Pocketful of Posies

Learning with Buttons

2012-01-31T14:33:00.002-05:00

This morning my 4 year old son found my jar of buttons in my craft room. His interest made for some great learning opportunities.

I got out a rectangular container, some different colored pipe cleaners and a spoon. My son dumped all of the buttons into the container and moved them all around.

Once I had given him a chance to explore, I gave him a pipe cleaner and asked him to tell me what color it was. Then I asked him to put three red buttons on his red pipe cleaner.

Not only was this great for color matching, but it was also great fine motor skills practice.

My son matched buttons to pipe cleaners until he had put 3 matching buttons on each one. I wasn't sure the activity would hold his interest, but he was very focused on his work.

Before we put the buttons away I picked out three buttons of differing sizes. I asked my son to put them into the correct size order from biggest to smallest and then from smallest to biggest.

We also tried to find buttons of various shapes and found that in addition to circles there were also a few square and oval buttons.

To put the buttons away, I gave my son a spoon and asked him to use it to put the buttons back into the jar. He did this transferring activity for quite a while until he did something which reminded me a great deal of what his father would do if he were asked to do this activity.

He turned the container on its side and dumped the rest of the buttons into the jar. :)

Buttons are a great manipulative for preschoolers. In less than 1/2 hour my son and I learned about shapes, colors, sizes, and practiced his fine motor skills.

If you are in need of buttons you have a few options. I purchased a big bag of assorted buttons several years ago at Walmart. Yard sales and thrift stores are also good places to find buttons inexpensively. You can also order some cool buttons from Amazon.

Have you used buttons as a learning tool with your preschooler?

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Snow Activities from the Archives

2012-01-27T13:00:00.000-05:00

We haven't had much snow to speak of this winter and it doesn't look like we are going to get snow any time soon. So, before spring hits I thought I would share some of the snow related activities I have posted about in the past.

We have used cotton balls in a winter sensory bin for pretend snow play.

Coffee filters make great snowflakes. Also in this post is an idea for making snowflakes by painting with spools.

Check out how we made crystalized "snowflakes" using pipe cleaners.

Have you ever brought snow inside? My kids always have great fun playing with snow indoors.

When it isn't too cold we love to play outside in the snow even more than playing with it inside.

Here is another post with snow ideas.

This week I have shared a few snow and snowman ideas.

My son made a snowflake painting using painter's tape.

I shared a snowman color matching activity that you can print for your child.

This cute snowman was made using recycled packing foam.

Finally, here are some of our favorite books about snow.

What are your favorite snow related activities to do with your child or class?

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Recycled Snowman Craft

2012-01-26T14:00:00.000-05:00

My four year old had fun making this snowman recently. The idea came to me after we received a package in the mail whose contents were surrounded by some thin packing foam. I thought it would make a perfect snowman.

My son and I gathered 3 different sized circular objects and traced them onto the packing foam. We also made a wavy line to serve as snow on the ground.

We cut everything out and then glued it to a piece of construction paper. We added wiggly eyes, a construction paper hat, pipe cleaner arms (taped under the middle circle), and drew buttons and a mouth on the snowman.

My son was so proud of his work and couldn't wait to show his daddy when he got home.

Not only was this a fun craft, but it gave us an opportunity to talk about size order and circles.

Snowman Color Matching (Free Printable)

2012-01-25T13:00:00.000-05:00

My four year old has enjoyed this snowman color matching activity. I first set out the hats and then asked him to put the correct face with each hat. Once he did that I asked him to put the medium sized circles in the correct place, and finally the large color word circles. Now, he can put them in order by himself.

This matching activity has been good for discussing colors, size order and circles.

I created this printable after seeing a similar activity at Tons of Fun. I decided to make my version as a printable for a couple of reasons. One, it was easier than drawing and tracing. Second, I could make it available to you. :)

I laminated the pages before cutting them out for durability and to be able to use this activity multiple times. However, you can have your child glue them to another piece of paper if you want.

If you would like to print your own copy please click on the picture above. Enjoy!

Snowflake Painting (with Tape)

2012-01-24T16:12:00.000-05:00

Well, after a long hiatus in which I contemplated whether I would continue with this blog or not, I have decided to keep Pocketful of Posies and continue posting ideas for children. This blog is special to me and I feel good about my decision to keep it going. So, here goes.

Last week my four year old son made a snowflake painting. I found the idea at Frugal Family Fun Blog.

We put painters tape on a piece of paper to look like a snowflake.

Then, he painted over the entire paper with paint and a foam brush. We pulled off the paint and the picture at the top of this post was the result.

My son decided he wanted to make another snowflake with no assistance from me.

His snowflake was a little more abstract than our first snowflake, but he was so proud of it. :)

This was a fun and easy activity. I recommend painter's tape over masking tape. We had made tape paintings another time and found it was harder to peal the masking tape off.

We really haven't had any snow to speak of this winter, so we are contenting ourselves with snow art projects. How about you?

Pumpkin Carving

2011-10-31T16:06:00.000-04:00

We don't get into Halloween too much, especially not the scary aspects of it. This year we didn't even dress up.

However, yesterday afternoon my kids and I carved pumpkins. We had a lot of fun. I let the kids use special kid-safe knives, but if you will notice my little guy is using a butter knife.

When it was time to scoop out the insides, my 3 1/2 year old thought it was a job better left to me because it was yucky. :)

Yesterday morning I had the children's story at church. I thought I would share it with you.

To illustrate my story I had a pumpkin that I had already scooped out the insides. However, I left a few strings and seeds. I also had carved a happy face, but put the pieces back in place.

First, I showed the children a pumpkin and told them I was going to tell them how a pumpkin (Jack-O-Lantern) was like Jesus.

Jesus chooses us just like we choose a pumpkin to carve.

When we accept Jesus as our Saviour, He takes away our sin. This is like when we scoop out the "guts" of the pumpkin. (I scooped out some of the insides.)

Jesus puts a smile on our face. It is easy to be happy when Jesus is in your heart. (I popped out the pieces of the face I had already carved out.)

Finally, Jesus puts His light inside of us so that we can shine for Him. This is like putting a candle inside of a pumpkin. (I lit a tea light candle inside of the pumpkin.)

I finished with a prayer.

I know I don't usually talk about my faith on this blog, but I thought there may be some of you who would appreciate this illustration. I hope you all have a safe and happy night.

Pumpkin Activities

2011-10-29T00:02:00.000-04:00

Here are some pumpkin activities we have done in the past that I thought you might enjoy as we enter this Halloween weekend.

Help your child make a handprint pumpkin by putting orange paint on your child's palm and then having them use their finger to make a stem.

Let your child explore the textures and colors of pumpkins and gourds.

Make some yummy smelling pumpkin pie play dough. You can also add orange food coloring to make it look like a pumpkin.

Turn an orange into a jack-o-lantern with the help of a toothpick. Makes a fun snack!

Decorate some pumpkins with paint and glitter as an alternative to carving them. This works great for mini pumpkins, too.

Another way to decorate pumpkins is to use permanent markers, pipe cleaners, googly eyes, feathers, and yarn to embellish them.

Use a mini pumpkin for a fun bat bowling game.

Read the book Pumpkin Pumpkin by Jeanne Titherington to help your child learn about the life cycle of a pumpkin.

We plan to carve pumpkins this weekend. What pumpkin activities have you been doing?

Always Room for One More {Caldecott Medal}

2011-10-26T13:00:00.002-04:00

My children and I are still trying to read through the Caldecott Medal Winners list and recently read the 1966 medal winner Always Room for One More written by Sorche Nic Leodhas and illustrated by Nonny Hogrogian (Same illustrator as One Fine Day.).

This book was a little confusing for my little boys for a couple of reasons. First, there were many words they didn't understand because they were Scottish. I am not good at using accents, but I think it helped to try reading with a Scottish accent. :)

The nice thing was that there was a glossary in the back of all of the Scottish words and their meanings.

The other thing that my boys didn't really understand at first was the pictures. They thought they looked messy. I have to admit, it was hard for me to figure out why this book won an award for the illustrations. However, the more we read of the story the more the pictures seemed to fit.

I think the best part of the whole book for my boys was when I went to the piano and plunked out the tune using the sheet music in the back of the book.

Since this book was about a house, I thought I would share a couple of posts I have written about houses.

H is for House

Letter H - Houses

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Corn Husk Doll

2011-10-25T14:15:00.002-04:00

A few years ago my daughter was really into all things pioneer. So, we decided to make corn husk dolls one fall.

We grew sweet corn in our garden which made it easy to have plenty of husks. Since the husks were green we let them dry in a single layer on towel lined cookie sheets. We then used some to make the doll below.

This corn husk doll tutorial is what we used to guide us in making the doll. It was a lot of fun. We didn't make any this year, but it's on my list for next fall.

Have you ever made corn husk dolls?

Acorn Necklace

2011-10-24T12:15:00.000-04:00

We have an oak tree in our front yard and my children (and the squirrels) love to play with the acorns it produces. A few years ago I had an idea to turn the acorns into a necklace.

To make the necklace we took the tops off of some acorns. Then my husband used a tiny drill bit to drill a hole in the center (all the way through) of each acorn.

My daughter (who was then only 8, sniff) and I used a needle threaded with embroidery floss to string the acorns. We tied it off and she proudly wore her new necklace.

When people took just a quick look at the necklace they thought it was made of wooden beads. They were totally surprised to know it was made from acorns.

One side note: You may want to dry the acorns before you make a necklace with them. This will prevent them from getting moldy and kill any little critters that might be inside.

I discussed this for pine cones on Friday, but here is the short version. Bake acorns on a cookie sheet in a 225 degree oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Allow to cool before crafting.

Pine Cones

2011-10-21T13:00:00.007-04:00

We have some pine trees in our back yard. They are great for crafts, but are extremely sappy which equals sticky fingers.

The good news is you can do something about the stickiness and kill any bugs that might be hanging out on your pine cones.

1. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
2. Place pine cones in a single layer on the foil.
3. Put in a 225 degree oven.
4. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
5. Remove from oven and allow to cool on baking sheet.

I would like to do more crafts with the pine cones I have saved. Here is one idea for using pine cones for crafting.

These pine cone Christmas trees were lots of fun for the kids to make. Here are the instructions for how we made them.

Have you ever crafted with pine cones?

Leaf Painting (in Reverse)

2011-10-20T13:00:00.005-04:00

The fall banner pictured above was something we made a few years using felt, acrylic paint and leaves. We arranged leaves on a piece of white felt and then used a sponge brush to dab paint all over the felt.

When we were finished we removed the leaves and were left with reverse leaf prints. This could also be made with regular fabric and fabric paint, or with paint and paper.

{Baby Learning} Sense of Sight

2011-10-19T13:00:00.018-04:00

Way back in May I talked about visual development in babies. I shared some black and white printables for you to use with your baby.

Now that my baby is 6 months old, I am making sure she has lots of colorful items to look at to keep her visually stimulated.

The quilt in the picture above is my mom's. It was made by her 85+ year old neighbor who hand cut each tiny square with scissors. The fabrics are just a hodge podge of scraps, but look beautiful all together.

My daughter loves to look at all of the colors and patterns when she has tummy time at my parents' house.

Here is a mini quilt I made a few years ago. It uses the same concept, but on a smaller scale. Lots of interesting colors and patterns for baby to look at. (Here is a another mini quilt I made as a matching game.)

I have said before that while pastel colors might seem cute and baby-like, they are not visually stimulating enough for babies.

Older babies need items to look at that are colorful with fun patterns. I think fabrics (quilts) are a great item to enhance baby's sense of sight. What items do you use to keep your enhance your baby's sense of sight?

Fall (Natural) Sensory Basket

2011-10-18T14:36:00.000-04:00

Fall weather is upon us. The leaves, acorns and pine cones have been falling in our yard. The outdoors is the perfect fall sensory experience.

My children have always loved playing with objects they have found in our yard. However, sometimes the days are rainy and dreary like today. What's a nature loving kid to do?

How about have a natural sensory basket available for indoor play? The basket pictured above includes acorns, pine cones, seed pods, and some magnifying glasses for further investigation. Colorful leaves would be another great addition.

There are lots of great fall sensory bins all over the internet right now. Sometimes I look at them and think I need to rush out and purchase the exact items someone else used. Then I stop myself and realize that a basket full of natural items that didn't cost me a thing is just as good. :)

What's new?

2011-10-17T14:11:00.000-04:00

Well, I didn't drop off the face of the earth in case any of you were wondering. I have had sick kiddos for the past two weeks and this blog has suffered.

Sometimes I feel like I head a double life, a double BLOG life that is. Some of you may know that I also blog at Blessings Overflowing. I often will write a post there and then get too busy to write one here.

Since I'm not formally teaching preschool this year, it has been hard for me to get back in the habit of regularly keeping this blog up.

In an effort to get my life and home in order, I have started a new series at Blessings Overflowing called "Countdown to a New Year: 11 Weeks to a More Organized Life & Home."

I will be adding a new routine each week until the new year. This week is the first week and my goal is to read the Bible for 15 minutes each day.

If you quest for organization like I do, I would love to have you join me over there and on my other Facebook page. If you already have "it" together, then feel free to offer advice and encouragement. :)

{Baby Learning} Sense of Touch

2011-09-28T14:41:00.000-04:00

Babies don't have the cognitive skills to think abstractly or to be reasoned with until they are a little older. However, that doesn't mean they aren't able to learn. Janna is nearly 6 months old and is learning new things every day through her 5 senses.

One way that my baby is learning is through her sense of touch. Every time she grabs her daddy's face when he gets home from work, or when she grabs her brother's hair, she is learning through touch.

Providing my baby with different types of fabrics is a great way for her to learn about different textures and enhance her sense of touch. The book pictured above was made with many different textures and colors of fabrics I had in my stash. A no-sew option would be to use pinking shears to cut different squares of fabric for baby to explore.

Babies like to use their sense of touch and, as they grow, they will often try to touch things we might not want them to. The best thing I ever did was to put anything that I didn't want broken out of my babies' reach. They aren't being bad when they touch things like knick-knacks or electrical cords, they are just trying to learn about the world around them.

I believe that we adults need to make sure that our babies' learning environments (home, day care, etc.) are safe for them. If a baby is getting into trouble for using their sense of touch then, in my opinion, it is time to do some baby-proofing. What are your thoughts?

Providing babies with plenty of safe things to touch that are colorful and have different textures is a great way for them to learn.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

2011-09-27T16:09:00.000-04:00

Today my little guy and I read the book The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. I decided we needed to try to make our own caterpillar using fingerprints.

I first made a line in pencil to help us know where to place my son's thumbprints. Then I helped him use his fingerprints to paint the caterpillar.

I love how cute our caterpillar turned out, don't you?

We use a combination of green paint with a little yellow mixed in for the body and red paint for the head. My son used his thumb for that. Then he used his pinky dipped in brown for the 6 legs and in yellow for the eyes. The back end of a paintbrush or a pencil works well for the mouth, centers of the eyes, the "hair", and the antennae.

When we were finished with our caterpillar things quickly took a different direction. Hand painting was apparently more fun than finger painting. :)

Here are my son's creations. Notice his abstract caterpillar next to our first caterpillar? He had a lot of fun today. He has been carrying our stuffed "patterpillar" around all day.

If you are interested in caterpillars and butterflies you might like to check out this post from 2 years ago.

Disclosure: If you click on a link and purchase anything from Amazon, I will get a few cents in return. Thanks for supporting this site.

Bug Jar

2011-09-26T16:10:00.001-04:00

I have my mom to thank for this craft. She made some bug jars for my boys and they got to decorate them. Here is how she made them.

She used a clean plastic mayonnaise jar and poked a small hole in each side near the top. Then she put one end of a pipe cleaner in each hole and twisted the ends to make a sort of knot. This made the handle.

Next, she cut a piece of screen material (think windows) to fit inside of a regular mouth canning jar and hot glued it in place.

My boys had a great time using permanent markers and some bug stickers to decorate their jars.

Boys and hunting for bugs go hand in hand, don't they? :)

Ten Red Apples

2011-09-23T15:26:00.000-04:00

My son enjoyed the apple activities we did this week. We also had fun reading the book Ten Red Apples by Pat Hutchins. I had numbered some apples 1-10 to help with the telling of the story. Adding a piece of velcro or felt to the back would allow them to be used on a felt board. (I really need to do that.)

Next week we are going to do some bug themed activities. You may notice that there aren't as many activities for each theme like in the past. My son has this year plus another school year until he goes to Kindergarten. Therefore, I am taking a more relaxed approach to learning this year.

What are you teaching your child this week?

Apple Painting

2011-09-22T13:45:00.001-04:00

This morning my son enjoyed painting with an apple. I gave him some paper that was used as filler in a shipment that recently came. It was free, he didn't care that it was wrinkled, and it was spared from the trash, so it was good for the environment. :)

My little guy had fun painting for quite a while. He abandoned the stamping process for just moving the paint around the paper with the apple. That was alright with me. I think his apple paintings might make good wrapping paper.

I have shared this idea before, but it bears repeating. To make painting with apples easier, insert a popsicle stick in the middle of the apple half. Much easier for little hands and less messy, too.

{Baby Learning} Sock Ball

2011-09-21T11:10:00.002-04:00

Baby toys don't have to make noise and light up to be entertaining. They don't even have to be purchased in a store. Here is one example.

Janna has enjoyed playing with her new "ball" today. It is just the right size for her to grab and chew on.

She was kind enough to hold it in the air so I could give you a better look at it. :)

To make the sock ball I simply had to look through our mismatched socks. I stuffed two small baby socks inside of a toddler sock. I then tied a knot in the end of the toddler sock and let Janna play with it.

Right now my baby can use the sock ball to practice reaching and grabbing for things. An older baby could play a game of putting the sock ball in a basket and taking it out. It would also be good to throw since it is so soft.

I plan to post more homemade baby toys in the upcoming weeks. Tomorrow and Friday I will share more apple activities with you. Have a great afternoon!

Apple Themed Sensory Bin

2011-09-20T11:04:00.002-04:00

Yesterday we played with apple pie scented play dough. I will have the play dough available all week. Today, I added a new apple themed activity for my 3 1/2 year old son to try.

Here is the apple themed sensory box I set out for him on an apple vinyl tablecloth on the floor. It isn't anything fancy, but he has been enjoying it.

To make the box I simply put beans, rice, a few detergent lids, a toilet paper tube, a spoon, some alphabet letters and some plastic apples in a shallow plastic tote box.

A few years ago I made an apple fishing game from some plastic apples. I had hot glued some pipe cleaners to the top of each apple, curved them so they could be hooked by a loop, and then added a piece of twine with a loop on the end to a dowel rod.

My son loved fishing for the apples and we worked on number recognition while playing. I had numbered the apples 1-12, but only added 1-5 to the sensory box today.

I also added magnetic letters to spell the word "apple" and then hid them in the box.

This really interested my son and he, on his own, decided to put them on the refrigerator. I helped him know the right order. Later, he added more alphabet letters.

Finally, my little guy enjoyed some simple scooping and pouring with a toilet paper tube on top of a detergent lid.

Just a note, some beans and rice may get outside of the box. This is why I put the tablecloth under the box. A sheet would work as well. You could also incorporate another learning experience to this activity by giving your child a small broom and dustpan to clean up any mess when he or she is finished playing.

Apple Pie Play Dough

2011-09-19T13:57:00.000-04:00

I have made several types of play dough through the years. However, I haven't tried making apple pie scented play dough. Until today.

I modified my original play dough recipe to make some yummy smelling apple pie play dough. Here is the recipe.

Apple Pie Play Dough

1 Cup Flour

½ Cup Salt

2 tsp. Cream of Tartar

1 tsp. Cinnamon

1/2 tsp. Nutmeg

1/4 tsp. Cardamom

1/4 tsp. Allspice (or Ground Cloves)

(You may substitute 2 tsp. of Pumpkin Pie Spice for the cinnamon, allspice, cardamom and nutmeg.)

1 Cup Water

1 tsp. Vegetable Oil

30+ Drops Red Food Coloring

Additional Cinnamon or Flour

Combine flour, salt, cream of tartar, and spices in a pan. In a separate bowl, combine water, oil and food coloring. Add the liquid mixture to the pan with the dry ingredients. Mix well. Cook over low heat for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat when mixture forms a ball and isn’t clinging to the sides of the pan. Take dough from pan and knead on a floured (or cinnamon) surface until it is soft and smooth. Store in an airtight container or zippered bag.

My little guy had a ball making apples and apple pie this morning. I gave him some foam leaves and some small pieces of pipe cleaner to serve as stems.

Other items I had available were a rolling pin, a pie pan, and an apple cookie cutter.

My son got some great fine motor skills practice while using the play dough as he rolled the play dough into balls and as he picked up the small pieces of pipe cleaner and leaves.

All of the items used for this wonderful smelling sensory experience were found in our home. That's the beauty of working with this age group. They don't need expensive noisy toys that talk to them. They just need a little of our time and some fun manipulatives. Do you agree?

{Baby Learning} Is my baby on track?

2011-09-14T11:01:00.001-04:00

Every baby is different. They each have unique personalities and hit milestones at different times.

I have five children and with each baby I have asked myself this question: Is my baby slow, average, or advanced with regards to hitting developmental milestones?

I would imagine all parents want to know if their babies are on track. How can you find out?

Well, there are many websites with checklists and charts stating what babies "should" be able to do at various ages and stages of development. Most of them have similar information and a quick search will yield quite a few results.

I found some developmental checklists in the book Slow and Steady Get Me Ready by June Oberlander. Here are the things the author says a baby should be able to do by the end of the 6th month.

Shows an awareness of a person's face.
Responds to sound.
Responds to light.
Turns head from side to side.
Tracks close moving objects.
Smiles.
Laughs.
Head and arms move simultaneously.
Listens to a voice or sound.
Holds head erect for brief periods.
Legs become more extended.
Pushes feet when baby is held erect.
Focuses on close stationary objects.
Plays with hands.
Discovers that objects make noise.
Enjoys looking in a mirror.
Pokes at things with forefinger.
Plays with feet.
Focuses on a moving object and attempts to grasp.
Sits alone.

If 10 or fewer parameters are recorded, development is delayed.
If 11-15 parameters are recorded, development is slightly delayed.
If 16-20 parameters are recorded, development is satisfactory.

Janna can do 17 items on this list. She still has a few weeks to go before she is 6 months so she may still reach them. She doesn't sit alone, she really doesn't grab her feet, and she isn't poking at things with her forefinger.

Remember, all babies are different. However, parents do need to be aware of developmental delays. The earlier they are caught the better.

It can be easy to compare your baby to other people's babies. I even catch myself comparing Janna to when her siblings hit different milestones. I need to make sure I am not comparing her to others in a negative way, EVER.

I do have a unique situation this time around, though. Janna and my niece are 5 weeks apart. (My niece was born two weeks late and Janna was born two weeks early.) It is hard not to compare the two of them, but is that really fair to either one of the girls? They are both healthy, happy little girls and we love them both dearly. I want to enjoy them for who they are, no matter who walks or talks first. :)

I want to leave you with this image I found on Pinterest. I think this is something we need to remember about our children as they grow.

Source: ireallydonotknowwhy.tumblr.com via Jill on Pinterest

One Fine Day {Caldecott Medal}

2011-09-12T15:25:00.000-04:00

Back in June I told you that we were going to start reading through the Caldecott medal winner list. I also said that I would post about them. Well, let's just say that summer got in the way. So, here we are in September and I am just getting around to posting about the second book we read.

Anyway, we have recently read the 1972 medal winning book One Fine Day by Nonny Hogrogian. My 3 and 6 year old boys really enjoyed this book. They were anxious to see what the fox was going to have to do next. I also think they enjoyed the repetition and rhythmic style of the story.

The premise of the story is that a fox drinks some milk that doesn't belong to him. The old woman who owned the milk chopped off his tail. Yikes!

The fox begs the old woman to sew his tail back on so his friends won't laugh at him. She says she will, but only if the fox brings her some milk to replace what he drank.

So, the fox sets off to find some milk. However, it isn't easy to come by. He spends a whole day asking people, animals, and even a field to help him out. Each time he asks someone for what the previous person/thing wanted another request is made.

In the end, the fox fulfills each request and finally gets milk for the old woman who in turn sews his tail back on.

If you are looking for any activities about foxes you may want to check out this post with some fox activities we did last year.

Have you read the book One Fine Day? What did your children/students think?

{Baby Learning} Improvised Baby Gym

2011-09-07T22:42:00.002-04:00

It has been a few months since I last wrote a post for my Baby Learning series. Here is a list of all of the posts I have written so far.

For my oldest four children I had a fabric play mat/baby gym. I sold it in a yard sale a few years ago. When Janna was born I wasn't sure I wanted to go out and purchase a new one. So, I improvised.

Janna loves trying to grab her little toys from the toy bar. Want to know how I "made" it?

Janna's baby gym is nothing more than two sturdy kitchen chairs with a broom handle between them. I used some toys that were designed for hanging and attached them to the handle. I also have used some plastic linking rings to attach toys.

This doesn't take up any extra room since the chairs are used when we eat and the broom cleans up after we eat. :-) Also, this is a very frugal option to expensive baby gym/play mat combos.

Babies can benefit from a gym/play mat (homemade or store bought) in a few ways.

First, when a baby reaches for the toys, kicks in delight, and tries to lift her head to better see the toys she is strengthening her muscles and developing her gross motor skills.

Secondly, as the baby reaches and eventually successfully grabs for the toys she is enhancing her hand-eye coordination as well as working on fine motor control.

This idea was inspired by a baby gym I saw at Picklebums. However, I chose to go with the free and easy route and used items from my home.

Have you used a baby gym for your babies?

Caution: If your baby is rolling, crawling or pulling up to furniture then he or she is more than likely too old for this idea. I would hate to think of babies getting hurt because a chair fell over on them. Also, never leave your baby unattended when using this improvised baby gym.

Cleaning & Organizing My Preschool Supplies

2011-09-06T14:05:00.001-04:00

Good afternoon! I am blowing the dust off of this old blog today and wanted to say hello to all of you who have been following along since I started this blog two years ago.

For the past two years I have taught preschool in my home and would normally be getting ready for students to arrive tomorrow. However, I am taking this year off because of a pretty little baby girl. :-)

I decided to clean out my classroom closets today and get things organized for teaching my little guy who is 3 1/2.

This little bookshelf originally had sliding glass doors on it, but I thought it was much more practical without them. My parents found this at a yard sale, I think. It is nice and sturdy and a great height for little ones.

Beside the bookshelf is one of those hanging shoe organizers. I found it at a Goodwill Outlet and it looked like it had never been used.

I am now using it to store things like empty cereal boxes, empty orange juice cartons, bags of plastic lids and other recyclable materials.

I love finding items I can use to organize that are cheap or even free. How about you?

Thanks for sticking with me these past few months. Tomorrow I hope to revive my baby learning series. See you then.

Summer Bucket List: Have a Party

2011-08-19T14:55:00.000-04:00

Even though summer isn't technically over, it feels like it is. My oldest three children went back to school on Monday, so I am going to finish my summer bucket list series today.

We had a great summer and I am thankful for all of the memories we made.

Nearly two weeks ago we hosted a party for our church. It was a swimming party (with waterslide), cookout, and baptism all in one. :-)

We all had a lot of fun visiting and playing with our church family. My children loved having everyone come over to our house. It was a great day!

I'm not sure any one thing we did this summer was "the best". I think that the whole summer was great because of the people I got to spend it with. I hope you had a great summer, too.

Summer Bucket List

Summer Bucket List: Go Camping (Indoors)

2011-08-13T12:00:00.004-04:00

The summer has been flying by and I am sad to see it coming to an end. I have enjoyed every minute with my family.

One thing that my 6 year old has wanted to do was go camping. We are not really a camping family. We have camped in our yard before, but the weather had been too hot for my son's fair-weather camping parents. :-)

So, we set up the small tent indoors and let our boys "camp out". I think there was only one of my boys left in the tent by morning, but they had fun.

We decided to leave the tent up and it is now residing in our basement where the kids can play in it whenever they want.

Have you taken your little ones camping this summer? Do you have any helpful tips for making camping a success with kids? I would love to hear from you.

Summer Bucket List

Summer Bucket List: Enjoy the Outdoors

2011-08-05T12:00:00.011-04:00

This summer has literally been flying by, and I am thankful for the fun times I have had with my children. Some of my favorite times have been when we are at home enjoying the outdoors together.

What have you been doing this summer?

Summer Bucket List

I am hoping to get back to a regular posting schedule in a few weeks. Thanks for sticking around. I have been posting links each weekday on my Facebook page. If you aren't a fan, I encourage you to "like" Pocketful of Posies to find even more great ideas.

Summer Bucket List: Go to the Fair

2011-07-22T10:20:00.000-04:00

For the past couple of weeks my oldest daughter and I have been working on her 4-H projects. It seems like many other things were put on the back burner.

Yet, all of her hard work paid off this past week. Both her sewing and arts & crafts projects get to go to the state fair. She also was jr. grand champion for modeling the outfit she made. Julia did a great job!

My boys had fun looking at all of the animals at the fair. I grew up as a hog farmer's daughter, but my children have only ever had chickens, dogs, and cats. So, seeing all of the farm animals was a treat for them.

Since we were going to the fair anyway, we decided to put Janna (She is three months old already. Can that be possible?) in the baby contest. While she didn't win, it was fun to see all of the cute babies.

Going to the fair was just one more fun thing we got to check off of our summer bucket list. What have you been doing this summer?

Summer Bucket List

Summer Bucket List: Play in the Rain

2011-07-15T13:00:00.026-04:00

In the evening on July 4th we had a short rain shower. The sun was shining and there was a rainbow in the sky. (I don't know if you can tell from the picture or not, but the rainbow originated in the field right beside our house.) I thought it was a perfect time to let my children play in the rain.

My oldest two children jumped right out and started running around, doing handstands, and laughing.

My six year old wasn't quite as sure about getting wet but he soon started having fun as well.

My three year old was even less sure but even he joined in the fun.

My children declared that I was "the best mom ever" and thanked me for letting them have this fun. Memories aren't made from the stuff we buy or the things we have, but from experiences. I am so glad I had the opportunity to watch my children play in the rain.

Summer Bucket List

Summer Bucket List: Take a Vacation

2011-07-08T13:00:00.007-04:00

Last week my husband, my children and I took a vacation. We visited with some of my family who live several hours away. We like to try to visit with them once a year because my cousins have children who are close in age to my children.

We always have a lot of fun and this year was no exception. I am thankful my aunt and uncle are willing to take in all seven of us.

They live on a golf course which makes my husband happy. :-) There is also a pool where my children and their cousins can have fun together. There is never a shortage of fun to be had.

Everyone loved seeing our baby for the first time and there were no shortage of arms willing to hold her, especially her own brothers and sister.

Visiting with relatives we don't often see was a great experience for my children.

The other highlight of our trip was the day we spent at Lake Michigan. It was a beautiful day and we had so much fun. What's not to love about a giant sandbox/water table. :-)

I am so thankful we got to enjoy each other, our extended family and create memories on our vacation.

Have you taken a vacation or a stay-cation this summer?

Summer Bucket List

Summer Bucket List: Visit a State Park

2011-07-01T07:00:00.007-04:00

Last Saturday we visited a nearby state park. The weather was gorgeous so going to a park was a great way to spend the day.

First, we stopped at the nature center where we watched birds, bees, snakes, and turtles. There was even a hollowed out "log" that my 3 year old enjoyed.

Next, we ate a picnic lunch.

Then we read a little history about the park.

Finally, we hit the trails...

...and even got to walk across a suspension bridge.

It was a lovely way to spend some time with my children, my parents and my brother's family.

Have you visited a park this summer?

Summer Bucket List

The Lion and the Mouse {Caldecott Medal}

2011-06-27T22:15:00.008-04:00

Last week I told you that we were going to start reading through the Caldecott Medal winners book list. We started with the book The Lion & the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney. This book was the 2010 winner of the Caldecott Medal.

The illustrations in this book are beautiful while the only text on the pages are sounds such as "Squeak". The illustrator makes it easy to understand what is happening in this classic Aesop's fable.

Here is a quote from the illustrator.

"Of all Aesop's fables, "The Lion and the Mouse" is one of my childhood favorites: the tale of a mouse who accidentally disturbs a lion from his rest, and the lion who makes a life-changing decision to release his prey. When the mouse remembers her debt, she frees the lion from a poacher's trap. For me, this story offers far more than a simple moral of how the meek can trump the mighty." --Jerry Pinkney

My 6 and 3 year old boys enjoyed this story when their grandma "read" it to them today. Even though there was no text, the pictures kept their interest.

If you would like to do any activities related to mice and lions, here are a few ideas that I have previously posted.

Letter L - Lion

L is for Lion

Letter M - Mouse

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie

Have you ever read The Lion & the Mouse?

Summer Bucket List: Go Swimming

2011-06-24T07:00:00.001-04:00

Nearly 20 years ago my parents put in a pool. When we purchased this house from them the pool was included. My children have enjoyed swimming in it each year.

This year we got a late start on swimming so my children were extra excited to get to swim for the first time on Monday.

We are looking forward to more fun times in the pool this summer.

Summer Bucket List

Caldecott Book List

2011-06-20T16:45:00.000-04:00

When we went to the library recently I decided to check out the Caldecott Medal book section. Reading a few of the books has caused me to want to read as many of the books on the list as we can find.

FYI: The Caldecott Medal is awarded to the most distinguished picture book from the preceding year. It is a way to honor illustrators for their artistic talents.

I will try to post about the Caldecott books we are reading each week. Have you read any of the books on this list?

Caldecott Medal Winners 1938-2010

2010: The Lion & the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney (Little, Brown and Company)
2009: The House in the Night illustrated by Beth Krommes, written by Susan Marie Swanson (Houghton Mifflin Company)
2008: The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick (Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic)
2007: Flotsam by David Wiesner (Clarion)
2006: The Hello, Goodbye Window Illustrated by Chris Raschka, written by Norton Juster (Michael di Capua/Hyperion)
2005: Kitten's First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes (Greenwillow Books/HarperCollinsPublishers)
2004: The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Mordicai Gerstein (Roaring Brook Press/Millbrook Press)
2003: My Friend Rabbit by Eric Rohmann (Roaring Brook Press/Millbrook Press)
2002: The Three Pigs by David Wiesner (Clarion/Houghton Mifflin)
2001: So You Want to Be President? Illustrated by David Small; text by Judith St. George (Philomel Books)
2000: Joseph Had a Little Overcoat by Simms Taback (Viking)
1999: Snowflake Bentley, Illustrated by Mary Azarian ; text by Jacqueline Briggs Martin (Houghton)
1998: Rapunzel by Paul O. Zelinsky (Dutton)
1997: Golem by David Wisniewski (Clarion)
1996: Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathmann (Putnam)
1995: Smoky Night , illustrated by David Diaz; text: Eve Bunting (Harcourt)
1994: Grandfather's Journey by Allen Say; text: edited by Walter Lorraine (Houghton)
1993: Mirette on the High Wire by Emily Arnold McCully (Putnam)
1992: Tuesday by David Wiesner (Clarion Books)
1991: Black and White by David Macaulay (Houghton)
1990: Lon Po Po: A Red-Riding Hood Story from China by Ed Young (Philomel)
1989: Song and Dance Man , illustrated by Stephen Gammell; text: Karen Ackerman (Knopf)
1988: Owl Moon , illustrated by John Schoenherr; text: Jane Yolen (Philomel)
1987: Hey, Al , illustrated by Richard Egielski; text: Arthur Yorinks (Farrar)
1986: The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg (Houghton)
1985: Saint George and the Dragon , illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman; text: retold by Margaret Hodges (Little, Brown)
1984: The Glorious Flight: Across the Channel with Louis Bleriot by Alice & Martin Provensen (Viking)
1983: Shadow , translated and illustrated by Marcia Brown; original text in French: Blaise Cendrars (Scribner)
1982: Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg (Houghton)
1981: Fables by Arnold Lobel (Harper)
1980: Ox-Cart Man , illustrated by Barbara Cooney; text: Donald Hall (Viking)
1979: The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses by Paul Goble (Bradbury)
1978: Noah's Ark by Peter Spier (Doubleday)
1977: Ashanti to Zulu: African Traditions , illustrated by Leo & Diane Dillon; text: Margaret Musgrove (Dial)
1976: Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears , illustrated by Leo & Diane Dillon; text: retold by Verna Aardema (Dial)
1975: Arrow to the Sun by Gerald McDermott (Viking)
1974: Duffy and the Devil , illustrated by Margot Zemach; retold by Harve Zemach (Farrar)
1973: The Funny Little Woman , illustrated by Blair Lent; text: retold by Arlene Mosel (Dutton)
1972: One Fine Day , retold and illustrated by Nonny Hogrogian (Macmillan)
1971: A Story A Story , retold and illustrated by Gail E. Haley (Atheneum)
1970: Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig (Windmill Books)
1969: The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship , illustrated by Uri Shulevitz; text: retold by Arthur Ransome (Farrar)
1968: Drummer Hoff , illustrated by Ed Emberley; text: adapted by Barbara Emberley (Prentice-Hall)
1967: Sam, Bangs & Moonshine by Evaline Ness (Holt)
1966: Always Room for One More , illustrated by Nonny Hogrogian; text: Sorche Nic Leodhas, pseud. [Leclair Alger] (Holt)
1965: May I Bring a Friend? illustrated by Beni Montresor; text: Beatrice Schenk de Regniers (Atheneum)
1964: Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak (Harper)
1963: The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats (Viking)
1962: Once a Mouse , retold and illustrated by Marcia Brown (Scribner)
1961: Baboushka and the Three Kings , illustrated by Nicolas Sidjakov; text: Ruth Robbins (Parnassus)
1960: Nine Days to Christmas , illustrated by Marie Hall Ets; text: Marie Hall Ets and Aurora Labastida (Viking)
1959: Chanticleer and the Fox , illustrated by Barbara Cooney; text: adapted from Chaucer's Canterbury Tales by Barbara Cooney (Crowell)
1958: Time of Wonder by Robert McCloskey (Viking)
1957: A Tree Is Nice , illustrated by Marc Simont; text: Janice Udry (Harper)
1956: Frog Went A-Courtin' , illustrated by Feodor Rojankovsky; text: retold by John Langstaff) (Harcourt)
1955: Cinderella, or the Little Glass Slipper , illustrated by Marcia Brown; text: translated from Charles Perrault by Marcia Brown (Scribner)
1954: Madeline's Rescue by Ludwig Bemelmans (Viking)
1953: The Biggest Bear by Lynd Ward (Houghton)
1952: Finders Keepers , illustrated by Nicolas, pseud. (Nicholas Mordvinoff); text: Will, pseud. [William Lipkind] (Harcourt)
1951: The Egg Tree by Katherine Milhous (Scribner)
1950: Song of the Swallows by Leo Politi (Scribner)
1949: The Big Snow by Berta & Elmer Hader (Macmillan)
1948: White Snow, Bright Snow , illustrated by Roger Duvoisin; text: Alvin Tresselt (Lothrop)
1947: The Little Island , illustrated by Leonard Weisgard; text: Golden MacDonald, pseud. [Margaret Wise Brown] (Doubleday)
1946: The Rooster Crows by Maud & Miska Petersham (Macmillan)
1945: Prayer for a Child , illustrated by Elizabeth Orton Jones; text: Rachel Field (Macmillan)
1944: Many Moons , illustrated by Louis Slobodkin; text: James Thurber (Harcourt)
1943: The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton (Houghton)
1942: Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey (Viking)
1941: They Were Strong and Good , by Robert Lawson (Viking)
1940: Abraham Lincoln by Ingri & Edgar Parin d'Aulaire (Doubleday)
1939: Mei Li by Thomas Handforth (Doubleday)
1938: Animals of the Bible, A Picture Book , illustrated by Dorothy P. Lathrop; text: selected by Helen Dean Fish (Lippincott)

Summer Bucket List: Sell Lemonade

2011-06-17T15:00:00.014-04:00

Today my we had a yard sale at my parents' house. My brother's family and my family sold things, along with my parents. I decided this would be a perfect time to let my children have a lemonade stand.

We live out in the country and probably wouldn't have many customers if we tried to set one up here. I remember trying to sell lemonade when I was a girl (living in the house we live in now) and the only customers I had were my dad and the mailman. :-)

However, my parents live in a small town where a festival is taking place this weekend. I felt confident my children would be able to sell some lemonade.

We set up a card table and put some bright yellow paper on top. My 6 & 8 year old boys were ready to sell. They were selling the lemonade for 25 cents per cup.

Yay, their first customer! It didn't matter that it was my dad, they were excited to start earning some money.

Well, they might earn some money if their 3 year old brother doesn't drink all of the lemonade. ;-)

Not being one to miss an educational opportunity, I asked the boys to tally how many cups of lemonade they sold and how much money they made.

My 8 year old son got the most out of this money making venture. He worked (with the occasional help of his brothers, his older sister, and the neighbor girl) for over 2 hours. The kids made $6.25.

My son asked me what we were going to do with the money. He and I decided he could spend a little at the neighbor's yard sale and that we would keep the rest of the money (and the money we made at the yard sale) to use for some family fun this summer. He thought that sounded like a good idea.

While this wasn't an activity that all of my children were involved with for a long period of time, they did all take part in some way. I think it was a fun learning experience for them.

Summer Bucket List

{Baby Learning} Involving Baby in Everyday Tasks

2011-06-15T15:00:00.001-04:00

February 2008

I am a firm believer in involving my children in what I am doing. The same is true for my babies. I like to have them close to me while I am working around the house and they are awake.

For example, I have used a baby sling to help me hold my babies while sewing, gardening, cooking (being extremely careful near anything hot), folding laundry, etc. Right now my baby girl is sitting on my lap as I am typing this.

Narrating what you are doing is also a great way to help your baby learn about the world around her. Sometimes if I need to have my hands free a bouncy seat, or exersaucer for an older baby, allows my baby to be close while I am working.

I believe that the more my babies are involved in everyday tasks the more they will learn. Do you feel the same?

Book Pages Turned Placemats

2011-06-13T15:06:00.000-04:00

I made my children some new placemats this morning and they haven't even seen them yet. I think they will be pleasantly surprised at supper tonight. I saw the idea here via Pinterest (Love that site!).

I made them from an old Dick & Jane book that was copyrighted in 1951. The book was found at a yard sale and was obviously well-loved. Each story was four pages long so I was able to trim the side where the spine was and put two pages together in a laminating pouch. Then I ran them through my laminator.

Each placemat has the title page and last page on one side and the middle two pages of the story on the other side. I think this will be fun for my children at mealtime. Plus, it is a great way to promote reading. Since I have five children (four who eat food) they can switch each day and read a different story.

Do you have any books that have seen better days lying around? This might be a great way to use them.

Summer Bucket List: Have a Picnic

2011-06-10T07:10:00.001-04:00

My children love to have picnics. It is something that spans the age groups. We had our first summer picnic earlier this week by eating breakfast on our front deck.

I am sure it won't be our only picnic. We will likely eat on our deck again and hopefully visit some parks as well.

Summer fun doesn't have to cost much, if anything. Sometimes a simple change in the routine can be fun. Plus, you will create lasting memories with your children in the process.

Each week when I post about something we have done on our summer bucket list I will post our previous posts below. Like this.

Summer Bucket List

Strawberry Picking

New Commenting System

2011-06-10T01:00:00.000-04:00

I wanted to let you know that I have installed a new commenting system. I have used Disqus on my other blog for a few months and have enjoyed it so much that I decided to use it on this blog.

You can create a Disqus account or you can comment via your Facebook, Twitter, Google, or Yahoo account. You can even comment with an open id.

I like that you and I will be able to respond directly to each other's comments. I also like that you can choose to always receive email notifications of replies to your comments.

I hope that this change in commenting will be something we will all enjoy. If you have any questions please let me know.

Now, let's try this out and see how it works. Leave me a comment telling me something you plan to do with your child(ren) this summer.

{Baby Learning} Music & Singing

2011-06-08T15:30:00.009-04:00

A few weeks ago I wrote a post entitled "What to do with your newborn." One of the activities I mentioned was to sing to your baby.

My children all love music, singing and dancing. My oldest daughter would even dance to the nightly news theme song when she was just able to pull to standing but couldn't quite walk. :-)

It doesn't matter if the singing is "good", it just matters that there is music.

To prove this point I thought I would share the song I made up for my oldest nearly 12 years ago. I have sung it to each child and my youngest baby (Janna) is no exception.

If you are reading this via email or in a reader you will have to click over to see it.

See, it doesn't have to sound great.

I do think singing to your baby should involve more than just their ears. Gently move their hands and feet or even dance with them while you sing.

Music can have a calming effect like singing a lullaby at bedtime. It can have an uplifting effect like when you are singing and doing the motions to "If You're Happy and You Know It." Whatever the style, music should be a daily part of your baby's life.

Will listening to music make your baby smarter? I don't know the answer for sure, but I don't think it can hurt.

Do you sing and listen to music with your baby?

Tracing for Fine Motor Practice

2011-06-06T22:40:00.000-04:00

I think that tracing is good for helping children gain fine motor control. Here is a good way for your child to practice tracing.

Find an object like a juice can lid, a hand, an empty spool, a canning ring (like in the picture above), etc. Show your child how to trace around the object and then let them try. Let your child's interest gauge how long they trace.

The more fine motor practice a child gets, the easier it will be for them to write.

What kinds of things does your child like to trace?

Summer Bucket List: Strawberry Picking

2011-06-03T15:42:00.001-04:00

There are several things that I want to do with my children this summer. My kids range in age from almost 12 years old down to 8 weeks. While this is a wide range of ages, I still think there are plenty of things we can all do together to have fun.

Today we did one of the things on my list. We went to a u-pick strawberry patch. We picked 39 1/2 pounds of strawberries with the additional help of my brother and his wife. Their baby and my baby slept in their car seats the whole time which was extremely helpful for us being able to pick so much. :)

We had a great time. I don't think my kids even knew they were doing work. This was definitely an activity that seemed to transcend age groups.

Today I read a post by Amy over at The Finer Things in Life. I have been inspired to get input from my children and write down all of the things we plan to do this summer. It will be our "summer bucket list".

What's on your "summer bucket list"?

{Baby Learning} Mirrors

2011-06-01T13:05:00.003-04:00

Babies love to look at faces. So why not let your baby look at her own face in a mirror?

Providing your baby with a mirror for tummy time, in the car or in the crib gives her a chance to learn several skills. You can even simply hold your baby in front of a large mirror.

When looking at her face in a mirror your baby will learn how to track images and focus her eyes. Your baby will also learn about emotions and facial expressions and gain an awareness of her own image.

Observe your baby when she is looking in a mirror. Does she smile, coo, reach out, turn away, etc.

You can also interact with your baby while she is looking in the mirror. Touch the different parts of your baby's face and name them. Use an expressive voice as you talk.

Mirrors are a great way to help your baby learn. Does/did your baby like looking in the mirror? What about your older children?

Fun with a Cardboard Box

2011-05-27T15:00:00.003-04:00

What's not to love about a cardboard box? When you give one to your child you never know what it might become.

My daughter and son recently turned a box into a "car". One cardboard box united my oldest child and fourth child and they had a lot of fun together.

2009

A couple of years ago my children all enjoyed a giant cardboard box. It provided them with hours of entertainment.

I recently found a collection of things to do with cardboard boxes that totally blew me away. You simply have to check out all of the fun and creative things you can do with a cardboard box. I see a few summer projects my kids and I could do. Now, I just need to get ahold of a big box...

32 Things to Make Using a Cardboard Box

{Baby Learning} Visual Development

2011-05-25T14:30:00.003-04:00

At birth a baby can only focus on objects that are about 8-15 inches from him or her. While babies can see color it is hard for them to distinguish between different shades of colors. Pastels might look pretty to us, but won't to your baby.

Babies often enjoy looking at high contrast objects. This is why you see items that are black, red and white marketed for newborns. I have a few high contrast items that my babies have all enjoyed such as a cloth book, a cloth ball and a stuffed caterpillar.

Before my daughter was born I made a high contrast mobile using pictures from sleepingbaby.net.

I used an embroidery hoop and some ribbons to make the mobile. I shared more detailed instructions on my other blog. I have it lower now than I will once she can grab it. I can adjust the ribbon at that point.

I also made some simple shapes and printed them out. There are 12 four inch squares altogether. I cut them out, laminated them using my laminating machine, then cut the out again. I rounded the corners so there were no sharp edges in case my baby later holds them.

I taped the pictures to a wall so that my baby can see them when she has tummy time. They could also be taped to the sides of baby's crib (Remove them when baby can roll.) or on the wall where baby's diapers are changed.

In addition, I made all of the squares smaller and put them on one page. This page could work well in the car on the back of the seat that baby faces. I also taped one to a cabinet for my daughter to look at when she is in her bouncy seat and I am cooking.

I made the squares into a PDF file so that you can download and print your own Black & White Pictures. As my daughter gets a little older I will make some brightly colored cards for her. I have a couple of ideas I want to try with them so stay tuned.

I think the main thing to remember about a baby's visual development is that while these types of high contrast shapes are great for your baby to look at, the most important way to help their visual development is to give them lots of face time. They will learn a lot by looking at your face and seeing your facial expressions.

Sticker Stories

2011-05-23T16:10:00.000-04:00

I was looking back through some of my old posts and found this idea for making sticker stories.

Basically, I gave the children some stickers and crayons and asked them to make a picture. When they were finished I wrote down the story they dictated to me.

By writing down what the children said it really authenticated the story they created. Have you ever done this with your children? I think I need to find some new stickers and do this with my children again.

Pipe Cleaner Fine Motor Practice

2011-05-20T15:20:00.005-04:00

When I saw this pipe cleaner discovery box at The Imagination Tree I thought it would be a great activity for my 3 year old.

First, I gathered my supplies: pipe cleaners, a colander, a spool, and a plastic container with holes drilled into the bottom.

Then, I modeled how to put the pipe cleaners into the holes. I tried to show my son how much fun this would be.

Then, I allowed my son to explore the items.

He picked up some pipe cleaners. He even threaded one through the spool.

Then something went wrong.

We ended up with pipe cleaners all over the floor. He didn't want to put the pipe cleaners in the holes, and took every one I put in a hole out immediately.

Finally, he put all of the pipe cleaners inside the colander and put a car on top.

The end.

I guess this wasn't something that interested my son, so I will put it away for now and try again another time.

Have you ever seen an idea on a blog and thought it looked like it would be great to try? Then, when you did try it with your child things didn't go as you had hoped? Obviously, it has happened to me. :)

{Baby Learning} What to do with your newborn.

2011-05-18T16:00:00.011-04:00

It is hard to believe that my baby girl will be 6 weeks old tomorrow. The time is going so quickly.

When I was first handed my precious baby I was as overjoyed as I was the day I first became a mother nearly 12 years ago.

The time is going so quickly and my baby girl has changed so much in this short time she has been alive. We love that she can smile at us now.

The first year of a baby's life is a time of much learning. While many babies sleep a great deal during their first 6 weeks they are still learning. With each hug we give, smile we share, and lullaby we sing a baby is learning. A newborn has to rely on his or her caregivers to provide for their every need, including their need to learn.

So, what can you do with a newborn baby to help him or her learn? Here is a list of things you can do with your newborn. It is definitely not all-inclusive, but it is a start. Some of these topics I will expand upon in the coming weeks. If you have any activities to add I would love to hear from you.

Activities for Newborns

Talk to your baby as you carry or hold him or her. You can talk about anything. Get in the habit of discussing everything you are doing even if it seems silly. Your baby doesn't care.

Sing to your baby. Your baby doesn't care whether you are a good singer or not. You can even make up your own songs.

Move your baby's arms and legs. Stretch your baby's arm out and observe his or her reaction. Repeat for the other arm, as well as your baby's legs. Touch your baby's hands and see if they will grasp your finger. Talk to your baby as you do this.

Move an object. Take an object such as a rattle or other similar object and show it to your baby. Move it slowly to the left and then to the right. Does your baby track the object with his or her eyes?

Provide your baby with tummy time. (This is a link to a post I wrote on my other blog with more information about tummy time.)

Show your baby pictures and/or toys that are black and white. The contrast between black and white is great for helping your baby's visual development.

Provide a mobile or activity gym for your baby. This will not only help your baby's visual development, but it will also help your baby learn to reach for objects.

Lay your baby on a blanket on the floor and then gently pull them to a sitting position by holding their hands. This will help your baby learn how to sit up eventually.

Read to your baby. It is never to early to foster a love of books in your child.

Let your baby be your guide with any activity you do. If baby gets fussy stop the activity and soothe your baby. Do not overstimulate your baby by doing more than one activity at time, with the exception of talking and/or singing. These activities should be repeated throughout the newborn period and beyond.

What have you done with your newborn to encourage learning?

Flower Prints Using Soda Bottles

2011-05-16T14:58:00.000-04:00

Good afternoon! I wanted to let you know my tentative plan for this blog during the summer (starting now). My plan is to share a project or idea from the archives on Mondays. After looking back at some of my old posts I see that I have so many ideas shared in single posts that it might be nice to highlight some of the ideas that may have been lost in the shuffle so to speak.

On Wednesdays I hope to share something baby related. I have a 5 week old daughter and I thought it would be nice to share some learning activities for babies on this blog in addition to preschool activities.

Finally, on Fridays I hope to share a new learning activity. Well, this is the plan, at least for now. Since I have 5 children I won't say that any plan is set in stone. :)

Last spring the children made these pretty painted flowers. We used some acrylic paints and ...

...a two-liter soda bottle. We dipped the bottom of the bottle into the paint and then stamped it onto paper. The children used their fingers to make the stem and leaves.

Don't have a two liter bottle? A water bottle would work just as well. You can even use the bottle cap as a stamp to make the center of the flower bigger.

Here are a few posts in which I shared some flower themed activities.

Letter F - Flowers
The Five Senses: Smell
V is for Vase & Violin

Homemade Puffy Paint

2011-05-11T14:20:00.002-04:00

My son and I tried a new paint recipe today and had a lot of fun with it. I thought I would share how we made it in case you want to try it, too.

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. Flour
1 Tbsp. Salt
1 Tbsp. Water
5-10 Drops Food Coloring

1. For each color of paint you make you will need to mix 1 tablespoon each of flour, salt and water in a small container. You will also need to add 5 to 10 drops of liquid food coloring to each container. Mix well. Repeat for each color.

2. Once you have mixed all of the colors give your child a piece of cardboard (The back of an empty cereal box works well.) and allow him or her to put the paint on the cardboard.

My son enjoyed using the spoons to put the paint on the cardboard and then used another spoon to swirl the colors around.

3. Once your child has finished painting, put the cardboard into a microwave for 15 seconds at a time until it is dry. It took almost a minute for my son's painting to dry.

I think these paintings could also air dry, but it would undoubtedly take a lot longer.

4. Enjoy your child's artwork.

My son told me he made a bumblebee and a car. :-)

This was a fun process for my son that kept his attention throughout the entire process. He loved touching his painting which allowed us to talk about sensory words such as bumpy, smooth, rough, etc.

Have you ever made this kind of paint? If not, I would definitely recommend making some with your child.

Real Life Learning: Digging in the Dirt

2011-05-09T10:20:00.004-04:00

I think all children have a natural fascination with dirt. Sometimes it can be exasperating when they get totally covered in mud, but they love it.

You can use your child's love of dirt to your advantage by having him or her help you in the garden. My three year old son was a great help on Saturday when we were planting potatoes. I am sure he will be a big help later today when we start planting some seeds.

Whether you have a large garden spot like we do, a small garden, a square foot garden or a container garden your child can help and learn at the same time.

Last year I wrote about how my children gain real life learning experiences while helping in the garden such as learning where our food comes from.

Digging in the dirt is a fun sensory experience where the ground can be your child's sensory table. Planting seeds is a great fine motor exercise as you teach your child to put one seed at a time into the dirt. Your child can also learn about measurement as you have him or her place the seeds at an equal distance apart.

What are your thoughts on children playing in the dirt and/or mud? Do you garden? Do your children help you? I would love to hear from you.

Free Play Dough Recipes E-Book

2011-04-28T12:20:00.000-04:00

I thought it might be fun to make an e-book of all of the play dough and other assorted dough recipes I have shared on this blog. So, I made one. :)

You are welcome to download and print your very own copy of the book by clicking the link or picture below. I also encourage you to share a link to this post so that others can download their own copy of the book. However, please do not upload a copy of this book to your own website or sell this book in either digital or printed format. Thanks for your cooperation.

Play Dough Recipes E-Book

If you enjoyed this e-book please leave me a comment letting me know. Thanks!

Dying Easter Eggs

2011-04-25T11:45:00.007-04:00

After telling you last week that we hadn't done any Easter crafts, I redeemed myself slightly by decorating eggs with my children on Saturday.

Years ago I had purchased a bunch of egg dying kits for 10 cents each after Easter. I had finally used all of them up. So, I pulled out my trusty food coloring in order to decorate our eggs this year.

I first asked my children to make designs on their hard boiled eggs with a white crayon.

Then we dipped them into our egg dye*. We let the eggs dry on a wire rack with paper towel under it. The kids had a lot of fun with this, but I will have to make sure I boil more eggs next year.

When we ran out of eggs I gave each of my children a piece of freezer paper and let them paint with the leftover egg dye. They had a lot of fun.

*Here is the recipe we used to make our own egg dye.

Homemade Easter Egg Dye

1/2 Cup Boiling Water
15-20 Drops Liquid Food Coloring
1 tsp. White Vinegar

Mix all ingredients in a container. Repeat for each color you wish to use. Carefully place eggs in the container for about 1 minute, or until desired color effect is reached.

Easter Ideas

2011-04-21T11:30:00.007-04:00

I have a confession. We haven't done any Easter crafts and I haven't put out any Easter decorations. Having a baby two weeks ago kind of put the cutsie things about Easter on the back burner. We have been reading Bible stories pertaining to Easter so I can at least feel good about that.

So, since I dropped the ball this year I thought I would link to my Easter posts from last year.

What are you doing to celebrate Easter this year?

Real Life Learning: A New Baby

2011-04-14T14:25:00.003-04:00

One week ago I gave birth to our fifth child. Each of our children is a blessing and Janna is no exception.

Ever since our second child was born I have always had a 2 or 3 year old in the house when we have had a new baby. My toddlers/preschoolers have all reacted slightly differently when a new baby has joined the family.

I always try to pay special attention to how the new big brother or big sister feels about the baby. Joseph, my 3 year old, has really done well in his new role. He loves to kiss Janna's head and has a special tone of voice that he only uses when talking to her.

Talking about the upcoming birth is something I have always done, but talking often isn't enough to prepare a child for the birth of a sibling.

Role playing with baby dolls is a great hands on way to demonstrate appropriate ways of treating a baby. Joseph had some special training that my other children never got. My niece was born 5 weeks before Janna, so he got to have some hands on experience with a real baby before his sister was born.

Another thing I like to do to prepare a child for the birth of a new baby is to read books about babies to them. Two books that we have are The New Baby by Mercer Mayer and Arthur's Baby by Marc Brown. Books can be a great tool for helping a child prepare for a variety of situations, not just a new baby.

Finally, once the baby arrives I give my toddler/preschooler simple jobs to help me with the baby. For example, I might ask Joseph to bring me 1 diaper and 2 baby wipes. He has given himself the job of throwing away the dirty diapers. :) Having a job that helps out mommy always makes my children feel special. My oldest daughter used to call herself my "wipes girl" when her brother was born.

Do you have suggestions for how to help a toddler/preschooler in their new role as big brother or sister? I would love to hear from you.

Our baby girl is here!

2011-04-07T22:47:00.000-04:00

Janna arrived this morning. She weighed 6 lbs. 10 oz. and was 21 1/4 in. She has a head full of dark hair. We should be going home tomorrow. I will post a picture whn I can.

Real Life Learning: Getting Dressed

2011-03-28T12:20:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago my three year old son decided that he liked getting himself dressed. He picked out the outfit above and put everything on by himself including his socks.

He was so excited and proud of himself. I love it when my children figure something out like this.

We did get a kick out of the fact that he started trying to put on several layers of clothes. My daughter was laughing pretty hard in the picture above because her little brother had put on 4 pairs of shorts and could hardly walk.

We have since convinced him that one outfit at a time is preferable. :)

Along these same lines, my children have all loved playing dress-up over the years. Playing dress-up is a great way to not only practice the skill of getting dressed, but to allow a child to use their imagination.

(Here is our dress-up center.)

Does your child enjoy getting dressed? Mine have run the gamut on enjoying dressing themselves at this age.

Colored Alphabet Pasta

2011-03-24T22:00:00.012-04:00

A couple of weeks ago I decided to make some colored alphabet pasta. I have colored other types of pasta and rice in the past, but this was the first time I tried coloring alphabet pasta.

Ingredients:
1 tsp. Rubbing Alcohol
1 Cup Pasta (or Rice)
Liquid Food Coloring
Lidded Container or Plastic Zip Bag

1. Mix 1 tsp. rubbing alcohol and 10 drops of liquid food coloring in a container.

2. Add 1 cup of pasta.

3. Put the lid on the container and get a helper to shake it. (This was lots of fun for my children.)

4. Let the pasta dry on a piece of waxed paper.

5. Repeat steps 1-4 to make other colors of pasta.

This colored alphabet pasta would great for use in a sensory bin. My children always love scooping and pouring beans, rice and pasta.

Have you ever colored rice or pasta before? If not, I recommend giving it a try.

Real Life Learning: Unloading the Dishwasher

2011-03-21T13:50:00.002-04:00

My three year old loves to help with various household tasks. I love to think of these times as real life learning opportunities. I think learning is more than just knowing ABC's and 123's even though those are important things for preschoolers to learn.

I snapped this photo last week as my son was helping me unload our dishwasher. He knows where many items go even if he can't reach the high cabinets. To him, unloading the dishwasher is fun. Wouldn't it be great if we all had that attitude about household chores? :)

Not only is my son learning how to do household tasks when he helps me unload the dishwasher, but we can also do some math while we are at it.

We can count the number of forks that we put away, for example. Also, he is learning to sort things based on type and even size. For example, I can ask him to find all of the spoons that have flowers on the handles or to find all of the big spoons. We can even work on colors as I ask him to find all of the blue plates.

Does your child help you unload the dishwasher? If not, you may be missing out on a real life learning opportunity.

I'm back.

2011-03-16T15:20:00.000-04:00

I know I said I would be back in a week, but I guess I needed two weeks. I am happy to say that I am feeling much better after the sickness that went through our house two weeks ago. I am quite pregnant, though - 35 weeks to be exact.

I was intending to finish preschool on April 1st. Since I am due April 19th I thought this would be a good time to finish our year. Plus, I would have been able to get through the entire alphabet with a day or two to review.

However, after getting sick, my husband and I decided it would be best if I just ended preschool then. It was a month early and I only got through the letter "U" with the children. However, my health and sanity are important.

I don't like that we didn't finish the alphabet, but I think this has been a good decision for our family. I am not sure when or if I will teach preschool again, but I really did enjoy the past two years.

I will still be posting here because I have a three year old and will have a baby who will inspire many posts and creative ideas I am sure.

I am not sure how frequently I will be posting in the next few months, but I do hope you will stay with me. I have enjoyed this space and don't intend to give it up.

Thanks for reading what I have to say!

I am going to take a little break.

2011-03-01T10:23:00.000-05:00

I have been sick the past two days with a fever and have felt pretty lousy. Today is the first day I have left the couch for more than a few minutes at a time. Being sick and 33 weeks pregnant I feel the need to take a little break from this blog. Take care and I will be back next week.

Another Watercolor Paint Recipe

2011-02-24T13:00:00.042-05:00

A couple of weeks ago I shared a super easy homemade watercolor recipe with you. I tried a different recipe recently and wanted to share the results with you.

Ingredients:
3 Tablespoons Baking Soda
3 Tablespoons Cornstarch
3 Tablespoons White Vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons Light Corn Syrup
Liquid Food Coloring
Styrofoam Egg Carton
Bowl
Spoon

1. Mix baking soda, cornstarch, vinegar and corn syrup together in a bowl or measuring cup. The mixture will bubble and fizz which is great fun for the kids to see and hear.

2. When you have it thoroughly mixed divide the mixture into the egg carton cups. (We only used 9 of the cups.)

3. Add 2 or more drops of food coloring to each cup of the egg carton.

4. Mix the food coloring with a spoon until thoroughly mixed.

5. You can now use the paints or allow them to dry.

6. We chose to let the paints dry and it took about two days for them to thoroughly dry.

7. To use the dry paints, wet a paintbrush and get the paint color of your choice wet. You may have to wet your brush a few times to get the paint to be usable. Dip brush in water between each color.

These watercolors work really well and are sure to last for many painting sessions.

Letter U - Underground

2011-02-23T14:10:00.001-05:00

Today we finished our study of the letter "U" by talking about the concepts of under and underground. We talked about what animals live underground and the children even came up with animals that live under water. Then we put some objects under other objects to visually understand the concept.

Our library was limited on books about this topic, so I chose the book Good Morning, Digger by Anne Rockwell. This book is about a backhoe named Digger and how he digs a hole in the ground to start the process of building a building. I am not sure it hit on our topic as well as I had hoped, but it was cute.

After our story the children made underground "u's". The idea came from No Time For Flashcards.

The children first colored and cut out a lowercase letter "u". Then they glued it to a piece of brown construction paper. Next, they made cuts at the top of a piece of green construction paper to serve as grass. When they had glued the grass to the brown paper they drew various underground insects and animals.

The children also completed a letter "U" tracing page I created, but once again I can't seem to upload it. I will update this post as soon as I get it to upload.