Bug Themed Sensory Table Ideas

This month Nat and Nora are learning about bugs and crawly things.  

Every few days I like to put out new materials for them to explore in our sensory table.

Here are some sensory table ideas we have done this month for our big theme:

1.  The Very Hungry Caterpillar:

This bin is filled with:

• Eric Carle's Book: The Very Hungry Caterpillar
• Caterpillar stuffed toy
• Butterfly puppet
• Play food
• Plates, spoons, bowls
• Leaves
• Split Peas (as the base)

The girls had a blast acting out the story and making up new versions.  They fed the caterpillar, built it a cocoon, and turned him into a butterfly.

2.  Ant Invasion:

This bin is filled with:

• Green Basket Filler
• Beans
• Plastic ants
• Ant hill (Plastic bottle covered with salt dough and then painted brown)
• Toilet paper roll (Tunnels)
• Leaves
• Bowls
• Dice
• Clothes pins with the letters that spell out ANTS
• Spiders

The girls were busy counting the ants as they entered and left the ant hill.  Natalie created math word problems and was busy adding and subtracting different quantities of them.  

3.  Bug Bonanza

This bin is filled with:

• Beans
• Rocks
• Leaves
• Plastic Bugs
• Jars
• Tongs

The girls organized the bugs by color and then made patterns of bugs crawling in lines.

4.  Spider Web

This bin is filled with:

• Beans
• Rocks
• Leaves
• Plastic bugs
• Jars
• Tongs
• Spiders
• String wrapped around the table (to form a web)

The girls worked together to save the bugs before they were caught in the spiders web.

What sensory table ideas have you tried?

Mother Goose Time - Birds & Eggs Art

The girls are loving Mother Goose Time’s Birds & Eggs theme. 

Here are a few of the artwork pieces and projects we've created this month with the kit.

Nora's favorite art project was building a bird nest. Natalie loved creating a baby bird to stick inside the nest.  We were able to staple the nest onto our bulletin board and stick each baby inside.

The girls also created a bird on a string that floated through the air like a kite.  They were able to fly it around the house.

After dancing around with our birds Natalie decided to put on a puppet show for us.

The girls practiced cutting tail feathers and wings for their paper plate birds.

We even added cute woodpeckers to our tree.

My favorite project was their bird bodies.  They used yarn to weave in and out of the little holes.  It was great fine motor practice for both of them.  Natalie also added a few worms and some dirt to the grass on our bulletin board.

Each topic and theme inspires Natalie to create her own artwork.  Creating bird beaks encouraged her to create a whole bird costume.  Here are some pictures of her creating the wings.

Nora is always happy to try whatever her big sister does.

The girls painted their cut out cardboard and then added some feathers.

I helped the girls add string to hold the wings on their arms. 

I love how Mother Goose Time provides us with amazing art projects and crafts that we can display for each month.

Check back later, or follow me on Instagram, to see some of the other projects that we have been working on!

Displaying Children's Artwork Created with Mother Goose Time

The Mother Goose Time monthly themes come with daily art projects and crafts for students to make.

Lately, artwork has been taking over our household.  So, I created a simple system for displaying it.

Here are my top 3 locations for displaying artwork:


Location 1:  The Doors

Our main doors are metal and magnetic, creating the perfect spot to hang a few of our collages throughout the month.  I like to display them with the included inspirational photographs and the words/names of what they have created.  I think this helps to enhance our literacy rich environment.

I love how they can be put up and taken down easily with a magnet or two.  Simple and cute.


Location 2:  Our Bulletin Board

We inherited a bulletin board with our house.  If you are looking for one, I have seen quite a few for sale on Facebook Marketplace and on Craigslist lately.  In my classroom I've often hung student artwork in a row, like a patchwork quilt, but I had a better idea at home.  

I decorate the background of our bulletin board to look like the theme for each month.  Throughout the month I add my childrens' artwork to the board as they create it.  We build our bulletin board as we go.  At the end of the month, I take down the artwork and set up the bulletin board for the next theme.

Location 3:  Binders

At the end of the month we put our artwork away.  I place some of my children's favorite pieces in page protectors inside binders.  These are great to refer back to.  My 6-year-old uses the labels on each page to help her spell words when she writes in her journal.  These are great conversation starters and portfolio's to keep for a lifetime.

Love the artwork you see displayed?  Check out Mother Goose Time for more ideas and curriculum.

How do you display the artwork your children make?

Why I LOVE Mother Goose Time

These days I am loving my new found Mother Goose Time preschool program!

This spring was a juggling act to teach 4th grade to my students virtually, while teaching 1st and preschool at home to my daughters.  I needed a time saver, a program that was all inclusive, and that contained all the necessary materials and lessons I would need to execute it.

I also needed a program that I could use with both my 2 (almost 3) and 6 year old, since I would be teaching them at the same time.

While exploring First Book Marketplace I stumbled across a program that peeked my interest, Mother Goose Time.  I ordered three of their older kits (Science Lab, Alphabet Island, and Camping) and was immediately impressed.  Then I ordered three more kits on Experience Early Learning (Pond Life, Birds & Eggs, and Bugs & Crawly Things).  I'm having my girls pick each month which kit we explore.

Why do I love Mother Goose Time?  Here are my top 6 reasons for selecting this curriculum:

1.  The lessons are laid out in weekly books that make teaching simple and satisfying.

The graphics are beautiful and helpful in setting up each activity and craft.  Directions are written simply and don't require a lot of prep work to set up and execute.  Each activity is engaging and fun for my girls.  Not to mention, there are a million and one ways I can modify, adapt, and differentiate the curriculum for their different age levels.


2.  There is a strong literacy connection throughout each week.  Literacy skills are embedded in the music, books to read aloud and explore, individual books for emergent readers, and daily activities.

3.  Foundational math skills are built, and reviewed, with calendar time, STEM stations, included manipulatives, and the daily activities.

4.  The art project are fun, age appropriate, and stunning to display.

Art projects use a variety of mediums and aren't all cookie cutter.  They provide students with the necessary inspiration and materials to create their own unique art projects that align with each day's topic.

5.  Each theme incorporates sensory exploration, gross and fine motor skill development, and speech and language.  Each day touches upon necessary skills that both of my girls were previously working on through early intervention and special services.

6.  Mother Goose Time is perfect for my 2 and 6 year old.

The curriculum is developmentally appropriate for both my girls.  Each day hits on key curriculum that my 2 year old needs now and reviews previously learned skills that my 6 year old can practice.  Each theme and topic engages both girls and provides a spring board for both to learn and explore more throughout the day.

If you are looking for an amazing preschool curriculum, check out Mother Goose Time.  I promise you won't be disappointed.