How to Earn Tickets for Halloween Candy

This was the first official year that we Trick or Treated that Junebug understood exactly what she was getting...CANDY and lots of it.

Last year she was two and I found it easy to hide it.  Out of sight out of mind.

This year, she is on to me and knows the candy is somewhere.  Since they just got their goodies last night I let them enjoy a little more candy than normal.  Tomorrow will be different!

I set up a chart with preschool friendly activities that would earn the girls "tickets" to trade in for candy.

I included Snowflake in this activity as well.  Even though she won't understand everything. I can't have her eating candy without trading in a ticket now can I?  Explain that to my three year old! :)

I remembered that I had a stack of tickets that I had picked up at the Dollar Store months ago.  I knew they would come in handy at some point!  If you aren't near a Dollar Store, you can easily make up your own tickets with construction paper. 

Here is what the chart looks like.  

I made three charts available to print with a spot for, one child, two children or three children.

Here is our chart (two children)

I laminated it and taped it on the fridge.

*I figured if the novelty of the candy wears off they can collect tickets to turn in for a prize*

Right now I have the candy separated in a muffin tin. 

Even after I filled the muffin tins we still had A LOT of candy left! 

I put it in the basement.  

Smaller candy is worth 4 tickets a piece.

Miniature chocolate bars are 6 tickets a piece.

I might change the tickets to 5 and 8.  I will see how the first couple of days go

Download a chore chart here:

Chore Chart One Child

Chore Chart Two Children

Chore Chart Three Children

Junebug was so excited about the tickets she quickly at a fruit and veggie pack!

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Create Aliens or Monsters with Play Dough

 The girls had a blast making "aliens" with play dough and other crafts supplies.

I gave them pipe cleaners, googly eyes and beads.

 It was also great practice for Snowflakes motor skills.

She loved stringing the beads on the pipe cleaners. 

We are using non-toxic scented play dough from Love Bubs!

Click here to see all the amazing scents she has available!

Halloween Sensory Bin

"Spooktackular"  Halloween Sensory Bin

I wasn't going to do a Halloween sensory bin.  But, it turned out to be VERY popular with the girls and kept them very entertained for a while.  

What is in this bin?

1 bag each of black beans and green split peas

 pumpkin ice cube trays

tongs 

orange and black pom poms

 Miscellaneous Dollar Store items and Target $1 bin items.  

They loved transferring the items with the tongs. 

 silly girls! 

Word Practice with Fall Scented Play Dough!

Today we received a package of fall scented play dough from Love Bubs Scented Play Dough!

Just in time to practice our Words of the Week! 

This was a super fun way work with the words we are learning this week.

 The girls were so excited to get the play dough, they couldn't wait to start playing with it!

 The play dough is so smooth and soft.  Plus, it smells amazing!

I had to remind the girls that even though it smells really good we don't eat it :) 

Love Bubs Scented Play Dough has the following scents available:
We received a set of the fall scents. They smell so yummy!

 Current scents include:

Blueberry (blue)
Cherry (bright red)
Pink Lemonade (pink)
Banana (yellow)
Strawberry (red)
Orange Creamsicle (light orange)
Lime (light green)
Grape (purple)

Fall scents include:

Apple Cinnamon (dark red)
Pumpkin Spice (orange)
Carmel Apple (red) (my favorite)

Fall/Halloween Printable Tot and Pre-K Packs

Here is a list of *free* Fall and Halloween preschool activity packs (tot packs).   

There are so many great worksheets out there for free.

Plus, different levels of learning.  

1+1+1=1 - Pumpkin Preschool Pack

2 Teaching Mommies - Leaves

2 Teaching Mommies - Pumpkins Printables

2 Teaching Mommies - Halloween 

3 Dinosaurs - Fall Pack

Creative Learning Fun - Fall Leaves Sequencing 

Creative Learning Fun - Halloween

Homeschool Creations - Fall Fun Learning Pack

Over the Big Moon - Halloween Pre-K Pack

Over the Big Moon - Autumn Fairy Pack

Over the Big Moon - Autumn Gnome Pack

Oopsey Daisy - H is for Halloween

Oak Trees and Acorns!

 We collected acorns and different types of leaves from our backyard.

 

 

Facts about Oak Trees:

• Oak trees can live 200 or more years
Oaks have leaves with four or five pairs of lobes. They grow fruits called acorns in a little cup.
Oak trees can start producing acorns when they are 20 years old, but sometimes can go all the way to 50 years for the first production. By the time the tree is 70 to 80 years old it will produce thousands of acorns.
The oak trees produce acorns once a year during the fall
Oak trees can live a thousand years or more and grow up to 40 m. In Europe, oaks are the oldest of all trees.
Oak wood is very strong and durable and so was the main building wood for centuries — used for timber frames in  houses and for building ships.

I used google images and printed a picture of an oak tree, oak tree leaves and acorns and a squirrel.

I had Junebug sort the oak tree leaves from the other leaves. 

 Plus, she sorted the acorns that were nibbled on by the squirrels

from the ones that weren't touched yet :)

 

Ever notice the acorns with the small holes?

Read about this interesting fact before you bring those acorns inside!

 

 Little insects called weevils like to plant their seeds inside acorns before they mature -- during the late summer months. Up to 90% of the acorns in a region can be destroyed by the larvae of the weevils. On the other hand, if there are not enough acorns, that can impact the weevils' population. (from http://ejad.best.vwh.net/java/population/facts_oaks.html)