Let's Go Fly A Kite

Today we worked on making a kite that will be the right size for Hailey to be able to use.

What you need to make the kite:

• construction paper
• crepe-paper streamers
• yarn
• stapler and tape
• glue
• scissors
• hole puncher
• markers, crayons, stickers, stamps

Directions:

• Have child decorate a piece of construction paper using markers, crayons, stickers, stamps, etc.
• Glue or tape the crepe-paper streamer to the side of the paper that has not been decorated.
• Roll paper into a tube shape and staple it in place.  I then put tape on it to add extra reinforcement as well as to protect Hailey from getting cut on the staples.
• Punch four evenly spaced holes on the tube, on the opposite side of the streamers.
• Thread two eight-inch lengths of yarn through the holes so that they crisscross and then tie them in place.
• Then tie one end of an 18-inch piece of yarn around the center of the crisscross (I did not use an 18-inch piece of yarn, I used a much shorter piece)

Adding some stickers to her paper.

Coloring her paper

“Look mom, I colored my hand too!”

The kite when all finished.

When we have a day with some nice weather we’ll take it outside to try it out.  I’ll be sure to post some pictures of it.

Tags: free toddler activity, kite

The Letter A

For the first two weeks of April I am focusing on the letter A with Hailey as we work towards recognizing letters.  Since being able to recognize letters is essential to being able to read, I think it’s important to start early with teaching letters. 

The possibilities are endless for teaching letters.  A few of the activities I’ll be doing with her include:

• Coloring a letter “A” paper
• Letter “A” games on Leapfrog toys
• While reading books point on the letter “A”
• Use Starfall Internet game
• Letter hunt
• Make the letter A using various toys- blocks, Legos, Playdough, etc.

Tags: free toddler activity, teaching the letter a

April Plans

Each month I like to pick a few themes and then plan some activities around them for Hailey and I to do together.

For the month of April our themes are going to include weather, spring and farm animals.  Stay tuned for the different activities and crafts we do this month.

In addition to that I will also concentrate on the number 1, the color white and the shape oval.  Every two weeks I also introduce a new letter.  I have a little area set up in Hailey’s playroom with the different number, color, shape and letter I am focusing on.

I will try to keep up and post the activities we do each day.

Tags: April toddler activities, Colors, farm animal activities, free toddler activity, Numbers, Shapes, spring activities, Toddler and Preschool Activities, umbrella activities, weather activities

Playdough Fun

This year the Easter bunny brought Hailey some playdough.  Now I think I know what lots of moms out there are thinking- it is just so messy- why would anyone ever give their child playdough?

Having worked in day care and pre-k, I do know that playdough can create quite a mess.  But do you know what else I have learned about playdough?  It can usually buy several minutes in a row of quiet play.

I think that around 18 months is a good time to introduce playdough. At this stage your toddler will probably just want to pat, poke and squeeze the playdough. So, we got the playdough out the other day for Hailey to try it out.

Toddlers like to taste everything, so I expected that Hailey would have to try a bite of her playdough.

 Once she realized how bad it tasted that put an end to that.  

Hailey loved playing with the playdough and it kept her entertained for nearly an hour.

Toddlers will also like finding things hidden in the dough, and pushing things into it (straws, macaroni, popsicle sticks, plastic figurines, pretty much anything you can think of).  Using cookie cutters to cut out various shapes is fun too. 

There are a lot of great activities you can do with playdough.  Since this was Hailey’s first time using it I decided to keep the activity completely exploratory.  I will post other activities that you can use for playdough as I introduce them to Hailey. 

Tags: fine motor control, free toddler activity, Playdough, small motor control, toddler activitiy, Toddlers and playdough