Name Matching

I didn't think about it when we were naming our girls but both of them have long first and last names (don't worry their middle are very short).  Samantha is having a hard time remember her name when she tries to write it...So I thought of fun way to give her more practice with her name.

I took  8 popsicle sticks and wrote a letter on each one then I took another popsicle stick and wrote her name on it lengthwise.  Then Samantha matched each stick to the letter in her name.  I had her go in order from first to last that way she would learn how to spell it.  She liked this game and after a while she asked me to hide the sticks so that she could find them and match them again.  I also made one for Aiden but he just turned them into airplanes :)

This Happened At Our House Last Night

Spaghetti Squash Casserole...and everyone ate it (and liked it).  I found it on Pinterest.  You can get the recipe here.  

Fun with Shaving Cream

I love having the kids play with shaving cream.  Not only is it a great sensory activity but it is really easy to clean up! 

I like to use these plastic trays that I found here.  They keep everything contained and are really easy to clean off.  

The first activity was hiding numbers and shapes.  I put them on the tray covered them up with the shaving cream (I use the cheap stuff that you find at the dollar store).   The kids were excited to search through and try to find out what was underneath.  

I am trying to do more sensory activities with them especially because Aiden doesn't like to get his hands dirty~Everything else on him can be dirty, just not his hands.

Another great use for shaving cream is color mixing.  All I did was fill a paper plate with shaving cream and then added a few drops of liquid water color.  Before I did anything else I asked Samantha what she thought would happen if we mixed the colors~She knew that it would make another color but she wasn't sure what color.  

She used a paint brush to mix it up

Then Samantha wanted paper~She pressed it on top of the shaving cream.  Here is what it looked like when it dried

Gluten Free Oatmeal Cookies

My kids love to help me in the kitchen, especially Aiden.  Every time he hears the mixer or blender turn on he runs into the kitchen and hops on the stool.  At first I have to admit I found it a little bothersome to have them help me (sad I know).  Let's be honest...Kids+cooking=huge messes!  But then I stopped and realized how much he actually enjoyed it and how much he can learn by helping me.  First of all, if they really like it then I should foster that love and encourage them to help me~They are wanting to help me so for that I should be grateful.

There is so much that you can learn when cooking and baking~numbers, vocabulary, measurements and science (talking about how heat changes the food and cooks it so that we can eat it).

I use to have them stand on a stool so they could reach the counter but it was hard for them to mix and actually reach in the bowl so I decided to do it on the floor.  This way there is less spilling and they can actually get in there and help.

I try to plan at least two things a week for them to help me with...more kid friendly recipes but they are still in there at least once a day helping.

First we always wash our hands and then I go over the recipe with them.  I talk about what ingredients it needs and we get out the measuring cups and spoons.

This week we made Gluten Free Oatmeal Cookies with Chocolate Chips.  They were a big hit!  I finally had to put them in the freezer so that we (I) would stop eating them :)

Here's the recipe:

1/4 cup butter
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
3 cups rolled oats
3/4 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup chocolate chips
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup peanut butter*

*I would suggest using a brand that you dont have to stir~I used trader joes creamy peanut butter (you have to stir the oil that separates)  they tend to come up flatter.

Happy Memorial Day

Happy Memorial Day!  

Thank you to everyone who gave it all

Candyland-A New Twist on a Classic

When I was little I loved playing Candyland! I really loved picking the Frosty Princess card! Now Samantha loves playing candyland~this makes me happy to be able to play it again! At first it was great because it helped her learn her colors but now she knows her colors so I wanted to make it more challenging. I wrote letters and sight words on the cards. I left some cards blank because my younger two are still learning their colors.
I had seen this on online awhile ago and I finally got around to doing it. When she draws a card that has a letter on it. She says the letter, letter sound and a word that starts with the letter. When she draws a sight word we tell her word and she repeats it. She keeps asking to play so she must like it! Aiden can still play with us. He knows his colors and letters so he is working on the letter sounds. Who knew Candyland could be such a great learning tool 😊

Paint With Water

I'm not sure where you live but out here it's already hot! I mean 100+ hot!
The kids have been wanting to go outside all day so finally around 4:30 it felt a little cooler (90 or so) and out we went.  They love playing with water so I tried having them paint with water instead of just spraying each other with the hose.  I gave them a bowl of water and some paint brushes and let them go!  They have fun making designs on the ground and Samantha even wrote letters.  It was a fun activity that kept us all cool~and yes we end up spraying each other with the hose.

Cleaning Schedule

It's so easy for my house to get out of hand. One day of not doing laundry and all of the hampers are overflowing with clothes! I am not that person that can spend all day cleaning their house...I have 3 little kids and they need lots of attention :). Plus I always feel like I am missing out when I spend the day cleaning. So I came up with this cleaning schedule. This way I can do a little every day and my house stays clean and my kids are happy and so am I because I love a clean house :)

I hope this helps you!

Letter Matching

My little guy has been sick since last week and he has had a hard time sitting still and resting because, well, he's a boy that doesn't stop moving...except for TV.  So we've been watching more TV than usual.   Today we (I) needed a break from TV....So we colored and matched some letters. They both did great matching. Aiden needed some help peeling the stickers but he seemed to enjoy finding the letters.  He even wanted me to make another paper so he could do it again!

I don't know why but I am obsessed with buying the alphabet stickers from the dollar section at target.  I've been trying to think of something different to do with them besides spelling their names or just sticking them.  Here it is...

Simple piece of paper...letters mixed up all over...alphabet stickers equals 15 minutes of fun for a 2 year old  :)

 Here's Aiden's paper