Learning Objectives

• The students will identify the letter T
• The students make and recognize the T sound
• The students will learn to trace and write upper and lower case Ts
• The students will identify objects that begin with the letter T
• The students will learn that T is for Thanksgiving
• The students will participate in Thanksgiving dramatic play
• The students will participate in Hot Turkey

Handwriting and Phonetics

Create a letter T poster board which shows both the upper and lower case T. On this poster board, glue pictures of objects cut from magazines or draw objects that begin with the letter T. Display this poster board up for the duration of the Letter T unit.

Introduce the children to the letter T, discuss the poster board, and talk about objects begin with the letter T. Demonstrate the T sound and also ask the children to make (repeat) the T sound. Ask students what things they can think of (objects, names, etc.) that begin with the letter T. Emphasize that T is for thanksgiving and discuss the meaning behind the Thanksgiving holiday.

Have children practice tracing the letter T in both upper and lower case, using a letter T worksheet. A good example of a letter T worksheet can be found on First-School’s website.  Provide pencils or crayon and blank sheets of lined or unlined paper. Then, let students practice making the letter T in both upper and lower case.

Circle Time: Scavenger Hunt and Object Sorting

Make a scavenger hunt list with pictures of items what begin with the letter T. Hide the items within the classroom, then go over the list with the children, explaining that all of the items that begin with the letter T. Let the children search for the items. The scavenger hunt is over when all of the items have been found.

Object sorting is great cognitive learning activity which will help children identify objects that begin with the letter T. For this cognitive learning activity, place toy or real objects which begin with the letter T in a cardboard box or other large container. Along with these items, place objects beginning with other letters of the alphabet. As each object is revealed, children will sort those objects that begin with the letter T from those that do not.

Examples of objects that begin with the letter T: Tiger, teabag, tractor, toothbrush, towel, twig, toast, tooth, tent, telephone, turtle, treasure chest, turkey, tomato, toothpaste, toad, t-shirt, and tuna.

Thanksgiving Feast: Directed and Undirected Play

In the pretend play area, set up a Thanksgiving scene. Stress that that T is for Thanksgiving, turkey, tomahawk, table, and thankful. Provide Pilgrim and Native American costumes. Also provide a table, paper or plastic plates, eating utensils, and plastic food. Discuss things to be thankful for. Prompt the children to talk about all of the delicious food they would eat at a Thanksgiving feast.

T is for Turkey: Hot Turkey Game: This game is a version of the classic “Hot Potato” game. Have the kids sit in a circle and pass a mini plastic turkey around while the music is playing. Once the music stops, the person holding the turkey is eliminated from the game but gets a small prize.

These simple activities will greatly enhance language learning for children in your daycare center.  Have fun with the child care job of lesson planning. Be creative in seizing moments of opportunity to teach.

Related posts:

• Teaching the Alphabet to Your Preschooler Teaching a preschooler or a kindergartener the alphabet can really...
• Thanksgiving Theme Lesson Plan for Preschoolers Thanksgiving is celebrated in the United States on the 4th...
• Feed the Turkey: Thanksgiving Preschool Activity Activities for young children in child care centers should include...

Consider the following resources for free and for cost daycare and preschool forms:

Free Daycare Forms

Supporting Providers:  Free forms, pintables, articles, and much more for your daycare business. Forms include business forms, registration forms, contracts, policies, reports, logs, health and medical forms, and authorization forms.

Step By Step Childcare: Step by Step Childcare provides free accident reports, accounting reports, sample brochures and flyers, business cards, contracts, daily reports, and daily schedules.

The Daycare Lady:   A wealth of free daycare business forms in Microsoft Word or PDF format, organized alphabetically.

Tiny Treasures Child Care: Here you will find a free financial contract, illness policy, discipline policy, daily schedule, notice of animals on premises, and character analysis record form.

Child Fun: Provides field trip permission slips, daily reports, medical forms, application form, and a sample contract.

Brown Bear Educare:  parent registration forms, medical forms, accident/incident reports, illness reports, baby and toddler daily reports, health care policy and disaster plan.

Child Care Lounge:  Great sample forms for daycare businesses such as permission to photograph, parent survey,” welcome to preschool” and  “please donate” letter, late payment notice, accident report, termination notice, and daily report sheets.

For Fee Daycare Forms

OwnADaycare: When you purchase Pro Package the you receive 40 custom daycare business forms that match the included website templates along with 10 additional commonly used daycare forms.

Child Care Village: With membership, you will receive access to 20 different customizable business forms. This includes introduction to new parents, enrollment forms, attendance forms, health and safety records, permission slips, and financial record keeping forms.

Daycare Hotline: For one low fee, you can purchase 34 important daycare forms including Attendance Forms, expense and income ledgers, mileage logs, statements, permission forms, daycare contracts, interview checklist, authorization forms, accident reports, announcement form letter, calendar template, daily schedule, meal planner, mission statement, and emergency authorization forms.

Child Care Paperwork: offers a survival package which includes daycare forms. When you purchase the package you will receive a Day Care Forms, Contracts and Policies Package. You will also receive five videos that show you how to fill in 12 forms that could be complicated. The package also includes a daycare business plan template.

Related posts:

• Running A Daycare Out Of Your Home If you are thinking of putting up a daycare business...
• Record Keeping Tips for Your Daycare To have a good financial record, you should prepare a...
• Daycare Injury and Accident Reports: Protect your Daycare Business A large part of managing a successful daycare business involves...

When developing curriculum, daycare providers must include age-appropriate activities for young children that develop fine motor skills. This Thanksgiving Turkey Place card craft is an activity that will support a Thanksgiving unit as well as promote visual motor coordination, bilateral coordination, and hand strength.

Fine motor skills are actions that involve the small movement of hands, wrists, feet, fingers, toes, tongue, and lips. In contrast with gross motor skills which involve larger muscles of the arms, legs and feet, fine motor skills focus on small muscle movements in coordination with the eye. Some important fine motor concepts and skills that preschool age children learn to master are bilateral coordination, visual motor coordination, grasp, hand use, manipulation skills, pincer grasp, wrist rotation, pre-writing grasp, hand strength, and tactile awareness.

Children learn fine motor skills through practice. Activities which involve writing, drawing, cutting, stringing, and buttoning are great examples of activities that promote the development of fine motor skills.

This Thanksgiving Turkey Place Card lesson plan includes the preparation instructions, procedure, and materials list for this activity. It also provides age-appropriate learning objectives and a sample of the simple supporting verbal cues necessary to encourage participation and support learning.

Thanksgiving Turkey Place Card Activity

Per Child you will need:

• Styrofoam ball
• Brown tempera paint
• Feathers with stiff quills in various colors.
• Wooden “spoon” (the type sold with ice cream)
• Two plastic eyes
• Red Cardstock
• Office brad
• Paint brush
• Scissors for children
• Glue

Thanksgiving Turkey Place Card Craft Procedures

Cover a table with butcher paper. Place all materials on the table. Invite the children over to craft area. Explain to them that you are going to create a Thanksgiving turkey place card. Talk about all of the delicious things that are traditionally eaten during Thanksgiving. Help the children perform the following steps:

1. Paint turkey with brown tempera paint.  Allow to dry completely.

2. Glue eyes to top of spoon.

3. Cut out the turkey’s wattle from red cardstock (a heart shape is an easy way to create a waddle) and glue below eyes.

4. Poke spoon (which is the head)  into ball about one-third of the way

5. Poke feathers into styrofoam to create the turkey’s feathers.

6. Using the office brad, attach the Styrofoam ball to a piece of cardstock.

7.  Write a guest’s name on the cardstock.

Fine Motor Learning Objectives

Objective 1: To provide the opportunity to Increase bilateral coordination, hand strength, and visual-motor coordination by squeezing glue containers

Verbal Cue A: Let’s glue eyes onto the spoon.

Verbal Cue B: Can you squeeze a little glue on the back each eye?

Objective 2: To provide the opportunity for increased visual-motor coordination by using scissors to cut wavy lines

Verbal Cue A: Can you cut the waddle for the turkey?

Verbal Cue B: I like how you are cutting the heart shape out of the red paper.

Objective 3: To provide the opportunity for increased wrist rotation and prewriting grasp by using a paint brush to paint.

Verbal Cue A: Can you brush the brown paint on the Styrofoam ball?

Verbal Cue B: I like the way you are painting the ball.

Children in your daycare center will have a fun time creating a cute and colorful turkey place card holder while enhancing their fine motor skills. This activity was adapted from The Freepreschoolcrafts.com website.

Related posts:

• Feed the Turkey: Thanksgiving Preschool Activity Activities for young children in child care centers should include...
• Thanksgiving Theme Lesson Plan for Preschoolers Thanksgiving is celebrated in the United States on the 4th...
• Thanksgiving: Teaching Preschoolers the Letter T, Alphabet Recognition Activities Preschoolers and young children in child care centers can successfully...

A leaf mural is a creative activity that supports creative development and teaches children in child day care centers about seasons. Begin by introducing the children to the concepts of autumn/fall. Read age appropriate board books and picture books that feature the season fall. Take the children on a nature walk. Discuss the signs and symbols of autumn. Let the children collect fall items like leaves, acorns and pine cones. Discuss the colors, textures, smells.  Bring them back to the class and sort all of the items. You may save these items for other fall crafts.

Fall Mural Materials

• Large and small leaf patterns (several for each child)
• Construction paper
• A variety of tempura paint in fall colors (gold, brown, orange, and red)  in shallow dishes
• Painting sponges
• Coarse salt
• Bulletin board letters which spell “It’s Autumn” Or “Welcome to Fall”
• Bulletin board

Activity Preparation

• Cut out leaf patterns
• Cover the craft table in butcher paper
• Distribute leaf cutouts and stamps
• Put paint in shallow dishes
• Add salt to the paint and mix well

Activity Procedures
Invite the children over to the craft table.  Let them know they will be creating a leaf mural. Demonstrate how to dip the sponges in the paint and sponge paint the leaves. Let the sponge paint their leaf cutouts. Arrange the leaves randomly on the bulletin board. Add the bulletin board title of your choice.

Autumn Leaf Mural Lesson Objectives

Objective 1
To provide the opportunity for expressive activities through by allowing children to create designs on leaves using a sponge.
Verbal Cue A: Today we are going to color the leaves!
Verbal Cue B: I have lots of colors for you to use the leaves to make a design.

Objective 2
To encourage spontaneity in material usage by allowing the children to choose colors and to mix the colors they choose
Verbal Cue A: Which colors would you like to use first?
Verbal Cue B: I like the way you have chosen your colors!

Objective 3
To introduce textured materials by adding coarse salt to the paint to be used by the children.
Verbal Cue A: Would you like to add salt to the paint?
Verbal Cue B: Let’s see what it looks and feels like after we add salt to the paint.

Related posts:

• Preschool Autumn Theme Lesson Plan Summer is officially over, but the fun doesn’t end when...
• Halloween Fall Pumpkin Sorting Activity: Cognitive Development Lesson Plan for Preschool Fall is in full swing! The leaves are changing colors...
• Autumn Preschool Reading and Resource List Through storytelling and activities, celebrate and teach young children in...

Children in your daycare center can learn gross motor skills by practicing and by participating in activities which involves hopping, jumping, and climbing. Activities that involve tossing, catching and kicking objects are also great examples of activities that promote the development of gross physical motor skills.

Activity Materials List

• One large turkey cut out
• One large piece of sturdy cardboard or poster board
• Glue or tape
• Scissors
• Crafting knife
• Small beanbags

Activity Preparation

Purchase a large piece turkey cutout. You can also create one out of construction paper. Draw, color, decorate and cut out turkey. Tape or glue the turkey to a large piece of poster board.  Next cut a hole through the mouth of the turkey cutout and the poster board large enough for the beanbags to pass through.  Place small beanbags for tossing in a box or other open container. Lean the turkey against a wall.

Activity Procedures

Invite the children over to the area. Explain to them that you are going to feed the turkey. Demonstrate for the children how to toss and kick the beanbags into the turkey’s mouth. Let the children take turns feeding the turkey by tossing or kicking the bean bags into the turkey’s mouth.

Gross Motor Learning Objectives

Objective 1: To provide the opportunity for projectile management through tossing the bean bags into the goal (the turkey’s mouth)

• Verbal Cue A: Let’s toss the beanbag toward the turkey!
• Verbal Cue B: Can you throw the beanbag into the turkey’s mouth?

Objective 2: To develop spatial relationships using the prepositions forward and backward, inside, outside, and straight ahead in verbal cues.

• Verbal Cue A: Kick the beanbag straight ahead into the turkey’s mouth.
• Verbal Cue B: Can you toss the beanbag forward?

Objective 3: To provide the opportunity for projectile management through kicking objects into the goal (turkey’s mouth)

• Verbal Cue A: Can you try to kick the beanbag in the turkey’s mouth?
• Verbal Cue B: Let’s kick the beanbag toward the turkey?

This “Feed the Turkey” activity will help enhance young childrens’ gross motor skills by tossing and kicking as well as develop spatial relationships. It will also support Thanksgiving curriculum and lesson plans. Do not keep score or enforce rules that promote competition as this is not a competitive activity.

Related posts:

• Thanksgiving Turkey Place Card Craft: Fine Motor Activity for Preschoolers Creating a thanksgiving turkey place card is a fun fine...
• Thanksgiving Theme Lesson Plan for Preschoolers Thanksgiving is celebrated in the United States on the 4th...
• Halloween Fall Pumpkin Sorting Activity: Cognitive Development Lesson Plan for Preschool Fall is in full swing! The leaves are changing colors...

There are two ways to go about finding daycare jobs online. One is to post an advertisement on an online classified ad website like Craigslist.com.  You may also post your resume on general employment websites such as Careerbuilder.com, Monster.com or HotJobs.com. Posting your resume on the internet is a great way to let a variety of employers know that you are ready and available for work.

Another way to find childcare jobs online is to search in childcare job directories or join on online service that specializes in connecting qualified childcare providers with families, daycare centers, and preschools.

Childcare Job Websites

OwnADaycare: Here you will find an extensive directory of current childcare jobs listed by state and then further searchable by city.

Jobs.net:  A directory of current daycare job listings search able by city and state.

CareProviders:  Childcare providers can create a free online profile, set their own rates and hours. Child care providers can respond to job postings or let families contact them about potential job offers.

Nannyjobs.com: If you’re looking for a nanny job, this is the website for you. First create a professional resume then search for jobs. One you select a job, the service then sends your resume to the nanny agency associated with the job.

GoNannies.com: Register with GoNannies.com. One you have completed your online profile you have the ability to search for jobs and contact families directly, removing the middle man. While membership is free, if you purchase an enhanced membership you will have more member privileges.

Great AuPair: Registration with GreatAuPair is free.  Free registration entitles you to receive free FastMatch and Hotlist emails and allows paid members to contact you directly. Paid members receive direct email and a host of other benefits.

Sitter City: Sitter city connects caregivers and families in need of childcare. Once you fill out a profile, you can search for jobs as well as receive daily job alerts sent to your inbox. This site is great for finding babysitting jobs.

Another way to find child care jobs is through nanny agencies.  Going through a nanny agency is a great way to find a high-quality, stable childcare job. Contact the nanny agency to schedule an interview. The nanny agency will match you with an appropriate family. The family will contact you and you will then complete an interview with a family to make sure you are a good match.

Schools, universities, learning centers, churches, and gyms are also great sources for child care jobs. Many schools and universities have onsite child care centers.   Churches are always in need of childcare before, during and after services. Many gyms offer childcare to their members while they are using the facilities.

Good luck in your job search!

Related posts:

• Job Hunting: How to Create a Daycare or Childcare Resume When searching for nanny jobs or child care jobs, one...
• Child Care Jobs: Daycare Center Director Job Profile One of the most important child care jobs within a...
• Daycare Grants: What They Are and How You Can Receive Them There are a variety of funding options available for daycare...

Preschool teachers and daycare providers have the opportunity to promote creative development by providing art activities that explore an array of media and materials. Creative art activities should also encourage imagination.

This Halloween Cookie Cutter Art lesson plan includes the materials list, preparation instructions and procedures for this activity. Also included are age appropriate learning objectives and an example of the simple supporting verbal cues required to encourage participation and support learning in a child day care center.

Halloween Cookie Cutter Art Materials List

• Cookie cutters in a variety of Halloween shapes
• Construction paper (one for each child)
• Tempura Paint (in a variety of colors)
• Shallow containers (i.e. pie tins)
• Glitter
• Butcher Paper

Activity Preparation

• Cover a craft table with butcher paper
• Gather all the materials
• Pour tempura paint into pie tins
• Place all materials on the table

Procedure for Activity

1. Invite the children over and tell them that you will be making Halloween pictures on construction paper using cookie cutters dipped in paint.
2. Show the children how to dip cookie cutters into the paint.
3. Press the cookie cutter on the construction paper to create a design.
4. Encourage children to make their own designs on their construction paper.
5. Add glitter to the paints.
6. Continue stamping until the design is complete.

Halloween Cookie Cutter Design Objectives

Objective 1

To provide the opportunity for expressive activities through cookie cutter art by having the children create designs using cookie cutters.

• Verbal Cue A: Today we are going to create Halloween designs using cookie cutters!
• Verbal Cue B: I have lots of colors for you to use to make a design.

Objective 2

To encourage spontaneity in material usage by allowing the children to choose their desired colors and to mix the colors they choose

• Verbal Cue A: Which color would you like choose first?
• Verbal Cue B: I like the way you are mixing your colors!

Objective 3

To introduce textured materials by adding glitter to the paint in which the children will dip their cookie cutters.

• Verbal Cue A: Let’s add glitter to the paint.
• Verbal Cue B: Let’s see what it feels like after we add glitter to the paint and the paint dries.

Halloween Cookie Cutter activity adapted from “Cookie Cutter Prints” on the Preschooleducation.com website.
*Reference: Creative Activities for Young Children by Mary Mayesky [Delmar Cenage Learning, 2001]

Related posts:

• Fall or Autumn Preschool Leaf Mural: Creative Activity for Toddlers Creative activities for the children in your child care center...
• Halloween Theme Preschool Lesson Plan When teaching� young, preschool aged children about Halloween, keep lesson...
• Halloween Fall Pumpkin Sorting Activity: Cognitive Development Lesson Plan for Preschool Fall is in full swing! The leaves are changing colors...

Hours of Operation: List the days and hours your child care center will be open for business.  Also detail any holidays you will be closed or any other days that the child day care center will be closed, if applicable.

Fees and Payments:  State the fees per week or month. Be explicit about whether or not sick days, holidays and vacation days are paid days. Some things to consider and disclose: When are weekly and month fees due? What are the consequences if fees are unpaid? (Termination? Suspension? ) How much will you charge for returned checks? How many returned checks will you allow before the client must pay in cash?

Arrival and Pick-Up Policies:  State your cut-off times for pick-up. Establish your late fees for late pickups. Also explain that only pre-authorized persons may pick up a child and that verbal and written permission must be received before a child may be picked up by an unauthorized person.

Illness Policies: Your contract should include a statement that explains when a child is too sick to attend daycare and how long the child must be symptom free before returning to daycare. Also detail your procedures for your course of action when a child becomes sick in daycare. You will also need to have a separate medical consent form in place. Also note what by time the parents must notify you if their child will not be attending daycare due to illness.

Withdrawal and Termination: What are the grounds for termination? What type and length of notice do you require for withdrawal from your daycare center? List that information in this section.

Damages: Sometimes children purposely break household items, toys, and other child care equipment. Who will pay for damages beyond the normal everyday wear and tear (when a child purposes to cause damages)? Your contract should be explicit about who will shoulder the burden of damages and repairs.

Toy Policies: Are children allowed to bring their own toys to your daycare center? What about other personal items of comfort like pillows or stuffed animals? State your policy here.

Potty Training and Diapering Policies:  In this section, detail whether or not you potty train and what your potty training philosophy might be. Do you supply diapers or pull-ups? Is there an extra fees associated with potty training? Do you allow cloth diapers?

Subsidies:  Does your childcare center participate in federal government programs that offer daycare subsidies? If so, state that any fees that are not covered by the subsidy are the parents’ responsibility and that fees are payable in advance on the first of day of the month.

The client (parent or guardian) and the childcare provider must sign and date the form.  Give a copy to the client and keep copy for yourself.

Related posts:

• Daycare And Preschool Potty Training Tips Children who are usually enrolled to a daycare center are...
• Creating Your Home Daycare Business Contract There are many things to consider once you have your...
• Creating Handbooks For Your Daycare Business I. The Parent’s Handbook One of the most important things...

Celebrate Thanksgiving in your daycare center by reading age appropriate stories that focus on the symbols of Thanksgiving and by implementing Thanksgiving themed activities.

Consider the following reading lists and resources for free Thanksgiving worksheets, coloring pages, and handwriting practice sheets for your child care center:

Reading List

Thanksgiving Board and Picture Books Baby-Age 3

Happy Thanksgiving, Emily by Claire Mauserel and Susan Calitri [Puffin, 2004]

Turkeys Never Gobble by Joan Holub and Jennifer Beck Harris [HarperFestival, 2002]

Happy Thanksgiving (Wee Board Book) by Wendy Cheyette Lewison [Grosset & Dunlap, 1993]

My First Thanksgiving Tomie dePaola [Grosset & Dunlap, 2008]

Turkey Time! by Kelly Asbury [Price Stern Sloan, 2000]

Corduroy’s Thanksgiving by Lisa McCue [Viking Juvenile, 2006]

Spot’s Thanksgiving by Eric Hill [Putnam Juvenile, 2003]

Hello Kitty: A Day of Thanks by Higashi Glaser [Abraham Brooks for Very Young Readers, 2005]

This is the Turkey by Abby Levine and Paige Billin-Frye [Albert Whitman & Company, 2000]

Thanksgiving Parade by Jodi Heulin and Kelly Asbury [Price Stern Sloan, 2000]

Five Silly Turkeys by Salina Yoon [Price Stern Sloan, 2005]

Thanksgiving Early Readers Ages 4-8

Turkey Trouble by Wendy Silvano and Lee Harper [Marshall Cavendish, 2009]

1, 2, 3 Thanksgiving by W. Nikola-Lisa and Robin Kramer [Albert Whitman, 1991]

Albert’s Thanksgiving by Leslie Tryon [Aladdin, 1998]

Gus, the Pilgrim Turkey by Teresa Bateman and Ellen Sasaski [Albert Whitman, 2008]

One is a Feast for a Mouse: a Thanksgiving Tale by Judy Cox and Jeffery Ebbeler [Holiday, 2008]

Run, Turkey, Run! By Diane Mayr and Laura Raider [Walker, 2007]

Thank You, Thanksgiving by David Milgrim [Clarion, 2003]

The Night before Thanksgiving by Natasha Wing and Tammie Lyon [Grosset & Dunlap, 2001]

Thanksgiving is for Giving Thanks by Margaret Sutherland and Sonja Lamut [Grosset & Dunlap, 2000]

10 Fat Turkeys by Tony Johnston and Richard F. Deas [Cartwheel, 2004]

Thanksgiving Parade Surprise by Cecile Schoberle and Kristina Stephenson [Little Simon, 2000]

Pilgrim’s First Thanksgiving by Ann McGovern and Elroy Freem [Scholastic Paperbacks, 2003]

The Perfect Thanksgiving by Eileen Spinelli and JoAnn Adinolfi [Square Fish, 2007]

The Story of the Pilgrims by H.L. Ross [Random House for Young Readers, 1995]

Free Thanksgiving Preschool Worksheets and Printables

There are many worksheets for fall that you can print out and use for your lesson plans and activities. Worksheets should include coloring pages like those on ABCTeach’s website, handwriting worksheets, and printable craft patterns.

The following websites provide free Thanksgiving printables:

ABCTEach: Thanksgiving Coloring Pages

First-Preschool: Free Printables for Thanksgiving

DLTK: Thanksgiving printables for preschoolers and worksheets for school aged children

Christian Preschool Printables: Thanksgiving Bible Crafts for Preschoolers

KidZone: Thanksgiving Math Activity Worksheets

Related posts:

• Thanksgiving Theme Lesson Plan for Preschoolers Thanksgiving is celebrated in the United States on the 4th...
• Autumn Preschool Reading and Resource List Through storytelling and activities, celebrate and teach young children in...
• Halloween Theme Preschool Lesson Plan When teaching� young, preschool aged children about Halloween, keep lesson...

For example, their crayons may be made from soy instead of petroleum and colored pencils may be made from made from recycled wood instead of destroying new living, growing trees. If you decide to make the investment in environmentally friendly or green art supplies for use in your childcare center, consider purchasing them from the following companies:

Stubby Pencil Studio:  Stubby Pencil Studio offers non-toxic, recycled, fair trade, educational, sustainable or environmentally responsible products. Here you can purchase aprons and tools, crayons, chalk, colored pencils, office supplies, molding clay, graphite pencils, paints and paint brushes, and sketch books. Stubby Pencil Studio also offers environmentally friendly craft kits. Order online or by phone.

Kidbean.com: If you’re looking for environmentally friendly finger paint, KidBean.com offers natural help finger paint. Livos SALIS Natural Hemp Finger Paint Set for Kids is biodynamically grown, lead free, and VOC free. KidBean.com also sell unnatural dyed “play dough” made from food grade ingredients as well as Green Field hemp sketch, drawing, and watercolor paper.

Eco Choices:  One of the best products sold by EcoChoice in their EcoArt Works division is their soy rock crayons. These soy crayons are made of soft soy wax and tinted with mineral powders. EcoArt Works also sells Eco dough, Eco finger paints, natural modeling dough in a variety of scents and colors, drawing books, face paint, and fairy tale wool. All products are earth friendly and non-toxic.

Nuno Organics: Nuno Organics is a green crafter’s dream. They offer non-toxic play dough, modeling beeswax, wooden beads, bee wax coloring blocks, beeswax crayons, colored pencils, face painting pencils, nontoxic finger paints, and Lyra Wax-O-Glas Window Crayons. The products sold by Nuno Organics are those that meet European standards for organic certification in Germany and Holland.

Also check out the “Guidelines for the Safe Use of Art and Craft Materials” published by the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment. This guide helps childcare professionals, like those who are licensed daycare providers, select safe arts and craft materials for children.

If you have the time and the means, try making your own natural, eco-friendly art supplies. Nature Moms is a great website which provides you with loads of free natural recipes for play dough, finger paints, bubbles, and silly putty.

Remember that there are many seemingly harmful art supplies that may contain hazardous chemicals like ammonia, formaldehyde, turpentine, or xylene (a neuro, kidney, reproductive, and respiratory toxin). Do some research to find out what toxins may be in the art supplies you are using, and consider switching to healthier, environmentally-friendly supplies. Better safe than sorry!

Related posts:

• Fun Activities for Your Children Making finger paints Even when there are a lot of...
• Perfect Daycare Equipments For Children Daycare centers are the place where we entrust our children...
• The “Green” Day Care In the recent years, many child care centers had started...