Archive for February 2011
Some 4 year olds love video games, some love playing catch , mine loves to pretend. Almost every moment that my son is awake he is pretending to save someone , catch someone or just be someone, Lately one of his favorite things to pretend to be is a super hero and so when I asked him what letter we should make he suggested Batman and when I suggested he could make his own super hero S he was game.
- Gather your materials. You will need 3 pieces of different color paper, paint, paint brush, marker, scissors, glue and 2 googly eyes.
- Start by writing a large upper or lowercase S on one sheet of the construction paper.
- Ask your child what their super hero has as a costume. We made a cape, a chest button and mask. Draw them or have your child draw them on a light piece of paper.
- Paint the costume pieces.
- We goofed and added the letter to the chest plate after painting. Have your kids do this before they paint .
- Cut out the s while they paint, or if your child is able and willing have them cut it while it dries. Mine wasn’t.
- Add glue. My son loves tracing the letters with glue which is wonderful letter practice too.
- Add the s to the final sheet of paper. Paint if the mood strikes!
- Cut out the costume pieces and add them to the s.
- Add the googly eyes on top of the mask.
- Let dry.
Remember that kids learn as they play. By using their favorite playtime activities for the more directed activities that focus on things like numbers and letters you enhance both their play and their learning . Have fun with it!
Ack! I almost forgot to post this! I was mopping my kitchen before church when it hit me, I haven’t posted the linky! I love this linky and can’t tell you how many great blogs I have found. Your creative ideas, kids and writing blow me away week after week. If you are reading this and have a blog please link up, the more the merrier. The only rule is for you to show off your best post of the week. Show us all how brilliant you are! Have a great week.
Nothing makes you feel like a horrible parent faster than that little voice in your head saying “ I am so sick of that book, maybe he’ll want to watch TV instead”. Please tell me I am not the only one who thinks that sometimes. Some books are just bad and for whatever reason kids find the worst in the bunch and fixate on them. To avoid that mishap read great books, like these from author/illustrator Melanie Watt that will make you and your kids giggle.
Have I Got a Book for You! 
Scaredy Squirrel at the Beach
Scaredy Squirrel at Night
Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend
We love to pretend! Dramatic play isn’t just practice for future actors it’s practice for future adults. It gives children a chance to play out scenarios , engage in cooperative play and even problem solve. It also gives the imagination and kid’s natural creativity a great outlet ! This camping play is so easy and offers lots of situations to act out, from traveling to the camp ground, hiking, fishing for dinner and telling bedtime stories. Of course those were just our ideas your child will come up with their own.The campfire craft is a great opportunity to drive home fire safety rules and procedures too !
Campfire Craft
- Gather your materials. You will need a long paper roll or a few shorter ones. We used a roll from wrapping paper. Also some orange , red and yellow tissue paper, some double stick tape , scissors and a brown marker. You may also want some clothes pins.
- Start by coloring the roll.
- Next cut in 3
- Rip your paper. Random ripping works best.
We were out of red so I cut some red cellophane that I had. - Add tape to your rolls in the middle and have your child add the paper. This is why I like using double stick, that way I can place the tape and it’s sticky and ready for him to add the flames.
- Next tape the rolls together. This is where I used the clothes pins. I used double stick tape then held it together with the clothes pins for 30 minutes before playing.
While that sat we made some snacks for the camping trip!
We made some trail mix ( cereal, dried cherries and pumpkin seeds) 
Then we packed some other favorites into our “cooler” aka my son’s lunch box.
We popped a sheet in a back pack, grabbed a lantern and made a car out of the kitchen chairs. Packed our stuff in the trunk and got buckled in.
Then drove for 51 hours to the campsite.
Unpacked.
Got settled with a snack 
Then told ghost stories by the fire. 
Time for bed!
It took 5 minutes of gathering items to have a fun morning of pretend!
What is your child’s favorite pretend play activity?
We do 90% of our art projects in the kitchen and sometimes we like to use kitchen tools for art even using food as a supply from time to time. Here are some of our favorite kitchen art projects.
Cookie Cutter Printing
5 Comments »
