Make Binoculars

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These super-simple binoculars are a fun way to introduce the item to your baby. No complicated decorations or lenses here, just some quality “I Spy” play!

I taped together two empty toilet paper tubes with several layers of colored tape. Sometimes I prepare crafts while Veronika watches so she can play along, but I knew she would be an imp with the tape, so secretly put these together while she napped.

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Once awake, I peered at her through the binoculars. Hello, Veronika!

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I showed her how to hold the tubes up to her eyes and verbalized what I saw. “Look, there’s the cat! Look, it’s daddy! Look, a toy train!”

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Next it was her turn; I handed the binoculars over, and she puzzled over how to peer through them. She loved holding them, and placed them up to her head in imitation, although needed my help to get them centered over her eyes.

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Her favorite though was whenever I looked at her through them, rewarding me with a big smile each time. A great first pair of binocs!

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The Kitchen Bowl

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Forget the World Series or the Super Bowl, today Travis and I competed in the… Kitchen Bowl!

This was an adorable idea from Raddish Kids to round out their Game Day crate. If you have a large family, or are hosting a family gathering, or just want to invite friends over, then you can play these games with proper teams. Travis and I had more of a “tennis match”, going one-on-one to see who could win. For a few of the activities, I challenged him solo.

First, of course, we had to name our teams. Travis declared himself the Speedy Lemons (after his favorite food) and made the Melty Ice Creams. We decorated posters with our names and mascots, and Trravis was proud of his very inventive blue lemon.

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The first event was the Ultimate Taste Test. Could he identify items blindfolded? I knew Travis wouldn’t be “game” for anything liquid, so stuck to yummy snacks like mini bagels, graham crackers, and cashews. He aced them all (pun intended!).

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Next we played a round of Basket-foil. Wad up aluminum foil into balls (about 6 per team) and place a mixing bowl across the room.

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See who gets the most baskets in 60 seconds! We tied with 2 each.

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Tong Training got lots of laughs: Each team has two cups, one filled with 1/4 cup beans. See how long it takes to transfer the beans from one cup to the other. The Speedy Lemons had an impressive 45 seconds.

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You’ll need to work those fine motor skills if one drops.

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Uh oh, the Melty Ice Creams upended the cup.

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Then I challenged him to Memory Madness. I placed 5 utensils in a brown bag (use up to 10 items for bigger kids) and had Travis look at them for 30 seconds. Could he remember all 5?

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With some coaching from the sidelines, he proudly recalled all the items.

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Finally, Speed Whipping! I set out two bowls and two whisks. We had vegan Coco Whip which won’t really whisk up into stiff peaks, so this was just a matter of being silly and seeing who could whip fastest. The Melty Ice Creams came out on top!

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Did I mention this was all before the school bus came? What a way to start the morning!

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