File Folder Games

I have several books and you can find more of these on the internet. File Folder Fun is the site. You print them out and color them, laminate and use magnets, velcro, or anything you have on hand to make them stick felt works too. I have several of them already made and several more I have just waiting for me when I have the time. I love to color so this is really for me, but they are the prefect quiet time activity for your toddler. I take them to church, I take them to the Doctors office while we wait in the lounge, I take them on road trips, you name it they are the best. I have even made some to add to a birthday present for my nephew, I think he still plays with them. I love them and wanted to share them with you.

Doily Flowers

This was a perfect little activity for my 20 month old who was feeling a little sad when her brother left for a play date. What you need...

Doily's we did round but they come in many shapes and are only 1.79 at Michael's. Paint, Paint Brushes, and Tape.

First you tape the doily in the spots you want them and then dab with paint. You could also use paint daubers, but I find them to be too watery for this particular project.

Then you let them sit for 10 minutes so they semi-dry. But we painted the other one so we could peel faster.

Then you peel off the doily.

We then added stems, and centers.

Then we let it dry and put it on our art wall. So CUTE!

My son was very upset he couldn't do it, he thought they we very nice and wanted to make one for his Grandma...I told him he could for Mother's day.

Making Pretzels

In our house we try to do one fun snack or dinner a week. When I say fun I mean something the kids can do with me or their father. This week was no exception. For family night we made pretzels. Here is what you need...

1 pkg of yeast

1 1/2 cups of warm water
1 t. salt
1 T. sugar
4 cups flour
1 egg, beaten
salt (optional)

Steps

Measure warm water into large bowl

Sprinkle on yeast and stir until soft

Add salt, flour, sugar

Mix and knead dough with hands
Roll and twist into desired shapes
Place on greased cookie sheet
Brush with beaten egg

Sprinkle with Salt(optional)
I did some sugar some salt...(for my lesson)
Bake 12-15 minutes at 350.

Enjoy!

My lesson was on eternal families and how being married was the knot that held us together forever. If you want the lesson comment and I will email it to you!

A special thanks to my husband who quickly volunteered to make this with the kiddos. I think he has been jealous that every time he comes home he has to hear about the fun stuff they have done with mom! :) It made picture taking so much easier this time!

Pepper Stamping

My kids had a play date the other date with their friend K. They love K. I do too he is so cute. We talked about seeds and things that come from seeds, things that have seeds and so on. I cut a yellow bell pepper in half and we tasted the seeds. We tasted the bell pepper and then talked about it's cool shape. K just listened and giggled. It was so funny. Then I pulled out a book that showed the different colors that they come in (yellow, orange, green, purple, red and white) We picked 3 colors we were going to use for the project.

Then we stamped! I love to stamp in case you were curious. :)
I love the shape that the bell peppers make. I also love to eat them raw...the kids unfortunately did not.

But they did like to stamp, and pull out the seeds.
Just another fun thing to do when Bell Peppers are 10 for 10 at the grocery store.

Toothpick Sculptures

You'll Need:

Toothpicks
marshmallows or gum drops

Insert the toothpicks into the marshmallows. Keep adding marshmallows to make any shape you wish. For example: star, hexagon or complex structures like a tall building or a bridge.

This is a geometry builder that many schools use in later years.

Give your little ones a head start...they'll think it's fun! It tastes good too!

Now I needed to build one because my husband and my sister in law (who lived with me while I was in school) would be so disappointed if I didn't make one myself.

Since I have a degree in Chemistry and all, I built a more difficult one.

Here it is, a caffeine molecule. This molecule is my favorite to build, that is why I remembered it. Also represented as C8H10N4O2 and the chemical name is 3,7-Dihydro-1,3,7-trimethyl-1H-purine-2,6-dione. I think I'm going too far with this information.

Anyway, this molecule is eight atoms of Carbon, Ten atoms of Hydrogen, Four atoms of Nitrogen and Two atoms of Oxygen.

Cereal Lacing

I know you all have done this, but my kids are up for anything. They haven't done it in a while and I know it is fun. Here is what you need...

Cereal, Yarn, Tape, Scissors.

I taped the ends to make them pointy and then knotted the other end to make a stopper.
I learned that my daughter had better hand eye cordination and was really good at lacing them all by herself. She sat there patiently and strung them one by one.

My son was having a hard time picking colors so I handed them one at a time. You will see why later. I let them go for about 15 minutes, where they sat there really working on their necklaces.Then we stopped so I could teach them about patterns. My son was quick to understand.

He then wanted to figure out his sisters all by herself.

We quickly discovered that the best part of the activity was eating them off our necks. I am sure we will do this one again! :)

WINNER of GIVEAWAY #2

I am bummed we didn't hit 100 comments but we did a great job!

Using Random.org

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:

47 Timestamp: 2009-08-21 16:59:06 UTC

Who is #47?

Kjirsti Brennen said...

I would like to see kids and cooking things too! But anything you do is great!

August 21, 2009 4:59 PM

Thanks everyone for entering...

Kjirsti please email TBBprizes@gmail.com so we can send you your package.

NEXT GIVEAWAY is September 18th so Mark Your Calendars! Yahoo!

Tell your friends!

We have another Awesome prize next month and there will be 3 ways to win 3 different prizes!

***

I would also like to note that I have compiled a list and luckily I have already been working on a lot of the suggestions that you all have given me for the blog and I can't wait to post them!

Stay tuned...

Giveaway #2

I am lucky that I have friends in high places because Lakeshore Learning is sponsoring this giveaway. Wahoo! If you haven't noticed I have been slightly excited about Stamping. That is what this giveaway is all about!

Here is what is on the menu if you enter this month's giveaway...

GIANT WASHABLE INKPADS (2 colors of your choice)

PICTURE GIANT STAMPERS

ALPHABET GIANT STAMPERS

TWO PACKS of PREMIUM CONSTRUCTION PAPER

and...
since I like you all so much I (yes me) am going to throw in this...
If we hit 100 comments then a 25 dollar gift card will be awarded to 2nd place!

And here are the rules...
- In the comments section I want to know -
What would you like to see more on this blog?

If you are a follower of this blog you can enter 2x - if you aren't no biggie,
but you can only enter one time!
Contest closes Saturday night at 9pm Pacific Time.
Winner will be selected Sunday at 12pm Pacific Time.
Good Luck!

Love, Valerie

Please tell your friends, the more followers the more giveaways! And we all like that right?

Thumbprint People

When I was a young lass I was obsessed with Encyclopedia Brown, Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys and The Boxcar Children. I was also obsessed with the Babysitters Club but that is for another day and another blog. :)

I used to think how weird it was that a single thumbprint could crack a case and how all of our thumbprints are different. I still think it is cool. Whatever you do too. I found this book in a box of junk my parents shipped to me when they redid my room, yes they are that cruel that they waited until my 3rd year of marriage and almost 8 years of not even living there to box my crap up and send it to me! Any who...I found this book and for my sake I covered my UGLY signature with that white piece of paper because I had the worst handwriting when I was 9. Gross. I should also mention that my crush at that time...Joey Fry is written all over that book so I wanted to save myself a little embarrassment by not photographing it for the blog.

Here is the book...

Ed Emberley you are my hero. I thought since the milk cap stamps were a hit...this would be too. (it was)

First we practiced stamping.

Then we went crazy with the stamping.

Then we searched through the book to see what we could make with our crazy thumb/finger prints.

Then I went to town with my sharpie!

The possibilities were endless. I even made one.

Try it. You will like it! We are TOTALLY doing this one again.

DONT FORGET THE GIVEAWAY TOMORROW!!!

Cheese-It Mailbox

My kids love to get mail.
My kids love to write letters.
(sept 3.08)

My kids love to pretend.
(sept 3.08)

So today while we were playing post office, I decided we should make a mailbox.

Here is what you need. A Cheese-It box because they are sturdy and a good size. Brown paper bag or these book covers I found at target for 39 cents. Packing Tape, Scissors and a utility knife.

This is how we did it (2x because I didn't want them to fight)
You wrapt it like a present except the top, because you need to get the letters out.
Then you cut a hole out of the top.
Then you print the logo. Here is the link to the Post Office Logo.
I just cut and taped it on.
Now it is time to play!