Our Memorable Moments Outside (Days 85-91)

Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature.

It will never fail you. ~ Frank Lloyd Wright

{Favorite of the Week} Today was another scorcher.  We didn't want to stay out too long since you've been feeling a little under the weather, but I thought having a little fun with water might brighten your day.  After seeing some great suggestions from Creative With Kids' post on water play, we set out for some simple, clean fun.  Here's what we used:

A plastic and metal bowl ~ rocks ~ a sand strainer ~

small colanders ~ bubbles ~ a spoon ~ cup ~ sponges ~ WATER!

This whole activity took me about 5 minutes to set up and you loved it!  I simply gave you the materials and you took the lead.  I have learned to observe you as you're playing to see if there is anything else that you would add to the activity (since you can't come right out and ask). As you were playing, I noticed that you tried transferring the water from bowl to bowl with the small colander.  I asked you if you wanted a cup and you shook your head "yes."  Then, I saw you do the same thing with the sand strainer.  You had the same answer when I asked if you needed a spoon. 

   

Here are a few other things that we learned during playtime:

* The rocks made a different sound when dropped into the plastic bucket from when they fell into the metal one.

* Your main focus was pouring, scooping, transferring water from bowl to bowl, in addition to practicing life skills like washing your face and hair!

* You didn't care much for the strainers or sponges (which were new to our play), which is perfectly fine.

I just love learning what you are interested in during this phase of your life. What a wonderful activity to share with you on a sunny afternoon.  Here's a look back at the rest of our week outside!

Day 85

Duration: 1+ hours

Birthday Party for Eric Carle

Original Post

Day 86

Duration: 15 minutes

Watering the Flowers (and smelling!)

Day 87

Duration: 15 minutes

Storytime on the Patio

Day 88

Duration: 15 minutes

Bird Watching (sick day!)

Day 89

Duration: 15 minutes

Picking Herbs for Playdough Cooking

Original Post

Day 90

Duration: 30 minutes

Woodpecker Tracks Painting

Original Post

For more outdoor play ideas, please stop by our Outdoor Culture page.  

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Over in the Forest: Come and Take a Peek ~ Story and Animal Tracks

Ever since we began our 365 Days Outdoors challenge, you have been fascinated with animal and bird watching!  We've made bird nesting kits, taken several nature walks, and even went to see some beautiful animals at the zoo.  Each time you pass a window in our house or are strolling on the nature trails you are constantly on the look-out for any type of wildlife that you can find.  That's why I knew your would enjoy the book, "Over in the Meadow: Come and Take a Peek" by Marianne Berkes.  Not only is it chalk full of critters from the forest, but it is also read like a song - a wonderful song from Mama's youth.

Toddler Inspired Cooking with Herb Playdough

We've decided to keep things very simple over the past few days.  Even though you have been feeling a little under the weather, you needed something to get you moving...thinking...playing.  I decided to take a look at our Toddler Summer Bucket List to see if there were any quiet time activities that could help keep your mind off of your discomfort.  I thought that cooking with some Natural Herb Playdough from The Imagination Tree would be perfect.  We used only basic materials found in your room for this toddler inspired cooking play and yet, you managed to take it to a whole other level.

We stepped outside to collect a bit of Rosemary from the garden. You love to use your five senses...the smell was lovely, just like you.

After we picked some Rosemary, we mixed up a batch of playdough (adding a touch of cinnamon for some extra scent) in the real kitchen before heading into your room to play.

Once it cooled, I found your apron and chef's hat, then got your dressed for your task at hand.  Using your imagination.  I added a few items from your play kitchen and then we talked through the whole activity.  Just me and you...discussing how to cook, what comes next, what we need, and how yummy everything tasted.

You thought the dough could use a bit of salt and pepper.

When it was time to cook the food, you knew just what to do.  So many times that I'm in the kitchen, I see you watching me.  Studying what I'm doing.  It amazes me how much you pick up and how you can remember each of the steps.

You knew to put on your oven mitt.  We talked about how pans are hot when you are using them in the oven.

After you put you food in, you adjusted the buttons on the oven.

You also used a bit of fancy footwork to close the fridge.

You are so happy with your finished product.

And you love sharing your food with friends.

This time we spent together was so sweet.  You asked Mama to sit at the table to eat and I did.  You asked me to fill up one of your pans, so I got my hands into the playdough as well.  Do I need to know what you made? No.  You knew what you were making...it could have been pizza or cookies or even bread.  What's important is that you took the lead and this cooking activity was inspired by you, my little toddler.  One of the best parts was that you were able to rest after our bit of pretend play.  Maybe it tired you out - maybe it helped you burn off a little pent up energy from being cooped up indoors...whatever the reason, you are quietly napping right now, and you went down for some much needed rest without a peep.

More Fun with Playdough:

Sand Playdough Castles

Pretend Play Holiday Baking with Scented Playdough

Pretend Play Gardening with Cocoa Playdough

Edible Peanut Butter Playdough

Thank you so much for stopping by!  If you enjoyed this activity, please join us on Facebook.  You can even explore our boards on Pinterest if you are looking for more inspiration for play, learning, and nurturing little global citizens of the world.

Guest Post at Playdough to Plato

With my little guy getting closer and closer to preschool age, I am always looking for fun and creative ways to introduce him to pre-reading strategies and activities.  I have found many wonderful ideas at Playdough to Plato and am so excited to be guest posting there today.  So please, stop by and check out our Outdoor Sound Sort and don't forget to explore the blog while you're there!

Happy Birthday, Eric Carle!

When we found out that Eric Carle's birthday was coming up, we couldn't resist throwing a party to celebrate.  Any time cake is involved, we're there.  I decided to plan this little celebration around one of your favorite books - The Very Hungry Caterpillar!  Since you remind me so much of that munching machine, I thought that this would be right up your alley!  We took a look at everything that hungry caterpillar ate and planned out menu around it.  Here's what we came up with.

Our Memorable Moments Outside (Days 78-84)

"The family is one of nature's masterpieces." ~ George Santayana

Day 78
Duration 6+ hours
Father's Day at Idlewild Park

Celebrating the Summer Solstice

Summer has officially began with one of the hottest days of the year!  We decided to celebrate the Summer Solstice by creating a Night and Day Sensory Bin and checking one item off of our Summer Bucket List...getting messy with cloud dough! 

For our Night and Day Sensory Tray, I went in search of something new for a "black as night" base.  I found black aquarium rocks in the pet store and thought that you would love them, based on your affinity for collecting rocks.  I'm so lucky that you never put any of the play items in your mouth, but I always keep a close eye on you, just in case! Here's a list of everything that was included:

Daily Connections with my Toddler

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Pausing to listen to an airplane in the sky, stooping to watch a ladybug on a plant, sitting on a rock to watch the waves crash over the quayside - children have their own agendas and timescales. As they find out more about their world and their place in it, they work hard not to let adults hurry them. We need to hear their voices. ~Cathy Nutbrown

As you wake up each morning so joyful and full of life, it fills me with hope.  Hope that I can be the kind of mother that you need and deserve. The kind of mother that you deserve chooses not to hurry through the day and takes the time to connect with you on every level possible while you are still at this tender age of one.  There are so many ways to reach your level and let you know that I'm here and I'm listening to the language of you, my little toddler.

This simple list that I am making is a reminder for myself.  A reminder that will help us enjoy and make the most out of each day that we are together...without rushing, without glossing over those special moments that we share, just bonding.  Each of the items on this list, are daily "rituals" that I feel are important to mother and son (or even to the entire family).  Here is what our days consists of among the hustle and bustle, between the errands, and around the mundane tasks of the everyday.

~ Read together...a book, three books, a stack of books

~ Enjoy a meal with each other without distractions

~ Encourage you to assist me with a chore, task, or recipe

~ Sing songs (and dance!)

~ Go outside...to play, sit, or explore

~ Awaken your five senses...point something out for you to see, smell,
   taste, feel, or hear

~ Look into your eyes when you talk to me

~ Talk to you...explain, discuss, question, answer, and share

~ Make you laugh

~ Help you "copy" Mama...give you a brush, a pen & paper, car keys

~ Give you the opportunity to discover/explore/learn something new

Each of these special moments can be shared within a few short minutes of the day.  When we experience these as mother and son, I feel that our connection grows stronger, we understand each other a bit more, and we learn to enjoy our time together as a family.  Everyone always says that children don't stay little for very long.  By being intentional with the moments we do have, it allows those cherished years to go by not with regrets, but with the certainty that we were there, present with that little child that has now grown into a young adult.

I asked other mothers out there in the blogosphere, how they try to connect with their little ones. Here are several lovely moments that they've shared connecting with their little ones.

~ Spending time together - cuddling, laying with them to go to sleep at night whispering about the day we've had and our plans for tomorrow - it's something I've always done at bedtime with both of them. I love it, it's such a nice end to the day and reminds me why I'm at home with them. ~ Rainy Day Mum

~ Taking slow walks and stopping to look and talk about whatever caught my daughter's interest whether it be a bug, a flower, cracks in the sidewalk, red cars, or a neighbor's dog. ~  The Golden Gleam

~ Sitting on the floor with them and playing. Doesn't matter what toys, our favourites are tea parties, trains and small world. ~ Here Come the Girls

~ We love reading by the fireplace or under a tree. It always calms us down and gives us some time to talk, laugh, and hug. It is a great way to recharge our day when things start to get a little crazy. ~ Adventures in Reading with Kids

~ The best way I know to connect with my son is to agree to make the digger noises while we did in the sand pit. It shows I am present in his play. I don't do it often enough but when I do you can see how much he enjoys it. ~ Taming the Goblin

~ My one year old loves for me to take him on the deck and play in the playhouse. We hammer in the nails on the work area and make phone calls in the play phone. We both love spending that time together. ~ Frogs Snails and Puppy Dog Tails

~ One of my favorite ways is reading together - usually in the morning has he slowly goes between eating breakfast, books and play as I sift through emails and have my coffee and breakfast. We read and talk about the book and then he'll take a break and eat, and I'll hop back on the computer. I also love bedtime, which also usually includes either reading or story telling. Our walks are also a big hit - we talk a lot about what we see. ~ The Good Long Road

~ For me its reading. I find out many things about what my son is thinking when I ask open-ended questions about the book, or in relation to a similar situation he's been involved in. ~ Little Moments

~ My son (2.5yo) loves nursery rhymes. We enjoy singing the rhymes and doing the actions. But if he is a bit under the weather, nothing like cuddling and breastfeeding. After the feed, he is generally much better and will start jumping on me. ~ Smiling Like Sunshine 

~ My son loves to read. He will sit in my lap and let me read to him for a while. I just love this one on one time with him. We also love to dance and sing.  ~ Being a Conscious Parent

~ Family meals together at the table. ~ In Lieu of Preschool

~ One of my favorite ways to connect with my toddler is to sit and play trains with her and be available a lot for hugs and cuddles. I also love to sit in our cosy reading chair with her and read dog stories and tickle her.  ~ Toddler Approved

~ Just sitting or lying down having a cuddle and chatting. Sometimes I give him a massage too to unwind, which is a lovely way to connect, I think. Creative Playhouse

~ Zel loves sharks, every so often I will grab his shark puppet and pretend that it is going to eat him (we also make the jaws music while doing this...duh duh duh duh). He laughs so hard at this. Then I kiss attack him!
 ~ Z is for Zel

~ We have a Jar of Love - conversation starters that the kids and I enjoy chatting about. ~ Kids Activities Blog

~10 Simple Ways to Connect with Your Toddler Series ~ One Perfect Day

For more ways to connect, please visit the following links: 

Reading - The Greatest Gift of All ~ Kindergarten & Preschool for Parents & Teachers

Connecting with Do-Nothing Time ~ WordPlayHouse

"Learn as You Go" I Spy ~ Life at the Zoo

Toddlers Won't Wait For You To Have The Perfect Time To Connect ~ Creative With Kids

Toddler Games ~ The Good Long Road



I would love for you to share a simple, easy way that you connect with your toddler each and every day.  Please share your thoughts in the comment section or visit our Facebook page!

Father's Day at Idlewild Park

To celebrate Father's Day we decided to check another item off of our Summer Bucket List and head to Idlewild Park for some fun in the sun.  This was your first time to an amusement park and this was the perfect one because it is geared towards younger children.  You had a lot of firsts today...your first ride ever, your first ride alone, and you first ride on a trolley!  The weather was perfect for a picnic lunch at the park, too.  Here are some highlights from our trip!

Summer Virtual Book Club ~ Mo Willems

When the June author for our Summer Virtual Book Club was announced, we were intrigued.  We had never read a book by Mo Willems, so we headed to the library to see which books we had to choose from.  Luckily, they had several checked in and we ended up walking out with Should I Share My Ice Cream?

This was such a cute book about sharing, making decisions, and spreading  happiness to others by showing kindness.  Gerald really wanted to share his ice cream with Piggie, but was torn between eating it all himself and making his friend happy.  So, we decided to help him out and make enough for everyone to share!  Of course, we made our own ice cream!

Our Memorable Moments Outside (Days 70-77)

“Teaching children about the natural world should be treated as one of the most important events in their lives.” – Thomas Berry

Day 70
Duration: 3+ hours
Family Picnic

All Year Round Summer Carnival: Get Hands On with Nature!

We are already one month into our All Year Round Carnival: Summer Edition and already there are over 200 ideas linked up!  If you haven't made your Summer Bucket List yet, you can find tons of wonderful ideas that others have shared HERE!  

Being outdoors is my favorite part of summertime. With a toddler, I just love finding ways for him to explore and be more hands-on with nature. The All Year Round Carnival is definitely not short on ideas for that. Here are some amazing activities to help kids get their hands on items that they can find right outside their windows (Along with a few we've already tried at home.)

Nature Combinations and Discovery

1. Search your backyard for items to place in a Nature Center Table to display and enjoy! ~JDaniel4's Mom

2. Head outdoors and find a nature path filled with different types of flora to explore and name! ~Like Mama Like Daughter

3. Make land art to foster creativity in the littles, with the items that you collect outside! ~Smiling Like Sunshine

4. Create your own Waldorf inspired summer nature table so that the kids can continue to enjoy their items after they come indoors! ~Here We Are Together

5. Use your imagination and design a nature collage after a little outdoor discovery! ~All Things Beautiful

Flowers

6. Gather dandelions and make chains with them. ~ All Things Beautiful

7. Make a lovely flower bouquet for your Barbie doll. ~ Doodles and Jots

8. Pick dandelions and other flowers to create keychains, use for water play, and make clay prints. ~Sunnydaytodaymama

9. Cook up a meal for your stuffed bunnies using flowers from your garden. ~Connecting Family and Seoul

Sand & Shells

10. Practice your letters in the sand while you're at the beach. ~LLM Calling

11. Decorate picture frames with sand and shells to capture a summer memory. ~Crafty Moms Share

12. Make sand play dough and build sandcastles! ~Connecting Family and Seoul

13. Have fun sorting all of the seashells that you collected on your last trip to the beach. ~Tea for Monkeys

Rocks and Mud

14. Nine, no ten, no nine things to do with a rock! ~Raise a Boy

15. Get dirty and make some mud pies. ~Connecting Family and Seoul

Critters

16. Make your own dragonflies using twigs and maple seeds. ~All Things Beautiful

17. Or try making your dragonflies out of corn stalks and leaves! ~Lightly Enchanted

18. Go on a bug hunt of your own and learn how to pick the critters up carefully! ~Rainy Day Mum

Edible Fun

19. Encourage the kids to lend a hand in the garden so they can grow and eat their own veggies and herbs. ~Plain Vanilla Mom

20. Take them berry picking and find 30 ways to eat blueberries! ~The Educators' Spin On It

I hope you found at least one idea to add to your bucket list!  If you have any activities or ideas for getting hands on with nature, I would love for you to share them at the All Year Round Carnival for Summer.  


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Sand Play Dough ~ Impressions and Castles

Well, we took the pledge!  I couldn't wait to get started making a "new to us" recipe for the Play Dough Pledge this week.  Since you've been having so much fun in the sand, we decided to find a recipe that incorporates it into the fun.  We found a super easy recipe for sand dough, added a bit of coconut extract for a "beachy" scent and gathered up our materials to start the impressions and castles outdoors!

For the first half hour you practiced making impressions in the play dough that I spread out on a cookie sheet.  All we needed were some cookie cutters and a few other gadgets that we found in the kitchen.

    

After we finished stamping and making designs in the play dough, we decided to turn our cookie sheet into a mini beach.  We found some tiny plastic cups, a few flags, and some shells for a decorative touch.  I helped you fill the cups with the play dough and turn them over to create castles.  You went to town sticking flags on top of them.  It was so cute the way you kept taking them off and putting them on with the notion that "the more, the merrier!" 

These two activities were so easy to put together!  The play dough only took about 4 minutes to make and then I quickly made a dash through the kitchen rounding up gadgets for the impressions and sand castles.  I'm so excited that this dough will keep for awhile!  We may have to try a few more ways to play with it.

Thank you so much for stopping by! If you enjoyed this post, please join us on Facebook. You can even explore our boards on Pinterest if you are looking for more inspiration for play with natural elements, learning, and nurturing little global citizens of the world.