the month of "h"

inspired by mozi esme, i decided to begin crafts and activities with emma centered around one letter each month.

in addition to mozi esme's site, i also looked into teaching tiny tots and hubbards cupboard for ideas.

i tried to do at least 2 "h"-themed activities each week, but wasn't too rigid about getting everything on my list done.

i also picked one number for her to learn for the month and worked it in here and there. again...nothing rigid. 5 was the magic number and i usually tried to find a counting opportunity from whatever activity we were doing (counting 5 fingers and toes when we're putting socks on, counting 5 sugar packets at the restaurant, counting to 5 when she's washing her hands, etc.).

introducing the letter h:
we cut out a big "H", filled it with colorful paper scraps and glued it on one end of a rectangular piece of construction paper. then we found some pictures to cut out of things/actions that started with the letter "h" (hug, hats, hearts) and glued them on. we did the same for a small "h," but traced out her hands on the paper instead of hunting for more "h" objects. my plan is to do this same activity for other letters and once we've completed the whole alphabet we can put all those sheets together into her own
alphabet book.










h books:
we checked out some library books centered on words that started with the letter "h."






hearts:
i helped her draw hearts with water colors on a sheet of paper. later on that week we used them as part of our valentine's day cards where we cut out hearts, tied two of them together, and she wrote (with my help) a valentine message for aaron and tyler.


















hat:
we made a paper hat and then emma had free reign over the water colors to decorate.

















helping:
reading books about helpers in the community (e.g. doctors, firefighters, etc.). emma as a "good helper" and pointing out things she "helps" with around the house or for other people. pointing out people and such and discuss how they provide help (we talked to a police officer, the purpose of an ambulance, how my midwife helps me, dogs as helpers).

hexagons and hand prints:
we cut out 5 hexagons (counting opportunity) and glued them on a sheet of paper. then i took out the finger paints and we made hand prints to decorate it.





"h" related memory verse for the month:
1 john 4:19 done in this fashion. we "discussed" how helping others is a way we show that we love them, much like how God helps us because he loves us.

having her recognize the letter and number wasn't really my big concern. what's more important was providing her with an environment that fosters creativity, stimulates curiosity and promotes a natural desire to learn. the monthly themes are nice because it provides me with some structure on how to plan the crafts, but if she decides to take an activity in a different directions i don't stop her.