Week 7: Bake/Make/Cook Day Saturday!

Saturdays are set aside to spend some quality, fun time in the kitchen with your child

Frightfully Easy Ghosts and Cutie Bugs

And

Peanutty Halloween Cookie Pizza

Frightfully Easy Ghosts and Cutie Bugs

• 8 oz. vanilla-flavored candy coating, cut into pieces
• 8 oz. chocolate-flavored candy coating, cut into pieces
• 1 package(1 lb) peanut-shaped peanut butter-filled sandwich cookies
• 32 miniature semisweet chocolate chips
• 16 regular-size semisweet chocolate chips
• 32 small pretzel twists
• 32 miniature candy-coated chocolate baking bits

1. Line cookie sheets with waxed paper.  In 2(1-Quart) saucepans, separately melt vanilla candy coating and chocolate candy coating over low heat, stirring each constantly, until smooth.
2. Ghost cookies will be dipped in vanilla coating; bug cookies will be dipped in chocolate coating.  Coat and decorate a few cookies at a time as coating sets up quickly.  For each ghost or bug, place cookie in coating; lift out with fork, letting excess drip off.  Place cookies, coated side up, on cookie sheets.
3. For each ghost, place 2 miniature chocolate chips on each coated cookie to look like eyes and 1 regular chocolate chip for the mouth.  Let stand 10 minutes until set.
4. For bugs, cut pretzels into curved pieces for legs.  Dip one end of each curved piece in chocolate coating.  Cut 2 short pieces for antennae.  Dip one end of each pretzel piece in coating; place 2 antennae on top of each cookie.  Place 2 candy-coated baking bits near antennae for eyes.  Let stand 10 minutes until set.
5. Makes 32 cookies.

Tips: If the mixture is too thick for dipping, stir in melted shortening, a teaspoon at a time, to thin the mixture.

Peanutty Halloween Cookie Pizza

• 1 roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury refrigerated chocolate chip cookies
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 cup Halloween-colored candy-coated chocolate candies (reese's pieces)
• 1/2 cup dry-roasted peanuts
• 1/4 cup vanilla creamy ready-to-spread frosting

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Line 12-inch pizza pan with foil; grease foil with shortening.  Break cookie dough into 2-inch pieces; arrange evenly in pan.  With floured fingers, press to form crust.
2. Bake 16 to 18 minutes or until deep golden brown.  Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
3. Use foil to lift crust from pan.  Carefully remove foil from crust; place crust on serving platter or try.  Spread peanut butter over crust.  Sprinkle with chocolate candies and peanuts.
4. In small microwavable bowl, microwave frosting uncovered on High 10 to 15 seconds or until thin enough to drizzle.  Transfer to small resealable food-storage plastic bag.  Cut small hole in 1 corner of bag; drizzle over cookie pizza.  Cut into wedges or squares.
5. Makes 16 servings.

Tips: Pipe the frosting in a spider web design.

Week 7: Bake/Make/Cook Day Saturday!

Funny Fridays!!!!!

Unusual Tooth Pick!!!!

This story starts when my family went shopping at Target last October.  We were walking around looking through the Halloween section, when all of a sudden I heard my 16 year old son hollering for us.  We were around the corner when he started hollering.  We walked back around the corner and to our surprise my son had something stuck to his foot.  It was a Big Styrofoam Pumpkin.  He was walking and his foot went right into the pumpkin's mouth and got it lodged.  He said he had been trying to get it out for a few minutes but it was really stuck.  I bent down to help him out, but it was so hard to do anything because I was laughing so hard.  I wanted to make sure I could get it out without breaking it.  I just kept saying,"I wonder what the people are thinking who are watching this on the video cameras.  I really wanted a copy of this one.  It took me a few minutes to finally unwedge his foot.  We laughed the rest of the shopping trip.  We even thought about purchasing the foot eating pumpkin that night, just for laughs.  When we went back the next week, we started laughing all over again and decided we were going to buy the pumpkin.  But when got back to the Halloween section it was gone.  Every time we see a styrofoam pumpkin we just crack up laughing.  I saw a shirt the other day that said, "I really stuck my foot in this one," and it was in orange and black.  I told my son I was going to make him one.  I could put in his foot in paint and place it on a shirt and draw a pumpkin by it.

Funny Fridays!!!!!

Supplies Needed For Week 8: October 25-October 31: Halloween Part 2!

This week is the 2nd week of Halloween!

Instructions For What To Do With Each Craft And Activity WIll Follow In A Couple Days. Except For Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday Which Will Follow A Couple Days Before Each Of Them.

Crafts:

• White Styrofoam Peanuts, Construction Paper, Glue, Crayons
• Black Pipe Cleaners, Suckers(Tootsie Roll Suckers Work Best), Gogglie Eyes, Glue
• Foam Sheets(Red, Yellow, Orange), Tissue Paper, Ribbon, Glue
• Foam Sheets(Black, Orange, White, Purple), Yarn(Black Or Orange)
• Egg Carton, Black Elastic String, Black Paint, Gogglie Eyes, Dowel, Black Pipe Cleaners
• Pipe Cleaners, Halloween Foam Stickers, Red String
• Black Construction Paper, White Paint
• Dark Construction Paper, White Paper, Glue, Markers
• Orange Construction Paper, White Paper, Black Marker
• Orange Foam Sheet, Halloween Shaped Foam Stickers, Hole Puncher, Ribbon
• Foam Sheets(Yellow, Orange, White, Black), Black and Brown Markers, Wiggle Eyes(18), 58-inch Length of Black Satin Ribbon, Black Pom Pom, Hole Puncher, Glue
• 2 Aluminum Pie Tins, Clean Pumpkin Seeds, Stapler, Stickers, Streamers
• Glow-in-the-Dark Fabric Paint(Yellow, Blue), White Paper, Black Marker, Wax Paper, Black Fabric Paint
• Four Wooden Craft Picks, Ball of Thin String, Quick Drying White Glue, Black Paint, Fine Point Paintbrush
• Sticky Foam Halloween Designs, Straws
• Plastic Bottle (with wide mouth like a gatorade bottle), Black Marker, Black Wire, Flashlight(small, flat)
• Big Plastic Soda Bottle, Kitchen Foil, Thin black cardboard, Silver Spray Paint, glue, Colored Cellophane, Shoelace or cord, Black Glitter and Sequins, Small Flashlight, Toothpick
• Trick or Treat Bag: Canvas Bag(found mine at Hobby Lobby), Glow in the Dark Fabric Paint, Paint(Black, Orange, Purple, Red), Halloween Stamps, Apples or Potatoes  
• Black Foam Sheet, Black Pipe Cleaners, 8 Gogglie Eyes, Black Yarn, Hole Puncher
•  ~ Leaves(Cut from Construction Paper-Fall Colors), Brown Construction Paper,Tape, Scissors 
• White Paper Plate, Orange Paint, Black and Green Construction Paper, Yarn
• About 20 milk caps, Green Construction Paper, Brown and Green Marker, Orange Paint, Black Marker
• Wooden Spool, Black Pipe Cleaners, Black Paint, 16 Black Beads, 2 gogglie eyes
• White Paper, White Yarn, 3 Bells, Hole Puncher
• Empty Paper Towel or Gift Wrap Tube, Paper Plate, Paint, Construction Paper, Glue, Stapler, Scissors
• Empty Water Jug, Orange Paint, Scissors, Black Sticky Back Foam Pieces
• Paper Plate, Halloween Shapes, Scissors, Yarn, Tape, Glue, Green Paint
• Empty TP Roll, White and Black Paint, White Yarn, Hole Puncher

Activities:

• Straws, Halloween Shapes made from construction paper(size of a yo-yo), Bowl
• 2 Kinds of Halloween shapes(6 of each kind), Cardboard, Black Construction Paper, Glue, Glitter
• White Poster Board, Orange Paint, Black Construction Paper, Tape
• 3 Sheets of Black and Orange Felt, Dried Beans, Yarn, Yarn Needle
• More Games and Printables Games, Click Here
• Ball of Black Yarn
• Paper Plate, Ballon
• Broom, Ballon
• Big Piece of Orange Construction Paper, Egg Carton, Yellow Paint, Green Paper
• 1 1/2 Cups Sugar, 3/4 Cup Light Corn Syrup, 2/3 Cup Water, 3/4 Teaspoon Salt, 1 teaspoon Vegetable Glycerin(sold at most party or natural food stores), 2 T. Butter, 2 teaspoons Lemon Juice

Food/Snacks:

• Cupcake Spiders: Cupcake, small candies, licorice
• Oreo Spiders: Oreos,  Licorice, M & M, Frosting
• Apple Dippers: Apples and Peanut Butter or Cheese
• Terrifying Twice Baked Mummies: 3 Baking Potatoes, 12 frozen cooked Italian-style meatballs(16oz Package), 1 Cup Tomato Pasta Sauce, 6 Slices Mozzarella Cheese, 12 Small Pimiento-Stuffed Olives, 1 dill pickle
• Hot Dog Mummies: 1 Can(11oz) Pillsbury Refrigerated Breadsticks(12 Breadsticks), 12 Large Hot Dogs, Cooking Spray
• The Creepiest Salad Bar: 1 Cup Italian Dressing, 1/4 Cup ketchup, 8 Cups Spring Mix Lettuce Blend, 1 Cup Green Bell Pepper, 1/2 Cup Shelled Sunflower Seeds, 1 Cup Cherry Tomatoes, 1 Cup Sliced Mushrooms, 1 Cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, 1 Cup Broccoli Florets
• Tasty Tombstones: 6 Large Baking Potatoes, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1 1/2 T. Paprika, 8 Slices Bacon, 2 Cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese, 1 Cup Chopped Black Olives, 1 Cup Chopped Green Onions, 1 Cup Ketchup or Salsa, 1 Cup Sour Cream, Pastry Bag or Plastic Bag
• Candy Corn Shots: 1 to 3 Tubes Decorating Gel(White, Yellow and/or Orange), Decorative Sugar Sprinkles(Yellow, Orange and White), 4 to 6 Clear Shot Glasses, 2 Large Scoops Orange Sherbet(about 1 Cup), 1 Cup Milk, 2 T Frozen Orange Juice Concentrate
• Witches' Brew: 2 Cups Apple Cider, 1 1/2 to 2 Cups Vanilla Ice Cream, 2 T Honey, 1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
• Halloween Pizza Bites: Refrigerated Pizza Dough or Make Your Own Kit, Pizza Sauce, Mozzarella Cheese Slices, Halloween Cookie Cutters
• Spider on a Stick: Big Marshmallows, Pretzel Sticks, Chocolate Dipping, Red Frosting for Eyes, Skewers
• Halloween Ritz Crackers and Cheese
• Refrigerated Halloween Cookies
• Halloween Donuts or Donut Holes

Songs:

• I'm a Little Pumpkin (Tune: I'm a Little Teapot"

I'm a little pumpkin round and fat.

I have two eyes now look at that.

You can light me up, put a candle within,

Turn out the lights and watch me grin!

• The Eensy Weensy Spider

Videos/Books:

• Word World Halloween (Target or Amazon around $6)
• It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown(on tv this Wednesday on ABC at 7 pm)
• Casper Movie
• Casper's Scare School on Cartoon Network at 10 am M-F
• Halloween Cartons on Nick Jr. on Sunday, Oct 25 starting at 5a.m.
• Pooh's Heffalump Halloween Movie
• Mickey Mouse Clubhouse - Mickey's Treat on Disney Channel 10/24 8am; 10/25 8:30am; 10/30 7:30am; 10/31 8am
• Haunted Mansion by Disney
• Little Witch's Big Night By Deborah Hautzig
• Candy Witch By Steven Krol
• Miss Spider's Tea Party By David Kirk
• How Spider Saved Halloween By Robert Kraus
• The Very Busy Spider By Eric Carle
• Leaf Trouble By Jonathan Emmett
• Cat Nights By Jane Manning
• Miss Smith and the Haunted Library By Michael Garland
• Trick or Treat, Smell My Feet By Diane de Groat
• Scooby-Doo and the Hungry Ghost By Scholastic
• How The Wind Plays By Michael Lipson

Wacky Wednesday: Magic

• 3 Different Magic Card Tricks at Dollar Tree
• Finger Traps
• Dowel, Black and Gold(Sprinkle) Paint
• White Gloves, Black Cape and Black Top Hat(Black Construction Paper, Paper Plate, Black Paint, Stars, Gold Glitter Glue
• Rabbit Cookie Cutter, Bread, Meat, Cheese
• Hot Dogs/ Chicken Fingers/ Fish Sticks and French Fries
• Milk, Something to add to milk like Strawberry syrup, Magic Changing Powder
• Cheetos(change your mouth colors)
• Graham Crackers, Frosting(Vanilla, Chocolate and Red)
• Pretzel Rods and Chocolate and Vanilla Frosting, Sprinkles
• Bunny Shaped Chocolates and/or Gummies
• Different Flavored Jelly Beans
• Jack and The Beanstalk Story (Book and/or Movie)
• Bean Soup: Dried Navy Beans or 15 Bean Soup Mix, Chopped Ham(Recipe on Back of Bean Bag) and Cornbread muffin mix.
• 15 Bean Soup for Art Work, Construction Paper, or Cardboard 
• Bertie Botts Every Flavor Jelly Beans(found at Kmart, Walgreens)
• Ballons, Tape, Needle
• Sheets of White Paper, Jelly Beans, Plastic Bag, Black Marker, Mirror, White Crayon, Blue Marker, Empty Shoe Box, Container
• Crayons(Black and Others), White Sheet of Paper, Penny
• Deck of Cards, Black Magic Hat
• 2 Sheets of Paper, Clear Tape, Ribbons, 
• Watch Harry Potter Movies, Disney's Sword and The Stone,
• Disappearing Thumb Trick
• 3 Plastic Cups, Pom Pom
• Black Magic Hat, Rabbit
• Box Of Crayons Trick
• Tons of Magic Tricks at Michael's in $1 Section

Thirsty For Knowledge Thursday:

• Index Cards
• 2 Duplicate Pictures Of Items 13 and 14
• 3 8 x 10 Cardboard Pieces
• Foam Book, 2 duplicate Pictures Of Items 13 and 14
• Cardboard, Marker, Yarn, Plastic Needle
• Blank white paper, Markers, Stickers
• 14 Toys
• Foam Sheets(Red, Two Other Colors), Brad, Foam Numbers
• Foam Sheet, Card Stock, Yarn
• 2 Discarded compact discs(CD's), 4 twist ties, glue, 2 wiggle eyes, hole reinforcement, sheet of sticky circles
• Small plastic jar with lid, 4 gogglie eyes, 3 pop bottle caps, button, glue
• Package of brightly colored Post-it small page markers, shape punch(like Star), glue
• 4 Old wire hangers, open grassy area, pen, 4 pieces of paper, flat plastic can lid(such as a coffee can lid)

Bake/Make/Cook Day Saturday:

S'mores Pudding:

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 6 Tbsp. Cornstarch
• 1/2 cup Unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp. Salt
• 5 Cups Whole Milk
• 4 Large Egg Yolks
• 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
• 6 oz. Semisweet Chocolate, Chopped
• 6 Whole Graham Crackers
• 30 Miniature Marshmallows

Carmel Popcorn Balls:

• 16 cups plain popped popcorn (do not use butter popcorn)
• 1 package (14 ounces) caramels
• 1/4t cup (1/2 stick) Butter
• Pinch of Salt
• 1 2/3 cups shredded coconut
• 1 package (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
• 10 to 12 lollipop sticks
• Halloween Sprinkles and Decorations
• Waxed Paper

Supplies Needed For Week 8: October 25-October 31: Halloween Part 2!

Thirsty For Knowledge Thursday! Week 6 : October 22 : Number 11 & 12

Thirsty For Knowledge Thursday:

Thursdays will add an additional educational learning to the end of each week.

Supplies Needed: Index Cards, 2 Duplicate Pictures Of Items 11 and 12, 3 8 x 10 Cardboard Pieces, Foam Book, 2 duplicate Pictures Of Items 11 and 12, Cardboard, Marker, Yarn, Plastic Needle, Dominos, Blank white paper, Markers, Stickers,12 Toys, Great Printables Click Here, Round blank stickers, Glue, Ruler, Clock

Foam Number Books:

1. This week add the numbers 11 and 12 to your number books.
2. Remember to write 11 on the first page, 11 on the second page, eleven on the third page, and twelve on the fourth page and repeat with the rest of the pages.

Picture Books:

1. On the eleventh page put the following on top in the middle of the page 11(make sure its big enough)
2. Then a little bit below the number 11 put the spelling of the number 11 (Eleven).
3. Then directly below the word one put a picture of any Eleven items like apples, oranges, or bananas (make sure it is eleven items).
4. What is really neat to use for all this is foam letters, letters and pictures.
5. On the twelfth  page do what you did with the eleventh page except use the number 12, the word twelve and a picture of 12 items like 12 suns, 12 shoes, or 12 stars.

Index Cards:

• Place the number 11 on a card, word eleven on a card, a picture of eleven items
• Also write the number 12 on card, word twelve on a card, and a picture of twelve items.
• Add these cards with the your other index word cards.
• Remember to add the numbers and words to your key chain card holder
• Remember to keep on teaching  your kid's math.  Here's an example: Write on a card 6+ 6=12 on the other side have a picture of twelve items. And the number twelve written out.  Try not to go above = 12. Keep it real simple.

Number Sewing:

• Don't forget you can have your child sew the numbers 11 and 12. 

Memory Game:

• You and your child can now play their memory game with the numbers 11 and 12.

Math:

• Remember to do more math with your child

Yarn Math Art:

• Supplies Needed: Construction Paper, Yarn, Glue and Scissors : Have your child make numbers from pieces of cut up yarn.

Activities:

Copy Clapping:

• Start a clapping pattern, for example: clap two fast and two slow; clap one high,one low, one to the left, and one to the right; clap twice in the air, pat knees twice.  Count as you do this.

Copy Actions:

• Have your child repeat movements, like clap one time.  Then ask them to do something for you or others to copy two times like stomp two times. So you must clap once and then stomp two times. Then it's the next persons turn for three and repeat until you get to twelve. Other examples might be touching your nose, jumping, sitting down, wiggle a body part like their leg, arm circles, touch your toes, etc.

Ruler:

• Cut  pieces of yarn from one inch to twelve inch.  Then put them in a pile and have your child grab a piece of yarn and measure the yarn.
• Have them use the ruler for drawing lines different sizes on a piece of paper.
• Have them measure things around the house.  Like their fingers, feet, hands, cereal boxes, books or crayons.

Sticker Math:

1. On a sheet of paper, divide the paper in 6-8 squares with black marker.  In one square put 5 yellow(same color or same one) one left side, and 5 white stickers on right side. At the bottom of the square put  ______ yellow and next to it put a _____ white.  Then under that put a _____ + ______ = 10. 
2. Have your child count the yellow stickers and write 5 on the blank line next to the word yellow and count the white stickers and write 5 on the blank line next to the word white.
3. Next, put 5 + 5 = 10.  If they need to have them count all the stickers in that square.
4. Make sure to explain to your child what they just did.

Sticker Counting:

1. On a blank piece of paper place circle dots across the page in a crazy line if you want.  
2. If you put eight dots on the paper, you can write one on the first dot, then skip a two dots(these are for the numbers 2 and 3) then write 4 on a dot, skip a dot(for 5) and write 6 and leave the last two blank(7 and 8).
3. Have your child write in the missing numbers and then have them connect the dots.

Circle counting:

1. An example of what you could in numbers 2-6.
2. On a sheet of paper, place 12 stickers(any kind).  
3. Under the stickers write 12 = _______ + __________.
4. Then have your child circle a group of stickers, like 8 stickers. Have them count the circled stickers and write that number in the first blank space. Then have them count the ones not in the circle and have them write that number in the second blank space.
5. Then have them write 12= 8 + 4.
6. Explain what they just did. 
7. You could use the number 12 several times and have them circle amounts each time and then show them that other numbers can equal 12 too.  Like 6+6, 9+3, 7+5  etc.  Try putting these on the same sheet of paper.

Clock:

• You can introduce a clock at this time.  Show them the numbers 1-12 on a click.  Explain to them that 1 is one o'clock. And so on.
• Also show them how to read a digital clock at this time too.
• Buy them a kids watch and ask them what time it is.  They could say 1:09 or one  zero nine.  They will have to do this with the bigger numbers past 12. 

Calculator:

• Introduce your child to a calculator.
• Let your child play with a calculator.  
• Show them how it works.  That 1+1=2.  And so on.

Thirsty For Knowledge Thursday! Week 6 : October 22 : Number 11 & 12

Wacky Wednesday: Backwards Day

Wacky Wednesday: Backwards Day

Wacky Wednesdays are a little break in the week, geared away from the weekly theme.  It lets the children have a little added fun. Your kids will love it when you say "Hey, guess what tomorrow is?  It's Wacky Wednesday!" Remember to have fun yourself. 

• Wear your clothes backwards and/or wear Pj's all day or mismatched clothes. Even wear your hair funny!
• Backwards Name: Masking Tape: Write your child's name backwards on a piece of  masking tape and stick it on your child's shirt and call them that all day.
• Switch Roles: Instead of being a mom or dad all day, switch roles with your child.  They can be the parents all day and you can pretend to be their child.  Please use your judgement on this one, you still need to be the adult when it comes to safety, cooking and such things.
• Talking Backwards: Try talking backwards all day.  For example: instead of saying Good Morning, Say Good Night. 
• Sing ABC's Backwards
• Sing Row, Row, Row Your Boat Backwards
• Count Backwards
• Read Backwards:  Try reading a book from end to beginning. Be daring and read it upside down too.
• Goose, Goose, Duck: Instead of Duck, Duck, Goose, try playing Goose, Goose, Duck.
• What's Wrong With This Room? Ahead of time, put 10 things wrong with your room.  Tape a picture on the ceiling, Put the pillows on the floor, blankets on the chair instead of the back of the chairs, coats on the floor, lampshade upside down, whatever you can dream up.
• Pin the donkey on the tail game: Same as Pin The Tail On The Donkey except, your pinning the donkey on the tail.
• Backwards Bean Bag Toss: Bean Bags (Make your own-Dried Beans, Material, Needle and Thread),  and Bucket: Place a bucket a little distance away from your child.  Hand your child bean bags and have them face backwards. The bucket should now be behind them.  Now have your child throw the bean bags and see if they can make it into the bucket.  They can throw it through their legs too.
• Soccer Ball: Soccer ball and Goal: Set up a goalie's net or make your own up with sticks or something.  Have your child try to kick the ball, while standing backwards, into the goal.  I wouldn't recommend running backwards trying to kick the ball because your child might trip over the ball.
• Upside Art: Sheets of paper, crayons, tape: Tape a sheet of paper under a table and have your child start drawing and coloring.
• Silly Putty:  1 T. Liquid Starch, 2 T. Glue: Mix together and have fun!  Try picking up print off of newspapers. 
• Games: Chutes and Ladders, CandyLand: Play these games from the end to the beginning.
• Toy Cars: When your child is playing with his toy cars, have them crawl backwards and the cars too.
• Toe Painting: Finger Paints, Paper, Newspaper: Instead of finger painting, have your child draw something using their toes and feet.
• Backwards Bowling Game (Make your own, with plastic bottles and something round or a small pumpkin): Place pins backwards.  Instead of one pin up front, place five up front and then go back from there.  And then have your child stand backwards and have them bowl between their legs.
• Ask Your Child: Ask your child what they think would be fun to do backwards, silly, or different.
• Silly Sunglasses: Pair of kids sunglasses, bag of  gogglie eyes, glue: Give your child a pair of sunglasses and then have them glue gogglie eyes all around the frame and sides.
• Backwards Tight Rope Walking: Masking Tape: Place masking tape on the flour about 6 foot long.  Now see if your child can walk backwards on the tape without falling off.
• Backwards Freeze Dance: Music: Instead of freezing when the music stops playing, stop dancing when the music is on.
• Playdoh (Make Your Own, See Recipe Below): Have your child play with the playdoh with their feet, instead of their hands.

PLAYDOH
1 c. flour 1 c. boiling water 2 tbsp. cream of tartar 1/2 c. salt 1 tbsp. oil Food coloring Mix and knead together. This playdoh is not sticky and does not dry out. All Sorts of Different Recipes found on www.cooks.com

Food/Snacks

Eat under the table, instead on top the table

• For Breakfast Serve: Pizza (Make your own, have child help out.) Try eating it backwards
• For Supper Serve: Breakfast Foods: Pancakes, Bacon, Toast, Eggs, Potatoes
• Upside Down Cone: Ice Cream, Sprinkles, Ice Cream Cones: Put some sprinkles into a bowl, then top with ice-cream and put a cone on top.
• Upside Down Cupcakes: Cupcakes, Frosting: Make cupcakes and instead of frosting the top of the cupcakes, frost the bottom.
• Milk in a Bowl: Straws, Milk: Pour some milk into a bowl, add a straw and have your child drink milk from a bowl instead of a cup.
• Pineapple Upside Down Cake.  Recipe

Books:

• The Alphabet from Z to A by Judith Viorst
• Backwards Bill By Shel Silverstein
• Silly Sally By Audrey Wood
• Green Eggs and Ham By Dr Seuss
• Backwards Day By Joan Holub and Jane Kurisu
• The Backwards Day By Ruth Krauss and Marc Simont
• 10, 9, 8 Polar Animals! A Counting Backward Book By Rebecca F. Davis

Wacky Wednesday: Backwards Day

Tuesday Tips

Tuesday Tips Will Be Helpful Information For You And/Or Your Child

Keeping Crafts Organized 

1. Buy a couple plastic shoe box size containers and place your different themed items into the boxes.  
2. Its great when you see stuff like Space, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Shapes, Colors, Dr. Seuss, winter, USA, Travel, Pirates,Etc., and you have a place to keep them. Those were a couple upcoming themes.
3. Buy a calendar, make one of your own, or print one out and write down what you would like to do each day with your child. Make sure to write down library story hours and when to return books.
4. Keep craft ideas, activities, coloring pages, etc. in folders or an accordion folder. 
5. Take pictures of craft ideas when you see them in books, so you don't forget.
6. Take a small pad of paper and pen with you when you go to the library or stores, so when you see a book you want to remember for later or buy online you won't forget about it.
7. Place different crafts items in its own containers.  For example: put all stamps and ink pads in one box, pom poms and googly eyes in a box, stickers in a box, etc.  I use a storage device with 9 bins in it and store my child's craft items that way, so whenever she feels like making something she can help herself to the crafts.  
8. I also use the 3 to 4 drawer plastic storage cases to hold crayons, paints, glues, foam craft items. 
9. I save all my recycled craft items in see-through pop-up laundry hampers. Make sure that recycled items are all washed before storing.  I store my plastic items like: empty sour cream containers, peanut butter containers, strawberry or blueberry containers, water bottles, etc., in one pop-up. And my paper items like: Cardboards, egg cartons, cereal boxes, macaroni boxes, empty t.p. rolls and paper towel rolls, etc. in another pop-up.
10. Small items like milk carton lids and rings, plastic bottle cap lids, plastic gravy lids, rubber bands, plastic pieces from toys, make-up containers, broken crayons, etc., in all plastic ice cream containers or bird seed containers. You never know what you might need.
11. Do not reuse milk cartons or used meat cases because of bacterial reasons.  Water cartons are okay to reuse for crafts.

Tuesday Tips

Halloween, Part 1

Here are a couple quick links for Halloween Week, Part 1!

• Supplies:

• Crafts and Activities:

Halloween, Part 1

Educational Learning For Toddlers: Week Seven

New Words For This Week Are: Love, Fall, Mat

Combine these three new words with: Cat, Dog, My, Bat, Log, Sat, On, Mom, Dad, Tree, The, Up, And, Big, Boat, Down, Sun

Supplies Needed For This Weeks Projects: 
Index cards, Foam book, Foam Letters, Cardboard, White Sheets of Paper, Construction Paper, Post-It Notes, Card Stock, Pictures of Green, Orange, Purple items, Foam Sheet, Crayons: Green, Orange, Purple, Foam Sheets, Paint(Red, Blue, Yellow), Egg Carton, Pipe Cleaner, Fruit Loops, Yarn, Marble, Flat Box, Finger Paint(Red, Blue, Yellow), Glue

Child's First Book

1. Make sure to add three new sentences to your Child's First Book.
2. For the word Love, I wrote: I love/ I love my mom/I Love my mom and dad
3. For the word Fall, I wrote: The leaves/The leaves fall off/The leaves fall off the tree.
4. For the word Mat, I wrote: The cat/The cat sat on/The cat sat on the red mat.

When your child is reading their book to you or anyone else, make sure not to just tell your child the words.  Have them spell it out, to see if they can get the word and/or see if they can pronounce it out.

Index Card Project:

1. Write the words Love, Fall, Mat on index cards.
2. On the other side glue a picture of that word or have them draw a picture.
3. You should have a nice pile of words now.
4. How is your child doing on their words?  If they are struggling with any words, work on those words more than the rest.  Ask them out of the blue, "Hey do you remember how to spell.....?

 Key-chain Index Cards:

• Don't forget to add these 3 new words to your key-chain cards.
• Are you remembering to use these while shopping.

Go Fish Game:

• Remember to add their words to their Go Fish Game.  

Little Foam Books:

• After adding the words to your new little foam books, your child will have 7 books to practice in now.
• Do you know where your child's other books are?

Shapes:

• Make a shape book just like the child's first foam book

1. On the first page write round circle, round circle, what do you see?  I see a square box looking at me. Have a picture of a round circle on the page.
2. On the second page write square box, square box what do you see?  I see a triangle looking at me.
3. On third page add another shape like rectangle, oval, octagon, heart
4. Then on last page write I see all the shapes looking at me.  Have a picture of all the shapes from magazines , stickers, stamps or by drawing them.

• What Shape Am I? Cut out shapes out of cardboard.  Have your child put their hands behind their backs and keep them there.  Put a shape in their hands and see if they can figure out the shapes behind their backs.  If, this is hard for them to do,  put the shape under a blanket and without picking see if they can figure out the shape under the blanket.

Colors:

• This week you'll be teaching your child about secondary colors: Green, Orange and Purple.  
• Secondary colors are made when you mix 2 primary colors together.
• Red and Yellow make Orange; Red and Blue make Purple; Yellow and Blue make Green.

• Add to their Foam Color Book: Make a circle with a Orange crayon on the top of page.  In the middle Write the word Orange in the color Orange and then search for something Orange in a magazine and glue it on the bottom of the page. Do this for Purple and Green too.

• Make a  color caterpillar.  

1. Supplies Needed: Cardboard egg carton(cut in half lengthwise make a strip of 6 cups), Paint(red, blue, yellow), 1 pipe cleaner, gogglie eye, glue
2. Put red, blue and yellow in different paint cups. Then in 3 other paint cups mix the other three colors.  Make sure to show your child what happens when you mix the primary colors together to make orange, purple and green.
3. Have your child paint each egg cup a different color.
4. Cut the pipe cleaner to make two antennae for the caterpillar.  Put a little glue on the end of the pipe cleaner and push it through the top of the head.
5. Draw a mouth or glue on a pipe cleaner for the mouth.
6. Glue on gogglie eyes.
7. If you want you can tie a piece of yarn to the front of the caterpillar, so your child can pull it around the house.

• Play the Color Dance Game:

1. Put down construction paper(red, blue, yellow, orange, purple and green) in a circle on the floor. Write each color in big black letters on the paper.
2. Have your child stand on/by a color.  They must tell you what color they are on.
3. Play music and have the child walk around/on the colors.
4. When the music stops they must stand on/by a color.  They must again tell you what color they are on.  If you want they could also spell the color out to you too.
5. Repeat.

• Finger-paint. Let your child experiment with mixing different colors together.  See what happens if they add a lot of blue and less red.  What happens?

Rainbows:

Learn about how rainbows are formed by clicking here

For more knowledge on rainbows click here

Remember the order of a rainbow with this acronym: ROY G BIV: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet(purple)

• Make a rainbow.  What order do the colors go in?  Remember you must add the color indigo to the colors, for a true rainbow.  Indigo is a dark blue.
• Make an edible rainbow bracelet with yarn and fruit loops. Could also glue fruit loops onto a piece of paper to make rainbow too.
• Make a rainbow crayon.  Put red, blue, yellow, green, orange and purple together and hold together with a rubber band and let them make rainbow circles.
• Make a color book:  

1. Take 8 sheets of paper and punch 3 holes down the sides.  Tie together with colored yarn.  
2. On the first page you can put your childs name, rainbow book and have them draw a rainbow.  
3. Put a different color on each page.  Have them draw an arch of that color on the top of the page. For Example: Write red on the top of the first page. Then fill the page up with that color.  For example on the red page put a picture of a red car, red shirt, red towel.

• Marble Paint: 

1. Put a sheet of white paper in a flat box.  
2. Have the paint colors Red, Blue, Yellow.
3. Place a little bit of a color onto the sheet of paper.
4. Then, place a marble into the box and let your child roll it around.  
5. Next, add another color to the box and repeat
6. Finally, add the last color into the box.  
7. Did the colors mix together to form other colors.
8. Let paper dry and hang.

• Go on a nature walk/hike and see how many colors you can find.  
• Play I spy the color.....

Books:

• A Magic Ribbon Book By: Betty Ann Schwartz
• Colors By Tana Hoban
• Little Blue and Little Yellow By Leo Lionni
• Red Day, Green Day By Edith Kunhardt
• The Blue Ballon By Mike Inkpen
• Growing Colors By Bruce McMillian
• Blue Bug's Book of Colors By Virginia Poulet
• Green Bear By Alan Rogers
• Colors Everywhere By Tana Hoban
• Mouse Paint By Ellen Stoll Walsh
• Shapes, Shapes, Shapes By Tana Hoban
• Shapes By Carol Watson
• Circles, Triangles, Squares By Tana Hoban
• A Rainbow of My Own By Don Freeman
• All The Colors of The Rainbow By Allan Fowler

Songs:

Shape Song:

"I'm Proud to Know My Shapes"  to the tune of "The Farmer in the Dell"

I'm proud to know my shapes,

I'm proud to know my shapes.

Follow along as I sing my song,

I'm proud to know my shapes.

Verse 1:

A circle looks like this, (draw in air)

A circle looks like this, (draw in air)

It's a shape like no other shape,

A circle looks like this. (draw in air)

Other Verses:

A square looks like this, (draw in air)

A triangle looks like this, (draw in air)

A rectangle looks like this(draw in air)

A diamond looks like this(draw in air)

An oval looks like this this(draw in air)

Ending:

I'm proud to know my shapes

I'm proud to know my shapes

You followed along as I sang my song,

I'm proud to know my shapes.

Some ideas were found in the book: The Giant Encyclopedia of Circle Time and Group Activities for Children 3 to 6 by Kathy Charner

A couple ideas were done by local schools and libraries.

Educational Learning For Toddlers: Week Seven