Butterflies

Fine Motor Fun with Pom Poms

As a preschool mom, we always want to prepare our child for the next level of skill sets. Yet, we know their young minds need fun activity while learning each new skill set. It’s also the perfect time for play and a ton of imagination with fine motor fun!

That’s why I’ve created many options for child development when choosing the perfect set of great fine motor activities. Yet, while designing, I kept in mind us moms who are on a budget. We’re always looking for free and affordable preschool resources that are easy to do with our creative preschooler and/or kindergartener.

Importance of Fine Motor Skills

While we’ve talked extensively about the importance of fine motor skills, you may be fairly new to the concept. What are Fine Motor Skills? While I explain fine motor movement in several areas of this growing website, but let’s discuss the fine motor definition in a nutshell.

Fine Motor activities are essentially the small movements of tiny muscles found in our hands and fingers. Some fine motor examples that includes hand eye coordination with small pieces are writing, cutting, buttoning, and more. As you can surmise, all of our lives we use these small muscle motor movements. And, preparing them now will give them a huge advantage in life.

How to Improve Fine Motor Skills

Wondering how to improve fine motor skills with preschoolers but include fine motor fun? Wonder no more — there are so many ways to improve fine motor skills! And, of course, have a blast in the process!

Besides play dough, building blocks, and cutting there are a plethora of ways — how about getting the kids excited and creative with Pom Poms? Pom Pom crafts are cheap, changeable, and certainly colorful!

And, I’m so excited to share with you a ton of free resources to choose from — plus, you’ll find even more pom pom activities in my Fall Fine Motor Bundle. Or, if you’d like a year round fine motor activity collection, check out my constantly growing year round fine motor bundl e.

Butterfly Pom Pom Activities

However, maybe you have a sweet princess or prince who enjoys the beauty of butterflies. You can find several free resources that include the wonderful world of pom poms with my vast butterfly printables collection.

You’d be surprised how much your child can learn with a butterfly — you can teach math, symmetry, and art all at the same time!

Robot Fine Motor Development Activities

Got a budding engineer who adores all things robot? I’ve got just the thing for you — you’ll absolutely love this set of Robot Pom-Pom activity mats! These mats are perfect for strengthening fine motor skills with your preschoolers. And, the best part — they are free robot printables!

I’ve shared with you why it’s important to develop fine motor skills, how to build fine motor skills, and many creative fine motor resources that are available. Would you like even more fine motor fun using key learning activities?

Don’t miss out on our fine motor skills page that contains all you need for your imaginative preschooler. Plus, our Fine Motor Bundle in the Crafty Classroom store will keep your school age kids engaged and building each and every month.

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.

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!