Turning Children's Art into Holiday Gift Wrap

In our classroom we focus mainly on process-based art. Children are invited to create with open-ended materials. A painting experience that children enjoy involves stamping holiday cookie cutters using festive acrylic paint.

 

When the paintings are dry they are rolled and tied using a sparkly pipe cleaner. A tag is attached inviting families to repurpose the art as holiday gift wrap for a special loved one. A copy of the letter is available for printing here: Gift Wrap Art Letter to Families

 

Doesn't this present look so beautiful with the special wrap? 

Spider Catapults

 

Spiders continue to be a popular topic of exploration in our classroom! To infuse this interest with math and fine motor work we introduced clothespin catapults to the children this week. Wooden catapults are easily made by securing a clothespin to a steady base (like a wooden block) with an elastic. 

They require concentration and perseverance for children to operate. As children become more confident using them they are able to use strategy to aim the catapult in a specific direction or apply pressure to further or reduce the launch power. 

Small plastic spiders (ours were from the local dollar store in the Halloween section) are light and perfect for playing with. We offer 'webs' made from wrapping a shallow basket with yarn. Children are encouraged to fire the spiders into the webs.

    

Once children master launching the spider into the web additional math tools can be offered to enhance the experience. A five or ten frame or hundreds chart are easy tools for children to use when tracking how many spiders they have landed in the webs.   

                   

Additional targets can be provided for children to play with (e.g., alphabet chart, number chart, printable web with points). The possibilities are endless! 

Spider Math

 "Oh look! There's a spider on the school! 

Maybe he's coming to learn too!"

Autumn always brings with it many treasures. Recently my students have been curious about the many creepy crawlies they have been discovering in the yard. Although spiders can be scary for some, they serve a big purpose in our local ecosystem as they eat insects and also are a source of food for others. Exploring them together also helps those who are scared or reluctant learn to see them in a new way. 

I always look for ways to incorporate children's interests into our activities, specifically math. Here five spider math ideas for you to use with your little ones!

1. Which One Doesn't Belong - encourage children to examine and describe these collections of images and articulate which they believe doesn't not belong in the group and their reasoning why.

  

2. See, Think and Wonder - this thinking routine asks children to carefully examine something and clearly describe what they see, articulate their thinking about the object, and express curiosity through wonderings and questions related to the subject. This picture of an intricate web might be an interesting prompt for discussion.

3. Spider Survey - ask children to record their names on a t-chart that indicates whether or not they like spiders. Calculate and interpret the results of the survey with children. Click the image to access the printable.

 

4. Spider Subitizing - use this printable with children to explore different ways of representing a number. Write a number on the spider and ask children to brainstorm and record many different ways of showing the number (e.g., tallies, dots, ten frames, word). Click the image to access the printable.

5. Spider Symmetry - use this printable with children to explore the concept of symmetry. Encourage children to draw the missing half of the spider and web as best as they can. Explore symmetry in photos of real life spiders!Click the image to access the printable.

Summer Professional Development Opportunity!

 I am so excited to be presenting at the summer Play & Possibility Virtual Conference! 

Register here and use code joyfulmath10! 

Code a City!

A favourite small world play activity that the children enjoy is our 'Code a City' challenge. This math invitation requires just a few materials - a city template, blocks, dice, and mini vehicles. The 'Skyscrapers' book is a perfect nonfiction resource to supplement the learning.

Children select a template. They can use one or multiple dice depending on their ability. Roll and add the pips on the dice together. 

Write the corresponding number in a space on the template.

Build a tower with that many blocks.

When your city is complete add mini vehicles for some small world play!

Bringing Math to Life: Sparking Joy and Curiosity through Play

On April 16, 2025 I had the pleasure of presenting my workshop Bringing Math to Life: Sparking Joy and Curiosity through Play for Early Childhood Investigation Webinars! With over 3000 registrants it was my largest audience to date! I absolutely love inviting educators into my kindergarten classroom and sharing the rich math learning that children experience through play and inquiry! Connecting with others drives my practice and inspires me greatly! A big thank you to all who attended! A copy of the presentation slides are available and can be found at this link.

The presentation was recorded and is available for viewing if you are interested in revisiting the information I shared, or did not have a chance to view it live. You can access it here:

STEAM in the Garden - Constructing Insect Houses using Natural Loose Parts

"Look deep into nature and then you will understand everything better."

Albert Einstein

The children were gathered around a large landscaping rock, working together to arrange twigs and flowers they had picked from the ground nearby.

"I think that this side should be the living room and the bedroom can be over here," Jack gestured as he spoke. "The living room will be next to the bedroom and the ladybug can crawl across by using this little bridge."

"So what are these little sticks here for?" Mary pointed to a little row of twigs placed next to each other.

"Oh, those are going to be the bed." Olive answered.

"But that's way too big to be a ladybug's bed," Mary responded.

"Oh," Olive pondered. "I didn't think about that.

 

"That's okay," Mary smiled. "We'll just find more than one ladybug and then the bed will be the perfect size for them to share." 

Spring was in the air and the children were excited to discover that many little creatures were venturing out into the warm sun. Ladybugs, rolly pollies, and ants were abundant and this sparked the children's imaginations. Eager to 'help' the insects the children set to work building little houses for them. They searched the yard to gather materials they felt would be best suited to this task. 

 

Each day the children would return to the mini houses and continue their work, focused on creating the most aesthetic and functional space for whatever creature they had found that day.  

   There are four steps to the design process for young children. When I reflect upon the children's garden engineering of the habitats I observed these steps in action:

Identifying a Problem - the children felt the insects needed a home
Imagining and Planning - children brainstormed that natural loose parts could be used to design and construct a habitat and engaged in conversations about what this might look like
Creating - children spent time over many days creating different homes for different living creatures
Improving - children revisited their creations each day and revised their plans when necessary after they noticed new things about the insects or had engaged in conversations with peers

  

What might seem like a playful activity outdoors has the potential for much rich learning using an engineering mindset. When children create habitats outdoors they are participating in rich math exploration in action including:

 

-discussing, designing, and refining a plan

-classifying and sorting materials by common characteristics

-considering proportion as they build for specific insects

-using spatial reasoning and design as they manipulate materials

-thinking about measurement as they incorporate area and perimeter into their 'house' or discuss the attributes of materials (e.g., the heaviness of rocks, the length of sticks)

-counting materials gathered and used in the design process

-naming colours and shapes that emerge in their work

-using positional language to describe their creations

-thinking about balance and stability as they assemble materials 

-incorporating patterns or symmetry as they create aesthetic structures

 

It's amazing to notice and name the rich math learning that emerges in children's self-directed play outdoors. Taking photos and videos of the work, engaging in discussions with kids about their play, and reflecting upon the experiences can help educators make this rich learning visible to others! Sometimes nature is the most effective math teacher of all!

Geometric Chalk Art in the Outdoor Classroom

Have masking tape and sidewalk chalk? Then you can invite children to create amazing geometric artwork outdoors in just a few steps! 

Create the outline of the art by placing tape on the ground in different designs. I personally like creating a large square or rectangle and then using various shapes to fill the area inside. 

Invite children to colour each section using a different colour of chalk. 

Remove the tape to reveal the gorgeous design!

Experiment with different designs...

...and encourage children to to use the art when inventing and playing their own games!

Overcome the Math Blahs to Reinvigorate Joyful Math Play and Learning

Looking for some professional development to help you refresh your math program using play and exploration? My next workshop is just for you! Join me with Early Childhood Investigation Webinars on April 16 at 2 pm Eastern Time. 

 Workshop description:

Do you feel less confident or enthusiastic about incorporating math experiences into your early childhood program? If so, you’re not alone! Many early educators feel more comfortable teaching language and literacy than math. This hesitation may stem from your own experiences as a young learner.

If you’re looking for inspiration to bring joyful math moments into children’s play and make this learning visible to families, this webinar is for you! Young children are curious about Math-related concepts and Math connects to every aspect of a developmentally appropriate practice in early learning. In this idea-filled session presented by experienced educator, researcher, and writer Deanna Pecaski McLennan, we’ll reimagine what math looks like in early childhood. You will explore ways to reinvigorate your practice with hands-on, integrated activities that excite and engage young learners based on Deanna’s real-life examples from her kindergarten classroom.

Discover how to create invitations for young children to explore math through art, literacy, and outdoor play. We’ll focus on designing learning spaces where children see themselves as mathematical thinkers, valuing their ideas in meaningful and authentic ways. Drawing from her extensive experience and her books, Deanna will inspire you to approach math with curiosity, take risks, experiment with new strategies, observe deeply, and collaborate with children as co-learners. Let’s transform the way we think about early math together!

In this workshop you will:

• reflect upon your definition of math and where it can be found in the early childhood classroom
• explore stories, vignettes, and photos illustrating how educators can develop learning environments that foster curiosity and wonder in mathematics
• gather practical and easy to implement suggestions for how to invite children to engage in mathematical play throughout the day
• learn ways to document children’s experiences to make math learning visible to families and the greater community

Building a Curious and Playful Early Childhood Math Community

Toni Cameron and Deanna McLennan in conversation with Stenhouse’s Kassia Omohundro Wedekind about creating a supportive, curious, and playful environment for mathematics in early childhood classrooms, the importance of stepping back to listen, and (of course!) what this all looks like these days.

Introducing Children to Strong Characters Using Diverse Texts

"Simply put, a book is both a mirror and a window. It can reflect the reality of a child’s life, allowing them to see the story of someone who looks like them, thinks like them, or lives like them. It can also help a child understand what it’s like for those who live different realities, whether that is a different racial background, religion, socio-economic status, or another facet of identity."

As an educator I have always tried to include diverse texts in my classroom. Whether they are provided freely and permanently to children in the cozy reading area or explored during whole and small group learning, I feel it is so important to help children learn about the amazing diversity in our world. I have spent my entire career collecting texts that help represent the diversity of the children in my care and introducing them to the beauty of humanity beyond their current life experience. I want children to feel seen, represented and appreciated in our learning space.  

A favourite character of mine is Peter featured in books by Ezra Jack Keats. Peter is a typical little boy - spending time exploring nature, connecting with his dog Willie, and feeling the changes that happen in his family when a new sibling is born. I appreciate the artwork created by Keats in the Peter books. They are a staple in my classroom.

This winter I was inspired to research Keats more deeply. I knew he authored The Snowy Day in 1962 but was surprised to learn that Peter is considered to be one of the most consequential children's book characters. Keats felt it was unfair for children to read books that only featured white characters so he created more diverse stories. How did I not know this? Peter is one of the first Black protagonists in a children's story that won the Caldecott award.

Looking back on past readings of The Snowy Day and Peter's Chair, I felt I may have glossed over Peter's Blackness, focusing instead on the plot of the book and its beautiful illustrations. I wonder how many of my students recognized Peter as Black, and made personal connections with him through the beauty of the text. This time I aimed to accomplish more. Before reading the story I introduced Peter to the children as one of the first Black characters in a book. We talked about representation and how before The Snowy Day Black characters were not prominent in books. We discussed how unfair that was and how important Keat's work would have been at that time. This was perfect timing because the children had just learned about the work of Alma Thomas in a previous exploration of concentric art work. During our research we learned Thomas could not attend school because she was Black, and was one of the first Black female artists to have her art displayed in a gallery. Exploring Peter consecutively with Alma Thomas helped give children context when thinking about social issues and racial discrimination. This made our 'text to self' connections to Keat's books richer and more attainable for children. 

I also intended to help children feel more connected to Peter. We used class discussions to think about him. How old did we think Peter might be? How were we alike? What might we say and do if Peter were a member of our class?

         

My teaching partner and I offered children STEM challenges to help design a new chair for Peter...

          

...and we explored the setting and actions he experienced using the language of art. The intent was for children to continue to think deeply about Peter as a character and feel connected to him beyond our initial explorations of the text.

         

As we continue to explore books that Keats wrote featuring Peter and his family, I am hopeful that children will think more deeply about him as a character and recognize that despite our differences we are really the same children at heart, and that all people have a right to feel seen, heard and represented in our classrooms and world. Digging into diverse texts, understanding their histories and connecting with strong characters is a step in the right direction.

Exploring Different Fonts of Numbers

Sorting numbers that are presented using different fonts is an effective way to help children understand that numbers can look many different ways. This activity requires children to sort and glue numbers onto a chart. A basket of cut numbers was offered to children along with a template/chart and glue sticks. Children were challenged to find as many of each different number as they could.

Want to try the activity with your students? Click here to get free printable font pages and the template. Happy sorting!

    

Fairy Tale Inspired STEAM Invitations in the Kindergarten Classroom

"I can help the goats escape that silly, old troll. All I need to do is just make a bridge that is so low to the water there is no room for the troll to hide below. That's the problem with the one in the story. There was enough room for the troll to hide. My bridge won't do that."

 

Young children are naturally curious about the world around them as they marvel and wonder about what they experience in their daily lives. According to Let's Talk Science this means that every moment has the potential for learning because children desire a deeper understanding of the world around them. STEAM learning in the early years is especially important because it helps prepare children with skills and knowledge for an unknown future. Let's Talk Science explains that STEAM activities can:

• Foster natural curiosity and creativity 
• Encourage independent and collaborative learning 
• Improve work habits and grades 
• Promote confidence in learning and ‘science identity’ 
• Promote language learning 
• Improve social-emotional skills 
• Build decision-making, problem-solving and critical thinking skills 
• Support inclusion and reduces gender disparity

In our classroom I have found that children are usually very motivated to help solve problems that appear in books we have read aloud and explored together as a class. In particular fairy tales that have likeable characters that need help evading a villain seem to elicit the most excitement and enthusiasm from kids. Sometimes STEAM invitations that are inspired by fairy tales naturally occur as a result of the children reading and discussing the text together in large or small groups. Other times I will invite children to engage in helping solve a problem by asking a question in our whole group meetings and inviting their ideas, or setting up an invitation for learning based upon the text.

One of the most popular invitations was based on the story of the Three Billy Goats Gruff. After reading the book I asked children to think about whether they could help the goats by building them a new bridge. On a table I created a quick playscape replicating the river by using green place mats for grass and blue paper for water. I offered baskets of different wooden loose parts for them to explore. I also added three toy goats and a troll that could be used as character props to help inspire children to retell the story after building the bridge.

    

During play time children worked collaboratively to build a number of interesting bridges. It was fascinating to discuss the attributes of each, and listen to the children's rationale for how the goats could evade the troll by using the bridge's features (e.g., close to the water, troll traps, fencing). 

      

  

  

Looking for some STEAM inspired invitations for other fairy tales? Here are some easy ideas to get you started:

The Gingerbread Man:

• build the Gingerbread Man a boat to use when crossing the river to avoid the fox
• design a fox-proof water suit the Gingerbread Man can wear when swimming across the river
• create a trap the bakers and animals can use to trick and capture the Gingerbread Man
  

Goldilocks and the Three Bears:

• build Baby Bear a new chair that will not break no matter how much weight is placed upon it
• design and draw a security system that will alert the three bears next time someone enters their house
• sketch a disguise for Goldilocks so the three bears will not recognize her
  

The Three Little Pigs:

• draw three new wolf-proof houses for the Little Pigs
• build a wind machine for the wolf that will work on a brick house
• build the setting of the story using various materials (e.g., wooden sticks, tape, play dough) that can be used to retell the story when toy pigs are added
  

Little Red Riding Hood:

• design an invisibility cloak for Little Red
• build a strong basket for Little Red that can hold many small objects without breaking (e.g., pennies, cubes, marbles)
  
• create a transportation system to move the basket of food from Little Red's to Grandmother's house
  

Jack and the Beanstalk: 

• build a beanstalk using tubes and card stock as tall as you can without it collapsing
• design, create and test a parachute that Jack can use to escape from the castle in the sky
• create a structure that the hen's golden egg can be dropped into that will keep it safe