Unit on Faces

Since Charlie is going to be studying body parts when he gets to Preschool in August, I thought it would be a good idea to cover them at home before then. This week we’re doing faces and some other time this summer we’ll do big body parts like arm, hand, leg, etc.

Key Terms: Eyes, Ears, Nose, Mouth, Hair

Goals: To be able to identify key terms on himself, on others, and in pictures.

I will note that since Charlie is now three, I am spending a little more time giving him a chance to “prove” what he knows. Basically, I ask him a quick question and if he gets it right, I make a big deal. If he doesn’t get it right I just move on quickly. No sad faces or disappointment. He’s three for cryin out loud.

Activities

Making Faces. Cut all the parts out of sticky-backed foam and then let Charlie put them together (with copious help). Somebody told me they wouldn’t know where to buy sticky-backed foam. I get mine at Walmart or Michael’s Craft Store, but any craft store should carry it.

Googly Eyes. Cut circles out of foam and then I had Charlie put googly eyes from the craft store on each face. You could do this with construction paper too. Once we were finished, I stuck them up over Charlie’s changing pad, which was great because he likes to pull them off the wall and every time he does, we talk about the crazy eyes. Reinforcement, baby.

Magazine faces. I cut out a bunch of eyes, noses, and mouths from magazines. I’d put three in front of Charlie and then ask him to “find” something. We did this activity all week and he got a LOT better at it towards the end, so I feel like we made some progress.

Funny Noses. I bought these funny eyeglasses/noses from the dollar section at Michaels. Charlie wanted NOTHING to do with wearing them, but he had a good time taking them off my face whenever I said, “can you get mommy’s blue nose?”

Eyeball Pizza. Pizzas with green pepper and olives strategically placed to look like eye balls. Charlie wasn’t terribly impressed with the veggies, but pizza? Always good.

Book We Enjoyed

Toes, Ears, and Nose by Marion Dane Bauer and Karen Katz.

A little babyish, but perfect for my book hater. This is one of those books with the little flaps and it covers a bunch of body parts. We’ll probably use it again when we get to hands, feet, etc.