Twins

AREA SETUP

Print a variety of posters and use them to decorate the walls of your daycare. (Open thematic poster-Twins)

Stickers-Twins
(Open stickers-Twins) Print the illustrations on adhesive paper and use them to create original stickers for your group.

Educa-theme-Twins
(Open educa-theme-Twins) Print and laminate the different elements representing the theme. Use them to present the theme to your group (and their parents) while decorating your daycare.

Educa-decorate-Twins
(Open educa-decorate-Twins) Print, laminate, and cut out the illustrations. Use them to decorate your walls and set the mood for the theme.

CIRCLE TIME

Poni discovers and presents-Twins
(Open Poni discovers and presents-Twins) Print the various cards. Laminate them and cut them out. Use your Poni puppet or another puppet children are familiar with to present the pictures to your group.

Poni discovers and presents-Families
(Open Poni discovers and presents-Families) Print the various cards. Laminate them and cut them out. Use your Poni puppet or another puppet children are familiar with to present the pictures to your group.

SPECIAL TOOL

This tool was created in response to a special request we received. (Open authorization form for outings) Print and use when necessary.

PICTURE GAME

The pictures may be used as a memory game or to spark a conversation with the group. Use them to decorate the daycare or a specific thematic corner. (Open picture game-Twins) Print, laminate, and store in a "Ziploc" bag or in your thematic bins.

Memory game-Twins
(Open picture game-Twins) Print the pictures twice and use them for a memory game.

ACTIVITY SHEETS

Activity sheets are suggested for each theme. (Open activity sheets-Twins) Print and follow instructions.

WRITING ACTIVITIES

Writing activities-T like twins
(Open writing activities-T like twins) Print for each child or laminate for use with a dry-erase marker.

Stationery-Twins
(Open stationery-Twins) Print. Use the stationery to communicate with parents, in your writing area, or to identify your thematic bins.

Educa-nuudles-Twins

(Open educa-nuudles-Twins) Print for each child. Have children color the sheet and use Magic Nuudles to give it a three-dimensional look. Variation: You don't have Magic Nuudles? Have children fill the spaces designed for Magic Nuudles with bingo markers or stickers. To order Magic Nuudles.

VARIOUS WORKHSOPS

In the educatall club, you will find several different tools that can help you enjoy and plan workshops for your group.

• For planning purposes, (Open workshop planning booklet) Print.
  
• For identifying your workshops (Open posters-workshops) Print.

Construction/building blocks:

• All kinds of blocks children can use to represent their home or their dream home.
• Figurines children can use to represent the members of their family.
• Figurines representing different professions.

Arts & crafts:

• Ask parents to provide pictures of the members of their family and let children reproduce the portraits as they see fit.
• Ask children to cut pictures of people out of catalogues to represent their family.
• Use the pictures to create puppets.
• Ask children to draw a tree and complete it to represent their family tree. Don't forget to include pets.
• Use two-dimensional crafts or drawings to create a family book with each child.
• Make cards for children's grandparents.
• As a group, create a mural representing each child's family.
• Recycled materials.

Drawing:

• Coloring pages representing different family members and activities that can be enjoyed as a family.
• Creative coloring activities.

Role play:

• Decorate your area with pictures of people of different ages.
• Clothing items children can wear to personify a mother, a father, grandparents, or children.
• Taking care of a baby: dolls, towels, empty soap and shampoo bottles, bowls, spoons, bottles, bibs, diapers, changing pads, etc.
• Family meal: table, chairs, utensils, tablecloth, candles, plastic food items, etc. Teach children how to set the table.

Manipulation:

• Memory game involving animal families (baby, mother, father).
• Utensils for a sorting activity.

Pre-reading:

• Books about family life.
• Books about animal families.
• Books about birth.
• Word flashcards representing family and extended family members.

Pre-writing:

• Hunt and seek activities.
• Activity sheets related to the theme.
• Games with educatall.com word flashcards.
• Tracing and maze activities.
• Let children practice writing their name as well as the names of different family members using dotted letters.

Motor skills:

• Walk to the park and play just like a family would.
• Ask children which games they play with their parents and other family members and integrate their suggestions if possible.

Sensory bins:

• Water table: children can pretend to wash dishes as a family. Provide dishes, cloths, dishwashing liquid, etc.
• Water table: dolls, facecloths, and soap and let children bathe the dolls.
• Water table: doll clothing, clothespins, etc. to represent doing laundry.
• Science:
  - Have fun recognizing a variety of sounds that are common in homes (doorbell, telephone, washing machine, etc.).
  - Fill a box with items found in homes (toothbrush, pencil, comb, etc.). Children can touch them without looking at them and try to identify them.

Kitchen:

• Bake a cake with your group, just like a family.
• Prepare cookies in a jar with your group and send the jars home so children can bake cookies with their family.

LANGUAGE ACTIVITIES

The flashcards may be used during circle time to spark a conversation with the group or in your reading and writing area. They may also be used to identify your thematic bins. (Open word flashcards-Twins) (Open giant word flashcards-Twins) Twin boys, twin girls, triplets, quadruplets, same, double, family, mirror, pair, identical, two, similar

Picture clue story-Twins
(Open picture clue story-Twins) Print. Sit in a circle with your group. Begin reading the story. Every time you reach a picture clue, pause and wait for children to guess the missing word that is represented by the illustration.

Scene-Twins
(Open scene-Twins) Print, laminate, and cut out the items. Children may use them to decorate the scene and create stories.

ROUTINES AND TRANSITIONS

My twin path
(Open transition games-Twins) Print, laminate, and secure the illustrations on the floor using adhesive paper to create a path. The path may lead to areas children visit daily such as the bathroom, the cloakroom, etc. The illustrations may also be used to delimit your various workshops.

This is my spot-Twins
(Open transition games-Twins) Print each illustration twice. Use adhesive paper to secure one copy of each illustration on the table. Deposit the second copy of each illustration in an opaque bag and invite children to pick a card that will determine their spot at the table (corresponding illustration). The illustrations can also be used to determine children's naptime spots or their place in the task train.

My twin
During different routines (hand washing, getting dressed, bathroom, etc.) divide your group into teams of two. Each child will have his/her own twin each day. Their twin can help them during routines.

Let me tell you a story
During story time, invite children to sit with a partner. Each pair will represent twins. Encourage each child to pick a book and read it to his/her twin.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND MOTOR SKILLS

Modeling dough twins
Ask children to use modeling dough to represent twins. Use homemade modeling dough recipes from educatall.com's Creative recipes section.

Double walk
Go for a walk in your neighbourhood with your group and encourage children to look for things that exist in pairs. For example, they may see two garbage cans, two trees, etc.

Twin treasure hunt
Hide several items throughout your yard (or daycare). Hide several Fun Foam or construction paper 2's also. Encourage children to find two items at a time and to bring them back to you along with a number 2.

Twin fishing game
Stick pictures of twins on the tops of frozen juice cans. Set them in your kiddie pool or in a large bin. Make your own fishing rod by attaching a magnet to the end of a stick. Invite children to fish for twins.

Twin race
(Open games-Twins) Print and cut out the pairs. Hide them within your daycare. When you give the signal, children search for the illustrations. When a child finds twins, grant him a special privilege.

Twin steps
Enjoy rhythmic games by asking children to complete sets of two movements. For example, they can shuffle to the right two times, take two steps back, hop forward two times, etc.

Like my twin
Place children two by two. Children stand, facing their partner and take turns adopting a unique posture that their partner must imitate.

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

Twin races
Organize twin-themed races. For example, organize relay races, an obstacle race, etc. Create pairs of "pretend twins" and encourage children to work together.

COGNITIVE ACTIVITIES

Educ-pairs-Twins
(Open educ-pairs-Twins) Print. Children must draw a line between identical items or color them using the same color. For durable, eco-friendly use, laminate and use dry-erase markers.

Educa-symmetry-Twins
(Educa-symmetry-Twins) Print. Children must color the picture on the bottom to make it look exactly like the picture on the top.

Color the twin
(Open color the twin) Print for each child. Children look at the color-filled image and color the black and white image to make them identical.

Twin constructions
Give each child the same set of items (one block, one box, one toy car, one food item, etc.). Give verbal instructions to test children's knowledge of spatial concepts. For example, you may ask them to place the block in front of them and set the box next to the block, etc. At the end of the activity, compare children's constructions to see if they are identical.

Twin shape series
(Open twin shape series) Print and laminate. Cut out the shapes. Give each child a twin shape series they must reproduce using the tiny shapes.

Sensory bag
Fill an opaque bag with several sets of identical items (two combs, two blocks, etc.). Children insert their hands in the bag and pull out an item. After observing it, they must try to find the matching item by inserting their hands in the bag once again and feeling the objects one by one.

Find the twin
(Open Let's find the twin) Print for each child. Children look at the first boy or girl and then search for his/her twin in the series.

Complete the twins
(Open complete the twins) Print for each child. Laminate for use with a dry-erase marker. Children look at the first twin and draw the missing parts to complete the other twins.

MORAL AND SOCIAL ACTIVITIES

Dress-up dolls-Twins
(Open dress-up dolls-Twins) Print and laminate. Set the various parts on a table and let children dress the dolls as they wish.

Twin visitors
Invite twins from another group or twins you know to visit your group.

Creating a twin book
Photocopy pictures provided by children or use pictures parents have given you. Cut them and glue them on 10 cm x 13 cm paper. Slide the pictures in sandwich Ziploc bags, arranging two pictures back to back in each bag. Staple the bags together, at the closed end so you can open them if necessary. Use colourful adhesive tape to cover the staples. Join each child's pictures to form a family photo book. Set the photo albums in your reading corner.

Twin teams
Select a few board games and encourage children to play two by two.

Identical clothing
Divide your group into teams of two children. Provide makeup and a costume bin. Invite each pair of children to dress and paint their face the same way. When they are done, organize a twin parade.

CULINARY ACTIVITIES

Twin skewers
Arrange a variety of fruit and cheese cubes in a large plate. Slide several items on a skewer and encourage children to create an identical skewer. When they have succeeded, let them eat the fruit and cheese as a snack.

Colourful Froot Loops
Give each child a bowl of Froot Loops cereal and a few clear plastic drinking glasses. Before eating the cereal, have children sort the cereal pieces by color.

ARTS & CRAFTS

Twin craft
(Open craft-Twins) Print for each child. Give each child a series of items. Present a model and ask them to reproduce it.

Identical color craft
Give each child a piece of construction paper of a different color. Ask them to create something using only this color.

Puppets-Twins
(Open puppets-Twins) Print the various models on cardboard. Ask children to cut them out and decorate them with arts & crafts materials. Glue a Popsicle stick behind each one to complete the puppets.

Models-Twins
(Open models-Twins) Print the models and use them for your various activities and projects throughout the theme.

COLORING PAGES

(Open coloring pages theme-Twins) Print for each child.

SONGS & RHYMES

(Open songs & rhymes-Twins)

Twins

By: Patricia Morrison

1 and 2
Who is who?

Same look
Same clothes
You must be twins

1 and 2
Who is who?

Have fun

The Educatall team