"Special Delivery"

I am super-excited to see how the children like this activity as this is the first year I've had it out.  I think it will be really really fun for them.  My inspiration for creating this work was this tutorial over at The Crafting Chicks.  When I saw their adorable felt envelopes I immediately thought, "How cute and fun would it be to make one of these for the classroom so the children could deliver valentines to each other using the special mail bag?"  So.......this past weekend I whipped it together.  I used my sewing machine and sewed white ric-rac right onto the bag at the same time I was sewing the pieces together.  I used a long piece of ric-rac for the should strap too.  The pink heart on the flap was sewn on partly as decoration and partly to cover up the stitching from the Velcro I sewed on to fasten the flap closed.  (NOTE:  If you don't have access to a sewing machine, I am pretty sure this would work equally well using hot glue.  In fact, I think that's how it is shown in the tutorial.)

To do this "special delivery" work, the child takes the "mail tray" from the shelf.  You can see this tray below.  I printed and laminated 2 sets of "love mail" cards (8 cards in all).  The download for these cards is available in the tutorial I linked to above.  I placed these on the tray along with a dry-erase marker and piece of felt (for erasing) and a basket of photo cards of the children.  We use these namecards each day as placecards for snack time.  They have a photo of the child with their first name printed below.  You can see that in the second photo.

 

 

The child chooses who they would like to make a valentine for and writes the name of that child after the "to:" using the dry-erase marker.  Then they sign their own name after the "love:". 

 

Next, they go fetch the "mail bag" which is hanging from a hook near our line area. 

 

They slip their card into the mail bag as shown below.  Finally, they are ready to deliver their mail to the recipient.  They will practice using their grace and courtesy skills as they say, "Happy Valentine's Day" to their friend.  The friend will then reply, "Thank you."  The recipient of the card then returns the card to the "mail tray", first using the felt square to erase the names so the card can be "recycled" for use by another child.  The "mail carrier" returns the mail bag to the hook and the "mail tray" to the shelf.

 

 

Comments

[Laura]

Wow! That is so nice to hear. Thanks for taking the time to write and share with me.
Laura

To: directress@live.com

[Heather]

I found your blog while looking for Montessori activities for my 3 year old to do at home, and LOVE it. I read through TONS of old posts and got so many ideas for my son and ideas I can use or adapt to use in my classroom. I teach 1st and 2nd grade in public school and I've been very interested in Montessori education for the last year. I try to incorporate as much time to explore learning independently as I can while teaching in a regular public school and my students LOVE it. They are so interested and engrossed in their learning. I'm so excited I found this blog. THANKS!!!!!

[alljoinin1]

I love the valentines activities I have given a link on my blog to these, thank you http://alljoinin.blogspot.com/2011/02/five-favourite-valentines-blogs.html

[Gigi]

Super cute bag! Just lovely!

[Claire]

I would love to know if you run into the "problem" of some children NOT getting a special delivery? If that's an issue, if they notice or not, etc. Many thanks!

[Anupama Jagadeesh]

Love this idea! I should tweak this idea a little bit for our home school.

I love your blog. I use a lot of your ideas for our schooling. Many thanks to you for all the effort you put into your posts!

[Julia]

I love this -- we are doing the same except when they choose this activity they decide who they would like to make a card for and then on the other side they can draw a picture. When finished they will put the card in this recipients pocket to take home. I like the cards you chose from the tutorial better than the ones I made so I'm off to print them!!!!