This Little Project

Join me in 100 Acts of Kindness

2012-01-29T21:08:00.002-05:00

If you haven't joined in the 100 Acts of Kindness project at Toddler Approved, it's not too late to start! There's plenty of time to complete 100 acts of kindness before Valentine's Day.

Each week there is a prompt goal to guide you along. This past week was about being gracious, I found these quotes thought-provoking:

“Kindness is the essence of greatness and the fundamental characteristic of the noblest men and women I have known. Kindness is a passport that opens doors and fashions friends. It softens hearts and molds relationships that can last lifetimes.” ― Joseph B. Wirthlin

Stop by to learn about the Kindness project at Toddler Approved and to learn about challenge #3 this week.

You can do acts of kindness in any way that works for your family.

Let's make the world a kinder place one {little} bit at a time.

Taking it to "heart"--come see!

2012-01-24T23:09:00.000-05:00

I'm over at abcand123learning.com teaching about more heart-healthy activities that are FUN.
Come see how to do some real math "exercises" and more!

Heart-Healthy Learning Games

2012-01-23T21:46:00.001-05:00

We've been indoors a LOT this winter. And that means we have needed a few {little projects} to channel some energy!
So today I'm sharing some Valentine's games have helped us hone some learning skills as well as give us some healthy exercise for our hearts--perfect for a month focused on the heart!

I try to get more than one use out of each game because it's more fun, and so it can be used with more than one age. Some are variations on the same game too. Hopefully you can find one that's a good fit for you below :)
{this little project} was easy to make because all the pieces on the floor are just white paper plates with red paper hearts glued to them (elmer's). Then just write the letters on them with a black marker.These are the letters you need to play:V A L E N T I N E, and then H R O. With those letters you can spell: love, heart, valentine.
Letter Walk: This game is fun to do with music playing. Music always is good for inspiring movement! Each person stands on a letter and then moves to from one letter to another letter (walking, skipping, dancing, jumping) until the music stops. Then each person tells: the letter they are on, and/or what sound it makes, and/or names something that starts with that letter. This is a great game for preschoolers. There aren't winners or losers-everyone likes getting a new letter to think about and getting there quick when the music stops.

This Spell-a-Heart game takes the last game to the next level. This time you tell the group what word you are going to spell. When the music stops you say the word and ask what letter the word starts with, or give the sound the next letter in the word makes. Ask the kids who is on that letter.

The lucky child gets to bring the letter up to help make the word. Continue until the word is spelled.
The next game is a Spelling Obstacle Course. Give them the plates (2 teams if there are many kids) and see if they can help you make an obstacle course with a word. For instance, for the word "love" you would space the letters out on the floor, and when you get to the L you do 4 push-ups to "lower" yourself to the ground, then go to the O and "open" and close your hands doing jumping jacks 7 times, V could be balance on one foot while holding a "vollyball", etc... A timer checks to see how fast they can do it.
When you are done, give each team all the letters and see how many words they can form out of the plates so their hearts can take a rest :)

Have fun keeping those minds and bodies active!

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How to Send a Hug in the Mail

2012-01-17T15:21:00.001-05:00

With Valentine's Day coming up I wanted to share one of our favorite {little projects} to mail: HUGS!
These mailable Hugs are personal and are perfect any time of the year.
They are great for:grandparentsfriends or family in the militarya traveling friend or relativecousins and far away friendsor anyone--Really who wouldn't want a hug to come to them in the mail?
To make {this little project} you need:
a person :) (whomever is sending the hug)
paper--I used newsprint--more about that below
crayons, markers, etc.
First, trace around the head, arms, and torso on the paper.

I get the newsprint from the local newspaper shop. It's the end of the roll from what they print on, but it's a TON of paper. In the past they've been about $2 or sometimes they donate them for free to teachers. I've done this in 3 states, so I think it's pretty common. There are a million {little projects} you can do with a nice big roll of paper! Butcher paper works too.
Next, have your in-house artist color what you traced. It can be a self-portrait, of sorts.

Here is Jay's in progress...
And here is Kay's. She took a more abstract approach, making sure that every one of her favorite colors was represented:

Then wrap the arms up for a big hug!
You can also add a little note (or valentine) and attach it to the hand.

Now put your HUG in the mail to send a happy surprise!

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Scripture Books

2012-01-09T17:46:00.002-05:00

Our family has been on vacation for 2 weeks. One more week to go and we'll be back home and back to "real" life.
In the meantime, I have been making a new quiet book for church this year.

These darling "bright ideas" are a picture with a scripture.
They will go great with our other Quiet Books.

And the bonus is that these "scripture pictures" will also be perfect for our morning devotional.
To make {this little project}
Download them (free) from this site, print them as a photo,and put them in a photo album book.
(These "bright idea" scriptures come from the monthly Children's Friend magazine.)
I think the pictures will help my kids remember the scriptures even better and I'm always amazed that my 4 year old can memorize a scripture a week.
The {little} things really do count!

New Year's Thoughts

2011-12-31T02:30:00.001-05:00

I have been busy with many {little projects} but some, like my husband being in the hospital, have been a bit more than the {little} kind. Those kinds of things always make you think about your faith. And having him sick around Christmas made me all the more grateful that a little baby was born in Bethlehem so long ago who lived and died to bless us all.
In all of this, there hasn't been much time for blogging.
Happily, he is well now and we celebrated a beautiful Christmas and a wedding in our family too!
I've had the chance to think a lot about blessings and angels who appear in so many forms in our lives over the past few weeks this season.
Recently I was snuggling my baby in this warm blanket. And suddenly a flood of memories came back to me.

This blanket was a gift. It was made by eight, nine, and ten-year-old girls from our church when I was a leader working with the Primary children at our church. The blanket was a gift for my first baby. That was about six years ago now.
Where we live, it gets pretty cold and this sweet blanket still (6 years later) keeps my little Ellie warm every night. And the thought of those little girls sharing their kindness and talents with me literally fills my heart up.
Kindness is an amazing thing.
I watched this sweet movie with my kids a few days ago. The message is one that's sweet all year long.

These are the things on my mind as I think about the blessings of this past year and the opportunities that come with a new year.
Are you the kind that makes new year resolutions?
I love to record mine each year. It feels like a promise to myself to try and be a little better. And the chance to let my imagination run wild with all the possibilities of what could be is an adventure I wouldn't think of missing out on.
I get out fun pens, find a cozy chair and a quiet time, and write some thoughts in my journal of what could be. Looking back at past years is always an important part of this little ritual of looking to the future.
What makes the list of resolutions?
All kinds of things, really. {This little project} was part of one resolution to take better care of the earth. I've had a great time refashioning some of my old shirts for Kay to wear this year. Here she is in one of them:

In some ways {this little project} I did for Kay feels like a metaphor for this resolutions-making time. We take what we already have--the good and the bad--and try to work with it to make ourselves and the world around us just a {little} bit better.
Wishing you a marvelous New Yearwith many rewarding {little projects}!

Christ-Centered Christmas and Quiet Books Update

2011-12-08T23:12:00.001-05:00

I recently had a reader write to me for ideas of gifts that are Christ-centered.

Christmas Freebie from Heather at Simply Fresh Designs.

Her email reminded me that there are so many {little projects} that I haven't shared here.
Literally. Like right now there are 235 drafts of {little project} posts that I just haven't had the time to sit down and actually finish writing to give to you.
But there are many handmade gifts that are great reminders of this season that are in that group of drafts and I will try to share them...
In the meantime, I wanted to let you know that the quiet books I shared with you awhile ago are back up. And these would be a great Christ-centered gift.
Heather at Simply Fresh Designs has graciously shared them again with all of us, without the images this time, due to copyright issues-but you can add your own.
This is so kind of her. She just had a new baby! If you stop by be sure to thank her!Here are the books she has available so far:
The Life of Christ
Teachings of Christ
We Believe
And I would also like to share with you a blog dedicated to Christ-centered Christmas and traditions: christcenteredtraditions.blogspot.com. There are many fabulous ideas for families of any age.
I'm making this printable nativity tomorrow with my kids, and thought some of you may enjoy it too.
And I love watching our kids "play" the nativity story with our Christmas village
And since the goal is really to keep Christ in our hearts all year, we have been blessed by {this little devotional project} that I'll share again here in case it's useful to you too.
I really like this post about what kids really want for Christmas too, to keep things in perspective. I'm always looking for more ideas on the tradition of a Christ-centered Christmas.What do you do in your home? Please feel free to leave a comment with ideas and traditions you like to do. Then come back and see what treasures of traditions can be found to help celebrate this special day.

Repurposed Christmas Stockings

2011-12-07T10:13:00.000-05:00

What do you get with a red sweater, a grey wool sweater, and a men's shirt?

Stockings!!

I found this marvelous grey wool sweater at a thrift store and thought that it would make some snuggly-looking stockings.

I haven't done handmade stockings before, but {this little project} was a lot easier than I thought!

There was enough of the grey sweater for the fronts so I used a red sweater for the backs.

I had enough to work with by using the front, back and each sleeve of each of the sweaters.

I ended up with enough to sew 5 stockings by being super careful when cutting them out.
Four stockings would have been even easier.

And the men's shirt?

It became the lining!

One thing I love about repurposing is trying to use each part of the original.

The buttons on the front of the men's shirt made the charming hanging loops--perfect!

And there you go, earth day meets Christmas!

Marshmallow Painting: DIY Wrapping Paper

2011-12-05T12:53:00.000-05:00

Did you know that marshmallows make a perfect paintbrush?
They make great polk-a-dots and there is no clean-up to do when you are done!
Today I want to share a fun {little project} for handmade wrapping paper.

When I was a child, my mom made a special effort to help us give handmade gifts instead of always buying something. There is just something special about someone sharing their time and effort to make something just for you. Handmade gifts are just special.
But even store-bought gifts get a handmade look with this wrapping paper!
I can't tell you how excited my kids were to wrap gifts with wrapping paper they created!
Here's what you need to make {this little project}:
paint
flat paint holder (I used yogurt lids)
marshmallows (3 sizes is fun)
paper-more info below
paper towel for clean-up

The giant marshmallows are great for making nice big dots!

For paper we used newsprint. You can get a roll of it very inexpensively at your local newspaper. I've done it in 2 states now. The newspapers can't print to the end of the roll so they often sell the ends of rolls (which is a ton of paper!) for just a few dollars-and sometimes they donate it if you are a teacher. Butcher paper would also work, I think.
Just dip one side of the marshmallow in the paint and stamp it!

Kay did all the red.Jay did all the green.

They started on opposite sides of the paper and then switched to make sure there was red and green on both sides.

I keep old shirts on hand for {little projects} like this. And some paper towel was there in case they got extra on their fingers.
We waited until the next day to use the wrapping paper. It needs some good drying time.
If you cut some of the dots out, they make perfect gift tags!

In a few days I will have a new nieces (yay!!) so our dot paper wrapped up these cute little polka-dot crib shoes for her!

Here's what it looks like, all wrapped up and ready to give!(some baker's twine and pom pom "dots" too!)

Easy. Done!

Join in the handmade fun here tolink up your handmade projects!

Handmade Holidays @ This Little Project

2011-12-01T15:18:00.001-05:00

A handmade gift is just extra special.

That's why we're celebrating handmade gift-giving
at {this little project} and we want your projects and ideas!

Link up your handmade {little project} in the linky below to help celebrate this special time of year with a fun collection of handmade ideas.

Get ready to be inspired!
Thanks for joining in the "handmade holiday" fun!

To join in the linky below, please follow these guidelines:

-Please share a {little project} that is handmade. Links to stores are not allowed.

-To share your {little project} please use a direct link to your post, not your homepage.

- Put the "handmade holidays @ this little project" button link (found in the code box above) in the html of your page post so others can come and be inspired too!

- If it you come back and your page is missing, check to see you have followed the guidelines.

- Try to visit at least 3 other project links and spread the comment love!

Christmas Songs for Kids

2011-11-28T13:22:00.001-05:00

I'm over at abcand123learning.com today writing about enjoying Christmas music with kids

and how to get their whole bodies involved in the fun!

Come on over and see what all this flying is about!

Thanksgiving Tangrams (free)

2011-11-21T22:25:00.000-05:00

We have been having a lot of fun designing some Thanksgiving tangrams in our math work this week. I started out making {this little project}, but Jay quickly took the lead. I love watching {little} people at work. It gives a glimpse into what's on their mind.

Since there aren't many Thanksgiving tangrams available for use on the web, I've included pictures for anyone else wanting to do {this little project}. I was going to upload the printable patterns, but my scanner isn't working. Hopefully the photos will be inspiration enough to get you going.

No offense intended in any of these depictions. After all there's only so much detail you can do with simple shapes.

My turkey:

Jay's turkey:

See what I mean? I love it!

He also made a {little} baby turkey:

A Native American headdress:

A bow and arrow (this was Jay's idea all the way):

Native American sitting:

Pilgrim:

Pineapple? I know, it's not really a traditional Thanksgiving idea. But trying to make corn turned into pineapple. Oh well!

And after we finished ours, I looked on the web and loved the ones we found here, especially the mayflower. We'll have to try that one now!

This is what we use to create our tangrams:

If you have kids coming to your Thanksgiving dinner, challenging them to create their own Thanksgiving tangrams should keep the the {little} people busy for awhile!

Thanksgiving in the Village

2011-11-18T13:24:00.000-05:00

Do you remember our village" project from awhile back?

It's still one of our favorite {little projects}.

Well, we took our pilgrim peg doll family and put them in their "village" this week.

{This Little Project} has brought Thanksgiving to life.
It's been serious fun!

I love watching {little} hands learn through play.

Initially, I wasn't sure how much Ellie would use {this little project} because of how young she is.But she loved it!

We used some wood log blocks to make a {little} house for our pilgrim family.
Then Jay and Kay got out our animals and other friends from "the village."
The two older kids have really had fun sailing our family on the "Mayflower" boat and pretending to hunt for food and make friends with the natives.

We got out the village park for some green space to play and "plant seeds" on.
And you know I have to sneak some spelling fun in. Our village tradition has been to use scrabble tiles to name things in the village.

The village isn't all historically accurate (or to scale--check out our chicken above--and our toy turkey is as tall as the pilgrims!) And all kinds of friends come to visit!

Jay found some twigs outside and we "lashed" some together with yarn for 2 teepees and then used the extras for a little camp fire.

I think next year we'll make our family into indian peg dolls and live in the village from that perspective.
One of the things I love about the story of Thanksgiving is that it transcends time. I think of it any time our family moves to a new place or when I meet new people. You're either the newbie (pilgrim) trying to get to know the natives and find your place in a new land. Or you're the native trying to understand and welcome the new person to your neighborhood.It's a story that never gets old. History is always more about the now than we realize.

Can learning really be this fun?

I love having {little} people at my house!

p.s. here's a look at our Christmas in the Village from the archives in case you want to try a Christmas village at your house or school too.

Pilgrim Peg Dolls

2011-11-17T22:10:00.001-05:00

Do you wonder what it would be like to be a pilgrim? We do.
So I made {this little project} for the kids to use in their play this week while we look at the history behind Thanksgiving. Learning through play makes the details of it all stick so much better (and it's so much more fun!)
This is our family. As wooden peg doll people.
We look quite pious, don't you think? :)

I found the "kids" standing here on a ruler on the floor today. I wonder who put them there?

There's more to {this little project} for Thanksgiving play that I'll share tomorrow. We're too busy playing with them for now. :)

p.s. if you want to make your own peg people, check out {this little project} from the archives for more details.

Nature Art: Leaf Turkeys!

2011-11-16T14:00:00.000-05:00

Yesterday our {little} nature walk and bike ride turned

into an art project: a leaf turkey!

Lately many of our {little projects} are thought up by the {little} people I live with. I love that!
To make {this little project} you need:
leaves: we collected a variety for the body and featherstwigs, seed pods, etc. (Jay made a nest with a turkey egg)maple leaf seeds that are stuck together make great birds in the skyglue (we used elmer's)paper to glue it to
Have fun creating art with nature!
More kid-inspired {little projects} to come :)

Note Card Caddy

2011-11-15T08:00:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I'm a sneaky mom.

{This little project} looks like a box of fun stamps, cards, stickers, etc.

But it is a disguise for teaching my kids how to write thank you notes and practice their handwriting and spelling.

We've been using it for a few months and they don't know it yet!

Even though I made {this little project} for the kids I decided that I had to make one for me too!

At this time of year we take a little extra time to be grateful.

{This little project} has made it a little easier

to say "thank you" all year round.

Just today one of our neighbors gave Jay a plant (he loves plants!) when he came home he said, "Mom I should write her a thank you card." That's music to a mom's ears.

To make {this little project}

I used a cleaning caddy because I love the handle and that it naturally separates all of our supplies.

Our Note Card Caddy has:

blank cards and envelopes (we send a lot of happy birthday cards too)

stamps and ink pads

colored pencils

stickers

addresses

postage stamps

crayons/markers

And just this week I picked these up for $1 each at Michaels. With these six stamps you pretty much have every occasion covered.

And if you are nervous about kids and stamps/ink, here is a {little project tip}: I keep a couple of my old t-shirts near this box. The kids can slip it on over their clothes and slip it back off when they are done. easy.

We also wet a paper towel to stamp the extra ink off of the stamp. I love watching them learn to take responsibility for their things.

Actually, this Note Card Caddy is an extension of {this little project} from the past.

There's nothing like a pen pal for making writing fun!

Even with all our technology, there's nothing like getting a hand-written note.
Thanks for stopping by today!

Raspberry Cream Cheese French Toast

2011-11-09T15:06:00.000-05:00

With Thanksgiving coming up and planning and recipe hunting underway, I wanted to share one of my favorite breakfast recipes. {This Little Project} is the make-the-night-before goodness that makes for an easy morning. On a holiday that is just what I need.

Usually I'm not much of a fan of french toast breakfast caseroles because they look kinda gross. So, I'm delighted to share a {little} hint for making yours look good (and it's super yummy too!)

Oh, and if you are taking it to a brunch or other gathering (which I do a lot) than you'll also love that you don't have to take any syrup along. All the goodness is baked right inside.

It looks so good that it makes you look good :)

Here's what you need to make

{this yummy project}

Raspberry Cream Cheese French Toast:

3 cups milk

1 loaf of bread

1 T. cinnamon (I love cinnamon but if you don't, use less)

8 oz cream cheese

10-12 eggs (depending on size)

1/2 cup maple syrup

vanilla 1 1/2 T

raspberries (frozen or fresh)

Streusel Topping ingredients:

4 T. softened butter or margarine

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup flour

1/2 t. cinnamon

a pinch of salt

To make {This Little Project}

1- Grease a 9x13 baking dish

2- Break up half the loaf of bread into bite-sized pieces and put in the backing dish.

3- Cut the cream cheese into small cubes. And spread them over the bread. I try to imagine that whoever is eating it gets a little piece of cream cheese in each bite-so that's an idea of how to cut and spread it out.

4- Break up the other half of the loaf of bread into bite-sized pieces and spread over the cream cheese in the dish.

5- Prepare the egg mixture in a separate mixing bowl: Combine the eggs, syrup, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon. Whisk them together.

6- Pour the egg mixture evenly over the bread in the baking dish. I always press down/flatten any bread that isn't covered so that it all gets soaked.

7- Cover and refrigerate overnight.

8- In the morning make the streusel topping and sprinkle over the top.

9- Sprinkle the raspberries over the streusel topping.

10- Cook uncovered 375 degrees for 50-60 minutes

Be sure to check the middle-if the middle it's not done, cook longer.

When you take it out it looks pretty. I love pretty food.

Enjoy!

Organizing School Work and Art Projects

2011-11-02T15:30:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago I shared our Wall of Fame with you. It's been a fun place to celebrate learning.

Today I want to share with you some organizing ideas that we've been doing for the past 2 years.

{This little project} has worked really well in our family for keeping us organized and for taming the paper monster that comes with school work and kids.

Where do those things go after
they are done on the wall?

And since they can't all go on the wall,
where do the other favorites go?

Into a book:

Let me tell you why I love {this little project}:

* My kids really enjoy looking back at what they have accomplished in the past. It helps them see that they have made progress. And it's especially great for them to see that they have tackled something hard before. And succeeded. It gives them courage to try hard again.

* And looking back is also a fun way to review what they have already learned.

* There is a lot more satisfaction in creating something great if you know it won't become garbage tomorrow.

* It's fun to see what the kids were learning at their different ages.

* They know that most-especially their favorites-will be displayed as well as treasured.

* Binders are super easy to store. And they don't take a lot of space.

So how do we keep this all organized?

All you need to make {this little project} is:a binder calendar pages (one for each month). I printed my calendars here.a 3-hole puncha place/tray to gather completed school work page protectors (12)
First, punch holes in your calendars and put them in the binder. You need one for each child. Be sure to label the child's name and the year on it.
I like to put a page protector in the binder with each month to hold small things or things that don't punch very well--like books and small art pieces.
Then, each day when you clean out their backpack, you (or the child) puts the things you want to keep in a folder or tray for each child, (or on your own wall of fame!)
At the end of each week you just hole punch everything in the folder/tray and put them in the binder behind the current calendar month.
easy, huh?

But, what do you do with the "big" things that won't fit in the binder?

* We like to take a photo of them and let them run as the screen-saver on the computer. That way we can still "see" them even though we can't "keep" them.

* A pizza box (for each child) also works great for storing large art pieces.

Good luck taming the paper monster with {this little project}!

p.s. we have usually fit about 9 months of work in a regular binder, but you could always use a bigger binder if you need to!

Friday Favorites and Freebies

2011-10-28T09:37:00.002-04:00

Happy Friday! I'm so glad the weekend is here! Here are some of my favorites to share with you:

I am in love with this simple declaration from this Etsy Shop

I used this pattern to make Jay's bat wings (yes! he did change his mind and I didn't have to come up with a praying mantis costume--whew!!) It's so simple to make-genius!

I have a feeling we are going to be having a lot of fun on this site-you can print out all kinds of fun mazes to do!

found via homeschoolfreebieoftheday.com

I love the simplicity of these Boo Bags-free printable for them too!

Wishing you a wonderful Weekend!

Skeletons and Dancing!

2011-10-24T11:51:00.001-04:00

Today I'm over at abcand123learning.com teaching about your skeleton and making them dance around!
Perfect for Halloween, come on over!

Kid Friendly Pumpkin Decorating

2011-10-20T12:03:00.002-04:00

With three kids age 5 and under, carving pumpkins just isn't a fun {little project}. Knives and babies just aren't a great mix and it always turns into such a mess. Plus, after the kids pick out their favorite pumpkin at the patch the squirrels always eat them! So....
Instead of them being heart-broken about their carved masterpiece turning into squirrel food and me stressing that someone is going to loose an eye, we do kid-friendly pumpkin {projects} at our house.
This year we made edible pumpkins and they took on a "mr. potato head" look.
See what I mean? Did you know that rice krispies make great pumpkins?!
Here's what you need to make {this little project}Marshmallows (I used colored since we were dying them but it doesn't matter)Rice cereal (larger pumpkins require more)food coloring (red and yellow)Cereal Straws (apple jacks kind-for the stem)butter/margarine
How to make {this little project}I made my rice krispie treats in the microwave--this is a kid-friendly {little project}, right?
Just follow the recipe on the box. I put the butter/margarine and marshmallows in a microwave-safe bowl for a little more than a minute. If you watch them they start to expand really big (the kids love that!) When they get pretty big I take them out and stir them together. This is the time to add your food dye (BEFORE adding the cereal!)
After you have the color that you want and have stirred the marshmallows and butter/margarine together, add your rice cereal and stir together.
To form your pumpkins you need super greasy hands. We rubbed some butter on our fingers and then formed the pumpkins.
For the pumpkin face "parts" we picked up a couple of packages of them at the Dollar Tree. Also, it helps if you let the "pumpkin treats" sit for a couple of minutes before you put the pumpkin face parts on.
p.s. here are more survival tips for cooking with kids.

This is Kay's {little} pumpkin. After we took regular photos they went crazy and we ended up with what I call, "picaso pumpkins." You can use your imagination on that...body parts in all kinds of places.
They were very proud of their silliness and wanted me to take their picture with them making silly faces next to their silly pumpkins...oh the fun memories! It was a family night activity we'll remember!

Little Ellie made her own kind of "picaso pumpkin." I put the "face parts" on magnets so she can decorate her pumpkin again and again.

It's a {little} spooky to have your food look like it could talk to you!
Have fun making a kid-friendly Halloween {little project}!

October Sensory Bin

2011-10-19T22:29:00.001-04:00

The kiddos are having fun so much fun with our sensory bin so I thought I would share a peek at it. With it turning so cold outside we've been using it more and more.
We colored some rice, added some black beans and with scoops, baskets, and treasures to dig for. They love it!
I made a couple of sieves in {this little project}, with directions to make your own.
And for directions on how make your own colored rice, check out this post.
The colored rice lasts really well in a zip lock bag and I switch out the colors and theme as the months change.
It's a fun way to build those fine motor skills (with a {little} to sweep up afterwards). But it's worth it :)

Egg Carton Math Games

2011-10-18T11:29:00.000-04:00

We've been using {this little project} this week to practice math. It's kind of like the handwriting helper {project} we did before.

It makes math into a game!

So, how does {this little} math helper work?

All you need is a numbered egg carton and 2 different colored pom poms to play the game.

Toss both pom poms into the egg carton.

There are a bunch of ways to use {this little project} as a game.

First, math game ideas for the older kids:

If you are doing subtraction you write down the larger of the numbers and subtract the other number that the pom pom landed in from it.

Write both numbers down and then < or > for the greater/smaller.

For addition, add both the numbers together that the pom poms landed in.

For multiplication...you get it...you multiply them....etc.

Math Game Ideas for younger kids:

Toss both in and figure out which one is the larger number. Which is the smaller number?

Toss just one in and practice writing the number.

Toss two in and make it a double digit number and say and write what it is.

My kids are young and love to use manipulatives for math.

Whichever game we choose to play we like to get out the chalkboard or whiteboard. Somehow that makes it more of a game than just using a pencil and paper.

I always feel good when we re-use something from the invention box so doing {this little project} was double the fun :)

Celebrating the Music-with chocolate books!

2011-10-11T11:05:00.000-04:00

I've been celebrating a lot music making with my students lately. They have been finishing up everything from sonatinas to their "books" and I wanted to do something to celebrate their diligent work.

{This little project} is chocolate disguised as a music book.

My inspiration for {this little project} came from a book idea a friend made that I knew would be perfect to adapt for my music students.
To make {this little project} you need:
mini chocolate bars
card stock
music images-see below
double-sided tape
1/8" ribbon (about 4 inches for each)

{This little project} starts with two mini chocolate bars and some double-sided tape on card stock:
Depending on which way your book image is oriented the chocolates go horizontal or vertical.

Then I just made miniatures of their books/music (via images in google) and printed them to fit the size of the candy:

A little ribbon book mark (starts under the chocolate bar) with more double-sided tape and you're done!

The kids were so excited to receive their surprise reward!

{This little project} would be perfect for celebrating a choir, band, or orchestra event as well as finishing a difficult piece {think festival, solo/ensemble, or Christmas concerts, etc.)
I love it when {little projects} taste good too! Happy Celebrating!

Wall of Fame

2011-10-06T10:24:00.000-04:00

As previously posted at brown paper packages as part of back-to-basics.

Today's {little project} is about celebrating what comes home in your child's backpack.
I know you groan to have to go through it. But {this little project} today will help both of you look forward to going through the "treasures" and papers that come home each day.
why?
Because we are making a "Wall of Fame!"
To make {this little project} you simply to replace the glass in your frames with cork board so they look like this:
{little project tip} that cork that comes in a roll is great, but it's super thin. So if you use it (like I did) you will want to also cut identical pieces of cardboard to go behind it. You can use a spray adhesive to hold them together.
Different sizes of frames let you celebrate many kinds of achievements. I used a variety of sizes and including construction paper-sized, and a shelf frame for the 3D art projects to be displayed on.

I spay painted my frames black because they are in our dining room. But colored ones up in a playroom would be so fun too!
Then to make {this little project} more personal, I cut out monogram cardboard letters and covered them with fun yarn and twine textures.

Our three kids just happen to have first names that are alphabetical. But these were sooo easy and fun that I'm making "BOO" ones next!

Here's the final "Wall of Fame" where the celebration is ready to begin!

See? How excited is your little one going to be to see their own work up on the "wall of fame!"
Have fun Celebrating!
p.s. if you want to know more about those fun tiny letters in the frame, you'll find them in {this little reading project} or {this little music project}.

The Music doesn't end...

2011-10-01T07:14:00.001-04:00

I am over at The Teaching Studio to share my Musical Practice Abacus. There is magic in {this little project}!

If you have kids that play a musical instrument you will want to check it out. Jenny has some wonderful teaching ideas to share!

On another note, I will be taking a few days off to be with family. My husband's grandmother passed away this week. Since we believe that death is not the end, we are comforted in missing her but not feeling like we have lost her.
She was a musician herself and sang in the world renown Mormon Tabernacle Choir for many years. They will be performing this weekend in General Conference which is so fitting for remembering her. If you would like to hear the choir perform, tune in here.
It's comforting at a time like this to know the music doesn't end.
I'll be back in a few days...

Historic Threads

2011-09-27T15:12:00.000-04:00

This past weekend our family was part of a historical re-enactment. I made {this little project} for my Ellie to wear.

Why don't we dress our wee ones this way anymore? I couldn't take my eyes off of her--she was such a doll!
Jay took this family photo of us in "camp."
I had no idea that dressing up and participating like this would be such a neat {little project} for our family. It made history so much more real.

Seriously, my little boy looking like this? Take me back in time! In his hand is a jar of cream that he is shaking to turn it into butter.
The music in the camp represented all the different time periods and peoples there.

It made me realize in a new way that music is very much a representation of a people. That's a {little} something to think on, no?

Though I'm truly grateful for electricity and my laundry room, watching my little ones do the laundry was a sweet {little} treat!

Costumes and dressing up....it puts me right in the mood for Halloween costumes!
And on that note, Jay wants to be a praying mantis for Halloween...any help with that one is totally appreciated. In the meantime, (since I haven't figure that one out yet) I keep hoping he changes his mind!

A {little} travel...come see Scotland!

2011-09-26T12:05:00.004-04:00

I'm over at abc123learning.com today to teach about Movement and Music in Scotland.
Come do a virtual visit around the world with me and learn with us about Scotland!

Friday Favorites and Freebies

2011-09-23T14:30:00.002-04:00

Happy Friday! I hope you are ready for some Friday fun! Here it is:

I am a dancer at heart, so when I saw this idea for a "perfect bun" I had to share it! I think you will be surprised at how she pulls it off--and she has a nice video to show you how too, yay! Check it out here.

My little Jay loves to draw. He is always asking me how to draw things...but I'm not blessed with a lot of talent in drawing, so I'm happy to have found this site. So much to learn here!

I think this outdoor Twister Game is brilliant! Get the details here.

And finally, a free printable! I love all the eye charts out there right now. This one is perfect for Halloween!

If you were featured today, feel free to grab a button badge from the sidebar.Happy Friday!

Blueberry Deluxe Pancakes

2011-09-19T12:18:00.000-04:00

Our new favorite pancake recipe is deluxe goodness:
Whole Wheat Blueberry Cornmeal Pancakes

So why is it so deluxe?

Because {this little project} is easy to make

tastes super yummy

and it's healthy goodness for you too!

So don't let that healthy recipe title scary you away.
{this little project} makes a yummy dinner too!

This recipe works with regular white flour too if you don't have whole wheat flour on hand.

I like to grind my own wheat with this sweat little monster. If you are looking for a good wheat grinder I can recommend this one:

This grinder was a Christmas gift. I love using it to make my own breads. It can grind corn too if you want to make your own cornmeal.

Whole wheat Blueberry Cornmeal Pancakes Recipe:

2 cups whole wheat flour

4 TBL cornmeal
2 TBL sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 TBL cinnamon
2 beaten eggs
2 cups milk
4 TBL cooking oil
1-2 cups blueberries

Top with yogurt, maple syrup, whipped cream, blueberries, etc!

Combine ingredients together (except for blueberries) and stir until just moistened. Fold in blueberries.
Cook on lightly greased griddle or skillet on medium heat until golden brown.
Makes 16-20 6 inch pancakes.

{little project tip} if you don't use cornmeal very often, keep it in the freezer and just pull out what you need for recipes like this one.

Savor the healthy yumminess!

Come and see...

2011-09-19T11:43:00.000-04:00

I'm over at Brown Paper Packages today.

This is the "before" photo. Come see how {This Little Project} turned out!

I'm sharing an idea for how to celebrate all those "art projects" that the kids are bringing home from school.

Devotional Project

2011-09-14T14:28:00.000-04:00

"Great things are done by a series of small things brought together."
-- Vincent Van Gogh
With school starting again, you may be like me thinking about the kinds of patterns you want to have in your home and trying to manage the chaos of many schedules.
I've written before about our morning devotional and why and how it came to be in our home. But since that time (February 2009) our children have grown and we've even moved to a new state! Needless to say, things have changed in the past 2 years.
As parents we know that character development is as essential as anything else our kids learn at school. But they don't teach as much about character at school as they used to. Our morning devotional lasts about 5 minutes-it's something we do while we eat breakfast. {Little} as that may be, I have seen it make a big difference over the years.
It's amazing how meaningful a few minutes can be.
If this sounds like a {Little Project} you might like to do in your home, I'll share some ideas that have worked in ours:
I clip pictures from this magazine and this magazine and put them in sheet protectors. The pictures are religious in nature, or about ideas I think would be good for us to think about, or about making choices. I use three ring clips to hold them together because a binder was too big and I wanted to just see one picture at a time. This sits on a small stand in our dining room.

Each morning we talk about a picture. I don't prepare this ahead of time. I simply ask questions like, who is in the picture, what they are doing, what can we do to be like them, etc. The kids usually kind of take over telling me about it and what they see. It always amazes me what they see. Sometimes I feel like they are teaching me!
We have done this for over a year. I rotate the pictures over time but have found that it can be fun to go through them again. After time has passed the kids can go more in depth as they get older and have new things to say about them. We went through the picture packet we used in the past about 5 times before we started this new system of pictures.
Another idea is to use a photo holder to put scriptures in:

This "scripture album" is also in our dining room. We say and try to memorize a scripture each week. For little ones I say a line and they repeat it to me and we move through the verse like that. The reading kids can try not to look at it as the week goes by.
I am continually amazed at what little children can remember and learn. They are little sponges, which is why developing their character from the time they are tiny is so important. I remind myself that they are absorbing everything. My hope in our morning devotional is that they will absorb goodness.
"Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise."
-- Alma Alma 37:6
One last thing that we have been doing for about the past 6 months is our prayer "list."
This is a place where we can write down things that are meaningful to them and our family that we want to remember in our prayers. I got a little dry-erase board from the dollar store for this.

This prayer list has been really great for helping our kids to learn to pray and give meaningful and heartfelt prayers. It has also helped us teach them about the world and what is going on in the world--like praying for the people who are affected by the hurricane or recent tsunami.
It has also helped them look outside themselves and care for others. We also keep this in our dining room and the kids can refer to it when we say meal-time prayers.
In our home, the dining room is a gathering place for meals, but also a place we walk throughout the day. So even though we only spend a few minutes talking about these things the kids see them throughout the day. I have seen these {little} things make a big difference in our home.
"Small events and choices determine the direction of our lives just as small helms determine the directions of great ships."
-- M. Russell Ballard
Whatever your morning routine, make the {little} things count :)

Party in the Playroom: Furniture Makeover

2011-09-09T21:19:00.001-04:00

I always love a good "makeover." It's so rewarding to see the change from the "before" to the "after" and makes you feel like the work was worth the effort.
That's just how {This Little Project} for the playroom went. A little spray paint can QUICKLY work wonders. I had some little chairs and table on hand that we have had for years. My kids love them, but they were not cute!

I love these little wooden chairs. They don't tip and they can hold any size kid. They are super sturdy! But they were this ugly brown color. The photo shows some yellow paint on them--I almost forgot to take the "before" photo!
The little table was red, yellow, and blue. Not cute. And did not match the rest of the playroom at all. You know something isn't cute when your husband tries to store these in the garage instead of letting your kids play with them!

So...I gave them a nice coat of spray paint...and they look totally different!

And now the kid furniture doesn't mysteriously disappear to the attic or garage anymore!
Ellie was sure that I made {this little project} just for her. She sat right down with a cup of cheerios to try it out!

And it looks soooooo much better now in the playroom and with the playhouse. I love doing projects that get used. And this one has a lot of new life in it now :)
So next time you are ready to throw something out, consider a can of paint instead!

Practice Abacus--Abracadabra!

2011-09-06T14:25:00.004-04:00

I'm excited to share something we've enjoyed a lot in our home. {This Little Project} is perfect for back-to-school music practicing too.
It's magic! really!I call it the Abracadabra Practice Abacus.
You remember what an abacus is, right? It's kind of an old-school calculator--with the beads you move around to count things.

Well...Sometimes when I'm trying to encourage my kids with their music practice, we need a little magic to make it all happen--otherwise practicing is no {little project}. That's where the Abracadabra Practice Abacus comes in.

Each string has a number of beads or beads that spell a word. Want to know why?

Because: repetition is magic.

Kids like to do things once. But things don't improve much with one try. But give it a few consecutive tries and you'll get some nice progress! It's kind of like magic.

So, on the Abracadabra Practice Abacus you will find places to count 5 repetitions (see above), 4 repetitions, 3 repetitions, and 2 repetitions (rh/lh). That way there is a fun way to keep track of those repetition and make the magic happen!
Need some magic a your house? {This Little Project} might be your magic wand!

To make {This Little Project} you need:

a cereal box

a frame (matches the size of your mounting paper)

1/8 inch ribbon

beads (I used the same ones from {this little project}

Scissors
Brads
a piece of paper to mount it on (that fits your frame)
glue stick
binder clips
optional: overhead projector sheet (plastic)

Directions to make {This Little Project}:(hint: read all the directions before you start--I'm hoping this makes sense!)

First- cut your cereal box to the size of the paper you are mounting. Glue the paper to the cardboard.
Then decide where your lines of beads will go and mark the paper where the brads will go in.

If you think your Practice Abacus will get a lot of use you may want to put a overhead projector sheet over the top of the paper to mount the beads and brads on. It's kind of like laminating it. Use the binder clips to hold it on while you punch the holes.
I punched the holes with my scissors, but a different tool might be nice.
Cut your ribbon lengths at least 2 inches longer than they need to be to go across the paper because you will wrap the brads. You can trim the extra at the end.

The brad will hold the ribbon in place on the abacus. First thread it through the middle of the brad like this:

Then wrap it around the brad once like this, before putting it through the hole you created on the left side of the paper. Spread the brad open on the back of the cardboard to secure it.

Now just decide how many beads you want on that line of your abacus. Next thread your beads on the ribbon.
If you have room, you can put a brad in the middle of the paper (not just on the sides) so that you can have two different counters that move on the same ribbon line, like this one.

The RH/LH line we use for when Jay needs to do 2 repetitions of something on each hand.
The reason I did 2 different counters of 4 each like the one below is so that Jay can either count the word out or count with the numbers. He can also use it for doing 4 on one hand and 4 on the other hand. It's nice to be able to track how many and it's fun too!

Continue putting brads into the holes you marked until you have the number of counters you would like.
For my Practice Abacus I put the "3's" at the top, then the "4's", then the "5's", followed by the 2 (RH/LH) at the end.

Abracadabra, it's done!
Now watch the magic happen at your house as you use your Practice Abacus!

Family Preparedness Project

2011-09-01T04:30:00.000-04:00

Some of our projects are just {little projects}. But I feel like a lot of our projects are more like, " little-by-little" projects. That's how I feel about our Family Preparedness Project.

I've shared some thoughts before about {this little project} since it's the ongoing kind. Since September is National Preparedness Month here in the USA and with hurricane Irene we have a fresh reminder of how life can change very quickly. Being prepared is a {little project} that helps us all weather life's storms better.

For instance, I was recently reading about Brandy's experience of feeding her family for two years while her husband was out of a job and how important her pantry became to her. Talk about pulling on your heart strings. Wondering how you will be able to feed your children from day to day is a totally different kind of stress than wondering what you might make for dinner.

We moved into our home just over a year ago and I've been so excited to graduate from our DIY pantry to a real pantry! For Christmas I wanted storage containers for all our dried fruits, nuts, flour, sugar, etc. Not only does it feel great to have an organized pantry, but it is a rewarding experience to have some extra on hand so we aren't so completely tied to the grocery store.

If you are new to the idea of having extra on hand, a pantry is a great way to start. I love having a "mini grocery store" in my home so that if I change my mind on what to make for dinner I don't have to run to the store. To begin I just bought a few extras of the things our family eats regularly. With some dedicated shelf space it's not too hard to work your way up to having one month and then two or three months of food on hand in your pantry. It's a {little project} that will give you peace of mind.

The world is an unpredictable place but you can make your home feel more secure. Whenever I wonder about if {this little project} is worth the effort I think of stories like Brandy's. I want to be able to feed my family if our circumstances were to suddenly change. And little by little, {this little project} is coming together.

If you are thinking that your family could use a little family preparedness project too, I also want to share with you an article with 1 preparedness idea for each day of September. Following one or many of the ideas will get you a little closer to your goal. And with it being National Preparedness Month, now is a great time to begin!

Party in the Sky

2011-08-29T16:20:00.003-04:00

Want to add some whimsy in a snap? These tissue paper pom poms are just the thing. They are perfect for any party or just for fun!
I'm thinking Labor Day weekend, cheering up some back-to-school blues, or decorating a bedroom...so many possibilities!

We're celebrating fun in the playroom and back to school too with them.

They are super easy to make, and for all the fun these are, they're inexpensive to create.
Here is a quick tutorial. I tried them in a few different sizes and I cut the ends like a spike/triangle instead of rounded.

We also made some tissue paper pom poms to celebrate the 4th of July. My kids think they look like fireworks! Really, they are great for many events!

Kinda makes you want to make up an excuse for a party, huh?

Spanish Popcorn

2011-08-23T22:44:00.002-04:00

Do you ever feel like your kids need an incentive to accomplish something?
{This Little Project} is not about "bribing," (because we moms never do that--hehe) it's about celebrating a good behavior.
The behavior we are celebrating at our house right now is speaking Spanish, though I think this idea would work for a lot of other things.
Here is how our Spanish Popcorn set-up started out:

We've been working on learning Spanish as a family for awhile. The problem is: it can feel like work!
Kay especially has not quite "caught the spirit" of trying to speak spanish. Rather than memorize words she likes to just make her own up and tells me that she's speaking Spanish! We all needed a reason to work a little harder.
So I came up with {This Little Project} to encourage us all:A popcorn seed for every spanish word we speak.
And what do all those popcorn seeds add up to?
A Popcorn Party!
You need quite a few seeds to have a good party so it's good motivation for us.
{This Little Project} started out with a trip to the invention box for some plastic bottles, and then some monogrammed paper punches for Jay, Kay, and Mom. Ellie doesn't say much in any language that we can understand so we'll add her later.

Each morning at the end of our morning devotional we learn a few words to try and say throughout the day. One day we had the word, "abajo" which means down. The kids said it for every step they took going down the stairs and coming down from every jump on the trampoline. That was more enthusiasm than I expected!
Here's our progress after our first day:

I'm looking forward to {This Little Project} being a fun ongoing project that will let us try lots of yummy popcorn recipes-yay! Oh, and learning Spanish is good too.

sharing here too:

The 10-minute Challenge

2011-08-17T10:26:00.005-04:00

A friend invited our family to join theirs this summer in some exercising goals with a fun reward together at the end of the summer for our families. It led me to give myself a 10-minute challenge. Who knew 10 minutes could make such a difference? {This Little Project} made exercise manageable and more fun!
I used to be the director and owner of a dance studio for 13 years. I was a dance student for 7 years before that, so moving and exercising were well-built into my lifestyle.

source

That started to change when I closed my dance studio when Jay was born. I had seen a lot of "dance moms" with their kids at competitions and travel performances and knew I didn't want that life for my kids. I thought I would continue to dance though and teach on the side a little. But my body didn't agree. I broke my feet 3 times and finally had to accept that what I loved and had done for as long as I could remember was not going to be a part of my life right now.

It was hard. It felt like a complete lifestyle change not to spend hours in the dance studio each day. Plus I had a new baby!Since I also loved to run and now I wouldn't be able to do that either, I really didn't know what exercising would be for me now. The things I loved to do I couldn't do anymore :(
Fast-forward 6 years....my feet still can't take much impact: no running, jumping, etc. Even though so much time has passed, I haven't found something I love to do for exercise to replace what I did before. The truth: I don't spend much time consciously exercising--even though I know I should be!

souce

That's where the 10-minute Challenge comes in. I decided to challenge myself to fit 10 minutes of exercise into each day. With three kids, finding time for myself can be a challenge. But I was confident that I could find 10 minutes consistently each day.
Everyone has different experiences with exercising. Some love it. Some really don't. But I would guess that a lot of people are like me: simply trying to figure how to get the pattern of exercise into their life.
Who knew that 10 minutes could be so transformational? It's been so fun for me that I usually go for more like 15 minutes :)

source

Experts recommend that you get at least 30 minutes of exercise 3 times a week. That's a total of 90 minutes in a week. Well, 10 minutes 6 days a week gets you 60 minutes. If you move up to 15 minutes 6 days a week you get those 90 minutes a week.
Now, I know that prolonged exercise has it's place. But doing Some is better than None, right? For me, 10-15 minutes a day = No more guilt.And there are benefits I wasn't expecting too, like how my kids are more exercise conscious.
A friend recently said told me, "If you are going to exercise you may as well do something you like!" which I totally agree with. That's why these past six years have been so hard.But I've also learned to remember that even if I don't love it...it's only 10-15 minutes!
To meet my exercising goal I knew I needed to be able to exercise at any time at home. And I didn't want to spend a lot of money to exercise. Those things may be different for you.
Here are some ideas for {This Little Project}that have helped me:
Yoga Today has a weekly class online that is free. If you do it once at the beginning of the week and then again on Saturday you will find that you are better the second time too. It's longer than 10 minutes, so you can do however much of it you want. I love the stretching aspect of yoga!

Make a list: When you get your free 10 minutes you don't want to spend the time thinking of something to do! Have a list of ideas ready that you can do with little prep time so you can make the most of your precious minutes.
Exercise DVD's: There are so many great DVD's on the market that you can do at home. Many can be checked out from your local library so you don't get sick of doing the same thing. Rotate to try different things too and find something you enjoy. It's yard sale time and I've picked up some good ones there too. You could also trade with a friend.
Get outside: It's nice to be able to have a change of scenery. A brisk stroller walk (pushing 50 pounds of kids!), or a bike ride with the kids in a bike trailer, or a hike in a local area (with baby riding on my back!) will be fun family memories as well as some good exercise for everyone.
Exercising year-round can be a challenge when it's cold. I found an exercise bike on craigslist and put it in our playroom right where I can see the kids if they are playing outside too. You might be more likely to exercise if life doesn't have to stop to fit it in. The kids just play while I take a little ride :)
Tell someone: Having our summer challenge gave me just the motivation I needed to finally make a cosistent change. Sometimes having a friend along or letting a family member know about what you are doing makes it more real to you.
Reward yourself: It's fun to have a goal to work towards, but I think my friend had it right with a reward at the end of the summer. You really need to celebrate your success!
Will you be taking the 10-minute challenge?

Money Math

2011-08-10T15:21:00.006-04:00

A few months ago Jay saw a coinstar machine and it kind of turned a light on for him as far as interest in learning about money. For the past few weeks he's been earning his pennies with a little summer job and dreaming about what he should save them for and all the fun things he could do with them.
I love it when learning like this happens naturally. So, naturally I had to make some fun money games for us to play!
Below you will find ideas for preschool-3rd grade money play/learning.
These coin dice have been so fun for us. When I looked around the web thinking I would just purchase them I found these but I decided to make them instead. I like them even better! (how-to below.)
Some games we play:Just coin dice: roll one die, write the amount of cents, roll the plus/ minus die (or just decide which you will be doing for the game), roll another coin die, write the amount down. Add or subtract them. Write it down.
Coin or Dollar dice: Roll one die and then another. Is the second coin/dollar rolled greater/less than/or equal to the first coin rolled?
Coin die and Dollar die: roll the coin die, write the amount of cents, roll the plus/ minus die (or just decide which you will be doing for the game), roll the dollar die, write the amount down. Add them together. Write it down. You can do this with subtraction if you start with the dollar die first. This is great practice for making change.
Dollar and Dollar dice: roll one dollar die, write the amount down, roll the plus/ minus die (or just decide which you will be doing for the game), roll the other dollar die, write the amount down. Add them together. Write it down.
It's even more fun if you get your play money out (or real!) and get the right one out when you roll it. When I got real money out for this game my kids were even more interested in learning about money (and practicing their math!)
Want to make {This Little Project} too?
You need: money stickers from Dollar Tree (in their ed. materials)--these stickers are just a picture of each coin and dollar with their amounts written underneath.
Five 1 inch wooden cubes (from craft store or Here)
Modge Podge
(total cost: about $2.00)
You will want 2 coin, 2 dollar, and 1 plus/minus/greater/=/less than cube.
Just cut the coin stickers apart because they come on one big sticker. I made these tally sheets for Kay to use from the left-over parts of the stickers. She's not quite ready to do a lot of math with money yet but she's interested in learning coin recognition. So she rolls the dice and marks a line for each kind.

The $1,5,10,20,50 dollar stickers don't quite fit on the cubes (unless you have bigger wood cubes too) so I just cut enough to make it obvious which dollar bill it was.
After your stickers are cut out, put a layer of modge podge on, lay the sticker on top, let it dry. Then put a layer of modge podge over the top of the sticker too and let it dry. Easy and quick!
Now you are ready for lots of fun!
And if you have older money savvy kids you will like this simple online game of making change. Jay played this a few times over a couple of weeks and still really enjoys it. Find it Here.

Want one more fun idea? Make your own store! If you need a cash register (we did) this one is inexpensive ($10) and works great.
Learning is always more fun when it's more like playing (be it a game or a store!) Have fun!

sharing here too:

Music at my House: Organizing the Music

2011-08-08T14:03:00.004-04:00

Have you ever lost a music book at your house? I've taught music lessons for about 15 years. And it seems to be a common problem.
At our house I like to use "Montessori-Inspired" organization. In other words: accessible to my kids so they can practice taking responsibility for themselves in addition to practicing their music.
Right now I am loving these:
I recently got these bins from the Target dollar spot (for $2.50) with the back-to-school things. The tag on them says they are "locker bins" but when I saw them I thought, "Wow-those would be perfect for our music books!"
So I bought 3 to try them out. They are the perfect size and since they are longer than they are tall, they don't tip over like regular magazine box storage--which would be very frustrating for kids. Also, they are heavy duty plastic and will hold up to daily use. I went back and got three more-one of every color!

To label them I just punched paper, stickered on a monogram and did lazy laminating (packaging tape covering the paper punch) and they were ready to go.
Ellie likes taking her tag on and off. These are kid friendly :) Ellie doesn't take lessons yet. Her book and bin is to remind me to play and sing to her!
These bins keep everything in one place: lesson assignments, practice records, music magazine, theory exercises, listening CDs, history reading, manuscript paper, as well as their books of music. It's also very easy for the kids to see what is inside these kinds of boxes so they like using them.

To give you some more ideas, I also love my steel and black leather magazine holder. I've had this for about 7 years and it is my favorite thing to keep right next to the piano for all the books that I use most.

This is the other bin that I keep near the piano. It's metal and cloth. It's the perfect size for music books. I like it because the books can either stand up in it or lay flat.

It's from IKEA--about a year ago. I looked on their website and couldn't find a link though. So I'm not sure if they still carry this. If you live close to an IKEA store, now you have a good excuse to go shopping and find out ;)

It's nice to have a clear place for everybody's things. Here's to no more lost music books and fewer music books stacked all over the piano!

Friday Favorites and Freebies

2011-08-05T12:37:00.001-04:00

Happy Friday!

I have some favorites and freebies to share with you today to help you enjoy your weekend!

The first is a free download of the Chronicles of Narnia. The recordings are down by Chrissi Hart and have a wonderful British accent too! Lots of great listening--I'm thinking perfect for a road trip. You can find all the details at HomeSchoolFreebieOfTheDay. This resource may really only be available today-FRIDAY-so go check it out now so you don't miss out. Sometimes these last longer than a day, sometimes not...

We have a favorite video channel on YouTube recently. We've spent hours watching these fascinating stop-photography videos of plants growing and changing. My kids love these and so do my husband and I! They really are great for any age. Try out a few of them by Neil Bromhall. He also has a neat website for gardening questions.

Ok ruffle lovers: this is for you. Take a look at this darling ruffle idea for a party--so darling! Get the details at GritsAndGiggles.

And if you have been going blueberry picking every week like us or making some yummies to share, you will love these free printables from BrownPaperPackages.

Are you getting your kids ready to go back to school? You will enjoy these sweet lunch printables--such a fun way to send some love in their lunch! See them at FreshPickedWhimsy.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

oh, and if you were featured, feel free to grab a "featured" button from the sidebar!

Remembering the Joy

2011-08-03T09:51:00.003-04:00

"Through all of living have much joy and laughter, life is to be enjoyed, not just endured."

— Gordon B. Hinckley
I'm a very visual person. My sweet hubby was surprised to see just how visual when he came home from work to find this on our stairs this past week:

How many times do I climb these stairs?
Every time I change a diaper. Or put away toys. And of course for laundry. The list goes on and on.
It's a really good place to have a nice reminder.
Especially on days like yesterday. The abbreviated version is: 1 roll of toilet paper all over the place, 1 box of kleenex all over in another room, and 1 call to poison control.

Did I mention that my sweet little monster is also teething (thus the reason for the call to poison control) and wants to eat and bite everything?
There's a bit of grumpiness around here. I can tell she's not herself when she gets her binki and blanket out of her bed and needs to carry them all over the house.

Poor baby.
“Let us relish life as we live it, find joy in the journey and share our love with friends and family. One day, each of us will run out of tomorrows. Let us not put off what is most important.” Thomas S. Monson
And one other quote I remind myself of, and it is one of things I think of whenever I climb my stairs now:
“Anyone who imagines that bliss is normal is going to waste a lot of time running around shouting that he has been robbed. The fact is that most putts don’t drop, most beef is tough, most children grow up to be just like people, most successful marriages require a high degree of mutual toleration, and most jobs are more often dull than otherwise. Life is just like an old time rail journey … delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders, and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed. The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride.” Gordon B. Hinckley quoting Jenkin Loyd Jones
Most of the time I feel like I am having the time of my life: three little blessings who are learning and growing and I get to love them through their journey of becoming their own person with an amazing husband helping us all along. Lucky mama.
Here's to finding joy in each of our journeys.

Party in the Playroom: PLAYHOUSE!

2011-07-29T14:14:00.006-04:00

We moved into our house about a year ago. It's a charming little "cottage" built in the 1950's. It has a very unique floor design and we love everything about it. It is perfect for us right now.
But I almost freaked out when we were signing the papers to purchase it and I realized our house doesn't have a playroom! Hello! We have 3 kids! No playroom?
Then I realized that we could use the space in our sunroom as a playroom-whew!
So today is the first part of our transformation from sunroom to playroom that we've been making this summer.
I wanted to make a fun play space and we had this strange little jut in the sunroom that I knew would make the perfect playhouse. But actually, you could use the same idea with a closet or even a bedroom door frame.
So I started with this space:

Then I hung this sheet with an expandable shower rod to get an idea for the size of the front of the house. Yes, this playhouse is made from a sheet!

Then I added some ruffles, cut a window, and made a door in it to get it to this point:

And now we have 3 happy kids with a playhouse in their new playroom!

{This Little Project} isn't quite finished. So be sure to check back for more.
We keep thinking of one more fun thing to add...
More fun things like:
Is our play space a house? or a restaurant? or a store? What should we name the restaurant?What kind of sign should we put up?And what (pretend) food should we serve?Where should the mailbox go?And how do we serve the food?And how to take orders?And what friends to invite to come PLAY!.......
Part of me wanted to wait until Christmas to do {this little project} for the kiddos, but honestly I'm so glad I didn't wait. Watching them help me dream it up and anticipate each part of {this little project} has been half the fun! We've been having quite the planning party!
This has been the perfect summer project!
I hope your summer is flying with so much fun too!
More details coming soon...

Talking about France Today

2011-07-25T08:56:00.004-04:00

I'm over at ABCand123learning.com today.

Come on over. I'm writing about Music and Movement in France for kids.

Blueberry Lemonade

2011-07-21T15:40:00.003-04:00

So, remember how we went blueberry picking last weekend? Well we picked 11 pounds of those beauties!

Little miss Ellie is showing off our loot:

There is something so fun about picking your own fruit. I think watching the kids gorge themselves on blueberries while they pick is definitely a highlight of picking them! Picking blueberries is something we've done as a family for 3 years now. We also love raspberry and apple farms. If you are wondering about farms in your area, the pickyourown website may be a good start for locating the kinds of things you like.

Seriously, look at these huge blueberries! You can't find this goodness at the store! Oh, and a bonus: often picking your own means it costs less than the store too. Our 11 pounds of blueberries were about $18.

One of our favorite summer drinks is Blueberry Lemonade!

If you want to try this yummy {little project} here's the how-to:

1- Start with 3 cups of lemonade in (in your blender)

2- Add 3 cups of ice cubes

3- Add as much fruit as you can fit in your blender (a cup or two)

Blend it well and you get the summer tastiness of Blueberry Lemonade!

It's not been even a week and that 11 pounds of blueberries is gone. It's been so hot and we've had a lot of Blueberry lemonade-and blueberry everything else! Oh, and the blueberries are also perfect with my favorite granola (recipe here).

I guess we're going to have to fit some more blueberry picking into hanging out at the beach this weekend...

Sprinkle Ice Cream Sandwiches!

2011-07-16T10:47:00.000-04:00

You may remember that I have a thing for sprinkles. Well, I have a thing for ice cream too. I shouldn't admit this, but my husband and I (without any help from the kids) ate well over 100 ice cream sandwiches last summer. Now, that was a tasty {little project]!

In celebration of National Ice Cream Day (TODAY!) I'm combining the two to make Sprinkle ice cream sandwiches. Sprinkles make everything more fun!

To make {This Little Project}

1- cut your ice cream sandwiches into bite-sized pieces

2- pour sprinkles into a shallow dish

3- dip ice cream sandwich into sprinkles

{little project} tip: the edges that you cut are the easiest to dip because they are flat. So you can decide if you want to just sprinkle 2 sides (the flat sides you cut) or all 4 sides. It gets a little crunchy if you go for all 4 sides-but it's cute to look at ;)

4- eat them before they melt! Yum!

The month of July is National Ice Cream month

so you still have plenty of time to celebrate, lol!

Elspeth (an ice cream expert) and I have shared some ice cream projects in the past. We both have and love this ice cream maker:

Ice cream is done in just 30 minutes in this beauty!

Need some ideas for homemade ice cream flavors? Check out our list here!

Want our basic recipe, check out this post!

And you'll want to stop by this post for a fun way to make a kid's ice cream parlor.

I'm hoping to find a winning recipe for homemade ice cream using coconut or another lactose-free milk for my Jay. It's hard to do his homemade (though I'm grateful I can buy it!)

If you have any ice cream favorites or secrets, please share with a comment. So many ice cream flavors to try....I can't wait!

Oh, and we're off to pick blueberries with friends today. So of course, we'll be making homemade ice cream and a blueberry treat tonight together. Seriously, summer doesn't get any better than this!

A Story in a Bag

2011-07-14T23:29:00.000-04:00

Have you ever wanted to climb inside your child's head and watch their imagination go and remember what that was like as a child?
{This Little Project} has that kind of fun!
This is our Story Bag:

Want to play?
Each person takes a few items from the Story Bag.
Then you take turns telling a story that uses those all your items.
Of course, you could also take turns telling different parts of the same story and you have to add your item into the story.
{This Little Project} would also be great for a long car ride.
I picked up some shaped wooden pieces at the craft store, but we've also thrown in lego pieces, toy cars, dolls, etc. You can put all kinds of things in the bag to make the Story Bag fit all kinds of ages.
Should I mention all the great language skills and thinking skills that this game strengthens...
{This Little Project} will make your imagination go wild! And bonus: your child will tell you what is happening in hers. Very fun and it turns out different every time!

Friday Favorites and Freebies

2011-07-08T14:25:00.001-04:00

I hope you are having a fabulous Friday! I have some fun things to share with you:

I like making soaps and trying different ways of doing it. Here is a recipe for how to make your own dishwaher soap.

I think I'm going to have to get a couple of these solar power lanterns. They are the perfect combination of cute and cool for our backyard porch!

I love the Smart Summer Challenge going on at Naturally Educational. There is even a great calendar of activities that they've created to follow along that you can print out.

Speaking of fun things to do with your kids, I love this list from Whip Up of 80 things to do with your kids!

I have one more favorite shop to share with you: LilyGene has the cutest Map gifts! I have been working on a map shelf for one of my {little projects} lately and she has great designs. Check out this fun anniversary one! I love the circle stamp!

Have a great weekend!