Forest Small World

Posted on May 20, 2013 by Ann

I love creating small worlds for my son and my home daycare kids. I often put them together after my son has gone to bed so that he can discover them in the morning. Although it’s fun for him to be surprised with a little play scene I wanted to give him and the little ones in my care the opportunity to create their own small world.

I recently read a fantastic post from Stephanie at Twodaloo about building language with small world play. In addition to reminding me of the benefits of children having a hand in the creation of small worlds, the post also reminded me that with young children it is often best to base small worlds on settings and experiences familiar to them. With those considerations in mind I gathered items for a simple forest small world based on the type of forest found in our part of the country.

I dug two deer (a buck and a fawn) out of our toy bins and rounded up objects from our nature collection. Adding sticks, rocks, pinecones, and pine needles to this forest small world gave it the touch of realism it needed and also made it pleasing to the senses.

Unfortunately I don’t have many pictures of the kids interacting with our little forest so I’ll do my best to explain how they played. I presented them with the tray, which held the deer and some brown play dough, and a wooden bowl, which contained our natural materials. I also gave them several plastic “trees” which I pulled out of a topiary ball I got from the dollar store and that we used in our Spring Sensory Bin.

Their first course of action was to stick all the small objects into the play dough. Pushing things into play dough is always a satisfying tactile activity for toddlers and preschoolers. I made our mud play dough by adding cocoa powder to my go-to recipe from playdoughrecipe.com.

Then there was lots of talk of the “Daddy” deer and the “baby” deer being stuck in the mud. Getting stuck in the mud is a popular theme around here and the kids often pretend to fall into imaginary patches of mud and then hose each other off with things like paper towel tubes or my son’s toy screw driver.

I gave them a little person toy and my son made up a short story about him walking in the woods. I pointed out that the little boy had to walk carefully over sticks and rocks and around trees just like we do when we’re playing in the woods.

Our little friend (age 2.5) was concerned about the mud sticking to the fawn’s hooves and she attempted to clean him up by scraping the play dough off with a stick. I thought this was a smart solution!

For more small world fun, please see our small world category or my Sensory and Small World Pinterest board.

If this is your first visit to My Nearest and Dearest I’d love to have you follow along by subscribing by email (simply enter your email address in the box at the top right corner of our home page). You can also find us on Facebook and Google+ where we regularly share ideas for play based learning, connecting with your family, and good old-fashioned fun.

Thanks for reading!

-Ann

Water, Mirrors, and Reflections: A Physics Investigation for Preschoolers

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Ann

I’ve been struggling with this post. Not because the activity it’s about wasn’t fun and worthwhile. On the contrary, it was simple to set up, fits well with my belief in the philosophy of learning through play, and engaged my son and my daycare kids for a good amount of time. What I’ve been stuck on is whether to include the word “physics” in a post about an activity for toddlers and preschoolers.

I don’t have a teaching background. Science and math have never been my strong suits. When it comes to kids activities, arts and crafts and nature play are my comfort zones. I don’t want to mislead parents into thinking that I am suggesting they teach physics terms to their three year-olds. Or worse, give them reason to think that I have no business talking about this subject in the first place.

When I mentioned this dilemma to some blogging friends of mine they kindly tolerated my neuroses and convinced me that not only was it ok to write about physics for preschoolers but that I might actually help other parents see how easy it is to incorporate science and math into activities they do with their children.

My son is almost three and the two little ones who come to my house for daycare are two and a half and three. They are too young to understand the law of reflection but they are not too young to benefit from exposure to a simple exploration of reflection. As my son’s first teacher (thank you Mary Catherine from Fun-A-Day for reminding me of that) I am always looking for ways to build on his interests, nurture his curiosity, and introduce new concepts to him in playful and age appropriate ways. I believe that by giving him a broad range of experiences, both in the arts and in sciences, I am helping set the stage for a lifelong love of learning.

And so, without further ado, here’s our activity, “Water, Mirrors and Reflections: A Physics Investigation for Preschoolers”.

The kids and I headed outside with two small mirrors and a plastic storage container. I showed them how the mirrors could be angled to catch sunlight and reflect it onto the birch trees at the edge of our lawn. Then I put the mirrors in the container and had the kids lean in to look at their reflections.

Next came the real fun! Any activity we do with water is always met with enthusiasm and this one was no exception. I gave the kids containers of water (empty pop/soda bottles, a spray bottle without the nozzle, and a little plastic cup) and instructed them to take turns pouring water on top of the mirrors.

As they poured the water we talked about how funny and strange our distorted reflections looked.

After each container was emptied and the water became still we could easily see ourselves in the mirrors again.

Dandelions found their way into the container…

Peanut thought it would be neat to gently shake the container to make the water move. I love that he came up with this great idea to extend our investigation all on his own. We’ve been visiting a stream in our neighbourhood a lot lately and he’s been interested in the ripples that form on the surface of the water when he throws rocks in. I could see that he was drawing on his experiences at the stream while participating in this activity.

Eventually the kids lost interest in peering at their reflections and our activity evolved into good old water play and scooping dandelions.

Thanks for reading! Next time I’ll spare you the rambling preamble about my insecurities.

-Ann

Easy Pureed Baby Food Part 2

Posted on May 12, 2013 by Lucy

If you read my last post, Easy Pureed Baby Food for Your Little Foodie you’ll know that I’ve been doing some experimenting to come up with baby food both tasty and nutritious. Since then, I’ve hit on a few more combinations that Baby S has enjoyed. Better still, these purees are even easier than those in my last post!

Black beans, peas, and corn. Simmer equal parts beans, peas, and corn in enough water to fully cover vegetables. Once softened, allow to cool then puree to desired consistency. TIP: I recommend Eden Organic black beans, since they come in BPA-free cans.
Squash, tofu, and apple sauce. Chop about two cups of squash into small chunks and simmer in water until soft. Allow to cool, then add 1/4 – 1/3 cup soft tofu and about 4 Tbsp unsweetened applesauce. Puree until smooth.
Melon medley. If your grocery store sells pre-chopped watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew melon, simply toss them in your blender and puree! This is a delicious combo to mix into baby cereal.

Enjoy!

-Lucy

If you’re baby is ready for finger foods, try our Apple Squash Muffins. They include ingredients that are safe and healthy for even the littlest member of your household.

The Importance of Mom Friends and Motherhood Blog Hop

Posted on May 9, 2013 by Ann

My twin sister, Lucy and I were blessed that our first pregnancies overlapped. She gave birth to her son three months before I had mine. During our pregnancies we logged many hours of phone conversations about anything and everything pregnancy related. Our pregnancies were similar and I was thankful to have someone close to me who understood exactly what I was experiencing.

Unfortunately however, Lucy and I live in different provinces. We’re roughly a four-hour drive from each other. I had no close friends nearby who were pregnant at the same time that I was or who even had young children.

I hoped that I would somehow meet other new moms after my son was born, but I wasn’t exactly sure how.

Towards the end of my pregnancy my husband and I attended a weekly prenatal class. We went straight to the class from work, sat in uncomfortable chairs, and learned all the intimate details of labour and delivery with a room full of strangers. Needless to say, we didn’t stick around after class to mingle with the other attendees.

At the end of our final class, the facilitator announced that she had a contact sheet for those of us who wanted to leave our email addresses so that we could keep in touch with each other. Figuring we had nothing to lose, I wrote my email address on the list.

Like a lot of new mothers, I found the first weeks with a newborn very challenging. Although I had a hard time just getting out for a walk in our neighbourhood, I was desperate to get out of the house and commiserate with other new moms.

I remember hitting the send button on that first email I sent to our prenatal classmates. I hoped that at least one person would agree to meet me for a walk. Only a handful of couples had left contact information though and I honestly didn’t think anything much would come of it. Little did I know that I would make some of the most meaningful friendships of my life.

Fast forward three years and I’m happy to report that three of us from the prenatal class get together regularly for play dates, walks, coffee, and the occasional marathon scrapbooking session. One of our mom friends has moved away and is expecting her second child. Another still lives nearby but does shift work; we always welcome the chance to see her and her little guy when we can make our schedules jive.

The first three years of my son’s life would have been a very different experience if not for these women. There is something about going through a life changing event like new motherhood that bonds people in a way that is difficult to explain. We’ve shared laughter, tears, and common interests. We’ve had deep discussions about religion, marriage, breast-feeding, and the terrible twos. We’ve watched our little ones mature from month-old babies to happy little three-year olds. Their friendship has been so important to me and I know that it will continue to be vital to my emotional health even as our children grow up.

Did I mention that I almost didn’t meet these women at all? My husband and I signed up for a prenatal class that ended up being cancelled due to the facilitator undergoing surgery. We managed to get into the class that we did attend at the eleventh hour. I think we were among the last few couples, if not the last couple, that they accepted. The Lord works in mysterious ways.

I am pleased to be participating in Motherhood: Celebrating the Difference, a blog hop conceived and hosted by Inspired By Family Mag. Each blogger will share a parenting story on a topic of her choice. Stop by to laugh, cry and be encouraged in your parenting journey.

Celebrating the differences of Motherhood is brought to you by our host Inspired by Family, and by the following contributing blogs: Kids Activities Blog, Rainbows within Reach, Powerful Mothering, Fun-a-Day, The Pleasantest Thing, Royal Baloo, Laly Mom, True Aim Education, Kids Stuff World, Milk and Cuddles, The Imagination Laboratory, Smiling like Sunshine, Teach Beside Me, JDaniel 4’s Mom, Kitchen Counter Chronicle, My Nearest and Dearest, Nate and Rachel, Two-Daloo, Mamas Like Me, Mama Miss, One Mommy. Martys Musings and Mothering From Scratch.

If you are a blogger and you have a story or something to share about motherhood, feel free to add a link to your post so we can read your story as well. Note: by sharing you give us permission to feature you (attributing of course).

Recycled Outdoor Music Station

Posted on May 5, 2013 by Ann

l’ve been excited to create an outdoor music station since seeing these ones by Growing a Jeweled Rose and Play Dr Mom. Last week Peanut and his friend (both turning three years old this month) helped me make what turned out to be a beautiful and musical addition to our outdoor play space. Although we worked on this project over the course of several days, it could easily be started and completed in an afternoon.

Using acrylic paint, the boys and I painted cans and the rings from mason jar lids. The boys loved doing this. Painting three-dimensional objects is always a nice change from painting flat surfaces such as paper, canvas, or cardboard. It’s also a fine motor challenge for little ones as they figure out how best to hold and paint the objects at the same time.

After they dried, I coated them in Mod Podge. Later, using a hammer and nail I put a small hole in the top of each can. I enlisted the help of my little carpenter who was thrilled to have an opportunity to use his hammer and a real nail.

I threaded thin, fabric covered wire through the holes and tied jingle bells (purchased on sale after Christmas) on the end of the wire.

The photos below illustrate these steps. I love the little blue fingerprints on the inside of the can in the bottom left photo.

I also tied the jar lids and some of the jingle bells onto pieces of wire.

I am so pleased with how our little project turned out. They look so pretty hanging in the woods and will provide a new element to our outdoor play. The kids can create great clanging and jingling sounds by banging the cans and jar lids with sticks.

We have several projects planned this year for our backyard and surrounding woods. Stay tuned to see what we’ll do next! I promise that all will be economical and easily achievable.

Thanks for reading!

-Ann

Fizzy Fun at the Water Table and a Water Table Round Up

Posted on May 2, 2013 by Ann

We’ve been enjoying delightfully warm weather this week. The warm temperatures mean that we can finally use our water table for wet and messy outdoor fun again. We kicked off water table season with a sparkly and fizzy sensory activity.

This is our take on the classic vinegar and baking soda experiment/activity.

We began by tossing handfuls of blue plastic gems into the water table. Peanut (35 months) then added baking soda. Just for the heck of it, we sprinkled glitter over everything. Obviously, you can replicate this activity without the glitter but I’m a sucker for sparkle so I use it whenever I can.

I gave Peanut and his friend (28 months) spray bottles and containers filled with vinegar, which I’d colored with food coloring.

The bubbly reaction of baking soda and vinegar together proved irresistible for little hands.

When the kiddos had used all their vinegar I filled up the containers with water and gave them scoops and spoons. This extended the activity for much longer than if we’d called it quits after all the vinegar was gone.

Since spring arrived I’ve been having fun thinking about all the ways we can play at the water table this year. For inspiration, I’ve rounded up some creative water table activities and included links to them below. I hope they inspire you too!

Sensory Activities at the Water Table:

Water Table Activities for Toddlers:

Water Fun With Babies and Toddlers from The Educators’ Spin On It.
Alphabet Soup from My Nearest and Dearest (a favorite from last fall)
Water Table Car Wash from Thrive 360 Living

Water Table Activities Using Natural Materials:

How will you play at the water table this spring and summer?

Thanks for reading!

-Ann

Four Quiet Time Activities for a Two or Three Year Old

Posted on April 28, 2013 by Ann

My son stopped napping at 31 months. For two or three months leading up to that he napped sporadically (a few times a week). The change in his sleeping habits took some getting used to as he adjusted to making it through the day without a rest and I adjusted to the loss of “me time”.

What I found most difficult though, was finding low-key activities that would keep him happy and occupied while the little ones I look after napped and while I took care of the things I needed to do around the house.

With Peanut on the verge of turning three, I wanted to share a few of the easy to set up quiet time activities that he’s enjoyed as a non-napping two-year old. And for those of you functioning with a non-napping toddler and a baby in the house – God bless you!

1) Paint the dollhouse with water. My son loves this and it keeps him occupied for a good length of time. I simply put a bath mat or towel under the dollhouse and give him a paintbrush and a small container with just a bit of water in it.

2) Dry penne pasta and pipe cleaners. This is so quick to set up and is something I’ve given Peanut to do at the table while I work in the kitchen. It’s also a wonderful fine motor activity.

3) A simple salt tray. This is one of the all-time most loved activities at our house. All you need is salt, a tray or baking pan, and one or two items to play with. Peanut enjoys using combs, paint brushes, and small trucks or cars.

4) An indoor clothesline. I’ve set this up in various locations throughout the house. I find a thick ribbon, as opposed to thinner string, is easiest for little hands. Usually I use a flexible tape measure that is meant as a sewing accessory.

In case you missed it, I recently posted 20 of our favorite ways to play with play dough. I find that play dough is one of the easiest and quickest things to set out to keep a little one busy and content.

We also have these activities, perfect for quiet time: Little People Bath in a Wipes Container and Worm Playground.

I’d love to know what quiet time looks like at your house. Please feel free to share your tips and activities in the comments below.

Thanks for reading!

-Ann

My Nearest And Dearest

Living a simple and contented life with those I love.

Forest Small World

Water, Mirrors, and Reflections: A Physics Investigation for Preschoolers

Easy Pureed Baby Food Part 2

The Importance of Mom Friends and Motherhood Blog Hop

Recycled Outdoor Music Station

Fizzy Fun at the Water Table and a Water Table Round Up

Four Quiet Time Activities for a Two or Three Year Old

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