Montessori-Inspired Snail Activities Using Free Printables

By Deb Chitwood from Living Montessori Now  

Today, I have some Montessori-style activities inspired by my 2½-year-old granddaughter and other kids in our neighborhood. Their love of the snails they find brought about my latest theme of snails. You'll find lots of free snail printables in my Free Snail Printables and Montessori-Inspired Snail Activities. 

Here, I'm sharing some Montessori-inspired snail activities using free printables for preschoolers through first graders. You'll find many activities for preschoolers through first graders throughout the year along with presentation ideas in my previous posts at PreK + K Sharing. 

You'll also find ideas for using free printables to create activity trays here: How to Use Printables to Create Montessori-Inspired Activities. At Living Montessori Now, I have a post with resource links of Free Printables for Montessori Homeschools and Preschools. 

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links at no cost to you. 

Snail Pin Poking Activity



Free Printable: Snail Pattern from Pattern Universe 

For this activity, I used a Multicraft Tray, colored construction paper,  Wood-Handled Puncher from Montessori Services, and a Felt Pad from Montessori Services (Note: The Montessori Services felt pads are now black so they don’t get dirty as easily.) 

(Read the push pin warning and why I recommend using the wood-handled puncher.)

Pin poking activities are very popular in Montessori schools and homeschools. Punching out the snail is a good way for young child to develop fine motor coordination and work on the pencil grip needed for writing. It's also a wonderful activity for developing the ability to concentrate. If desired, the child can decorate the snail once it's punched out. 

Snail Color Matching Free Printable: Color Matching File Folder – Snail Theme by The Laminating Co-Teacher at Teachers Pay Teachers 

Free Printable: Montessori Color Matching Cards from Montessori Print Shop  

For this activity, I used a Multicraft tray and Montessori Services basket. 

This is similar to last month's car color matching. Even though it has smiling snails (which don't fit with the Montessori emphasis on reality), it's a very cute color-matching activity with isolation of quality. That is, the snails vary only in color ... not in shape or size. 

 

For the layout, I'd just lay out one column of color tablets and then have the child match the second column (unless color tablets haven't been presented before. If not, I'd give the introductory color tablet presentation). Then the child can match the colored snails to the color matching cards (color tablets) and finally add the colored words to the layout. For older children, you could print out the extra set of color words that are on a white background.

For our floor layouts, I always use a Montessori Services hemmed work rug.

Feed the Snail Counting Game

Free Printable: Snail Numbers (part of my subscriber freebie pack, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password … or check the bottom of your latest newsletter if you’re already a subscriber) 

For this activity, I used a Montessori Services basket, laminated leaves from a bush outside my home, and a small bamboo condiment cup to hold the leaves.

You could just use the printable to make a number basket with one number and the correct number of leaves for your child or students to count. Or you could have a matching activity with snail numbers and sandpaper numbers. 

 

For this activity, Zoey and I played the Feed the Snail Game, a game I made up that I knew Zoey would enjoy. I turned all the numbers upside down on a rug. Then Zoey would draw a number, say what it was, and count out the correct number of leaves to "feed the snail." Zoey loved the laminated leaves and the concept of feeding snails. She did the activity for quite awhile. 

Letter S Basket and Sand Tray

 

Free Printables: Snail Letters for S Letter Basket and Sand Tray (part of my subscriber freebie pack, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password … or check the bottom of your latest newsletter if you’re already a subscriber) 

For the letter s basket, I used a basket with small objects beginning with /s/ sound. I like introducing the cursive letter along with the manuscript one, so I included the cursive s card. I used a variety of objects starting with /s/. You could just say the phonetic sound as you or your child removes an item from the basket: for example, "/s/ sack, /s/ saxophone..."  

Some of the objects are ones I had at home (especially Safari Ltd. TOOB objects), although most are from Montessori Services (they have individual phonetic objects or a whole set available).  

For the letter s sand tray, I used the wooden tray from the Melissa & Doug Lace and Trace Shapes. You can use whatever tray or container work best for you, though. For the sand, I sterilized sand from outdoors by baking it for 30 minutes at 200F. You can also buy sand on Amazon.

Snail Game for Beginning Blends

 

Free Printable: Game for Beginning Blends from The Measured Mom 

For this activity, I used a a Multicraft tray, dice, any type of game pieces (I used glass gems), and a small bamboo condiment cup to hold the pieces. 

You'll find directions for playing the game at The Measured Mom. If you'd like to play it as a cooperative game, you could use one game piece and simply take turns moving the piece. 

Making a Snail Enemies Wheel 

 

Free Printable: Snails Study and Lapbook by Wende at Homeschool Share 

For this activity, I used a Multicraft tray, Fiskar scissors, a glue stick, and brads to connect the two wheels. 

Not only is this a good activity to help kids work on cutting and gluing skills, but it's a fun introduction to snail predators. 

More Free Snail Printables  

Go to my post at Living Montessori Now for links to free snail printables from around the blogosphere: Free Snail Printables and Montessori-Inspired Snail Activities. And be sure to subscribe to my email list if you'd like to get an exclusive free printable each month (plus two more awesome freebies right away): Free Printables. 

You'll find find animal classification resources in this post at Living Montessori Now: Montessori-Inspired Animal Classification.

If you'd like to focus on manners with children, please check out my eBook Montessori at Home or School: How to Teach Grace and Courtesy! It's written for anyone who'd like to feel comfortable teaching manners to children ages 2-12. I'm also one of the coauthors of the book Learn with Play – 150+ Activities for Year-round Fun & Learning!

I hope you're having a fun summer ... and preventing summer slide at the same time! :)

Deb Chitwood is a certified Montessori teacher with a master’s degree in Early Childhood Studies from Sheffield Hallam University in Sheffield, England. Deb taught in Montessori schools in Iowa and Arizona before becoming owner/director/teacher of her own Montessori school in South Dakota. Later, she homeschooled her two children through high school. Deb is now a Montessori writer who lives in San Diego with her husband of 41 years (and lives in the city where her kids, kids-in-law, and toddler granddaughter live). She blogs at Living Montessori Now.

FOSTERING CREATIVE & CRITICAL THINKERS - Transference of Knowledge!

BUCKLE UP!

The process of learning is amazing to behold.  Especially when you have the opportunity to collaborate for years with creative and progressive programs. One such organization is Child-Parent Centers, Inc., an exemplary Head Start program in Tucson.  

This blog is dedicated to their children, teachers and parents.

Enrique C. Feldman, Founder
Global Learning Foundation, Artist,
and Children's Book Author

I had taken a break for a from my blogging with so many wonderful projects which have taken my complete focus.  Those projects are surfacing now and so am I!  To preface all the beautiful images you're going to see, which are examples of children's work with materials, I want to make something very clear.  This blog and the children's work it highlights are much more than cute & cool.

The work you're seeing is the byproduct of weeks and in some cases months of:

• Teachers asking children great questions
• Children and Teachers having authentic conversations
• Exploring with materials before deciding on which ones to use

With that in mind... up, up and away!

The role of materials is essential to creating invitations for any aged learner to explore, consider, strive and eventually THRIVE!  Take a good look at the first image below.  Which do you think the child started with?  Which one took longer?  Why?  Notice that I love to use questions, even with you, the reader... why do I choose to do that?  (I encourage you to use the comment section below)

WHAT & WHY

As adult learners we quite often ask questions starting with "What?"  Nothing wrong with that and certainly, sometimes it is a great word to use.  What about why?  lol... couldn't help myself! 

What would the world look like if we asked "Why?" more often?  For example, with the next image, I could ask a infinite number of questions.  How about this one...

Why do you think this child chose to create this structure/image?  Is there a central focus, and if so, was this done on purpose?  Hmmmmm.....  I can hear you thinking and I love that sound... silence... the sound of thinking!  Let's remember to embrace the silence once we ask a question.  Many of us adults ask a question, followed by the sound of our own voice, again speaking.... I know I do sometimes.... embrace the sound of thinking, that glorious silence, especially when working with young children.

SYMMETRY and ASYMMETRY

Now hold on....these are pretty big words for preschool children, right?  Not really.  There was a time when I would have thought so.  In my many years of working with children, my experience has shown me that:

• When you embody the thing you are learning, you can learn anything, including advanced vocabulary.
• When you offer any aged learner the chance to learn with different approaches, you elevate their level of engagement.
• When you offer different ways of experiencing the same concept, you by default introduce the idea of "transference of knowledge" (understanding how concepts make sense in different areas of study).

3D and 2D

#Whynot? The ever popular fortress image!  I know I loved forts when I was little... but wait, is this a fort?  What else could it be?  How many different things could this represent?  And, do we take the time to have these kinds of conversations with our youngest learners.... how about our older learners?

The ability to see images in our own head in both 2D and 3D is very closely related to our ability to visualize.... so, is this just an image of a fort?  I think we should all think about how empowering this kind of work can be for learner and teacher/parent!

MATERIALS and COLOR

So what is a young child thinking when they choose a color?  Did they know that the blue and the red would provide fantastic contrast?  Did they first explore other colors?  Does that thing in the center turn or twist?  If so, why?

Are the questions we ask more important than the "answers"?  I have my opinion and I encourage you to consider your response.

BALANCE and FUNCTION

I wonder what this child knows about balance?  I wonder if the word "Fulcrum" was introduced?  I wonder if they first saw something like this in real life.

Should we keep wondering?  Should we model wondering?

hmmmmm...

Depending on your personality type, you might be wondering, "but what are the exact steps to take when having children work with blocks and creating visual art?"  May I suggest a different question? Perhaps...

• What kind of materials do your children enjoy the most?
• Have you asked them why?

• What kinds of real life objects excite your children the most?
• Have you asked them why?

• Can you find materials and objects that interest your children?
• Can you connect these materials and objects to words, math, and science?

I wonder and I hope you do to!

I'm looking forward to my July 10 blog, which will be a very special one indeed, titled "The Art of Living".... and now that I think about it, my August 10 blog will be just as special, titled "Sam the Ant - the hero in us all!"

Ciao!

Enrique C. Feldman
Founder, Global Learning Foundation
Performing Artist and Composer
Author, Living Like a Child
Creator, iBG, Intellectual Brainwave Games (coming soon)
Co-Creator, The Inner Journey Theatrical Show
Co-Author of Sam the Ant, a new kind of children's book series (coming soon)
Producer, Kaleidoscope (Children's Album in consideration for a Grammy 2017)

Summertime Fun Round-Up (And a few Father's Day Links)

Hi! I'm Ayn and I am a Ga. Pre-K teacher, serving 4 and 5 year olds in an inclusive setting. I share my classroom adventures on my blog, little illuminations.

Summertime!!!! School has been out for a couple of weeks here in Georgia. I see a lot of parents posting on Facebook looking for economical ways to keep the kids busy this summer. Today I'm sharing some of my more popular posts about summer activities from here on PreK+K Sharing and from my personal blog little illuminations. 

This post has some ideas to keep the kids engaged during road trips. Car rides can be fun, but sometimes kids need a little help finding the fun on a long trip. Check out the travel ideas in Travel Activities For Kids...and a freebie!

Looking for ways to incorporate literacy skills into your summer activities? Simple Summer Literacy is just the post for you!

Vacations are expensive and require a lot of planning. There are lots of ways to have fun by simply planning a "stay"cation! I have a friend that takes her boys to a local hotel for a night or two as a special "stay"cation. They use the pool and eat at the breakfast bar and generally have a great little vacation without ever leaving town. Sometimes, they even invite a few friends! 5 Budget-Friendly Ways to Enjoy Summer "Stay"cations might help you plan a local outing without breaking the bank or leaving town!

And a few more "stay"cation ideas are here in "10 More Summer "Stay"cations on a Budget".

Need more ideas for summer activities? Go to the search bar at the top of this page and type in "summer". A ton of posts from PreK+K Sharing authors will come up with oodles of summer activity ideas!

I know that Father's Day is coming up in a couple of weeks and many of you will be searching for cute ideas to help children make a gift for dad, so I thought I would share a couple of links here for Father's Day, as well!

**from little illuminations: "Father's day Ideas from Around the Blogosphere!"

**from PreKinders: "Father's Day Activities For Kids"

**from Pre-K Pages: Fathers Day Ideas

    Happy Summer and Happy Father's Day! Enjoy!

 Stop by and visit me anytime at littleilluminations.blogspot.com or visit the little illuminations fanpage on facebook! And be sure to check out PreK+K Sharing EEE!

Father's Day Fun!

Hi! It's Carolyn from Kindergarten: Holding Hands and Sticking Together. Today I'm going to share some simple, fun Father's Day activities with you.

First, my friend Sarah (from A Sunny Day in First Grade) shared this wonderful writing prompt for Father's Day, free at her TpT Store. I always love to see the kids'  answers.

A "My Dad Rocks" paperweight is a fun keepsake for children to make for dad.  This one is from  Our Family World.  You can make them as simple as you want.  You don't even need to paint the rocks- the children can just write "My Dad Rocks" on a special rock with a sharpie, and you can spray it with clear spray paint sealer.  Don't forget to have the child write his/her name on the bottom and date it, too!

Aren't these gloves sweet? I found the picture on Pinterest, but it didn't have any link back to anywhere.  If it's yours, let me know so I can link it to you.  I love these.  You can usually find these gloves at a Dollar Store.  The poem says:

See these gloves daddy?

They don't fit me just  yet.

My handprints are on them, 

So you'll never forget.

I'm only small for a little while,

So remember my hands and my smile.

I love you daddy, with all my heart.

No matter how much I grow,

We will never grow apart.

Kristin Miller shared this on Pinterest.  I thought it was so cute!  You could make a simple, inexpensive card/gift by having children stamp their hand prints on  a white paper plate made into a baseball like this.

This activity is from Oriental Trading.  The packet makes 12 activities.  A simple way to make this activity with your class would be to have children put red and yellow pieces of tissue paper onto clear contact paper, then cut it into this shape, and outline it with blue tape. The kids could write, "You're my hero, Dad!" in the middle with a Sharpie. 

My class made these for their dads. Each child colored a paper that said, "MY."  I took each child's picture holding their sign.  Then,  I taped a packet of Pop Rocks under the sign so it says, "MY Pop Rocks!"  

I decided to use these as covers for their books about dad.  Here are some of the sweet pages from some of the books.  

I hope you found some fun things to do for Father's Day!  I'd love you to stop by my blog or my Facebook page!  Have a  wonderful week.

Summer's Here! Twitter Anniversary! EOY Song! Frog Street Splash!

We are headed north to our summer hiatus spot, 

perched on the bay. 

I took that photo exactly one year ago.

I found the quotation yesterday. 

Education carries us triumphant to the sunset. 

One step at a time. 

With the arrival of summer, 

some of our readers have more 'time' to explore. 

Maybe this is the summer that you learn the ropes at Twitter. 

The weekly chat that I host on Tuesday nights 

is nearing our second anniversary. 

There are some BIG plans in the making to celebrate. 

Save June 28th for your chance to win big! 

You have a couple of weeks before then,

where you can learn the ropes. 

This coming Tuesday, June 7th,

my dear friend Kim Vij will be taking our spotlight. 

Her brand new book is just a few days old and some lucky participant

will be winning a copy!!! 

This is a brilliant book for teachers and parents alike. 

If you are a visual learner yourself, 

this book is for you! 

The photographs capture the fun and learning, 

offering inspiration and delight just in turning the pages! 

---------------------------------------------------------

I realize the vast majority of teachers are finished or down to the last moments in the classroom. 

Just when I think that way, 

I get a message from a teacher in CA and one in NY and

both are still teaching for another three weeks. 

So I include this news for you! 

Everyone else will just have to plan ahead about 300 days! 

I know how you like to plan ahead! 

PINCH ME!!! Look what happened! 

I made it back into the recording studio!!!

Believe in unicorns and pixie dust and happily ever after too! 

I am so very excited. I have BIG news!

My dear sweet husband said, "Yes."
He gave me the most incredible gift. 

The rest is history. 

A couple of years ago I wrote a little poem -- 

as a tribute to teachers.

• I wanted to say thank you in a tangible way.
• I wanted to express my appreciation. 
• I wanted to acknowledge your hard work.
• I wanted to affirm your many feelings. 
• I wanted to offer support.
• I wanted to recognize the milestone.
• I wanted to attempt to capture the emotions in saying good-bye. 
• I wanted to give you a new tool for your toolbox.
• I wanted to contribute to your closure.

So much happens in a school year.

Starting with early fall's delight over new supplies and potential, 

{twinged with just the slightest apprehension of the unknown....} 
There's an onslaught of pumpkins and reindeer,
candy hearts, leprechauns and bumblebees

*****BLINK***** 

and it is all over!  

The ending of a school year is so very poignant.

When the finish line is tangible, 

every moment goes into hyper-drive captured in 'forever' mode.

#Bittersweet

#Memories 

#ExhaustionElationExaustionElationExhaustion 

#Feelings

#Overwhelm
#Touching
#Meaningful

#Good-Bye
#Significance

#Reflections

#Growth
#Sentimental 
#Endings
#Finality
#Graduation
#BoomDropTheMicDone
#Legacy 

People downloaded my poem. 
They thanked me for articulating their experience. 
They told me they cried when they read it.
They tagged their friends.
They were grateful.
They printed it. 
They sent it home. 
They shared it.
They used it. 
  
Then someone said, 
"I wish it had a melody so that I could sing it." 

That one line of feedback started the ache. 
She planted the seed. 
It could be MORE!
It could be a song. 
Songs have legs.
Songs get play-time.
Songs stick with you.
I write songs. 

And a year went by. 
And then another. 

The feedback and gratitude accumulated. 
Like a gnawing water drip.....
so did that one request
ring over and over and over in my head. 
"I wish it had a melody so that I could sing it." 

Going into a recording studio with a poem on a piece of paper is expensive. This last couple years of my personal and professional life, we haven't had the 'extra' to even contemplate considering what it would take to go back into the studio. That's a long complicated story that is mostly sad, where we are still awaiting the triumphant conclusion. BUT......... stay the course long enough and the tide begins to turn. Have faith. Trust. Believe. Pray. Give thanks. HALLELUJAH.

So I squinted and in my best smiling wifey voice, I asked my dear sweet husband if this spring we were in a position to take on a new project. Hubby Allen said, 'yes.' 

Turns out that our efforts over at WobbleSeat.com could provide the financial resources necessary to answer her request to turn my little poem into a song. 

And with that go-ahead I got the nerve to talk to my UBBER talented producer-friend Ronn. His talent is legendary and his heart is even bigger. Ronn would have to agree to work for peanuts, or more accurately for peanut dust.... not even a minuscule fraction of his worth and value in the real world. The man has created brilliance in Nashville and Detroit. I thought he might be willing. I hoped. Just because he's the best. Just because he knows that for me to ask a favor -- it must be worthwhile. And Ronn said yes! 

And with that go-ahead we had to rope in Dan, the owner of the studio. It would take all three of us to bring this little idea to fruition. He too would have to be willing to make me the 'deal' of the century. Just because. As a friend. As an acknowledgement of our nearly two decades of projects together. Dan-the-man has a heart of gold. It would be fun to have the three of us under the same roof at Amerisound.  And Dan said yes! 

TRIFECTA. All three. Everyone on board. Tic-Tac-Toe!

So began the real work by Ronn to create the arrangement out of thin air. That is his specialty. We talked over the role of the song and how I envisioned it being used. We talked over the tone. We talked over poignancy. And then I gave him permission. Create. Use your gifts. Stay out of his way. 

I just had to get myself back to Columbus, Ohio. That's all. We left Vero Beach, FL just over three weeks ago.... driving to Green Bay, WI where I had the keynote. First must make stops in Augusta, Columbus, Cleveland, Green Springs, Ft. Wayne, South Bend and then actually arrive straight on to the Tundra Lodge in Green Bay. After that immediately down to Chicago for two days of work in Schaumberg at their library. Return to Columbus directly, to take the first flight out BACK TO FLORIDA! 

Return a couple days later to Columbus. Final annual school visit of the year in Westerville. Hugs. Hugs. Hugs. Hugs all around. Some of my VERY favorite people in that big road trip loop-di-loo. Some of my oldest and dearest friends.

Then time to drive to Amerisound Studios. TA DA. I could get there blindfolded.

While I was busy traipsing back and forth across the the country, Ronn was in a VERY serious car accident. Just mere days before our scheduled recording session. He testifies that it was his seat belt that saved his life. Angels watching over my dear, talented friend. How close do we come to our mortality on a daily basis? Sobering. 

What a back-drop to creative studio work. To say that we were all just a bit frazzled would be a slight under-statement. So when Ronn started playing his arrangement, it was no surprise that I was an immediate blubbering mortal. I just sat there and cried and cried as he added each track from his keyboard to the studio console. They weren't even the least bit surprised at my response. 

Time to blow your nose and sing, Debbie. It is at that point that I wish I am Celine. Alas. 

The song version required some slight reordering of my poem's origianal stanzas. This is now the completed song lyric sheet. It is in Pdf format in the zipped file that is now available over at TeachersPayTeachers. 

I have decided to make the digital file available for free for right now. HURRY over to get it for FREE!!! 

Pay it Forward. Gratitude. Appreciation. Random Act of Kindness. Anyone that still has school after Memorial Day deserves an extra serving of support. I can't wait to hear your feedback. It would be very kind if you would leave your supportive thoughts at TpT after you download it. 

From the very beginning, I thought that the song version could be used in your slide show overview, as part of the sound track to photographically reviewing your year. Then my friend Maggie, suggested that it could be used as a "Kindergarten Graduation March." I'm excited to hear how you might put it to use! 

I have several exciting invitations on the horizon this summer to contribute to professional development. Each is unique it its own way. My participating at Frog Street is ALWAYS a highlight of the year. I am so grateful to return yet again. Will I get a chance to meet you this year?