This post is about a new free butterfly matching Montessori inspired PDF printable in our free emember area. Letter matching (spelling) and color matching activities are included. To join, click on this link. Free area printables are always free.
I was so intrigued by Toobs animals and realistic objects that I was seeing on Pinterest that my husband bought me a butterfly Toobs (non-affiliate link). I noticed the answer keys on Deb Chitwood’s Living Montessori Now post about Toobs. Well, actually I noticed it after thinking I could figure out the butterfly names (I couldn’t figure them all out) and also found incorrect lists online for the product. I learn the hard way, I guess, so from now on I’ll just go to Deb’s page. Safari Ltd. provides her with free answer keys. I’ll save time the next time!
So my idea was that children LOVE to use magnifying glasses and there are few real, authentic opportunities to do so. The names on the butterflies were so small I had to get a magnifying lens, and realized children would like to do so, also. First, some exploration is needed as the children will be curious about what is in the kit. Different strengths of lenses would be fun for them to try.
Then I remembered many children love to learn big words and scientific names for things so I thought of a letter matching activity. Now, this is not for a spelling test, just fun matching for the butterfly names. So I thought of using the letter tiles, too.
It is easy to get confused when trying to match the longer words, though, so first I though each letter should have a marker. This makes it easier to match the letters to spell the words. The children can select the number of markers, or use the spaces already prepared for them in my free printout. This printable is in our always free emember area which is free to join.
This is a photo of the work partly completed with some of the letters selected.
And finally the entire butterfly’s name, Evenus Regalis.
The printable also has simple color matching cards for several colors of butterflies.
Butterfly Matching
Instructions are included and the entire PDF is 28 pages so teachers and parents may select which pages are desired for their students or children.
What can you do if this Toobs ins’t available? Try this idea. To just use the matching page which is included in the printable with younger children, print two copies of the butterfly page. Cut the butterflies out of one of the pages and leave the other page intact for a matching work mat. Laminate the butterflies in a pouch and then cut the butterflies out. This could also be done with many other such matching pages.
Below is a link to the Toobs product I purchased myself. We bought the butterfly Toobs at a campground in northern Minnesota. It was my first Toobs set.
Thank you for reading, Carolyn
