Summer Science Fun

I am challenging myself to a realistic goal.
Not too ambitious that I succumb to that feeling that I bit off more than I can chew.
But one that I feel is actually attainable.


Once a week, on Thursdays, I am going to execute a fun, hands on, science activity.  This isn't home schooling. This isn't lesson planning. This is just do something fun and make some memories while learning!


Who wants to join me?!!

You are going to need to do some prep work. But really, just add what you need to your weekly grocery list.

Here are some ideas to get you started, and I will blog each week after our Science day and let you know how it went.

Messy Fun!
Materials: 1 box corn starch, 1 can shaving cream


Blow up a Balloon!
Materials: Baking soda, vinegar, balloon, funnel, spoon, empty bottle



Melting Ice!
Materials:  variety of bowls, droppers or syringes, food coloring or liquid water color, variety of salt (table, rock, sea salt, kosher)




Swamp Sensory Tub!
Materials:  Gelatin, sugar free kool-aid for color, large container, pool noodle, plastic swamp creatures, water and a large tub.  (Really... I am cheap and lazy, so I'm sure I will just throw in toys that I have around the house.)


Suzie

5 Activities, One Great Day {Back Yard Fun Part 2}

YEA! It’s Summer time!

(At least it is for our school!! You?)

.....

Creating a whole Outdoor Classroom Playroom is my favorite ways to spend some family fun during summer. I hope you picked up the items from the previous post! Let's prepare our Playroom and get started!

First Things First:

• After a hearty, healthy breakfast, dress everyone in a swimsuit, t shirt and water safe shoes every day. APPLY SUNSCREEN before you go outside, after lunch and then later in the afternoon. Make this a daily routine and keep a bottle of sunscreen outside to help cut down on the inside/outside traffic.
• If you have a pool in your backyard, be sure to have it fenced off and be present to supervise play.
• Fill a cooler with ice water and have a labeled plastic cup for everyone.
• Bring out the tub suggested in the last blog post and LET THE FUN BEGIN!

These Five Simple Activities make for One Fun Day:

1. Paint the Fence: Give each child a bucket with water and a large paint brush and ask them to paint the fence, brick or patio.

The water will make the material appear darker when wet. (Magic?) The large arm motions of up and down and left to right will help develop the shoulder muscles, upper arms and wrists which are so needed for writing in later years. It will also encourage eye/ hand coordination.

2. Shaving Cream Play: Next, squirt a handful of shaving cream at a time and let the children paint it on the fence or house or walkway with paint brushes or fingers.

Be ready, they love to paint each other with shaving cream, as well. Mmmmmm… Mmmmmm smells great! Now, think about the senses being stimulated. Smell, touch, sight, even the sound of the squirting. I wouldn’t try to taste though. YUCK!

3. Shaving Cream Balloons: String a line of yarn at your child’s waist height. Then blow up about 5 to 6 balloons and tie them to the yarn so that they hang down next to each other. Let your child smear shaving cream all over the balloons and then give them the squirt bottle of water and have them wash the balloons clean.

They will enjoy this activity and will ask to repeat it over and over again!

4. Sidewalk Chalk: Sidewalk chalk has been around for many years. Hours of creative art on the fence or patio are great developers of fine and large motor skills. It is easily washed away for a new canvas on another day.

ENJOY! We all have budding artists in our home.

5. Rainbow paint: Hang a white sheet over the fence or between trees and give children spray bottles with washable liquid water colors. Let them spray the sheet with the water colors. (You can even take the inside of a washable marker and stick it into the water bottle.)

They will enjoy the activity and the outcome. This activity not only develops their fine motor skills with the squeezing of the squirt bottle but also their creativity. They will also be able to see the effects of blending colors and making others. The best part is that a little bleach in the washing machine will make the same sheet into a whole new, fresh canvas for the next day.

ENJOY and make memories! More Fun to follow…..

P.S. If you've tried out these activities or a variation, let us know, we love to link to you in this post!

AND

If you have ANY outdoor fun activities...link up below!!

Back Yard Fun - Part 1

Well, summer is almost here and it is time to get ready for those hot, humid days. Absolutely nothing is better than a backyard, a blow up wading pool, a sprinkler and children splashing and laughing all day long in their swimsuits.

The summer months brings with them a carefree, more relaxed atmosphere to the day. Children may linger a little longer in their PJ’s or may stay up a little later with the late sunset. Whether you are home during the day or coming home after a day at work and child care for your children, there is still time for some fun outdoor play and learning.

The next few posts by me will have some simple ideas for fun outdoor activities and a chance to make some wonderful summertime memories with your family.

My first lesson is BE PREPARED!!!!

This week, before everyone is out of school for the summer, take a trip to your local Dollar Store.

Purchase one or two large plastic tubs or laundry baskets.

Fill the tub with:

• Spray bottles
• Large paint brushes
• Small paint brushes
• Buckets with handles
• Water color paints
• Sidewalk chalk
• Bubbles and bubble wands (fly swatter , plastic strawberry carton, pipe cleaners twisted in shapes) These all make fun wands for bubbles but you can purchase a large assortment of them at the dollar store.
• Shaving cream
• Towels
• Shower curtain
• Play dough
• Soap and shampoo for outside bath time
• Small shovels

-If a Sand and Water Table is not available, use a large storage bin for water play and another one for sand or dirt play.

-Small plastic or rubber dog/cat squeak toys

Take your time browsing through the store and look for items that will use all of their senses;

1. Seeing
2. Touching
3. Smelling
4. Tasting
5. Hearing

Organize it in the bin or a couple of bins and hide everything until your summer officially begins.

When school is out pull out the baskets and LET THE FUN BEGIN!!!!!!!

Stay tuned for some ideas to use these items and let Summertime Backyard Fun Begin!

Linked at ABC & 123 and Childhood 101

Swimming Lessons... In the tub!

Not too many people know this about me, but the reason I became a teacher was from teaching swim lessons every summer as a teenager. I loved working with children and teaching them a skill they would use all of their life. (Kind of like reading!)
I got hooked and knew there was no going back.
I have taught lessons every summer since I was 17! ( However, I did take the summer of 2007 off to get married!) I even taught lessons 8 months pregnant with TWINS! My poor students would get kicked by a baby and think I was really mean!

So, here are some really easy things you can be doing with your child in the tub to get ready for that first swim lesson!  Some of these are great to start when you move to the big tub, and some of these skills are for 12-24 months.

• Pour the water on their head!  Don't be easy on them and have them lean back. You are not doing them any favors! This is very similar to the feeling of going under water and coming back up for air! (I hate to call it dunking, but that is pretty much the action.)  
• Tips while doing this:
• Tell your child what you are about to do! "Okay, now we are going to get your hair wet.
• Count the number of times you rinse. "One, two, three. Okay done!"



He still lets us do this! But now we warn him it is coming!

• Let your child lay down on their back during the bath! Ears under water and everything! This takes some practice. Gently lay them down, and hold the back of their head, making sure the water in the tub is not too high.  Eventually after daily practice, they will start to do this on their own when asked.

• This will help with floating on their back.  The more comfortable they are in the tub, the easier the transition to the pool will be.  (Floating is THE most important skill children under 2 years old can learn. It will save their life.)

• Encourage your child to put their face in the water!  This will take some work on your part. Children learn by watching. I would lean all the way over the tub and stick my own face in the water to show them.  I use the term, "Kiss the water". Then whenever one child would do it, we would cheer and make a big 'to do' about the whole thing. Then they kept on doing it over and over and eventually for longer periods of time. They even cheer for themselves now!

• Blowing Bubbles is the next step!  Once again, you need to get your own face in the tub and show your child what you want them to do. Tell them to blow bubbles, practice out of the water, then in the water. Make it a game!

• And the last step we are working on in the tub: ARMS!  I have lots of terms to use depending on what works for your child.  (Think underwater arms, or breast stroke arms)
• "Push the cookies away." If they like Cookie Monster, tell them that the cookies are all getting wet and you need to get them out of the tub! So, reach for the plate of cookies then push them away.
• "Make a rocket ship, then blast off!"
• "Push the water." "Make a wave"
• Practice this one outside of the tub. Lay on the carpet, on your tummies, and everyone practice. Then when in the tub, remind them about their arms! So far, only Luke can do this, and I don't have any pictures or video yet!

(Please don't forget to watch your child the entire time they are in the bath.)

This post is getting kinda long, I will come back another time and tell you some of my favorite products for the pool this summer!