
Please find below our daily SolBe Family update letter containing helpful resources and exciting projects to explore while we all do our part to stay home during this pandemic. Subscribe here to receive daily updates. May 20, 2020 SolBe Families, Happy Humpday, people! We spent the past weeks exploring activities rooted in the Montessori Method. We are shifting gears and for the upcoming weeks will be sending out activities to inspire and ENJOY pretend and imaginative play. If you find yourself with a few extra minutes (unlikely, I know, but still!) I highly recommend giving Beau Kenyon’s piece, “ The Value of Imaginative Play ” a read—it is both fantastic and helpful. As a kick off project…let’s make our own binoculars and imagine life as an explorer! Explore in the house, in the backyard, or at the park. Is there a mission for you and your little one? Incorporate the senses! Where are we? What does it smell like? What does it look like? What do you hear? Sloaney Bologney and I love going on a “lizard hunt” to spot geckos when we are in Florida or a good ole fashion “ Bear Hunt ” in the backyard. Book to Pair with Project By now you may know, I love love love to pair books and activities. Allow the little ones to escape into the story, inspire their art, and dream big dreams! Try Cale Atkinsons “ Explorers of the Wild ” before, after, or during this activity. Project of the Day: Homemade Binoculars for Little Explorers! Materials Two cashed toilet paper rolls Paint or Markers Glue or a Stapler String or Ribbon Step One Glue the two toilet paper rolls together! I used a hot glue gun (again for speed) but regular glue will work too. If you have no glue, you can also staple them together at the top and bottom where the rolls meet. Options, options! Step Two Poke a hole on each side of the rolls at the top. This is where the ribbon or string will be woven through to create our neck strap. If you have munchkins under two, you can forgo the neck strap! Step Three Free Art! Decorating the binoculars is completely up to the kiddos. I would recommend laying out one medium for them (paint, markers, stickers, wrapping in construction paper). I used paint so that I could glitter-fy this pair. Step Four If you wish to not have glitter EVERYWHERE…I would stick with the paint. Our dining room table is extra sparkly after this project! Let binoculars the dry and then take them out for a spin! These are a wonderful tool for encouraging exploration! Most important direction, as always: HAVE FUN! More resources to follow in the coming days. Feedback and more ideas welcome! Above all, be well and stay healthy! The SolBe Team
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