Archive for February 2010
I get giddy when I find blogs that are relatively new and I know will be useful to many of my readers. It’s no secret I am expecting a baby girl in June but since revealing that the number of readers who have also announced pregnancies and new babies has been wonderful. So I know this blog Carrots Are Orange can and will be useful for you. Marnie is a mom who is trying to do what so many of us do, provide healthy food for her baby son. Carrots Are Orange chronicles her efforts in baby food making in a realistic way- she’s not a chef, she’s a mom and she’s also totally inspiring and down to earth! She doesn’t just blog about food either so even if you’ve passed the stage of purees and nursing you will relate to her and her writing. I am excited to see how this blog progresses as her son goes from purees to table foods and big kids meals. I am so thankful to have this resource ready for when my little girl is ready to eat! Check it out !
Normally on Saturday I list a number of books with a similar theme or author in hopes that something will peak your interest and you can add some new titles to your library. Today I am only featuring one. It’s my new favorite book and it was suggested by a reader too!
In the Town All Year ‘Round
So what makes this book so good?
This book’s premise is the comings and goings of a town in all four seasons. There is limited text, which serves only to steer readers to look for specific people in the highly detailed illustrations. Each season has multiple pages and the people remain constant throughout the seasons. So you see inside an apartment building , the town square, the park, railroad station etc… in every season. You see the changes in town, the progression and of course the distinct weather in each section. The pictures also progress within the seasons, so a fire truck with a flashing light can be seen on every page in one season with the last page showing it getting to the fire . I can’t possibly explain the amazing detail and sheer number of things to find, make up stories about and spark your child’s imagination in this book. My son adores it. After renewing it multiple times from our library I bought it as his Valentine’s gift. It goes everywhere with us, perfect for long drives , waits in the Ob’s waiting room and plain old playtime he picks it up every day and finds something new.
What I really love is that because there is no text but still multiple story lines it’s helped my son to understand that literacy isn’t just about words, it about explaining what’s going on, and reading the pictures too. The absence of text has allowed me to really show him that . Now he has started grabbing books with text and telling me he’d read me the pictures, which boosts both his confidence and his enjoyment of independent reading.
So please grab this book .
If you are preparing for St.Patrick’s Day or just urging spring and all the green that comes with it to hurry up and come this sensory tub activity is a must. So fun, so earthy and a huge huge mess. Seriously skip the mung beans, they roll when you sweep. If you haven’t tried scooping activities with your child do, they love this and a little tub like this can lead to wonderful pretend play, basic understanding of measurement and is just plain fun!
- Gather your materials. You will need some split peas, yellow lentils, mung beans ( if you dare… or have a drop cloth down), the green rice is called bamboo rice, some fun gold coins if you are doing a St.Patrick’s Day theme, and tools to scoop and pour.
- Pour your lentils, peas and rice into your tub.
- Add the gold coins and tools.
- Invite your child to play.
- Let them go. Find the gold, count them, hide them again, and just explore.
- This spill was much much larger than I managed to capture on camera. Accidents are forgiven but pouring on the floor is not . He gets one warning then the tub goes up until later in the day when we try again. Still it’s well worth it and still fun a few hours later too!
Looking for more Sensory play ideas?
Ice Cube Painting
Oatmeal Digging
Backyard Car Wash
I get on average 15-20 emails a week from readers asking all sorts of questions. From specific books they are looking for to their child’s development to where I got my kitchen island ( Ikea). Here are the most frequently asked questions. A Second installment will follow shortly.
Do you have a supply list?
Yes ! I Just finished my Supply List. The craft supplies are linked so if you are having a hard time finding it you can find it online! The list is on my menu bar on the far right.
How old is your son? How old was he when you started doing crafts?
My son turned 3 in November 2009, he was 15 months when I started No Time For Flash Cards. He started out doing very basic things/parts of projects. A good rule of thumb is that when kids show interest in an activity to run with it, but expect the time spent to be short . When he first started out he was spending 5 minutes if that on crafts, now at 3 it’s still sometimes 5 minutes, sometimes much much longer.
What is your background?
I have been teaching children in various capacities since 1993, so you can imagine I have done my fair share of crafts, songs, and circle times. I started as a day camp leader at a local recreation centre while in high school. Taught various preschool age and after school programs through university and worked as a reading tutor while pursuing a second degree in elementary education. After graduating with honors I set out to teach, taught PreK for a year and ended up as a director of a large childcare center and preschool . I returned to the classroom after a year realizing pretty quickly that I belong in a classroom not an office. My son’s birth brought me home and my love of teaching and helping other parents sparked the idea for No Time For Flash Cards.
Since starting NTFFC in early 2008 I have had the opportunity to contribute activities to some wonderful websites , become a staff blogger at FamilyEducation.com and have written curriculum lesson plans for Itty-Bitty Bookworm a literature based preschool curriculum.
Do you have a daily schedule?
I get asked this a lot and there are probably 10 different ones floating around that I have made to reply to mom’s requests. They are all different because our routine is always changing. I like to provide my son with predictability but I also want him to be flexible. Generally speaking we do 1 mommy directed table activity in the morning ( art project, learning game, sensory play- this normally ends up as a post) and one mommy suggested activity in the afternoon ( usually this is less structured- and isn’t a post or has been one in the past and I am pulling it back out for more play. sorting, color hunts, play dough) these are often put on the table and if he wants to do it he can but I don’t ask him to join me, I just let him know they are there if he wants to play. The rest of our day is filled with free play, reading books, going on play dates, preschool, errands, library visits, digging for worms and playing with trucks outside and me checking email while I guilty allow him to watch TV. Meals, when we leave the house daily for school, classes or errands, and sleep times are pretty consistent so he knows generally what to expect but I have no set schedule.
When your baby comes will you still have your blog?
Absolutely! My baby girl is due in late June and I have every intention of continuing on. I love this blog, it’s anything but a burden and while I am sure I will have to have some changes I have no plans for an extended break in posting. I am a pro at nursing and typing thanks to my son so I am confident that not much will change!
Do you have a question? Leave it in the comments and I will help or add it to the next FAQ!
One of my most frequently requested projects are ones for “Big Kids” no real age is ever given since Big is really relative but here are my projects that I have done with Sunday school, after school students and other “Big Kids” over the years. Some of these could be done with a young child with varying degrees of help and mess!
(seen above)
All of these projects can be found under the “Ages 8 and Older” category. Looking for more big kid projects? Try the “Age 5 and Older” tab too! I try to add more of these projects in the summer when big kids are home from school, but now that I know they are in high demand- I’ll add them more frequently!
