Blog Archives

Inside beach

4/15/2013

I'm sure some of you have seen this picture of Cakes and cringed (I sure did as she tipped the half of bucket all over the floor). This innocent mess turned out to be a wonderful learning experience that we did several days in a row. As Cakes tipped the sand out she looked at me, smiled and asked "Can I play with this?". Well yes, but it might have been preferable if it was contained in one way or another. Seeing it was all over the floor there was no point in trying to contain it. Was there?

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Reverse Garbage - a shopping outing Cakes just loves

4/12/2013

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Who doesn't love shopping? Well actually I don't and I am sure Cakes isn't too keen either, but if you have ever been to a Reverse Garbage I am sure you could shop until you drop. Cakes and I carefully travel down every aisle to ensure we don't miss anything cool or a bargain. Cakes has two rules to follow when shopping on top of all other outing rules. 1-don't touch anything that can get broken including putting things back nicely, 2 -make sure you have some idea of what you can use your find for before adding it into the basket.

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Weekly Kid's Co-op - Letter learning

4/11/2013

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Cakes has been really into learning about letters recently (despite the fact she still calls them numbers), she can find an M for Mummy, D for Daddy, P for Poppy and an N for Nanny anywhere. In trying to keep up with this interest, I have been on a search for fun and interesting ways to extend her letter and sound learning. I found these four great activities on last weeks Weekly Kid's Co-op linky.

From Making Boys Men - Crafting while learning phonics
Frogs & Snails & Puppy Dog Tails - Alphabet Soup Bath
Two much fun - Play-doh letter fun
The Measured Mom - 10 Ways to write the alphabet: letter T

Please link up and check out the other great ideas from this week.

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Potato printing

4/10/2013

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When I was little I remember doing potato printing at Kindy (and loved it). As an adult I have never done this at school or at home with Cakes as I had been guilted into believing this would be wasteful with perfectly good food. (I am still undecided where I stand on using food for art, I use pasta for threading so I should know where I stand). We recently had a potato go rotten in the cupboard and threw it into the worm farm, instead of breaking down and feeding them, it grew into 3 new potatoes. Potatoes I wasn't willing to eat so we used them for painting.

A quick wash, cut in half and carefully cut shapes (while Cakes was busy in another room). And there we had it another fabulous painting tool. Cakes and Princess S did potato stamper printing for a long time making different patterns, talking about the colour, the shapes and counting. The large printed pieces of paper were great sheets of wrapping paper for gifts. I think Cakes was more excited about giving the paper than the presents.

Learning

shape recognition
colour recognition
counting
patterning
small muscle development
hand eye coordination

What you need

trays
sponges
paint
potatoes
knife

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Daddy Doctor - Role Play fun

4/9/2013

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No one goes to the doctor very often in our household. Cakes has rarely been sick (touch wood), Daddy has a great immune system and is rarely sick more than 12 hours and I am just too lazy or busy most of the time (I have been pretty healthy of late). Through books, television and experiences children seem to have a rather good grasp of how different occupations within the community work or what they are for.

The different doctor sets you can buy from cheap ones at Kmart to the more expensive, all have very easy to use equipment. Daddy sat down at the Cakes doctor surgery and got a full medical, his heart checked, blood pressure, eyes checked and even a bandaid for his fingers. She said he was very sick when he came in but was all better when leaving. We might need to have a few more conversations about the healing process next time we play.

Learning

language development
social skills
empathy/sympathy
health
understanding of community roles

What you need:

cheap doctors kit from Kmart
a willing patient

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Salt, light table and playdough cutters

4/8/2013

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Light tables have been something I have seen in big schools, libraries and the odd play centre. Having a simple home made one has given Cakes and I the opportunity to experiment and get messy with it. Salt as been the most enjoyable (and messiest) resource we have used on it so far. Using the salt was fun for sensory play and gave Cakes the time to make marks and patterns with her hands. Adding playdough cutters was a fun mark making resource as it left a clear picture outline for the light to seep through. As this is best used in a dark room or at night it was a great activity to bring out one night when Princess S was visiting. I was pleased to see some team work and turn taking emerge through their play. The conversation between the girls was about shapes, pictures, texture and possibilities.

Learning

attention span
language development
shape recognition
small muscle development

What you need:

Light table (or DIY light box)
salt
playdough cutters
mat

Bathtime foam numbers

4/5/2013

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Our $3 foam letters and numbers made their way to the bathroom recently and Cakes spent time sorting, ordering and 'reading' them. She told me all about each number, it's colour and "how many it was". Her favourite thing about the numbers in the bath was the way that they stuck to the wall when wet. She tried each number while it was dry, wet it and placed it on the wall. We talked about the ways she could move it; pulling it off, sliding it and flicking it.