Don't forget to Play{ground}!

 

Little K is going to be 4 this Halloween, so I have started a bit more

structured "preschool" for her. We're working on letters, colors, numbers, etc...

Trying to be sure to have lots of different themes, working on a loose schedule.

I try to be sure that she has each subject daily: Math, Science, Reading, Sensory play, etc.

I'm sure lots of parents out there are doing the same thing right now.

However, as important as writing their names and knowing the ABCs are, lets

not forget one of THE MOST important part of the early years of childhood: PLAY!

 

Kids love to run, jump, hang, climb, swing and slide! It's built into them.

The funny thing is - they aren't JUST playing. They are growing. They are learning.

They are developing their muscles, and their minds and discovering their boundaries and skills.

 

Kids are only little once. These days, everyone is such a hurry to make them grow up.

Play is forgotten. It's old school. It doesn't teach them to read or recite math facts.

That's the point! A 3 or 4 year old child doesn't need to know those things. That is what

they have us for. They will learn it when they need to.

 

So, while planning your homeschool preschool time, don't forget to just

let them be kids. Let them run, swing and slide in the sunshine. Enjoy the giggles.

Let them Play.

Bucks County Childrens Museum (New Hope, PA)

 

We had a great play day today at the Bucks County Children's Museum

in New Hope, PA!

Pumpkin Pie Playdough using REAL canned pumpkin!

 

Pumpkin pie play dough using REAL pumpkin!

 

Ingredients:

 

-        1 cup of canned pumpkin pie filling or pumpkin purée

    1/2 cup of water

    2 tablespoons of oil

    1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

    1 teaspoon of cinnamon

    1 teaspoon of cloves

    1 teaspoon of nutmeg

    1/2 teaspoon of ginger

   if you don't have the cloves, nutmeg and ginger, you could also sub pumpkin pie spice

    orange gel food coloring

    2 1/4 cups of plain flour

    1/2 cup of salt

    2 tablespoons of cream of tartar

 

Directions:

 

Add first set of ingredients to a large pot and heat on the stove, stirring regularly, until just bubbling.  Remove from heat and add in dry ingredients.  Stir until combined and dump mixture out on the counter.  Allow to cool for 5 or 10 minutes.  Knead dough until soft and fully cooled (it may feel sticky in the beginning, but don't add flour – the stickiness will go away once the dough is cool).  Store in an airtight bag or container in the fridge when not in use.

Fire Safety Week Ideas for kids

It's Fire Safety Week!

Teaching fire safety is very important.

Here are a few things we've done.

 

 

Handprint firefighter! made by my 2 yr old.

 

showed her how fire needs oxygen to burn.

 

handprint flames. also a great lesson in color mixing!

 

firefighter hat made from a paper plate!

 

fire safety bath! talked about stop, drop and roll.

dyed the water red, gave her the hat she got at our local fire dept.

open house. Painted flames and gave her a squirt bottle to "put them out".

This bath was fun!

 

Using a squirt bottle to put out the flames... this is also great for

fine motor and little hand muscles!

 

Visited our local fire dept. open house!

Apple Theme Ideas

Apple theme ideas!

First we cut a tree top out of green paper and used her finger to paint little apples. :)

 

 

Great tip for apple prints - cut a notch in the apple to make

it easier for tiny tots to hold onto!

 

Don't forget to show them the star in the center.(pic below.)

(Apple must be cut horizontally to show the star.)

 

Handprint apples! Paint only the palm red, add stem and leaf with

finger prints!

 

Apple printing on the patio!

 

Awesome book for apple week!

 

10 apples up on top!