After our October recap, I thought what better way to kick off a new month than with a quick shelf tour! This month we’re focusing on some holidays that are celebrated in November, pumpkins (still), apples (again), and turkeys!
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These are Lola’s shelves and she’ll be 4 in December. I’ve been trying to incorporate more primary activities or activities she would be working on if she was in a traditional Montessori school. These are not all her materials — she still favors babies, the kitchen set and the dress-up clothes more than anything. And that’s okay! The purpose of the prepared environment is that it’s ready and waiting for her.
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TOP SHELF:
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Tonging work: vase fillers, bowls from CVS, tongs from Hobby Lobby, tray from Target
Buttoning: DIY felt turkey with buttons, same tray as above
Cinnamon grating: grater
Lacing: pumpkin is from Michael’s (like 10 years ago), basket
Thankful tree: We’ll be talking about what we’re thankful for this month! Each day we’ll write something we’re thankful for and then hang it on this tree. (I can’t leave out the string because our cats have proven to us time and time again that they can’t handle string!) The tree is from World Market, and the leaves I printed and cut from here.
Pin Punching: I just printed a turkey outline, pin puncher, pad
MIDDLE SHELF:
Matching: this is a great little pre-language activity but I can’t find the link! I printed it last year and had it saved.
Pre-language: this is another quick activity where she identifies which picture is different. I’ve added pom poms to place on the photo that is different.
Pumpkin Life Cycle: I put together the control and then the papers she’ll use are laying flat. I added scissors and a gluestick to complete the tray.
Parts of a turkey book: The left booklet is the control that she’ll follow and the right is the book that follows the control. The object is to color one part of the turkey with the red pencil on each page.Â
Counting tree: I don’t love this so I won’t link it. It’s a little tricky and hard for even me to determine if it’s a fine motor activity or a counting work. But this is my last attempt to convince someone to use it before I pass it on. But the theme of apples was too good to pass up.
1-10 counting: 55 apple erasers, DIY labels, envelope is from The Container Store, basket
BOTTOM SHELF:
Parts of a leaf (and tree): I added pieces of paper so that she can pin punch the puzzle pieces and then make her own tree and leaf — stay tuned!
Card making station: 4×6 cardstock, foam stickers and crayons
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Parts of an apple: I can’t find this exact one but there are so many online! I laminated the work and attached velcro to the labels so she could do this over and over. (she really likes velcro.) There’s a colored, completed control beneath this that she can look at and copy.
Hammering work: This doesn’t really go with the theme here, but it’s really loved right now so stayed put!
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Balancing game: found here
What are you learning about this November?
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