A toddler bulletin board should be seasonal and showcase what your little learners are exploring and discovering during their day. Rome wasn’t built in a day and this bulletin board isn’t meant to be either. This is a four day art activities and spring bulletin board plan. So take out a sheet of orange paper and a black marker and write “Our bulletin board is a work in progress.” This will keep parents checking in on what you’ve added each day.
Let’s begin at the bottom with green grass.
You know your toddlers and your supplies best so consider these two options. One option is to have a green finger painting day. Then simply cut slight waves across the top of the horizontal papers and create a grass border along the bottom of your bulletin board. Another options is to make vertical glue lines on paper and model for toddlers how to add green strips of grass. Either way get your grass growing and focus on “green” and “grass” vocabulary. Hopefully there will be a time and place to take your toddlers out into the real grass for a hands-on grassroots experience.
Tip: If your toddlers are finger painting, tape the paper down to the surface so it doesn’t slide.
A blooming bush says spring.
With a large piece of paper, make circle motions with a green marker and create a bush that is about 2 ft. by 2 ft. Give the toddlers green washable markers and let them help scribble out that green bush reinforcing “green.” That bush needs blooms to say spring. Again, there are options. Peel and stick flowers are pretty or you can choose one color of tissue paper such as pink or yellow and make one inch balls for blooms. Make glue circles on the bush and model for toddlers how to sit the bloom on the glue. This is a great fine motor activity but always watch for little people who will want to put the paper in their mouth.
Tip: When you put your bush on the bulletin board, crumple up recyclable paper to pad behind the bush to give it a three-dimensional look that will really pop.
Butterflies brighten any spring bulletin board.
You can buy or create butterfly shapes in either cardstock or craft foam. Now how can your toddlers personalize their butterflies? Finger painting, circle stickers, peel and stick felt shapes or small poms poms are pretty options. Large wiggly eyes will really give the butterflies personality while you reinforce the word “eyes.”
Tip: Can your toddlers find their eyes? Can they find your eyes? Count the butterfly eyes together…one, two.
It’s fun to make clouds on a rainy day.
Spring may bring more sunny days but there are usually plenty of cloudy days too. Cut out blue cloud shapes on your heaviest paper and bring out those cotton balls. Make glue circles on the clouds and model for toddlers how to place the cotton balls on the glue. Reinforce descriptor words like “white” and “soft.”
Tip: Shaving cream for sensitive skin on a tray is another fun textile activity for a rainy day that reinforces the color “white.”
