Monday July 13th / Parade
We have seen quite a few parades because of July 4th and local fairs.
This gave me the ideas of having our very own parade!
Toddler:
Our toddler loves to pull things behind her. We gathered all her pull along toys and tied them together. Then we dressed her up like a princess with a gown, tiara, and a little make-up. She was super excited.
Preschooler:
With him we gathered different instruments. He started with the drum that goes around his neck and drum sticks. We put maracas in our pockets, just in case. Then he put on clown make-up and mismatched clothes! He had obviously been watching marching bands because he even tried to spin the drum sticks and made all these funny poses!
Lastly,
Get outside! March down the street. You can push a stroller or wagon with the extra instruments and any stuffed animals that would like to join in. Feel silly? Call some neighbors and make it a big deal! (Too much for you? This can be done in the basement or backyard as well)
Tuesday July 14th/ Toddlers and Maracas
Toddlers love shaking things and rhythm. Try making your own maracas and shaking them to a song or twelve!
You can use:
empty bottles
empty spice containers
any container will do...
beans
rice
Start with only three sizes. Small, medium and large of the object. Show your toddler how they fit inside each other and come apart again. See how long it takes them to try it on their own. Let your toddler play with this idea for awhile and master it before introducing more sizes. Once they have it add a few more of the measuring cups, spoons, or what ever object you are working with.
Tuesday July 14th / Preschool Pinata
Preschooler
You need:
Flour
water
balloon
bucket
old newspaper
Balance the balloon in the bucket.
Cut strips of newspaper, make some long for yourself and some very short for your children.
Add flour to a bread pan or small bin
Dip strips of newspaper, remove excess water
lay strips on balloon
repeat on all sides of balloon but leave an opening to add things inside.
Let each layer dry over night and repeat the next day
Pop the balloon after the first layer or before you close the opening.
We did this for three days and had three layers.
NEXT, I did this part while the kids were sleeping. I looked through their toys and found small lizards, frogs, and dinosaurs. I put them in the pinata and added a few layers over the opening. Then I let it dry over night.
Then, we painted the pinata to look like an egg. We read a few stories about eggs and watched the reading rainbow movie about eggs.
Lastly, but certainly not least. I gave them the egg to break open. My preschooler had a great time trying to figure out how to open it! He hit it with a stick threw it on the ground, both the grass and sidewalk. The sidewalk finally worked for a hole and then he used his hands. he played with the animals for quite awhile and wanted to put them back in the egg to "sleep" for the night.
Wednesday July 15th /
Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush
Toddlers love to sing. No worries about you not being able to carry a tune, they could care less. Today try Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush
Here we go ‘round the mulberry bush
The mulberry bush, the mulberry bush
Here we go ‘round the mulberry bush
So early in the morning
This is the way we wash our face
Wash our face, wash our face
This is the way we wash our face
So early in the morning
This is the way we comb our hair
Comb our hair, comb our hair
This is the way we comb our hair
So early in the morning
This is the way we brush our teeth
Brush our teeth, brush our teeth
This is the way we brush our teeth
So early in the morning
This is the way we put on our clothes
Put on our clothes, put on our clothes
This is the way we put on our clothes
So early in the morning…
This song is meant to be acted out.
Add any lyrics you like:
iron our clothes
wash our hair
mop the floor
mend our clothes
sweep the floor
Wednesday July 15th /Young (Mad?) Scientist / Volcano
This is another preschool activity about science.
You need
2 small paper cups
1/4 c baking soda
1/4 c vinegar
4 drops red food coloring
1. Fill bottom cup with baking soda
2. Add food coloring
3. Poke dime size hole in second cup
4. Set second cup on top of first cup
5. Pour vinegar in hole
6. Watch the eruption
Try different colors and glitter
Decorate the cups
Name your volcano
Book Review
Ei Einstein Never Used Flashcards:
How are children REALLY learn and why they need to PLAY more and memorize less!
http://www.playisessential.net/book-forum.html
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I LOVE IT! I had previously found a book with explanations for market research but it was very dry.
This book talks about the same researched based ideas that modern parents "buy" into and how it all began.
Although I have many favorite parts, one is when the author discusses the term "enriched environment" and the study done with rats to prove why a child benefits from an enriched environment....conclusion: You're still basing your parenting philosophy on rats! That is light hearted but there is a lot of great factual information on how your child's brain develops in subject areas such as math (number sense).
Thursday July 16th / Beyond Basic Blocks
The number one way to get your kids interested in an activity is: get on the floor too, at least in the beginning, and then let them take over and play by themselves.
Toddler and Preschooler
You need:
Blocks all shapes, sizes, and colors
Imagination is a must!
Toddlers:
Stacking blocks is a major accomplishment.
How many blocks can your toddler stack before they knock it down??
Build them a big tower to smash! (build quick!) lol
Preschooler:
Challenge your preschooler to expand their imagination and dramatic play.
How high of a tower can they build?
Can they build cages for our their animals and call it a zoo? Grab some people and have them visit the zoo.
Can they build a house for their small dolls, include beds, kitchen, house walls, chairs, etc.
Can they build a garage for their match box cars?
Can they build a fire station?
How long can they sit and be engaged with this activity? Preschool years are also about building attention spans.
What else can they think of to build with blocks?
Friday July 17th / Move Like the Animals
Toddler and Preschooler:
Play this game like follow the leader and call response
One person yells the animal "Kangaroo" every one else yells "Hop" and then they hop!
While the kids make the noises be sure to remind them to move like the animal too!
Continue through all animals you can think of!
Snake -Slither
Turtle- Crawl
Monkey -Swing, Jump, Act Crazy
Lizard- Slither
Fish -Swim
Spider- Crawl
Cat -Pounce, Jump, Walk
Bird -Fly
Elephant -Stomp
Frog -Hop
Meerkat -Stand on Hind legs arms tucked in "Peek"
Lion -Run, Sleep, Walk
Rabbit -Hop
Chicken -Chicken Strut
Dog - Run, Walk, Run in circles
Saturday July 18th / Read! Read! Read!
Toddler and Preschooler
You need:
books
a place to cuddle up
Tips for reading to kids
Read Slow
Change your voice
Cuddle
Look at the pictures
Have your child turn the pages
Point to the words as you read
If you have read the story many times, pause, and let your child fill in the word thank them for "helping you read"
Let toddlers and preschoolers talk through out the book by naming objects, telling personal connections (I have a dog too), and asking questions
THINK OUT LOUD ... "I wonder what will happen next, I guess I will turn the page and see." or "Wow, she is really a nice girl to share with her brother" or "Oh no, he is in trouble, I think he should ..." You are modeling reading is thinking!
After the story is over, talk about it. Ask your child what happened or to retell you the story. Your child will be asked to do this in Kindergarten frequently. Then ask them what their favorite part was.
Sunday July 19th / Raid the Kitchen / Lazy Susan
You need a lazy susan.
Clear your Lazy Susan of all spices, cans etc.
I do not suggest just handing this object to your child.
Sit down with them and have a few toys with you such as; little people, cars, small toys.
Show them it can be used like a merry go round.
Show them if you spin it slow everything stays on, but if you spin it fast everything flies off! :-)
After you demonstrate what is can do and how you you want them to play with it, let them explore this new toy.
I did not think this one would be as GREAT as it was for the kids. I couldn't get over how long they were entertained by it and they did not want me to put it away!
Remember to READ 15 minutes a day to your child!
There is work that is work and there is play that is play; there is play that is work and work that is play. And in only one of these lies happiness. -Gelett Burgess
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