Easy E

June 19, 2019Leave a comment

Easy E (5)

For lack of a better title, today Travis and I made Es with two easy materials (straws and string)… But it turns out they were quite tricky to master!

First we traced big E and little e, and then I presented him with 4 straws; 3 were short, and 1 was long.

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At first, he added the short straws to the long one in a rather slapdash way.

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He traces E this way sometimes, too, so I challenged him to look closer at the E in his tracing book. Aha! One short line comes from the top, one from the bottom, and one from the middle.

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Making little e with another easy material (string) was even harder. He got frustrated figuring out how to twist it in just the right way, until I provided direction.

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What material would you make an E? Please share in the comments!

Simon Says Alphabet

June 19, 2019June 19, 2019Leave a comment

Simon Says (1)

Here’s a fun twist on ‘Simon Says’ that will reinforce letter recognition as well as promote direction-taking. The perfect game, in other words, to help prevent a summer slide before Kindergarten.

I laid out alphabet flash cards using only the lower case letters, so as not to make things confusing. If you have older players, you could hypothetically include capitals and lower case.

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“Simon” began giving Travis directions .Put your toe on ‘w’, put your thumb on ‘e’.

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Turn over the ‘h’ card.

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Whoops! I didn’t say ‘Simon Says’, and Travis laughed about being tricked.

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Now he was the Simon and he loved getting to be the boss and give mommy directions. Simon Says put your toe on ‘p’!

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He was gleeful when I did a direction that omitted the ‘Simon Says’, and immediately wanted more rounds. We’ll be playing this one all summer!

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Jell-o Sensory Activity

June 19, 20191 Comment

Jello Sensory (5).JPG This twist on jell-o play will be a delight for any baby around 7 months old! Not only are babies at this age making their first forays into finger-feeding themselves, but any activities involving texture are a hit. Add a prize to dig for and an edible medium, and you pretty much have the prefect game.

First I made jell-o with our favorite vegan brand, Simply Delish’s jel desserts. Big brother Travis picked the flavor – strawberry!

Pour the jell-o over soft toys in Tupperware containers (make sure all are large enough not to pose a choking hazard).

Jello Sensory (1)

I thought large containers would be easier, but the toys popped up to the surface! Instead, it was easier to “trap” them in small containers.

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You can also wait for the dessert to set slightly, then push the toy down inside.

I presented Veronika with the Tupperware and the task to dig up the toy treasure. Of course at first she was just fascinated with the container and lid!

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Then she became aware of the items buried inside. Little fingers began digging. Once the toys were out, it was straight to her mouth. Yum, it tastes like strawberry!

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