Hey what's in there?

This week we made a mystery box.

We sealed a box (taped it up) &  painted it with acrylic paint.

Then cut a hole in one side - large enough to put our hand in.

Then covered the hole with a felt 'drape' , to deter peeking.

Objects were selected to 'hide' inside.

As we created the box I described to the children how it would be used.

The object of this activity is to put your hand in and select an item,

then describe the item without looking and before taking it from the box.

It's very hard not to peek when you are 2 or 3 years old, but over all the tots did well.

Next week when we use it I will toss in a chocolate Easter egg for them to find - without looking! :)

It rained on our classroom!

Yes it rained in our classroom!

Demonstrating how rain falls from a cloud!

Shaving cream - food colouring and a clear jar of water is all you need for this demonstration.

Spray some shaving cream on top of the water and then drop on a few drops of food colouring.

Voila - it's raining! It takes a few seconds for the food colouring to makes its way through - be patient.

I saw this HERE and quite a few other places - I knew we had to try it!

Your son plays with dolls!

Boys play with dolls - some prefer to play with the dolls over trucks and dinosaurs – and that’s OK! In my opinion it makes boys more nurturing – gentler and compassionate towards others. They seem to have a better empathy for others, and they tend to be less aggressive during play. This does NOT mean they will be more feminine, nor have a different sexual preference when they reach maturity.

I understand that some may have a strong opinion against boys playing with dolls, however I see the developmental aspects of doll play, that transfer into everyday skill building. It’s not just the social / emotional facet of doll play that is a positive influence; it’s the practical life skills that are attained. Think about dressing skills. There is a lot of fine motor development in dressing and undressing dolls. There is a lot of role playing and dramatic play that goes with doll play. This takes a lot of cognitive ability to set the stage for pretending to be a Daddy. Speech and language skills are acquired and honed in. Dolls can be used to assist in expressing feelings. A sense of responsibility can also be reinforced through doll play.  This is just a sampling of the positive facet doll play offers.

Doll play is a realistic way to introduce the world in an empirical manner, to any child who is at a perceptive developmental stage. Young children – especially toddlers are like sponges and want to acquire knowledge of all things – dolls are a part of that. So whether the child playing with the doll is male or female should not be significant.

Leeanne A

Kreative Resources posts are seen here on the 21st of each month!

I am turning April into - Sensory Month!

I have started by putting out a few sensory bottles!

This is a good way to entice the children into a new theme!

 I made a couple of sink and float bottles - 2 magnetic bottles

and 1 with gross lizards and bugs!

These provide loads of exploration in such a small bottle!

Sensory bottles seem more fun on a light table!

Note: Always hot glue your bottles shut for safety and making them mess free!

Wooden Mallets

DIY - Wooden Mallets

I don't know if you have ever priced wooden mallets for your musical instrument collection - but they can run anywhere from $20 to $30 for a small set - which can be used on things like xylophones - cymbals or small drums.
Well I am a very frugal teacher and most of my instruments have come from garage sales and thrift stores - the mallets usually missing. So on my time off this week I have been getting caught up on making and preparing resources for my classroom. Mallets have been on my to do list for a very long time. They got made today!

Dollar store dowels and garage sale find beads - $1.25

Beads hot glued onto the dowels.

Stop the dowel just before they come out the other side of the bead.

I varnished the dowels after - just because I was painting another DIY project.

A pringles tin = new mallet holder - covered in scrap booking paper.

When I find some ribbon it will go around the top. :)

Ready to use!

First Garage Sale of 2012

I was soooo happy today that garage sales actually started today - IN MARCH!  In Canada!! LOL
I indeed found a few gems!!

I will paint this  - great for my crafting desk. $1

Who doesn't love books - and I wanted these ones!! :)

Eric Carle collection! :)

I have these but not with CD's - now I do!

Another book with CD

Book with CD and a spare! :)

All books with CD's $3

For my hat collection - 50 cents each!

$1.00 for these and below was free!

.... and this is just the first day of the next 6 or 7 months! hehehehe

Here is the cabinet above refurbished and in use:

More Magnetic ideas!

Preparing for back to school next week!

We are continuing our Magnetic March.

Week One went like this!

Topped off with this fun activity!

Here is some of what we will be doing when we return:

Magnetic exploration box.

Magnetic fishing.

Matching magnet numbers.

I took pictures of the numbers - prepared the matching sheet and laminated it.

Then taped the matching sheet to a tin cookie sheet.

We will add one of our new activities from Toys, Tools & Treasures

Then we will be doing this 'trick'!

See the paper clip laying in the bottom of the bottle?

Now it's floating to the top!

Magic! 

Here's how we did it:

Poke a hole in the bottom of the plastic bottle.

I heated a metal paper clip with a lighter and pushed it through.

Then insert a long thin string - tie on a paper clip once it's through - and make it the length of the bottle.

Tie a knot in the end of the string so it does not go back through the bottle.

Add a dab of hot glue to secure it further. 

Now hot glue a magnet into the lid.

Glue it onto the bottle.

Then you show everyone the bottle - with the paper clip laying down inside.

Then turn it gently upside down and then turn it upright - showing everyone the floating paper clip.

Our next magnetic activity

You will need a magnet and some pennies.

I discovered not all pennies are magnetic.

Check them first to ensure they will indeed be attracted by the magnet.

Now see how many pennies you can attach end to end.

Then take a straw and gently blow on the last penny in the link.

It will spin!!

This should be a fun magnetic week!