Jello

JELLO!!! Easiest, Best snack to make with kids! 

Ok so there is some sugar in it but it's fun to introduce science: steam, evaporation, dissolving, etc. 

Red food is a fav in our house, so raspberry was an easy choice. 

I showed them how to stir slowly and gently so they didn't splash and stain. I demonstrated how the red dye can stain and cause problems with clothes, towels, rugs, etc. One reason the don't have shirts on right now :) 

We discussed the idea of steam, what is it, where it comes from, etc. 

                       

They each got turns mixing, dissolving, and telling the difference between hot and cold water. 

Fun in the kitchen with kids!!!!!

I love giving my little ones more vocabulary everyday and letting them practice. Make sure you give your little ones the chance to practice the words they hear you use. Making time, having conversations builds such strong foundations for language and their use of it! 

Travel Laminated Quiet Book

I needed something easy, light, and reusable for our flight with my ever active toddler. I had seen many quiet books and they are WONDERFUL!! However, they come with small pieces that can be dropped, lost, felt that would be stuck to other things, etc. I wanted something contained.

I bought one 1/2 inch binder, laminating sheets, binder pocket sheets, dry erase markers, dry erase crayons, and LOADS of stickers. 

This binder was first used when he was 20 months old and we have "reloaded" it several times since!

        

We decorated the front, little man helped to make it his own, and I let him help fill some of the pockets. 

I printed letter sheets for him to help recognize his name and the sounds the letters in his name make. 

I tore pages out of coloring books that he loves and focused on things he could do with us and on his own. Little man picked out some of the animal pages and I chose some as a surprise. These pages were laminated so we could reuse them or use as doodle pages. 

Using the dry erase crayons, we were able to wipe the laminated pages off and recolor them. 

He loves mazes so this was a fun one to include! 

I have several pockets of stickers and blank white paper. He could sticker the paper, color, draw, write, etc, etc, etc! Stickers are a must as they love to put on and pull off. Plus, it's GREAT dexterity practice for their little fingers. 

Both of our kids are great travelers and I believe that they travel well for a few reasons:

1. We plan things out (snacks, treats, toys, activities, etc)
2. If we can get it at the airport, we buy it there (water bottle, pretzels, etc) yes, I know it is expensive but it's much easier!!!!
3. I pack ONE bag for the kids and me! 
4. Pack suckers, mints, gum to suck on and chew for take off and landing - eliminate ear pressure
5. Give ibuprofen to the kids prior take off to help with air pressure issues
6. A surprise toy to give them about half way through the trip or closer to the last hour when the other things have started to wear off

THE bag (in my case a backback) I had my littlest one in my ergo baby on in front, back pack on my back and my older one was in our travel stroller (city mini) or walking with me.

Contains: 

• two diapers for each hour we could be on the plane - in case of delay, accident, etc. (now both are potty trained - so extra undies)
• back up outfit for each kid  
• iPad for the kids as back-up and for me (loaded with games and movies)
• my phone with games for children and adult - again a back-up
• quiet binder: coloring, hangman, games, stickers, crayons
• crayons and blank paper
• snacks that require chewing and swallowing for take off and landing for ear pressure (gummies, suckers, mints, water)
• kids ibuprofen for headaches and ear pressure
• Secret NEW toy for each kiddo

***BEST advice I EVER got*****  

secret NEW toy for each kiddo, they have never seen this item or know that I have it! It's something they want or would love to help them get through the last bit of the flight. I gave my daughter a Rapuzel doll (barbie like doll so she could brush her hair) and small hair brush and my son got Ryder from Paw Patrol and his ATV. These were only a few bucks each and well worth it!!!! It gave them something to play with while we were on vacation, traveling between locations, or sitting with family (in grandma's house full of breakables) 

Sight Word Games

I love playing games with my kiddos but sometime I don't always want to purchase the latest thing or game. Since I am a teacher and could ALMOST live on the teacherspayteachers website, I figured that I could use it for my own little learners, too!

Why NOT?!?!?!

Laura Martin of teacherspayteachers does a great job creating some products for beginning readers. 

I found these great I Have, Who Has game cards that my little reader and I can play together. 

My younger one can play with us with me helping point to the card to use. 

               

I use my own laminator to make cards at home. I purchased my laminator at Target for about $30. This is similar, but there are many out there. The heat laminating pouches I normally find online from Walmart at the best value (about $15 for 100 pack). You can get the 3mm pouches, they work fine! I use the 5 mm in my classroom as they are thinker and hold up better with daily use. Therefore, these were made with 5 mm because that is want I have. 

Update**** my kiddos LOVE this game! They are 4 and 3 years of age and had a blast sorting them outside, making a tower of words!

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/I-Have-Who-Has-Monster-Sight-Words-202982

Little Chef

My kids Love cooking with me! It's a great way to teach some life skills, teach them about food, introduce new foods and lastly, keep them out of trouble while dinner is being prepared. 

Every little chef needs a chef's hat. I made this with some cardstock and tissue paper. It would work great with a stapler... I just couldn't find mine. Sometimes tools aren't always returned to their respectable homes. Work in progress with toddlers. 

Supplies: 

To make one hat- 

2 - 2" strips of cardstock

3 sheets of tissue paper

Packing tape

Connect the two strips with tape. Make the tape go around to the back. 

Next, measure your child's head by holding the band around their head. Make a mental note and tape it in a circle. 

Tape the tissue paper to the inside of the band, connecting opposite corners first. This way you get a more even hat. 

Connect all four corners. 

Begin connecting the middle by folding in the middle pieces almost similar to the ends when wrapping a gift. 

You will end up with something like this. Take a minute and fluff it up. Use your last sheet of tissue paper to fill out the top and keep it from collapsing as your child wears it. 

You'll end up with a few fun dress up items that wouldn't be too hard to fix or duplicate if necessary. 

Always involve your little ones in what you are doing. Describe what you are doing, this will build their vocabulary, love of learning, fill the need for mental stimulation, and just maybe turn a picky eater into an amazing eater. You'll never know until you give it a try. 

Guessing Bags

My children love guessing games! 

"What toy has four wheels, a lightening bolt, is red, and holds the number 95?"

(Lightening McQueen, of course) 

Just an example but you get the idea. 

Here's what we have started doing in our home. 

Grab a paper bag, only because the child can't see through it. A cloth sack works well, also. 

Find items that your children know as everyday items. 

We used a book, one of our favorites! "Where's My T-R-U-C-K?" By Karen Beaumont

Fold the item up inside. 

They can shake it, practice listening. Lift the bag, practice words like heavy or light. 

Give them a few clues and let them guess. 

I write the clues down and as I give them and then write down the responses. It's fun to go back over it to see how many guesses they needed (counting skills). 

We did the same with a few few other items that were "hot ticket" items around out house. Remember, you want your child to be challenged and successful. So, don't pick something that's unfamiliar, out of character. Think of day to day items that they enjoy or use. 

All of these things are great opportunities to build vocabulary!!! Teach how to have a conversation and responding to your child in a way you would what them to respond to you. 

Spice Up Toddler Lunches

We had gotten stuck in a rut with the same or similar lunches everyday. We (the kids and I) needed something new. 

Mashed Potato Boats with Pirates (red potatoes with cheese and olives)
Hearts and Stars (lunch meat and cheese on crackers)
Life Boats (clemetine slices)
Fish and Oysters in the Sea (frozen peas)

This is a hand-me-down book given to me. I hadn't really used it until my 3 year old started being a bit picky. He's willy to try most foods but says he doesn't like any of them. It was time to do something new, fun, and engaging. 

We hosted a get together and had some left over food. So let's get creative. 

I used my small cookie cutters to make cut outs for my two eaters. 

I did cheese up for my kiddo who may not eat the meat and meat up for the kiddo who avoids cheese these days. I would like to say it worked but nope. She ate it all and he only at the crackers and meat leaving the cheese to his sister. 

I microwaved small red potatoes and the cut off the top, scooped out the middle, mashed it with some butter and salt and pepper and then refilled them. 

Add a cheese triangle with a toothpick, then an olive as pirate.

My two love frozen peas. They were the oysters and fish in the sea and the clementine slices were the life boats with the mashed potato pirate ship started to sink (be eaten). 

Reading Picnics

A great way to get out to the house and still have some quiet time:

Book Picnics!

My two love the read and this is when they have some great individual think time. Little man begins reading to himself and our little lady normally sings to her favorite books or starts to point out characters! Both are wonderful comprehension strategies. Letting kids revisit books helps them think about what they have read, helps to introduce strategies for retelling (a great way to read a book), and point out parts of the picture that tells the story!

If you know anything about The Two Sisters, CAFE or DAILY 5 (most educators do, for those who don't it's a great way to help children learn to use reading strategies independently and begin thinking about literature), they encourage children to read books three different ways: read the words, read the pictures, and retell the story.

We began inside, however both children were having a hard time sharing books this day. So I gave each a book blanket that they could use to spread out and have their own space to read.

 That didn't last long and both were reading on the same blanket, but sharing the books.

We have a ton of different books. I try to rotate them throughout the house, stacks will end up in her room then move to his, down to the play room, and in the book box in our car - keeps them entertained while on our way. This way we have many times to revisit them, during the day or for bedtime.

We love all sorts of books! Try the BabyBug magazine (made by Cricket) for little ones. It is built with durable pages that are hard to distroy and cute poems, songs, and stories to do with your little ones. We also love sharing various languages with our kids, try grabbing a few books from other cultures. Babies love to look and read about other babies - there is quite a bit of research behind that thought, not just me chatting. Add some books to your collection that have babies as the main characters. My two are drawn to those! Don't forget some of our favorite authors and titles. Expose your kids to your childhood favorites and soon they will love them also!

 As children revisit text, they are able to tell us more, connect illustrations to text, and pick out important details that make the story. 

I took a step back and let them have their space. WOW, they really know how to enjoy a book. I need to learn to let them and not always get involved or "in the way". Both kids were telling me or pointing at things me in their books that was memorable or exciting. 

Remember, after kids are exposed to books repeatedly only will they have the stamina to read and THINK about they are reading independently. Talk about the books with your kids so that they build their vocabulary and have the words to retell stories to you.