Re-using Filler Eggs: Word Play

Materials

• Filler Eggs
• Letter Tiles (we included a template)
• Bird Replica Figurines
• Letter stickers
• Nest Storage Basket http://make-it-your-own.com/bird-nest-storage-basket/
• Word-Play-Template

Directions

Here are a few suggestions to get you started.  We would LOVE to hear your ideas or how you took this activity and “Made it your Own”!

1) Put the names of various species onto the filler eggs using letter stickers.  Have a basket (we used our Nest Storage Basket), filled with bird figurines.  Try to match the bird with the label.

2) Put the names of various species of birds on the eggs using letter stickers.  Put out letter tiles and have the child(ren) try to find the letters that correspond and fill the egg.

3) Combine #1 and #2 with the species and the tiles within the eggs.

4) Use blank eggs (or remove the stickers).  Have the child combine the letters and species together without the scaffolding/ guidance of the letter stickers.

5)  Put the letter tiles to spell a species in an egg ahead of time.  Have the child empty the egg and try to figure out what species it is.  (You could also do this in partnerships where the children find the letters for a species, put it in an egg and switch.  Remind them not to tell their partner the word, but rather discover it for themselves!)

6) As you can see in our photo, we also extended the spelling of the species to their habitats which we created out of foam, plastic and letter stickers.

7) What other activities could you do with these materials?

Purpose

Re-creating words using a template, building words, identifying bird species, becoming familiar with the basic characteristics of habitats.

Safety Notes

Letter tiles, because of their size should be used by children over 3 and who do not have a tendency to put small objects into their mouths.  Be sure to store them safely away from small children.