Drop Box

My youngest (17M) loves to dump and pour and is taking a big interest in her shape sorting toys.  Recently, at the playground she's been putting rocks and sticks down the holes of the platforms.  I started off by putting an aluminum grill pan over her "dump box".  She had a lot of fun just sticking stuff through the holes.  However, the holes were a bit small... it was hard to find certain things that would fit, and she was becoming frustrated.  I decided to make mine own version.

Materials:

Cardboard box

Razor blade

Objects to put in holes

Some creativity!  

THIS IS HOW I DID IT.  There are so many options and possibilities to explore.  For a sturdier piece you can use a piece of wood and drill holes, you can use paint, markers, letters, shapes, big holes, small holes, etc. etc. etc.  

For the objects I used colored matchsticks, foam shapes, different color pony beads, colored pasta, and black rocks that I painted letters onto (Walmart $3.00).  I set this up for both my 17M old AND my 2 year old.  I wanted to make it fun and interesting for both of them.  I made small holes both plain and some with color around them.  Different shapes (triangle, square, circle, rectangle, and diamond).  Letter holes and number holes.  I did NOT force letters, numbers, shapes etc. on to them.  They explored at their own free will.  :-)  

The invitation

As I knew she would... she went right for the stones.  She quickly learned that rock was too big for that hole.

Does it fit?

It was also fun banging the rocks together and making music.  :-)  

Where did it go?

She LOVED this!

My oldest woke up from her nap.  She surprised me by going straight for the rocks as well.  She chose to place them over the colored squares and count them.  

Also interested in where everything was going.  

I had not mentioned anything about the letters on the rocks.  It wasn't until later that night when she

 first discovered them.  "Mommy, there is a C on this rock!" 

Then she realized there were letters on the box, too.  She is definitely more focused when she is by herself.  

 "This one is too big, maybe it will fit up here in the rectangle"  

I plan on adding more of the black stone element.  I wanted to paint the lowercase letters on the backside of the uppercase letters but didn't have time.  I also bought a bag of gemstones and x-large rocks.  They have a nice assortment at Walmart for only 3.00 for a decent size bag.  

RL  

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Advanced Squishy Bag

This is a great activity for older children with better dexterity than a 2 year old.  My son helped me make it, but he didn't really play with it.  I have used it with students in the past and just wanted to share it with all of you.  

You don't need a light table for this activity - you can just add items to the bag that accomplish the goal you are looking to attain.  I used the light table - because its awesome!  LOL  Its pretty multisensory, and for one of my former students it was very calming - hence a great teaching tool for him.

You place objects in the bag and have the child push the matching objects together.  Here are some ways you can use it:

• matching (colors, letters, numbers, etc)


• color recognition


• upper case to lower case letters


• beginning sounds (seen here)

THINGS YOU NEED 

Clear Hair Gel

Quart size Ziploc bag

Objects

 I used translucent letters and shapes that have the corresponding beginning sound

 Hair Gel (dollar store)

 My 2 year old helped me make the bag.  

 Adding the objects to the bag

 Objects in bag and on light panel

 All matched up

-AK

(MESE, MECD)

You have read this article Squishy Bags with the title . You can bookmark this page URL https://happychild2210.blogspot.com/2011/07/advanced-squishy-bag.html. Thanks!

EnLIGHTening math!

Im not one to push academics (and this blog IS about full on play), but when my child shows interest in something, I might set up an inspiring invite to play off of that interest.  He absolutely HATES letters (and Im ok with that - he's 2), but he LOVES numbers and counting.  Today as he played and I sat with him as an "active-only-when-he-invites-me" observer, I noticed that he was counting everything.  Too cute!  He also brought out his number plates during snack time today.  Seen here:

http://playathomemom3.blogspot.com/2011/06/self-esteem-through-snacks.html

So, as he slept, I set up and invitation for him.  After nap time, he saw the invitation and went on his merry way to other activities.  LOL  My outlook on any invitation (particularly "academic" ones) is - 'if he visits it, great....if not, that's ok".   Then, just as we were transitioning to something else he said "wait mommy, I need to do this".

<side note:  I know it is not Halloween, but he was playing with these gems and shapes today, so I thought I would use them.>

 THE INVITATION
I used a translucent drawer organizer, number stickers (from Walmart), and Halloween gems and shapes (from Michaels Craft Store).  There is no rhyme or reason to the numbers I chose - I just wanted it to be fun for him.  :)

 Counting out bats

 Interesting that he only counted the bats and ghosts and didn't use any gems

- AK
(MESE, MECD)

You have read this article EnLIGHTening Math / Playing with Light with the title . You can bookmark this page URL https://happychild2210.blogspot.com/2011/07/enlightening-math.html. Thanks!

CLEAN CLOUDS

The first time I saw this activity was actually in a photograph at a Reggio-inspired school where I was attending a conference.  We tried it at RLs house a few months ago, but my son was not interested that day.  For whatever reason, he is much more interested in activities when its just the two of us.  I named it clean clouds because that is what my son was calling it.  I have seen it several times and heard it called different names.  All you need is toilet paper, water, and a bar of Ivory soap  (sorry, I didn't do any measuring).  Its a great sensory experiment and if you add enough toilet paper (we used the whole roll) - you can mold it like dough.  My son particularly liked the smell and the way it "grew into a cloud" in the microwave.  I had 3 bars of soap and he wanted to microwave all three, so we did - it was his favorite part.

- AK (MESE, MECD)

 Water, toilet paper, Ivory soap

 opening the soap

 "It smells good...like clean things"

 microwave for one minute

 there was a little bar left, so we took off the first "cloud" and microwaved it for one more minute

 finished product

 tear the toilet paper and add it

pour in the water

 squish and squeeze and mold

 he wanted to add color, so he went to get his spray bottles of liquid watercolors

 adding color

 more squishy clean fun

he put it on the table to make a "mountain"

You have read this article Sensory Activities with the title . You can bookmark this page URL https://happychild2210.blogspot.com/2011/07/clean-clouds.html. Thanks!

PVC Pipe DIY

We were taking a walk around the neighborhood yesterday.  There are a lot of new houses going up and tons of construction.  We came across a house that had their sprinkler system set up above the ground...  they were getting ready to bury it and were testing to make sure everything was working properly.  I wish I had a camera to take a picture of my daughters eyes when she saw this HUGE sprinkler!  I asked my husband if he could make a sprinkler for her using the same materials.  Of course he was delighted to have another "man project"  It's in the works now but I thought I would share some of my research on PVC pipe.  Here is a list of some of the fun projects I found.  Enjoy.  :-)  RL

Sand and Water table

http://creativeworksforchildren.com/how-to-make-a-pvc-sand-table-for-children.htm

Fun water play

http://www.littlebitfunky.com/2011/06/summer-awesomeness-part.html

http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/home-garden-projects/outdoor-projects/the-deluxe-kid-wash-709166/

http://myhomespunthreads.blogspot.com/2011/05/day-25-homemade-sprinkler-with-she.html

http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/h2-ohhh-787451/2/

http://preschoolpalace.org/

Photo was taken from link above

Play tents

http://sweetestlittles.blogspot.com/2010/01/cozy-little-space.html

http://www.she-wears-flowers.com/2011/03/ohthe-drama-around-here.html

http://www.ohdeedoh.com/ohdeedoh/flickr-finds/flickr-find-handmade-play-tent-099232

http://www.sawdustandpaperscraps.com/2011/07/13/fabric-teepee-tutoria/

Storage Solutions

http://luckyscreations.blogspot.com/2011/02/copic-marker-holder.html

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Having a BLAST with street paint

Im always trying to follow my son's interests. I find that one way I can do that (instead of doing the same activity over and over), is to take something he is interested in, and apply it to something we have already done.  This is a twist on street paint.  You have seen it with brushes, you have seen it in balloons, and today - we put it in his water blaster! 

I bought this water blaster at the dollar store and he has been carting it everywhere - the park, the lake, the pool, etc.  Today, we used it to paint the driveway!  He loved it!

Just a reminder - Street Paint is Equal parts water and corn starch (corn flour) + food coloring.  (I dont really measure, you dont have to be exact.)

- AK (MESE, MECD)

 Water blaster, containers, corn starch, food coloring, water (not shown here)

 scooping out the corn starch and pouring it in the containers

 Adding food coloring

 Sucking it up in the water blaster

 Squirt!!!

 Pouring out the rest, of course.

 Splashing in it (his favorite part).

 GOOD TIMES!!!

You have read this article Outdoor Play with the title . You can bookmark this page URL https://happychild2210.blogspot.com/2011/07/having-blast-with-street-paint.html. Thanks!

Homemade Bubbles

HOMEMADE BUBBLES

3 cups of water

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1 cup dish soap (transparent/clear soap works best)

Mix water and corn syrup until blended.  Slowly stir in soap.  This will last several weeks in an air tight container.  

You have read this article PLAY Recipes with the title . You can bookmark this page URL https://happychild2210.blogspot.com/2011/07/homemade-bubbles.html. Thanks!