Backpack Personalization

A great activity before school starts is when buying school supplies, also find a way to personalize some key pieces. There are lots of options ranging from binders, lunchboxes, textbook covers, etc. I chose to add some special touches to "A's" backpack for Kindergarten. His grandparents picked us up a backpack on clearance as a nice gift (thank you)! A lot of bloggers out there decorate the backpacks with shrinky-dink keychains. I love how these are making a come back from when I was a kid, but I was concerned they may fall off. I had "A" choose an applique (a dump truck), a letterman iron-on A for his name, and some buttons (he chose transportation). Not only did it turn out super cute, makes my boy feel cool, reminds him Mommy loves him, but now no one will think his backpack is theirs! This is better and much more aesthetic way than writing your name on your items ;0)

Guidecraft Goodies

This summer I had the awesome privilege of doing the Smart Summer Challenge created by Naturally Educational, Pink and Green Mama, and Teach Mama (3 amazing women bloggers). Each week we did an educational theme to work on avoiding the summer slide children get during summer break. At the end of the week was a Linky with a winner picked with always amazing prizes. I was the lucky winner for the water fun, week 5. The prize was $200 shopping spree at Guidecraft (an amazing store of educational toys and children's furniture)-they even paid the additional shipping. I was so excited I couldn't contain myself. I never win anything, until now that is! My experience with Guidecraft was amazing. The people knew who I was, got my order reading overnight, and shipped it the next day. They had some amazing furniture but since we are moving I chose to go with smaller toys-a total of seven in all! After much anticipation the box finally arrived today!

Absolutely Glorious!

What I chose:

3D Look and Find: Take the circle cut-outs and the have child reach in the bag and see if they can find match by feel.

The teacher in me loved these fraction cups.

This See Saw Sorter teaches balance and patterns - plus it just looks so cool

Sound Boxes: Each box has a matching box with the same rattling sound. Have child try to find match by sound

The boxes were more difficult than expect (which is a good thing). The boxes have color dots on bottom if you get stuck.

I got this for "A" in particular. The Block Mate Dinosaurs are pieces that go on wooden blocks to make fun dino toys.

The stacking rainbow pyramid is so pretty and be stacked in numerous pyramid shapes.

"B" had to get in on the block action!

This is one of my faves: Animal Train Sort and Match

"A" love finding all the new ways to make animal train scenarios

Thank you Smart Summer Challange not only for the amazing learning experience but for choosing me for the Linky. Can I just say I LOVE blogging!!!

Side Note: Since I am talking about educational toys I also wanted to mention another toy my hubby got us that I am loving. It is not from Guidecraft but Melissa and Doug-Magnetic Pattern Blocks. "A" has been playing with it quietly for hours. That is always a good sign! I wish I could find more pattern cards though.

Foto Fridays: B&W

A Mother's Love

This is for La La DayCare's Foto Friday Linky Party that she does weekly. This weeks theme was Black and White. This was part of a series I shot as newborn photos of my youngest (now 10 months).

Colorful Chameleons

We have been reading a bunch of books about chameleons lately. I found a super cute printable template to make a 3D chameleon over at Disney Family. The chameleon is actually Pascal from the movie Tangled, but it will work for any old chameleon. Then using our books as anchor text I had "A" decorate six of them. He used markers, stamps, and oil pastels. Then when he was done I folded and glued them to make six adorable paper playmates!

 Our Anchor Texts:

Chameleon's Colors by Chisato Tashiro (one of my favorites)

A classic by Leo Lionni- love the story of friendship

By Martin Jenkins ( a non-fiction text that reads like a picture book)

Another well known author-Eric Carle

 More Pics of Project:

How the printable look before cutting, folding, and pasting

Fun!!! (PS. Loving the shirt "Ding Dong the with is dead")

Math By Fire

We did  an exciting math activity on this hot and balmy afternoon. I have to admit this isn't my idea; I saw this awesome math idea at Toddler Approved. First I put random numbers on flames of fire. Then I taped them to our garage (oh no I set the house on fire). Call you little fire-person to help put it out. Then with a hose they spray out the flames. The trick is they have to put out the flames that I tell them to giving them math hints. The math learning is endless. Here are some ways I told him to put out the flames:

• call out an addition and they have to spray the answer. Example, put out the flame that is 5+2. So then he sprays the 7.
• call out subtraction problems too (just like above)
• have them count by 5s and spray the flames in the correct order (5,10,15, 20)
• simple number identification ("A" gets 16 and 19 confused so I would say, "Hurry and put out 16)
• even and odds -have them spray all the evens. Later call out odds.

Prepping to be a Kinder Kid

As many of you are sending you kiddos off for school we still have one more week of freedom left. This is "A's" year to start kindergarten and my district implemented the full day model. I understand why this is an effective idea, but he seems so little. I have been totally stressing on how he will be without naps. He is an extremely active boy and I took naps away to prepare him and I have notice some behaviors when he is tired. I can't imagine only seeing him in the evenings and weekends. "A" is convince we won't have "quality time together any more." I am honest and tell him it won't be the same and our time will be less, but still filled with quality.

I mentioned taking away naps in preparation for "A's" new life as a kinder kid but I wanted to share some other ideas. Although I work in a school I am in no way an expert. I am as terrified and confused as all mothers who are sending their first born off to school. Here are just ten tips I found:

1)Talk about school and how much fun they will have. Explain what the day will be like. Make sure not to capitalize on the play though. If kids think kindergarten is all play, recess, art, etc. they are confused when they have to do some major work at learning. Talk about the learning FIRST and then all the play. I say things like, " You are gonna work on numbers, letters, you will learn to read  (isn't that exciting). You get to do scientist experiments even! Some days you get to go and learn music and other times you get to learn sports in PE. You will get to eat lunch and play on the park outside. You will have so much fun!!! I can't wait to see how much you are gonna learn!"

2) Read some picture books about kindergarten and school. On this same note have your child practice sitting still for the entire story so they know how to be at story carpet. Keep in mind not to find ones that only talk about playing but learning too. Books that talk about fear of school and then turning out to love it are also great choices. Here are some "A" really liked:

by Alison McGee. 

(Perfect for kiddos struggling with tying shoes too!)

By Joseph Slate (An ABC book that isn't too shabby either)

By Natasha Wing (A cute homage to the beloved Christmas poem)

By Anna Dewdney ( We love Llama Llama- yellow pajamas is a favorite bedtime story of ours)

By Laura Numeroff (another well loved series of books- all though my fave is the original mouse & cookie)

3) Have you child be able to write at least their first name. Ideally, they would know how to write their last name. "A" has mastered the last name bit because we have a very long, Dutch last name. However, I told him he needs to write the initial of his last name after his first.

4) Children should know some personal facts: They should know their first and last name (sounds obvious but I have seen this happen time and again), their parents first names, the city they live in, and try for the phone number (this is a hard one just keep working on it).

5)At least one week prior to school start a bedtime/wake-up routine. Make sure they are use to waking up and getting ready in time for them not to be late.

6) Students should preferably know their ABCs both orally and visually. Knowing the phonics would be especially useful. It is also great if they know how to count to ten (twenty is better). Knowledge of shapes and colors are also important.

7) Have some good ideas for quick, HEALTHY breakfasts and lunches. Breakfast ideas: make muffins ahead and freeze, mini-quiches in puff pastry shells (can also freeze), oatmeal concoctions (I am a huge fan of Hungry Girl Cookbooks and she has chapters on awesome oatmeal made in two minutes in the microwave-chocolate/banana and pumpkin pie-yum!), and yogurt parfaits with fruit, yogurt, and cereal/granola. I am always looking for packed lunch ideas so please share!!! Some I am thinking is pinwheels sandwiches, bento style meals, meat/cheese/crackers, soup. I found some cute sandwich cutters to make dino's, stars, hearts, etc.

8) Practice eating lunch and snacks. "A" still asks me to open fruit snacks and bags of crackers. Ack, what will he do when I am not there. We have had lots of picnics this summer where he has had to open different containers, bags, and wrappers all on his own.

9) Work on tying shoelaces. I have been super lazy about this and need to be more consistent. "A" is starting the year out in velcro shoes is all I have to say!

10) Send the teacher a get to know you letter. Over at Teach Mama she has made a printable letter that has your child write a note introducing themselves to teacher and then a matching letter where you ask the teacher to fill out and return to your child by the first day. What a great way to have them feel connected to their new teacher and help relieve fears. We found out his teacher to day and filled out our letters tonight!

This one goes to teacher for her to fill out about herself.

I hope he is ready for the big day! I don't know if I am though... My baby is growing up!!!

Ready For Takeoff

We have boxes strewn across our house as my hubby gets ready to move to Alaska for work. It will be a long 7 months without Daddy around and can't wait until April when we will be joining him for the new chapter in our lives. "A" was desperate to build an airplane out of one of the boxes with Daddy. Airplanes are very important in our household because my hubby is a flight instructor. "A" has been around airports and small engine planes since he was born.

Finished Product

The airplane was completely my five year old's creation. Well, he had all the ideas and directed Daddy to do exactly as he said. Supplies were two boxes, duct tape ("A" saw it lying around and his creative juices started flowing), clear Saran wrap, glue stick, foam brushes, and tempura paint. It turned out amazing. My husband has told me about 50 times how the window with Saran wrap was all "A". The little man just keeps saying "He can't believe he made something so cool-he can't even believe it!

Work in Progress

Adding his joystick

Painting the "knobs"-see the windows with Saran wrap

Ready For Takeoff