High-tailin' it into summer

The last day of school was the day that never ends.

Celebration after celebration.

We started in the Mouse House (aka pre-school).

Took pictures with everyone's teachers.

We love these people!

Class awards were handed out.

I'm so proud of my rock star kiddos!

And LOTS of fun and games!

Somehow, boys crashing the manicure station is a last day of school thing.

Oranges on the head will be the next big thing.

Now

Bring on SUMMER!

Preschool Art {the original}

What with looking at other moms' blogs and Pinterest, I can get a little overwhelmed with all the cute educational things I'm not doing with my kids.  This day was about forgetting all that and getting back to basics.  What kid doesn't like finger paint?!

It is so fun to watch them go from

tentative-----to----->all in!

I'm sure you can do a Pinterest search and find a recipe to make your own finger paint but don't do that to yourself.  The kid is not going to know the difference and you just saved another hour of your day.

Keep it simple.

Simple is fun!

Pinterest Complete {slotted building discs)

You know how you can get so wrapped up in pinning things on Pinterest that you never get around to actually doing anything?  Well, periodically I am going to share something that I saw on Pinterest and saw it through to completion. 

Take these building discs.

The pin came from a blog called Handmade Charlotte but the project originated at Made by Joel.  I was excited to find out that Made by Joel has bunches of fun kid projects and cool printable coloring pages.  I can't wait to play some more!

So, Joel's discs are bright and colorful.  I had visions of using pretty scrapbooking paper to make some of our own but I wanted these to take on the plane--a fun, quiet, easily portable game for the littles--and my time kind of ran out.

I started with cardboard coasters that we got from Sierra Nevada.

No time to cut out cute paper and glue on both sides.

So, I just cut the four slits in all the coasters and stuck them in a bag.

I did throw in some popsicle sticks.  They fit in the slits so it adds abother dimension.

Homemade Play Dough

Easy Salt Dough
recipe from Mudworks by MaryAnn F. Kohl

1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup salt
3/4 cup water

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.
Add more water or flour to get the right consistency.
Knead into a soft, barely sticky, dough.
Play.


This was so entertaining for the little guys.  They especially love the chance to use the plastic knives.  At one point Trek made a "mustache"...

Then D had to have one...

And another one...

It just grew...

And grew.

It was great.  Making mustaches kept their hands busy probably a full 20 minutes!  And with little guys that's a long time!

I can't leave you without getting to see my mustache. 

(picture by D)

Color My Windows

We are officially into summer up here in the Sierra Nevadas!  (Imagine that exclamation point is me doing a great big Toyota jump for joy.)  The summer weather is practically perfect.  Sunshine every day.  Warm enough to swim and be outside without the instant sweat factor of high humidity.  Cool enough in the evening to make grilling out the only place you want to cook.  Thank you, Lord!

I know other people live in places where it rains one day and is sunny the next.  Not quite so bi-polar as where I live.  Well, if you find yourself having a grey day this summer, here is a way to brighten things up.  Literally. 


1.  Cut colored tissue paper.

2.  Stick the pieces onto the sticky side of a piece of contact paper.

3.  Sandwich another piece of contact paper on the top.

4.  Trim the edges and hang up in your window for instant color!

It brings everybody's spirits right up.

Paint, String, and the Littles

We do a lot of arts and crafts at our house.  Now that D doesn't take his morning nap anymore, he can start to join us in these fun little projects.

This is a classic project that kids of any age can get into.  All you need to get started is...

a few pieces of string

washable paint

dish for the paint

paper

(something to cover your work surface is highly recommended)

You get something like this...

Or this...

and inevitably we get some of this...

or this...

I used tempera paint which is not permanent however it isn't entirely washable either (unless you get washable tempera paint) so the kiddos had some funky looking skin until a few baths later.