Spiders are a high-interest theme at any time of year. They can be a good theme for children who are frightened of spiders, and they can be a good theme for spider lovers. They fit well with a study of animals … perfect for differentiating between arachnids and insects. And they’re an especially good theme for Halloween.
Montessori-Inspired Printables at Living Montessori Now
My daughter, Christina (a former Montessori child), and I are partnering to bring you a series of Montessori-inspired printables. The printables are typically themed and use a number of Montessori principles (although you don’t need to be a Montessori teacher or homeschooler to use them):
- They use isolation of quality.
- They use photographs or realistic images to emphasize reality. Whenever I can, I’ll tell you the name of the object or animal featured. If you look at the credits pages, you’ll notice the tarantula is a Mexican redknee tarantula, and the spider is a jumping spider. Yes, a tarantula is a spider, too, but we gave it a separate printable because it’s so distinctive (and perfect for Halloween)!
- They typically use traditional Montessori colors such as red for consonants and blue for vowels.
- They use lowercase letters, which are what we introduce letter sounds with in Montessori education. (Children tend to pick up the uppercase letters without being introduced if they’re introduced to the lowercase letter sounds.)
- They often feature themed printable versions of Montessori materials.
Free Tarantula Do-a-Dot Printable for the Letter T and Free Spider Do-a-Dot Printable for the Letter S
To download tarantula do-a-dot printable, click here and then click on the file image in the upper right corner of the PDF to save to your computer (just choose where you want it saved).
To download spider do-a-dot printable, click here and then click on the file image in the upper right corner of the PDF to save to your computer (just choose where you want it saved).
Montessori-Inspired Activities Using the Tarantula and Spider Do-a-Dot Printables
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links (at no cost to you).
Tarantula Do-a-Dot Letter T Tray with Glass Gems and Strawberry Huller
Tarantula Do-a-Dot Tray with Glass Gems and Strawberry Huller
Glass gems are always popular with preschoolers. This is a fun activity for tarantula lovers, but it’s also a fun Halloween activity. That’s why I chose the Mexican redknee tarantula with its coloring that’s perfect for Halloween.
I used a Multicraft tray with orange glass gems (to continue the Halloween theme) and a strawberry huller for an added fine-motor activity. A Bambu large condiment cup holds the gems.
You could add a tracing activity to the printable. If you laminate your printable, you can use an erasable crayon like the Melissa & Doug Learning Mat Crayons or Crayola Erasable Crayons. For a 2-year-old or other young preschooler who’s not ready to write letters, you can just leave off the crayons.
Spider Do-a-Dot Letter S Tray with Glass Gems and Strawberry Huller
Spider Do-a-Dot Tray with Glass Gems and Strawberry Huller
Using a Strawberry Huller to Place Glass Gems on Spider Do-a-Dot Page
Zoey’s a bit apprehensive about spiders, but she had fun using a strawberry huller to place black glass gems on the dots.
(Note: In case you’re wondering, Zoey’s outfit is from Gymboree!)
If you want to know how to introduce the letter sounds for t and s, check out my post on how to teach letter sounds using Montessori principles.
More Spider Posts
Free Spider Printables and Montessori-Inspired Spider Math Activities
Free Spider Printables and Montessori-Inspired Spider Activities
More Free Do-a-Dot Printables and Ideas for Using Them
I love the versatility of do-a-dot printables! If you’re doing a month-long theme, you could easily change out the type of do-a-dot activity weekly to add interest. Here are four ideas of hands-on activities for any of our do-a-dot printables from my frog do-a-dot printable post (see post for details and materials used).
(Note: the frog do-a-dot printable is available in either black or red outline.)
In last month’s post, you’ll find a free raccoon do-a-dot printable using stickers (great for a Kissing Hand unit).
I have a free ant do-a-dot printable and activity using Power Magnets.
In another post, you’ll find a free snail do-a-dot printable and activity using Do-a-Dot markers.
In another post, you’ll get a free car do-a-dot printable and see an idea for using pom poms and quick sticks with the printable.
In another do-a-dot printable post, you’ll get a free recycling do-a-dot printable and see an idea for using glass gems and toast tongs with the printable.
In another do-a-dot printable post, you’ll get a free butterfly do-a-dot printable and see an idea for using pom poms and toast tongs with the printable.
Montessori-Inspired Packs – Subscriber Freebies
And don’t miss our subscriber freebie spider pack, subscriber freebie raccoon pack, subscriber freebie ant pack, subscriber freebie snail pack, subscriber freebie car pack, subscriber freebie frog pack, subscriber freebie butterfly pack, and subscriber freebie recycling pack! You’ll get a monthly freebie with link and password if you subscribe to the Living Montessori Now weekly newsletter!
You can buy an Animal Alphabet Do-a-Dot Pack (with 26 different animals and letters) in the Living Montessori Now shop! There’s also a Healthy Food Alphabet Do-a-Dot Pack!
Free Halloween Unit Study
- Spooky Footprint Haunted House Craft from Play Dough & Popsicles
- Halloween Number Game from Adventures of Adam
- Halloween Tree | A Fall Nature Craft for Kids from FrogMom
- Halloween Movies Not Scary from iGameMom
- Monster Learning Activities for Halloween from Books and Giggles
- Halloween Board Books from The Jenny Evolution
- Halloween Read and Play from My Storytime Corner
- Free Tarantula and Spider Do-a-Dot Printables (Montessori-Inspired Instant Downloads) from Living Montessori Now
- Halloween Preschool Printables from Living life and learning
- Gross and Jiggly Halloween Jello Worms: A STEM Activity for Kids from Schooling a Monkey
- Gruesome Nibbles from Tales of Education at Home
- Halloween Phonics Worksheet -Color by Letter from Mrs. Karle’s Sight and Sound Reading
- Pumpkin fairy house from The Usual Mayhem
- Halloween Chemistry Ideas from Planet Smarty Pants
HALLOWEEN POSTS AT LIVING MONTESSORI NOW + HALLOWEEN PINTEREST BOARD
- Montessori-Inspired Pumpkin Activities
- Homeschool Halloween
- Montessori-Inspired Pumpkin Unit
- 25+ Montessori-Inspired Halloween Activities
- Halloween Grace and Courtesy
- Montessori-Inspired Friendly Ghost Activities
- Montessori-Inspired Halloween Activities
- Montessori-Inspired Skeleton Activities
- Free Spider Printables and Montessori-Inspired Spider Activities
- 20 Pumpkin Phonics Activities
- Free Halloween Songs and Rhymes for Circle Time
- Halloween Activities for Montessori-Inspired Themes and Parties
- Montessori-Inspired Pumpkin Hammering for Toddlers
- 20+ Pumpkin Hammering Activities for Preschooler
- Free Skeleton Printables and Montessori-Inspired Skeleton Activities
- Free Spider Printables and Montessori-Inspired Spider Math Activities
- Kids’ Halloween Activities Pinterest Board
Learn more about my eBook Montessori at Home or School: How to. Teach Grace and Courtesy! I’m also one of the coauthors of the book Learn with Play – 150+ Activities for Year-round Fun & Learning!
If this is your first time visiting Living Montessori Now, welcome! If you haven’t already, please join us on our Living Montessori Now Facebook pagewhere you’ll find a Free Printable of the Day and lots of inspiration and ideas for parenting and teaching! And please follow me on Pinterest (lots of Montessori-, holiday-, and theme-related boards), Twitter (blog posts by me and others along with the Parent/Teacher Daily and other interesting information), and Google+ (post updates). You can find me on bloglovin’,Instagram, and YouTube now, too. And don’t forget one of the best ways to follow me by signing up for my weekly newsletter in the right sidebar. You’ll get two awesome freebies (and a monthly subscriber freebie) in the process!
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Love the different varieties you have available.
You do a dot pages are great! Thank you for sharing.