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Ovals: Learning Activities for Shapes

September 15, 2012 by Mama Carmody 38 Comments

Ovals: Learning Activities for Shapes

It’s time for some fun learning activities with ovals. When I was growing up we had an oval shaped swimming pool in our backyard. I enjoyed playing with Silly Putty which was stored in an oval shaped egg. What fun things do you remember doing with ovals? There are some great books listed below that are all about ovals. Be sure to take time to enjoy the craft. I would love for you to stop by my Facebook page (Love to Laugh and Learn) and share some pictures of the ways you enjoyed learning and playing with ovals.

Content:

Toys
Craft:
Abstract Picture of Circles and Ovals
Snacks
Story Time
Related Posts

Toys

What kinds of oval shaped toys can your child find? Can they build an oval train or car track? Are there some play food eggs in their pretend kitchen? How about some plastic Easter eggs? Get some play dough out and experiment with making balls (circles) of play dough and then squishing it slightly to turn the circles into ovals. If it’s warm out fill up some water-balloons and have a fun time in the yard. Ovals can be found everywhere? What else did you and your child find?

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Craft

Abstract Picture of Circles and Ovals

Not all arts and crafts have to form a specific picture or item. Experimenting with different materials and creating your own art work can be very fun and extremely educational. In this craft your child can learn the relationship between circles and ovals while creating their own artwork.

Materials Needed:

Toilet paper tubes
Paint (as many colors as you want)
Plate
White Paper

Instructions:

1. Pour a small amount of paint out on a plate.

Preparing for abstract oval/circle painting.

2. Dip one end of the toilet paper tube into the paint and stamp it onto the white paper. Have your child be careful not to squish the tube for the first few “stamps”.

3. After making several circles on the paper, gently squish the toilet paper tube. If your child has trouble keeping the toilet paper roll squished into an oval you can use a rubber band to hold it in an oval shape.

You can use a rubber band to help hold the oval shape.

4. Dip it in the paint and “stamp” onto the paper. What shape are you making now?

This is a very simple craft that can be used with a very young child but older children will also enjoy making their own abstract art pieces.

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Foods for snack or meal time

Boiled eggs, olives, baked potato, kiwi (if you slice it end to end), grapes, oval-shaped crackers, pumpkin seeds, cucumbers or pickles (sliced end to end)

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Story Time

I See Ovals (All about Shapes) by D. H. Dilkes
Reading Level: Birth – 4 yrs old
D. H. Dilkes has a great series of little books that discuss different shapes. In this book you will find ovals in many different places. I like the fact that the illustrations are photographs of every day items. The text is simple which is great for a young child that is just being introduced to shapes.

Ovals around Town (Shapes Around Town) by Nathan Olson
Reading Level: Ages 4 and up
There are so many ovals around us. Some windows are shaped like ovals. Watermelons are shaped like ovals. The author does a wonderful job of explaining and showing the difference between a circle and an oval. I especially liked how a couple of the illustrations showed that an arch reflected in water looks like an oval. There are bright fun colors and illustrations throughout the book. You and your child will have lots of fun as you explore ovals.

Ovals (The Shape of the World) by Dana Meachen Rau
Reading Level: Birth – 4 yrs old
Dana Meachen Rau has a great series of little books about shapes. In this book you will see several different ovals. You might find some right in your own house. The simple text and bright pictures will give you and your child a lot to talk about. This is a great little book for introducing ovals to your child.

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Shapes – Overview
The Lessons – Overview
Circles: Learning Activities for Shapes
Squares: Learning Activities for Shapes
Rectangles: Learning Activities for Shapes
Triangles: Learning Activities for Shapes
Diamonds: Learning Activities for Shapes
Stars: Learning Activities for Shapes
Hearts: Learning Activities for Shapes
Learning Should Be Fun
Colors – Overview

Diamonds: Learning Activities for Shapes

April 8, 2013 by Mama Carmody 8 Comments

Diamonds: Learning Activities for Shapes
with free printables

Time for fun with diamonds. What is the first thing you think of when someone talks about a diamond? My first thing is a kite. The second thing I think of is the song, Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. Below are listed some fun things to do with diamonds. Have fun and please come back and share the different activities you have tried and how you liked them.

Content:

Toys
Crafts:
Kite Picture
Flower Made from Diamond Shapes
Snacks
Story Time
Related Posts

Toys

You may have a shape sorter with a diamond shape in it. I would recommend the Discovery Toys: Playful Patterns (just use the diamond shapes today). Also try a Hape Geo Form S – Diamond Shaped Puzzles or kite. Please stop by and share what type of diamond shape toys you have.

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Crafts

Kite Picture

Materials Needed:

Diamond Kite Template
Construction paper or paint, markers, crayons
String or yarn
Stickers
Scissors
Glue

Instructions:

1. Print Diamond Kite Template

2. You can either color or paint the kite on the template or use the template as a pattern to cut the kite out of construction paper. For this craft, I decided to cut the kite out of construction paper and glue it to another piece of construction paper.

3. Glue a piece of string or yarn to the bottom of the kite and have it run all the way to the bottom of the page so it looks like the kite is flying high in the sky.

4. Add stickers to the kite for extra decoration. Stickers are great for young children to exercise their fine motor skills as they peel and stick them to the paper.

Have fun learning about diamonds with this Diamond Shaped Kite Craft

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Diamond Flower

Materials Needed:

Diamond Flower Template
Construction or tissue paper
Scissors
Glue
Green marker

Instructions:

1. Print Diamond Flower Template

2. Cut 2 diamonds out of green paper.

3. Cut the rest of the diamonds out of whatever color you want your flower to be.
You can cut out as many diamonds as you want.

4. Glue the diamond petals in a flower shape with their points touching in the center of the flower.

5. Draw a green stem on the flower.

6. Glue the 2 green diamond shaped leaves to the stem.

Now you have a beautiful diamond flower to remind you of spring or to give to mom or grandma for Mother’s Day.

Have fun making this beautiful Diamond Flower Craft

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Foods for snack or meal time

I searched the web and couldn’t find any diamond shaped foods but you can always use a diamond shaped cookie cutter to cut vegetables, fruits, cheese, etc. You could also use triangle shaped foods and show your child how to put them together to create a diamond.

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Story Time

Much to my disappointment, I have not been able to find any books that are only about diamonds. I have found some books that discuss several different shapes and diamonds are included so I am listing those books. If you know of any books that are just about diamonds, please let me know.

Color Zoo by Lois Ehlert
Reading Level: Ages 4 and up
There isn’t much of a story. Actually it’s just a poem on the first page of the book but seeing how the different animals are made with the shapes is very interesting. The pictures are very bright and inviting to a child. The shapes that are covered are circle, square, triangle, rectangle, star, heart, oval, diamond, octagon and hexagon.

Museum Shapes by The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Reading Level: Kindergarten – 3rd Grade
This is a very interesting way to introduce your child to shapes and to the art world. Your child is introduced to different shapes and asked to locate the shapes in famous pieces of art work. A fun way to teach your child to look for shapes in items they run across every day such as wheels, on clothing or in a painting. Not only is this a good book for teaching shapes but it would be good to read before heading out for an afternoon at the art museum. There are reference pages at the end of the book that provide information on each of the pieces of art that are represented in the book. The shapes that are covered are circle, square, triangle, rectangle, star, heart, oval, diamond, crescent and arch.

Shape by Shape by Suse MacDonald
Reading Level: Ages 2 to 5
This book does not actually teach shapes but it is a good review and a fun mystery. The book starts out with two black circles in the middle of the page and it asks, “Do you know what I am?” As you progress page by page you find different shapes cut out of the pages with different hints. By the time you reach the end of the book you find, created over a three page spread, the answer to the original question. You will need to get this book to share with your child. It is quite fun to see what the shapes create at the end of the book. The shapes that are covered are circle, triangle, oval, diamond, crescent and semi-circle.

When a Line Bends . . . A Shape Begins by Rhonda Gowler Greene
Reading Level: Preschool to 2nd Grade
The book starts out by describing different types of lines and then it discusses the different shapes that can be made when a line bends. The book is written in rhyme and gives many, many examples for each shape. There are fun multi-colored pictures to go with each example. Your child will have fun looking for the different shapes that are described in the text. The shapes that are covered are circle, square, triangle, rectangle, star, heart, oval, diamond, crescent and octagon.

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Bongo Boy Music School Review

March 14, 2014 by Mama Carmody 5 Comments

Bongo Boy Music School Review

I have been including activities from Bongo Boy Music School, in my Family Friendly Events, since April of 2013; but I had never been able to attend an event. I love children and finding fun learning activities for them, but the children in my life are under the age of three and Bongo Boy Music School didn’t have any activities for them. Well, that has changed! Recently, they added a class for birth to 36 months old. Perfect! My great-nephew is 32 months old and my grandson is 7 months old! I have really wanted to visit and, this past Saturday, I finally got my chance.

We were the first ones to arrive. We received a warm welcome and they turned on some cartoons to entertain the little ones until we got ready to go back to the drum room. There was also a little table and a bookshelf filled with books. We didn’t wait long at all and it was time to go have some fun.

The instructor/facilitator mentioned that she also teaches preschool…no wonder she was so wonderful with the children. She explained to us that there was no right or wrong way to participate. This is mainly an opportunity for little ones to experience music through instruments and movement.

The children were led through a series of fun activities accompanied by lively music. They got to use balls, bells and maracas, scarves, and….oh, yes…drums!

Some of the music was simply fun and encouraged movement, like the song about the animals. One song encouraged listening and reacting. This song had the children freeze in place when the music stopped.

Never to young for Bongo Boy Music School

Everyone was having fun, whether they were very young; sitting in their mother’s laps or a little older; up moving and participating. The children also get the opportunity to experience following directions, sharing and putting things away.

The cost of the event is just $5 per child and the parents attend (and participate) for free.
There is also an event for 3 to 12 year olds, on Saturdays. Bongo Boy also has activities for the family during the week. There is a free Community Drum Circle for special needs on Mondays and a free Community Drum Circle for the whole family on Thursdays. You can find their activities listed in my Family Friendly Event post, each month, or go straight to the Bongo Boy Music School calendar.

Fun with Music: Percussion Instruments
Rhythm! Discovery Center: Review

Review: Peanut Butter and Jam Concerts at the Center for the Performing Arts, in Carmel

December 22, 2013 by Mama Carmody 5 Comments

Review: Peanut Butter and Jam Concerts

Disclosure: I decided to do this review, for the Peanut Butter and Jam Concerts, on my own. I was not asked to do it. I purchased the tickets for my great-nephew and myself.

I had first read about the Peanut Butter and Jam Concerts in the Indianapolis Star. They are geared for children ages 1 to 7 years old. The entire experience is just under an hour. There is 30 minutes of music followed by 15 minutes for the audience to touch and play the musical instruments. The purchase of a child’s ticket allows the admission of two adults for no additional charge.

Today’s performance was given by the Sounds of Brass, from the Hendrick’s Symphony Orchestra. I was especially interested in this performance because my husband was one of the musicians. We picked up our 2 year old great-nephew and took him to this concert.

Brass Group from the Hendrick's Symphony — Brass Group from the Hendrick’s Symphony

When you first arrive, each child receives a carpet square to sit on. (I taught preschool for several years and I used carpet squares in my classroom. They are wonderful for helping children to get a concept of their personal space.)

Carpet Squares to Sit on at Peanut Butter and Jam Concerts

There are chairs that the adults can sit in but many sat on the floor with their children. It is a wonderfully intimate setting for little ones to be introduced to different styles of music.

View from behind the band at the Peanut Butter & Jam Concert

The interaction with the musicians at the end of the concert seemed to be a big hit with everybody. A few of the children were able to get musical sounds out of the instruments which is quite a feat on brass instruments. You don’t simply blow air through a brass instrument to get a sound, you have to buzz your lips just right as you are blowing the air.

Interacting with the musicians at the Peanut Butter and Jam Concert

This was an extremely entertaining and educational event. I highly recommend taking time to attend at least one (if not all) of the Peanut Butter and Jam concerts. They have one concert each month and they fill up fast so be sure to call and get your tickets early. Please look for me. It is very likely that you will see me at several of these events.

Stars: Learning Activities for Shapes

April 17, 2013 by Mama Carmody 11 Comments

Stars: Learning Activities for Shapes

Are you ready to have fun with stars? Take your child out late one evening and lay in the grass or on a blanket and watch the stars. If you live in the city you may have to drive away from the bright lights before you can see them. Enjoy playing with stars, eating stars and doing crafts with them. Please come back and share comments of the fun things you have done.

Content:

Toys
Craft:
Popsicle/Craft Stick Star
Snacks
Story Time
Related Posts

Toys

What star shaped toys do you have? Maybe a shape sorter with a star in it? How about a special pillow you sleep with at night? When I was little I had a star shaped police officer’s badge. I used the Lauri Toys Shape and Color Sorter in my preschool classroom. It has a star shape and the children really enjoyed it. Please leave a comment and let me know what star shaped toys you have at your house.

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Craft

Popsicle/Craft Stick Star

Materials Needed:

Popsicle/Craft sticks
Glue
Paint
Paint brush or foam brush
Paper to protect workspace

Instructions:

1. I covered my workspace with parchment paper because I bought it for $1 at the Dollar Tree. You can cover your space with whatever you have.

2. Since I wanted to use multiple colors I painted my sticks before I put them together.

3. After the paint dried, glue the sticks together in the shape of a star.

4. I’m going to use a ribbon to hang the star in my window.

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Foods for snack or meal time

Star fruit, chicken and star soup, occasionally around Christmas you can find star shaped pretzels or crackers, use a star shaped cookie cutter to cut vegetables, cheese and bread

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Story Time

I See Stars (All about Shapes) by D. H. Dilkes
Reading Level: Birth – 5 yrs old
D. H. Dilkes has a great series of little books that discuss different shapes. In this book you will find many different stars. I like the fact that the illustrations are photographs of everyday items. The text rhymes and is simple which is great for a young child that is just being introduced to shapes.

Laura’s Star by Klaus Baumgart
Reading Level: Ages 4 and up
An adorable book about a little girl and a falling star. Laura was looking for a special friend to tell her secrets to and found it in a most unusual place. The sparkling little star adds so much to the story and the illustrations.

Stars by Mary Lyn Ray and Marla Frazee
Reading Level: Ages 3 and up
A beautiful story to go along with teaching the star shape. The children in the book go on all types of adventures with stars. They see them in the sky and they make some and put them in their pockets. I like how the author encourages a child’s imagination such as saying stars look like silver eggs you could put in a basket. The illustration shows a little girl holding a basket up in the air as if she was gathering the stars. Be sure to take your child along on this wonderful adventure with stars. They will learn that sometimes they might even feel as shiny as a star.

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Ovals: Learning Activities for Shapes

Content:

Toys Craft: Abstract Picture of Circles and Ovals Snacks Story Time Related Posts Toys

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Foods for snack or meal time

Story Time

Related Posts

Diamonds: Learning Activities for Shapes with free printables

Content:

Toys

Crafts

Kite Picture

Diamond Flower

Foods for snack or meal time

Story Time

Bongo Boy Music School Review

Related Posts:

Review: Peanut Butter and Jam Concerts

Stars: Learning Activities for Shapes

Toys
Craft:
Abstract Picture of Circles and Ovals
Snacks
Story Time
Related Posts

Toys

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Craft

Diamonds: Learning Activities for Shapes
with free printables