September 2012 - August 2013

Buttercups® Kit Contents

Look below for a detailed description of every item in your Buttercups® kit.

Teacher Pack

Curriculum Guide

The flexible weekly format of the Buttercups Curriculum Guide is ideally suited to multiage groups of children from six to thirty-six months. Each guide offers two themes and enough activities for two months. Activities are included from the Language, Cognitive, Social/Emotional, and Physical Domains. You can choose the activities that best fit the needs of your group and repeat them as often as the children enjoy and benefit from them. Suggestions are included for ways to adjust the activities to meet differing ages, interests, and abilities. The activities in all domains are structured to support strong, positive Approaches to Learning, such as curiosity, problem-solving, and persistence. 350+ activity ideas!

2 Board Books

These small sturdy books are just right for little hands. They often include fun elements such as interesting textures or flaps to lift. Sharing the books with children is a great way to build early language and literacy skills, but also an excellent opportunity to develop loving relationships.

2 Play Manipulatives

Safe sturdy manipulatives promote play and exploration. The choice varies from month to month, but you receive materials such as musical instruments, art tools, and more. The Curriculum Guide offers multiple ideas for using the manipulatives. You and the children are likely to find even more fun ways to play with them.

Two-Sided Literacy/Shape Mat

You get two activities in one with these fun-to-use materials. On one side, children add shape manipulatives to a scene. On the other side, there are cutouts that can be used along with the scene. The mats encourage conversation, help children recognize shapes, and invite exploration and discovery. Full-color, durable, 12" x 18".

Shape Manipulatives

Cardboard shape manipulatives for recognition, matching, counting, and tracing

Opposites Mat

Real-life photos clearly illustrate opposite concepts on these large mats. Children can use the mats for sorting games to reinforce the opposites. 12" x 18".

Sign Language Poster

Very young children can often learn to sign before they can speak. Being able to communicate through signs can reduce children’s frustration and help them learn the value of back and forth communication. These posters help you as a teacher to become familiar with American Sign Language so you can use them throughout the day with the children. They will learn from your example. Keep them in a convenient place so you can refer to them often. 8.5" x 11".

8 Vocabulary Cards

Understanding that photos represent objects is an early step in symbolic thinking that builds a foundation for learning to read when children are older. You can use these cards to help children develop that understanding and as starters for conversations about the monthly themes. Full-color photographs, one per week, 5.5" x 8.5"

2 Sets Early Learning Materials

There is a set of early learning materials to use with each monthly theme. These materials can be used to develop a variety of skills, such as matching, one-to-one correspondence, size concepts, and more. 2 full-color, 8.5" x 11".

3 Sets Sorting Shapes

These sturdy punch-out sorting shapes feature pictures related to the monthly themes. The Curriculum Guide suggests ways to use them for sorting games or as props for simple songs and rhymes.

3 Puzzles

These colorful puzzles can be adapted for different ages and abilities. For infants, you can leave them uncut to use as picture cards. For toddlers, you can cut the pictures as you wish to make the puzzles very simple or a little more challenging. The pictures are great conversation starters. Assembling the puzzles helps children understand part/whole relationships and develop fine motor skills. 4" x 8.5"

2 Crayon Manipulatives

Roll these props and tape them to resemble crayons. Use each prop to point out objects in the room that match the color of the prop.

4 All About Me Cards

Use these photos to help children recognize and name body parts on themselves and others.

Mother Goose Story Props

The rhythm and rhyme of nursery rhymes have timeless appeal to children. Experiences with nursery rhymes build phonological awareness and help to lay a strong foundation for reading. With each Curriculum Guide you receive literacy materials you can use as you share a classic nursery rhyme.

Color Display

Each Curriculum Guide focuses on a color. Post this displays in the room and refer to them often as children participate in activities related to colors. Full-color, 8.5" x 11"

Shape Display

Each Curriculum Guide focuses on a shape. Post this displays in the room and refer to them often as children participate in activities related to shapes. 8.5" x 11".

Children's Resources

Newsletter

Communicating with families is of utmost importance. These colorful notes provide valuable information to families and build bridges between home and school. Full-color, 8.5" x 11", printed front and back. One per child.

12 Exploratory Art or Prop Activities with supplies per child

Children and parents alike love these engaging projects. Use them to help children develop fine motor skills, express creativity, explore sensory materials, and more. The emphasis is on exploration and creativity as children try new art techniques and discover what happens when they use different tools and materials. In some cases, teacher and child work together to make fun props that children can then use for simple games or creative play.