No Time For Flash Cards » Barnyard http://www.notimeforflashcards.com Educational Activities For Kids Thu, 09 Feb 2012 08:03:27 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Farm Themed Crafts and Books http://www.notimeforflashcards.com/2010/08/farm-themed-crafts-and-books.html http://www.notimeforflashcards.com/2010/08/farm-themed-crafts-and-books.html#comments Thu, 12 Aug 2010 07:04:01 +0000 admin http://www.notimeforflashcards.com/?p=5478

Super Soft Sheep

Who doesn’t love the farm? Kids learn about farm animals early through books and songs , does anyone not know Old McDonald? These are great crafts and books to use any time of year with any age. These are some of our favorites.

Hand Print Hen

Bubble Wrap Corn Craft

Cardboard Mouse

Pig Nose

Shape Scarecrow

Books !

How Big Is a Pig? by Claire Beaton has fast become a favorite in our house around bedtime. I love the felt illustrations, the detail amazes me and helps distract me from noticing that I have read it 20 times in as many minutes. The story itself is great too, it focuses on opposites in the farm yard with a zippy rhyming text.

Updated  for 2010 -  at almost 4 my son still loves this book ( so much so that he wouldn’t allow me to move it to his sister’s room with the other board books) and now” reads” it along with me. Still a fun read at his age!

Big Red Barn Big Book by Margaret Wise Brown is the inspiration for this craft, and an increasingly one of my very favorite books. The story is simple readers see a day in the life of a big red barn and all the animals inside. Each animal is introduced in the seamless text that reads like a melodic poem. It’s  calm , soothing and Felicia Bond’s illustrations are perfect, I love how the sky subtly changes as the night beckons.  A wonderful book for anytime, but especially poignant before bed.

Bobby Tracey Campbell Pearson is a darling story about a Rooster who doesn’t know how to cock a doodle do ! He asks his barnyard friends but they are cats, dogs, cows and more. He learns how to meow , bark and moo! Eventually he does find an older rooster to show him the ropes but it’s the other sounds that end up saving Bob and his friends from a sly fox! Really enjoyed the book, my son thought it was funny and the message about learning about other languages is a lovely one to teach your child.

Even more Farm Books

]]> http://www.notimeforflashcards.com/2010/08/farm-themed-crafts-and-books.html/feed 5 Barnyard Craft http://www.notimeforflashcards.com/2009/08/barnyard-craft.html http://www.notimeforflashcards.com/2009/08/barnyard-craft.html#comments Fri, 21 Aug 2009 09:27:00 +0000 admin http://www.notimeforflashcards.com/?p=618

Raise the Barn

Popsicle sticks, ripped paper and water colors come together to make a fun and creative craft that brings the barnyard into your house. My son loved having many simple steps, I think the short amount of time each step took fit his toddler attention span. Painting on the popsicle sticks takes careful concentration and is a great chance to practice fine motor skills.

  1. Gather your materials. You will need a large piece of construction paper, popsicle sticks, glue, construction paper ( for tree leaves) , water colors, water dish, paint brush and glue.
  2. Start by drawing a barn and tree with the glue. My son and I decided to make a square and triangle .
  3. Add your popsicle sticks.
  4. Rip the paper into leaves for your tree.
  5. Add more glue on the branches of the tree.
  6. Add the leaves.
  7. Grab the watercolors, and paint. With older children give them the challenge to paint the sticks without getting it on the paper, but I wouldn’t limit them to that after the challenge, allow them to paint it how ever they want. The Challenge is just that a challenge not a limit on their creativity.
  8. Let dry.

Books

“Big Fat Hen” by Keith Baker is a simple counting book with minimal text. What is lacks in words it delivers in illustrations. The rich colors of the hens, the golden hay and the yellow chicks were all expertly executed. We read the board book version of this and I would suggest that this is a book for that age, who will love pictures more and more with every turn of the page. The text that is included is rhyming and pleasant but the illustrations steal the show.

“Bob” by Tracey Campbell Pearson is a darling story about a Rooster who doesn’t know how to cock a doodle do ! He asks his barnyard friends but they are cats, dogs, cows and more. He learns how to meow , bark and moo! Eventually he does find an older rooster to show him the ropes but it’s the other sounds that end up saving Bob and his friends from a sly fox! Really enjoyed the book, my son thought it was funny and the message about learning about other languages is a lovely one to teach your child.


“Cowboy ABC’s” by Chris Demarest is a great book for any cowboy enthusiast. From Buckaroo to Tumbleweed, Guitar to Lasso this book take s readers through some common and some not so common cowboys terms and accessories. I liked it because it’s not your everyday alphabet book, with the same words used for letters over and over.

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