Art in the Rain

On Labor Day, San Diego was given a special treat.  A rare, summer storm passed through our city bringing us thunder and rain.  Growing up, my parents and I spent many summer vacations in southern Texas where summer storms were common.  My great aunt and uncle have a house on the Guadeloupe River and my cousins and I would stare out the window over the river and watch the lighting.  When the lighting ceased, we would play in the warm rain, smelling the earthy smell that only rain can bring.  Here in San Diego, summer storms pass quickly bringing a couple rumbles of thunder, simply to announce it's arrival, and about 10 minuets of rain.  Our storm this past week lasted a little longer, mostly clouds and humidity, but a little rain on and off for about 24 hours.

The moment it started to rain, I checked for lighting, then grabbed my son and told him we were going to play outside; I knew we didn't have long.  Then the idea hit.  We would create art with the rain!  I'd seen rain painting on another blog months ago (I'm sorry, I don't remember whose it was) and had been waiting to try it.  I grabbed some white paper, dry Kool-Aid, and a popsicle holder, and ran outside to play.

We used the popsicle holder to house the various colors of Kool-Aid.  My son was able to grab pinches of the powder and sprinkle it onto his paper. 

Then he set the paper out in the rain.  The rain drops wet the powder creating a vibrant splatter pattern.  

Michel made a 2nd picture, this time he tried dumping the powder.  He was surprisingly careful.  

For the 3rd picture, we wet the paper first, then Michael finger painted with the Kool-Aid.  

 He dumped the remainder of the powder onto the paper which created little mounds for him to spread around.  

Now it's messy!

Of course he had to eat some of it!

Our 1st, 2nd, and 3rd paintings.

Michael became bored of painting and found some mud to enjoy.  So we turned that into art too!

I figured I might as well join him.

We made prints on the driveway as well.

As quickly as it appeared, the rain was gone.  But, we enjoyed a good 20 minuets outside together in the fresh, clean air.  Playing in the rain is good for the soul.

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It's Playtime: Let's Get Silly!

This week on It's Playtime, I celebrate silliness!  Parents and teachers, admit it, some days we just want to scream!  It's those days you need to pull out fun ideas that will give you and your child (or classroom) a good laugh.  Sometimes only laughter can turn those terrible, horrible, no good, very bad days around in an instant.      

What could possibly be more fun then googly eyes?  How about Magazine Googly Eye Faces?  Play Create Explore took a bag of assorted googly eyes and simply laid them on the faces in a magazine.  The picture above is what inspired my post today; you can't get much sillier!    

Beyond a hat, did you ever think newspaper could be silly?  Having Fun at Home found several ways to have Fun With Newspaper Inserts, including a newspaper shower!

Over at Mess for Less, little ones created their own silly version of Monsters vs. Aliens with some straws, feathers, and of course, googly eyes.  Creative, fun, and silly; my favorite combination!  

Need an instant giggle?  Check out Tiny Reader's Our Little Musicians.    

If you were featured this week, don't forget to grab your special "featured button."

<a href="http://messypreschoolers.blogspot.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeEYKQj4S7oHoLKfsA3PoeXgaNMJ5dxkdUxIphbmwXOlbFg78Gwl73-rT8AdMTgmqYmIJZrkJRYOqOEItkCbR_exui4YhZqLlwZaBHXhC5slGyqPScnxvq-zrQezw9-MdIUiecgW3fxKg/s1600/featured-messykids.jpg" width="150/" /></a>

Now, on to this weeks play date! 

It's Playtime is a community and Thursday link-up hosted by:

* Rachele : Messy Kids (That's me!)
* Anna : The Imagination Tree
* Rachel : Quirky Momma
* Jamie : hands on : as we grow
* Jenny : Let the Children Play

How to Play :

* Link up a post about a playful learning experience enjoyed by kids.
* Give us love and pop a button into your post/blog. Invite your readers to the weekly play date!

<a href="http://messypreschoolers.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VWLA7lm_Fqc/TaNHGpGSuVI/AAAAAAAAEX0/DGSvqIT7fyU/s320/RED-itplaytime.jpg" width="150" /></a>

* Stop by one of our blogs every Thursday and add your link about play. Your link will show up on each of the blogs in the It's Playtime community.

* Each week the playtime hosts will choose favorite posts to feature. (By linking you are giving us permission to use an image and link to you, if featured.)

* Be sure to visit some of the links that catch your eye. Commenting on posts that you find interesting or inspiring is a wonderful way to develop your own playful community.

F is for Fishing-A Teach Preschool Celebration

Today's post is in celebration of Deborah Stewart and the 20,000 likes her wonderful Teach Preschool Facebook page reached the other day.  Deborah is a talented teacher and blogger and her 20,000 likes have inspired all of us other early childhood bloggers to reach for the stars.  I am proud to be a part of her network and her celebration of The ABC's of Teaching Preschool. 

F is for Fishing

My friends daughter celebrated her 5th birthday with a fishing party at Crystal Pier in San Diego.  The kids fished, chased birds (and each other), ate snacks, and enjoyed front row seats to the capture of some interesting sea creatures (although none by us!)

We could hear and feel the waves crashing below the pier.  Michael decided to take a better look.  

The owner of the bait and tackle shop on the pier helped us place the proper weights and hooks onto our poles.  He also gave us some tips for pier fishing.  The chosen bait was shrimp.  The price for hooks, bait, and weights was only $6 for 4 poles!  No charge for the 3 min. pier fishing lesson. 

Ariel had fished before with my mom but this was Michael's first time.  He liked trying it out but didn't have the patience to stay with it for long.  

 Finally Ariel caught something!  The seaweed quickly became a plaything. 

 Then one of the other kids found some loooooonnnngggg seaweed, which was a lot more fun!

The guy next to us caught a lobster!  The youngest of our group said, "look mom, a spider!"  We loved watching it crawl backwards after it was set down.  Then the fisherman returned it to the ocean.  My daughter asked him why and he said, "it was too small".  Didn't look small to me! 

  Then he caught a crab!  This he kept.

After successfully loosing all 4 hooks, it was time to venture under the pier.  Lucky for us the tide was low revealing sea creatures like sand fleas (or sand crabs)....

mussels...

 sea stars... 

and this squishy thing attached to seaweed (limpet?).  If you know what it is, please tell me!

What a wonderful adventure!  

 

Don't forget to check out the other letters of the alphabet celebrating Teach Preschool!  Just go to her site and scroll down to the link party!   

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It's Playtime: Commotion in the Ocean

Summer may be coming to a close in San Diego, but for us locals, that just means less people at the beach.  I am looking forward to venturing back to the ocean sometime soon, but until then, I have these great ocean related projects from last weeks It's Playtime to keep my children busy.

Beansprouts Preschool Blog brought a bit of the sea inside with their Ocean Playdough Recipe.  I love the bright blue the icing coloring adds!   

Can't get to the ocean?  Why not bring the ocean to you with this terrific Ocean in a Bottle from Snails and Puppy Dog Tails.  It's easier then it looks and your little one will love watching the bubbles and waves they create from moving it around.

Sharks may be scary but this Shark Teeth Scissor Skills activity from daisysnu is not only cute, but a fantastic way to fine-tune those fine motor skills.

If you were featured this week, don't forget to grab your special "featured button."    

<a href="http://messypreschoolers.blogspot.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeEYKQj4S7oHoLKfsA3PoeXgaNMJ5dxkdUxIphbmwXOlbFg78Gwl73-rT8AdMTgmqYmIJZrkJRYOqOEItkCbR_exui4YhZqLlwZaBHXhC5slGyqPScnxvq-zrQezw9-MdIUiecgW3fxKg/s1600/featured-messykids.jpg" width="150/" /></a>

Now, on to this weeks play date! 

It's Playtime is a community and Thursday link-up hosted by:

* Rachele : Messy Kids (That's me!)
* Anna : The Imagination Tree
* Rachel : Quirky Momma
* Jamie : hands on : as we grow
* Jenny : Let the Children Play

How to Play :

* Link up a post about a playful learning experience enjoyed by kids.
* Give us love and pop a button into your post/blog. Invite your readers to the weekly play date!

<a href="http://messypreschoolers.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VWLA7lm_Fqc/TaNHGpGSuVI/AAAAAAAAEX0/DGSvqIT7fyU/s320/RED-itplaytime.jpg" width="150" /></a>

* Stop by one of our blogs every Thursday and add your link about play. Your link will show up on each of the blogs in the It's Playtime community.

* Each week the playtime hosts will choose favorite posts to feature. (By linking you are giving us permission to use an image and link to you, if featured.)

* Be sure to visit some of the links that catch your eye. Commenting on posts that you find interesting or inspiring is a wonderful way to develop your own playful community.

What's for Lunch?

With school returning next week, and a picky eater who needs a lunch, I'm all in a frazzle about what to pack for her.  In the past I've qualified for discount lunches through the district, but this year our financial situation looks better on paper then it actually is, disqualifying us for reduced price lunches.  I wanted to pack more lunches for her this year anyway since there are days she doesn't eat at school because she doesn't like any of the choices offered her.  My daughter is a lot like I was at her age.  Lunch was always a battle for my parents.  I'd eat something for while, then decide I was bored, and want something else.  I also didn't eat the conventional PB&J because I didn't like peanut butter until I was in my 20s.  I remember eating bagel sandwiches (bagels didn't get as soggy as bread) for a while but my parents bought the cheapest lunch meat on earth so I quickly grew to despise the stuff.  And I didn't eat baloney either.  My parents loved when I worked in the cafeteria because it meant a month of free lunches that they didn't have to pack!

Now I am paying for all the hassle with a daughter who likes even less then I did.  She won't eat PB&J but she will eat baloney.  Heaven forbid I put cheese in her bag (although she loves it) because she claims that even with an ice pack, the cheese becomes "yucky".  She'll sometimes eat ham, usually will eat salami, but never eats turkey.  She loves grilled cheese but I can't pack that because it's "yucky" when it's cold (I don't blame her there!).  Baby carrots are sometimes, crackers too, and celery is a no, no, especially spread with cream cheese or peanut butter!  Do you see what I have to work with?

So I've been researching quick and easy lunches and although I may not have use for many of them, due to Miss Picky, I have found a number of great ideas the rest of you may enjoy.  I'd also love to hear from you all dear readers what you pack for you picky lunch eater.  It just may help!

My ideas for this coming year:

• Homemade Lunchables- crackers (my kids like Ritz), cheese slices (or not if they get "yucky"), and a favorite lunch meat such as baloney or salami (or turkey or ham, whatever your child will eat).  Pair with whatever healthy food you can get your child to eat, such as fresh fruit and baby carrots.  
• Homemade Pizza Pockets- My bread machine came with a great recipe for pizza dough but you could use refrigerator dough or your favorite recipe.  Roll dough to a long oval type shape (for whatever size pocket you think is best for your child.  This will take experimentation!)  Spread with pizza sauce and top with whatever your child likes on their pizza plus cheese.  Fold dough over creating a half circle shape (or calzone shape) and seal edges with a fork.  Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minuets if calzone sized.  Less time if making a much smaller pocket.  This is a recipe you must play with.  I'm still adjusting mine as my pockets are still coming out bigger then what I'd want to pack my daughter.  You can make these a head of time, reheat in the morning and wrap in foil to keep warm until lunch.  
• Homemade muffins such as blueberry, zucchini (sneaking in veggies!) or apple packed alongside carrots or other veggies.  There are so many recipes out there reducing the amount of sugar that with a little research, you can find something that fits your lifestyle.  Most kids are more active at school so don't be afraid to give them carbs!  They will burn it off!  
• Cold noodles packed alongside fresh fruit and veggies.  Cold noodles was my stable in high school.  I LOVED them!  My daughter likes them a little less, but sitting in her lunch box, they won't really be "cold" anymore.  Use fun noodle shapes or spirals, then you don't really have to pack a fork!  I think this will be a hit this year.
• Hotdogs- Cook them in the morning and pack alongside a bun or slice of bread, packets of catchup and mustard, plus veggies and fresh fruit.  Or maybe you have a child that likes cold food.    When I was younger I liked cold and frozen hotdogs.  Give it a try!    

Veggie Options:

• carrot sticks or baby carrots
• jicama (My daughter discovered this over the summer and loved it.  It's crunchy and sweet!) 
• celery sticks (add peanut butter or cream cheese for added nutrition)
• sugar snap peas
• red, yellow, or orange bell pepper slices (also sweet and crunchy)
• mini  trees (broccoli)  

Lunch ideas from around the web:

• Easy Lunchboxes: Bent on Better Lunches
• 20 Easy Bento Lunch Boxes: Parenting
• DIY Hotpockets: Quirkymomma
• Strawberry & Cream Cheese Sandwich: Eating Well
• Sandwiches for School: Disney Family Fun
• Lunchbox Planning from Momtrends: Today's Mama

It's Playtime: Keeping it Simple

As teachers, homeschoolers, and parents, sometimes art projects seem to get away from us.  We tend to turn them into a big ordeal, or maybe we don't do them at all because we're avoiding all the work. But process art projects SHOULD be easy.  When I taught preschool, my motto was, "if it takes more then 5 minuets to set up, then you are doing too much."  For process art, you should generally open a cupboard, assess your supplies, and put together a project in a snap.  Kids are easy.  Mess is good.  Keeping it simple is key!

This week on It's Playtime, I'm featuring blogs who kept it simple when it came to art.  Because as parents and teachers, who really has time to complicate things?  

What could be simpler then painting a rock?  Playful Learners shared how Decorating Beach Pebbles can turn from a fun beach activity to an easy art project at home.  I love the simplicity of opening an old magazine to catch the mess rather then spreading newspaper all around the table and floor!  

How about some Magic Painting?  "Magic?" you say, "how is that simple?"  Well who hasn't done crayon resist painting at least once in their lives?  I spent a good portion of my elementary school years painting underwater scenes and haunted houses at home simply because I LOVED crayon resist painting!  Well, why not try it in preschool?  That's just what Pre-school Play did and their kids loved it!  Their paintings may not have been full of fish and mermaids, but they certainly were magic...and simple!  

Creativity My Passion used a Toothbrush as a Paintbrush for their art!  Who doesn't have an old (bleach gets the germies out!) or extra toothbrush laying around?  And Esther went beyond the toothbrush by turning it over and trying Tongue Cleaner Stamping.  Two projects in one!  Check out her blog because from there, she used the toothbrush for several more projects as well.      

If you were featured this week, don't forget to grab your special "featured button."

<a href="http://messypreschoolers.blogspot.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeEYKQj4S7oHoLKfsA3PoeXgaNMJ5dxkdUxIphbmwXOlbFg78Gwl73-rT8AdMTgmqYmIJZrkJRYOqOEItkCbR_exui4YhZqLlwZaBHXhC5slGyqPScnxvq-zrQezw9-MdIUiecgW3fxKg/s1600/featured-messykids.jpg" width="150/" /></a>

Now, on to this weeks play date! 

It's Playtime is a community and Thursday link-up hosted by:

* Rachele : Messy Kids (That's me!)
* Anna : The Imagination Tree
* Rachel : Quirky Momma
* Jamie : hands on : as we grow
* Jenny : Let the Children Play

How to Play :

* Link up a post about a playful learning experience enjoyed by kids.
* Give us love and pop a button into your post/blog. Invite your readers to the weekly play date!

<a href="http://messypreschoolers.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VWLA7lm_Fqc/TaNHGpGSuVI/AAAAAAAAEX0/DGSvqIT7fyU/s320/RED-itplaytime.jpg" width="150" /></a>

* Stop by one of our blogs every Thursday and add your link about play. Your link will show up on each of the blogs in the It's Playtime community.

* Each week the playtime hosts will choose favorite posts to feature. (By linking you are giving us permission to use an image and link to you, if featured.)

* Be sure to visit some of the links that catch your eye. Commenting on posts that you find interesting or inspiring is a wonderful way to develop your own playful community.