Toddler Challenge

The Wee One's fine motor skills are pretty good and she enjoys working with small objects, so when I saw her doing Mister and Ladybug's math activity I set her own set of pony beads and pipe cleaners out.  This activity took about 2 minutes to put together and she has worked on it a few times.

The basket had one white and one blue pipe cleaner with blue and white pony beads.  When I introduced the activity I showed her the matching colors, but she decided they looked better all  on one pipe cleaner. 

Our Abandoned Activites

We have spent very little time in our Learning Room this month, but we have been so busy enjoying nature and summer.  These are the activities we have dabbled in this month.

Literacy and Language - We are still working on beginning reading, sight words, and handwriting

Sight word sentence strips

Picture to word matching

Ladybug loves Benjamin Franklin, so we celebrated the postal service by writing a letter about one of Benjamin Franklin's accomplishments.

Math - We are continuing our study of patterns and simple addition and subtraction.

 

Sensory

Sun faded paper key matching

Practical Life

Mister and Ladybug traced a diamond, cut it out, punched a hole, and added a string to make a kite.

Maybe next month we will back into our routine, but in the mean time we are having so much fun!

Back to the Beach - Birthday Bash Part Two

What is a party without food and fun?    

Food

For Grazing - Chips,dip, fish crackers, fruit kabobs, ham kabobs, pink rock candy, blue Sixlets, salt water taffy, jello shots, and cookies.

Ham, cheese, and pineapple

Fruit kabobs and jello shots kid style.  I attempted, twice, to make a jello fish bowl like Martha Stewart and I failed both times.  

Sea stars and fish kid decorated cookies and Nutter Butter flip flops.

Fresh squeezed pink lemonade and crab dip.

The Meal

Mini hamburgers and mini corn dogs, seashell pasta salad, crab cakes, and corn on the cob.

The Treats  - An ice cream bar!  Like most of the country we are having a very hot summer and I couldn't imagine turning on the oven, so we had an ice cream station.

The Fun!

The Wee One's birthday present from us and grandparents.  It's good to have a summer birthday when things go on sale.

Water logged?  Draw a picture in the shade.

Water balloon fight!

Water balloon toss

 

Dancing USA!  Beach Boys and Jan and Dean for our listening and dancing pleasure.

The Favors

T-shirts purchased for a little over a dollar at Goodwill and made into a bag.

Each beach bag had a DIY hooded towel, sunglasses, bubbles, and a squirt gun.  

Happy 2nd Birthday to my "HOLY *$% IT'S POSITIVE!"  We love you!

Back to the Beach - Birthday Bash!

This month we celebrated the Wee One's second birthday with a Party at the Beach BIRTHDAY BASH!

Invites

In the left corner I included the "I'm 2" picture, but Mister decided he loved the picture so much he took them all.

The Decorations

Front Door

Inside

Outside Kids' Table

The surf boards were made from cardboard and painted.

The grass skirt, while cute, refused to stay up.  

Lifeguard station - The signs were MIA they day of the party

Calling All Shoppers

One of my mommy friends sent out the word that Target would be starting their semi-annual 70% off toy sale.  Oh glorious gluttony of toys I was going to embark on when I realized we could do some good too.  The Wee One and I went first to get some Christmas shopping out of the way, then picked up Mister and Ladybug from a preschool program to return to one of the four Targets in our area.

On the way I explained we would be picking up a few toys to donate when Christmas rolls around.  We talked about how some children are less fortunate us and don't get toys at Christmas.  Mister and Ladybug were very concerned and agreed we should take this opportunity to purchase toys at a good price.  So, if you happen to be at Target and it's not too picked over, maybe you want to purchase a few items too because we all know how hectic Christmas season can get.

Pinwheel, Pinwheel

I put this activity on the shelf for Mister and Ladybug last year and set it out for the Wee One this year.  She covered the cube and loved blowing on the pinwheels to make them spin.

July Sensory Bin - Our Nation

This sensory bin is a take on last year's sensory bin and is all about America.  This time I included a few surprises for the kiddos.  Can you figure out why I put them in?

• Blue and red dyed pasta (use vinegar and food color)
• Stars
• Red and blue bracelets
• Pom poms
• Flipper
• Keys
• Bus
• Horse
• Pineapple
• Ice cream
• Bucket
• Spoons