Such a fun, adorable idea from this week’s Creative Kids guest blogger, Lauren from Sophie’s Nursery.
This super “Peek-A-Boo Family Tree” is a delightful game for young children who are learning their family & friends names & love games of Peek-A-Boo! The tree is made so photographs of your family & friends under the apple ‘peek-a-boo’ flaps can be moved around keeping your little ones interested & extending their learning whilst having fun!
WHAT YOU NEED
- Stiff card = 1 x A3 green, 1 x A4 red & 1 x A4 brown (or white card & print/colour in shapes);
- Pencil
- Scissors
- Double sided tape / glue / sticky tabs
- Passport sized photos of family / friends
- 2 plastic ring binder pockets
- Thick card to strengthen tree.
- Optional – laminator & pockets
ADULT PREP
Download the instructions & templates here.
You can create lots of variations of this tree, for example you could vary the ‘peek-a-boo’ flaps so instead of apples you could use oranges, acorns or leaves. You could create a different shaped tree or even make your very own woodland with a set of trees each having photos of different family groups, friends or favourite toy families (e.g. Peppa Pig)!
HOW TO PLAY & LEARN WITH THE PEEK-A-BOO FAMILY TREE
Once made let your little one explore the family tree and show them how it works. Depending on their age & development you could for example:
- Ask your child to lift a flap and find a photograph. Say the person’s name clearly. If they are able, see if they can say the name back to you
- Get your child to lift the flap & independently say the names of the people they recognise
- Say a name of a certain family member & ask your child to find them under the flap
- See if your child can pair or group family members/friends together e.g. mummy & daddy, grandma & grandpa, siblings or sets of friends
- Print two sets of photos. Place one set under the ‘peek-a-boo’ flaps. See if your child can match the identical photos in both sets
- Use small sticky notes to write the names of family & friends to place on the flaps to help older pre-schoolers to start recognising letters & names
Remember – all children develop at their own pace. Keep it fun & relaxed you will still be giving them a developmental helping hand (see below).
EDUCATIONAL EDGE
What are you helping your little one to do? (all linked to/taken from the Early Years Framework)
- Make strong relationships with my special grown-ups.
- Recognising my special grown-ups.
- Copying & learning new sounds & words (or familiar names / words for older children)
- Understanding new words by pointing at what you are saying.
- Recognising written words that are special to me.
- Learning about & understanding the immediate world around me.
Enjoy some quality family bonding!
Blogger Bio
My name is Lauren and I am the creator of Sophie’s Nursery. I am 30 something year old mummy to the most amazing, funny and LOUD toddler, Sophie. She is the reason I started my blog – to share her craziness, cuteness and – most importantly – her inquisitiveness. I am an experienced teacher who loves creating imaginative and sensory play with my little one and turning my living room into a ‘nursery’ (hence my blog’s name)!
The original version of this post can be found here. For more from Sophie’s Nursery make sure you follow these links on on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest & Instagram
Have you done a creative project with your kids that you’d like to share? Do you have a brilliant messy play task? If you’d like to write a guest blog post around getting arty, crafty or messy with kids please email me at butterflymum83@gmail.com. Find out more about the series here. 
