This activity is a favorite with my kiddos. It’s the Milk Jug Toss. A wiffle ball or yarn pom pom is attached to a milk jug with yarn or string. Then the pom pom or ball is tossed up and caught in the jug. Simple fun!
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The holiday rush is in full swing as we finish shopping, attend holiday events, and wrap up last minute preparations. This is a super easy craft that the kids can do while you address that last Christmas card.
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Summer is here and so is the time for the family road trip!!!
Traveling on the road with children, grandchildren, young friends, and favorite nieces and nephews can be fun and challenging. Having mini DVD players, games on the phone or iPad are awesome, but you if want to expand horizons a bit beyond screen time; here are some ideas and resources for your next road trip.
Take your’ child’s favorite music CDs or load up your phone or the the MP3 player with kid’s music. In the baby area of our Walmart there is a display of children’s CDs with a listening center so you can listen to them before you buy. Don’t forget lullabies for quiet times and classic nursery rhymes too.
Go to the library and check out books that are new and different. Also get books that describe your destination and activities.
Mom’s Minivan has printable games that are very fun! You can slip them into a sheet protector and play using dry erase markers so they can be used again. I was totally impressed with this website. Here are examples of Bingo, a scavenger hunt, and tic-tac-toe:
Here’s another great road trip bingo printable that is really cute too.
Be organized. Games that have been printed can be put into a folder or 3 ring binder. Depending on your children you might want to have access to the binder and supplies to give to them as needed. However, another option is to give each child their own binder with the activities they enjoy. The binder gives them a place to write and a place for paper, a packet of crayons, pencils, stencils, and small activity books (all shown below are from Walmart). A pencil holder that you can snap into a 3 ring binder works very well to keep things together.
Get a map, atlas, or a map app that your older kids can use. You can purchase maps that are laminated or you can print one from the internet. Highlight the route, mark stops and sights, then slide them into a sheet protector and put into their binder.They can follow the route of the trip which is a great way to teach map reading skills. Trust me…when they leave home for college you want them to be able to read a map even if they have a smart phone!
1) Know some classic road trip games like these.
2) Be prepared with a new book or small toy (or a toy or book they haven’t seen in a while) to whip out when boredom really arises.
3) Know where rest stops and parks are located. Pack a Frisbee or ball so that the kids can play when they have the opportunity.
4) Change seating arrangements. Sit in the back so you can read together, talk about the sights, snuggle and share some cheerios.
5) If you have babies and young toddlers consider traveling at night if possible. Just be sure that you are rested and can safely drive at night. Be safe!
6) Here are some preschool apps for your iPhone or iTouch. They are from 1+1+1=1 an awesome tot and preschool resource!
7) If you are grandparents or other loved ones traveling with your favorite little folks, make sure you know favorite foods and routines.
8) Keep track of your child’s blankie, binkie, or any other favorites!
I left my daughter’s ‘moe’ (beloved blanket) at Grandma’s and could find nothing that substituted for it. Everything was pushed away with a tearful “no Moe!” Feel free to learn from our mistake. 🙂
Most importantly ~ keep a sense of humor and have fun together!
What is your favorite traveling tip, resource, or activity?
This seed planting activity is dedicated to those in the USA who are under a blizzard warning and anyone else who is tired of having snow on the ground. Spring will come and this little guy is here to encourage you until its arrival.
You need:
grass seed (or seeds of your choice)
soil, water, a clear container, foam shapes, wiggly eyes are optional but fun.
Decorate your cup (before you put dirt in it!) with shapes. I had extra plastic punch cups from a party, but any clear plastic container will work. We used foam shapes to make eyes, nose, mouth, and ears. Younger children will likely place shapes wherever they like and that is great! I used glue dots from the scrap-booking aisle from Walmart. They are very sticky, but safer than a glue gun and great for fine motor for older preschoolers.
Now…pour some dirt into the cup.
Sprinkle on the seeds.
Your child can use a spray bottle or pour some water onto the seeds depending on what skill you would like for them to learn. Talk about what plants need to grow: soil, sunlight, and water. It takes about 7 days for the seeds to sprout. Then…
Watch them grow! This is why I love a clear cup. You can see the roots. 🙂
As they grow you can describe how roots absorb moisture and nutrients from the soil.
Such a beautiful green in a very monochromatic time of year.
Once the ‘hair’ has grown on your friend, give it a hair cut. Great for scissor skills!
There are so many skills that can be incorporated into this activity: science, life cycle, the responsibility of caring for a plant, fine motor, attention to task, color, shapes, and patience…
I wish you could smell that fresh cut grass. Summertime!!!!!
The “Small Seed” is my favorite book that describes planting seeds. It has texture, a fold out sunflower, and a simple text for toddlers and younger preschoolers. It describes what elements are needed to grow a flower in basic terms. I use it nearly every spring.
“In the Garden” is printed on 98% recycled materials. It describes where fruits and vegetables grow. The back cover has recipes, planting tips, and instructions to grow cherry tomatoes. It is a very good little book on gardening.
You can purchase these books at Amazon:
My grandmother loved to garden and see things grow. She found it amazing that you can plant a simple seed in black dirt and have something wonderful come from it. It’s a wonder!
Have fun planting seeds together!
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Most of my kids love to cut with scissors. They are very excited about the results they create, the action, and the fact that they are using a tool that is often off limits! Parents usually approach this skill with trepidation. 🙂 We present scissors at about 35 months. Usually my preschoolers have never had scissors in their hands and when you are not quite three, it can be a challenge. Here are some simple items we incorporate into many different activities to help teach scissor skills.
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