I offer you peace, {and a free printable subway style poster!}

To continue my subway-style printable poster series, here is a lovely quote from Ghandi's nephew.

Click here to see my previous post about how to use it in your home or classroom, including a video.

 Just click on the above image to bring it up full-size (click on the photo again when it comes up on the new page to be sure you are zoomed in to 100% before printing), then save and print.

♥

Bedtime bonding and building literacy skills through the power of touch....

Source: weheartit.com via Simply on Pinterest

I have a bedtime routine, as I'm sure you do with your children.  We have a bath, we put on pajamas, we brush teeth, we choose some books to read together, and snuggle for a little while.  During the snuggle time, I have found that the children often wanted me to rub their back or gently scratch their backs or tummies.  This is a great way to bond with you child as well as to relax them before they fall asleep. 

What I've also found is that this is a fantastic way to build literacy skills.  It began as a soothing game where I would gently "draw" each letter of the alphabet on their back with my finger as I quietly sang the alphabet song to them.  Then, I began drawing one letter at a time (out of order) to see if they could guess which letter I had drawn.  In this way you not only practice letter recognition, but also expose them to the correct form in which to write the letter. 

The child is feeling the letter formed from the paper's perspective. 

Sometimes I will even say quietly to myself "up, down, up, down" as I trace for an "M", or ""over, up, and around" for an "e" so it reinforces the correct way to write the letter at the same time.  The kids just think I'm whispering to myself.  :)

For children that need a little bit more of challenge, you can write a letter and have them tell you the sound the letter makes (phonemic awareness).  Or, you can spell out three or four letter words, or the child's name.  I have also drawn shapes ("guess the shape" game) and numbers.  For younger children, write the numbers on their back with your fingertip as you count in order up to 20, or 100.  For older children, silently trace your finger to form the numbers on their back and have them guess the number you wrote. 

Depending on the night and the child, our games may last only a few minutes. Other times they take longer as we move from one game to another.  Sometimes, it is just plain tickles, back scratches, or cuddles. 

That's the best part about this- it is mostly about the love.

♥

Clean it up! {How to let your young child help with the vacuuming}

{ Image Credit: NurseyBangBang }

Young children love to help with daily activities that they see you complete time after time.  Perhaps it is setting the table.  Maybe it is loading or unloading the dishwasher, or feeding the dog.  These tasks are all appropriate for young children with the appropriate supervision.  However, if your children are like mine, the chores that involve cleaners or electrical power are even more interesting to them, especially the vacuum cleaner.

Our full-size vacuum cleaner is tall, heavy, and difficult to push, even for an adult.  We have a lot of carpet in our house, so believe me that if I felt it was safe or "doable" for my children to help (ages 4 & under), I would be excited to let them try.  But between the size of the vacuum and the concern about the safety of the moving parts & ultra-suction, this particular chore was on my "wait until they are older" list.

This all changed when I purchased a stick vacuum at a Black Friday sale this past Christmas.  Not only did I get an incredible deal, but I figured it would be easy just to keep the stick vacuum to use as a quick crumbs sweeper after meals and snacks in the kitchen where we have hard flooring.  It works great for this, but we came to realize it also makes a wonderful vacuum for children to use!

The stick vacuums are lighter weight, often have adjustable height handles, and have no brush roll to pose a safety hazard.  We purchased a Bissell 3-in-1 Vac which has worked out great.  Ours was blue, which I can't find that color anymore to link to for you, but Walmart sells one in silver or pink and Amazon sells what looks like the same one only they call it a different name:

 

They are light, have a reasonable length cord, and are bagless.  They can also be used as a hand vac.  The 3-in-1 that we have doesn't require you to buy replacement filters, you can just clean out the dirt cup and the filter with simple soap and water and let them air dry.  They are generally around $20 unless you get them on sale, which is actually less than most non-working toy vacuums.  They work very well to get up the crumbs and any dust bunnies or pet hair, grass clippings or glitter off hard floors.  On carpeting they obviously aren't as good as a full-size brush roll vacuum, but they will pick up surface dirt and lint. 

I instructed my oldest child (4 years old) how to use the vacuum, although we require him to let an adult to plug in the vacuum and unplug it from the socket.  The younger children watched him and wanted to have a go, and they have done wonderfully as well.  Our littlest toddler just holds a bit farther down the handle when she pushes it, which works just fine.  Now instead of it being another item on my "to-do" list, my children have enthusiastically taken it off my hands (and can't wait until it is their turn!).

Happy clean home!

♥

Build Two Toddler Beds for $75 {Or modify for a Montessori Infant Floor Bed, too}

{Image Credit}

I am loving Design Mom, especially since coming across the posting with complete materials list and instructions on how to build 2 floor beds (that accomodate crib mattresses!!!) for only $75.  That means if you only have to build one, it would cost a little less than $40.  How great is that?

If you wanted to use this design from infancy as a Montessori floor bed, simply modify the size of the boards to create the beds lower to the ground. 

Much more chic than just a mattress on the floor, although that works too.

{Image Credit}

I'm also loving her posting about how to make a wall sized mural.

Her mural is a giant Napoleon Dynamite, flippin' sweet!

{Image Credit}

DIY Easy Sound Cylinders

{Photo credit}

Montessori sound cylinders (like the ones above) are commercially available from many sources and suppliers.  However, it is easy and much more inexpensive to make them yourself at home!

What is a sound cylinder?

Traditionally the cylinders are wooden, and there are 2 boxes containing the cylinders, one with a red lid and the other with a blue lid. In each box are six cylinders.  Each cylinder contains a different material that makes a distinct sound when shaken. Each cylinder in the red box has an exact match in the blue box.  The child selects a red lidded cylinder, shakes it, listens to the sound it makes, and attempts to match it with the blue lidded cylinder that makes the same noise.

 

Truth is, you really don't need such complicated materials to make this engaging lesson at home.  All you need are some simple (free!) materials, some cheap fillers you already have around the house, and if you wish, some paint.

 

The first step is to gather together the containers.  My personal favorite option you have is to go to a photo developing counter and ask them for some film canisters.  Most photo stores save them up for recycling.  When I went to our local drugstore photo counter, I told them I needed them for an educational project.  The lady reached under the counter and handed me a bag of 30 canisters.  They are usually very happy to give them to you.

Be sure to select the film canisters that look like this:

 

This type of canisters hide the contents.  If you get the white kind of canisters, they are somewhat transparent and you would have to spray paint them to make them usable for this lesson (which is easily done as well). 

Next, gather small-sized contents for the canisters.  These can include uncooked rice, unpopped popcorn kernels, marbles, uncooked oatmeal, cereal, glitter, small balls of aluminum foil, paper clips, coins, sand, pieces of gravel, seeds, small bells, q-tips, soil, metal nails, pieces of hard plastic, thumb tacks, pieces of hay, and anything else that is small enough to fit inside and won't decompose, mold, or melt.  In other words, select items that are non-perishable.

Next, make pairs of your canisters.  You have choices here: you can either put a colored dot (using a sticker or paint) on the bottom or paint the lid of each pair of containers as shown above, or just leave them blank & uncolored.  If your sounds are distinctive enough, the sounds will be self-correcting and your child will be able to make the pairs without the use of the colors.  I didn't use colors on mine and the children made pairs without trouble.  If you do choose to spray paint the lids, select a spray paint like Krylon Plastic Fusion that is made to adhere securely and attractively to plastic products.

Now, fill the canisters with a small portion of the contents you selected.  Be sure you fill 2 canisters with each item.  For example, you will put uncooked popcorn kernels in 2 canisters, coins in 2 canisters, and q-tips in 2 canisters, etc.  This way the child will be able to make pairs.  Try to put the same amount of the "sound maker" in each of the paired canisters so one isn't louder than the other.  Also, don't stuff the canisters full- be sure the contents have room to move around and make noise when the child shakes them.  Put the caps on and test them out.  When you have your canisters filled, glue the lids on with a strong glue.  If you are only going to use this as a supervised activity, you may choose to skip this step, but be sure to watch the child when they are using the materials to ensure they don't empty out the contents and/or put anything in their mouths. 

If you can't find film canisters, baby food jars also work great.  You will need to soak off the labels and paint either the inside or the outside of the jars entirely in black (or other solid color) to ensure the child cannot see the contents inside of the jar and matches them based on sound only.  You could also decoupage paper around the inside of the jar to make it opaque using Modge Podge or other similar product.  Be sure to let the decoupage dry with the jar lid off completely before filling it with the contents and sealing it.  Again, you can choose to glue the lids on, or not, based on the way you will be using them.  The activity is so economical that even if you glue the lids on, you can remake the cylinders with different contents over and over again to make the activity new again.

Other ideas for things that would work as containers (but are much larger & require more storage/shelf space) are margarine tubs with the snap-on lids, small tupperware style containers (you would have to spray paint or decoupage these to make them opaque as well), oatmeal cylinders, milk cartons, small wooden boxes (often found at craft stores), drugstore pill/medicine bottles or tylenol-style plastic bottles with child-proof caps (again, you would have to paint or decoupage them to make them opaque after removing the labels), individual serving-sized yogurt containers (with the snap-on lid), glitter containers or salt and pepper shakers (don't forget to tape over the holes!), empty glue stick tubes, or spice jars/vanilla bottles.

If you want to separate the cylinders in the same way as the boxes shown in the first photo above, you can either use shoe boxes or a smaller cardboard gift box, or a gallon ziploc bag.  Be sure to provide a way (like a color) for each group on the cylinders and the box or bag so the child (and you) will be able to see where each half of the pair belongs.

As an extension for this activity, keep a list of the materials you use in the cylinders.  It will be fun for your child to guess what is in the cylinders.  You could even have them draw a picture of what they think is making the sound they hear.  Then, you can tell them the actual contents.  If your child is older and is completing the activity more independently, the child can use the list and attempt to match the cylinders themselves to the materials on the list.

Let me know if you have any questions, comments, or ideas on other containers or items to use inside the containers, I'd love to hear!

♥

Introducing and Cultivating Peace in our Homes and Classrooms

{Image Credit: Sassy Sara} 

What is Peace?  What does Peace mean to a child?  How will you define Peace in your home or classroom?

If you are unsure where to begin, a good place to start is to talk about things that help us to feel calm and safe.  A nice book to introduce the concept of Peace to a child is

What Does Peace Feel Like?

by Vladimir Radunsky.

What does Peace look like? "Like something beautiful that goes away but will come back," one child answers.  Peace sounds like "raindrops falling . . . like voices singing.  Peace tastes like ice cream, in many flavors." 

After reading this book, allow children to journal or discuss their ideas about peace, and what your expectations for peace are in the home.  Talk about the many aspects of peace, and how they involve taking care of our bodies, taking care of others, and taking care of the Earth. 

Peace involves the body, the mind, and the spirit.

The child is reciting a poem written by a nephew of  Gandhi:

I offer you peace;

I offer you love;

I offer you friendship;

I hear your cry;

I see your beauty;

I feel your pain;

My wisdom flows from my spirit within;

I salute that spirit in you.

Let us work together for peace.

Peaceful rituals are comforting. 

Reading a peaceful poem or quote to begin or end the day each day will help establish the peaceful climate in your home.

Another poem about peace:

Peace Is The World Smiling

(author unk.)

Peace is the world smiling.

Peace is a gentle dove.

Peace is sharing.

Peace is caring.

Peace is filling our world with love.

Maria Montessori said “A child is an eager observer and is particularly attracted by the actions of the adults and wants to imitate them. In this regard an adult can have a kind of mission. He can be an inspiration for the child’s actions, a kind of open book wherein a child can learn how to direct his own movements. But an adult, if he is to afford proper guidance, must always be calm and act slowly so that the child who is watching him can clearly see his actions in all their particulars.”

In this way, you are your child's Ambassador of Peace.  You must teach your child through example (using both purposeful lessons and everyday interactions) how to create Peace in your life.  Conflict resolution skills are important. If a child makes a mistake, do not get angry.  Instead, role play or have a conversation about how the conflict could have been resolved peacefully to plan ahead for next time.  Use the exact words in your modeling that you wish your child to use. 

Set up a Peace Table in your house or classroom.  If two children are having a conflict, they may sit at the Peace table facing each other to resolve it.  The children may choose to hold hands while they talk out the problem, or give each other a handshake when they have finished.  Providing a "Peace Flower" (a silk flower works well) at the table allows the children to take turns while explaining their side of the conflict and how it made them feel.  When one child has the peace flower, it is that child's turn to talk.  When they have finished, they pass the peace flower on to the other child, and listen until that child has spoken.  Journaling or drawing a picture about how a conflict was resolved, or should have been resolved, is helpful to get out feelings and remind the child about peaceful methods.

Music is a powerful venue through which to teach about Peace, but also to create a peaceful work and play environment in your home.

One of my favorite CD's for this purpose is

Elizabeth Mitchell's music is very calming and sweet, and although it is very hard to pick favorites, ours include "Peace Like a River", "Three Little Birds" (a Bob Marley cover), and "What Goes On".  

The songs are catchy enough where your family will find themselves singing along, yet is wonderful background music to the rest of your family life. 

Concepts discussed in the songs include peace, friendship, nature, self confidence, and love.

 

Here are two wonderful videos that discusses the integration of Peace concepts into Montessori.

 

Limits to Candy at Halloween?

Don't get me wrong, Yes, Trick-or-Treating is about the kids having fun.  And, I love-a me some candy.  But, what I don't love is having it hang around the house with the family snacking on it for days afterward, nor do I like the sugar highs and crashes that often go along with it.  But, I always feel bad just throwing it out.  Lots of children react adversely to the ingredients (like corn syrup, artifical colors and flavoring) present in most types of candy, including having headaches, and displaying aggression or fussiness, and can have a "Halloween Hangover".  So what to do?

To limit the candy intake in your own home, Simple Organic has some great ideas.  They suggest you could try a visit from the Sugar Plum Fairy.  You allow the child to pick out some favorite pieces of candy to have after trick-or-treating, then leave the rest out in a nice container or plate overnight for the Sugar Plum Fairy.  The fairy takes it back to the fairy village and they use the candy to help build houses and homes.  In exchange, the fairy leaves a new book, craft kit, new toothbrush, coloring book, or other gift of your choice.  This way the child enjoys a limited amount of candy in moderation, but doesn't feel deprived of their bounty.

Another idea is to donate your candy.  Doctor's offices, Libraries, and many other businesses often have a candy jar out for public consumption.  They might appreciate the free donation of your left overs.  Mom or Dad might have success taking the candy to work and leaving it out in common areas in a bowl or jar for co-workers to snack on throughout the day.  I'm not sure on the policy of your local Homeless Shelter, but you could call them and ask if they would be interested in your candy donation for their residents. 

Plus, being a military wife myself, I advocate Operation Shoebox.  They welcome donated Halloween candy and distribute it to troops overseas.  You can send a one-time donation, or sign up to Adopt-a-troop.  Including a child-made card is always a nice way to say thank you.

Working with your child, set aside some candy that will be used for activities only (not consumption).  Perhaps you use the wrappers for a craft project (but pitch the candy).  Choose a variety of colors and shapes of candies and wrappers and use for a candy sorting activity.  Some candy can be saved in a tin for making a Gingerbread House later.  If you are feeling ambitious, Science 2.0 has the Top 10 Scientific Uses for Leftover Halloween Candy.

Limit the time your child trick-or-treats to begin with.  Trick-or-treating might last 2 or 3 hours, but that doesn't mean you have to spend the whole time out there.  Plan to go for a set amount of time, then have fun activities or crafts planned back at the house for the remainder of the time.  Children also like to participate in handing out candy, so especially if you have a busy neighborhood, let them have the job of candy handler for part of the time.

Feed them a healthy dinner first. 

Be sure they aren't diving into their Halloween bags when they are starving. 

Have a good dinner before heading out for trick-or-treating,

and they will be less likely to gorge themselves as much later.

Alternatives to giving out candy:

Candy isn't the only fun option at Halloween.  Try handing out bundles of crayons or colored pencils tied together with a rubber band or ribbon.  The dollar stores often have large bags of Halloween rings (spiders, pumpkins, etc.) that children love to receive.  Bulk stores like Costco and Sam's Club will commonly sell large packages of mini cans of Play-Doh.  Mini bottles of bubbles are also sold in bulk usually in the party favor aisle of many stores.  Halloween stickers, temporary tattoos (buy a package and cut them up into individual tattoos for handing out), seasonal pencils, erasers, Halloween magnets (just make sure they aren't a choking hazard), packets of apple cider mix (like Hot Chocolate Mix), granola bars, and baggies filled with air-popped popcorn are also good alternatives.  Juice boxes or small bottles of water are also a popular alternative, and trick-or-treaters will always be thirsty when they are walking around the neighborhood.  Be aware that not all parents will allow their child to eat home-baked or homemade goods meant for consumption as a safety precaution.  It might be best to stick with pre-packaged items to ease other parents' minds.

There are also Organic and Natural options for Halloween Treats:

Mother Nature Network has a great list of traditional candy alternatives, including Annie's Bunny Snacks Variety Pack (package includes: 8 - Chocolate Chip Bunny Grahams, 8 - Chocolate Bunny Grahams, 8 - Honey Bunny Grahams, 12 - Cheddar Bunnies Crackers).  You can purchase Annie's products (including All-natural Fruit Gummies) at many regular grocery stores and Target.  Simple Organic recommends a product like YummyEarth Organic Lollipops.  Surf Sweets is a company that makes organically-sweetened gummy candies and jelly beans that are free of artificial colors and sweeteners, corn syrup, gmo's and gluten.  Click here to see where you can purchase them (many stores like Whole Foods carries their products).

Finally, don't make Trick-or-Treating the only Halloween event.  Visit a farm, pumpkin patch, or u-pick orchard.  Carve pumpkins and bake the seeds together (see my previous posting for a recipe).  Pumpkin Scrubbing is a great Practical-Life montessori activity (just provide a scrub brush, some soapy water and a towel and the kids will scrub away!).  Dress up the day before Halloween and pay a visit to nursing home residents to brighten their day.  Organize a neighborhood or school-wide Halloween parade.  Complete Halloween themed activies and read booksat home in the days leading up to Trick-or-Treating.  Bake cookies together or make caramel apples or apple cider.  Have the child participate in making portions of their costume.  Make the Halloween decorations for the house together.  If the candy isn't the only focus of the holiday, it won't be such a big deal if there are limits placed on the intake.  Also, be sure to explain to the child why the candy is being limited.  It is always a good time to teach them responsibility in their eating habits.♥

NAMC has a good article about a Montessori-Style Halloween celebration here.

I read (somewhere??) after Halloween is over, compost a whole pumpkin by planting it in the ground.  The compost will feed the seeds, which will sprout next spring. 

Don't miss these great Halloween 3-part cards from United Teaching!

A Hodgepodge

Hodgepodge.  Pronunciation: \ˈhäj-ˌpäj\. Function: noun. Etymology: alteration of hotchpotch. Date: 15th century.: a heterogeneous mixture : jumble
Noun 1. hodgepodge - a motley assortment of things.
* * * * *

 I apologize in advance about my "motley assortment of things" in today's posting.

To begin, our butterflies hatched!

We fed them juice from orange slices, and sugar water spinkled on the petals of a flower for two days, then released them into the wild. I wasn't sure if the little ones would be sad about letting them go or not, but my son said that their Mommy missed them and they would like to go and visit.

This butterfly didn't seem to want to go. It hung around for a few minutes on the flower that had been in the netting home with them, and then finally flew off into the morning sky. I hope we'll catch a glimpse of them around the yard again before they leave.

We'll pack away the kit, because we can order more caterpillars whenever we want, and I'd love to do this again.
* * * * *

Secondly, living on the Gulf Coast, we will be affected by the recent oil spill.  If you live nearby, or know someone who does, this article as well as this one give you places to call about volunteering.
The next week will continue to be disastrous.  I have no idea how our wildlife and our coastline will recover. 
If you do not live nearby and can't help with a cleanup directly, many of these reputable groups will also need donations for supplies and mobilization of volunteers.  I'll keep you updated about what we personally witness as we go along.

* * * * *

Recently, I was intrigued after reading Etsy's posting (including videos!) about Dolly Freed and her book Possom Living: How to Live Well Without a Job and With (Almost) No Money. I ordered the book and read it yesterday, and it does give you a lot to think about. The book was written originally in the 1970's, but the copy I ordered has a great updated intoduction and a final chapter added by the author last year, and I think it is very interesting to read her thoughts about her book today. When she first wrote the book she was only 18 years old! If you are a vegetarian and/or squeamish like me, you may want to just glance over the chapters dealing with raising and eating (killing and eating) your own meat. But, all in all, a very compelling book, and especially relevant in today's economy.

I also came across this posting by mnmlist called manufacturing content. Related to Possom Living by the common thread of "living simply" and "making due with less", it makes you think about all the advertising we are constantly bombarded with everywhere we look, and how it affects our spending habits. Good lessons to learn ourselves and to pass along to the little ones as they too begin to learn about money, savings, and what is really important.  The rest of the blog is an interesting read as well.

* * * * *

I also wanted to pass along a series of videos posted by Real Life Montessori. According to the study, only 1/3 of children actually thrive in a traditional educational system. As our culture changes and the typical worker no longer remains at one job until retirement, the actual facts become somewhat less important than one's ability to problem solve and utilize resources to complete tasks.  The videos are worth watching and passing along.

* * * * *

And lastly, (just in case you are in the mood to spend!),while I often take a visit to Anthropologie to drool for a little while, it is usually for myself or the house. But today, I spotted some lovely items for children.....

{All product descriptions and photos credit: Anthropologie}

Charley Harper Flash Cards And Floor Puzzles

The irreverent illustrations of Charley Harper, put to use as learning tools and puzzles. Each piece teaches the alphabet on one side (A is for Ape, B is for Bird). On the reverse is a fragment of one of two picture puzzles, waiting to be re-assembled.

$14.95

Charley Harper Memory Game

Just one of Harper's spare and lovely illustrations is never enough, so shuffle through 36 pairs of minimalist wildlife images to your heart's content.

•72 pieces
$14.95

Sewing Basket Kid's Apron

A swath of crisp cotton, sprinkled with stylized mums and rickrack trim keeps cookie dough off of tiny dungarees.

•Cotton

•Machine wash

•23"L, 15.5"W

•16" ties

$24.00

Knotted Melati Hanging Chair

Sling this pod of green, blue and white macrame from porch rafters or tree branches and take in the gentle summer breezes.

•Hanging hardware required

•Polyester

•48"H, 37"W, 30"D

$498.00

{Looks like a dreamy place to read a book with a blanket and a gentle breeze.}

The Little Prince

Antoine de Saint Exupery's classic novella comes to life in an intricate pop-up book. With unabridged text and folding, spinning, and popping surprises on every page, this is an adventure for all ages.

$35.00

Eco-Paint

This set of five fruit- and vegetable-derived powered paints is sure to set the artistic minds of tiny environmentalists in motion. Simply mix a 1:1 ration of paint and water for them to create a garden variety of art. By Eco-Kids.

•Set of five powdered paints

•Yields about 60 oz of paint

•Kraft paper, recycled plastic, fruit, plant and vegetable extracts

•12 oz each

•USA

$24.00

World Repair Kit
Engage the eco-savvy with a box of earth-friendly fun for the whole family including a book of planet changing tips and a passport, stamps and stickers to track all of your conservationist achievements.
•Includes one book, one "passport", twelve stickers, four stamps, one ink pad
$24.95
{Wish they had an Oil Spill Cleanup kit, I'd be all over it right now!}

* * * * *
And as a ending to my hodgepodge, I wanted to share this thought....
I was organizing some of my teaching materials, and came across something a student wrote that I saved because I thought it was so beautiful:
"Keep a green tree in your heart and perhaps a singing bird will come. It means always keep your heart fresh and your soul good, and someday someone that will makes you laugh will come to your life."
Here's to green trees, singing birds, and laughter.

Your Child's Imagination

The mind of the child does not limit itself to the objects they can see and their qualities, but goes beyond this, showing imagination. Children for whom a table in play becomes a house, a chair serves as a horse, who can visualize a fairy and fairyland, have no difficulty in visualizing America or the world, especially with a globe to help.

-- Dr. Maria Montessori

This quote was in my inbox today, and I just love it. It actually reminds me of a Dharma and Greg episode I watched a while ago, and the story really stuck with me. For those of you who haven't watched the series, Dharma's parents were "hippies" and she had a very non-traditional childhood. In this episode, Dharma is remembering one of her very favorite toys from her youth, a very special boat that was shaped like a shoe. It had been designed so the lace holes were actually the portholes. She had spent hours playing with her unique, one-of-a-kind shoe boat. One day she is going through a box of old items and finds her beloved boat. At first she is disheartened to see that it in fact, was, just an old shoe. I love this because it demonstrates how a simple object can be transformed into something captivating and magical through a child's imagination, no batteries required. Just as a refrigerator box becomes a playhouse, a blanket a secret hideout, and a box of crayons, well, anything you want them to be! If children are given single-purpose toys that require no imagination (just button-pressing), the imagination will not be exercised. As with most good things in the world, if the imagination is not nurtured, it will become dusty and passive and begin to wilt. This summer, add in activites and objects that will encourage your child to use their imaginations and I bet you have almost as much fun as they do!

The photos above are from an Over the Rainbow Tie Dye Extra Large Canopy Playsilk from DesertDyeworks. As per their description, "Your child can become whatever they imagine using a playsilk. The silk will transform your child into a butterfly, a wizard, a princess, or anything they dream. There is no limit to a child's imagination! This is a hand-dyed playsilk. The silk is a extra large 45"x108" 5mm habatoi(china silk) square. It is the perfect size to drape over a playstand or build a fort. It is dyed using high quality Procion dyes that will last a lifetime."

Wouldn't these be lovely?

If you have children old enough to tackle sewing pillows or other simple projects, these would be lovely additions to their sewing boxes/baskets. Pretty enough to engage them, while encouraging them to take care of their materials! These little birdies are practical as well as super cute!
This Little Birdie Sewing Pin Set is sold by Piece of Peace on Etsy.com.
You can find this precious pin set here.
Be sure to check out the rest of their items for sale too!

Pouring Activities

Why, besides the fact that children love them, complete pouring activities? Well, as part of the practical life curriculum of Montessori, there are several purposeful reasons for pouring activties. First, it enhances their hand coordination. It takes a lot of patience and control to learn to pour into a container from another container, and at just the right speed so whatever they are pouring doesn't end up all over the place. Also, it prepares them for later on when they can pour their own juice for a snack. It teaches them how to clean up (inevitably there will be spills with this activity). And, it teaches them independence, the feeling they can "do it themselves". It is a great self-correcting activity-it either goes into where they want it to, or it doesn't. It is also very easy to complete this activity using items you already have at home.

You don't have to start your child off with water or any other liquid. Begin with things that are easier to clean up, such as rice, sand, popcorn kernals, cheerios, tiny beads, or small dried pasta or beans. Simply provide them two containers to pour the material from one to the other. This is very hands-on and can hold their interest for a surprisingly long time. As you present the activity, show them how to hold onto the container with two hands to give them more control as they learn to pour. Provide a method of cleaning up, it could be a sponge or cloth for water or other liquids, a dust pan and small brush for dry goods, or have them complete the activity on a tray so they can easily scoop up spills with their hands.

You can change this activity often to keep interest high. Just vary the material they are pouring, the containers they are pouring with, and add a funnel sometimes. As always, keep an eye on young children during this activity so they do not put small items used for pouring in their mouths. Simple, quick, easy, and so much fun!!