Healthy Kids Activities - Teeth #3

Today was all about the why.

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Why are teeth important?

Teeth bite and chew food so that it is small enough to be swallowed.

Teeth help you to form words so that you can speak properly.

Your first teeth are called deciduous teeth (dee-sid-you-us)
	They are called deciduous because like the leaves of a deciduous tree you lose them.
	You have 20 deciduous teeth and they start growing into your mouth from about 6 months of age.
	All 20 teeth have grown into your mouth by about two and a half years of age.
	From about 6 years of age until 12 years of age you start to lose them, BUT that doesn't mean you don't have to look after them.
	They are there to keep a space for your second lot of teeth (like saving a seat for someone – if they don't save the place the second teeth can't fit very well!). Your second teeth are called permanent teeth You will have 32 permanent teeth. They are called permanent teeth because if you look after them you can have them for all of your life. They begin growing through your gums from about 6 years and all 32 have finished growing into your mouth by about 18 – 25 years. The permanent teeth push out your deciduous teeth as they grow into your mouth. ******************************************************** Now to our Activity!  Different teeth do different jobs. Incisors (in-si-zors) are for cutting. Canines (cay-nines) are for tearing. Molars and pre-molars (say mow-lers) grind up food until it's small enough to swallow. Each type of tooth has a special shape so that it can do its job. Print THIS chart I drew what I thought to be each shape of the tooth. Then we made a chart and counted how many of each tooth we all had. This took about 10 minutes because they had mirrors and were really making sure thats what was in their mouth. Then you need to get an orange. Peel it and put one slice into each bag.  I have 2 kids so each kid got 3 slices, so 3 bags each. Give them a plastic spoon and tell them that is their teeth. so... Inscisor Cuts, so cut the orange with the "tooth" spoon. Next up Canine tears, so tear with "tooth" spoon or hands on the next bag. Then the Molar, which grinds and mashes, so use the "tooth" spoon to do it with the next bag. We were very into this activity. when we were done, we tried to eat orange slices only using our back teeth, then front teeth, then canines. Be careful, lots of juice drips from their mouths as they laugh from not being able to do it!  Hehehehe.

Healthy Kids Activities - Teeth #2

Today before we get into what types of teeth there are (that is for tomorrow) we talked about how many teeth we have.  I explained how many there when we are little, and when they fall out how many permenant teeth there will be.  

I let the kids count my teeth, and it tickled but they thought it was so cool.

Then we played a game that involved counting and teeth! :) Well marshmallow teeth :)

Here is the game its called SET OF TEETH

Print your own game and play it with your kids. I would say its for 2 and up. You have to know how to count so if you have an incredibly advanced 1 year old, go ahead and try it!

You need a copy of the game for each player, a die, and marshmallows.

The number you roll is the number of marshies you put on the circle.

If you knew me you would know that my son is more like me and my daughter is like no one else...notice the marshmallow placement.

The first to 32 teeth wins!

Then count how many you can fit into your mouth at one time. 

This step is optional.

Healthy Kids Activities - Teeth #1

This month is Healthy Kids Month in my house, so I thought I would post everything I am doing so you can do it too!  If you have any ideas you would like to share please email me at valeriewitte@yahoo.com and I will try and post those too.

This week is Teeth Week.

My kids love to brush, do yours?  I let them brush themselves in the morning while I sing the ABC's AND Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.  At night me or my husband brush their teeth while we sing 2 Primary Songs of their choice. I have to say that our method works because every time we go to the dentist (feb and august) our kids get great reports and never have cavities (knock on wood)

Today to kick start our Teeth Week we read some books from the Library.  There isn't much out there but
ABC Dentist is a good one because it goes through the different parts of the teeth and the different parts of going to the Dentist.  The kids liked this because they already knew most of the words! I also really liked All About Teeth and Do I have to Go to the Dentist?

Then I printed these coloring pages from the internet...

Single Tooth       Lots of Teeth

This was just an introduction, but we worked on reading and coloring for a full hour!

Earth Day Activity #5 - Earth Cups

We have been talking and studying about the Earth all of the week, so today we let loose and made a cool snack.

You need oreos, chocolate pudding, dixie cups, gummy worms and kids.

Put the oreos in a bag and let the kids get creative on crushing them, spoons fists, whatever you like...

Then put the pudding in the cup and tell them it is mud...let them inspect...

Next add the dirt...(oreos)

Then add the worms!

Now dig in!  haha Dig into the Earth!

That's it! Something fun to eat on our 3rd day of rain! The kids loved it and it was EASY

Earth Day Activity #4 - Nature Collecting

So since today is Earth day we gathered and collected data to observe and classify at home.  We also talked about what those words meant, it was a science day! :")

They were allowed to collect 10 things in their basket.

L spotted these,she wanted 10 but I convinced her that there was more out there!

The girls had fun running and laughing.

We talked about the changing of the colors and leaves growing too.

Then we pulled out the magnifying glass and took a look.

A really good look. And then made a chart of what was living and not living, and what was a plant and what was not.  It was really fun to see them determine what was what.

I love these magnifying glasses.

Then when they were done "learning" they got to build structures with their collected stuff.

Go on go hunt, go hug a tree and tell me all about it!

Earth Day Activity #3 - Bird Feeders

This one was all CC, she taught the lesson AND provided the activity!  We all met together for FHE and the kids had a fun time just being together!

The lesson was on Birds and why we need them and why we are thankful for them!

The kids were listening so well.

Then it was time to cover the pinecones with peanut butter

Then add seed to the butter...

Then the next morning we hung them up!

Tada!

Super cute and the birds have already been at them this morning!