Developing Minds and I have been showcasing how to integrate Literacy Invitations through play. You can keep joining in on the fun by choosing a story and a creative way to make the story come to life through invitations. This invitation to create integrates a the story with a play-dough, loose parts, and a little sensory taste exploration.
To continue to explore the traditions of Nowruz, the ritual of baking sweets begins in the weeks leading up to the holiday. Inside Iranian home kitchens and bakeries you will smell rose water, pistachios, saffron, orange blossom water and cardamom throughout the air. Growing up my mother and grandma would do all the baking for Nowruz. When our family gathers around the Haftsin as the clock ticks into the new year, kisses & hugs are exchanged, wishing each other a happy new year, and that platter of sweet pastries is passes around for everyone to sweeten their mouth. This tradition is so that sweets will carry everyone with love, care, and hope for a sweeter new year.
The book A Persian Princess written by by Barbara Diamond Goldin, Steliyana Doneva (Illustrator) is a sweet story where young girl shares her traditions alongside her mother and grandma through baking, drinking tea, and dressing up. To integrate this story through play setting up an invitation to create the baked goods is a great way to extend the experience.
This invitation consists of Colorations Play-dough, Wooden Sculpting Toys, Acrylic Ice Rocks, and dried rose petals. Play-dough is a staple in early childhood education. It is a powerful way to let a child use their imagination, strengthen the small muscles in their fingers, and encourage a chil's language +literacy, science, math and sensory skills. It is quite possibly one of most powerful props for learning.
Join us for the rest of the month as we challenge you to create in invitation in your home or classroom, tag us and we will share it in our stories.
3/22 Art
3/29 Writing/Drawing Extension