awesome activities for weather to keep your kids or students engaged in learning. You’ll find our weather printables interactive and fun, from coloring pages to charting the weather! It’s guaranteed to be a huge success in your school room.

                              And, don’t forget to grab a book or two for an extra dose of education with this simple yet delightful list of weather friendly titles:

                              Color Science for Kids

                              Rainbow Preschool Science Activities & Games

                              Looking for some colorful creations for your child to create? We’ve got you covered! After a windy storm, you can always expect the promise of a rainbow!

                              Rainbows are a fascination to children, and colors are loads of fun! They are a wonderful creation to use as an educational and spiritual tool. Your students can learn more about God and the science behind the rainbow with these fun facts!

                              Plus, get the kids involved in play time with a Catch a Rainbow Game or learn their ABCs using the Rainbow ABCs!

                              Make a traveling rainbow to add a little Science Fun to your classroom! Click Here

                              You’ll discover even more info on rainbows that God has created by reading these popular titles with your students or kids:

                              Life Cycle Preschool Printables & Activities

                              Butterfly Printables

                              Life cycles is a captivating science unit for your classroom or home school.  Students of all ages, including preschool, kindergarten, and elementary age, will be amazed of the transformations that take place!

                              There are plenty of valuable resources available for a hands on experience when teaching life phases. Some inexpensive materials may include live butterfly garden or even a tadpole to frog development kit. 

                              However, starting this season, you can make it a yearly tradition! Here’s an idea. Buy the necessary supplies as an investment, and keep records of your observations all together. Then, as the spring season arrives, review last year’s notes and record your new observations this year.

                              It’s so much fun to see changes with each passing year, your child’s or student’s perspective. You may want to even include pictures and label them accordingly.

                              In fact, I’d love to help you with my vast collection of printables! Many downloads are available for FREE including a beautiful butterfly garden experience or a fantastic frog encounter featuring tiny tadpoles!

                              In addition, there are several books to include as you dive deep into the circle of life:

                              Easter Bible Printables & Crafts

                              Easter is celebrated and cherished by Christians all around the world! Also called Resurrection Sunday, it’s a joyous celebration of Christ rising from the dead! 

                              If you are looking for ways to incorporate the meaning of the season into your Sunday School lessons, classroom or homeschool, try these treasured resources. You’ll find both free and inexpensive printables and supplements for your school room listed below:

                              And, don’t forget to include a book nook of choices for your little ones to raise awareness of this incredibly special occasion!

                              Looking for more? Here are 60 thematic, hands-on activities to build fine motor control skills for Spring!

                              The thematic activity pages are perfect for your April learning center. These frugal resources are perfect for quick learners, supplemental, or as tutoring materials you can download quickly and instantly!

                              Included Activities:

                              • GEOBOARD: Students use rubber bands to create the pictures on a geoboard. Each sheet features a letter of the alphabet alongside a thematic picture.
                              • MAZES: Students solve the mazes and follow the prompts. Each page features thematic mazes alongside a tracing activity or prompt.
                              • PLAYDOUGH: Students use playdough to complete the prompts. Prompts require students to form and shape the dough to make pictures, solve problems, or complete the scene.
                              • TRACING: Students trace the pictures with colored pencils or fine tip markers. Each page features thematic content and prompts students to complete the pictures.
                              • SNAP CUBE CREATIONS: Students use counting cubes to make thematic pictures These cubes can be snapped together. If you do not have cubes, students can color the squares in the grid to match the picture.
                              • PUZZLE PICTURES: Students use puzzle blocks to create thematic pictures. These sheets feature thematic shapes and provide students with easy and more dificult patterns. A full color example is available for easy reference.
                              • LISTENING SKILL SHEETS: Teachers will read the directions aloud and the student listens carefully to finish the task. Tasks involve fine motor elements, coloring, and prepositional positioning of drawings
                              • CUISENAIRE™ ROD PICTURES: Students use colorful centimeter rods to build thematic pictures.Students are asked to color the rod key to show how many rods they used of each color.
                              • BRICK BUILDERS: Students use classic building blocks to recreate these thematic pictures.Students work on storing, planning, and stacking before creating their final picture.
                              • DOT & POKE: Students cut apart the halves. Students solve the dot to dot activities.Then, students use a push pin to poke a picture onto colored construction paper. See full instructions below.
                              • CUT & SORT CROWNS: Each crown features a theme alongside a 4-step sequencing pattern. Students cut out the pictures and glue them in the correct order. Students write their name, color the pictures, then staple the sides to make a crown.
                              • DAB & DOT: Students use daubers to dab by number in order to reveal the mystery picture. (Hold at a distance to help students see the pictures).
                              • CUT & PASTE CRAFTIVITY: These crafty projects are perfect for little hands.Students color, glue, and cut to make fun, thematic pictures.Pair with a simple writing prompt or poem for extra learning!
                              • POM PICTURES x 2: Students use pom-poms to complete the picture.For added difficulty have students use plastic tweezers to pick up the poms. Alternatively, students can glue poms to make these sheets into a simple craft project.

                              Get your monthly April Themed hands-on activities today!