Archive for May 2009
“Otto Goes To The Beach” by Todd Parr was a steal of a deal at the Goodwill last week! I got a hardcover in perfect condition for 70 cents. My bargin hunting aside, I really enjoy this book as did my son. Otto is a dog who goes to the beach but no one wants to do the same things as he does, even the fish swim the other way! In the end after feeling very sad Otto finds a new friend and all his misery is forgotten. I love Todd Parr books, I love the insanely bright colors, the cute simplistic illustrations and I love the messages they send. This book followed his other books perfectly and provided a great final message about not giving up finding a friend who will like all the same things you do!
“Scaredy Squirrel : at the beach” by Melanie Watt is so funny. I love books like this that have absurd humor thrown in. Before you even read the story on the inside flap you will notice a blurb that ends with “This story is not suitable for pirates” it just makes me giggle! The story follows the most anxious squirrel you’ll ever encounter as he tries to make his own beach, only to end up at a busy one! What I love about this book are the details, the small asides will have you laughing and the main story will keep even young ones totally entertained. My son loved it especially the part about the pool being the ocean and the flashlight being the sun, even at two he was trying to tell the squirrel how wrong that was. Super fun and a great message about overcoming fears as well.
- Gather your materials. We used a baby food freezer tray but an ice cube tray, or egg carton among other things would work well. Also scissors and a color of foam ( can you tell I bought a big thing of foam a few weeks ago?) or construction paper for each section. A backyard, beach, park…
- Cut your foam/paper into pieces small enough to line the bottom of the tray/carton. For younger kids choose colors that you kn0w they have a chance of finding a match. You don’t want it to be too easy , but too much of a challenge just frustrates everyone. If a child is frustrated they won’t learn, our goal is to challenge and learn!
- Head outside – my son couldn’t wait to get outside so as you can see he’s as per usual in his pjs!
- Start finding things to match. Start off by choosing a color with your child and both go looking, if they have a hard time finding a match find one, and go to it but don’t announce you have found it. Say something like “Hey Bug I think there is a match over here, can you find it” narrow down the are for them, if they still can’t pick up the object and have them match it in the tray.
- Continue working together or if they want to work all alone, watch your child explore and make connections, that is exciting and fun too!
- After you have made all your matches, talk about what you have found- how it feels what it does ( rock lines a path for us to walk on, a flower provides pollen for bees etc…).
Books!
- Gather your materials. You will need a washed out clear food container, some black foam, white and red paint, a paintbrush, 2 popsicle sticks ( or a tongue depressor would be awesome), scissors, glue and a hot glue gun.
- Start by pouring a small amount of white and red paint into the container. I like doing this instead of pink to help teach color mixing in an authentic way.
- Mix. Let dry.
- We painted a scrap piece of paper with the extra paint while we waited for the cup to dry.
- Cut out 2 small circles from black foam or paper.
- Glue them on the bottom of the container.
Let dry. * you can glue these on before the pink is all dry and just set the cup “nose down” on a plate. - Heat up your hot glue gun.
- Glue the popsicle sticks on. Let cool.
- Go play !
Books!
I decided on 3 different copies of the tale of the 3 little pigs!
“The 3 Little Pigs” illustrated by Marie-Louise Gay is a classic telling of this story. I am not really a fan of the story itself , the wolf has always really disturbed me the way he pursues this pig! But that’s my adult take on it, not a kid’s! My son loved it, he even smiled at me as he pointed out the fact that the wolf was scary, he didn’t get that from me! The illustrations in this book were really fun and I loved the details she put into them.
” The Three Little Pigs” by James Marshall who you may know from the wonderful George and Martha series. This another classic version and the illustrations are adorable! I love the three pig’s houses in this book, all three make cute houses even if only one survives the big bad wolf. Like the previous book the pigs and wolf do get eaten so if you are weary of that stick to the first book!
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For those of you who are new here, Naptime Creations are our activities for older kids. I don’t know what to call this, this is what I used to do in math class, which explains why my grades were so horrible. It is really relaxing, great for a rainy day or even to keep your antsy kids busy while watching a movie or traveling! And they look really cool too.
- Gather your materials. You will need some markers and paper. Yes that’s it!
- Start by drawing loops and squiggles that criss cross all over your paper.
- Next using your colored markers fill in the closed shapes however you like.
- Keep going until you either fill the whole thing or just feel like it’s done!
I saw this awesome post using foam and a rolling pin on Dollar Store Crafts ages ago. I filed it away under things to do. When my son suggested we make a Leopard for “art project time”, it popped back into my head! We had so much fun , and found some great books at the library to go along with the theme!
- Gather your materials. You will need a rolling pin, some sticky back foam, 2 pieces of construction paper, a marker, some brown paint, scissors, glue, black foam or paper, tape and some aluminum foil.
- Start by drawing an outline of a leopard. I drew a few before getting it right. Set aside.
- Cut spots out of your sticky back foam. Make them irregular.
- Next cover your rolling pin in aluminum foil. Tape the edge down.
- Peel off the backing and stick the foam onto your rolling pin.
- Brush your paint onto the foam pieces.
- Grab your leopard and roll!
- Add more paint and roll again.
- While your wee one is rolling, cut a nose out of black foam or paper.
- Cut the leopard out.
- Add glue to the leopard and add the eyes and nose.
- Glue onto the 2nd piece of paper and let dry.
“Jungle Party” by Brian Wildsmith is a cautionary tale about a python and it’s tricky ways. In this book the jungle animals are tricked by a python into having a party with him, only to end up in his belly! Luckily a wise elephant is there to help and the animals get the last laugh. I liked this book although after about half way my wiggly 2 year old started loosing interest. I don’t think it’s the books fault, it’s just a little long for such a young audience. For slightly older kids this is a great book for making predictions about what will happen next.
“Deep In The Jungle” by Dan Yaccarino is a deceivingly deep book. While reading it to my son before nap today I was taken aback by how the Lion and the circus man in the book could be symbolic of so many historical and social things. However the surface story is about a Lion , the king of the jungle who is enticed out by a man who promises him a better life of fame in the big city. Soon the lion is in the circus, whipped, caged and with no power or fame. After eating the man and running back to the jungle he finds his subjects in cages as well. Although he was not a kind ruler before he saves his subjects from their captor. Seems all very heavy, but my son loved it. It is long and I was impressed he sat interested for the whole thing, he even said “Animals sad in cages!” proud moment for me!
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