Activities

Well, it is the dead of winter and though going outside sometimes into the several feet of snow in my yard is fun, the majority of the time..I'll pass. Winter time makes it rough for parents that stay home all day with their children. Especially if you have more than one! I only have one and I feel the pain and agony of winter pulling at me every day. I can't imagine two or more. Maybe someday I will. When your home cooped up all day I find it a lot more fun to do activities and crafts. Have a plan! I don't know maybe its the teacher in me but I like to plan a weekly themes and activities for my daughter. I like to feel like she is still learning and progressing the way she should be even though she is at home. So I plan. I plan crafts, activities and integrate things she should be learning like colors, shapes, letters, counting, ect. into those activities. So I thought it might be nice for the whole 2 of you that actually read my blog if I provided some fun, and cheap at home activities!

1)Home made sensory table: Sensory tables are nice because you can change out the things you put in them on a daily basis. Ex: Sand, water, water with bubbles, snow from outside, dyed rice/noodles (I'll give ya the recipe for that later), beans, ice cubes, water with ice cubes,potting soil, dried corn, leaves, flowers to explore. The ideas are endless. Sand and water tables can be expensive so I made one. I took a laundry basket turned it over and placed a plastic shallow tub on top of it. Vuala! sometimes I duck tape the tub to the laundry basket depending on what is in it. Then I place it in the middle of my kitchen floor with old towels underneath. My daughter loves it, and its the perfect height! Its also easy to clean up just store towels inside of the laundry basket. Hours of indoor fun!

*sensory table activities: You can store activities in plastic tubs, zip lock bags, or recycled food containers.

Sand: with scoops, spoons, empty water bottles cut in half to make a funnel and pouring container and recycled sour cream, yogurt, butter (ect.) containers, bugs, cars/trucks, shells, you can even add a bit of water to it to make a neat texture. Water(with/with out bubbles/ice cubes): with empty containers, sponges, cut up pieces of fabric for different textures to feel, scoops, measuring spoons, measuring cups, bowls, cars, babies, animals,or bugs (plastic).

snow: With scoops, empty containers, plastic animals, home made funnels from cut in half water bottles.

Dyed rice/noodles: With scoops, home made funnels from plastic bottles, spoons, recycled containers.

2)Dyed rice/noodles recipe: Dyeing noodles is fun and easy and tuns of fun for the kids to play with in the sensory table or in a clear plastic bottle as a shaker (glue the cap on). Its easy and kids like to help make it. First you need a zip lock bag for each color of noodle/rice you choose to make. pour in rice or noodles a couple of cups then 1tsp. rubbing alcohol, and some drops of food coloring. Depending on how vibrant you wanted you can add more color or less. Seal the bag and mix, mix mix. Kids like to do this part they like to see the noodles/rice turn colors and feel the texture. Then they are all colored pour rice/noodles onto a paper towel to dry. The alcohol will evaporate and if they choose to eat it, it will do them no harm.

cog. development activities for sensory tables: count how many animals, scoops, containers ect. are in the sand. What color are they?(ex: look at the red bug!, or can you find the red bug?) Can you find any shapes? (ex: look the cup has a circle!, can you find a circle?) how does it feel?(ex: ohh this feels wet, sticky, hard, cold or what does this feel like? Is it cold?) Sorting like objects into the same container either by color, size, or type.

So I think with every post I will now post an activity for the day. I hope who ever is reading this will enjoy it. If you guys do the activities let me know what ya think I hope they're tuns of fun and everybody enjoys them! If not I guess just let me know and I'll stop =).