Activities? Games? What's been keeping the little ones busy and happy? With so little time running around outside it's hard to keep them happy and busy all day.
Yesterday we made sensory bags of oobleck, played with gingerbread playdough, and fizzy ice. We also made peanut butter feeders for the birds. Watching the birds out our front windows has become one of our fav winter past times.
Today we're getting out the shaving cream and food coloring and making pictures with that, plus paper plate twirly snowmen to hang on the ceiling. Maybe Twister, that always uses mucho energy. And lots of stories along with dancing to some jazzy tunes in dress-up clothes plus drawing with markers and using stickers.
So share some ideas, Please???

Reply

We are making borax snowflakes... playdough with glitter (snow)... playing outside (painting snow with spray bottles)...

Pancake party for lunch (dcb's last day). It was decided by scientific poll that pancakes was his favourite lunch.

And playing

Reply

Library trip, brought a container of snow in yesterday to play in, and just general chaos and bedlam.

Reply

I have no idea what month it even is....
..well, I have an idea but no clue what the date is.... every time I try to look at a calendar I see nothing but big red reminders of looming deadlines....

licensing renewals
QRIS rating renewals
several certification renewals
mentor training renewal
training classes (state doubled required annual hrs)
taxes

Oh, and I broke a filling a couple weeks back and have not made it to the dentist.....(too much anxiety about it to even make the appointment ) and it's probably a good thing I havent been in yet because I broke another one on the other side Tuesday.... *sigh*......

It's been BELOW zero here almost every day.....

And the DCK's?!? Well, some have been really super well behaved and others have been a little bit "off" or maybe just slow to recover from the holidays, I don't know but a couple of them literally brought me to tears last week...... and of course a "golden" family that is 6 months into doing the two kid thing is starting to really push their boundaries and when that happens I get a little fidgety


Buuuuuuuuuuuut, I have a good attitude and so far have still been showing up for work every day so it's all good.

Reply

I have been doing as little as possible. It has been a lot of "go play toys" this week. Because this nasty cold has my backside kicked. I think I am getting better now, but I hate to speak to soon.

Reply

We've been reading books about polar animals. We made handprint polar bears, and played a penguin matching game. Pretty low-key.

Reply

I've become super laid back the last couple weeks. I've had to have a little one shadow me constantly for the safety of the group and I just started my infant nephew in care so I am in the floor a ton just reading, singing, making funny faces, and having fun. We are thriving on our little tikes slide also. They are so excited b/c they learned how to go down the slide on their bellies this week. I will probably regret allowing that come summer, but hey they're bored inside. Aside from my own 4 yo, the oldest in my group just turned 2 this week so we are pretty mellow and low key right now. Ds and I have played outside quite a bit considering the cold temps, but we love having snowball fights and then coming in to warm up with "healthier" hot chocolate. Also a lot of coloring & reusable stickers.

Reply

It's been in the low 70's here this week....we've been playing outside and having picnic lunches as much as possible

Reply

Argh Lucky you.
BC and Thrifty, hope your off days get better soon.

My plan next week is to plant some grass with the dcks. One of my pups is always searching out grass when we go outside and I noticed they sell it at the grocery store for 4 bucks. Just a little milk jug size of planted grass for pets. So we'll be planting grass. The dcks will love it, my dogs will love it. Win win

Reply

We're working on our social/emotional skills right now after going through a bit of a rough patch with playing nicely together. Lots of collaborative play- collaborative art, building towers together, dramatic play games...I'm starting to see progress which is lovely!

Reply

Their own parents!!!

Yay for knee jerk reactions from the school board.

No ice, no snow, not even rain, just a few paid days off so far. It. Is. Awesome.

(FTR: In light of the recent paying forsnow day threads, before this thread get's derailed.... No, I did not close, they chose to stay home since they were all out with older siblings anyway.)

Reply

Winning! Keep up the good work

I have been trying to do one "special" thing each day.

M - CLOSED (Thank you all for giving me the courage to take a non essential holiday off. My kids were to surprised and grateful and parents didn't bat an eye!)

T - Paint Skating. Put out butcher paper to make a skating rink, then let them 3 at a time spread paint around with their feet. Cute and cleaned up easy.

W - Made rainbow ice blocks with food coloring in plastic cups and ice trays and bowls. Then put them in a large shallow tub for the kids to play with. Gave them cups of salt too.

H - Brought special musical instruments outside for band practice. They loved it - I will apologize to neighbors later

F - Not sure yet - some kind of construction/truck craft they can take home, since haven't sent any "product" home this week.

*Bin of beans and trucks have been out all week and getting played with a bunch. They like the variety of colors and textures of the assorted beans.

Reply