Tot Trays for Valentines

okay, so this whole Tot School thing had me a little overwhelmed.  However, once my Tot Trays came if from Oriental Trading, it was like the light bulb went off.  My brain was able to start making all the connections I needed it to, organization was beginning to make sense, and this whole Tot School thing for this non EC teacher now seems possible.

Tot Trays are basically "Centers" for the toddler classroom,  When creating these trays, I am trying to ask myself something similar to what I did for my elementary kids:  What skill or fun activity is it that I want my child to learn or enjoy doing?

Theme: Valentines
Skill: Coordination/ Fine motor skills/ Beginning to recognize patterns

So here are the Tot Trays for this week to help with those skills!  All of these were borrowed from pinterest, and other moms who have already blazed the Tot Tray Trail!  (nice alliteration there huh?)

Thank you moms for sharing all those awesome ideas!  I will be sure to link to specific blogs I have visited and gained information from. Thank you for making  your things available on pinterest.  Lord knows, I have been blessed by y'all and that website.

I love these trays! The green one had a Valentine suncatcher activity on it that you can not see here.
Suncatcher idea found at Building our Story.

Those crazy rings looked so cool under the rice when they were being lit up!  This is the 3rd round for the sensory box this week...and I must say, a better success than cheerios!

Pattern matching, but this was WAY TOO MUCH for Sweet Pea right now.  I am definitely saving it for later.
Found on the Love Tot Pack from 1+1+1=1

Place the hearts into the cup and make her own shaker!

Scoop the puffs into the tray.  

Matching the ones in the container to the ones taped on the tray.
Found on the Love Tot Pack from 1+1+1=1

Chenille stems through a colander.  This is her favorite so far..
Found on Itty Bitty Love  

Sweet Pea is 18 months, and I have had to modify a few things here and there with these trays since taking these pictures.  But overall, they have been great!  It's so nice to have an activity all ready to go that she and I can enjoy together; one that is challenging and teaching her, and something I made for her mostly from things around the house or that I could make easily.

These Tot Trays will stay throughout the week and may stay through the next 2 weeks with a little modification here and there.  I'll keep y'all posted :)