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
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
Montessori-Inspired Packs – Subscriber Freebies
Don’t miss our themed monthly packs! You’ll get the link and password for the Living Montessori Now subscriber library with the current pack and all the past monthly packs if you subscribe to the Living Montessori Now weekly newsletter!
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).
Just click on an image to go to the post with the related free printable!
Note: I’ve arranged the following gallery in alphabetical order, although some posts have two do-a-dot printables (and two different letters). Also, I don’t introduce letters in alphabetical order. You can find out the order in which I introduce letter sounds here. I deviate from that order for our unit studies, though, and focus on a letter that’s simply related to our unit. That’s in addition to our other letter work.
You can see all our free do-a-dot printables with the latest at the top here.
Learn more about my eBook Montessori at Home or School: How to. Teach Grace and Courtesy!
The Montessori at Home! eBook and Montessori at Home! eBook and Materials Bundle are AMAZING resources! You can learn more about them here. Buy them in the Living Montessori Now shop.
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Love the different varieties you have available.
You do a dot pages are great! Thank you for sharing.