T is for Toothpicks

When we do preschool at home, I’ve noticed it helps to start off the same way every day … even if it’s just me and my kids. So this is how we always start preschool.

• Sing “Here We Are Together” … click here for words and music.
  1. The kids like that we get to say all of our names in the song.
• Sing “The ABC Song” … today we clapped when we got to letter T.

• Toothpick Ts
  1. Give the kids two toothpicks (I got this box of 1000 at the dollar store)
  2. Ask them to try to make a letter T with their toothpicks.
  3. See if they can change it to make a lowercase T.

 

• Pointing out Ts with toothpicks
  1. You could use any story, but I had picked out “Alice the Fairy” by David Shannon and it worked out just right. Lots of upper and lowercase Ts.
  2. Give the kids one toothpick.
  3. As you read the story, have them use their toothpick to point to Ts.
  4. I kind of overemphasized the T sound on some of the words, so they’d recognize the sound and be able to find the Ts.

• Tape your T page
  1. I drew a big T on my 2-year-olds paper, and my 4-year-old did his own.
  2. Give the kids several toothpicks and pieces of tape (just stick them to the edge of the table for them to grab)
  3. Let them tape their toothpicks to the letter T!

• Playdoh & Toothpicks
  1. Bring out the playdoh and add some toothpicks!
  2. My kids had fun making arms and legs, lollipops, barbells and flowers.
  3. Lots of fun for the imagination

 

• Make toothpick juice popsicles … we make these a lot, but they’re perfect for a toothpick day!
  1. Pour juice into an ice cube tray (fill a squirty bottle with juice and let the kids do it without any mess!)
  2. Cover the ice cube tray with foil. Press it down so you can see where the sections are.
  3. Poke a toothpick into each section.
  4. Freeze, then pop out and enjoy your juice popsicles!

 

• Toothpick Scratch Art … I got this pack of 4 in the party favor at Target before Christmas. You can also find them on Amazon.
  1. My kids love these!
  2. Use a toothpick to draw letters and pictures on the rainbow scratch paper. The black scratches off to show the colors underneath. So cool!
  3. I just drew a large T and will let them color it however they want.

Toothpicks

• Tape your T page … with toothpicks!
  1. Write a large letter T on a piece of paper.
  2. Cut several pieces of tape. I just stick them hanging off the edge of the table so my kids can grab them when they’re ready.
  3. Let them tape toothpicks along the lines of the T.

  

• Toothpicks & Playdoh
  1. Use toothpicks while you play with playdoh.
  2. My kids had fun sticking them in like flowers, arms and bug legs, lollipops and little mini barbells.
  3. Use them to write letters in the playdoh.

  

• Juice Popsicles … use toothpicks to make juice ice cube popsicles!
  1. Mix up your favorite kind of juice (we used apple juice)
  2. Carefully pour it into an ice cube tray. I pour the juice into a squeezy bottle so the kids can squirt the juice in themselves without making a mess!
  3. Cover the ice cube tray with foil.
  4. Poke one toothpick into each ice cube section.
  5. Freeze for several hours. We usually make these in the morning so they’re ready for afternoon snacks!
  6. If you twist the tray a little, they pop right out. Yummy treat.

• Toothpick Puzzles … this would be a little too hard for my preschool kids, but if you have older kids, these puzzles are fun to try and figure out. Or I may show my 4-year-old how to solve one so he can stump his Dad!
• Toothpick Hors d'oeuvres … make snack time fancy by poking toothpicks into some T foods! Suggestions:
  1. bite-sized tuna or turkey sandwiches
  2. tangerine … peeled and cut in bite-sized pieces
  3. turkey cubes
  4. cherry tomatoes
  5. cheese tortellini
  6. tater tots … with ketchup dips of course.