I know Halloween is in less than two weeks but I realized that I had never shared our Halloween Sensory Table with you all. Here it is: Along with dry beans we have orange & black feathers, black crumbled paper … Continue reading
This week it’s Spirit Week at preschool and today was “wacky day”. ***
In about a month our children are going to have more candy than they can eat without getting a tummy ache. Why not make eating that candy a learning experience as well? It’s easy to make a graph on the … Continue reading
The experts at the Toy Industry Association– the nonprofit trade association representing all businesses involved in creating and bringing toys and youth entertainment products to kids of all ages – have released their list of the best products to help … Continue reading
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The boys start school this week! I thought I’d share a picture of the first day of school last year when just Jacob was headed off to school. Next week I will share a picture of both boys because Jacob … Continue reading
Here are some of my favorite ideas for the 1st Day of School: Cute Smarties gift idea from It Is What It Is *** Read a special book like The Kissing Hand *** Snack idea from There’s A”1st” For Everthing … Continue reading
Here are 10 of my favorite gift ideas for teachers I’ve found online: 1) A loaf of homemade bread w/ a special note “May this preschool year be like this loaf of bread…. so very delicious you barely notice the … Continue reading
When I taught preschool I had a box in my classroom closet known as the “rainy day” box. This box only came out on days that we were stuck inside due to rain or extreme heat. Now that I am … Continue reading
Summer is my favorite season. I love the sunny, warm weather and all the time spent cooling off with water related activities. If one were to have been with my family last summer though, you would have thought I despised summer since we spent too much of it indoors and I spent a lot of it working. I have vowed that this summer will be different and that my kids will enjoy this summer to the fullest, despite the fact that I work from home. To help ensure that I’d give them all the great memories of summertime that I had as a child, I created a Summer bucket list for our family with over 100 ideas for summer fun. The list is geared towards preschoolers. Keep track of our progress on our Summer Bucket List page.
Outdoor Fun:
*Have a picnic lunch
*Plant flowers
*Host a backyard playdate
*Make smores
*Get ice cream from the ice cream truck
*Make a mud pie
*Paint with colored ice cubes
*Play in the sprinkler
*Make a nature collage
*Blow bubbles
*Host a family party
*Build a sandcastle
*Play in the rain
*Go on a nature scavenger hunt
*Go fishing
*Paint with water
*Wash the family car together
*Draw with chalk on the sidewalk
*Paint rocks
*Play soccer in the backyard
*Eat juicy watermelon
*Create a car racetrack on the sidewalk
*Make {and eat!} ice cream sundaes
*Read books outside in the shade of a tree
*Fly a kite
*Have a water balloon fight
*Freeze toys in a block of ice and then try to get them out
*Teach the boys how to ride their tricycles
*Catch fireflies
*Slide on a slip n’ slide
*Decorate t-shirts
*Go for a wagon ride
*Roll down a hill
*Pick flowers and make a bouquet
*Play catch in the backyard
Indoor Fun:
*Make homemade pizza
*Have a pajama day
*Make a musical instrument
*Compete to see who can build the tallest block tower
*Have a sleepover
*Board game day
*Bake cookies together
*Play playdough
*Make {and eat} “dirt cups”
*Read through a children’s Bible together
*Make a fort
*Cook dinner together
*Dance to songs from a children’s CD
*Dress up in costumes
*Have a family movie night with popcorn
*Pretend to be in a marching band
*Make homemade popsicles
*Play “I Spy”
*Make a fruit salad
*Fingerpaint in the bathtub
*Make {and play} a memory game
*Serve lunch in an ice cube tray
*Make a craft for every letter of the alphabet
*Make a suncatcher
On The Go:
*Go somewhere fun for Jake’s birthday
*Go somewhere fun for Luke’s birthday
*Go to an amusement park
*Visit a children’s museum
*Walk around a children’s garden
*Play in a splash pad
*Go to a carnival
*Attend an outdoor concert
*Go to the aquarium
*Eat at a train themed restaurant
*Go to the Indiana Dunes
*Walk along the lakefront
*Go to Starved Rock
*Visit a waterpark
*Go to a farmer’s market
*Go see a movie at the theater
*Visit daddy at work
*Go to the Museum of Science and Industry
*Take GiGi to lunch
*Go to Navy Pier
*Visit a pet store and buy a fish
*Go to a children’s concert
*Eat at a restaurant and sit on the patio
*Take a train ride
*Go garage-saling
*Feed ducks
*Go berry picking
*Watch a fireworks show
*Go on a picnic
*Go for a family walk
*Go swimming
*Go to Chuck-E-Cheese
*Attend a workshop at Home Depot or Lowe’s
*Go on a nature walk
*Try out 5 different playgrounds in town (went to 1)
*Listen to stories at library storytime
*Go to a parade
*Go bowling
*Go to a children’s farm
*Go downtown Chicago
*Attend a Vacation Bible School
*Play mini-golf
*Do the summer reading challenge at the library (signed up)
*Take a 2 day vacation somewhere within driving distance
*Jump in a bounce house
*Go out for ice cream
*Swim lessons
*Go to Day Out With Thomas
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What’s on your summer bucket list?
This is Jacob’s first year of school which means it’s his first time exchanging valentines with classmates. He is in Preschool so I wanted to make something fun that the children in his class could enjoy. He wanted to do Valentines with candy but edible items aren’t allowed. I had a bunch of ideas I had found when putting together my 10 DIY Valentines post so I chose to make the heart shaped crayons. I wanted to do something a little different so I got little notepads at the store and Jacob decorated each one with stickers. We got all of the stickers out and he decided what each of his classmates would like the most so each little notebook was personalized. I then printed out handwriting sheets and had him practice writing his name 15 times and used those for the “from”. I think they turned out really cute.
Making Heart Shaped Crayons
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Jacob's Mailbox To Receive Valentines
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Ready for the Valentines Exchange
My children have sensory processing issues that make sensory table a must have item in our home but I think sensory activities are a great activity for all young children. I like to create themed ones around Holidays or certain … Continue reading
Items Included: -Garland (cut into 6 inch pieces) -Jingle Bells -Holly Berries -Mini Ornaments -Mini Present -Small stockings -Bows -Red cups ************* Did you make a Christmas themed sensory table or bin for your children? I’d love to see what … Continue reading
The boys were also given spoons and nesting cups. After this picture was taken I added other items: *** More ideas of what you can put in your Fall sensory bins can be found on the following blogs: 1+1+1=1 Counting … Continue reading
Jacob started preschool a couple weeks ago and his main teacher went on maternity leave so he has a new teacher. I wanted to create a welcome to the class gift since I figured she is a substitute and probably … Continue reading
Jacob had his first day of preschool on Friday so I wanted to share about it :) We started a “night before school” tradition where the kids get to pick the restaurant they want to go to. Jacob chose pizza … Continue reading
Jacob starts preschool next week so I am busy preparing our family and our household for everything that this new season of our life will bring. I thought I’d share 10 things I’m doing to get ready for the start … Continue reading
Making Time For Mommy 