Airplanes

Aaron bought Styrofoam airplanes with the kids. They assembled the kids colored them with markers and put stickers on them. I can't wait to see them fly.

Walk

Cam and I took little man for his first walk outside. (Not in his stroller, he had to walk.) he was so cute and never tried to go too far off the sidewalk. We didn't get too far. He kept pointing and saying "ook, ook!" translation "look!" This winter has been so cold and he has a lot of sinus drainage, so no walks even in his stroller all winter. He was so cute.

Geoboards

The kids are making their own geoboards. I went to probuilders for the boards and nails $12.59 to make three geoboards. We even had some pine board left over. I printed the 10x10 geoboard dot paper template from the Eclectic Homeschool website. Then I made shape cards from the worksheets found at abcteach. I will pick up colored rubber bands or hair ties on my next dollar store run. I glued the dot template to the board and set the kids loose with a hammer outside on the porch. I found detailed instructions on how to make a geoboard at http://www.kidscanmakeit.com/AC0003.htm The original idea to search on geoboards came from lapazfarm.homeschooljournal.net thanks to everyone mentioned for all the ideas.

Dollar General Store Finds

pots for starting seeds 3.00
seeds 0.20 each 0.20
color by number set 1.00 each 2.00
plastic alphabet and number sets 2.00
alphabet stickers 1.00 each 5.00

Total spent 12.20 plus tax

Not too bad for making three new activities. The color by number sets were flowers and bees which will go with the flower and plants theme I am working on for our next unit study. The alphabet stickers go with some paint chips I picked up for free to make reading slide cards. and the plastic alphabets didn't come with magnets like I thought but we got out some magnets and two metal popcorn tin lids and are using them to study magnetics anyway today. Pitty-pat has a pin, coins,magnets from the fridge and is amazed at how the magnets make the pin stand up on the coins in from high above the safety pin. Tippy-toe is more into hanging the magnets from each other in the air. I printed out magnetic and not magnetic cards from somewhere(I will look up the link and plan to get them out of my file cabinet to put with this for the next time they get the magnets out of the activity file box.)
Little-man is happy with a set of tongs and a couple of jar lids to move around on his highchair tray.(also a free activity)I think he would try to swallow the magnets. Today he starts potty training after his nap! We bought a new potty chair, training pants and rubber pants--ready, set, go!

Indoor sandbox

Today we are studying fractions. I had some left over colored rice which I gave to the kids along with each getting a canning jar funnel, narrow funnel, wide moth jar, small mouth jar, cheese jar, measuring spoon,and a specimen bottle. I set them up with different colors so I will know who needs to sweep the floor by who gets the most rice on the floor. I cautioned them that the rice on the floor will be put in the trash. Now and then I walk over and say whose jar is full, half full, ... ---sandbox math!

Nature walks

The best way to study nature is to just explore the outdoors. we go out to Aaron's mom's woods and just walk as often as we can.  the kids love it out there and it is just so good for them. Little-man just loves going for walks.I love to get out of town and let them explore.



Rainbow rice

Today we made rainbow colored rice for our I SPY JARS. I will look for small items to make an alphabet theme jar.
Rainbow Rice Recipe
Rice in a small ziploc baggie about 2 cups. (One bag for each color.)
4-5 pumps hand sanitizer or rubbing alcohol 4 Tblsp.
4-5 drops food coloring
Close bag and mix. open bag and let dry.

Right now they are drinking up a gatorade so we can recycle the clear bottle. i found this neat idea at Pink and Green Mamma's blog.