The Very Cranky Bear Small World Bookish Play

In the Jingle Jangle Jungle on a cold and rainy day, 

Four little friends found a perfect place to play.... 

None of them had noticed that someone else was there. 

Sleeping in that cave was a very cranky... BEAR!

Do your kids love The Very Cranky Bear too? I'm pretty sure it was one of the first picture books we ever bought and it kicked off a long standing love affair with Nick Bland books. 

*This post contains some affiliate links*

Nick Bland's books are anything but bland! The Very Cranky Bear is a clever, humorous, rhyming story that subtly teaches children about friendship, empathy and the importance of thoughtfulness. It also shows them that you don't need to be the biggest or the best at something to be able to solve problems. He gets the message across in a fun way with hilarious cartoon style illustrations and simple rhyming text. Our girls have loved this book for years and it's still often requested as a bed time story.

When setting up play invitations for the girls I always use the kids interests and bring them into our play. Two of their favourite types of play are bookish play and small world play, so I often combine them and set up small world's based on stories we've read. They particularly love small world play that involves animal figurines, so The Very Cranky Bear small world ticked all of their boxes.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED

- The Very Cranky Bear
- Bear, moose, zebra, lion and sheep animal figurines
- Artificial grass or a felt playmat
- Cave {or aquarium ornament}
- Trees or artificial plants
- River rocks

Most of the animal figurines we used in our small world are CollectA brand, however there are similar ones available from Schleich and Safari. Our animal collection is 95% CollectA because I love the detailed features and they're also generally much more cost effective than other brands. We have the papoose spring trees, however you could easily make your own DIY trees using artificial plants with this tutorial from Little Lifelong Learners. Our river rocks, mossy rocks and grass runner were all purchased at dollar stores and I just used some fern fronds from the garden to camouflage the cave.

I often make small worlds quite elaborate, especially when they're just for my big girl, but because I wanted this one to be suitable for both of them I deliberately kept it quite simple. I pared it right back to just a jungle set up with the five animal characters. This way my big girl was able to retell the story if she wanted to and my littlest was able to explore it as she wanted {which mainly included stomping all the animals around making noises}. I love small worlds because they're so open ended and play can go in so many different directions based on your child's imagination. They also provide lots of learning opportunities as questions come up during play... for example What noise does a zebra make? Why is the bear standing on two legs? Why do bears sleep in caves? Also thankgod for google because sometimes I don't know the answers.

I set up the very cranky bear small world on top of our kallax cube shelves that we have laying horizontally in the lounge room. The top of our kallax is dubbed our small world shelf because I'm constantly changing over the top to different small world set ups. I use that area to set up ones that I want to leave out for a week or more and they're always ones that don't include sensory bases {therefore no mess to constantly clean}. I leave them set up for as long as the girls are interested in them, sometimes it's a week and sometimes they last up to a month. Below is an example of another small world I had set up.

The Very Cranky Bear is the original book in Nick Bland's widely popular series. There are now 7 different books with The Very Super Bear being released last year. We have all of them except The Very Super Bear {and that's purely because I haven't had a chance to buy it yet, it's definitely on our list to get}. The girl's absolute favourite one is The Very Itchy Bear, they read it so often their dad knows it off by heart. You can find all of the books in the series, plus all of Nick Bland's books on book depository with free shipping.

For more fun animal books to read and act out with the kids check out these 5 classic children's books.

Disclosure - This post contains some affiliate links which means I may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you, should you make a purchase. For international readers, The Creative Toy Shop offer international shipping and all books purchased via Book Depository receive FREE WORLDWIDE SHIPPING.

Click to read more »

15 Leprechaun crafts to make this St Patrick's Day

Leprechauns are mythical fairies from Ireland who've been around since the 18th century. While they were originally well known for being tiny tricksters who mended shoes by night, they're more popularly known now for their pots of gold hidden at the end of a rainbow. There's also a widely popular legend that if you catch a leprechaun they'll grant three wishes in return for their freedom. And of course they're one of the most popular characters when it comes to St Patrick's Day.

I've found 15 of the best leprechaun craft ideas to try with the kids. Whether you're looking for fun classroom craft activities or cute projects to display for St Patrick's Day, there's something for everyone.

*This post contains some affiliate links*

15 LEPRECHAUN CRAFTS TO MAKE THIS ST PATRICK'S DAY

The following crafts are all simple and easy for school aged kids to make with minimal adult assistance. They'd make great classroom activities and use paper-craft items readily available in the classroom, or which can easily be found at dollar stores, stationary stores or online at Amazon, Etsy or Catch {AU}. 

This adorable leprechaun corner bookmark can be made with a few pieces of scrap paper in less than 10 minutes. To make follow the instructions at Red Ted Art.

Make these cute leprechaun handprints each year and watch how your kids hands grow over the years. Seriously though, how cute are they? These would make a great classroom activity at school and are so easy to make with the free template from Simple Everyday Mom.

This craft stick leprechaun has so much character, he really gives off old soul vibes. To make him you'll need popsicle sticks, green acrylic paint, orange craft fur, googly eyes and a few other embellishments. Find the step by step tutorial at Fireflies and Mud Pies.

This photo leprechaun craft is a great keepsake to make and display in the classroom at school or daycare. The template from Simple Everyday Mom includes a classroom version or single version for parents to use at home. 

Oh my gosh how cute and sparkly is this little paper roll leprechaun! I just love his glittery body and hat and his big bushy pom pom beard. To make him follow the instructions over at The Best Ideas for Kids.

For a different type of leprechaun try some leprechaun rock painting. I always thought painting rocks would be so hard, but these posca paint pens make it so easy. Follow the instructions over at The Inspiration Edit for this guy and some shamrock rocks.

LEPRECHAUN PUPPETS

Puppets are a great craft activity and then can be used for hours of imaginary play. Put on a classroom show with these leprechaun puppets or add them to a St Patrick's themed diorama.

This cute popsicle leprechaun puppet is another cute craft option for the classroom. Make this one with some popsicle sticks, coloured craft foam, pipecleaners and small googly eyes. Full instructions can be found at Crayons and Cravings.

This cute little guy started out as a brown paper bag. To make this paper bag leprechaun puppet you'll need a brown paper bag, some googly eyes, green buttons, orange yarn and some cardstock. Find the step by step instructions at About a Mom.

If you want a leprechaun puppet that's next level awesome, try this articulated leprechaun paper puppet. The template for this guy is available for $3 from Red Ted Art. Add some split pins and twine and watch him do an Irish jig.

LEPRECHAUN HATS

Every leprechaun needs a hat! These cute leprechaun hat crafts are easy to put together with free templates and easy to follow instructions.

This adorable leprechaun top hat certainly makes a statement and is so easy to put together using the free template from Party with Unicorns. I can just image it glued to a headband to make a quirky St Patrick's Day fascinator.

Another leprechaun hat that's perfect to add to a headband is this one from Creative Green Living. You can make this one using glitter craft foam, or for a more sustainable option use green cardstock + biodegradable eco glitter.

These cute popsicle stick leprechaun hats would make a great process art classroom activity. Follow the easy to follow instructions from Fireflies and Mud Pies. Once they're done they're great as decor for a St Patrick's Day display.

LEPRECHAUN TRAPS

Everyone knows leprechauns are pretty sneaky so if you want to catch one in the first place you're going to need a special leprechaun trap. Luckily I've found 3 different DIY options.

Kim from The Best Ideas for Kids has put together an awesome blog post with three different DIY leprechaun traps. Whether you hide your gold underneath something, inside a log or down a well, there's a type of trap for everyone.  Remember leprechauns love everything shiny so you'll need some lucky shamrock glitter, gems or gold coins to hide in your traps.

ONCE YOU'RE DONE CRAFTING READ THESE FUN LEPRECHAUN BOOKS

For more St Patrick's Day fun try this pot of gold sensory bin

Disclosure - This post contains some affiliate links which means I may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you, should you make a purchase. All craft images featured within this post have been used with express permission from original authors.

Click to read more »

Pot of gold at the end of the rainbow sensory bin for toddlers and preschoolers

When I think of St Patrick's Day I think of green everything, shamrocks {or four leaf clovers}, the luck of the Irish and, most importantly, leprechauns hiding at the end of rainbows. It's probably the most whimsical holiday of all! 

Is there really a leprechaun hiding at the end of a rainbow? Nobody knows for sure, but I do know there's a pot of gold at the end of this one!

*This post contains some affiliate links*

<<< Please note this activity may pose a choking risk to children under 3yrs of age due to small parts. This activity is intended for children aged 3+ and to be done under strict adult supervision >>>

POT OF GOLD AT THE END OF THE RAINBOW SENSORY BIN

To keep the magic of St Paddy's Day alive for my own kids I put together a really simple rainbow themed St Patrick's Day sensory bin. We may not have a leprechaun, but we do have lots of gold!

What you will need

- A shallow tub or tray

- Green sensory rice

- Small rainbow

- Fake gold coins

- Pot {optional}

- Magnifying glass

- Tweezers

For this sensory tray I used a clear fridge tray because I didn't have a huge amount of green rice already made up, but you could use a bigger tray if you had more green rice {keep reading for instructions to make sensory rice}. We had a heap of plastic gold coins left over from a birthday party so I used those as well as the spice jar that I stored them in as the pot of gold. For the rainbow I used a small wooden stacking rainbow we already had, it would also be great with a small Grimms rainbow, or you could even draw a rainbow onto cardboard with some paint sticks and use that. I added in some tweezers and a magnifying glass to make it more interesting to discover the coins, rather than just picking them out with their hands.

HOW TO MAKE GREEN SENSORY RICE

You will need

- 1 cup of rice

- Green food colouring

- White vinegar

- Ziplock sandwich bag

- Baking {parchment} paper

- Baking tray

1. Place rice inside ziplock bag

2. Add a few drops of green food colouring into the bag.

3. Add a cap full of vinegar to the bag.

4. Get as much air out of the bag and seal it.

5. Squish the rice around the bag between your hands until all the rice is evenly coated green.

6. Put some baking paper {or paper towel} onto a flat tray then empty the rice on top and evenly spread it out. Leave rice to dry overnight or for 3-4 hours.

There are so many ways kids can play with this sensory bin. Hide the coins under the rice and get them to use the magnifying glass to search for them. Use the tweezers to pull them out and count them while placing them into the pot. Younger children will enjoy simply scooping and pouring the rice and no doubt throwing it around {let's face it most rice based sensory bins end up this way eventually!}. After you've finished playing read some of these fun leprechaun books to keep the magic going.

For more St Patrick's Day fun try some of these leprechaun crafts

Disclosure - this post contains some affiliate links which means I may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you, should you make a purchase.

Click to read more »

Jelly Boy bookish play activity: teach children about the dangers of plastic in the ocean through small world play.

I've always been passionate about the environment and like to think that I do my bit to reduce our waste and footprint on our planet. I'm not a full on eco-warrior by any means, but I do make sure we recycle everything possible, including soft plastics via Redcycle and cans and bottles through Containers for Change. Not to mention the four hundred and twenty two art projects we've made from hoarding rubbish and recyclables to reuse {not even joking, my garage is full of bubble wrap, boxes, toilet paper rolls, bottle lids, magazines, newspapers etc}. 

I'm hoping that my efforts rub off on my girls and they become environmentally conscious too. Now that they're getting older I'm finding more obvious ways of teaching them about the environment and my favourite way to do this is through play. We recently received a copy of Jelly-Boy and subsequently set up some small world bookish play.

*This post contains some affiliate links*

Jelly-Boy is a brand new Australian picture book which aims to inspire the next generation of readers to protect our oceans. An inquisitive Jelly-Girl falls in love with Jelly-Boy and follows him everywhere. But who is Jelly-Boy? He's not a boy at all. In fact he's not even a real jelly fish! Jelly-Girl doesn't believe the truth about her beloved Jelly-Boy, until she finds out just how dangerous he really is. Is it too late? You'll have to read the book to find out {no spoilers here}.

I love how Jelly-Boy uses simple text and vivid illustrations to teach children how dangerous plastic and other rubbish can be for animals in the ocean. Being written from the perspective of a jellyfish gives children a different insight into environmental issues. By developing empathy for Jelly-Girl it's easy for children to understand her struggles and realise how important it is that we keep our oceans clean. I love, love, love {did I say it enough?} using picture books to explain complex concepts to children and Nicole Godwin and Christopher Nielsen have done an amazing job with this book to take a somewhat abstract concept for kids {because they're not really swimming out in the ocean with rubbish often themselves} and explain it in a story they can really connect with.

JELLY-BOY SMALL WORLD BOOKISH PLAY

Jelly-Boy is the type of book that is literally begging to be turned into a bookish play activity. Bookish play is a general term for any play based activity that is centered around a particular book. Its a great way to extend the story or main theme of a book beyond the pages and onto the craft table or into the playroom. There are many jellyfish crafts that could be made about Jelly-Boy, however I decided to get hands on and use some small world play to act out the scenarios featured in the book.

<<< Please note this activity may pose a choking risk to children under 3yrs of age due to small parts. This activity is intended for children aged 3+ and to be done under strict adult supervision >>>

What you will need

- A play tray
- DIY jellyfish and plastic bag {instructions below}
- Pieces of rubbish
- Animal figurines
- Aquarium plants
- River rocks
- Water 

I used one of our Kmart play trays for this small world because I wanted it to be portable so I could easily take it away if the girls started to get too messy with it. I used real water {with a dash of blue food colouring} to make the ocean as realistic as possible and then added in some aquarium plants and rocks {both can be found quite cheap at a dollar shop}. If you don't want to use water, you could always use a blue playsilk as the water instead. For the rubbish I used some real rubbish as well as some of our Coles Little Shop minis. 

Jelly-Boy is a mini shopping bag {made from a real one, see instructions further down}. I also made Jelly-Girl myself as I didn't have a jellyfish figurine {instructions are also further down}. I then added in some other sea animals that appear in the book.

HOW TO MAKE A DIY JELLYFISH & MINI PLASTIC BAG

You will need:

- an egg carton
- a plastic bag
- sticky tape
- black pen
- scissors

1. Cut out one section of an egg carton and trim the edges so it's in a circular shape.

2. Put part of a plastic bag over the egg carton piece and twist it tight underneath the egg carton. Use sticky tape to hold the twisted part together.

3. Use scissors to cut slits into the long part of the plastic bag to form tentacles.

4. Use a permanent marker to draw eyes and a mouth onto the jellyfish.

1. Cut a rectangle approximately 15cm long across the bottom seam of a plastic bag. Ensure the seam is in the centre of the rectangle.

2. Fold the rectangle over at the seam. Cut out 2 slits about 1cm in from each edge {these will become the handles}. Also cut straight edges to make the bag symmetrical if the outside of your rectangle doesn't already match up properly.

3. Cut a straight line across between the two slits to make the bag shape.

4. Sticky tape the 2 outside edges of the bag and the top of the 2 handle sections.

After we read the story and talked about what happened and why it's bad to throw rubbish into the ocean, we reinforced it through play. Both girls picked up on how the plastic bag looks kind of like a jellyfish and how it could be dangerous for sea animals to get trapped in it. They both tried putting animal figurines into it to see how they'd get stuck. They also found all the pieces of rubbish and took them out of the water because as my youngest said "eww yuck that's naughty rubbish goes in da bin not water". Judging from their reaction it was a pretty successful play tray. We then spent another 40 minutes engaging in loads of imaginary play.

Try our Coles mini collectibles rock pool small world to teach kids about the importance of our environment

Find more small world play ideas here

Disclosure ~ We were kindly gifted a copy of Jelly-Boy from Walker Books Australia for the purpose of review. I did not receive compensation for this post, however this post contains some affiliate links which means I may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you, should you make a purchase.

Click to read more »

21 FREE Valentines Day printable cards and activities

Valentine's Day is a great excuse to get creative and do some themed crafts and activities in the classroom. I've scoured the internet and found these 21 free printable valentines crafts and activities that are perfect to use at home and in the classroom. I've found colouring in pages, printable games, cards and gift tags that are all 100% free and can be downloaded in seconds!

*This post contains some affiliate links*

To get started all you'll need is access to a colour printer and cardstock, or regular a4 paper. To make the printables reusable, especially the games, I recommend laminating them and using whiteboard markers for longevity.

VALENTINES DAY COLOURING IN PAGES

One of the easiest ways to get creative for Valentine's Day is to colour in a card or picture for a loved one or special friend. The free printable colouring in sheets below offer valentines pictures for children of all ages from toddlers through to school children.

This Ole Mum has put together 3 different Valentines colouring in sheets that can printed off and used as a quiet time activity at home or in the classroom. The finished pictures can also be used as Valentines gifts to friends. Download the colouring in pages here.

Make valentines colouring in even more fun with these free count by number valentines colouring in pages. Grab some crayons, pens or pencils and practice some maths skills while being creative. These would be great to use for a classroom activity. Download the template from Simple Living Mama here.

These valentines colouring in pages are great for older kids who are used to colouring more detailed pictures. The printable also comes with an envelope template that can be folded up to give with the cards. Download the printables here.

FREE PRINTABLE VALENTINES GAMES

Children learn better when they're having fun and a great way to bring fun into a structured classroom is with games. These printable valentines games focus on many different literacy and numeracy learning objectives including number recognition, counting, word recognition, spelling and colours. The best part is they're heaps of fun so the kids won't even realise how much learning is taking place.

This cute valentines I spy game is perfect for preschoolers or early primary {elementary} school kids. Get their brains active searching for the correct number of each heart. Simple, fun number recognition and counting practice with a valentines spin. Download the I spy game here from Simple Fun for Kids.

Do you remember making paper fortune teller games at school? I do! We had so much fun folding them then playing with them and I love that they're still popular today. Print off and make these super cute valentines fortune tellers from stl Motherhood and learn the art of oragami. Bonus points because they're a great fine motor workout as well as being loads of fun!

Word searches are a great way to practice word recognition and spelling all in one. Use these valentines day word search templates as a fun classroom activity. Download both templates here.

This free printable I Spy valentines game is so versatile. Use it as a simple find and colour sheet for younger children. For older children use the bottom strip as a colour key and get them to count the number of each item once they're done colouring. Download the template here.

Valentine number bingo is a fun interactive classroom game to get kids practicing number recognition for numbers 0-30. Laminate the cards so they can be used over and over with whiteboard markers or transparent counters. Download the free template here.

THEMED PRINTABLE VALENTINES DAY CARDS

If you want to send something to school for the other kids, the easiest and most cost effective option is to print off some Valentines cards. Instead of buying cards from the shops, print out some of these themed free printable valentines cards. There's themes to suit all different interests and the best part is you don't need to leave your house to get them!

I love you to the moon and back is one of my favourite sayings so I love these space themed printable valentines cards. They'd also be great for teachers to use as labels with class prizes or certificates. Download the template from About a Mom here.

How adorable are these printable minion valentines cards?! My girls love all of the Despicable Me movies and would love to give these out to their friends. Download them from Simple Everyday Mom here along with 10 other printable valentines cards including Pokemon, Star Wards and Minecraft valentines cards.

Tell all your pirate mates they arrrr great friends with these cute printable pirate valentines cards. Add some chocolate coins to share your treasure with your friends. Download the template from Crayons and Cravings here.

Is your child obsessed with Minecraft too? My big girl spends hours engineering elaborate houses and forts and would lose her mind if she received one of these Minecraft valentines cards from her frinds. Download the template from Down Redbud Drive.

PRINTABLE VALENTINES CARDS TO ACCOMPANY GIFTS

It's becoming more and more popular to give classmates small valentines gifts along with themed cards, especially in America. These free printable valentines cards are all designed to accompany small themed gifts which are relatively cheap when bought in bulk.

These free printable dinosaur valentines tags are perfect for any little dino lover. Print them out then attach a mini dinosaur figurine {can be bought in bulk here} and you have a super cheap, but super cute class gift. These are great for daycare or kindergarden kids. Download the template here.

These printable race car valentines cards are super cool and go perfectly with a matchbox car as a cute little class gift. Simply print and attach the car with washi tape and you're ready to roll. Download the race car printable from Where The Smiles Have Been here.

Every kid I know loves Lego and this lego heart valentines gift idea from Down Redbud Drive is genius. Buy lego pieces in bulk and then download the lego printable here to make up special lego heart gifts for classmates. The printable includes the label and the instructions to build a Lego heart.

Another cute gift idea is a mini bucket filled with some kinetic sand. Buy the sand and buckets in bulk then wrap individually with cellophane and add this valentine bucket printable. Download the free printable here.

A quick and easy class gift everyone can use is a new pencil with this cute printable write friend valentine card. Buy some pencils in bulk then stick one to each card with some pretty washi tape. Download the card template here.

Blow your friends away with these cute valentines bubble label printables. Tie them to a small bottle of bubbles or bubble wand and you've got an adorable, cheap classroom gift. Download the template from Serving up Southern here.

Another cute class gift idea is glow sticks with this cute you make my heart glow printable. Get a bulk bag of glow sticks and attach a printable tag to each one and you're good to go. Download the printable here.

EDIBLE VALENTINES CLASS GIFTS + PRINTABLES

Edible valentines class gifts are also gaining popularity and these two ideas are adorable. Always remember to check with your school or daycare whether food based gifts are allowed and be wary of any allergies before sending any food in for other children. 

Let your valentine know you chews them with these adorable DIY bubblegum machines. You'll need some clear plastic ornaments, plastic cups, bubblegum and of course the free won't chew be mine valentines printable from Bitz & Giggles. Full assembly instructions can be found on Bitz & Giggles.

These posable conversation hearts by Barley and Birch are so freaking adorable. All you need is the printable, some scrap cardboard pieces, colourful pipecleaners and glue. Give them out with or without some conversation hearts candy for a fun classroom gift. Download the template from Red Ted Art here.

Disclosure - This post contains some affiliate links which means I may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you, should you make a purchase. All images featured within this post have been used with express permission from original authors.

Click to read more »