Good morning! Caitlyn and Sarah have some wonderful invitation ideas for middlers today, including a cooking invitation!
Sensory/Cooking Invitation: Make fresh squeezed orange juice or lemonade. Squeeze a few oranges to get all of the juice out and drink up. See recipe below for an easy healthy homemade lemonade!
INGREDIENTS
5 cups water, divided
1/3–1/2 cup honey (or other desired sweetener)
1 1/4 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 5–6 large lemons)
INSTRUCTIONS
In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup of water and 1/3 cup of honey and turn heat to medium. This is called a simple syrup, and it prevents a big clump of honey (or sugar) sitting at the bottom of the pitcher while you stir forever to get it to dissolve.
Once the honey is dissolved (this may take up to 5 minutes), pour it into the bottom of a half-gallon pitcher or glass jar.
Add the lemon juice and remaining 4 cups of water and stir well.
Taste and adjust sweetener, if desired.
Homemade lemonade is most refreshing when served cold and/or over ice.
Intent: This sensory activity allows for middlers to explore the senses of taste, smell, sight, and touch.
Art Invitation: Tin foil painting.
Spread out a piece of tin foil and paint on it! We wonder how the paint will behave differently on the foil and what your middler will notice about that.
Intent: This activity allows for a different way to explore art and creative expression by painting on a material that is not typically used for play. This activity includes fine motor development by using the hand muscles to paint.
Outdoor/Nature/Gross Motor Invitation: Nature Shapes
Have your child go around outside collecting natural objects from outside. These could be twigs, rocks, pieces of bark, grass, flowers, etc. Once they have a full basket/collection have them organize and separate each different natural item. Now they can start making shapes with their items. Some examples could be making a circle out of rocks, or flowers. Making a square from blades of grass. Some may be easier to demonstrate shapes than others.
Extension: What shapes can you find around you outside?
Intent: We want to encourage the middlers to get outside and use all of their big body muscles to enhance gross motor development. This activity gives an opportunity to talk about different shapes and what makes each shape different and unique. It also helps the middlers work on grouping and sorting materials with similar properties.
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