Matching - Halloween Mix and Match Creatures

I found these cute Mix and Match Creatures on Family Fun's website.  They have some really cute printables, and this one caught my eye.  I want to say that another blog led me to their site if not this specific activity, but I can't remember exactly (sorry!)

I printed out two sets of the page.  One I cut up into each part, the other I just cut into each creature.  This way, the Dews would have a master to work from.  Eventually we'll get to using it as it's intended (as a Mix and Match make your own type of game) but for now this is a great activity.  I put magnets on the back so they are for our magnet board. 

As usual, I wrestled with magnets or felt.  I try to go for either of the two as our boards are mounted against the wall, and it's really good OT for Dew1 to work standing up.  Helps strengthen his trunk.

There are 6 creatures all together.  Happy Haunting!

(now I just need to find some mix and matches for next season!)

Language - Halloween 3 Part Cards

I found these great Halloween 3 Part Cards on United Teaching's website - Free to download.  There are 12 of them altogether, plus a control chart.

Dew1 Loves them!  I realized that while he is still behind in speech and such, there is no reason to not try to teach him new words to expand his vocabulary.  I think his favourite right now is the Cauldron.  He also loves "cards" in general, so I try to keep new ones in his box for he and his VB teacher to work through during their session.

If only I had a printer that would take cardstock!  That is an essential feature for my next printer purchase.  Instead, I print them on regular paper, and then glue them to a cardstock weight paper, and cover them in contact paper.  It makes them a little more durable for Dew1.   If they are cards that we are really going to use a lot, I'll use the Xyron to stick them down (I hate gluesticks ... they never really stick ...) and then also laminate them with the Xyron.  But for something as quick and short lived as Halloween cards, glue and contact paper is all that's needed.  For even quicker, I won't stick them to cardstock, and will only contact paper one side.

I did not get into the full aspect of the 3 Part Card, as clearly he's not old enough yet, but I have filed the other parts away so when he is ready, they are good to go.  One of these days I'll come up with a better way to organize it all, but for now, this works.  Right now we are simply running through the cards and labeling them for what they are.  He does like to match, but I kept these as straight vocab cards.

I store his 'active' cards in Tupperware sandwich keepers. I had a set of 4 from my single days, and have repurposed them this way.  It works well as they are generous in size, hold the cards well, are durable, and slightly tricky to open so it forces them to ask for "Help to Open Cards". (Although Dew1 has become quite good at using his teeth to open the little latch ...)

I really like these cards, and United Teaching was a great resource.  They have other downloads, as well, some free and some at cost.  But thanks to them for helping me introduce Halloween to my son.

Matching - Jack O Lantern Faces

With Halloween coming, and Dew1 starting to figure these things out, I decided it was high time to have some Jack O Lantern Fun.  Dew1 loves to match - he finds it to be a very rewarding task.

This is by no means an original idea.  I googled around, and found a great Pumpkin Body and Jack O Lantern Face pieces patterns on the Family Education website - the patterns are free to download, and copyright to Pearson Education Inc.

Because we have a great flannel board mounted on the wall, I finally decided to make this out of felt (I wrestled with magnetic as we also have a great magnetic board on our wall as well.)  I chose sensory over fine motor, and I thought the felt would be fun.  I have had troubles getting things to stick to our flannel board - I suspect it's because it's mounted flat against the wall.  All of the flannel boards I have ever used at work have been standing easel-types, and I am thinking that the angle is a big help.

Anyway, after testing velcro and other types of sticky assists, I discoverd an article on about.com that commented on using sandpaper.  Well, sandpaper is a lot cheaper than velcro (I bought a package of 5 large sheets for $1 at Dollar Tree to make sandpaper letters.  Haven't gotten there yet but I had the sandpaper!)

I traced the outline onto the back of the sandpaper (right side up ... I made that mistake the first time.)  Then I ran it through the Xyron to stick it up, and then stuck it to the felt.  It made it very easy to cut the felt out, I must say.  Same for the eyes, mouths, and noses.  Then I realized a problem.  Our felt board is black.  The face pieces are black.  Hmm.

So I put a few pieces of sandpaper onto a square of blue felt to use as a landing zone area for the face pieces.  Not ideal but it works for me for now.  Perhaps a basket on the shelf beside?

I have also taken pictures of several face combinations for Dew1 to match.  I punched a hole in the corner and put them on a binder ring.  He has tried a few, but is more interested in the pieces for now.

He is also very wrapped up in the sensory experience.  It is soft on one side and quiet scratchy on the other.  This makes it fun to just hold and reposition on the felt board.

Update:
Emily at Learning Vicariously posted about her Magnetic Jack-O-Lantern here.  It looks great - I might have to do a magnetic one after all!  I love how they used it as a springboard to talk about feelings.  Great Idea!