I Love My Mommy Because… by Laurel Porter-Gaylord (English/Spanish)

Teatime with Mom

What We Do: Children use tongs to “serve” colorful pom poms into tea cups, engaging in pretend tea parties with their caregivers or peers.

Skills Supported:

• Fine motor development – Using tongs strengthens finger muscles and coordination.
• Imaginative play – Encourages role-playing and social bonding.
• Color recognition & sorting – Children can sort pom poms by color or size.
• Social-emotional development – Supports nurturing relationships and turn-taking in shared play.

 

Dramatic Play – Caring for Babies

What We Do: Children play with baby dolls and caregiving props like diapers, bottles, blankets, and doctor kits.

Skills Supported:

• Empathy and nurturing – Encourages gentle touch and caregiving behavior.
• Language development – Promotes pretend conversation and new vocabulary.
• Life skill imitation – Helps children make sense of daily routines like feeding and checkups.
• Creative thinking – Offers open-ended play opportunities based on real-life scenarios.

 

Painting with Flowers

What We Do: Children dip fake flowers into paint and stamp them on paper to make beautiful floral prints.

Skills Supported:

• Artistic expression – Encourages creativity through non-traditional tools.
• Sensory play – Engages touch, sight, and color exploration.
• Fine motor development – Holding and pressing flowers builds strength and control.
• Nature connection – Introduces floral shapes and patterns found in the natural world.

 

Snacks with Tina – Fruit Flower

What We Do: Children create a flower-shaped snack using pineapple slices, grapes, raspberries, and skewers.

Skills Supported:

• Healthy eating habits – Introduces fruit in a fun and appealing way.
• Fine motor skills – Assembling fruit on skewers supports coordination.
• Shape and color recognition – Identifying fruit shapes and colors strengthens early learning.
• Following directions – Supports listening and step-by-step participation.