I went to my local teacher supply store yesterday.  It was full of beautiful things, but wow - I have gotten to used to Target and Dollar Store type prices.  A large Dollar Tree is located in the same shopping center.  I figured I might as well check it out while I was there.  Guess who was there?  All the same teachers that I had seen browsing at the Teacher Supply moments earlier...  The clerk told us that there had been a steady stream of teachers for days.

So here are the treasures I found:

Small kid puppets.  I picked up two of the girl in the pink dress, since pink is always highly sought after by four-year-old girls.  They can always be twins!   The blue and pink boy and girl also make me think of Jack and Jill.

How cute are the bath mitts as puppets?!  I plan to bring them out when we are reading about frogs and bees.

Mirrors with stands.  I know they are not the shatterproof ones, but plan to set them up (under close supervision) when the kids are drawing self portraits during the "me" theme.  I think the kids will enjoy one side being regular and the other being magnified.

The cute little boxes I keep seeing on pinterest for sorting, counting, tic tac toe, etc.  Silly me, I thought they were some expensive Montessori materials.

http://learningwithbella.tumblr.com/

And last, but not least, sponges.  I saw this idea on Pinterest as well:

http://toddlerapproved.blogspot.com/search/label/Sponges.

At 8 sponges for a dollar (I cut each sponge into 3), I ended up with 24 pieces for a dollar. Definitely fun and budget friendly (not to mention quiet and offering unlimited open-ended play ideas).

For a grand total of 12 dollars!  Have I mentioned that I love Dollar Tree?!