This is a demo store. No orders will be fulfilled.

Free shipping on orders $65+ | FREE Beaker Creature Pods 2-Pack with Purchase
FREE shipping on orders of $65+
FREE shipping on orders over $79
Interested in fun, learning activities? Explore our blog! >
Order by December 14th to get your perfect gift by Christmas! >
headlights
Close Nav
Toggle Nav
Menu
Account
My Cart

Social-Emotional Learning

Learning In A Winter WonderlandLearning In A Winter Wonderland

Welcome to Camp Learning Resources

Keep the learning going all summer long with our free activities at Camp Learning Resources!

Our Latest Blogs

Viva La Musica! DIY Cinco De Mayo Instruments!

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo this year with some live music! The kids will love crafting these simple instruments, opening up discussion about the holiday and its origins. It is a common misconception that Cinco de Mayo is celebrated as Mexico’s independence day. In Mexican culture, May 5 actually marks the Mexican army’s unlikely victory over the French forces of Napoleon III in 1862, at the Battle of Puebla. In fact, the residents of the state of Puebla are really the ones who celebrate the holiday the most – even more than the rest of Mexico. They party with traditional Mexican food, dancers, and mariachi music. These wonderful sounds of celebration inspired us to make some homemade instruments. According to the Brain and Creativity Institute at University of Southern California, music experiences in childhood can actually accelerate brain development, particularly in language and reading skills. Down the road, learning a musical instrumental at an early age can actually improve mathematical learning and increase SAT scores. Sounds good to us, so let’s get musical! Here’s what you’ll need to make you own little Cinco de Mayo band.

Festive Tambourine

What You'll Need:

  • 2 paper or plastic plates
  • Decorations (stickers, markers, or paint)
  • Ribbon
  • Hole Punch
  • Craft Jingle Bells
  • Scissors
  • Using your paint or stickers, decorate the outside of your tambourine. Be colorful and creative!
  • Next, match the plates up so the bottom part of the plate faces out. Punch 5-6 holes around the plate’s circumference, making sure your bottom and top plates match up.
  • Cut the ribbon as long as you’d like. Longer ribbons always seem to add more drama! Then lace the ribbon through the jingle bells.
  • Loop your ribbon around the holes punched in the plates, securing it with a double knot.
  • Shake away! These small bells make a joyful sound!

Beating Drum

What You'll Need:

  • Clean Tin Can (be aware of sharp edges!)
  • Baloon
  • White Duct Tape
  • Decorative Tape
  • Two #2 Pencils
  • Scissors
  • First, cut the balloon at the base of the “stem”. You’ll need lots of balloon material to cover the wide opening of the can.
  • Stretch the balloon over the tin can. Tape the perimeter.
  • Then finish the whole can with the white tape, and add decorative tape if you so choose.

Shaky Maracas

What You'll Need:

  • Plastic Easter Eggs
  • Plastic Spoons
  • Dry Rice
  • White Duct Tape
  • Decorative Tape
  • Scissors
  • Fill the plastic eggs with about 2-3 pinches of rice. Filling them too full will not allow for the fullest sound: less is more.
  • Close the eggs and stick some tape around them immediately. If these crack open, you’ll have a big mess.
  • Next, situate two of the spoons to “cup” the eggs on either side. Wrap the tape around the spoon. Follow the spoons’ handles down with tape, as well as the top of the egg.
  • Add some decorative tape or stickers of your liking.
  • Shake it up!
Viva La Musica! DIY Cinco De Mayo Instruments!

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo this year with some live music! The kids will love crafting these simple instruments, opening up discussion about the holiday and its origins. It is a common misconception that Cinco de Mayo is celebrated as Mexico’s independence day. In Mexican culture, May 5 actually marks the Mexican army’s unlikely victory over the French forces of Napoleon III in 1862, at the Battle of Puebla. In fact, the residents of the state of Puebla are really the ones who celebrate the holiday the most – even more than the rest of Mexico. They party with traditional Mexican food, dancers, and mariachi music. These wonderful sounds of celebration inspired us to make some homemade instruments. According to the Brain and Creativity Institute at University of Southern California, music experiences in childhood can actually accelerate brain development, particularly in language and reading skills. Down the road, learning a musical instrumental at an early age can actually improve mathematical learning and increase SAT scores. Sounds good to us, so let’s get musical! Here’s what you’ll need to make you own little Cinco de Mayo band.

Festive Tambourine

What You'll Need:

  • 2 paper or plastic plates
  • Decorations (stickers, markers, or paint)
  • Ribbon
  • Hole Punch
  • Craft Jingle Bells
  • Scissors
  • Using your paint or stickers, decorate the outside of your tambourine. Be colorful and creative!
  • Next, match the plates up so the bottom part of the plate faces out. Punch 5-6 holes around the plate’s circumference, making sure your bottom and top plates match up.
  • Cut the ribbon as long as you’d like. Longer ribbons always seem to add more drama! Then lace the ribbon through the jingle bells.
  • Loop your ribbon around the holes punched in the plates, securing it with a double knot.
  • Shake away! These small bells make a joyful sound!

Beating Drum

What You'll Need:

  • Clean Tin Can (be aware of sharp edges!)
  • Baloon
  • White Duct Tape
  • Decorative Tape
  • Two #2 Pencils
  • Scissors
  • First, cut the balloon at the base of the “stem”. You’ll need lots of balloon material to cover the wide opening of the can.
  • Stretch the balloon over the tin can. Tape the perimeter.
  • Then finish the whole can with the white tape, and add decorative tape if you so choose.

Shaky Maracas

What You'll Need:

  • Plastic Easter Eggs
  • Plastic Spoons
  • Dry Rice
  • White Duct Tape
  • Decorative Tape
  • Scissors
  • Fill the plastic eggs with about 2-3 pinches of rice. Filling them too full will not allow for the fullest sound: less is more.
  • Close the eggs and stick some tape around them immediately. If these crack open, you’ll have a big mess.
  • Next, situate two of the spoons to “cup” the eggs on either side. Wrap the tape around the spoon. Follow the spoons’ handles down with tape, as well as the top of the egg.
  • Add some decorative tape or stickers of your liking.
  • Shake it up!
 READ MORE

Cinco De Mayo, Viva La Learning!

The family perro wearing a sombrero? Must be Cinco de Mayo!

This year, you can let May 5th be just another spring day, or you can make Cinco de Mayo a day of fun and learning for your niños! Together you can explore Mexican culture, learn a little history, sing, dance, try some tasty South-of-the-Border treats, and even impress your kids with your high school Spanish. Sound good? Vamonos! Let’s go!

A little history

Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Mexican victory over the French in the Battle of Puebla in 1862. A small Mexican army of 2,000 poorly-equipped soldiers defeated an army of 6,000 French invaders, who were backed by Napolean III. This unlikely victory became a great source of national pride. Over the years, Cinco de Mayo has become less about that specific battle, and more of a celebration of Mexican culture in general.

Música with maracas

Music makes a fun introduction to any culture or country, and that’s especially true for Mexico. This cute animated clip pairs the traditional Mexican Hat Dance tune with new, kid-friendly lyrics.

In the video, they sing about shaking maracas, which you can easily make for your kids. Just take plastic eggs left over from Easter, pour in some dried beans, rice, or popcorn kernels. Glue the two halves of each egg together and start shaking! To make an optional handle, place 2 plastic spoons around each egg. Wrap colorful washi tape around the backs of the 2 spoons with the egg inside, then keep wrapping all the way down to secure. Your kids will be all set to keep time with the song!

Mariachi and más

Ready for a song that’s a bit more auténtico? Most Cinco de Mayo festivals feature strolling street musicians known as mariachi bands. Kids can learn all about their instruments in this charming animated clip.

Want more music? Play the Mexican Children (Children’s) Radio station on Pandoraand enjoy sweet, folksy songs in Spanish, sung by adults and kids.

Say it in Spanish

Tired of reminding your kids to say “please” and “thank you”? You might have better luck getting them to say “por favor” and “gracias,” if only because of the novelty! A nap is so boring, but a “siesta” might sound tempting. It’s easy to Google Spanish phrases online to share with your kids. Then they can brighten everyone’s day with a cheerful “buenos dias,” and introduce themselves with a “me llamo _____” (my name is____). Or teach your preschooler 3 or 4 nouns in Spanish today, ideally tangible things you can point to, like perro (dog), gato (cat), sombrero (hat), zapatos (shoes), sol (sun), or luna (moon).

By the numbers

Thanks to TV shows like Sesame Street, many preschoolers can count to 10 in Spanish, rapidly rattling off, “uno, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco, seis, siete, ocho, nueve, diez!” But how well can your kids use these números? Challenge your family to use only Spanish numbers on Cinco de Mayo. You can start the day with a refresher, counting together on your fingers. Then ask questions like “How many pancakes do you want?” and “How many years old are you?” You can also grab a pair of dice, roll them, and see who can shout out the sum first. (Once is 11 and doce is 12.) Your kids will be drilling language and math while they’re having fun! You can even play Uno and have each player say the number of the card they are playing in Spanish for a fun twist.

Delicioso desserts

You may already be thinking of making Cinco de Mayo a taco night. But what’s for dessert? We have 3 festive ideas. Your kids may be surprised to learn that chocolate originally comes from Mexico, where it was enjoyed as a drink for many thousands of years. You can make a kid-friendly version of Mexican hot chocolate by adding a dash of cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg to your favorite hot chocolate. It’s delicious served with these super easy, baked churros. See how they’re made on YouTube. 

(Try dipping the churros in the hot chocolate for a double dose of cinnamon bliss!) Or go for something light and cool with tri-color gelatin parfaits in honor of the Mexican flag. Your kids can help layer lime green gelatin into a tall glass, add a generous dollop of white whipped cream, then top with any flavor of red gelatin.

Libros, libros, libros!

Head to your local biblioteca to check out some of the vibrant and creative books for kids about different aspects of Mexican culture. New in 2017 is Lucia the Luchadora, by Cynthia Leonor Garza, about a girl who learns she comes from a line of traditional masked wrestlers. What Can You Do with a Paleta, by Carmen Tafolla, was inspired by the frozen treats sold in the barrio from little carts with tinkling bells. As kids will find out by reading the text in both English and Spanish, you can eat a paleta, draw with it, share it, and much more! Charming illustrations make Cinco de Mouse-O a delight for kids of all ages. Written by Judy Cox in English, with some Spanish words, the book follows a mouse as he explores a Cinco de Mayo celebration. The tiny hero is determined to get a piece of candy from the piñata, which keeps the story moving forward.

Make a mini piñata

Finally, you and your kids can create your own mini piñata from everyday items like cereal boxes and sticky notes. Our piñata is designed with a trap door, so no baby burros will be harmed when releasing the treats inside!

Try a few of the ideas here and soon Cinco de Mayo will become a fun family tradition and fantástico learning opportunity. 

 

Learning is Where We Play:

Awesome and Educational Apple Activities

Cinco De Mayo, Viva La Learning!

The family perro wearing a sombrero? Must be Cinco de Mayo!

This year, you can let May 5th be just another spring day, or you can make Cinco de Mayo a day of fun and learning for your niños! Together you can explore Mexican culture, learn a little history, sing, dance, try some tasty South-of-the-Border treats, and even impress your kids with your high school Spanish. Sound good? Vamonos! Let’s go!

A little history

Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Mexican victory over the French in the Battle of Puebla in 1862. A small Mexican army of 2,000 poorly-equipped soldiers defeated an army of 6,000 French invaders, who were backed by Napolean III. This unlikely victory became a great source of national pride. Over the years, Cinco de Mayo has become less about that specific battle, and more of a celebration of Mexican culture in general.

Música with maracas

Music makes a fun introduction to any culture or country, and that’s especially true for Mexico. This cute animated clip pairs the traditional Mexican Hat Dance tune with new, kid-friendly lyrics.

In the video, they sing about shaking maracas, which you can easily make for your kids. Just take plastic eggs left over from Easter, pour in some dried beans, rice, or popcorn kernels. Glue the two halves of each egg together and start shaking! To make an optional handle, place 2 plastic spoons around each egg. Wrap colorful washi tape around the backs of the 2 spoons with the egg inside, then keep wrapping all the way down to secure. Your kids will be all set to keep time with the song!

Mariachi and más

Ready for a song that’s a bit more auténtico? Most Cinco de Mayo festivals feature strolling street musicians known as mariachi bands. Kids can learn all about their instruments in this charming animated clip.

Want more music? Play the Mexican Children (Children’s) Radio station on Pandoraand enjoy sweet, folksy songs in Spanish, sung by adults and kids.

Say it in Spanish

Tired of reminding your kids to say “please” and “thank you”? You might have better luck getting them to say “por favor” and “gracias,” if only because of the novelty! A nap is so boring, but a “siesta” might sound tempting. It’s easy to Google Spanish phrases online to share with your kids. Then they can brighten everyone’s day with a cheerful “buenos dias,” and introduce themselves with a “me llamo _____” (my name is____). Or teach your preschooler 3 or 4 nouns in Spanish today, ideally tangible things you can point to, like perro (dog), gato (cat), sombrero (hat), zapatos (shoes), sol (sun), or luna (moon).

By the numbers

Thanks to TV shows like Sesame Street, many preschoolers can count to 10 in Spanish, rapidly rattling off, “uno, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco, seis, siete, ocho, nueve, diez!” But how well can your kids use these números? Challenge your family to use only Spanish numbers on Cinco de Mayo. You can start the day with a refresher, counting together on your fingers. Then ask questions like “How many pancakes do you want?” and “How many years old are you?” You can also grab a pair of dice, roll them, and see who can shout out the sum first. (Once is 11 and doce is 12.) Your kids will be drilling language and math while they’re having fun! You can even play Uno and have each player say the number of the card they are playing in Spanish for a fun twist.

Delicioso desserts

You may already be thinking of making Cinco de Mayo a taco night. But what’s for dessert? We have 3 festive ideas. Your kids may be surprised to learn that chocolate originally comes from Mexico, where it was enjoyed as a drink for many thousands of years. You can make a kid-friendly version of Mexican hot chocolate by adding a dash of cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg to your favorite hot chocolate. It’s delicious served with these super easy, baked churros. See how they’re made on YouTube. 

(Try dipping the churros in the hot chocolate for a double dose of cinnamon bliss!) Or go for something light and cool with tri-color gelatin parfaits in honor of the Mexican flag. Your kids can help layer lime green gelatin into a tall glass, add a generous dollop of white whipped cream, then top with any flavor of red gelatin.

Libros, libros, libros!

Head to your local biblioteca to check out some of the vibrant and creative books for kids about different aspects of Mexican culture. New in 2017 is Lucia the Luchadora, by Cynthia Leonor Garza, about a girl who learns she comes from a line of traditional masked wrestlers. What Can You Do with a Paleta, by Carmen Tafolla, was inspired by the frozen treats sold in the barrio from little carts with tinkling bells. As kids will find out by reading the text in both English and Spanish, you can eat a paleta, draw with it, share it, and much more! Charming illustrations make Cinco de Mouse-O a delight for kids of all ages. Written by Judy Cox in English, with some Spanish words, the book follows a mouse as he explores a Cinco de Mayo celebration. The tiny hero is determined to get a piece of candy from the piñata, which keeps the story moving forward.

Make a mini piñata

Finally, you and your kids can create your own mini piñata from everyday items like cereal boxes and sticky notes. Our piñata is designed with a trap door, so no baby burros will be harmed when releasing the treats inside!

Try a few of the ideas here and soon Cinco de Mayo will become a fun family tradition and fantástico learning opportunity. 

 

Learning is Where We Play:

Awesome and Educational Apple Activities

 READ MORE
Valentine's Day Mathlink Cube Activities

Valentine's Day Mathlink Cube Activities

Mathlink Cubes are perfect for creating fun and engaging Valentine's Day themed math activities. Additionally, Mathlink Cubes can be used to create patterns and sequences, such as making a pattern of hearts and counting the number of cubes used. These activities will help students practice their math skills in a fun and festive way.

Learn More

Mathlink Cubes are great for kids for several reasons:

  • Hands-on learning: Mathlink Cubes are a hands-on learning tool that children can physically manipulate and explore mathematical concepts. This can help to make math more engaging and interactive for students.
  • Multi-use: Mathlink Cubes can be used for various mathematical concepts, including counting, addition, subtraction, measurement, geometry, and more. This makes them a versatile and valuable tool for teachers and parents to have in their toolkits.
  • Develops fine motor skills: Using the Mathlink Cubes requires children to use their fine motor skills, which can help to improve dexterity and hand-eye coordination.
  • Concrete to abstract: Mathlink Cubes provide a concrete representation of mathematical concepts, which can help children to understand and internalize these concepts. Then the children can apply what they learned in the tangible form to more abstract problems.
  • Fun and engaging: Mathlink Cubes come in different colors, making math activities fun and engaging for children. The fun and colorful aspect of the cubes makes children more excited to learn and practice math.
  • Differentiation: Mathlink Cubes can be used to provide different levels of challenge for students, making it easy for teachers to differentiate instruction and provide support for students who need it.

Overall, Mathlink Cubes are an excellent tool for kids to learn and practice math in a fun and interactive way. 

Valentine's Day Mathlink Cube Activities
Valentine's Day Mathlink Cube Activities

Mathlink Cubes are perfect for creating fun and engaging Valentine's Day themed math activities. Additionally, Mathlink Cubes can be used to create patterns and sequences, such as making a pattern of hearts and counting the number of cubes used. These activities will help students practice their math skills in a fun and festive way.

Learn More

Mathlink Cubes are great for kids for several reasons:

  • Hands-on learning: Mathlink Cubes are a hands-on learning tool that children can physically manipulate and explore mathematical concepts. This can help to make math more engaging and interactive for students.
  • Multi-use: Mathlink Cubes can be used for various mathematical concepts, including counting, addition, subtraction, measurement, geometry, and more. This makes them a versatile and valuable tool for teachers and parents to have in their toolkits.
  • Develops fine motor skills: Using the Mathlink Cubes requires children to use their fine motor skills, which can help to improve dexterity and hand-eye coordination.
  • Concrete to abstract: Mathlink Cubes provide a concrete representation of mathematical concepts, which can help children to understand and internalize these concepts. Then the children can apply what they learned in the tangible form to more abstract problems.
  • Fun and engaging: Mathlink Cubes come in different colors, making math activities fun and engaging for children. The fun and colorful aspect of the cubes makes children more excited to learn and practice math.
  • Differentiation: Mathlink Cubes can be used to provide different levels of challenge for students, making it easy for teachers to differentiate instruction and provide support for students who need it.

Overall, Mathlink Cubes are an excellent tool for kids to learn and practice math in a fun and interactive way. 

 READ MORE
Valentine’s Day Cards

Valentine’s Day Cards

Looking for a fun and cost-effective way to celebrate Valentine's Day? Look no further! These cards are perfect for bringing a special touch to your Valentine's Day celebrations.

These cards are colorful, fun, and, most importantly, free! You can print as many as you need!

Check out more printable Valentine's Day Card ideas

Printable Dinosaur Valentine's Day Cards!

Check out a unique and fun alternative for candy - using Learning Resources Dinosaur Counters and our FREE Valentine's Day Card Printables.

Cut out and give to friends and loved ones this Valentine's Day!

Big Feelings Pineapple and Learn-a-Lot Avocados Valentine's Cards.

Valentine's Postcards

Make your very own postcard to send to a friend or family member! 

Valentine’s Day Cards
Valentine’s Day Cards

Looking for a fun and cost-effective way to celebrate Valentine's Day? Look no further! These cards are perfect for bringing a special touch to your Valentine's Day celebrations.

These cards are colorful, fun, and, most importantly, free! You can print as many as you need!

Check out more printable Valentine's Day Card ideas

Printable Dinosaur Valentine's Day Cards!

Check out a unique and fun alternative for candy - using Learning Resources Dinosaur Counters and our FREE Valentine's Day Card Printables.

Cut out and give to friends and loved ones this Valentine's Day!

Big Feelings Pineapple and Learn-a-Lot Avocados Valentine's Cards.

Valentine's Postcards

Make your very own postcard to send to a friend or family member! 

 READ MORE

Love Bug Valentine’s Day Sensory Tubes

Love is in the air this Valentine's Day, and what better way to celebrate than by creating these fun (and simple) love bug sensory tubes with your child!  What child doesn’t love sensory play or bugs?

Before you learn how to make this sensory tube, let’s talk about why sensory tubes are beneficial! Sensory tubes are a great tool for children of all ages.  They provide the calming element of sensory play, as they help with grounding.  Sensory tubes also present various learning opportunities including language learning, math skills, science knowledge, and more! 

What You Need to Create a Love Bugs Sensory Tube:

How to Create a Love Bug Sensory Tube:

You’ll be happy to learn that there are not too many supplies you will need to create these love bug sensory tubes.  In fact, you may already have many of them right in your house!

First, you need a sturdy clear bottle or tube to create your sensory tube.  The Primary Science Sensory Tubes from Learning Resources is our favorite because they are large, sturdy, and seal easily. They also come with eight sets of solid lids, perfect for creating fun liquid sensory tubes, and four vented lids.  Another great thing about these tubes? You can change them up frequently, or keep them filled up for days on end.

To make your love bug sensory tube, you’re also going to need something with viscosity. What’s viscosity? A thick, sticky, semi-fluid consistency.  Think liquid hand soap, clear liquid glue, baby oil, or corn syrup. I told you, you might already have this at home! All you need to do is fill 1/4th of the tube with whatever viscous liquid you choose.

Next, add some fun manipulatives like these Backyard Bug Counters make your sensory tube extra fun! For these specific tubes, we added about 5-7 bugs per tube.  Not only will your child love adding in something unique, but manipulatives like these also provide language learning opportunities.  For example, you can work on developing your child’s vocabulary of bugs or colors by labeling what you see or work on prepositions while putting the bugs in the tubes! Looking for other manipulative ideas? Pom poms are one of our favorite additions!

After adding your manipulatives, you’re going to want to fill up the rest of your love bug sensory tube with warm water.

Food coloring and glitter are the next steps. These are of course optional, but they do add some excitement to your sensory tube. Two-three drops of your favorite food coloring will fill the entire tube with color, and just a sprinkle of glitter will create a fun contrast. For these specific love bug sensory tubes, we chose to use red, white, and heart glitter to follow our Valentine’s Day theme.

Whew, you made it to the last step! Seal up that tube and watch in wonder!  Let’s be honest, this one isn’t just for the kids, even adults are mesmerized to watch the bugs and glitter float up and down the colorful tubes!

Ways to Work on Language Development While Creating Sensory Tubes:

Not only are these sensory tubes fun to look at, but there are several ways to build in language learning opportunities while creating these love bug sensory tubes.  Here are a few ideas:

  • Following directions: Have your child help you create the sensory tube, and direct them on how they can help you. Examples: “put the red bug in the tube” or “pick up the caterpillar and put it in the tube.”
  • Building Vocabulary: Label all of the items you are using as you are using them...the tube, the water, the glue, all of it! Making a love bugs sensory tube with the Backyard Bug Counters is also a great way to work on colors and introduce specific insect names.
  • Learning Prepositions: Sensory tubes are a fun way to practice prepositions. Talk about putting the bugs in the tube, putting the top on the tube, or watching the bugs float up and down the tube!
  • Social Skills: If you have more than one child, this is the perfect opportunity to work on turn-taking! Chances are, they are likely going to want the same sensory tube at the same time. Have them take turns putting the bugs in, and after your sensory tube is created have them take turns holding the tube!

Now you know how to make a fun love bug sensory tube, and how to build your child’s language skills while doing it! Going to try this at home?  Please share it with us! We’d love to see your creations!

Love Bug Valentine’s Day Sensory Tubes

Love is in the air this Valentine's Day, and what better way to celebrate than by creating these fun (and simple) love bug sensory tubes with your child!  What child doesn’t love sensory play or bugs?

Before you learn how to make this sensory tube, let’s talk about why sensory tubes are beneficial! Sensory tubes are a great tool for children of all ages.  They provide the calming element of sensory play, as they help with grounding.  Sensory tubes also present various learning opportunities including language learning, math skills, science knowledge, and more! 

What You Need to Create a Love Bugs Sensory Tube:

How to Create a Love Bug Sensory Tube:

You’ll be happy to learn that there are not too many supplies you will need to create these love bug sensory tubes.  In fact, you may already have many of them right in your house!

First, you need a sturdy clear bottle or tube to create your sensory tube.  The Primary Science Sensory Tubes from Learning Resources is our favorite because they are large, sturdy, and seal easily. They also come with eight sets of solid lids, perfect for creating fun liquid sensory tubes, and four vented lids.  Another great thing about these tubes? You can change them up frequently, or keep them filled up for days on end.

To make your love bug sensory tube, you’re also going to need something with viscosity. What’s viscosity? A thick, sticky, semi-fluid consistency.  Think liquid hand soap, clear liquid glue, baby oil, or corn syrup. I told you, you might already have this at home! All you need to do is fill 1/4th of the tube with whatever viscous liquid you choose.

Next, add some fun manipulatives like these Backyard Bug Counters make your sensory tube extra fun! For these specific tubes, we added about 5-7 bugs per tube.  Not only will your child love adding in something unique, but manipulatives like these also provide language learning opportunities.  For example, you can work on developing your child’s vocabulary of bugs or colors by labeling what you see or work on prepositions while putting the bugs in the tubes! Looking for other manipulative ideas? Pom poms are one of our favorite additions!

After adding your manipulatives, you’re going to want to fill up the rest of your love bug sensory tube with warm water.

Food coloring and glitter are the next steps. These are of course optional, but they do add some excitement to your sensory tube. Two-three drops of your favorite food coloring will fill the entire tube with color, and just a sprinkle of glitter will create a fun contrast. For these specific love bug sensory tubes, we chose to use red, white, and heart glitter to follow our Valentine’s Day theme.

Whew, you made it to the last step! Seal up that tube and watch in wonder!  Let’s be honest, this one isn’t just for the kids, even adults are mesmerized to watch the bugs and glitter float up and down the colorful tubes!

Ways to Work on Language Development While Creating Sensory Tubes:

Not only are these sensory tubes fun to look at, but there are several ways to build in language learning opportunities while creating these love bug sensory tubes.  Here are a few ideas:

  • Following directions: Have your child help you create the sensory tube, and direct them on how they can help you. Examples: “put the red bug in the tube” or “pick up the caterpillar and put it in the tube.”
  • Building Vocabulary: Label all of the items you are using as you are using them...the tube, the water, the glue, all of it! Making a love bugs sensory tube with the Backyard Bug Counters is also a great way to work on colors and introduce specific insect names.
  • Learning Prepositions: Sensory tubes are a fun way to practice prepositions. Talk about putting the bugs in the tube, putting the top on the tube, or watching the bugs float up and down the tube!
  • Social Skills: If you have more than one child, this is the perfect opportunity to work on turn-taking! Chances are, they are likely going to want the same sensory tube at the same time. Have them take turns putting the bugs in, and after your sensory tube is created have them take turns holding the tube!

Now you know how to make a fun love bug sensory tube, and how to build your child’s language skills while doing it! Going to try this at home?  Please share it with us! We’d love to see your creations!

 READ MORE
Printable Valentine’s Day Cards!
Printable Valentine’s Day Cards!

Cut out and give to friends and loved ones this Valentine's Day!

Print the Valentine's Day Cards Here!

 READ MORE

Valentine's Day Cards

Cut out and give to friends and loved ones this Valentine's Day!

Interested in purchasing the Avocados or Pineapple in the cards? 

Valentine's Day Cards

Cut out and give to friends and loved ones this Valentine's Day!

Interested in purchasing the Avocados or Pineapple in the cards? 

 READ MORE

Holiday Gifts for Toddlers!

From building fine motor skills to introducing colors, shapes and numbers, these hands-on toys help your toddler get ready for life in the great big world. With these gifts your toddlers will be taking big steps in learning by recognizing names, saying words, and following simple directions. These toys help them build even bigger skills!

Steggy the Fine Motor Dino

This prehistoric pal is ready for fine motor fun! Kids build the hand strength they need to succeed in school and beyond every time they play with Steggy the Fine Motor Dino. The friendliest fine motor toy for toddlers, this easygoing dinosaur comes with ten pinchable, pullable scales, whose indented surfaces make it easy for kids to build their pincer grasp, hand strength, and other essentials of fine motor skills development. Steggy's scales also come with a 3-in-1 learning surprise— in addition to building fine motor skills, scales also introduce kids to early color matching and number recognition skills thanks to their vibrant designs and 1–10 numbered surfaces. With Steggy the Fine Motor Dino, there are always multiple ways to learn. 

Plus, don't forget these free Printable Activities to go with Steggy!

Spike the Fine Motor Hedgehog

Our hedgehog lost his quills, and only your little ones can help him get them back! Spike, the Fine Motor Hedgehog, helps kids build up hand muscles and fine motor skills by replacing the chunky, peg-shaped 'quills' within the holes that dot the smiling hedgehog's back. The learning doesn't end there- Spike's colorful quills also lend themselves well to lessons in counting, sorting, and color identification skills. Kids can arrange the quills by warm or cool colors, work on sequences and patterns by alternating colors, or count up the quills with the help of numbers printed on the hedgehog's back. Once playtime is over, Spike the Fine Motor Hedgehog is a snap to clean up-each piece is made of plastic that can be easily wiped clean, and the quills stow snugly inside the hedgehog's body, which adds simplicity to storage too.

Plus, don't forget these free Printable Activities to go with Spike!

Peekaboo Learning Farm

There's more than hay inside these barns— there's farmyard learning fun! Kids learn counting, color, matching, and sorting skills during every imaginative adventure with the farm friends found within the Peekaboo Learning Farm. Each of the set's 5 numbered two-piece barns comes in a different vibrant color, including red, orange, blue, green, and purple. Each barn also pops open to reveal 5 different animal finger puppets— meet the set's friendly cow, pig, duck, and more! Unlike many toys for toddlers, the Peekaboo Learning Farms grows along with your little one— build new fine motor skills during early games of pretend, then move on to early math and color identification! Find the animals during games of hide and seek, make your own memory game, or just let your imagination go! The Peekaboo Learning Farm's two-piece barns also help kids build coordination and other fine motor skills every time they pop them open or snap them shut.

Smart Snacks® Stack 'em Up Doughnuts™

A new twist on the classic game of stacking rings, Smart Snacks Stack 'Em Up Doughnuts teaches your child color recognition and size comparison. Great for helping build your child's fine motor skills, Smart Snacks Stack Em' Up Doughnuts from Learning Resources is a colorful and food-theme take on the classic stacking rings activity. Skills stack up with these Stack ‘em Up Doughnuts! Children place the doughnuts from biggest to smallest and fit the doughnut hole on top. They’re also perfect for inspiring hours of play in their pretend kitchen, store, or restaurant. 

Snap-n-Learn™ Counting Sheep

Counting sheep isn't just for falling asleep anymore! Discover a wooly and wonderful way to learn new number and color skills with the Snap-n-Learn Counting Sheep. These educational toys include ten friendly two-piece number sheep numbered 1–10 and ready for early math lessons in number recognition, counting, sequencing, and more. Each sheep also features a different color of the rainbow— instead of the usual white or black, these sheep have wool that's red, blue, orange, green, and more! Sized just right for little hands, the number sheep's removable snap-on, snap-off wool doubles as a fine motor skills toy and builds coordination and other essential skills. It also hides a surprise—each sheep also comes numbered with dots beneath their wool, which reinforce number recognition and add barnyard fun to matching games for 2-year-olds. Best of all, the Snap-n-Learn Counting Sheep comes with a reusable plastic storage tub that makes cleanup a snap.

Holiday Gifts for Toddlers!

From building fine motor skills to introducing colors, shapes and numbers, these hands-on toys help your toddler get ready for life in the great big world. With these gifts your toddlers will be taking big steps in learning by recognizing names, saying words, and following simple directions. These toys help them build even bigger skills!

Steggy the Fine Motor Dino

This prehistoric pal is ready for fine motor fun! Kids build the hand strength they need to succeed in school and beyond every time they play with Steggy the Fine Motor Dino. The friendliest fine motor toy for toddlers, this easygoing dinosaur comes with ten pinchable, pullable scales, whose indented surfaces make it easy for kids to build their pincer grasp, hand strength, and other essentials of fine motor skills development. Steggy's scales also come with a 3-in-1 learning surprise— in addition to building fine motor skills, scales also introduce kids to early color matching and number recognition skills thanks to their vibrant designs and 1–10 numbered surfaces. With Steggy the Fine Motor Dino, there are always multiple ways to learn. 

Plus, don't forget these free Printable Activities to go with Steggy!

Spike the Fine Motor Hedgehog

Our hedgehog lost his quills, and only your little ones can help him get them back! Spike, the Fine Motor Hedgehog, helps kids build up hand muscles and fine motor skills by replacing the chunky, peg-shaped 'quills' within the holes that dot the smiling hedgehog's back. The learning doesn't end there- Spike's colorful quills also lend themselves well to lessons in counting, sorting, and color identification skills. Kids can arrange the quills by warm or cool colors, work on sequences and patterns by alternating colors, or count up the quills with the help of numbers printed on the hedgehog's back. Once playtime is over, Spike the Fine Motor Hedgehog is a snap to clean up-each piece is made of plastic that can be easily wiped clean, and the quills stow snugly inside the hedgehog's body, which adds simplicity to storage too.

Plus, don't forget these free Printable Activities to go with Spike!

Peekaboo Learning Farm

There's more than hay inside these barns— there's farmyard learning fun! Kids learn counting, color, matching, and sorting skills during every imaginative adventure with the farm friends found within the Peekaboo Learning Farm. Each of the set's 5 numbered two-piece barns comes in a different vibrant color, including red, orange, blue, green, and purple. Each barn also pops open to reveal 5 different animal finger puppets— meet the set's friendly cow, pig, duck, and more! Unlike many toys for toddlers, the Peekaboo Learning Farms grows along with your little one— build new fine motor skills during early games of pretend, then move on to early math and color identification! Find the animals during games of hide and seek, make your own memory game, or just let your imagination go! The Peekaboo Learning Farm's two-piece barns also help kids build coordination and other fine motor skills every time they pop them open or snap them shut.

Smart Snacks® Stack 'em Up Doughnuts™

A new twist on the classic game of stacking rings, Smart Snacks Stack 'Em Up Doughnuts teaches your child color recognition and size comparison. Great for helping build your child's fine motor skills, Smart Snacks Stack Em' Up Doughnuts from Learning Resources is a colorful and food-theme take on the classic stacking rings activity. Skills stack up with these Stack ‘em Up Doughnuts! Children place the doughnuts from biggest to smallest and fit the doughnut hole on top. They’re also perfect for inspiring hours of play in their pretend kitchen, store, or restaurant. 

Snap-n-Learn™ Counting Sheep

Counting sheep isn't just for falling asleep anymore! Discover a wooly and wonderful way to learn new number and color skills with the Snap-n-Learn Counting Sheep. These educational toys include ten friendly two-piece number sheep numbered 1–10 and ready for early math lessons in number recognition, counting, sequencing, and more. Each sheep also features a different color of the rainbow— instead of the usual white or black, these sheep have wool that's red, blue, orange, green, and more! Sized just right for little hands, the number sheep's removable snap-on, snap-off wool doubles as a fine motor skills toy and builds coordination and other essential skills. It also hides a surprise—each sheep also comes numbered with dots beneath their wool, which reinforce number recognition and add barnyard fun to matching games for 2-year-olds. Best of all, the Snap-n-Learn Counting Sheep comes with a reusable plastic storage tub that makes cleanup a snap.

 READ MORE

Holiday Gifts for 5 Years and Up!

As they learn the basics of reading, writing, and math, your kids can use these toys to build new skills for kindergarten and beyond! When you give your kids toys from Learning Resources, you're giving them skills that last long after the holidays end! 

Counting Surprise Party™

Unbox new counting and color skills in every surprise present! You never know what might be inside the presents of Counting Surprise Party from Learning Resources. Little ones will find a fun surprise toy within each colorful numbered box - from a little blue robot to a high-flying plane to a friendly teddy bear, and there are ten manipulative-style gifts in all that kids can wrap and rewrap and again. In addition to building new fine motor skills with every unboxing, they'll also build new skills in color and number recognition, whether they're sorting their toys by the colors on the boxes, counting up their stack of presents, or matching the dots on the present lids with the numerals printed on the boxes' fronts. 

Plus, don't forget these free Printable Activities to go with!

STEM Explorers™ Brainometry™

Solve brain-teasing puzzle challenges that test your knowledge of shapes, critical thinking, fine motor skills, and more! Four colors and patterns also boost recognition skills. Includes 24 shapes and double-sided challenge cards. Designed with solo play in mind, these puzzles are a great way to build essential logic and critical thinking skills!

Rock 'n' Gem Surprise™

Crack open a colorful gem surprise! Little ones get a no-mess introduction to sorting, matching, and counting with the play geodes and gems of Rock 'n' Gem Surprise from Learning Resources. Using the included play hammer and chisel, kids can crack open each reusable play geode and discover the translucent plastic gemstones inside. Gems double as manipulatives and come in eight different colors and four different shapes - you might find a red heart, a purple triangle, a green diamond, or more fun combinations. In addition to helping kids learn early sorting, matching, and counting skills, Rock 'n' Gem Surprise also introduces kids to early STEM and geology concepts without the messy clean-up associated with real rocks and geodes. 

MathLink® Cubes Elementary Math Activity Set

Build new elementary math skills one MathLink Cube at a time! Whether in the classroom or homeschool, students explore addition and subtraction, multiplication and division, geometry, and more with the fun math challenges found within the MathLink Cubes Elementary Math Activity Set from Learning Resources. Our most advanced counting cube activity set yet, this elementary educational toy pairs the popular hands-on math manipulatives with a fun set of challenges that grow with students' skills. 

Plus, don't forget these free Holiday Printable Activities to go with!

Botley® 2.0 the Coding Robot Activity Set

Botley 2.0 helps kids as young as 5 learn to code through 100% screen-free play. Botley 2.0 knows multiple ways to code right out of the box— code him to move in six directions, play music, and even put on a light show! Discover Botley 2.0’s 16 fun interactions— transform him into a train, police car, ghost, and more! You can even test your memory with the lights and sounds of a game of Botley Says! 

Plus, don't forget these free Printable Activities to go with Botley 2.0!

Holiday Gifts for 5 Years and Up!

As they learn the basics of reading, writing, and math, your kids can use these toys to build new skills for kindergarten and beyond! When you give your kids toys from Learning Resources, you're giving them skills that last long after the holidays end! 

Counting Surprise Party™

Unbox new counting and color skills in every surprise present! You never know what might be inside the presents of Counting Surprise Party from Learning Resources. Little ones will find a fun surprise toy within each colorful numbered box - from a little blue robot to a high-flying plane to a friendly teddy bear, and there are ten manipulative-style gifts in all that kids can wrap and rewrap and again. In addition to building new fine motor skills with every unboxing, they'll also build new skills in color and number recognition, whether they're sorting their toys by the colors on the boxes, counting up their stack of presents, or matching the dots on the present lids with the numerals printed on the boxes' fronts. 

Plus, don't forget these free Printable Activities to go with!

STEM Explorers™ Brainometry™

Solve brain-teasing puzzle challenges that test your knowledge of shapes, critical thinking, fine motor skills, and more! Four colors and patterns also boost recognition skills. Includes 24 shapes and double-sided challenge cards. Designed with solo play in mind, these puzzles are a great way to build essential logic and critical thinking skills!

Rock 'n' Gem Surprise™

Crack open a colorful gem surprise! Little ones get a no-mess introduction to sorting, matching, and counting with the play geodes and gems of Rock 'n' Gem Surprise from Learning Resources. Using the included play hammer and chisel, kids can crack open each reusable play geode and discover the translucent plastic gemstones inside. Gems double as manipulatives and come in eight different colors and four different shapes - you might find a red heart, a purple triangle, a green diamond, or more fun combinations. In addition to helping kids learn early sorting, matching, and counting skills, Rock 'n' Gem Surprise also introduces kids to early STEM and geology concepts without the messy clean-up associated with real rocks and geodes. 

MathLink® Cubes Elementary Math Activity Set

Build new elementary math skills one MathLink Cube at a time! Whether in the classroom or homeschool, students explore addition and subtraction, multiplication and division, geometry, and more with the fun math challenges found within the MathLink Cubes Elementary Math Activity Set from Learning Resources. Our most advanced counting cube activity set yet, this elementary educational toy pairs the popular hands-on math manipulatives with a fun set of challenges that grow with students' skills. 

Plus, don't forget these free Holiday Printable Activities to go with!

Botley® 2.0 the Coding Robot Activity Set

Botley 2.0 helps kids as young as 5 learn to code through 100% screen-free play. Botley 2.0 knows multiple ways to code right out of the box— code him to move in six directions, play music, and even put on a light show! Discover Botley 2.0’s 16 fun interactions— transform him into a train, police car, ghost, and more! You can even test your memory with the lights and sounds of a game of Botley Says! 

Plus, don't forget these free Printable Activities to go with Botley 2.0!

 READ MORE
1 2 3 4 5 ... 16 Next Page