Shape Skyscraper
The idea for this building came from my daily helping of “Mama, build city wit me?” my son builds cities to go with his collection of cars daily, so I capitalized on this love and made it into a shape matching lesson. You can drop the shapes and just decorate the carton if free art is what you need for the day, I know we will be repeating this with plain paper shapes that he can paste wherever he wants real soon! Today though was more mama directed since we have done free art for the past few days , remember to give your child lots of free time with crayons, paints and their imagination!
Gather your materials. You will need 2 pieces of black construction paper, some sticky back foam, scissors, a cleaned out milk carton, and glue.
Start by tracing the milk carton on the paper, then fold the 2 pieces and cut . You should have 4 identical pieces of black paper. 
Next cut out 4 groups of different shapes from the foam, I did ovals, circles, rectangles and triangles, but feel free to do any shape you are learning about right now. 
Invite your child to the table, and have them match up the shapes on the paper. I stuck one of each shape on the pages to guide my son and he got it right away. 
For younger ones do two shapes at a time, older children can have all 4 shapes to sort a once. 
Give them the next two shapes and pages.
While they stick the shapes on cut the top off the milk carton.
Grab the glue .
Glue the pages on the sides of the carton. 
Using the top of the milk carton you cut off trace a square for the top of the building. 
Glue it on. Let dry
Start by tracing the milk carton on the paper, then fold the 2 pieces and cut . You should have 4 identical pieces of black paper. Next cut out 4 groups of different shapes from the foam, I did ovals, circles, rectangles and triangles, but feel free to do any shape you are learning about right now. Invite your child to the table, and have them match up the shapes on the paper. I stuck one of each shape on the pages to guide my son and he got it right away. For younger ones do two shapes at a time, older children can have all 4 shapes to sort a once. Give them the next two shapes and pages. While they stick the shapes on cut the top off the milk carton.Grab the glue . Glue the pages on the sides of the carton. Using the top of the milk carton you cut off trace a square for the top of the building. Glue it on. Let dryBooks!
“Madeline” by Ludwig Bemelmans is a great book often overlooked because of the popularity of the character. The book has great rhyming text, wonderful illustrations of Paris, with ample opportunity to talk about what you can find in the city, and a hospital storyline too! I love this book, and would even if the illustrations of Paris didn’t make me long for my traveling days. My son sat happily for the whole book this morning and made me go upstairs to get his Madeline doll and read it again.
” Inside a Zoo in the City” by Alyssa Satin Capucilli is a rebus read along , so children who can’t read words yet can help read this with pictures put right into the text! The story is repetitive and builds with one animal and page at a time. Preschoolers love these books and the repetitive nature of it makes it interactive and fun! 
“Barney Backhoe and the Big City Dig” by Susan Knopf is a perfect book for your digger obsessed child, but even if your child can’t spot a backhoe from a mile away this book is a cute story about helping people , and the illustrations are filled with things that are found in the city and can spark great discussions with your child . 
Annette says
You are always so clever! I also just checked in with your I Spy Mini Quilt again…I’m not saying it is going to happen soon, but I need to start collecting fabric for it!
Clemencia says
You always do so many awesome things with your children! lovely, very lovely! thanks for your awesome ideas!
Jen says
Great skyscraper!
My girls have a fascination with Big Ben for some reason. Ever since I told them that there was a clock that was the same name as their favorite Steeler player! Kids are funny.
Maybe we’ll build Big Ben when we are learning about time. Thanks- you just gave me an idea.
Jen
Creative and Curious Kids!
Preschool Playbook says
Great activity, but I have to say I LOVE the shirt. It is very unique and fun–did you make that?
Sandy says
My daughter did something like this at Christmas time at school. They put the box on a base and put cotton on the base to look like snow. They also used a picture of the kids to make it look like they were looking out the windows of the house. Very cute.
Jolene says
I NEEEEEEDDDD to know where to buy that shirt! I love it!
Allie says
The tee shirt was a gift from my sister, she got it at a boutique but it’s made by Dirty Laundry:
http://www.ilovedirtylaundry.com/index.html
He’s been wearing it since he was 7 months old and it still feels so good and magically fits.
MoziEsmé says
Love this Skyscraper idea! We’ll be trying it…