Creative With the Cousins
Posted: December 29, 2011 Filed under: Art & Healing, Child Centered Activities 4 CommentsWe spent the holidays with E’s cousins (beautiful, smart girls aged 9 and 11) who were up visiting from Florida. We gave them some Sculpey Clay for Chistmas and they created some fun objects for E to play with.
The great thing about Sculpey is its availability, relatively low price, broad range of colors, and ease of baking at home (make sure you follow directions closely).
Cherry Pie, Finger Puppet, Rose, Apple
Multicolored Bracelet
Inspiring Gifts
Posted: December 23, 2011 Filed under: Art & Healing, Child Centered Activities, Chronicles of a First Time Parent 2 CommentsMy daughter received some beautiful, wooden play items from sweet Auntie Baps for Christmas. During E’s pretend cooking session, she explained to me that she needed to put the milk bottles in the refrigerator.
We pulled out some cardboard scraps, hot glue gun and went to work. I did the cutting and gluing while she stayed close and watched.
And if you’re going to have a refrigerator, you have to have an oven…
Toolbox as Metaphor
Posted: December 18, 2011 Filed under: Child Centered Activities, Chronicles of a First Time Parent 1 CommentThis Christmas we are giving our 2 1/2 year old daughter a child’s toolbox and toolbelt. She enjoyed playing with one at a recent birthday party and the idea stuck with me. It sort of hit me over the head today while talking with David that as parents, we are trying to provide E with the tools she will need to be happy, content and successful in life. That solving problems requires knowing what tools to look for and where to find them. Well, here is an actual toolbox and belt to start with. As she grows and learns from others in her village, it will be OUR job to always make sure that the box is big enough.
DIY Nutcrackers Figures
Posted: December 13, 2011 Filed under: Child Centered Activities 5 CommentsIt’s all drama at our house, and I mean the good kind! David took our daughter to the Nutcracker a few weeks ago and all she wants to do is role play the characters. She eats and sleeps in a ballet costume and if Tchaikovsky isn’t playing thru the speakers, she’s humming her version of it. E has been asking for a Nutcracker of her own and here is our quick DIY version. I just covered a couple paper towel tubes with strips of colored construction paper. Clear tape and sharpie finished the job with just enough details to identify the characters.
Holiday Cards with Kids
Posted: November 26, 2011 Filed under: Child Centered Activities 4 CommentsSuper simple – cut some sponges into shapes ahead of time and use to make holiday prints on cardstock. We used acrylic paints which I put out in small amounts at a time. You can top off with glitter or add to w/other materials (colored pencils, markers, crayons, oil pastels) after the paint has dried.
Memory Game for Kids
Posted: November 20, 2011 Filed under: Child Centered Activities 2 CommentsSave gift paper scraps! They’re always great for collages but in this case, memory games too. I cut blue card-stock for the background paper, glued the pictures down, then covered with contact paper.
Jingle Bell Skirt
Posted: November 17, 2011 Filed under: Child Centered Activities 3 CommentsI cut strips of scrap fabric and tied them once to a piece of elastic. Next I sewed bells to the ends of some of the strips. Simple and tons of fun!!
All Aboard!
Posted: November 13, 2011 Filed under: Child Centered Activities 2 CommentsA roll of paper and colored pencils…
New Supplies!
Posted: November 11, 2011 Filed under: Child Centered Activities 2 CommentsMy cast was changed today and we brought my daughter to watch the process. It’s only fitting as she is now a bandaging expert at home! Our beloved nurse hooked E up with a bag of hospital items to add to her “Doctor Kit”.
Time = Love
Posted: November 8, 2011 Filed under: Child Centered Activities, Chronicles of a First Time Parent 3 CommentsYesterday we had a caregiver come to the house and help with my daughter while David worked. She said that in all her years being a nanny, she has learned the most loving gift you can give your child is your time. Makes sense to me.
an Art Farm 