Random Idea: Activity Book

We get sent approx. once a month a large envelope filled with advertising and coupons. Most of it is useless but we hate to throw them away. The ads are blank on one side. I clip them together (bull clip or staples work fine - if your worried about staples cover with thick tape) to make scrap paper pads for the girls. This works well for little ones who go through paper like crazy.

We took it one step further today by making todays scrap pad into an activity book for Lu. Lately she has been going crazy for mazes, folding paper and dot to dots. I just drew a bunch of simple mazes and such on each page. Lu loved it! She esp. liked the simple mazes. I got her a maze coloring book but it was a little too challenging for her.

Folding paper is a very easy to teach. I had Lu bring the bottom of the paper (which I colored orange to help visually) up to the orange line. Line up and then smooth down with your hand to the folded edge. Paper folding is something that you don't think about teaching but is a skill that is helpful.

Random Idea: Wall Paper & Fabric Books

Many Paint, Wall Covering & Decorating stores will give away discontinued wall covering and fabric books. I just went and asked at our local store. They took my name and number and said they call people seasonally to clear out their old and discontinued books. She had an upholstery book on hand which she gave to us on the spot. She said she would be happy to call us when she had more to give away. So expect to see some crafty projects in the future using wall paper and or fabric samples!

We already made some beautiful bean bags! The upholstery fabric is nice and thick. The girls are having a blast making up games. We toss them into the laundry basket or onto our small Ikea circle rugs.

I suspect most teachers know this already...especially art teachers! Old wall paper books are great for the preschool & kindergarten classrooms. Because the wallpapers are stiff they are great for Collage, Cutting Shapes, Cutting Letters, Cut out pieces for Matching Games, Bulletin Boards...

Random Idea: Toddler Proof Chair Covers

Alright, so they aren't the most attractive things...but they are saving the caning on my nice chairs! It is probably pretty obvious I bought these chairs before I had kids. They were starting to look like the floor of my mini-van...not a pretty sight! I have tried everything. I bought chair covers that tie on, they ended up untied or pushed back. I tried making my own covers that velcroed on, they ended up undone and pushed back. So finally, I went to Joanne's Fabric and had the girls pick out vinyl covering of their choice and I staple gunned those suckers on! Well, lo and behold they love them and are very protective of their chair. I figure they are only young for so long. I'll have nice things someday...right???

Wednesday: Random Ideas

The Joy of a Cardboard Box
Here is one from the vault. We love cardboard boxes at the King household. With this box we decoupaged tissue onto the box -- doing each side in a different color scheme. We cut windows and a little door for Lulu's dolls. I also hung a lantern flash light from the top of the box for secret meetings with her "friends." This box was a rocket ship, boat, house, and submarine in its lifetime. We have turned a diaper box into a cat carrier for Lulu's stuffed animal Annie. We have painted, colored, glued macaroni, decorated with stickers...all types of boxes. So next time you geta box -- think of the possibilities! Tip: wait for nice weather, put the kids in smocks, arm them with rollers and giant paint brushes and let them go crazy painting a big box on your driveway or patio. Hose down the area for clean up.

Family game for even the littlest of players
This game was suggested by Laurie and her two cuties, Matthew & Ryan, in upstate NY. Her family likes to play Animal Charades. (Thanks Laurie!! I love getting ideas and suggestions.) Laurie printed out some clip art animals and cut them into squares. Each animal should be recognizable to all players. Animals vary depending on the age of the player. The game is played like traditional charades. Extension activity: Have older children help create the cards -- choosing which animals they want, coloring the pictures and writing the animals name onto the card. Sounds fun, we will be trying this at our next family gathering! **Just got an idea! What to do with your child's artwork! Cut up some of your child's abstract creations and use them as the back to your animal card. You can even laminate them for repeated use. Some idea for the youngest of players: cat, dog, bunny, kangaroo, penguin, pig, lion, elephant, chicken, shark...

Lacing Cards: Recycle Old Greeting Cards
Katie's Nesting Spot has a great idea for recycling all those cute cards your kids get. Glue the front and back together, punch holes around perimeter and have child use as a lacing card. A shoe lace with a nice long aglet works best. Katie suggest storing a few of them with shoe laces in a plastic baggy and stashing them in your mom bag for a great quiet activity.

Saturday Morning: Random Idea

My daughter, Lulu, loves wearing necklaces. Especially her Cinderella flashing necklace and a cute silver Southwestern designed necklace her Daddy brought back from a business trip. It came in a miniature pink Cowboy Hat -- what little girl wouldn't love it! I of course did not like her wearing necklaces fearing she would strangle herself. The solution...Magnetic Clasps sold at drugstores and advertised to no end on TV. They are marketed to the elderly but work AMAZINGLY for a 3.5 year old. She now can put on and take off her necklace as frequently as she changes her outfits...which is a lot. I have a future fashionista on my hands! At close to $10 a box they seem expensive but 4 come in a box. For me it was worth it because I don't worry so much now. There are plenty of other things to worry about, right!

Tuesday: Random Ideas

We found that Pharmacists do not put the refill/info sticker directly onto some prescription containers (mainly due to the size or shape constraints.) When you have more than one child and a terrible memory this is a problem. I discovered that Paper Tape solves this problem. It is semi transparent so you can see info underneath but it takes a permanent marker beautifully. I put the child's name and the dosing instruction on the tape.



When yogurt companies stopped putting the lid on top of the yogurts I started saving them. A year later I can't find a single one. I think our dishwasher is eating them. Well I discovered that the small Gladware top fits perfectly. It is a time saver. I know I am lazy and could easily put the yogurt into another container but if this saves a step...

**Allergy Tip: I have tried almost every type of egg replacement solution, applesauce, commercial egg replacer, oil, baking soda... I finally tried plain soy yogurt. It works beautifully for baked goods. It gives baked goods the right texture, moistness and doesn't impart a yucky flavor. So if your wee one is allergic to eggs try this in his/her muffins!

Friday: Random Ideas

We hung up some sentence strips in the kitchen with Lulu's name, address, age, phone number... to help her with name recognition. It is more there for her to look at and not something we drill into her.

We have sung her name to the old Mickey Mouse song since she was a wee one.

Who's the girl that mommy loves, who cute as cute can be...
L-U-C...I-N-D...A...K-I-N-G, Lucinda King, Lucinda King...

We also sing the Muffin Man song for her address.

Do you know Lucinda King, Lucinda King, Lucinda King
Do you know Lucinda King, she live on insert street?



Allergies: Milk, Eggs, Nuts & Seeds

We love Cherrybrook Kitchen Cake Mixes. They are a little expensive but sometimes we catch them on sale and stock up! They are great for pure convenience. There are so many instances when Lulu is invited to a family gathering, birthday party or a class party and we need to bring something for Lulu in replace of cake or dessert. We make a batch of these and freeze them for just such an occasion. We recently discovered Tropical Source Dairy Free & Gluten Free semi sweet chocolate chips (http://www.worldpantry.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/CategoryDisplay?cgmenbr=172832&cgrfnbr=447959) that taste very close to the real thing. We mix them into the Yellow Cherrybrook Kitchen cup cake mix. Yummm! Even dairy/egg eaters like these.

Dollar Store Love

Check out these cute kid size scoops! 3 for a dollar ( in the housewares aisle) at our dollar store. Yeah I can reclaim my measuring cups from Lulu's Lentil tray.