Wordless Wednesday: Cramming in some craft

With our kids now in daycare 2 days per week and Miss 3 at preschool a 3rd day, our craft time seems to have been seriously depleted of late! So, when we got out some materials recently, we went all out - painting, printing, cutting, pasting... and lovely, lovely mess-making...

Seems that black was the colour of the day.

... and Matt was responsible for scrubbing the paint off at bath-time!

Linking up with Aussie Wordless Wednesday.

 

Ideas for messy play

Last week at our play-group, 2 ladies from church organised 2 hours devoted to messy play. I have since nicknamed these ladies the masters of messy play. Seriously, with a bit of cornflour, some hot water, some soap flakes, jelly crystals and lots of food colouring, these ladies created an amazing array of tactile play. My messy kids were in awe (and up to their elbows in goop!) Here is what we played with:

1) Dyed, cooked spaghetti

This came in many bright colours. The kids had a ball cutting, rolling, piling, and feeling the spaghetti. Miss 8 months took straight to eating it as soon as we sat down at the table.

Credit: http://www.theimaginationtree.com

To create a similar activity, simply cook the spaghetti according to directions on the packet. Add coloured food dye to the water during cooking.

2) Goop

I have never made goop with my kids before. They were right into it. I wish I had taken my camera.

Credit: http://www.beafunmum.com

To make goop: combine 4 parts cornflour and 1 part cold water (e.g. approximately one packet of cornflour to 1 cup cold water). Add food dye to colour.

3) Finger paint

My kids have played with finger paint a bit. It was a nice touch at play-group to have the finger painting on a vertical surface (butcher's paper taped to the wall). The paint was added to the paper in clumps (using a plastic spoon), then joyfully spread across the paper.

Photo: http://www.baby.families.com

To make finger paint, combine 1/2 cup of soap flakes and 1 cup cornflour with water and food colouring. Mix until mixture starts to thicken and add more water as required.

4) Shaving Cream

Credit: http://www.busybrissymum.blogspot.com

Spray on a table (preferably covered in plastic sheeting). You may add food colouring or powdered paint if colour is required.

 

5) Jelly

Credit:http://www.nuturestore.co.uk

Make according to packet instructions. Set and bring it out in tubs for play!

6) Play-dough

Photo: http://www.playdoughrecipe.org

I shared a couple of play-dough recipes here. Always fun (and not quite as messy as some of the other tactile play!)

7) Make-your-own fairy bread

Photo credit: http://www.chatteronchildren.com.au

This was one of our kids' favourite bits. It involved being independent and eating sugar! After the messy play was cleaned up, and hands washed, the kids were set up with paper plates, plastic knives, a slice of bread, butter and sprinkles. They quickly figured out the best way was to butter the bread, then turn it face-down into the plate of sprinkles for maximum coverage. Yummo!

Today I'm joining Jess at Diary of a Stay at Home Mum (also from Life on a Hill) for I blog on Tuesday!

Please click on the title of this blog post if you would like to view comments or add your own comment.
 

Table time activities 2-3 years

Since my eldest child was able to sit in a highchair (around 5-6 months), table time has been a regular part of our routine. It is not something we do everyday these days. We probably do table time a couple of times a week for up to 30 minutes. Sometimes "table time" involves a task that the kids and I are involved in together, and sometimes it is something they do independently while I am preparing dinner or similar.

Some advantages of "table time":

• Kids are occupied on a single task, in one space for an extended period of time. This helps them to learn patience, self-control, attention etc
• Kids are in full-view of me while I work in the kitchen or nearby
• Mess is confined to one space - the table/ kitchen area

Here are a few table time activities that we enjoy:

1) Drawing/ colouring

2) Puzzles

3) Stickers

4) Play-dough

5) Felt pictures

6) Cutting/ pasting

7) Threading and sewing cards

8) Painting

9) Cooking

10) Using "tools" (e.g. tongs, forks)

11) Card games - snap and memory are good games for little ones - even if they don't always understand or follow the rules!

Do you do "table time"?

(Please click on the title of this post to view or add comments)

Outdoor play for toddlers (when you don't feel like being outdoors)

When you live in a small house, with 3 very young kids, there comes a time in every day when you have to get outside. Some days this is much easier to do than other days. Sometimes, the kids are itching to get out, but I would rather be sitting on the lounge.

We do have "harder to get outside" days around here (too cold, too wet, too windy too hot). On the "hard to get out" days, even spending 5-10 minutes outdoors seems to make a huge difference to my mood, and the behaviour of our kids.

A few ideas for getting outside when you can't be bothered:

1) Play on the verandah or under cover

 

2) Bring the "inside toys" outside

3) Go for a slow stroll. Hunt for "treasure" (e.g. leaves, pieces of grass, stones, flowers)

4) Play at the park (or even a MacDonald's playground)

5) Bring out the "outside toys" - bikes, ride on cars, trolleys, balls, buckets and spades. Get something started, then your toddlers will entertain themselves and each other while you can potter around (or read a book or a blog!)

6) Let the kids imagine. My kids can spend up to an hour "cooking", "shopping", "building" with rocks, sticks pieces of sawdust, grass. It is amazing to watch the play they invent for themselves. (This is more suitable/ easier for kids over 2)

7) Do your routines outside (in nice weather)

• Bring out a picnic rug and have lunch (or morning tea, or afternoon tea) outdoors   
• Set out a few chairs to fold and sort the washing in the sun
• Peel and chop the vegetables for dinner 
• Have reading time outside on a picnic rug

8) Do an outdoor job - wash the car, wash the dog, feed the dog, hang washing

What do you do on the "harder to get out" days?

(PS - I keep forgetting to say: Click on the title of the post to read and/ or post a comment!)

Fine motor tasks for 2 and 3 year olds

My kids often take me by surprise - for better or worse. No matter how much time I spend with them, it is amazing how I tend to notice a new skill (or lack of skill) all of a sudden.

Yesterday, it was raining outside. The kids and I were hanging our washing indoors on our (low) clothes rack. After a while, I noticed that Mr. Cheeky was "pegging" all the pegs on the line upside down (e.g. he was not squeezing the pegs to open them and stick them on). A couple of months ago I had seen him doing this, and I thought it was cute. I hadn't thought about it since.  But yesterday, it occurred to me that Mr Cheeky will be 2 next month. I distinctly remember Miss Chatterbox using pegs correctly not long after 18 months of age. I tried to show Mr. Cheeky the correct method of "pegging", but he had difficulty co-ordinating the movement of squeezing and pegging at the same time.

Two days ago, I observed Mr. Cheeky drawing. His drawing consisted of scribbles in a backward and forward motion. Based on some reading I did last year, I know that a 2 year old should be beginning to draw in a circular motion. Mr. Cheeky was not able to do this when I prompted and demonstrated it to him. (For more reading on development of drawing, check out Childhood 101. Christie even has an e-book available. I haven't read it, as my computer is too old and slow for me to want to download extra data onto it, but I'm sure it would be a great read!)

Mr. Cheeky is quite competent in a lot of ways. He is much more adventurous and independent than his older sister was at the same age. He loves to try and dress/ undress himself, feeds himself completely independently, loves puzzles and building towers, plays games with small parts etc. Maybe this is why I have only recognised all of a sudden that Mr. Cheeky could use a bit of extra practice with his fine motor skills.

My knowledge of fine motor skills is quite general, but I have picked up a few ideas when working with Occupational Therapists over the years (though I am by no means an expert!). Over the coming months, Mr. Cheeky and I will be doing some more of the following. These are also good for Miss Chatterbox (aged 3):

• Using vertical surfaces (e.g. an easel) for painting, drawing, stickers, felt boards, pasting, cutting (when Mr. Cheeky is a bit older). Using vertical surfaces is important to develop wrist strength and encourage strengthening of the finger muscles
• Water play - pouring, filling, squeezing (e.g. sponges and washers), spray bottles, plastic squeeze bottles, eye droppers 

• Sand play - pouring, filling, sifting, scooping  
• Paper play - tearing, scrunching, folding, sticking
• Play-dough - squeezing, cutting, pressing shapes, rolling, kneading
• Tongs - for picking up objects, transferring objects between containers
• Beading and threading - using buttons, cotton reels, lacing cards for 3 year olds
• Finger puppets and finger play games (e.g. two little Dickie birds sitting on a wall...)

 What do you do to encourage your child's fine motor development?

Fun with home made play-dough

Miss Chatterbox' preschool had a promotional stall at a local fair last weekend (yes, in the pouring rain). To help with the promotion, parents were asked to make balls of play-dough. The play-dough was handed out with the preschool details and the "uncooked play-dough" recipe attached. I thought this was a really cute promotional idea.

This "uncooked play-dough" is probably the simplest play-dough recipe you can use. I will be making another batch for home soon, as our store-bought "Play-Doh" has turned brown (because of colours being squished together).

Here is what we did:

Gather 2 cups plain flour, 1 cup salt, 2 tablespoons oil, 2 cups boiling water, 2 tbs cream of tartar, food colouring (as required)

Mix dry ingredients and oil together, then add boiling water and food colouring

 

Knead and roll into balls (The above quantities make about 6 balls)

 

If you prefer to do a cooked play-dough, try the stove-top or microwave version:

Cooked play-dough (stove-top)

• 2 cups plain flour
• 1 cup salt
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 4 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 2 cups water (approx)
• Food colouring (add according to desired colour) 

Mix all ingredients (apart from food colouring) together in saucepan. Stir over low heat 3-5 minutes. Stir constantly until mixture begins to congeal. Add food colouring as required. Cool, and knead.

Cooked play-dough (microwave)

•  3 cups plain flour
• 1/2 cup salt
• 3 tablespoons oil
• 6 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 3 cups water
• Food colouring (as required)

Put all ingredients in microwave-safe container. Cook on HIGH about 10 minutes, stirring every 2-3 minutes. Knead well.

  

Of course, you can buy play-dough. It isn't really expensive, but if you make it at home, the "cooking" becomes part of the fun!

PLAY-DOUGH VARIATIONS:

1) Add glitter (for extra visual effect)

2) Add a couple of drops of food colouring in the centre of a ball of play-dough (leave the outside uncoloured). As your child works with the play-dough, the colour will appear

3) Add a couple of drops of flavoured essence (vanilla, peppermint, orange) to the play-dough (for fragrance)

4) Hide a small toy in the play-dough and encourage your child to find it

5) For strengthening hands (a tip from occupational therapists), encourage your child to work the play-dough in one hand only (this works especially well with the food colouring in the centre of the play-dough. The child has to use one hand only and make the colour appear).

Any other play-dough tips/ ideas?

 

Developing language in play #1 - Balls

One of the blogs I love to read is Childhood 101. One of the things I really love is Christie's emphasis on the necessity of play in the life of a child. Play is the way children learn. 

As a Speech Pathologist, I do most of my therapy, particularly for preschoolers, through play. Language learning happens in play, both for children with normally developing language skills and those with delayed language development. Over the next few weeks, as I am posting about play activities my kids and I do at home, I will include examples of how I incorporate language teaching in our play. 

General tips:

• Play the way you normally would. There is no need to be particularly structured or create a 'forced' learning environment. 
• Consider what language your child/ren already know/s. If your child is just developing language, you will be targeting concrete vocabulary in single words (e.g. ball, kick, stop, throw). If your child is ready for 2-3 word sentences, incorporate concepts (e.g. big, round, red). If your child is already speaking in sentences, consider more abstract/ complex vocabulary, giving multi-part instructions, comparing and contrasting etc (e.g. You have got the biggest ball, but mummy has the smallest ball)
• Consider what vocabulary is relevant to the task and how you can use it as you play
• Talk as you play
• Listen as you play. Encourage your child's talking. Praise them. Repeat back what they say. Ask questions to encourage them to expand.

Language in ball play:

 Lots of different balls means lots of opportunity to teach concepts. Think about size, colour, shape, texture, patterns - big, small, round, smooth, bumpy, red, yellow, heavy, light...

 "You've got the biggest ball/ the bumpy ball/ the red ball"

Consider what different verbs (action words) you can use: kick, throw, roll, hold, pass...

 "That's a heavy/ hard ball"

"That one is smaller than the other red ball"

"Let's put all the balls in the trolley"

 

Besides learning and practicing our language skills, the kids were also able to practice gross motor skills, problem-solving skills, maths concepts...all with just a trolley full of balls!

This is part of the"We play" link-up at Childhood 101. Head over to Childhood 101 for more play ideas.