Candy Experiments

I've been wanting to do candy experiments with the girls since last year. And, lucky enough, we got TONS of candy this Halloween, so I got to work making some printable experiments. I found all of these experiments and pictures from HERE (I like how they included nutritional info, too). I wanted to be able to print them and have an observation sheet, so I made these. You'll want to print an observation sheet for each experiment you decide to do. Have fun!

Candy Experiments

P.S. There was a cute border around the words but I can't get it to load. You'll just have to imagine it.

AND here's some other fun candy activities from TeachMama.

Covered Fold Out Bench Sandbox

My 2nd girl just turned 3. At the beginning of August, I knew we needed to get her a sandbox. She loves to play outside in the dirt and will do it for hours. Brigham got researching and found a sandbox with a cover that folded out into benches. He knew he could make it and he did. It turned out great. I had no idea these sandboxes would be so popular by the time we gave it to her, but according to Pinterest, they are. Brig didn't have a pattern, but just knocked it off from a photo. 

It really is a fun sandbox. Maybe I can get him into making tutorials and then all of you can have one, too.

Here are some pictures.

Closed:

 One side open:

 Both sides open:

Here are the girls enjoying it before the benches were done.

General Conference Treat Bucket Labels/Pictures

I saw this idea for General Conference Treat Buckets and thought it might work for my girls. I will be tying my labels onto my buckets rather than using vinyl for a few reasons. 

Since they are still quite young, I decided to have two labels - a word, and a picture to put on each bucket. That way if they can't read, they can look at the picture when they think they've heard the word.

 I only have 7 buckets, but I made more labels and pictures so I could switch them out for different sessions.

I'll probably hole punch the corner and use a binder ring or ribbon to tie the labels to my buckets.

If you want, you can print some, too.

Conference Bucket Labels

Don't know what General Conference is?

Check it out here.

You won't want to miss it.

P.S. I got most of my images at freeldsart.com

Coloring Book Thank You Post Cards

Here are a couple of Thank You postcards I made for the girls. I want them to always be grateful and know how important it is to express thanks when they receive something or have a great experience. Since they aren't writing well (or at all...whatever the case may be), I left the pictures white so they could help in the thank you process by coloring them. Then we'll write a quick note on the back and deliver them (either by hand or by mail). 

Thank You Post Cards

Art Lessons: Vincent Van Gogh

This Fall I am going to do a few art lessons for my girls. 

Here's our first:

VINCENT VAN GOGH

These are simple lessons and the object is to have fun while exposing the girls to artists and different art techniques. 

I'm not really worried how their projects turn out.

Here are some links to his art or you can check out a book at the library.

Starry Night

Sunflowers

Self-Portrait

If you want to find more easy art lessons, I got mine at artprojectsforkids.org.

Matchbox City

I have been working on this project for a LONG time. In our family it is know as a Matchbox City. I remember playing with one as a child. My mom made it for us. It is a car play mat specifically to use with Matchbox cars. They are small enough to fit inside the doors of the houses/buildings. I added an airport, an extra house, and an orchard because my piece of fabric was a little bit bigger than my mom's. I thought about labeling the buildings but then decided it would be more fun to pretend they are whatever you want them to be. I wish I had a tutorial for all of you, but I still barely have time to finish my projects while the girls are sleeping.

See how fun. Little houses for the cars.

doll diapers

I made a few doll diapers the other day. I used this tutorial, but I made mine with a little dart to give it a rounded shape in the bottom.

Father's Day 2011

I am alive and I have been doing a few things. I just haven't felt like blogging. Here are some pictures from our Father's Day celebration this year. I went with a mustache theme this year.

*The "because you mustache" gift was a pair of athletic shoes because dad "must dash".

Claire's 1st Birthday Invite

Here's what I came up with for Claire's little birthday get together. I'm going for a French inspired theme (yes, I know French fries are not really French...but they are cute). The fry box is my favorite.

Easter Songs and Fingerplays - better late than never

A few Easter Songs and Fingerplays that we like:

March Mad Scientist Week 2011: Chemistry

Baking soda and vinegar anyone? I found these easy and fun experiments here. My girls love experimenting with baking soda and vinegar. Have fun with them, too!

Here are my slightly modified versions

:

March Mad Scientist Week 2011: Biology

Each year during March Madness I like to do a March Mad Scientist Week with the girls. This year I'm separating it into 5 days  in 5 areas of science:

1.Biology: The Life cycle of a Butterfly
2. Chemistry: Baking Soda and Vinegar
3. Earth Science: Air
4. My Body: Food Science
5. Physics: Color/Rainbows

My goal was to have each lesson short enough to just last one day and give the girls a taste of science (probably my favorite subject in school).

I may not get the rest of the lessons posted on here, but I thought I'd share our butterfly lesson since it's ready.  Our caterpillars arrived in the mail yesterday and the girls are SUPER excited about them. They have named them  and check on them hourly. It will be a long couple of weeks watching them grow and change into butterflies :)

Here it is for you to enjoy:

The Life Cycle of a Butterfly

Here is a link to where I got most of my ideas and plans:

http://scienceforpreschoolers.com/

CTR Towel

I made this a couple of months but I thought I'd still share it. There is nothing fancy about the towel and I like it that way. As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, children are able to be baptized as members of the church at age 8. You can learn more here. My niece was baptized in February. It was wonderful to be able to support her. We gave her this towel and poem. I couldn't find a poem that I liked, so I made up one. You can use it, too, if you want.

P.S. If you don't already know, "CTR" stands for "Choose the Right".

Baptism Towel  Poem

The Circus Ship

I have been working on this lesson for weeks. I just don't have as much time to work on preschool as I used to. Hope you enjoy it.

So here it is:

The Circus Ship

We LOVE this book and if you haven't read it, you need to. I promise your kids will like it.

Lesson Plan

Songs and Finger plays

Animal Action Cards

Shoe Box Circus Ship

Hide and Seek Animals

Camo Art

Big Time Fun with Word Families

Math Mats

I didn't keep track of where I got some of these ideas. Sorry, if you know, comment and I'll fix it.
*clip art from letteringdelights.com*

A few things for President's Day

I made a few quick things you can use for President's Day if you're in the mood.  Nothing spectacular, but I thought I'd share anyway.

Songs/Activities

U.S. Presidents Cards

Here are two of links if you're looking to make some presidential head wear:

Lincoln

Washington

Love Quote Love Notes

Sweetheart's Week starts tomorrow!

As you know, I'm doing a game theme.

Here's my easy plan for my sweetheart, Brigham.

*A handwritten love note 

with favorite quotes about love that I found.

*A "game type" treat.

*A game to play together each night

...I'm just using games we already have.

You can use my Love Quote Love Note papers if you want. They aren't spectacular, but they work.

*I printed mine 2 per page so they aren't so big.

Guess Whooo Loves You?

I am excited to play this game. 

To make it even more fun, you need to go make one of these.

Here is mine:

Isn't he cute?

And here is the game. The descriptions are personal for my family, 

so I've included some blank cards if you want to personalize them.

Guess Whooo Loves You?

You Were "Mint" to Be My Valentine

I haven't finished the girls Valentine's yet, but I wanted to show you the first step anyway.

Materials:

candy canes

An Oven at 235 F

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 235 F.

Place two candy canes into an overlapping heart shape on a cookie sheet/jellyroll pan.

Bake for 8 minutes. Keep an eye on them. Any more would have made mine bubble and change in appearance.

Take them out of the oven and pinch the tops of the candy canes together. Push the overlapping candy cane into the bottom one.

Let cool and remove from pan.

Place in a bag. 

Attach cute saying....Maybe "We should be Sweethearts" or anything with a cheesy "Mint" line.

Valentine's I-Spy

Time for more of my Sweethearts Games.

This one is for my oldest. She loves I-Spy games

so I took a few pictures of stuff around the house and used some photos we already had...

....the girls love pictures of themselves.

Then I made them into a photo book

because it was my lucky day

and there was a code for a FREE book!

But if there hadn't been, I would have just ordered 5x7 prints and laminated them. 

I wish I would have time to make more custom I-Spy pictures

but I think they'll like it anyway.

Here are my photos if you're interested in using them. They aren't that great but you're welcome to use them anyway.

Candy:

 Hearts:

 Pink and Red:

Sweethearts Week 2011: The Game of Love

"Love is a game that two  (or 5 in our family) can play and both win".

Sweethearts Week is one of my favorite family traditions. 

I stole it from my best friend, Stephanie, and I love it. 

You can see what I did in 2009 and 2010.

This year my theme will be based on games.

I will be giving the girls a game we can play together each day of the week leading up to Valentine's day.

Here are a few printable games that I have come up with so far so you can enjoy them, too.

Mending Broken Hearts

Valentine Scavenger Hunt

Cupid Cruisers

Snowman Preschool Lesson

I'm back...this week anyway. 

Here's what we'll be doing next week:

Lesson Plan

Songs and Finger Plays

Snowman Face Literacy Game

Marshmallow Math Mat

Shape Snowman

Faux Snow Science

Snow Dough

Snowman in a Bottle

Enjoy!

*Graphics from LetteringDelights.com