the weather has been unseasonable warm. we took advantage and had mcdonald's for luch and rode bikes at the park.
this picture was taken before i tried to put david in the swing and he got VERY upset with me. oops!
i am trying to take a fresh look at my parenting. i want to think of new, creative activities to do with the boys (cooking, art projects, outside play) and tighten up in some areas (sweets, being consistent with following directions). any creative parenting ideas to share??
15 comments:
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You are lucky to have a nice day to enjoy. We are stuck here in Ohio with 9 inches of snow. I am so ready for Spring. My creative parenting idea is to let kids be kids. Get a large tub of whipped cream and let the kids sit at the kitchen table with a plastic table cloth. The kids can "fingerpaint" or make whipped snowmen and decorate them with M & M's. Clean up is a breeze, just throw away the table cloth and let the kids lick their fingers clean! Ahhh to be a kid again :0)
I recently read another mom's idea of having a story telling box. She buys old wooden puzzles at garage sales, and her family makes up stories, each taking another character out of the box as they go. They also have to repeat what the others have already said, so it gets pretty silly like a "telephone" game. So I thought I'd give it a try with our puzzle pieces.
Also, even though I have boys, I find they enjoy chatting at "tea parties" as long as Pooh Bear, Tigger, Christopher Robin, and those English tea drinking chaps are invited!
I like simple things like chalk or crayons/ paper outside so we can look around and draw what we see. It also amazes me how many things he can do with one of those super-bouncy balls...best toy ever!
If you have every read Soule Moma's blog, she is coming out with a book "Creative Family" that I can't wait to read.
I love the ideas in the comments so far too!
Lisa,
My two daughters are a bit older than your boys, but I really enjoyed being creative with them when they were little. I have a couple of ideas for you: as for fun in the kitchen, have you ever tried making homemade soft pretzel dough and letting them shape letters from the alphabet with the dough? My girls loved to make and eat "their" letters - and the pretzels are a little more healthy than cookies. Just Google for a soft pretzel recipe online.
As for outside play, they really loved it when I bought inexpensive, large, colorful sponges and cute buckets and let them "paint" letters and pictures with water on the patio, sidewalks and the fence on warm, sunny days.
Now you've got me thinking of new, fun, creative projects to do with my girls... thanks for inspiring me! I really believe there is nothing sweeter than spending time with your children. God bless,
~Cathy S.
Hi Lisa,
You might like Donna Simmon's book Kindergarten with your 3-6 yo. It is not a curriculum but is chock full of ideas on how to establish daily/weekly rhythms . It is a Waldorf education point of view. While I don't agree with the Waldorf theology the educational pedagogy is right for our family:-)
You can find her books at www.christopherushouse.com
At anytime, you are having a kid friendly for a meal... have your children do the coloring on a huge the white butcher paper with crayons or using color painting (to teach by identify the primary/secondary color and have fun at the same time.)(I'm sure that either of your sons' teacher will be gladly to offer you.)
Then, set it up on the table before you invite the people over to your house. That way, your kids will be proud to show their work off to relatives or friends.
Another thing, making their own scrapbook.. have them to tell you about the picture. You write it for them. Save it for years.
Lurker coming out of the shadows...here is a great site for a lot of different art projects (and books you can check out at the library on the same subject.)
http://www.thebestkidsbooksite.com/kids-crafts-aloha.cfm
for being consistent and following directions...we have a sticker chart for my 4 yr old girl mali. it's called her good girl sticker chart and she helps make it and decorate it. after 10 stickers she gets a "surprise" which can be a treat, a small toy or we can go rent a movie. when she doesn't listen than stickers are removed and that's no fun but she really does work hard to complete the chart and it keeps me consistent to and i tend to follow through with the rules when stickers are involved. :)
gardening is GREAT. :)
Enjoy the great weather I'm in the northeast and so far it's been a mild winter but can't wait until spring, my ds has already spotted the new rides in the park and is itching to ride them. I also have 2 son around the same ages as yours 4 and 18months, With my youngest it's still hard to get him too involved in any projects but I do bake with my oldest, choc. chip cookies, tonight we are going to make choc. lollipops, a surprise for him. My oldest son likes to mix things, I am also a stamper so he has a bunch of his own stamps and enjoys stamping, making cards and also playing with those buckets of foam stickers. It's actually hard to get him to color but stamping and stickers are a good thing. Finger painting, chalk and chalk board, bubbles are a hugh hit in the summer, and just playing in the sprinkler, and a inflatable pool.
Enjoy
Your son David and possible Matty too will really like coke bottle manipulatives. You take any size coke bottle and use it as manipulative play. You can put sand in one with nuts and bolts (metal things) inside. Then tie a shoe string with a magnant to the outside. Kiddo's get so amazed with this because it is like treasure hunting, also really great for road trips and very inexpensive.... Make sure to secure to top with tape that will not come loose.... Also, you can take oil, food coloring, glitter, and water and make your own pretend lava lamps... Very fun for the kids to help make. These also make a neet-o little aquarium too, don't forget to secure.
I hope you like these ideas, I am a blog stocker of yours. I love all of your ideas and check your blog at least one time a week to see what you are up too! Love the jewlery!
I like to cook with my daughter who is 3 1/2. Muffins are a fun thing to make. I measure, she pours and mixes. She picks what to put into the muffins - dried cranberries, raisins, banana, nuts, etc and then we have a warm one. I usually save 3-4 for that week and freeze the rest. I've been hiding veggies in them too like zucchini, carrots, and pureed yellow squash.
Your blog is fantastic. I followed a virtual crumb trail to you a few weeks ago and have been trying to figure out which FABULOUS piece of jewelry will be mine.
Modestly, I will say I am the coolest nanny ever. A bag of fat pipe cleaners and chunky beads always provided hours of fun for us.
Painting with pudding!!! That is a Favorite at our house!! My oldest is disabled and LOVES to put everything in his mouth. So, this is a safe and fun way to have Collin and Regan paint on paper together with pudding!!!
Have fun!!!
Julie
presleyfam.blogspot.com
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