Letter M Activities and Craft Ideas
Bean Maze
Supplies: Pinto beans, construction paper, and glue.
Directions: Create a maze with the beans and then glue them down. The reason I use beans for this project is that my kids understood the maze concept better using something that was three dimensional. You can even create a little story that goes along with the maze that they are creating. We used little people to navigate the maze.
Send Someone Mail
Supplies: Paper, envelope, a stamp, and crayons.
Directions: My kids love sending and receiving mail, so this project is great fun for them. All you have to do is have your child draw a picture for someone, address it for them, and let them stamp it and put it in the mailbox. Sometimes I just address the envelope to them or each other, then they receive their pictures back in a couple of days. They are so excited to get mail of their own, even though they know that it is the same envelope that they mailed a few days before. They pretend it is from friends in far away places. It's a great lesson in how the mail works.
Create a Mask
Supplies: Child's Mask Template, heavy construction paper (we recycled an old file folder), yarn or ribbon, things to decorate it like feathers, sequins, glitter, markers, etc.
Directions: Trace the template onto a piece of cardboard or heavy paper to test it for size against your child. Once the size is right, trace it onto the construction paper and cut it out. Decorate the mask however you want. Staple, glue, or tape the yarn onto the sides of the mask so that it can be tied at the back of the head.
Monkey Mask
Print out one of the mask templates (color mask or black and white). Color the mask (if using black and white) and cut out around the monkey head. A parent should do the eyes because it is a little difficult for children. To make it a mask, simply glue a craft stick onto one side of the mask or staple an elastic string to both sides so that child can wear it hands free.
Mouse Headband
Supplies: Gray and pink construction paper, stapler, glue, .
Directions: Cut a 2 inch wide headband out of the gray construction paper and fit it around your child's head. Staple it. Cut out two circles about 3-4 inches in diameter of gray construction paper for the ears. Cut out two tear drop shapes of pink to fit inside the gray ears. Glue the pink onto the gray. Staple or glue the ears onto back of the headband. Glue the small black pom pom onto the white pom pom, and glue the white pom pom onto the front of the headband for the mouse's nose. You can draw wiskers and eyes if you want or you can glue on large wiggle eyes to finish the mouse's face. Cut a tail out of the gray paper and staple it on the back of the headband between the ears. (You can also use a piece of string or yarn for the tail.) My kids thought it was very funny to have a mouse sitting on their heads!
Mouse Tails
Cut out simple mouse body outline from coloured paper and length of wool for tail. Stick tail onto mouse body with sticky tape. Excellent way to talk about LONG and SHORT tails. ~ Submitted Anonymously
Printable M
Use this template to make other letter crafts or simply use it to color.
"M" Songs
5 Little Monkeys
5 little Monkeys
Sitting in the tree.
Teasing Mr. Alligator,
"You can't catch me!"
"You can't catch me!"
Along comes Mr. Alligator
Quiet as can be…
SNAP! that monkey right out of that tree!
4 little Monkeys
Sitting in the tree.
Teasing Mr. Alligator,
"You can't catch me!"
"You can't catch me!"
Along comes Mr. Alligator
Quiet as can be…
SNAP! that monkey right out of that tree!
3 little Monkeys
Sitting in the tree.
Teasing Mr. Alligator,
"You can't catch me!"
"You can't catch me!"
Along comes Mr. Alligator
Quiet as can be…
SNAP! that monkey right out of that tree!
2 little Monkeys
Sitting in the tree.
Teasing Mr. Alligator,
"You can't catch me!"
"You can't catch me!"
Along comes Mr. Alligator
Quiet as can be…
SNAP! that monkey right out of that tree!
1 little Monkeys
Sitting in the tree.
Teasing Mr. Alligator,
"You can't catch me!"
"You can't catch me!"
Along comes Mr. Alligator
Quiet as can be…
SNAP! that monkey right out of that tree!
No little Monkeys
Sitting in the tree.
Away swimming Mr. Alligator
As full as can be.
Mary Had A Little Lamb
Mary had a little lamb,
Little lamb, little lamb.
Mary had a little lamb
Whose fleece as white as snow.
And everywhere that Mary went,
Mary went, Mary went,
Everywhere that Mary went
The lamb was sure to go!
It followed her to school one day,
School one day, school one day,
It followed her to school one day
which was against the rules.
It made the children laugh and play,
Laugh and play, laugh and play,
It made the children laugh and play,
To see a lamb at school.
The Muffin Man
Do you know the muffin man
The muffin man, the muffin man
Do you know the muffing man
Who lives on Drury Lane?
Yes, I know the muffin man,
The muffin man, the muffin man
Yes I know the muffin man,
Who lives on Drury Lane
Three Blind Mice
Three blind mice, three blind mice,
See how they run, see how they run,
They all ran after the farmers wife.
She cut off their tails with a carving knife.
Did you ever see such a sight in your life,
As three blind mice.
"M" Recipes
Alphabet Pasta - Prepare any kind of alphabet soup, or other pasta dish and then have fun picking out all the M's. (We like the Spagettios A to Z's) You can do this with any letter.
"Muffin Man" Muffins and Milk
Prepare any type of muffin mix (or from scratch if you like) and follow the cooking directions. The kids will be excited to cook "Muffin Man" muffins, and you can sing the song while you're preparing them. (My son calls me "The Muffin Man Mom" everytime I bake anything and usually puts on his play apron to "help" me.) When they are all cooked and cool enough to eat, serve up your "Muffin Man Muffins" with a glass of Milk.
Monkey Treats
Slice a banana up into bite size slices and put a little bit of peanut butter on top of each slice. Serve them up on a plate for your little monkeys.
Moose Munch
Moose Munch can be anything you like. When I make it, I just pop some popcorn and mix it with other things that the kids like. You can use M & M's, nuts, pretzels, etc. Put it into baggies and the kids will think it is real Moose Munch. (If you want to try some grown-up Moose Munch, you have got to try Harry and David's Moose Munch. I have an outlet by my house and found it when I was pregnant with my third. Trust me, you will not be able to put it down!)
"M" Books
EVERYONE has some type of ABC book out on the market, but these are the tried and true books that my kids like.
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom - I believe that this story was single handedly responsible for teaching my son his letters. He was hooked on this book the first time I read it to him and he never gets tired of it. I started out by pointing to the letters as I read it to him, now he points them out to me!
My First Phonics Book - My daughter loves to read this book before bed. It has helped her to get excited about words and their beginning letters.
B is for Books! - you just can't go wrong with Sesame Street!
Dr. Seuss' A B C - I love Dr. Seuss books because they keep the kid's attention. Not always an easy task!
My First ABC Book - My two year old son has this book and absolutely loves it! He makes me read it to him over and over and over and over!
More Great "M" Books
Goodnight Moon - This is a classic! This book might be a great way to end your "M" day.
M Is for Monster (Monsters, Inc.) - My kids can't get enough of Monsters, Inc. My son is also at the stage that he is sure there is a monster in his closet at night. He really thinks this book is funny and it ties right in with the "M" theme.
When Mommy Was Mad - I love this book!
My Book About Me, by Me Myself - If your child is a little bit older (My son was almost three when we got a copy of this for him and my oldest.) then they will love this book. When you get it all done, they will want you to read it to them over and over again... then put it away for safe-keeping.
"M" Play
There are probably dozens of free-play things kids can do that will encourage them to think about "M". They can practice Molding playdough, play a Marching game, play with magnets (Geomag's are great!
), play marbles (If they are older), make mudpies (If you don't mind the mess), etc. I think you get the idea. Remember, the more you can immerse them in the "M" theme, the better chance you have that they will remember the letter, it's sound, and words that start with "M."
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