A Day at Java Street Cafe

I was racking my brain to come up with a new dramatic play area.  All the ideas I had come up with were shot down and then Mister had a light bulb moment.  He suggested a coffee shop, so here is our new dramatic play The Java Street Cafe!

Yes, it's crooked and fuzzy, but the camera was just out of batteries.  It was my last shot on the charge.

The art work is Mister and Ladybug's work.  A coffee shop isn't complete without art work.

A new use for the Bumbo type chair - A highchair.

Ball Drop

The muffin tins in my house are rarely used for baking because I can't bake.  Who has time to measure with three kids pulling at your legs and I have realized baking isn't an estimate.  My kids will tell you that baking isn't an estimate, especially after the last time I baked.  So, my muffin tins hold lunches and activities.  Amanda reminded me I needed to use my muffin tin for the Wee One, so here is one of the activities on her shelf for this month.

The Wee One practiced one-to-one correspondence using golf balls and a mini cupcake pan that I found at the Goodwill.

If you are wondering those are in fact Christmas pajamas.

Sports Spectacular - Part 1

Now that Mister and Ladybug have started at the community preschool two days a week I have put out fewer activities right away since I am not sure how our learning will fit in with preschool.  I know I could have kept them home, but it would have been a disservice because they thrive on daily interaction with other kids.  They want to be part of that community and even though I love teaching them, it isn't in their best interest. 

Practical Life

Golf tees into the "green"

"Football" bean pouring

Literacy

Initial sounds - I P R S

Math

Gohper grab and count.  Mister and Ladybug grab as many as they can and count. 

Art

Michaels $1 sports roller stamp

Wordless Wednesday - The Great Eat Together

Septemeber Sensory Box - Hut, Hut, HIKE!

This sensory box/sensory box is all about football and our Alma mater the GOPHERS!

• Pinto beans (I thought they looked a little like footballs, but husband informed me I was stretching it.  Don't use kidney beans as uncooked ones can be toxic if swallowed.)
• Mini footballs
• Wilton football player cake toppers
• Megaphones
• Cowbell (Because who doesn't need more cowbell?)
• Maroon pom-pom
• Gold necklaces
• Gopher cup
• Spoons

I may add a few more Gopher related items as I find them.

The Great Babysitter - Ocean Excavation

If you been around the home schooling blogging world you have seen this activity before and for good reason - IT'S WONDERFUL.  I saw this for the first time on Chasing Cheerios and promptly did it with Ladybug and Mister last summer.  It lasted minutes before they abandoned the activity. 

This year, I created the ice excavation for when my mother-in-law would be babysitting.  A few days before she was going to baby sit I froze ocean animals in layers and added food color to two of the layers.

The good news is that they worked on it for an hour.  The bad news is that is was 70 degrees which isn't exactly ice excavating weather.  You can't win them all.
I provided:

• Brushes
• Salt
• Cups
• Warm water
• Cool water
• Turkey baster
• Mallet
• Squirt Bottle

Treasure Basket - Rolling Along

For this treasure basket I stared off using a round wicker basket like the ones I have seen suggested, but she wasn't interested.  When I put out her regular basket she immediately sat down to play.  It wasn't broke...

This treasure basket combines the Wee One's favorite activities: rolling (things that roll as expected and things that roll unexpectedly), stacking, and combining, making music, and pouring. 

• 4 different sizes of cans
• Wooden maraca
• 5 Wooden balls (4 unpainted and 1 blue)
• Play cantaloupe
• 5 Sensory balls
• Wooden egg
• Small glass votive candle holder
• Plastic cup
• Wooden peg people
• Small wooden vase
• Sparkly blue pom-poms
• Empty tape roller
• Hair roller
• Empty toilet paper roll
• Kitty in a Keg nesting cups
• Coffee can



Mister and Ladybug even enjoyed stacking and rolling the objects.