Art-Day 2

I started out asking the chicks about their field trip and if they knew what we were taking about this week.  They all yelled art.  I had them share  what their favorite thing was at the museum.  They liked having a chance to talk.  Then I showed them this video about creating and talked about how when we make art we are creating something.  I googled sculpture and showed them some pictures, I should have been more prepared with that, fortunately I was able to skip some of the more provocative sculptures before they saw them!  I made  salt dough from this recipe.  I thought the white dough would make their creations  look more like sculptures.

After that we talked about mixing colors.  I showed them a short video of Bob Ross and pointed out how he mixed colors to make what he was painting.  I saw this idea on pinterest.  I only had acrylic paint so I gave them each a drop of dish soap to rub on their hand then I put about a teaspoon of paint in their hands.  After some tears, Pooh ended up with red, Uniqua had yellow, and, Kitty and Hal had blue. I had them rub their hands together and stamp their paper.  Next they had to rub hands with their neighbor and see what color they got.

I had to take advantage of a sleeping baby, so right after that we talked about what people paint.  I wanted to get sunflowers but there were none at the grocery store so I just got a mixed bouquet and had them use water colors to paint the flowers.

Just before lunch we talked about food art and making art with food.  They all have “You Are My Work of Art” from Nanny, and in it is a picture of “Summer” which is a painting if a mans face made of vegetables.  We talked about making food to look like a picture.  I wanted to do something elaborate but decided on something they would eat.  I found the picture here. I forgot to get pretzels this morning for the antennae but they knew it was a bee.

Helping Others-Day 3

I had wanted them to do journals but we needed to get going on our mini-field trip so we just did opening song and prayer and theme discussion.  They had learned a primary song, When we’re helping at Uniqua’s house on Monday and Pooh has been singing it all week so we sang it filling in each chicks name for mother.

I looked for helping others ideas on pinterest.  One idea was to take toys for fire fighters to share with kids in emergency situations.  As luck would have it, my bother is a fire fighter and his watch was on during my day for girls club, and, they were having a neighboring school tour that we could jump in on.  Instead of a show and tell item I had each chick bring a toy they could share.  My brother asked that it be small, no bigger than a gallon sized ziplock, so that it could be stored on the truck.  I talked to the chicks about what we would be doing with the toys and they were happy to be doing it.  I made baked mochi and put it in a container, wrote “thanks for helping others,” on it and had the chicks sign their names.

They were super excited to see their crazy uncle. They gave him the toys and then he took them on a tour.  My First grader had been there on a field trip a couple weeks ago and her teacher had given them a thank you card.  The chicks found her in the picture!

 

They got to see where he sleeps and see pictures of Tank in his locker, that was exciting for them too!

They met a fire fighter in full gear, they do this so that kids won’t be afraid of them in an emergency situation.  I think they were still a little nervous!

There’s a cute “Elmo’s World” in which he talks about people who’s job it is to help others.  I didn’t get to look it up but we talked a little bit about fire fighters, doctors, police…

Back at my house, I did this cute matching game I found here.  I just drew the pictures and tried to copy hers.

They matched pictures of helping activities to the places you do them.  For example, putting away dishes goes in the kitchen picture.  Saying kind words or giving a hug could be anywhere.

I wanted them to have more cutting practice so I made a table of helping tasks and had them cut them out and fold them.  Then they put them in a jar (old puffs containers) and then decorated them. Foam stickers are great!  I wrote “When I’m helping I’m happy” on each jar and told them when they feel sad or bored they can pick something from their jar to do and feel better.  Some of the tasks were help mom by putting away 5 toys, thank dad for something he does for you, give your sister a hug…

 

 

Make Believe- Day 2

I had taken notes for the blog on my iPad, quotes from the girls and stuff.  I think a little girl must have somehow deleted it.

I asked each chick to come in a costume or something/one they wanted to make believe they were.  We started with a show and tell of their make believe costumes.

For another activity, I had a bag with different objects and I had the chicks take turns picking something out and making believe they were something with the “prop.”  (This is where my notes of what they said would be useful.)  Pooh had a scarf.

Hal picked a stick, here she is using it as a violin bow.  So cultured!  Uniqua said it could be used for fishing, or an arrow, for Merida. : )
A toilet paper roll was a microphone and a telescope.  I think I also had a blanket in there and a jump rope.

I had seen apple pie play dough on Pinterest.  I got pie tins from Walmart, three for about a dollar, gave them aprons and let them make believe they were bakers.  They made believe they were drummers and dogs drinking water first.

It could also be a frisbee.

During snack a put on a youtube video of a Disneyland parade.  We made believe we were at Disneyland!

Finally we made masks.  I took them aside and did them individually.  I let them pick two colors of glitter and had them put on the glue.  I spread it out thin and then let them sprinkle/pour the glitter on.  I did it over newspaper and just poured any excess back into the little jar.

They came out pretty fun!  I just used a paper plate.  After seeing it I wish I had gone with something more sturdy.  I cut out the mask shape and taped it to a chopstick.The End.

Pumpkins-Day 1

I saw this pin on pinterest with a book we just got, “Pippa the Pumpkin Fairy,” so I was excited to do pumpkins.  I started out with the chicks signing in their journals and I gave them each 6 pumpkins cut out of orange card stock for a later activity relating to the book.  I told them to write the first letter of their name on each pumpkin.  So for Hal I told her “write one “H” on each  pumpkin”.  While they were  writing I was putting my baby down and Uniqua said “she’s writing a line one hers.”  So I came back and Hals pumpkins looked like this, (it’s a little hard to see)

So I asked what is this line for?  “That’s a one.” Ha!  “one “H”.”  So we did our opening exercises and read the book.  Pippa makes pumpkins with funny faces so I had them draw a face and then draw a matching face.  Then do another set of matching faces so that they could play a memory game.  Hal chose to draw the same face on all.  She accidentally drew one with three eyes and I told her that was fine, just make another one with three eyes so it has a match, then they all got three eyes,(I think it could be a nose).  Every turn is a winner!

While I was getting snacks ready they were playing at the table.  Tinkerbell and her friends do this hand stacking thing and say “faith, trust and pixie dust.”  Pooh taught them “Faith, trust and Girls Club!”  Yay!Pooh had a little pumpkin that was starting to get moldy so I cut to open for them.  I pointed out the stem, meat, pulp and seeds.  They took turns feeling the slimy seeds.  Then we made pumpkin bread with chocolate chips with “pumpkin meat.”  This time Uniqua did her egg perfectly.  No shells and in the cup!  I used this, Downeast Maine Pumpkin bread recipe.

On Friday my first grader brought home a cute 3D pumpkin with the stages of the pumpkin life cycle on each side.  I couldn’t find it when I was preparing so I did a Pinterest search and found it here.  I kind of improvised and did my own drawings.  The girls did a good job with the gluing. I didn’t get a picture but I used a green pipe cleaner and had them curl it around a crayon and stick it in the center for a stem.

My baby slept for almost 2 hours today so I was able to do more with them.  He got up near the end so I just gave them this bowl of beans with little plastic pumpkins to find.Then we watched some “Super Simple Learning” songs about pumpkins on YouTube.  The End.

 

Pirates-Day 3

Last night I dropped off glass bottles for the chicks with a map to my house.  (I wanted to do a cute one but didn’t have time so I just printed a google maps one with directions from their house to mine.)  On the back I wrote a note reminding them to wear their pirate “garb,” a bandana and an eye patch.  They showed up with their garb and maps in hand, (literally, they didn’t wear it! : ) ).

They started with practicing their names in their journals.  After that I told them that pirates sing chanties, or pirate songs.  So they each picked a song for us to sing.

While they were writing I had hidden coins with letters on them, so after our opening chanties and prayer, we had a treasure hunt.  I had them lay out all their booty and look for the letters in their names.  Any extra letters they held up and said who in the group had that letter in their name.  I also threw in extra letters and asked them for a word that started with that letter.

We watched “How I Became A Pirate” on the tumble books website.  For snack I made paper boats, following this tutorial, and put goldfish in them.   Uniqua asked if she could keep her boat.  It was kind of wet and salty so she ended up throwing it away.  (Good thing I provided a link so her mom can help her make more!)

I got baby down during some playtime and had free hands to help them make these marshmallow pirates.  I put sugar and red food coloring in a plastic bag and mixed it up.  I had them draw their pirate faces with a food coloring marker.  (They were concerned about eating pen, so I reassured them that it was food coloring.)

 

Next they wet their finger, with water and wet the tops of the marshmallow so the sugar would stick.  Then they dipped the “heads” for bandanas.

Finally, I got this activity idea here.  I froze baking soda and water with a little jello powder.  The website says 3 to 1 baking soda to water but that was too much so I just added more water.  The Jello is for added color and smell.  I didn’t have enough squeeze bottles or droppers so I gave them each a bowl of vinegar with a “shovel.”  My two year old just put the “treasure chests” right into the bowl so she found her jewels first.  I gave them each a jelly roll pan to work on but it was a little messier than I thought it would be.  I wish I had given them aprons because they kept wiping their hands on their clothes.  They were excited to find their treasures and wash them.  Hal stayed and played with the leftover vinegar and chunks of frozen baking soda.  She said she was a” liquid scientist” making a “liquid potion.”  When she was done she called the other chicks to come see the “new liquid” she made.
We had pizza for lunch and watched part of Ice Age: Continental Drift.  I skipped to the pirate part where they sing a chanty.  I heard the girls use the word when they were singing!

 

Grandad and Grandma- Day 1

I was a little stressed because I couldn’t find any good ideas on pinterest!  We started with our usual signing in in their journals. I added to the page Grandad’s first name so they could use Ch again, and Grandma’s name.  That was easy since one of the chicks is named after her.

For our opening activity I had a box with various objects that represented their jobs and hobbies.  Grandad worked as a painter.

He was also a fisherman.

Grandad was a boy scout leader and a nurse (pooh is holding a blood presser checker thing).  Grandma was a cashier at the PX and it’s not in the picture but we also had a needle and thread because she sews.  I have a crochet needle? but I couldn’t find it.  Grandma crochets too!  Oh and I had blocks to build a house because Grandad built houses for his family.

I asked the chicks to bring something for show and tell.  Hal brought a puka shell necklace with shells that they had picked.

Uniqua’s show and tell was a picture of Grandma’s old piano that they just got. 

Pooh’s show and tell was a picture of her with Grandma at Grandma’s house.

We talked about Grandma being 93 and we counted out 93 bears then we counted out 4 and talked about which was more.

In the past few years Grandma has been making musubis for everyone whenever they come over.  So for lunch I made spam musubis : ).  Grandma makes delicious, crunchy, buttery chocolate chip cookies with macadamia nuts.  She told me it’s the Nestle Toll House recipe but I’ve made that recipe and my cookies are not like hers!  I wanted to learn by watching her so I asked her to teach us and packed up the chicks and some ingredients and to Grandmother’s house we went!  The chicks mostly wanted to play with toys and watch movies the cookie making was pretty much me and Grandma.  I used a different butter than she does and I didn’t let it come to room temperature.  My cookies were close, but not as good as hers.  I’ll have to keep trying!

I have the good fortune of being Grandma’s size so I have a few fun, vintage hand me downs.  I wanted to put the chicks in her old Chinese blouse and take pictures but we ran out of time.

I have chores-day 3

My 6 week old baby wasn’t cooperating so we had a lot of play time today.  No one complained.  For our opening activity we played a memory game.  I just printed pictures of chores on card stock and cut it into squares.

Then we watched a video on tumble books.  It was a story about a pig that likes things clean but his chores are to make things messy.

After that, I gave them each a bin and sent them to the play room to get some dishes, then they went outside and “washed” dishes.  They each had a sponge and a bin of water and a little dish soap.  That kept them busy for a while.  We talked a little about dish washers, Pooh said we have one (we don’t).  She said “the one down stairs,” : )  “That one is only for clothes.”

I had gone to the grocery store that morning and purposely left non-perishables in the car so they could do another chore, bringing in and putting away groceries!

Making meals, or desserts : ) can also be a chore so we made lemon blossoms.  They did really well with the eggs, Uniqua’s first try missed the cup but the second time she did good.

After that baby really wasn’t cooperating so more playing!

Dr Suess-Day 1

Yesterday was Dr. Suess’ birthday.  My kindergardener brought home a weekly reader thing about him which reminded me that it was his birthday March 2, so we decided to go with that theme this week.  There are a ton of ideas on Pinterest!  I started with the weekly reader, it’s got pictures and short, interesting facts about him, like his real name, and that he likes hats.  I read “There’s a Wocket in my Pocket.”  (The only Dr. Suess book I have!)  Then they drew their own creatures.  I got the idea for this from Pinterest.

Then they hid their pictures and I had to find them, they usually just run to it and tell me where it is. : )   I helped them make up a rhyming word for each picture depending on where it was.

 

A kindow in the window. 

A mool with the tools.

A zike on the bike…One of Uniqua’s was on the table and I asked if it was a zable on the table, she said “no that’s my mom.”  Oops.

Today is Girls’ Day.  Kind of a Japanese holiday but locally, lots of people celebrate.  I had volunteered to do mochi for my kindergardener’s class.  I kept some of the end pieces home for the chicks so that’s what they got for snack time.  My daughter said her teacher told them the green is for the grass, white for snow and pink for flowers, so we had to make it tri-colored mochi.

Later we watched Green Eggs and Ham on YouTube.  And a couple other ones.  The kindergardeners also had green eggs and spam musubi.  So we did too!  Very appropriate since musubi is Japanese Hal was like Sam, only she wouldn’t eat the green eggs at the end.

 

Opposites-Day 1

Today we did opposites.  I noticed the chicks always arrive and ask, “what are we going to learn to day?”  I’m glad they noticed we have themes!

We started with a Curious George lift the flap book, there was only one page of opposites but it was enough to help introduce the subject and get them interested.

Another question they always ask  is “what are we eating for snack” and “what are we eating for lunch.”  My mom gave me the idea to do opposites with food.  We started with a slice of bread and talked about how it is soft and cool/cold (not hot).  Then we put it in the toaster.  while it toasted we ate sweet and salty, healthy (carrots) and junk food (pudding), which was also crunchy and soft.

When to toast was ready we observed that it was hot and hard.  They also said up and down which was a good observation, the bread when down and the toast came up.

I wanted to do Pooh’s hair so I told them let’s do hair, their hair is down and I’m going to put it up, or messy and neat!

They all wanted one braid, like Elsa.

Then we did a sorting activity.  The chicks picked an animal and decided if it was a big animal or a small animal, then they put it in the small basket or the big basket.  It was confusing at times because some of the “big” animals were small, and some of the “small” animals were big.  So we talked about what they really are, not the toy versions, usually if we could ride it, it was big, if we couldn’t, it was small. I didn’t get pictures but, lastly we went on an opposite hunt.  We walked around the block and found opposites, lizards crawl and birds fly, tall trees and short trees.  We passed dog droppings but I didn’t think about doing stink and sweet smells till later.

Through out the day we talked about being nice, not mean, every time there was an argument.  They heard it a lot.

Healthy Bodies-Day 3

This is not really my thing!  I started out with a discussion about health and made a list of ways to be healthy.   I read a book about washing hands, then we made soap crayons.  Well, tried.  The recipe I found called for ivory flakes.  After checking the grocery and drug store I couldn’t find it, later I read on a blog that they no longer sell it.  I could have grated my own but I thought it would be way more fun to microwave it and make soap flakes that way.  I’ve done it a few times and it’s cool to watch it balloon up in the microwave and then smash it to dust when it cools.  I didn’t realize I hadn’t done it since I got a new microwave.  You can’t see inside through the door on this one!  So I burnt some of the soap and then decided to grate  the last bit that I had.  It came out very chunky : (.  (I’ll be trying it again on my own another time.)  I let them pick the food coloring to add and pour in a tiny bit of water.  They took turns stirring and then put some in a muffin tin to dry.

After that we had a healthy snack of cheese, raisins and almonds (hee hee).  I did give them some plain almonds but only my chick ate them! 

We talked about taking care of our teeth, especially after eating candy, and that is part of being healthy too.  I cut out pink ovals and cut up packing peanuts.  I gave them each a hand mirror and helped them count their teeth, then they counted out that many pieces of packing and glued them.  (I only had the kind that dissolve so they kind of had tiny “teeth”  by the end.)