Grandma Camp in May

May brings more outdoor activities with the boys: Park time, wading pool, chalk, clay, hopscotch, bike rides, and so on. With just a little thought, I can plan activities that also teach new skills, new ideas, and new emotional competence. 

Drawing chalk flowers and balloons

In May my themes are flowers and monsters. 

Agenda:

1. Flower projects

2. Monster projects

3. May Nature Table

1. Flower projects:

Throughout the day I'm teaching the colors and names of flowers, and some plant science. Some ideas to try:

1. May Day baskets of flowers.
2. Plant sunflowers.
3. Dissect a flower, use a magnifier, and learn the names of the parts.
4. Make flower prints in a disc of  play-doh. 
5. Play I Spy flower colors.
6. Collect fallen petals for potpourri.
7. Pick and arrange a bouquet for the nature table each week.
8. Decorate a vase or flower pot for Mother's Day.

2. Monster projects:

I'm catching attention for other projects by making Godzilla the focus - If I say, "Do you want to make a clay Godzilla?" I get immediate interest, and an hour of clay play that teaches a skill with no effort at all.

Pre-school clay play tips:

1. Use a clay board covered with fabric and fairly wet clay. Work outside if at all possible. Have a bowl of water and a hose nearby for hand washing. The only tool I gave him was a pointed stick.
2. 
   Say very little and demonstrate only the basics. I made the Godzilla shape very quickly, and showed how to make spikes, then stepped back. He added the very long tail and changed the face to suit himself.
3. Allow for play time: Those lumps of clay which I thought were buildings instead became other monsters, and the quiet story-play went on for nearly an hour!

3. May Nature Table:

It's time to put away the birds and nests. For May I add a vase for flowers, a dish of seeds, a basket for petals, a magnifier, and a "Mother" doll.