Counting Down Trucks!

 Ah, colors, counting and construction.  What could be better?  

No time for a big intro on this one, but you can see these colorful trucks in this post, and this one too.  Those two are great for early literacy skills like rhyming and naming letters, to name just a few.

But this new rhyme has the bonus of early math packed into it!  Of course with all the rhyming involved there's early literacy in there, too.  And it's just all around fun, especially for those kids who really love trucks, and construction, and all things road-related :)

Here's are the trucks (click the picture for all the details)

And here's the video of the rhyme:

(Ohh, and now there's also a pattern for these cuties!  Just click below :) )

Create a Car (or really, a vehicle :)

Another custom order that's turned into something I'll carry regularly in my shop!  This set is along the same lines as many of my other do-it-yourself sets, and this time the theme is vehicles.  If I were still teaching, I would love to see what kind of crazy combinations the kids would come up with by mixing the various vehicle parts together...  

This set is great for color and number naming and recognition, and could easily be used in a group time by handing out the pieces and letting the kids come up and decide where their piece could go!  You could also ask things like "If you have a red piece that is BIG, come put it on the board...or..If you have an orange piece that is small, come put it on the board."  You could play a color sorting game, and just have them bring their pieces to a designated area of the board, not building anything, or you could decide as a group that you want to build four vehicles--you could build the bases and then ask them to come put the wheels, windows, and other accessories on.  What a great team work project that builds vocabulary at the same time.  I love these sets as both a group time activity and for kids to use on their own...

Discover Flannel Friday--and join in if you like to make flannel boards, too!

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Winter Friends Dress Up Set

I have officially mailed in my fee for an upcoming November Craft Fair!  I did take part in a vendor fair at my preschool last spring, which inspired me to start my shop, but this is the first time I'm venturing out of my comfort zone to sell my sets in person, to strangers. I'm nervous, excited, and busy!  I put together five of these sets last weekend, and hope some lovely families think they'll be perfect for their young children :)  I will definitely be making a set for my classroom!  

I think this would be a great table activity in a library following a story time on winter, penguins, owls, or any of the occupations/themes represented by the outfits...Some other ways to use this set:
Have the kids help you dress the critters!  Pass out only one item from each outfit, and keep the coordinating items in your hand.  Put the snowman on the board and put the hammer in his hand.  "Uh oh, this worker has lost her hat!  She only has a hammer!  Does anyone have the hat for this construction worker?"  You could also put all the accessories on one side of the board, and all the hats on the other side, and the kids can come up and make a match...  Really, there are tons of ways to use a set like this--I hope you find some that work for you!

I've got lots of fun felt sets at my shop--come take a peek!

I'm hosting Flannel Friday this week!  You can find the roundup here.  Need more information about Flannel Friday?  Visit the Blog and Facebook!  Want a zillion more ideas?  Check out Flannel Friday on Pinterest!

Construction Set

I have a little friend in my class...perhaps a day has gone by during which he hasn't mentioned diggers, but I don't think so.  Let's just say he likes diggers.  A lot.  A whole lot!  And lately he's been spending time in the Book Corner using the flannel board sets we have there.  I decided it was about time we had a set of felt construction workers and vehicles, and why not throw in a few cones and piles of dirt?  Let the wild rumpus start!

Librarians!  These would work nicely to have out for children's independent use after a construction story time. Maybe you'd read Diggers Go by Steve Light, or Demolition by Sally Sutton.  And there's always Tip Tip Dig Dig by Emma Garcia... So many good books to read on this topic!  I'd probably go ahead and sing TRUCK (or here) and maybe play Little Duck Little Duck, are you in the ________ Truck to round things out :)  And here's a link to some construction-themed rhymes and finger plays.

I realized after I finished gluing on the hats that I forgot to make female workers!  I'm going to see if I can dismantle one of those guys and stick some braids on...

This set is available at at my shop--please come browse around!

Flannel Friday is being hosted this week by Laura at Library LaLaLand  Check out the round up there, and don't forget to find more amazing flannel board ideas at Pinterest and Facebook and the Flannel Friday Blog!