Toddler Play Dough Play

I posted a while back on Infant Play Dough Play.  You can see that post here...

http://www.playathomemomllc.com/2012/06/infant-play-dough-play.html

I thought I would update to show Y'all where we are at now.  :-)  

Play-doh is probably the number one used medium in our house.  All three of my girls really enjoy it and play with it on a daily basis.  

To make your own Play Dough please see this recipe here...

http://www.playathomemomllc.com/2011/07/homemade-playdough.html

Here are some ideas for play.  My youngest is now 17 months.  

Homemade Dough

 We first talk about the texture, smell, temperature, etc.

We often use kool-aid or some other sort of extract to give the dough a yummy smell! 

The dough right after cooking is warm to the touch.  You can also throw it in the refrigerator for cool dough.  

Some of the tools that are in my youngest's play dough bucket. 

Toothpicks, beads, clay hammer, "pizza cutter", rolling pin, a few shapes, animals, etc. 

Using her cutters to make circles.

Play Dough Invitation

 The container on the left is pony beads and the container on the right is recycled bottle caps.  

To see a video on how this invitation plays out click here...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyPhpqsVE-E

Pushing the beads in the dough

Counting

Increasing Vocabulary

We have a red turtle and a red penguin!  

My youngest loves nursery rhymes, singing etc.  

We often sing along to our dough creations.

"Twinkle Twinkle Litte Star"

"5 Little Ducks Went Swimming One Day"

Smooshing the play dough balls

 If you had a chance to check out the infant play... this has been a favorite of hers since she was 7 months old!  

Big, Bigger, Biggest

 RL 

You have read this article Clay and Crafts / Play Dough / Rainy Day Play with the title April 2013. You can bookmark this page URL http://happychild2210.blogspot.com/2013/04/toddler-play-dough-play.html. Thanks!

A Year of YES!!

Probably the most controversial element on Play at Home Mom is our YES ALBUM.  We try to inspire parents to connect with their children through play, but we also try to inspire parents to let go a bit, say yes more often, and embrace their children’s childhood.  It’s definitely not for everyone, and we often get some “brutally honest” feedback – and that’s OK – but there seems to be a misconception about embracing the word YES, and eliminating NO.  Our YES VIDEO was an attempt to dispel the notion that saying YES is just being permissive and lazy.  Another misconception we find is that saying YES is preceded by a tantrum and that we just say YES to appease our children.  This couldn't be further from the truth.   If there is no good reason for a no, then it’s a yes.  Simple.  Its not for everyone, it can be confusing, and its hard not to make assumptions based on a picture and a YES caption, we understand that.

YES isn't always easy....

Almost a year ago, my son asked me to take the training wheels off of his bike….YES.  

It was at that time,  5 months shy of his fourth birthday, that he decided he was going to ride without training wheels – and he did.  Woo-Hoo!!  He was so proud of himself.  At that time, he wanted someone running alongside him, and was unable to start or stop on his own.

The first ride.

“Mommy, can you run next to me while I ride.”

YES

The next YEAR went something like this…..

He started to gain confidence as the months went by.

 “Mommy, can you run on the other side of the road, not next to me?"

YES

“Mommy, will you hold the bike while I ride.  I can’t do it.”

(Wait, what?  Oh my gosh!  You totally know how to ride your bike!  What the Christmas is this all about?)

YES

“Mommy, can you run next to me?  What if I crash?  Can you hold my bike while going down the hill?”

(Huh?  You just flew down that hill a week ago.  What….the….Christmas!!!???)

YES

“Mommy, I can do it.  Just run next to me.  Can you just run next to me?”

(Awesome!  Finally – back to feeling confident!)

YES

[Then there were months where he didn't want to ride at all.]

"Mommy, can you ride your bike while I ride mine?"
(Wow!  He's finally there.  I can ride with him now.  So fun!)

YES

“Mommy, can you buy me this balance bike?”

(Huh?  You already ride a real bike!  Ugh.  Well, it’s on sale for $20 and I know he LOVES his friends balance bike.  But what the Christmas??!!  What if he stops riding his real bike?  Is this going to make him regress?)

YES

Balance Bike

“Mommy, let’s try my big bike to see if my feet touch the ground all the way.”

OK

“Look, Mommy, my feet touch all the way.  Look, Mommy, I can stop all by myself.  Look, Mommy, I can start all by myself, too.

THE FINALE TO OUR YEAR OF YES

Yes can be tough to say in many instances.  It can be a challenge to stay mindful that our children have moments when they are feeling less than confident.   When we support our children through the process (even if its a year long) by saying YES, we leave them feeling respected, empowered, confident. 

Thank you Little Hearts Books for the photo.

 My son is now (I think....for the most part) 100% confident on his bike.  And here is a montage of his "celebration dance" to prove it.

YES!!!

- AK (MESE, MECD)

You have read this article Instilling Capability with the title April 2013. You can bookmark this page URL http://happychild2210.blogspot.com/2013/04/a-year-of-yes.html. Thanks!

Glass Gem Compilation

Glass gems have been a staple in our playrooms since our children were 6 months old.  We love how one "toy" can become so many different things.  Below, you can see some ways that we have explored them.  

Glass gems can be purchased at any craft store, Dollar Tree, Walmart, Target, etc.
**They present a choking hazard and should only be used with young children under close supervision.**

Most of these pictures have a blog post with more detailed information.  To see the entire post, click on the links below the pictures.  

Creative Play

Use gems with our letter/number templates.
LETTER/NUMBER TEMPLATES

Enlightening Math
ENLIGHTENING MATH

Sorting

Sensory Bin
SENSORY BINS

Illuminated Ornaments
ILLUMINATED ORNAMENTS

Color Recognition

Creative Play on the Light Panel

Great Big Giant Tree of Light
TREE OF LIGHT

Glass gems on a mirror.


Framed mirrors can be purchased at Dollar Tree.  

Glass Sculptures
GLASS SCULPTURES

Window Art
WINDOW ART

Glass Gems on clear plates. 

Clear plates can be purchased at Dollar Tree in a pack of 8.
Great for classrooms!  

Glass Pumpkin
GLASS PUMPKIN

Exploring Spacial Patterns
EXPLORING SPATIAL PATTERNS

You have read this article Clay and Crafts / Imagination / Letters/Numbers / Playing with Light / Rainy Day Play with the title April 2013. You can bookmark this page URL http://happychild2210.blogspot.com/2013/04/glass-gem-compilation.html. Thanks!

Garbage Trek

A few weeks ago he wanted to be a fireman.  

These days, he proclaims:

"Mommy, I don't want to be something when I grow up. I just wanna have fun. I just wanna pick up trash off of the sidewalk. Then I will come home just to eat, and then go back and pick up more trash. Yep, that's what I'm gonna do!"

And then:

"I'm going to make my own food, though.  How am I going to know how to do that when I'm bigger?"

I was relieved to know that when he grows up I wont be cooking all the meals anymore.  LOL ;)

When it comes to our children, its not about pushing them to "be something" when they grow up, its about supporting who they are in any given moment.  Loving them is about giving them the feeling that they can be whatever they want to be by following and nurturing their interests.  This is how we foster a love of learning.  This is how we send those wonderful underlying messages to our children - you are capable, I trust you, etc. 

"That's a lot of trash I got!"

He even collects trash in stores - like Barnes and Noble.

 In an effort to support him and his love of picking up trash, we bought him a trash stick for Easter. 

Click HERE for a video. 

Using his trash stick to pick up trash.

Its been weeks since his interest in trash blossomed, and its been quite the adventure.  We got up early to watch the garbage truck do its pick up, we visited a local dump site, and we have extensive Q&As about trash and the environment.  Fostering a love of learning!

- AK (MESE, MECD)

You have read this article Outdoor Play with the title April 2013. You can bookmark this page URL http://happychild2210.blogspot.com/2013/04/garbage-trek.html. Thanks!

Airplane Adventure

My days are often filled with the "vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv" sounds of airplanes flying around the playroom, garage, living room, etc.  My son LOVES all things airplanes.  We had a left over piece of wood in the playroom and one day my son took it out and sat on it, pretending to fly a plane.  I asked him if he would like to make some airplane controls (yes!).  We started by flipping through his airplane book making note of all the dials and knobs in the cockpit, then it was time for a trip to Walmart.  Once we found the aisle with switches and knobs I let him choose which ones he wanted for his controls.  When we got home, we created this - together.

We simply used screws to attach everything.  The wooden pieces have holes in the bottom, so we screwed in a screw (leaving some of it sticking out) and stuck the wooden pieces onto the screw.

The wood pieces can be purchased HERE.

"Flying" his airplane


Since posting the picture above over a year ago, a steering wheel (AKA apple cutter) has been added - by him - as a steering wheel.  He uses his controls often in our imaginary adventures.  They are a HUGE hit!



Click HERE for a video of one of his adventures.

Incorporating his controls into his space ship.

Hard at PLAY!

His space ship!  LOVE!

- AK (MESE, MECD)

You have read this article Clay and Crafts / Imagination with the title April 2013. You can bookmark this page URL http://happychild2210.blogspot.com/2013/04/airplane-adventure.html. Thanks!

50 Sensory Bin Ideas

Clean Clouds

Cereal

Leaves

Split Peas

Poly-fil Pellets

Shells

Pumpkin Guts

Jelly Beans

Water Beads

Dry Pasta

Melon Balls

Colored Spaghetti

Yogurt and Food Coloring

Dry Oatmeal

Pudding. 

Feathers

Fake Snow

Colored Rice

Ball Pit

Water Balloons 

Tinsel

Epsom Salt

Corn Kernals

Eggs

Animals! 

Shaving Cream

Colored Water

Insta Snow

Dish Soap Bubbles

Packing Peanuts

Aquarium Gravel

Baking Soda and Vinegar

Bubble Solution

Dry Beans

Gems

Colored Corn

Sand

Crushed Ice

Frozen Fruits and Veggies

Corn Starch and Water

Silly Putty

Grass

Themed Bins

Yellow Bin

Pig Pit

Halloween Bin

Alligator Swamp

Ants!

Dinosaurs

Ocean Bin

The Arctic

Do you have some Sensory Play Questions?  

If you do then check out this post below...

http://www.playathomemomllc.com/2011/10/sensory-bintableplay.html

You have read this article Sensory Activities with the title April 2013. You can bookmark this page URL http://happychild2210.blogspot.com/2013/04/50-sensory-bin-ideas.html. Thanks!