Beyond the Book: red sled by Lita Judge

There are some great children's books about winter out there and in many places across the country, the perfect weather conditions to go with it! We are very happy to see the return of above-subzero temperatures here and although most of our little snowfall has melted outside, S was eager to have another story stretcher this week about snow. I have a lot of favorite children's literature about winter, and we will likely have more than one winter themed story stretcher this season. Lita Judge's red sled seemed like a perfect selection for this afternoon.

This book is a fabulous read for young children (and older ones as well) as it contains very little text, amazing illustrations and a lot of great sound effects. (I dare you to teach your little ones the word onomatopoeia!) It is about a bear who takes a little boys' sled out for a joy ride, along with some of his forest friends, each and every night. Curious about the tracks and clues he observes in the morning, the little boy decides to stay awake and peek through the window to see what happens to his red sled each night. I love how this story naturally lends itself to further story telling for young readers and early writers alike. It also encourages careful observation of the natural world around us. And indeed, the winter months are a curious and wondrous time. Just yesterday, we observed a beautiful heron gracefully walking across the iced over creek on our way to the library. Today, the ice has nearly melted, the sun is out and there is barely anything left to sled on--perfect indoor conditions for a snowy story stretcher, nonetheless...




I like for our story stretchers to contain activities that both boys can do on their own level as well as a few that are more suited to S's level.
S and Y can both try their hands at this red sled craft. I created a basic template of a sled with a black and white clip art I found online. The boys can try a variety of red crayons, markers, slick stix, glue, tissue paper and even red tape (a favorite art supply of S's). At the end, I have a photo of each boy playing in the snow to glue on!


S and Y can also both enjoy some story drama and dramatic play in our baby safe Red Sled Snow Sensory Bin. I used potato flakes for snow and a collection of toy animals pictured in the book. I also painted a couple of wooden sleds red and tied on some red yarn ropes so the animals can go for the ride of a lifetime! Even with baby-safe sensory materials, I recommend supporting and supervising very little ones with sensory play. There are cute ways to make a wooden sled as well out of craft sticks and wood glue if you don't happen to have a wooden sled on hand and your little ones would probably love to help with it!

S is very young still when it comes to independently reading. He has a grasp of several letter sounds and letter recognition as well as rhyme awareness and I thought he might have fun with a little rhyming/word ending game based off the title of our target book, red sled.

In my DIY "red sled rhyme time game" I created a template with a picture of a red sled and the text ____ed. I affixed the page to a metal cookie sheet (from the dollar store) and created a set of "little books" with a word ending in -ed that rhymes with "sled" on the "front cover" and a corresponding picture inside. Using a set of magnetic letters, we will build a collection of rhyming words including "red," "sled," "bed," "wed," "shed," "led," and "fed." Children gain phonemic awareness at different ages and I definitely do not advocate for pushing preschool aged children further than they are ready for. If, however, a child is interested in activities like this or finds them to be enjoyable, I include it in a multi-sensory approach for introducing literacy and a lifelong love of learning.

S will surely be a fan of this letter Ss craft, being that it is both the first letter of his name and a snowman! It's a simple add-on activity should we have the time with this story stretcher or later in the week. He may also enjoy using the snowman shaped book in the photo at the top to dictate/draw his own winter story. He has been very into telling stories lately and while he is not writing letters or words at this stage, he is beginning to make the connection that stories have a lot to do with the marks he sees in his favorite books. Writers at this stage can greatly benefit from opportunities at their own level to become publishes authors, and what better way to inspire and support them than to provide them with a book!

This is such a great, albeit, simple read for a wintry afternoon. Whether you're knee deep in snow or enjoying a little thaw, happy reading and, as always, happy playing!

Got Snow?

Needle felting--how I play the day
away when the kids are asleep!

I remember the excitement I used to feel as a little girl when in the wee hours of the morning, before the sun came up, I could hear the sound of snowplows traveling back and forth our suburban street. Surely there would be a snow day in the morning! What was it we were supposed to do with our pajamas to get a snow day again, wear them backwards or inside out? S cried this morning when we told him preschool was closed. So yeah, that happened! Nonetheless, once his initial disappointment surpassed (and my heart is so truly happy that school is a place he loves so much!) he settled into the excitement of the snow day with everyone at home. Here in Virginia, a few inches of fluffy white snow is enough to shut the world down. Nonetheless, I am southern enough now to no longer own a snow shovel (I used a dustpan on my front stoop) and to not really like these below freezing temperatures enough to brave the great outdoors. Plus we have all been fighting some runny noses around here so bringing the snow inside seemed like a great compromise this morning. Whether you're shut in or laughing at everyone who is, whether you approach a snow day with anticipation or trepidation, we've got you covered here at Play-a-Day for some fun snow day play!

Inspired by some recent posts from northern connections enjoying snowy sensory sensory play indoors, I scooped up a generous portion of our front stoop snow collection into our sensory bin and added in a couple of ice cream scoops, some plastic dishes, an empty plastic ice cream cone and some jars of colored water (red, blue and yellow food coloring added to a bit of water) plus pipettes for this Snow Cone Sensory Bin. I encouraged both boys not to actually eat the snow cones. Only one of them listened...

Y got his fill of "snow cones" and moved on to some play time in the living room while S got busy preparing snow cones, snow castles and, with the addition of a baby carrot nose, two pretzel sticks for arms and a couple of raisin eyes, even a tiny little indoor snowman! I love using pipettes for fine motor and transfer practice and S absolutely adores them as well. He played for over an hour in our Snow Cone Sensory Bin before he got hungry for some raisins and pretzels for snack (coincidence?)...

Variety is the spice of life and with just the right amount of snow, the possibilities are as limitless as patterns in a snowflake. Here are some more indoor and outdoor snow play ideas...

Both boys adore a great fingerplay and action rhyme. S has been a fan of "Five Little Snowmen" since he was just a baby and now Y is following suit...

He particularly likes hearing this while eating
pureed carrots...another coincidence? 

Meanwhile, S really has enjoyed making paper snowflakes this year. There are many great ways to make paper snowflakes and one of my favorite ways to introduce the activity in a pretty fool-proof method for early learners is with white paper coffee filters. This year I set an activity basket with all the materials for creating colorful paper snowflakes and visual directions I created and printed. S did the activity with me the first couple of times, but has returned to the basket repeatedly to do it on his own. He feels so proud to be able to fold the paper in half and in half again and in half again... It combines two of his very greatest loves: cutting with scissors and spraying with spray bottles!

We used white coffee filters, washable markers in a variety of cool tones, scissors,  a dark washcloth for placing under the work and spray bottle of water and a wooden tray for collecting small scraps before they are thrown away.

 I used photos to create visual directions for S so even after being walked through the activity with support the first time, he would have a reminder to do it independently in the future. We begin by coloring the coffee filter. I always inform my young artists that the appearance of their artwork will change after cutting and spraying so they do not become attached to a carefully planned illustration only to have it altered at the end! Next we fold the filter in half and in half again and again...and begin to cut out little shapes along the folds and center... S experimented a few times before getting the hang of this. I welcome "mistakes" as they are how we learn best and S did not become frustrated with this either. When we are done cutting, we set the folded coffee filter on top of a dark colored washcloth (so color will not stain) and spray a few times with water until it is completely saturated. I fold the washcloth over once to press out any excess water before carefully unfolding and revealing the resulting snowflake. Once dry, they can be hung in a window, strung from the ceiling or displayed wherever you like!

Some of our other snow day favorites are visiting our U-Pick-a-Project Basket, a collection of craft kits or simple projects for days or times that beg for something fun and exciting on a whim. S has been really into woodworking kits with his Tatty. Today they built a tzedakah box that we hung in our kitchen at his level. He was so excited to put in one penny, one nickel, one dime and one quarter after doing almost all of the hammering himself! You can find great arts and crafts kits on discount at craft supply stores after certain seasons, at Dollar Tree Stores or Walmart, or even create your own when you have leftovers from home or school projects. Some of our other favorites are making bookmarks, using coloring, paint or sticker books, and let's not forget playdough!

Snow days are great days for warming up in the kitchen. Whether you prepare something to eat or to play with, cooks of all ages love to join in! Perhaps you might make some Arctic Slime to play with or try your hands at another science experiment... S gets a kick out of popping popcorn on the stove-top and enjoying the resulting snack. And even Mommies who love to play need a little play break now and then...this is when I put some freshly popped popcorn into a movie style popcorn bag and set up a video for a bit!

A snow day at home is a welcome interruption to our usual routine here today, but I think we are all hopeful that school will open again in the morning! Until then, check out some more inspiration for snowy day fun at home and, as always, happy playing!

Beyond the Book: "Gregory, the Terrible Eater" by Mitchell Sharmat

It's been a while since we did a story stretcher here, and with temperatures outside cold enough to ice your coffee--literally (see photo to the left), an afternoon indoors is definitely in order. S has been learning about health and nutrition in school this week. He is very happy to be back in preschool! He loves being there and gains a great deal from the experience. He is, nonetheless, often reluctant (as many children are) to share about his day after I pick him up. I am creative with how and when I ask questions. Open-ended questions right upon pick-up, like "how was your day?" or "what did you do today?" are often met with silence. For one thing, he is very ready for a nap at that point and this transition is a challenging one. For another, the question really puts him on the spot and one thing he can control at three years old is what, when, and how he answers. Many days I will simply ask "would you like to tell me about school now or later?" He often says "later," and sometimes he says "now!" I ask more specific questions on some days, like "what made you laugh?" or "who did you play with on the playground?" And on all days, the  best glimpse I get into S's school experience is through his play. He will play about, sing about and talk about his school day throughout his time at home--you simply have to catch him in the act!

Another area that is a hot bed for three year old control is eating. I am here to tell you thirty years after being S's age that I am a fully recovered Terrible Eater. Before I was a parent, I vowed I would not be a short order cook the way my own mother was, often preparing three different dinners and barely sitting down to one herself. Y has been a total chow-hound these days, yet to meet a food he does not love. S began in much the same way, but around the age of two began to show preferences about foods. When his nutrition was less than optimal, we supplemented with homemade smoothies, which he still loves. He eats a variety of healthy foods (and enjoys a variety of less healthy ones), but he is definitely particular still and often reluctant to try new things. He will down a green smoothie, but won't eat a hotdog. He wants the same thing for breakfast and lunch each day. He wants a variety of options for dinner and none of them include what's on our family menu. My husband and I quickly decided not to allow mealtimes to be battlegrounds in our home. The energy level by dinner time is dwindling and it is also a family time after a long day of school, work, and other activities. It feels more important to have peaceful time as a family where there is something for everyone to eat than for everyone to eat the same something.

Gregory, the Terrible Eater by Mitchell Sharmat, illustrated by Jose Aruego and Ariana Dewey is a wonderful, classic children's tale of a goat who adamantly refuses to eat the foods his parents want him to eat. What child or parent can't relate to this? The only difference here is that Gregory favors fruits and vegetables while his parents would prefer he eat the shoelaces and cardboard being served at the family table.

This afternoon, we will enjoy laughing our way through this favorite book along with some fun extension activities. It likely won't change our dinnertime much here, but you never know...

 Eat a Rainbow of Fruits & Veggies Sorting Game

In this DIY sorting activity, I printed and laminated a collection of photos of fruits and vegetables in a rainbow of colors. I also printed off color coded words to label each of six brown paper lunch bags. Alternatively, you can use and label paper plates, use colored gift bags or canvas bags or even color code a six-sectioned party tray. S will have the task to sort the colorful fruits and vegetables into their correct bag. This is a great opportunity to talk about fruits and veggies your family likes or does not like as well as to introduce vocabulary around fruits and veggies you may not have tried yet. You can talk about how important it is to eat a variety of different foods in different colors.

Want to do more? If you have a toy shopping cart or basket or even a recycled/reusable shopping bag, send your little ones on a scavenger hunt through the toy kitchen (or even your real kitchen) to find more foods in each of the colors.

Take a Family Field Trip to the grocery or produce store and let your children choose a new fruit or vegetable to try. If it is something you've never had before, it can be fun to choose a recipe together to prepare it. S is often reluctant to try new foods at first, but if he chooses it, it's a game changer. Additionally, involving him in the preparation process also inspires a brave pallet. When he is particularly averse to trying something, I might offer him to touch it with his tongue. I do not force children (my own or students) to try foods and I also believe there is value in being honest with them about trying new foods. I do use language like "you may like it and you may not like it but you won't know if you like it unless you try it." I also tell them honestly about foods I don't care for as much or examples of times I used to not like something but liked it after trying it several times (like sushi!). Many enthusiasts on the topic steer clear of adults discussing foods they do not like in front of children, but I feel it is helpful to be honest and also to point out that different people like different things at different times and that's OK! It also opens up important conversations about how to politely decline or discuss foods that are not one's favorite.

Dramatic play is a big part of our afternoon fun here. S has been particularly into small world play and this miniature goat, chair and table and our collection of miniature toy food will undoubtedly inspire a great story drama! Y can join in the fun as well with this larger play set with a plush goat and toy food and dishes.

Color, Paste and Taste the Rainbow!

I found a great free printable on Teachers Pay Teachers to use as a template for this activity. I did a bit of prep work to save on time by color coding, but depending on your little ones' level of ability or your availability to assist, you can definitely leave this to them. You can provide printed pictures of fruits, veggies or other foods, stickers or magazine pictures to glue on and crayons for additional coloring.

Want to do even more? My favorite recipes to make each year when parashas Noach comes are rainbow fruit salad and rainbow vegetable salad.  S may prefer the taste of the rainbow in his favorite candy, jelly beans, but he also loves fruit and many vegetables as well. Presenting foods in novel ways is a great way to encourage your own terrible eaters or even just particular/opinionated ones!

There are so many studies to support the benefits of involving children in family nutrition. From farm to store to kitchen to table, participation gives them a connection to the important process of feeding and nourishing their bodies. S really loves to help in the kitchen. Y loves to be in there with me as well (especially if eating is involved or loudly banging pots and pans). For those times when I need to plow through a stack of dishes or prepare dinner with fewer cooks in the kitchen, the sensory table (also in the kitchen) is a great lure. In this simple sensory bin, just add soapy water and let your little hands scrub some fruits and veggies in a rainbow of colors! S has also enjoyed scrubbing actual fruits and veggies in the past (which is particularly helpful when I am making vegetable soup or a salad!) but soapy water and some interesting sponges or scrub brushes are always fun for little hands, no matter what is in the bin along with it.

We're off to an afternoon of good reading and food for thought. Happy Playing!

Mad Science Monday: Arctic Slime!

Did you really think we'd make it over a year into this blog and never have a slime post? Neither did I! If you grew up in the 1980s and 1990s, you probably remember begging your parents to dole out a few bucks for a container of Nickelodeon Gak so you could squish it, stretch it, smash it, and of course, make a lovely fart sound squeezing it back into that tiny container. And if your mother was a preschool teacher, probably she reluctantly gave in at some point, but also bought a box of Borax, some school glue, got out the handy ol' box of food coloring and showed you how to make your own. My preschool students over the last decade are completely unfamiliar with phrases like "you've been slimed!" or "Gak" as a name-brand, but, by golly, these kids will still know slime. In fact, making slime became such a fad over the last couple of years that school glue started going on sale in economy sized containers in big box stores and craft supply stores alike. End caps stocked bottles of sparkly school glue so you didn't need to add any glitter of your own. The Great Borax Controversy emerged after reports of alleged chemical burns occurred as a result of children concocting mass quantities of slime under no adult supervision. But never fear, great marketing has you covered and "safe alternatives" like contact lens solution and baking soda were placed on those store end caps in lieu of evil Borax (which all contain, surprise, surprise, none other than the infamous slime-inducing ingredient, boric acic)...

Folks, I'm here to say that in a lifetime of making slime, I've never had a chemical burn. That said, as a child I was assisted and supervised by an adult and as an adult, I assist and supervise my children. Common sense comes into play so that play can occur safely. If you are uncomfortable using Borax, you can make slime with alternative ingredients and a simple internet search will pull up a variety of recipes. I am sticking to the original for now and we definitely wash our hands when play time ends! Slime is a unique and incredible sensory experience. A non-newtonian fluid, it takes on the properties of a liquid when left to its own devices, but under pressure assumes the status of a solid becoming dough like, stretchy and bouncy. And yes, if you squeeze it in just the right manner, air bubbles that form in the mixture pop producing an ever-so-lovely farting sound!

Somehow, I never made slime with S before (I know!) and Winter Break was the perfect opportunity. With near-Arctic temperatures outside, Arctic Slime play indoors was the perfect way to stay warm and cozy. Here's the standard recipe I follow to make slime at home with some optional add-ins to make a winter-themed version:

Arctic Slime

Ingredients & Materials:

• mixing bowls, spoon, teaspoon & measuring cups (I have a dollar store set of these tools set aside for science recipes and play)
• 1/2 cup (4 oz) white school glue (Elmer's brand or any brand is fine)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 teaspoon Borax powder plus 1 cup water
• light blue food coloring and silver glitter* (optional add-ins--you can add the color of your choice, use paint if you prefer, sequins, other colors of glitter--the options are limitless!)
• optional play tools and accessories including cookie cutters in winter shapes, a plastic knife (this is S's favorite), Arctic animal figurines, glass gem "ice bricks," and anything else you can think of and have on hand!

Directions:

Gather your materials and little helpers! Begin by combining half a cup of glue and water in your mixing bowl and mix to incorporate both ingredients. We worked over our sensory table as it is the perfect height for S, the place where play would take place and also a perfect way to catch and contain inevitable splatters! This is a great time to add in your color and glitter if you choose.

Next, using a smaller mixing bowl or cup (we used a disposable cup) combine 1 teaspoon of Borax with 1 cup of water, mixing until dissolved. Slowly combine mixtures into your larger mixing bowl, noticing that slime immediately begins to form! Keep mixing with your spoon, but you'll want to dig your hands in before long to really knead in the ingredients. It may seem like it's not quite taking on that full slime-like texture at first. Don't worry! Just keep kneading and the pressure applied by your hands will eventually cause slime to form. This dough is quite forgiving! If you do happen to have excess water even after all this, you can simply pour it off. 

S is somewhat sensory sensitive with messy play and was hesitant at first. I am also somewhat sensory sensitive with messy play and I know how important it is for both of us to join in the fun! While many children do love to immediately dig in to new textures and experiences, some are hesitant. If you are also hesitant or unwilling to get your hands a bit dirty, expect those little ones to follow suit. On the other hand, if you are willing to get right in there with them, one finger at a time and then your whole hand and then both hands, so, too, will your little ones follow suit! Sure enough, within minutes, S was wrist deep in Arctic Slime dough. 

I introduced it at first with no tools or add-ins. Next, I offered a few cookie cutters in snowflake and circle shapes. S asked for a plastic knife as well. We observed the imprint a cookie cutter left in the slime when flat and how it spread and disappeared. He observed how he could "cut" a slime cookie and use a plastic knife to poke it out.

I love using "real science language" with little ones. I told S about "non-newtonian fluids" and we enjoyed "catching" the slime as it slowly stretched and dripped down from my hand...

We added in some plastic Arctic animal friends and S chose a little person as well, playing with how they made footprints, covering them with "blankets" of slime and all the while enjoying the sight of our handprints in the flattened piles of slime in the bin...

This really captured S's attention for a while! Y was fast asleep in the living room and this was just what we needed to keep us (more quietly) playing in the kitchen. When it was clean up time, S wanted to help! I stored the slime in a ziplock bag and popped it in the fridge. This keeps it fresh longer and also makes it nice and chilly when we are ready for some more Arctic play! We moved the sensory bin close to the sink and I filled it with warm soapy water for S to help wash the toys and cookie cutters. 

My little disclaimer here is that it was a little tricky to get the slime out of those snowflake shaped nooks and crannies on our cookie cutters. I was glad to have S's help! Nonetheless, we had a great time. He even asked to play with it again that evening and his Tatty joined in the fun, too.

Well, there you have it. You've been slimed! Happy Mad Science Monday and as always, happy playing!

Winter Break Survival Kit

Chanukah has come and gone and S's preschool is officially on winter break. This morning he asked me if he was going to school today and I explained that there's still another week of winter break left! He says he likes being at home but also misses school a little and I am thrilled! When I was teaching and S was a baby at home, I used to go crazy planning activities and filling the days of school vacation. Last year when I was pregnant with Y and home with S, I took those last weeks in December for some unplanned fun and play and that inspiration really followed me into this year. It sure is different to be home with both boys all day on many days and with the whole family on some days. The lack of routine feels both relaxing and slightly disorienting at the same time (what day is it anyway??) so I've decided to post some Winter Break Survival ideas that we've enjoyed so far in case you're looking for some inspiration in your own home.

Play Kitchen Remodel: Although we've since remodeled again in yet another toy rotation here, S and Y had a lot of fun before and during Chanukah with our bakery themed play kitchen remodel. Whether your dramatic play area and kitchen set are beloved or ignored by your children, a strategic remodel can be just what is needed to inspire some great hours (and days) of play!

We had a Chanukah themed bakery, complete with props and toys and costumes to inspire aspiring bakers of all ages. You definitely do not need to purchase specialty toys (though there are great ones out there). Some of our most beloved accessories are real cookbooks, dollar store kitchen accessories and DIY toys and props.

S loved our "sprinkles" and "sugar" shakers, a salt and pepper shaker (Dollar Tree) filled with white and colored dry rice from our sensory bin collection and taped shut to secure. He and Y both enjoyed the "oil" bottle (just oil and water in a recycled bottle also secured with tape.  A layer of clear packing tape on some empty Chanukah candle boxes and Chanukah cookie boxes and some recycled paper shoppoing bags and gift bags also made great accessories. S esepecially loved a collection of recycled plastic containers from berries that I taped a pretend bakery label to so he could pack up donuts and cupcakes and cookies to go!

Frying pretend wood circle latkes was a lot of fun. S also liked to pretend that these were cookies. I love including natural materials into the mix for some open ended play.

Real baking sheets and muffin tins (dollar store), gingerbread man cookie cutters from our sensory play collection, rolling pins, cupcake liners leftover from a Shavuos craft a couple of years ago and a small collection of little pom poms made for some very creative cookie and cupcake baking!

I included a variety of writing utensils, a toy cash register with play money, calculators, hole punches and a variety of notepads to incorporate a print rich and pre-writing friendly environment. S especially took to using a sticky note pad to write down orders and "mitzvah notes" for everyone. I also included a chalkboard slate and some chalk and a few free printables I'd collected and laminated over the years for menus. Since we don't live near kosher restaurants or bakeries or cafes, much of the experience is still foreign to my children. In these situations, it can be helpful to model through play how these items are used. It can also be exciting to see the ideas they come up with on their own! Again, we used mainly materials we had on hand at home with a few dollar store finds thrown into the mix (like an OPEN/CLOSED sign and actual receipt and order memo books).

We extended the activity to include some sensory play with this homemade Sugar Cookie and Gingerbread Cookie Playdough Bakery. I just followed my standard stovetop playdough recipe, doubling the recipe and dividing in half. To one half, I added a bit of vanilla essential oil and to the other half, a generous amount of cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and nutmeg. The smell was AMAZING (not good enough to eat, though I may or may not have caught glimpse of a certain preschooler double checking that theory before coming to the same conclusion). I added in some rainbow rice "sprinkles" and some of our favorite cookie cutters and kitchen set props for an afternoon of playdough bakery fun. This was an activity S requested to return to again and again!

 Playdough, is in fact, always an activity my preschooler wants to do. On one of the days of Chanukah, I gave each of my boys a few dollars of "gelt" to spend at the Dollar Tree. S quickly found the aisle with playdough and had a mathematical moment of wisdom after first picking three $1 containers of playdough and then seeing a 4-pack for $1, thereby saving his remaining two for a toy microphone and a bottle of bubbles. I know what you're all thinking--this playdough is going to turn all kinds of funny shades of neon until it finally meets its fate of preschool playdough brown (how is that not a color in the Crayola box of crayons yet?). I confess that I keep some of our store bought playdough for use only one or two chosen colors at a time, but I think there is value and benefit to letting little hands have at it. This is totally S's playdough and he loves it in every shade! Since we were still celebrating Chanukah, I threw some candles into the mix and he asked for the playdough factory tool and rolling pin and plastic knife. He was building all kinds of menorahs, lighting the candles and singing the brachos for days! Actually--even now that Chanukah is over, he is still playing about this! Yes, it's messy and colorful and takes time and effort to adequately clean up and organize, but it is a favorite activity here and winter break is the perfect time to make sure you can squeeze in plenty of playdough play opportunities. He's not just mixing colors, he's also developing fine motor strength and engineering skills to boot.

If you're feeling artsy-craftsy, here are some of the ways we've been having fun in our Art Center at home:

We had a lot of fun with this oil and food coloring marbled art activity from The Artful Parent before Chanukah began. The results of mixing oil with food coloring and water and dipping in card stock were beautiful! S also enjoyed the sensory experience of it and mixing and swirling the colors in a tray. It's a bit messy and takes some time and adult or older sibling involvement, however we really enjoyed the process and many people enjoyed the results, which we used to create handmade cards for family and friends.


Speaking of handmade cards...do you have a collection of your kids' artwork you're looking to recycle? Do you have thank you's to write or gifts still to send? We had a lot of fun creating handmade note cards for holiday greetings and note card sets as gifts for my son's teachers. I bought a bulk pack of blank greeting cards and envelopes available at craft supply stores and a large hole punch to create the center shape out of recycled artwork from each of the boys. You could also just hand-cut a rectangle or shape. We glued the art into the center of the blank cards and they came out beautifully, if I do say so myself!

Our Art Center is always a busy place these days. S really liked this Chanukah themed "secret message" activity, though you can incorporate a winter theme or any other one for that matter. Simply use a white crayon to draw a "secret" picture or message on some white paper or index cards (kids can do this, too, just make sure you encourage dark, thick marks) and include some do-a-dot markers or even watercolor paints and water to reveal the top secret message!

S has also been into creating bookmarks lately as we are reading aloud some short chapter books at bedtime. He loves making them as gifts and for us to use at home. In this little "bookmark making bin" I included some blank bookmarks (I bought these at a craft supply store in bulk, but you can cut your own from card stock), scissors and embroidery thread for making tassels and a collection of winter themed foam stickers and gems. There are a lot of ways to decorate bookmarks using stickers, gluing on papers for collage, coloring, painting, even the "secret message" activity listed above. Have fun and enjoy some good reading when you're done!

Our U-Pick-a-Project Basket is back and loaded with leftovers from the end of holiday season last year. A collection of inexpensive craft kits and science kits are a great way to fill some down time. Just this morning, S painted a snowman sun-catcher and helped set up a grow-your-own crystal snowman. It may not be snowing outside here, but we're thinking about it indoors, for sure! I collect these little kits when they go on discount or as I see them at our local dollar store.

Got wrapping paper scraps? We did and we had a lot of fun using them for tearing and cutting and playing in our sensory table. S loves to cut paper and tear paper. It's a great way to practice these skills and develop those fine motor muscles while not just throwing away the results. We also like to use these scraps in collage activities or on clear contact paper.

Paper tearing and shredding in an intentional environment also helps to channel that desire when it crops up in less preferred environments (like with artwork that is intended to remain in one piece or with books). You can add in some recycled cardboard tubes or scoops for some great sensory play as well.

 One of my favorite types of pretend play is small world play--using small toys and objects in dramatic play. I recently took up yet another profitless hobby, painting wooden peg dolls, and created a set to look like each member of our family. I love how it inspires S to play--particularly as he works through feelings about having a sibling or his Tatty going to work, etc. I also love that we have dolls that actually look like us! We have been enjoying this Winter Wonderland Small World Play Scene for the past few days here. I included a large swatch of sparkly white felt I had from last year, some winter themed props (these are highly discounted after the holidays) some arctic animals, a "skating rink" (metal tray), some "ice" (glass gems) and, per S's most recent request, some miniature food. He goes back to this activity again and again and plays with it in new ways each time. We are having a great time with it!

Whatever you're celebrating this season, I hope you're enjoying time with family and loved ones. From our little family to yours, Happy Playing!