O Week!

November 17, 2016November 17, 2016Leave a comment

o-week-22

Oh what a week we had (sorry, couldn’t resist!). Many O words are very common and simple ones (e.g. on/off, open, old), so it was challenging but rewarding as a parent to devise ways to turn everyday words into games. Here’s what we fit in this week:

Olympics: Too big a word to pass up, even if the time of year doesn’t correspond to the actual Olympic games. Stage a toddler mini Olympics with “javelin” and “discus” throws, bean bag races, and more.

Octopus/Ocean: I made Travis an octopus to swim around the apartment (which, admittedly, looked more like a jelly fish) by wrapping a Styrofoam ball in fabric and tying on 8 ribbons as legs.

O week (18).JPG

We then staged an “ocean dive” for the octopus and other ocean-y creatures, and Travis loved filling up a bucket with treasures from the “ocean.”

Opposites: You can use pretty much any toy and a building block to demonstrate great opposites, such as on/off, up/down, or behind/in front of, but I highly recommend Bunny Boo, which is a great toy for spatial relationships. It fit my agenda perfectly for O week!

Aside from demonstrating opposites with a toy, quiz your toddler on what opposites he or she knows. Travis impressed me getting left/right and more. For preschoolers, consider turning it into a board game or card game of some sort.

Oak: This word made for my favorite moment of the week. We started off reading As An Oak Tree Grows, by G. Brian Karas, and the next day we took a walk among oak trees. Travis loved connecting it to our story from the night before, and we crunched through all the acorns on the ground this time of year.

Open: Simply set out collection of all the things around the house that your toddler can open and close (hey, more opposites!), including some that are a challenge for his or her fine motor skills, like bottle and jar lids. Some favorites were his jack-in-the-box, turtle treasure box, and the mailbox we created back in X week!

Obstacle course: We created such an intricate obstacle course that I devoted a separate blog post to it, but needless to say, this word is the perfect prompt for gross motor skills of the week.

Then we moved on to…

Fine art: Make Olympic rings (perfectly shaped like Os!) of course. See my Toddler Olympics post for more details.

Food: Oatmeal raisin cookies got a happy yes. Olives got a very confused no.

Books: A few titles from the library that fit our themes and games perfectly: Thank you Octopus, by Darren Farrell and Inside Outside by Lizi Boyd (another opposite!). We also read Old Bear and His Cub by Olivier Dunrea.

Songs: On a whim, I played a download of an oboe sonata; who knew Travis would be so fascinated by the instrument? If you’re feeling ambitious, you might introduce your child to a YouTube clip of opera singers. More toddler-friendly, Travis loved watching My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean and Old Macdonald Had a Farm and we sang lots of rounds of Open, Shut Them (more opposites!)

Math: Ovals and octagons are the shapes we focused on this week. I made a simplified outline match – another convenient O word – tracing octagons and ovals in various colors and sizes. Travis nailed the game on the first try, and then wanted to try tracing on his own!

o-week-5

We’re headed into N week next, so stay tuned.

Transportation Crate

November 16, 20161 Comment

koala-transport-8

We had a great time discovering our latest Koala Crate when it arrived in the mail this week! This month’s theme was billed as “transportation,” although the focus is largely on cars and trucks. I wouldn’t have minded an airplane- or train-themed craft to diversify the kit, but that is a minor quibble, because the materials provided were quite novel this month.

The first thing Travis spotted were the road signs, which meant they had to be assembled straight away (we used foam stickers to attach the sign templates to small wooden cubes). He loved making toy cars and buses stop at the traffic light and stop sign.

koala-transport-9

To add to the imaginative play, the crate comes with a roll of washi tape for making a whole town on your floor! This activity is one we’ve done with masking tape in the past, but now we had road signs to add to the complexity of our “town.”

koala-transport-10

This is a great chance to talk with toddlers and preschoolers about basic road rules and safety, and ask them about what each sign means. I also added a dashed line down some of our “roads” to teach Travis about two-way traffic.

koala-transport-12

And at the end, Travis loved ripping all the washi tape off the floor and making a big pile with it because, well, #two-nager.

koala-transport-14

The next item in the crate was a beautifully-crafted wooden truck. We ran the truck’s wheels in water in the pan provided and then across the “magic paper” to make tire tracks!

koala-transport-2

If you don’t have a Koala subscription, you can copy this activity with black paint and drive toy cars through. We had fun discovering the different tracks that various cars made, some skinny, some fat.

koala-transport-5

Travis also marveled at how he could touch the black watery marks left by the cars, but not get black on his finger. An element of magic is always a plus.

koala-transport-3

Then it was time to pull out the provided paintbrush and paint black roads, which made for messy fun driving cars through blobs of black paint.

koala-transport-7

Finally, we tested the third activity: A cardboard ramp. The varying slope of the ramp is a nice way to show how velocity varies as roads get steeper. Although the lesson was a little advanced for Travis, there’s nothing wrong with a game of rolling trucks and cars down a ramp!

koala-transport-16

To finish, I assembled car and truck puppets on popsicle sticks for Travis by cutting shapes from construction paper, taping them together, and then taping on a popsicle stick “person” to look through the windshield.

koala-transport-18

Travis loved driving these around for a moment… before deciding it might be more fun to rip them up, because again #two-nager.

koala-transport-19

Thanks for the fun, Koala!

Indoor Obstacle Course

November 16, 2016November 16, 20161 Comment

obstacle (4).JPG

Stuck inside on a rainy day? Look no further than an obstacle course for almost endless variations of fun.

Today I set up a course that combined gross and fine motor skills, making various “stations” at which Travis could stop.

Gross motor challenges included walking across construction cones, a masking tape “balance beam”, stepping on pillows, climbing a pillow ramp, crawling through a blanket tunnel, and jumping into a hula hoop.

obstacle-1

Fine motor activities were his favorite part of the course! We used a piece of rolled up newspaper as a “golf club” to hit golf balls into a tunnel.

obstacle-2

Then I set a straw upright in a blob of playdough for Travis to slide rings over.

obstacle-3

Arguably his favorite part of the whole event was when I pulled out the timer to make the course more of a race. He loved pressing the buttons and learning how the timer works!

obstacle-5

All in all, a nice way to make a dreary morning a little less so.

Toddler Olympics

November 15, 2016November 15, 20161 Comment

o-week-15

Although not exactly timely, we had some random fun playing “Olympic games” this past week.

For an adorable version of toddler discus and javelin throw, mark a bull’s eye on a sheet of paper. Paper plates become your discus and plastic straws make the perfect javelin.

o-week-1

Get the whole family in on the action and see who comes closest to the target! Or just have fun launching the plates all around, as Travis did.

o-week-3

We followed up with a bean bag race. Our favorite version was crawling with the bean bag on our backs, seeing who could last the longest, but you could also try running from a start to finish line with the bean bag on your head, or see who can toss the most bean bags into a basket.

o-week-8

Finally, we made an Olympic ring craft. Although I largely had to piece it together, it was great practice for Travis to see how a straight strip of paper can fold into a circle. Once our rings were complete, I showed him the true Olympic logo online, and he was delighted to see that ours matched, including the colors in the same places.

o-week-14

What other toddler “sports” would you add? Please share in the comments!

Toddler Chore Jars

November 14, 2016November 14, 2016Leave a comment

chores-4

Is your little one at an age where they reflexively say “no” to every request? If you’re having trouble getting a toddler or preschooler to complete the little tasks each day – brushing teeth, cleaning up toys, putting on shoes – these cute little chore jars might just trick them into it!

Cover popsicle sticks with colorful craft tape, and label each with a chore. For kids who can’t read yet, you might consider an illustration as well (of, say, a toothbrush), but Travis simply liked having me read him what each stick said.

chores-2

Now label two clear jars, one marked “Not Done” and one marked “Done.” Clean baby food jars are the perfect size. As each element of the day gets accomplished, your child gets to move the popsicle stick proudly from one to the other.

I tested out the system for the first time this week, now that Travis likes to give me a stubborn “no!” sometimes just for the sake of it! But he was so eager to move the sticks, it turned recalcitrance into excitement. When he initially didn’t want to put his toys away, but then learned he’d get to transfer a stick at the end, he jumped off the couch to help.

chores-3

Let’s hope he doesn’t catch on to my secret agenda any time soon!

Marshmallow Straw Buildings

November 13, 2016November 13, 20161 Comment

marshmallow-2

What better way to introduce engineering and building design than with marshmallows? We use the large marshmallows from vegan brand Dandies, for great gooey fun.

Simply provide your toddler with marshmallows and straws cut in half, and let the building begin! I didn’t even need to show Travis what to do before he speared the first straw into a marshmallow base.

marshmallow-1

Young toddlers will likely need to connect flat constructions, but older kids can aim for 3-D structures, making their straws and marshmallow several layers tall.

marshmallow-3

I demonstrated a tall version for Travis which he loved…

marshmallow-5

…especially when our marshmallows sagged over and crashed!

marshmallow-4

Don’t be surprised if the game ends with a request for an ooey gooey marshmallow snack.

marshmallow-6

Thanks for the idea, Parents magazine!

P Week!

November 10, 2016Leave a comment

p-week-16

This week was all about the letter P, as Travis and I continue our journey through the Letter of the Week curriculum. The timing was perfect for fall-themed favorites like pumpkin pie, so consider holding your P week in the autumn, too, if you can!

Puppets: We had so much fun making various puppets that I devoted a separate blog post to it. Whether you make puppets or use those you already own, pull them all out for a great big puppet show. Travis especially loved returning to our penguin puppet all week – another perfect P word.

Pigs/Ponies: I combined these two animal words for fun with our Little People barn set, giving Travis only the pigs and ponies to play with. To take things a step further, we set up a great farm sensory bin, filled with yellow split peas (a.k.a. “corn”), tractors, pigs, and ponies. Travis loved “feeding” corn to the animals and raking through the box with a fork. Great for sensory play and imagination!

Parade: Put Sousa marches on your computer, line up all your stuffed animals, give them each an instrument, and have a parade! If stuffed animals aren’t your child’s thing, line up cars or trucks instead.

p-week

We added a policeman as parade marshal.

Picnic: Far and away the most magical moment of our week, we took advantage of the warmest day to head to the park. A picnic basket, blanket, and beach ball are the only ingredients you need for a beautiful picnic. Travis loved having a snack outside before playing in the fall leaves!

pumpkin-patch-5

Pumpkin: Halloween is past but fall is still pumpkin season! We baked mini pumpkin pies early in the week, a great hands-on experience. We also made a pumpkin patch: Stuff brown paper sandwich bags with crumpled newspaper, leaving a little room. Tie off the end with ribbon to be the stem, and then use orange paint to cover your pumpkins. We ran out of orange midway, which was the perfect opportunity to show Travis how red and yellow combine to make orange. Once the paint dries, play with your pumpkin patch!

pumpkin-patch-6

(Hint: Add your pigs and ponies here, too).

Puzzle: An obvious one: Pull out all your puzzles and leave them out all week so your child has ample time to puzzle over them.

p-week-12

Piano: Whether you have toy pianos or a real one at home, this is likewise a great opportunity to leave it out so your child can return to it over the course of the week.

After those theme words, here are a few more ideas:

Fine art: Work those fine motor skills by crafting toy food from playdough. But not just any playdough… Pumpkin Pie Playdough! To make this easy at-home batch, combine the following in a saucepan over low heat:

2 and 3/4 cups flour

1 cup salt

4 teaspoons cream of tartar

2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice

6 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 cups water

Orange food coloring

Cook until the mixture thickens and looks like mashed potatoes. Let cool before kneading and giving to your child for play.

p-week-17

The dough smells fantastic, and is technically edible, but you’ll want to discourage any salty bites! Travis made mini pumpkin pies and cookies for his toy oven.

Food: We had to start one morning with pumpkin pie-spiced pancakes of course! There are so many P foods you could probably eat P items and nothing else all week if you wanted to. In addition to pancakes we had: peaches, pickles (which got a surprised and firm “no!”, pretzels, parsnips, pizza, pudding, pears, and pineapple.

p-week-2

Books: The clear favorite from the library this week was The Perfect Pony, by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley. Travis also enjoyed Clifford and the Big Parade, by Norman Bridwell, Penguin Says Please, by Michael Dahl, and The New Puppy, by Laurence Anholt. And of course, read any potty books you have!

Song: A cute one to listen to is Way Down Yonder in the Paw Paw Patch. I also set Pachabel’s Canon to play in the background while we were home one afternoon; Travis barely noticed, but it’s one of my all time favorites and osmosis can’t hurt!

Math: Introduce patterns. Children’s peg boards with pattern cards are a great skill-builder. Your child can copy the pattern cards that come with the peg board, or you can demonstrate something simpler, like a row of red-green-red-green. These toys are fantastic to have around anyway, so consider investing in one.

p-week-4

That’s all for this week!

Puppet Fun!

November 7, 2016November 7, 2016Leave a comment

puppets-10

There are dozens of ways to make puppets at home, many requiring only simple items you likely already have on hand. To wit, below are three kinds of puppets that we tried out this past week. Don’t forget to have a puppet show at the end!

Perhaps the easiest puppets ever, snip the fingers from rubber gloves, and let your child decorate with markers. Travis told me this was a girl and her smile!

puppets-4

I added animal faces to a few of the other fingers to spark his imaginative play. He was equally delighted by the glove that I left intact, which became a puppet and toy all of its own, no decoration required!

Next, we made “walking finger puppets.” Draw the head and torso of people or animals on poster board, then cut two slits near the bottom big enough for your child’s fingers to fit through.

puppets-7

The fingers become the “legs” to walk about. Travis was initially hesitant at this new idea, but once he got the hang of it, he loved walking his puppets everywhere.

puppets-11

Finally, we made a paper bag penguin puppet (how’s that for alliteration!). I mostly put the craft together myself, but Travis and I discussed the shapes as I cut them out: white ovals for body and face, an orange triangle for the beak, orange rectangle strips for the hair, and two black triangles for the feet.

puppets-13

Next, he helped glue on two googly eyes. Once the glue dried, we colored over the brown bag with black marker.

puppets-14

Although he was least interested in the preparation of this puppet, it was far and away his favorite to play with. He loved “talking” with the penguin while it was on my hand, telling it stories and asking for more.

puppets-17

I’d love to hear about any other easy puppets you’ve made at home in the comments!

Mini Pumpkin Pies

November 7, 20162 Comments

mini-pumpkin-pies-6

We gave this mini pie recipe, adapted from High 5 magazine, a pre-Thanksgiving trial run today. Kids can help with almost everything, from rolling and cutting the dough to mixing the batter and filling the pie shells! Look for prepared vegan pie crusts from Whole Foods or Wholly Wholesome in the freezer aisle; let the crusts thaw about 15 minutes at room temperature, then remove from the aluminum pie tins and use as directed below.

Roll 2 (9-inch) prepared pie crusts to about 1/16-inch thick on a floured surface. This was Travis’s first time standing on his stool to reach the kitchen counter, and he loved it!

mini-pumpkin-pies-1

Using a 5-inch bowl or glass, cut 3 circles from each pie crust, and place in large muffin cups coated with cooking spray.

mini-pumpkin-pies-2

To prepare the filling, mix together 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree, 14 ounces sweetened condensed coconut milk (from Let’s Do Organic), 2 Ener-G eggs, 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

mini-pumpkin-pies-3

At this point, Travis discovered what batter tastes like – cue the happy smile.

mini-pumpkin-pies-4

Spoon the batter carefully into the prepared pie shells. Preschoolers can definitely help with this step, although toddlers will likely need you to do most of the work.

mini-pumpkin-pies-5

Note: You’ll have a bit of filling leftover – might I recommend a pumpkin pie smoothie for breakfast one morning?

Bake the pies at 375 degrees F for 25 minutes, until the filling is set.

Story in a Bag

November 6, 2016November 6, 2016Leave a comment

story-in-bag-3

You can engage your child’s imagination and storytelling ability long before he or she can read – you just need a few props to help along the way! This delightful game engages multiple senses, and helps foster storytelling.

Fill a brown paper bag with 5 or 6 simple objects from around the house. I used a bell, toy flower, candle, car key, and rock, filling the bag when Travis wasn’t looking so that the items would be a surprise.

story-in-bag-1

Prompting him to close his eyes, he reached in and selected one object at a time. We used the item to begin a story. After introducing the first item, he would select a second item, and so forth, each leading to the next action or character in the story.

story-in-bag-5

Admittedly I had to do a lot of the making up on this first go, but Travis was very into the idea and played with the items while we fabricated our tale. No sooner done than he started stuffing the bag and said, “Let’s do it again!”

story-in-bag-4

joyful parenting

Category: 2-Year-Old