Color Matching

Today's blog entry is an "up-cycle" or a "re-purposing" of sorts.  It is a color matching and color word identification game.  Very simple, yet effective!

Although I am not the best photographer, you get the concept? This activity is going to be for your Pre-Kinders, Transitional Kinders and Kindergartner's.

This activity is made from the little viles of water that florist put on the ends of flower stems. 

Here is what you need:

Viles from your latest flower bouquet

Food coloring or liquid watercolors

Water

Markers

Paper

Seran Wrap

Here is what you do:

Fill each vile of water and then add your drops of color...Then, take a tiny piece of seran wrap and seal the top and put the lid on.

 Cut your paper in to little strips and write each of the color words on them...using the color of the word that you are printing (use a green marker when writing "green"). 

Viola! You have a new easy "go-to" game!  As your children play this game and begin to really comprehend what each of the color words are...step it up.  Write each of the color words in a black marker and have them match this way.

Ms. Dina...this blog entry is dedicated to you...thanks for the game idea!

LIVE.GIVE.SAVE

So, I am determined to write a blog post to you all a few times a month.  I am new to the world of blogging and am so inspired by the different blogs that I follow.  There are a bunch of talented, creative and smart people out there!  For my fellow readers that blog as well, I would LOVE some tips and ideas.  Right now I feel that my blog is rather primitive and I look forward to making it more "fancy".  So with that said, today I bring you my thoughts on "Allowance" with your children...as well as a new way of doing "Allowance"...

I have some personal beliefs when it comes to allowance and children:

1.  Allowance is important because children need the experience managing money.  It is something they will have to do their entire life.

2.  Allowance should be started at an age where money is "meaningful" to a child.  That age when they have the concept that things "cost" something.  You know that age when they start asking you for a quarter here and a dollar there..everywhere you go?  That age is typically 5 or 6...when they are old enough not to eat it...the money that is! HA!

3. The amount of allowance should be realistic.  Remember we want to set children up for real life experiences and giving them $100.00 a week for remembering to cover their mouth when they cough or take out the trash is hardly a real life experience.

4.  Allowance should be given to chores above and beyond self-care and home maintenance.  In other words, brushing your teeth, taking a shower, cleaning your room and making your bed are all part of the self-care and maintenance.  Children should not get paid for these types of things.  Allowance should be given for the above and beyond like: bringing in the trash cans on trash day, dusting, vacuuming, cleaning mirrors, taking bathroom trash out, starting a load of laundry, carrying in groceries, etc. 

5.  A fee schedule should be set up.  For example I like this one from: http://homeschoolcreations.blogspot.com/2010/08/our-chore-system-chore-chart-printables.html

Here, they give each chore a value such as $.25 a chore.  Makes live easy.  Also, they have morning chores (unpaid) and afternoon chores (unpaid) and earned chores.

6.  I believe in instituting the LIVE.GIVE.SAVE or SPEND.SAVE.GIVE or whatever you like to call it.  We haven't decided here yet.  But the point is the child takes their earnings each week and places a percentage of their allowance in each of these jars that will be labeled live give save or whatever words you decide.  So they learn to give a little to charity, save a little for a rainy day and spend a little to satisfy the instant gratification that children naturally have.

It is my hope that we raise a less entitled generation than those that have come before.  Getting paid to do things that are naturally expected of someone (like self-care and maintenance) takes away the intrinsic value children need to experience.  Otherwise, they will always look for extrinsic motivation to complete any task in life...from the simple and mundane to the complex and daunting...

Here is my LIVE.GIVE.SAVE Jars....

List of items needed:

3 Pint size or larger mason jars

Chalkboard paint

Paint brush (I used a sponge brush)

Simple enough, right?

 The Martha Stewart brand was all Michael's had

                                                        You only need to use a little...it goes far!

Make sure to do two coats of paint

We have decided to go with LIVE.GIVE.SAVE....but alas....I have no chalk!

 Until next time................Keep calm and get your teach on!

 

Picture Perfect

Happy New Year to all of you! It certainly has been a very busy one! I had a wonderful Christmas vacation full of baking and crafting and family and friends.  I was able to try out the many FABULOUS ideas that I have been pinning from the AHHH-mazing website pinterest.com.  Have you checked it out yet? Do it! I feel creative just spending hours upon hours combing the website and pinning away.  I know...hours upon hours??? well, now that school/work is back in session I am lucky to get a few minutes a day on the site.  But nonetheless, still addicted!!

With Valentine's Day approaching, I wanted to share one of the crafts I did during the Christmas Season.  I kow you are thinking..why is this lady talking about a Christmas craft for Valentine's Day?  You'll see....This was our Holiday gift to the parents from their children.  Except we used plastic plates (more economically friendly).  The pictures below are from doing the activity with my friends children using glass plates.  It is absolutely adorable, affordable and really really really easy to do! Of course there is a little prep involved.  I love this activity mostly 1)because it is so child focused and 2) it has a photo.  Parents LOVE anything with their child's photo on it! 

Isn't this cute???

So here is what you need:
Clear glass or plastic plate (size doesn't really matter, got mine at the 99 cent store)
Wrapping paper/tissue paper
Modge Podge (I LOVE this stuff)
A photo of your child(ren)
Paint brush or sponge brush

Prep work: 

1. Print photos and cut out in the desired shape and size (they need to fit in the center circle of your plate. 

2.  Cut up wrapping paper in to 1.5 x 1.5 inch squares...does not need to be precise

3. Turn the plate over so it is Upside Down

Apply a thin layer of Modge Podge to the inner circle (area) of the plate and place the child's photo face down on the Modge Podge'd area.  Then apply another layer of Modge Podge over the picture sealing the edges.  Let dry...it will dry rather fast. Unfortunately I do not have a photo of this step... :0(

Let the children create....

My Helpers...Sophia, Scarlet and Sethe. A special thanks to their mom, Robbin, for letting me use their pictures in my blog.  Thanks Robbin!





Step 1:  Apply a generous layer of Modge Podge over the entire plate using a poster paint type brush or sponge brush.  Then add a layer of wrapping paper to the plate...attempting to cover the entire plate.





 Make sure that the wrapping paper is also placed "face down"..turning it over so you cannot see the pattern.   So when the project is completely dry, you will turn it over and see the picture and pattern.

Step 2: Then apply another generous layer of Modge Podge and add additional wrapping paper squares filling in any "holes".

Step 3: Then add one more layer of Modge Podge to seal it up.  Let dry.



Step 4: Once the plate dries, trim the excess wrapping paper around the plate and put in a plate stand or whatever tickles your fancy...





So, I learned a few things from this activity.  I have done it both on glass plates and plastic plates.  I like glass plates better...it is just a better quality gift.  However, plastic plates turn out great.  When you use plastic plates you can attach some ribbon at the top and then it can be hung from the wall. Also, this can be done with tissue paper and has a very pretty transparent look when it dries.

Back to Valentine's Day....just change the colors to pinks, reds, white and maybe a little silver an you got yourself an ADORABLE valentine gift for Grandma & Grandpa, Aunts & Uncles....I am going to give it a try this month....