When I look out my window here in Pennsylvania, I see bare trees with snow on their branches. They are barren, yet beautiful. My children have come to learn that “the trees are sleeping for the winter”. As spring approaches, the trees will “wake up”, and buds will fill the branches until soft, new leaves emerge. In the summer, these leaves collect the sunlight and rain. They shake and whisper in the breezes. With fall, comes a beautiful array of reds, yellows, oranges, and browns that sweep across entire hillsides and valleys alike.
These changes in the trees are not only beautiful to look at, but they also signify the changing seasons. They are an excellent visual representation children can comprehend and use to learn about the four seasons and the changes they bring.
The book, The Seasons of Arnold’s Apple Tree, by Gail Gibbons, offers a wonderful introduction to the seasons. Throughout the story, children are taken through the life of an apple tree as it changes during one year.
Have your child create their own tree using four copies of a bare tree (either hand drawn or photocopied off of the internet), white, green, pink, red, yellow, and orange tissue paper, and some glue. As you reread the story, help your child rip the tissue paper into small pieces roughly 2 x 2 inches square. She can then crumple each piece into a small ball, dip it in the glue, and press it onto her bare tree in order to create four different trees, one for each season of the apple tree.
If your child gets tired, it is okay to stop and come back to the activity later. You may even want to stretch out the activity over four days as little fingers may get tired quickly.
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Written by Laura on January 23, 2012
I wasn’t sure how my four-year-old would react to seeing The Nutcracker performed on stage. Although this was actually his second viewing of the production, I don’t think that at two-years-old he really understood what he was seeing. As it turns out, my preschooler was able to understand much of the story in Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece.
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Written by Laura on December 16, 2011
Whether it was a fear of new people or the white beard and red suit, I am not really sure. Either way, my son was not about to take the risk even if it meant not telling him what he wanted for Christmas. Thankfully, Santa still receives requests via snail mail, and each year I seize the opportunity to reinforce the steps necessary for writing a friendly letter.
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Written by Laura on November 28, 2011
You may not realize, but your preschooler probably experiences something that is new to him almost every single day. It may be a new taste or a new smell. It may even be a new word. Try the following activity to help your little one experience various textures while at the same time learning some new vocabulary to go with them.
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Written by Laura on July 13, 2011
My own two children are starting to outgrow one of my favorite preschool television shows. It airs on the public broadcasting station and is a wonderful program for introducing numerous science concepts. One of the best learning features of the show is the use of correct science terms.
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Written by Laura on June 1, 2011
At three- or four-years-old, your child is probably not ready to start counting money. However, this is a good time to help her begin to recognize the different coins. Try this activity to give her a bit of practice with coin recognition as well as graphing.
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Written by BRWI Staff on January 7, 2011
“Air” can be a very difficult concept for children to grasp. You can’t see it, and even when you can feel it children may still have a hard time understanding what it is that is blowing against their face. In my experience, I have found the best way to help little ones learn about the air and wind is to give them experiences that let them see its effects.
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Written by Laura on December 29, 2010
The holiday shopping season will soon be upon us. This year, instead of roaming aimlessly with your child through the local shopping malls while your child begs to return home, make a game and teach a lesson all while efficiently completing your holiday shopping.
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Written by BRWI Staff on November 5, 2010
Most children love to listen to stories, especially when they are read by a loved one. In our family, my husband is the expert storyteller. Our boys get ecstatic when their father is being silly and changing words in a story they know well in order to make them correct his absurd errors. David also engages the boys by reading with wonderful expression. He can truly make a book come alive.
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Written by Laura on October 29, 2010
Yesterday, my three-year-old, Elliot, and I dropped in at a new coffee shop and bakery. It was a quaint little place with a very Bohemian atmosphere. As we were eying up all of the delicious pastries laid out before us, a musician was setting up his equipment in a small space to the side.
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Written by Laura on October 20, 2010
Our goal is to give you the tools and confidence to teach your preschooler the joy of reading and writing.
Sponsored by Bridges Reading & Writing Institute -- teaching the JOY of reading and writing to students in preschool through 12th grade.
