Thanks for Thanksgiving!

I can smell the Thanksgiving feast and feel the chill in the air! Beautiful pictures in this Thanksgiving book perfect for even the youngest children. The text is simple and the art is rich. Love the illustrations by Doris Barrette. My new Thanksgiving favorite this year!

Fall Teacher Gift

Showing love to our teachers! Yesterday, I had my Parent Teacher Conferences for my kiddos. I love their teachers! With three kiddos close in age, I have had conferences with some of the same wonderful teachers 3 times! I have become close with many of them. To show my appreciation, I brought each teacher Fabulous Fall Muffins. I tweaked the allrecipes.com Addictive Pumpkin Muffin recipe (I used a 15 oz can of pumpkin and an extra cup of applesauce, used half wheat flour, pecans instead of walnuts, and Craisins instead of raisins)

Red & Yellow: Fall Pumpkin Fingerpainting

What do you get when you mix red and yellow fingerpaint? Big orange pumpkins and some messy fun! Talk about the sound the letter P makes and practice the Alphabetology hand movement that goes with P: "P,p, pop!"
1. Cut a pumpkin shape out of a large piece of white construction paper.
2. Help your child put on a smock or old T-shirt.
3. Place a dot each of washable red and yellow paint on the paper.
4. Let your child enjoy and explore the mixing colors and fun texture!

There are so many fun letter activities for P! Pop popcorn, eat pizza, go on a picnic, decorate with pine cones, make pumpkin pie. Okay...those are mostly food ideas. Wear pink and purple while you play with play dough. Remember that the hand movement is the secret weapon to learning the letter sound. Practice often!

Such a Deal! Beautiful Books for $5 from Kohls

Need a fabulous gift for $5? (or even less if you have a Kohls coupon) Kohls has beautiful books by Nancy Tillman available now!

"On the Night You Were Born" is a beautifully illustrated story that will make the child you read it to know "there has never been anyone like you... ever in the world." But...my favorite book is "Wherever You Are My Love Will Find You." Messages of unconditional love include: "I wanted you more than you ever will know, so I sent love to follow wherever you go."

Best Play Dough Recipe Ever!

Teach the ABCs by making the letters out of play dough! There are many play dough recipes but this is my favorite! It is quick, easy and fabulous! You'll need some Cream of Tartar- don't skip this ingredient. It keeps the dough fresh.

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups of colored water (just use food coloring)
1 TBSP cooking oil
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1 cup of salt

Put all of the ingredients in a medium or large pan on the stove. Cook slowly on medium-high and stir until the dough thickens. Keep in a plastic container.

Use cookie cutters and plastic knives as fun tools. Make a roller out of a bit of PVC pipe. Be sure to sand the ends so they are smooth.
See www.playdoughrecipe.com for a Pumpkin Pie Play Dough recipe and many more great doughs!

Capes and Superheroes

Does the superhero in your life need a cape? Sometimes our little ones need props; a wand, superhero cape there, tiara, plastic sword, firefighter helmet, police badge, princess dress... The Pleated Poppy has a cape making tutorial. Need a plan to make superhero wrist cuffs from toilet paper tubes?

See other great ideas at Colour Giggles.

Crack an Egg on Your Head! Letter E idea!

I love this fun interactive song!
Karen at Expert Village has a video on you tube.

Crack an egg on your head
Let the yolk drip down (X3)
Repeat
Squeeze an orange on your shoulders
Let the juice drip down (X3)
Repeat
Spiders crawling up your back
Spiders crawling down
Repeat
With a pinch and a squeeze and a cool ocean breeze...
Do you feel the chills?

Teepees, Tents, and Hide Outs

Every kids needs a place where he or she can escape and take a break. Our 8 and 9 year olds are always building forts out of blankets draped across chairs held in place by a stack of books. The kids also have a card table tent. As a kid, I had a circus themed card table tent and I loved it! On Etsy, MissPrettyPretty sells imaginative card table playhouses.

The Land of Nod offers a canvas teepee for the cowboys and Indians in your life while Outdoorplaytoys.com offers a camo tent for your adventurer.

Want to make your own card table tent? The EmptyBobbin has a pattern for purchase. A free pattern is available at OldDaysOldWays

Awesome Experiment!

You just need grapes and a microwave to do this awesome experiment! The kids did this about 20 times at home. They just couldn't get enough! I love this site because it explains what is happening in the experiment. Go to www.superchargedscience.com/documents/ScienceGuide.pdf
and then scroll down to "Making Plasma."

Teach ABCs- With a Secret Weapon

Did you know that if you use multiple senses to learn something you are more likely to remember it? The brain learns by receiving information from the body and outside world. Our senses (sight, sound, touch taste, smell) bring information to the brain.

Alphabetology incorporates a secret power by using multiple senses in learning. The letter card provides visual imput. Saying the letter sound provides auditory imput. Alphabetology is unique in providing brain imput through a simple hand movement done while saying the letter sound. For example: For letter N, say the letter sound for N twice while pointing to your nose. "N, n, nose."

The silly and simple activities you choose for your letter activities can be referred back to. For example: "Do you remember when we dressed like pirates, put pennies in our pockets, and had a pepperoni pizza picnic with Papa for P day? Who knew learning could be so fun!

What Comes First Spelling or Reading?

Great question. Reading and spelling are closely related. Good readers are most often good spellers. In the Scholastic article "How Children Learn to Spell" Louisa Moats writes, "Word knowledge builds systematically on other word knowledge. It's that cycle of success that teachers love to see develop: Learning begets learning. Most young children who are exposed to print in their homes spontaneously begin to experiment with writing." Reading to children early and often will help them love reading, become readers and spellers as well. So keep on reading!

Playroom of My Dreams!

This is not my house but I wish they would invite me over to play. I know I am a grown up, but it looks like so much fun! Check out The Wonder Years blog for more pictures and information about this magical play space.

Favorite ABC Book!

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom is my favorite read aloud book for teaching the ABC's. If you get the CD of Ray Charles reading/singing the story it's even better!
Here is a cute You Tube version of the book.

Teach the ABCs with this fun and easy Chicka Chicka Boom Boom art activity. Just scroll down a bit on the Kinder by Kim page. Make an oh so cute edible coconut tree.

Get more ideas for teaching the ABCs with the grab and go guide Alphabetology.

D is for Dot Paints- Fun Without the Mess!

Say "yes" to painting without the huge mess to clean up! I love dot paints! We purchased a set of six dot paints at Michaels craft store(search online for coupons before heading to the store.)

Here a few ideas for using dot paints...
*Print out or write a letter "D" on paper and decorate it with dot paints
*Write your child's name with a black pen and have your child dot paint his/her name.
*Practice counting out loud while dot painting
*Roll a dice and paint the number of dots on a scrap of paper
*Check out Tot School's fabulous Do-A-Dot Upper Case Alphabet Letters or Home School Creations pdf dot activities.

Mompetition: This is funny but kind of true!

Can't we just be friends and be different? It is hard enough being a parent without being judged harshly by others over simple differences. Time Magazine posted a silly but true article spotlighting a funny (adult funny, but don't show the kids) YouTube video poking fun at "mompetition." I just don't have the energy to deal with competitive mamas, so I steer clear. Gratefully, I have a large circle of supportive mom friends who are accepting and encouraging. What has been your experience?

Check out the article and funny youtube video. Click here!

Using Scissors! The right way and the wrong way...

The kids and I were at lunch a few days ago and parents of cute little children in the next booth over were discovering patches of missing hair on their son's strawberry blond head. Chunks of hair had been trimmed by his helpful older brother. Oh, how many of us have been there! Cole cut his hair as a toddler and he did quite a job of it!

Alphabetology is all about fully preparing children for school success and this includes fine motor skills like using scissors. We sing a great song in our Parents and Children Learning Together preschool class to help teach children how to hold scissors. The Cutting Song is sung to the tune of Frere Jacques...
Thumb on top
Thumb on top
Cut, cut, cut
Cut, cut, cut
Turn the paper
Turn the paper
Not the scissors
Not the scissors.

Dad's the Best!

Shawn is off on a Boy Scout backpacking trip with our oldest son. Since I am on Summer Break from teaching- I am having a bit of fun being crafty! There are so many amazing blogs and ideas. So get some Dad's Rootbeer and get ready to spoil dad. I get 364 so he can have his one I guess.

Crazy Tie Tradition: 2Cleverblog.com
Tie-riffic Ideas from: meandmyinsanity.com
Tie Banner: blog.familybringsjoy.com

Fabulous Photo Gift for Dad

Cut out and decorate over sized letters to spell "DAD." Take some pictures of your child or children posing with the letters for a custom Father's Day gift Dad will love showing off at work. Saying "I love you" in sign language makes the photo even sweeter!

Must Have Hand Print Mother's Day Keepsakes

Their little hands grow so fast! Hand print art projects are my favorite! These hand print crafts make great Mother's Day gifts for mom or grandma. Truly a forever keepsake to be treasured!


Hand Print on Ceramic Tile
Supplies:
6X6 white ceramic tile
Bright colored acrylic paint for the hand print
Small foam paint brush
Paper plate for the paint
Krylon clear spray

1. Wipe off the tile to make sure it is clean.
2. Squeeze paint onto the paper plate and use a foam brush to paint your child's hand. Press your child's hand down on the tile.
3. Let the paint dry.
4. Spray a very thin layer of Krylon clear spray paint on the tile and let it dry completely. Add two more coats of clear paint, letting it dry between spraying.


Plaster Hand Prints
Supplies:
Plaster of Paris (this can be purchased at a craft store)
Mold (We used the aluminum to go salad container from Pizza Hut)
Margarine container or old bin for mixing
Paint stick for mixing (free at the paint counter at home supply stores)
Pencil for writing the child's name
Old T-shirt or paint smock
Cup for measuring water and plaster

1. Put on an old T-shirt or paint smock
2. In a margarine container or old bin, mix plaster with water according to the directions on the package. Mix well using the paint stick. Be sure not to breathe the plaster dust when measuring and mixing.
3. Let the mixture set for about 5 minutes, until it is the consistency of pancake batter.
4. Pour the mixture into your mold.
5. Help your child press her hand into the plaster pushing down each finger and the palm of the hand. Wash hands immediately.
6. If you do the hand print too early and the mixture still has too much liquid, simply wiggle the mold, shaking the plaster smooth and try again.
7. Use a sharp pencil to etch your child's name and the year into the plaster.
8. Press a paper clip or ribbon at the top if you'd like a hanger. I prefer to skip this step and display on a small plate stand.

This activity can be used as an Alphabetology alphabet activity for...
M for Mother's Day
G for gift
H for hand print

Letter G: Hands On Science

Kids learn by doing! With this simple science experiment, your little on will have fun while exploring color mixing. Use food coloring to tint water. Pour the water into an ice cube tray and freeze. Practice saying "Hypothesis" and explain that hypothesis is a fancy science word meaning a guess. Have the child make a hypothesis or guess about what will happen when yellow and blue are put in the baggie together.

Help the child put a small piece of yellow ice in a plastic zip bag with a small piece of blue ice. Your child will use her hands to warm the ice and help it melt. The yellow and blue ice melt into green. Read White Rabbit's Color Book by Alan Baker about a silly rabbit who jumps into buckets of different colors of paint.

As an Alphabetologist (someone who does fun and silly activities to learn the letters of the alphabet and early phonics) use this project for...
Letter G: mix yellow and blue to make green
Letter P: mix red and blue to make purple
Letter O: mix yellow and red to make orange (the "o" in orange doesn't make the aw sound as in "octopus" but it's okay to use as a fun project)
Letter B: red, blue, and a bit of yellow to make brown.
Letter H: Talk about the science word "hypothesis" and what it means. Mix different colors after making a hypothesis about what the outcome will be.

Letter C: Cotton Ball Art

Do you have some cotton balls and clothespins? I love art projects that don't require a trip to the craft store for supplies. Pinch the clothespin onto the cotton ball to make it easy to handle. Put blobs of one to three different paint colors onto a paper plate and let your little one create.

This activity can be easily used as an alphabet art project for many different letters of the alphabet. Here are some examples...
Alphabet Letter G for green: Use blue, yellow, and green. Mixing the blue and yellow will create green.
Alphabet Letter C for cotton balls and clothespins
Alphabet letter P for purple: Use blue, red, and purple. Mixing blue and red create purple.
Alphabet letter F for fall: Use fall colors red, orange, and yellow for art that looks like fall leaves in the wind.
Any letter of the alphabet: With a marker, write a letter of the alphabet on a white paper. Use the cotton ball to dot paint on the letter.
Alphabet letter R for red (or any color and its letter): Paint with just one color and write the letter the color begins with ten times randomly on the page.
Any other ideas?

Letter S: Strawberry Basket Art:

It's strawberry season here in San Diego county! Re-purpose the little green baskets fruit stand strawberries come in with this stamping art project. Preschoolers can dip the strawberry basket in a shallow tray of white paint and stamp a blue piece of paper to make spider webs. Add a puff ball spider or leave the creation as modern art.

Learning Letters with Pipe Cleaners

Learning Letters with Pipe Cleaners | Make and Takes
Bending fuzzy pipe cleaners into letters, is a fun tactile way to work on pre-writing skills. MakeandTakes.com has the full article. Say no to boring workbooks and yes to hands on fun!

Alphabetology is on Amazon!

I have meant to do it for awhile. I am excited about making a bit of progress. My web site is up at www.alphabetologyfun.com. I also have a Facebook page and have Alphabetology up on Amazon. Each week we do great arts and crafts letter projects and I am now going to work on being better on getting ideas up on my blog. Thank you to the few of your following this! I appreciate your support and encouragement!

Letter C idea: Paint with Carrots

Spring is here! For letter "Cc," paint with carrots. They make great paint brushes. Cut the carrot about a half of an inch from the top. Put out orange and yellow paint. Mixed together they make a brighter orange. So fun and festive!