Dramatic Play: Fireworks
Children love to play. Let them pretend to set off fireworks
and make all the explosion noises that go
along with them. They can pretend to set off giant or
tiny ones, whatever they want, and everyone
can get into the spirit and
wave imaginary sparklers around.
Pretzel Sparklers
Give children long pretzel rods.
Have them dip the top section in melted
white chocolate or white frosting.
Then, have them dip them into red
sugar crystals or sprinkles or other
candies on top.
They can wait until the chocolate is dry to eat
or they can eat them right away.
4th of July Strawberries!
Ingredients:
Fresh Strawberries, large and with stems
White Frosting or white chocolate
Blue Sprinkles or colored sugar
Take a large washed and dried strawberry
and hold it by the stem.
Dip the strawberry half way in melted
white chocolate.(If you don't have strawberries
with stems, use a fork to dip them into the
chocolate.)
Then quickly dip in blue sprinkles for a delicious
patriotic treat!!
Monday, June 27, 2011
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Cute Craft
Paper Plate Porthole
Supplies:
2 paper plates
Silver craft paint
8 pieces of cereal (cheerios or fruit loops)
Fish crackers
Silk plant leaves
Sea shells
Sand
White craft glue
Blue cellophane
Wax paper
Scissors
Take both paper plates and set them on the table. One should be right side up and the other should be upside down.
On the plate that is right side up, draw your sea floor about 1/3 up the center of the plate.
Line the floor area with white glue, use an old paintbrush or your finger to spread the glue out evenly.
Cover the wet glue with sand and set aside to dry.
On the upside down plate, draw a circle where you will cut out your porthole in the center of the plate.
Glue the cereal pieces around the circle; these are the bolts on the porthole. Let dry.
Paint the cereal pieces and the paper plate from the outer edge to your penciled lines. Don’t worry about painting over the lines a little, as you will be cutting it out. Set aside to dry.
Take the paper plate with the sand on it and hold it over a sheet of wax paper. Turn the plate sideways and gently tap it to loosen any excess sand. The sand should end up on the wax paper and you can save that for another project.
Glue sea life onto the plate with the sand floor. Glue on shells, silk leaves, and fish crackers. Let dry.
Take the silver painted plate and cut out the center circle to create your porthole window. Place it gently over the top of the other plate to see if you are happy with its size and viewing area. Increase size of the hole if you like.
Turn silver plate upside down.
Cut a piece of blue cellophane large enough to cover the hole on the plate and glue in place. Let dry.
Place porthole plate over the top of the sea life plate and glue together. Let dry.
You can add a hanger to the project if you like, simply glue some string or yarn between the two plates at the top during step 13.
Supplies:
2 paper plates
Silver craft paint
8 pieces of cereal (cheerios or fruit loops)
Fish crackers
Silk plant leaves
Sea shells
Sand
White craft glue
Blue cellophane
Wax paper
Scissors
Take both paper plates and set them on the table. One should be right side up and the other should be upside down.
On the plate that is right side up, draw your sea floor about 1/3 up the center of the plate.
Line the floor area with white glue, use an old paintbrush or your finger to spread the glue out evenly.
Cover the wet glue with sand and set aside to dry.
On the upside down plate, draw a circle where you will cut out your porthole in the center of the plate.
Glue the cereal pieces around the circle; these are the bolts on the porthole. Let dry.
Paint the cereal pieces and the paper plate from the outer edge to your penciled lines. Don’t worry about painting over the lines a little, as you will be cutting it out. Set aside to dry.
Take the paper plate with the sand on it and hold it over a sheet of wax paper. Turn the plate sideways and gently tap it to loosen any excess sand. The sand should end up on the wax paper and you can save that for another project.
Glue sea life onto the plate with the sand floor. Glue on shells, silk leaves, and fish crackers. Let dry.
Take the silver painted plate and cut out the center circle to create your porthole window. Place it gently over the top of the other plate to see if you are happy with its size and viewing area. Increase size of the hole if you like.
Turn silver plate upside down.
Cut a piece of blue cellophane large enough to cover the hole on the plate and glue in place. Let dry.
Place porthole plate over the top of the sea life plate and glue together. Let dry.
You can add a hanger to the project if you like, simply glue some string or yarn between the two plates at the top during step 13.
Friday, June 17, 2011
5 Tips to have the best summer ever:
1. Set aside some time every day to have fun with your children. Whether it's running through the sprinkler together on a hot afternoon or counting the stars on a blanket in the backyard before bedtime, do one thing a day to connect and have fun.
2. Institute daily reading time and biweekly library visits. Read to your kids, and have them read on their own.
3. Help your kids develop a healthy relationship with time , one that is without technology. Time is, after all, what life is made of. To help kids learn to structure their time, set up a Boredom Buster Jar. I found some great ideas at www.sugardoodle.net
4. Strictly limit technology to certain times of the day. When kids are bored and it's hot outside, screentime has a way of swallowing up all their time. It may be a good babysitter, but we all know that's not what kids need. The more you limit screen time, the better kids get at finding creative things to do with their time -- and the less they bug you to watch TV or play computer games.
5. Plan some fantastic family memories, even if you don’t have the money or time to head off on vacation. Don’t wait. The key is to get out a calendar and schedule the things you really want to do.
1. Set aside some time every day to have fun with your children. Whether it's running through the sprinkler together on a hot afternoon or counting the stars on a blanket in the backyard before bedtime, do one thing a day to connect and have fun.
2. Institute daily reading time and biweekly library visits. Read to your kids, and have them read on their own.
3. Help your kids develop a healthy relationship with time , one that is without technology. Time is, after all, what life is made of. To help kids learn to structure their time, set up a Boredom Buster Jar. I found some great ideas at www.sugardoodle.net
4. Strictly limit technology to certain times of the day. When kids are bored and it's hot outside, screentime has a way of swallowing up all their time. It may be a good babysitter, but we all know that's not what kids need. The more you limit screen time, the better kids get at finding creative things to do with their time -- and the less they bug you to watch TV or play computer games.
5. Plan some fantastic family memories, even if you don’t have the money or time to head off on vacation. Don’t wait. The key is to get out a calendar and schedule the things you really want to do.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Pass the Ice Cube
This is fun game for a hot day. We put water in a cupcake pan and froze it to make big pieces of ice. We played "Hot Potato" with ice cubes. It was really fun to see how long it took for the ice cube to melt. We did have to set up a "no throwing the ice" rule.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Father's Day Gift Idea
The Dad at our house loves snacks. One idea that we are going to do is to give him a six pack of IBC Rootbeer (his favorite) and a container of nuts with a card that says, "We are nuts about you, Pop!".
Monday, June 13, 2011
Sidewalk Chalk
Want to make your own sidewalk chalk?
What you'll need:
Aluminum foil if you are using a toilet paper tube (or petroleum jelly if you're using an ice cube tray)
Disposable plastic container
Plaster of Paris
Toilet tissue tube (or an ice cube tray to create smaller chunks for younger hands)
Duct tape
Liquid tempera paint
Water
Spoon
How to make it:
Cover one end of the toilet paper tube with duct tape. Loosely roll an 8- by-41/2-inch piece of aluminum foil and slip it into the tube so that it lines the inside, fitting snugly. (Or coat the inside of the ice cube tray with petroleum jelly.)
Set tube upright (duct tape side down) on protected surface.
In a disposable plastic container, help your child mix 1 cup plaster of Paris with 1/2 cup water. Stir slowly and thoroughly until plaster is dissolved, about 1 minute.
Immediately add 2 tablespoons paint (or more for brighter chalk color, but be careful it can stain). Mix thoroughly.
Spoon into the tube (or ice cube tray). Tap gently so mixture settles to the bottom.
Let dry overnight before using.
What you'll need:
Aluminum foil if you are using a toilet paper tube (or petroleum jelly if you're using an ice cube tray)
Disposable plastic container
Plaster of Paris
Toilet tissue tube (or an ice cube tray to create smaller chunks for younger hands)
Duct tape
Liquid tempera paint
Water
Spoon
How to make it:
Cover one end of the toilet paper tube with duct tape. Loosely roll an 8- by-41/2-inch piece of aluminum foil and slip it into the tube so that it lines the inside, fitting snugly. (Or coat the inside of the ice cube tray with petroleum jelly.)
Set tube upright (duct tape side down) on protected surface.
In a disposable plastic container, help your child mix 1 cup plaster of Paris with 1/2 cup water. Stir slowly and thoroughly until plaster is dissolved, about 1 minute.
Immediately add 2 tablespoons paint (or more for brighter chalk color, but be careful it can stain). Mix thoroughly.
Spoon into the tube (or ice cube tray). Tap gently so mixture settles to the bottom.
Let dry overnight before using.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Nature Scavenger Hunt
Who doesn't love a scavenger hunt? Get your kids outdoors this summer and "scavenging" for treasures in nature.
Things to See
•Insects, such as a butterfly, dragonfly, grasshopper, and beetle.
•A spider web.
•Leaves.
•Frogs, toads, and lizards.
•Wildflowers.
•Mushrooms.
•Find feathers or abandoned birds' nests.
Things to Collect
•Pinecones, dandelions, seeds.
•Encourage identification skills by having the kids find different types of leaves or flowers native to your area. (Look for regional field guides in your local library or on enature.com, or do an internet search for the "native plants" of your area.)
•Collect ferns, moss, pinecones, seeds, thorns, and other botanical specimens.
•Catch butterflies, capture a ladybug, dragonfly, or other insects, find a cocoon or chrysalis.
•Look for fossils, colored rocks, quartz, or flat skipping stones.
•Find a temporary "pet," such as a frog, snail, or grasshopper. (You should let them go after you've observed them.)
•Look carefully for something "camouflaged," such as a walking stick insect or a moth that blends in with its surroundings.
Things to Do
•Go wading, swim in a lake, climb a tree, go on a picnic.
•Draw a flower, make a dandelion chain, make a leaf rubbing.
•Get up early to watch the sun rise, write a description of a sunset.
•Go hiking, build a shelter, find your way with a compass.
•Look at pond water, go stargazing with binoculars or a telescope.
•Record a birdsong or other animal sounds.
•Find a chrysalis and watch a butterfly emerge from it.
•Go to the zoo and have each child find a fact about their favorite animal.
•Keep a nature journal for writing descriptions of activities and drawing pictures.
Things to Photograph
•Birds at a bird bath, birdfeeder, or bird house.
•Squirrels or other small animals.
•Animal tracks (if you have time, you can also make a plaster cast).
•Sunset or sunrise.
•Waterfall, mountain, boulder, lake, or swamp (with someone in the picture!)
•A sibling or friend doing one of the activities listed under "things to do."
•Unusual sights like a tree root curled around a rock.
•The discovery (plant, animal, landscape) that amazed you the most.
Make a Display
Encourage kids to keep a nature notebook with a record of everything they saw on their nature explorations. Their notebook can include pressed flowers and leaves, pictures they took with a disposable camera, written descriptions, drawings, and more. Let them display three-dimensional objects in a display case or keep them in their own decorated cardboard nature box. Items such as rocks can make an attractive decoration in a glass jar. Insects can be pinned and labeled to be kept either on a piece of corrugated cardboard, or in a more permanent and attractive exhibit case. After hunting all summer, they should have quite a collection!
Nature Tools
Before setting out on a nature expedition, gather a few important tools from around the house:
•Plastic bags - bring home specimens without making a mess.
•Camera - take pictures of what can't be collected with a digital or disposable camera.
•Notebook and pens or colored pencils - make notes and drawings so you can remember what you see.
•Jars - transport insects and other small critters, or use to display rocks and shells
•Snack - hunting can work up an appetite!
•Sunscreen - don't get burned.
•Baby wipes or hand sanitizer - clean up when you get grimy.
•Insect net - catch butterflies and other flying insects.
•Binoculars - observe birds and squirrels up close.
•Magnifying glass - see the intricate details on insects, flowers, leaves, and more.
•Field guides - get help identifying trees, flowers, rocks, birds, etc.
•Backpack - carry all your exploration tools conveniently.
Things to See
•Insects, such as a butterfly, dragonfly, grasshopper, and beetle.
•A spider web.
•Leaves.
•Frogs, toads, and lizards.
•Wildflowers.
•Mushrooms.
•Find feathers or abandoned birds' nests.
Things to Collect
•Pinecones, dandelions, seeds.
•Encourage identification skills by having the kids find different types of leaves or flowers native to your area. (Look for regional field guides in your local library or on enature.com, or do an internet search for the "native plants" of your area.)
•Collect ferns, moss, pinecones, seeds, thorns, and other botanical specimens.
•Catch butterflies, capture a ladybug, dragonfly, or other insects, find a cocoon or chrysalis.
•Look for fossils, colored rocks, quartz, or flat skipping stones.
•Find a temporary "pet," such as a frog, snail, or grasshopper. (You should let them go after you've observed them.)
•Look carefully for something "camouflaged," such as a walking stick insect or a moth that blends in with its surroundings.
Things to Do
•Go wading, swim in a lake, climb a tree, go on a picnic.
•Draw a flower, make a dandelion chain, make a leaf rubbing.
•Get up early to watch the sun rise, write a description of a sunset.
•Go hiking, build a shelter, find your way with a compass.
•Look at pond water, go stargazing with binoculars or a telescope.
•Record a birdsong or other animal sounds.
•Find a chrysalis and watch a butterfly emerge from it.
•Go to the zoo and have each child find a fact about their favorite animal.
•Keep a nature journal for writing descriptions of activities and drawing pictures.
Things to Photograph
•Birds at a bird bath, birdfeeder, or bird house.
•Squirrels or other small animals.
•Animal tracks (if you have time, you can also make a plaster cast).
•Sunset or sunrise.
•Waterfall, mountain, boulder, lake, or swamp (with someone in the picture!)
•A sibling or friend doing one of the activities listed under "things to do."
•Unusual sights like a tree root curled around a rock.
•The discovery (plant, animal, landscape) that amazed you the most.
Make a Display
Encourage kids to keep a nature notebook with a record of everything they saw on their nature explorations. Their notebook can include pressed flowers and leaves, pictures they took with a disposable camera, written descriptions, drawings, and more. Let them display three-dimensional objects in a display case or keep them in their own decorated cardboard nature box. Items such as rocks can make an attractive decoration in a glass jar. Insects can be pinned and labeled to be kept either on a piece of corrugated cardboard, or in a more permanent and attractive exhibit case. After hunting all summer, they should have quite a collection!
Nature Tools
Before setting out on a nature expedition, gather a few important tools from around the house:
•Plastic bags - bring home specimens without making a mess.
•Camera - take pictures of what can't be collected with a digital or disposable camera.
•Notebook and pens or colored pencils - make notes and drawings so you can remember what you see.
•Jars - transport insects and other small critters, or use to display rocks and shells
•Snack - hunting can work up an appetite!
•Sunscreen - don't get burned.
•Baby wipes or hand sanitizer - clean up when you get grimy.
•Insect net - catch butterflies and other flying insects.
•Binoculars - observe birds and squirrels up close.
•Magnifying glass - see the intricate details on insects, flowers, leaves, and more.
•Field guides - get help identifying trees, flowers, rocks, birds, etc.
•Backpack - carry all your exploration tools conveniently.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Summer Learning (click here)
Summer is a great time to help your children get a head start on learning for the next school year, or just to help them continue learning with their favorite teacher, Mom.
I just found a great website with free curriculum for all elementary age children.
Just in case my link doesn't work it is www.theheadoftheclass.com
I just found a great website with free curriculum for all elementary age children.
Just in case my link doesn't work it is www.theheadoftheclass.com
A Delicious Slice of Summer
We love watermelon and yesterday we bought some, they were only $2.
We had a picnic outside with our watermelon and we also made some picnic punch to go with our picnic. Here is the recipe for the punch.
Ingredients:
6 oz. can orange juice
1 cup sugar
1 pkg. unsweetened strawberry-flavored drink mix
4 cups lemmon-lime soda pop
Mix the orange juice according to directions. Add one cup of sugar and the pkg. of strawberry-flavored drink mix to the orange juice. Add the soda to the punch and mix well. Pour the punch into plastic baggies. Insert a straw and wrap a robber band around the top. Stand the bags in a cake pan or container. Refrigerate until ready to serve or sometimes I even put it in the freezer until it's mushy. Cut out a paper watermelon and make two horizontal slits in it. Slip a straw through it. Enjoy!
Now if you don't have any watermelon around you can still make a refreshing treat. We made ice cream watermelon wedges last week. Here is the recipe.
Ingredients:
dark brown M&M's (15-20)
2 T. melted butter
green food coloring
1 7 oz. pkg. coconut
1/2 gallon strawberry ice cream (or any flavor that is pink)
Combine butter and food coloring in a large bowl. Toss in 2 c. coconut, stirring until uniformly colored. Line 10 inch baking pan with foil. Press green coconut around edges of pan about 1 inch up. Spoon the ice cream into the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle the remaining coconut around the outside edge. Press the M&M's into the ice cream for watermelon seeds. cover and freeeze until firm. To serve, lift from pan by foil; cut into wedges.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Summer Fun!
I love summertime! I also love spending time with my children. In the summer we join the local library's reading program and make reading everyday a priority. I also read to the children everyday after lunch. Some of our favorites have been;
A Single Shard By, Linda Sue Park
Fablehaven By, Brandon Mull
The City of Ember By, Jeanne Duprau
Castle in the Attic By, Elizabeth Winthrop
The Princess Academy By, Shannon Hale
Fairest By, Gail Carson Levine
The Wide Awake Princess By, E.D. Baker
Ranger's Apprentice By, John Flanagan
The Beyonders By, Brandon Mull
We also devote each day of the week to doing something semi-educational together.
Mondays we do arts and crafts. Some great ideas are at www.familyfun.go.com (I don't know how to do links, yet).
Tuesdays we cook something fun together. Some ideas are: pita pizzas (just pizza sauce and your favorite toppings on a pita, super yummy!), chocolate cake in a mug, indoor s'mores or outdoor s'mores using our fire pit, no bake cookies, granola, trail mix, peanut butter balls, smoothies, snow cones, homemade ice cream, different kinds of popcorn, and homemade lemonade.
Wednesdays we write in our journals. We can either write whatever we want or we can pick an idea from our journal jar that is filled with tons of writing prompts.
Thursdays we do some service. In the past we have made hygiene kits, recorded videos for grandparents of all our musical talents (I use the phrase loosely), weeded for elderly friends, or drop of a care package to someone in need, or just leave something exciting on someone's doorstep.
Fridays we go on a "field trip". Mostly we end up going on a hike, but sometimes we'll go to a museum, roller skating, or to the movies.
I find that my kiddos love the structure and look forward to the fun activities. Like I said, I love summertime!!
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Pre-K Graduation
We finished up the school year with preschool graduation. Each child received a medal, diploma, and of course they were wearing their cute graduation hats. We also had a DVD to watch and yummy cupcakes. Graduation would not be complete without the kiddos singing some of their favorite songs ("A Peanut Sat on a Railroad Track", "You are My Sunshine", "Make New Friends", and a few others).
We had a great year!!!
We had a great year!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)