Monday, October 24, 2011
outdoor color hunt
My 12 year old daughter heard this idea and thought it would be fun to do with her little sister, so we thought we'd try it. My 3 year old and I got an empty egg carton and colored the inside bottom (where the egg goes) with different colors. Keep in mind that green and brown are going to be the easiest so we did those colors more than once. Then I sent her outside with her brother and sister who helped her look all around the yard for something to go into each egg spot that matched it's color. It was a great activity! Not only was she matching colors, she was happily playing outside with her siblings for awhile! She was so proud to bring it back full and show me all the treasures they found. Definitely one we will have to play again!
Friday, October 14, 2011
Activity Check
Today we did the milk jug buckets. My 1 year old loved it! Although it didn't keep her busy for as long all at once as I had hoped, she did go back to it multiple times through out the day. It was definite winner, especially for something that cost nothing and was simple to prepare! (just an old washed out milk jug with a hole cut out) Mom's favorite part- if it gets ruined, or if she gets to tired of it, we can throw it away and make a new one another time!
Thursday, October 13, 2011
ideas I want to try
I ran across this blog yesterday where the stay at home dad was trying to try a new fun thing everyday with his little one. (http://randsco.com/index.php/2005/02/15/p72) These are the ones I thought might be worth a try at our house.I'll let you know how it goes!
"Milk Jug Bucket" - I rinsed out the plastic jug and cut a hole in the upper portion, leaving the spout, handle & lid intact. The opening was large enough to allow some objects through, but only to a certain size. (She stuffed it full of giant legos, then hauled it around the house with her all morning. I emptied it for her, when it was time to put the legos away, so she can start all over again tomorrow)
"Floor Art" - We took a 3-foot by 3-foot piece of paper and taped it to the kitchen floor. Then I gave Alex a bunch of crayons and let her draw all over the paper and the floor. (She was pretty good about the latter, but needed some encouragement with the former). She doesn't quite grasp the whole "drawing" thing, yet, so dad had to lend a hand (and drew a very nice picture, by the way)! It stayed on the floor for a few days, as we all admired dad's handiwork and Alex's scribbles. Michaelangelo may have had the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, but Alex had the floor of the kitchen!
"Sink Play" - Alex loves water (and water loves Alex). We got this idea from Alex's Gran. We let Alex stand on a chair and fill the kitchen sink a third full of water. Then, we give her various kitchen tools - that she's seen us use - and let her explore their interaction with water. She fills, pours and refills ... she stirs, pokes and floats the tools. (Of course, we have to remind her that the water is supposed to "stay in the sink" and she has a tendency to get the front of her clothes wet, but hey ... she's has fun and plays contentedly for an hour, if we let her get her fingers all 'pruney'!
Poker Chip Piggy Bank - Clean and rinse out a used, plastic butter (or margarine) tub and cut a slit in the lid, like a "piggy bank". Give your toddler some poker chips and show them how to put the chips in the tub. (Sometimes, when our 18-month-old son is finished putting all the chips into the bucket, he'll push it around the house, because he hasn't figured out how to open the container yet. He loves this activity!).
"Sheet, A Fort!" - She took some living room furniture, re-arranged it a bit, then hung sheets off of it to make a cotton fort.
"Balloon Stick" - It's kind of a spin on a ball and paddle. I tied a bunch of rubber bands together, until I had about a foot's worth. Then I blew up a birthday balloon and tied it off at one end. I attached the other end to a 10-inch-long colored stick & gave it to Alex, to explore 'bouncing'.
"Milk Jug Bucket" - I rinsed out the plastic jug and cut a hole in the upper portion, leaving the spout, handle & lid intact. The opening was large enough to allow some objects through, but only to a certain size. (She stuffed it full of giant legos, then hauled it around the house with her all morning. I emptied it for her, when it was time to put the legos away, so she can start all over again tomorrow)
"Floor Art" - We took a 3-foot by 3-foot piece of paper and taped it to the kitchen floor. Then I gave Alex a bunch of crayons and let her draw all over the paper and the floor. (She was pretty good about the latter, but needed some encouragement with the former). She doesn't quite grasp the whole "drawing" thing, yet, so dad had to lend a hand (and drew a very nice picture, by the way)! It stayed on the floor for a few days, as we all admired dad's handiwork and Alex's scribbles. Michaelangelo may have had the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, but Alex had the floor of the kitchen!
"Sink Play" - Alex loves water (and water loves Alex). We got this idea from Alex's Gran. We let Alex stand on a chair and fill the kitchen sink a third full of water. Then, we give her various kitchen tools - that she's seen us use - and let her explore their interaction with water. She fills, pours and refills ... she stirs, pokes and floats the tools. (Of course, we have to remind her that the water is supposed to "stay in the sink" and she has a tendency to get the front of her clothes wet, but hey ... she's has fun and plays contentedly for an hour, if we let her get her fingers all 'pruney'!
Poker Chip Piggy Bank - Clean and rinse out a used, plastic butter (or margarine) tub and cut a slit in the lid, like a "piggy bank". Give your toddler some poker chips and show them how to put the chips in the tub. (Sometimes, when our 18-month-old son is finished putting all the chips into the bucket, he'll push it around the house, because he hasn't figured out how to open the container yet. He loves this activity!).
"Sheet, A Fort!" - She took some living room furniture, re-arranged it a bit, then hung sheets off of it to make a cotton fort.
"Balloon Stick" - It's kind of a spin on a ball and paddle. I tied a bunch of rubber bands together, until I had about a foot's worth. Then I blew up a birthday balloon and tied it off at one end. I attached the other end to a 10-inch-long colored stick & gave it to Alex, to explore 'bouncing'.
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