Flower Pool Noodle Art

Today we had a playdate. We decided to use pool noodles to makes some flower art. I bought the flower shaped pool noodles at the Dollar Tree and cut them into 3 different sizes with a serrated knife (apparently, I can't cut straight).

We used the thickest noodles to do flower painting prints.

I love the brightness of this art.

We used the skinniest noodles along with silk flowers and cut out magazine flowers to make flower collages.

Many of the children sat for a very long time doing this gluing project.

We used the medium noodles, cut pieces of straws, and beads to make necklaces.

Aidman was very proud of his necklace.

Sand Doon Fun!

Today we went to some local sand doons to play. We had such a fun time climbing and running around.

Each time the kiddos got to the top of a doon, they raised their arms and shouted "WOOHOO!".


I think we all got a GREAT workout today!


Aidman LOVES to take pictures now.

Play along with us during the month of April for Children and Nature Awareness Month by posting a picture of your child(ren) each day enjoying the outdoors! Get outdoors and climb a tree! Check out who else is participating!

Dippin' Dinners

We LOVE dip! We also love making full meals that are just for dipping, and we do it quite often. We call them dippin' dinners, although more often than not they are for lunch.

Today we made hummus (chick peas, olive oil, lemon juice, s &p, oregano, and basil) and dipped pita, broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, and cucumbers.

We've had Muffin Tin dippin' dinners. This one included guacamole, black bean dip, salsa, sour cream, chocolate, and yogurt and we dipped in nachos with cheese, cucumbers, carrots, bananas, cherries, and plums.

Here we had tzatziki sauce (cucumber, greek yogurt, garlic, s & p, lemon juice, and dill) and dipped in red pepper, pita, chicken, carrots, cucumber, zucchini, and tomatoes.

We have also done dippin' dinners with homemade chicken nuggets and fries with sauce, warm spinach artichoke dip with dippers, and much much more! My kids LOVE to dip, and I love that it's a fun way to get them to eat their fruit and veggies.

Go check out what others are cooking up at Kids in the Kitchen.

Airplanes

Last week while the airshow was in town we did an airplane story and craft. We read Amazing Airplanes, and it just helped my kids become more obsessed with wanting to fly to TN to see their Gran Gran.

Then we did this really cute airplane craft. We started by taping an airplane stencil to paper. Then we used and roller with blue paint to paint the entire paper. Afterwards, (while still wet) we remove the plane stencil from the paper and glued on cotton ball (clouds). Sorry, I didn't get any pictures of the kids painting, my camera was MIA at the time.

A story plus art equals a GREAT Start!

Crystal Castles

Today we read the book Dora saves Crystal Kingdom. Lyssy got this book along with a little pack of stick on jewels in her Easter basket and we finally got around to doing this project together.

The kids both drew a castle and then stuck on the jewels.

It was a simple and fun activity.

A story plus art equals a GREAT Start.

Hunt and Draw

After yesterdays outdoor notebook that Lyssy drew in, I thought it might be fun to have a scavenger hunt where the kids had to draw what they found. I took several pieces of paper and wrote leaf, pinecone, stick, and rock on them. I sent the kiddos to go find each item and then they had to draw them.

Here is Lyssy's pinecone.

I LOVE what this outdoor challenge is doing to my kids! This is about our 16 day of the challenge and the kids are now noticing so much while we are outside. Yesterday while we were walking into a store they spotted a woodpecker. And today they saw the smallest things....

They are obsessed with holes that are in trees. There was a lizard in this hole, it didn't want to come out and play.

Look how sweet they are on this tree stump.

Sweet love of siblings.

What's in here?

They noticed here how the grass was different and had to stop to feel it.

Twisting leaves is so much fun!

We found a really big trail of ants, but couldn't spot what they were after.

She wished for more barbie dolls.

Play along with us during the month of April for Children and Nature Awareness Month by posting a picture of your child(ren) each day enjoying the outdoors! Get outdoors and climb a tree! Check out who else is participating!

Outdoor Journal

Yesterday was a beautiful day outside and I had all the doors and windows open. At one point I walked out to see this. I didn't see her come in the get the notebook, but they love wondering in and out while the doors are open and she must have grabbed it when I wasn't looking.

She didn't show me what she was writing and I didn't ask, I figure she will show me if she wants me to see it.

Play along with us during the month of April for Children and Nature Awareness Month by posting a picture of your child(ren) each day enjoying the outdoors! Get outdoors and climb a tree! Check out who else is participating!

Thunderbirds

This week there has been a huge airshow in town. The thunderbirds made several appearances.

We could see, hear, and feel them from our house and did for all of their practices. On the day of the show, we went to some friends house to have a front yard bbq.

We had a GREAT time!

I just LOVE seeing these planes! It's so exciting to me and to my kids!

Play along with us during the month of April for Children and Nature Awareness Month by posting a picture of your child(ren) each day enjoying the outdoors! Get outdoors and climb a tree! Check out who else is participating!

Viewing the Stars

Daddy's Nana brought down from NJ this telescope that he used as a child. The kiddos have been dying to use it. So in honor of the Outdoor Challenge, we let the kidd0s stay up late the other night to try it out.

Sadly, we had a really hard time seeing anything through it. We think it might be missing a piece or two.

But we still had a fun time trying it out and just looking at the stars with our eyes.


Play along with us during the month of April for Children and Nature Awareness Month by posting a picture of your child(ren) each day enjoying the outdoors! Get outdoors and climb a tree! Check out who else is participating!

Stepping Stones Farm

Yesterday we visit a farm that a good friend of mine works at. I was in love with all the beautiful trees!

Aidman wanted to catch a chicken, but he wasn't fast enough.

The pig was pretty big!

We fed goats,

And horses. As you can see, Lyssy wasn't in many of these pictures because she really didn't want anything to do with the animals.

Play along with us during the month of April for Children and Nature Awareness Month by posting a picture of your child(ren) each day enjoying the outdoors! Get outdoors and climb a tree! Check out who else is participating!

Outdoor Challenge~ Bikes

Today we went bike riding with our PALS. It was a GORGEOUS day!! I love this picture of the bike parking.

We are so spoiled, we have many many beautiful parks very close to us. Lyssy does a great job on her pretty princess bike.

I just LOVE this picture of our friend S.

I could hardly get any pictures of Aidman, he was Speedy Gonzalez today!

Of course, we had to play on the park too.

Play along with us during the month of April for Children and Nature Awareness Month by posting a picture of your child(ren) each day enjoying the outdoors! Get outdoors and climb a tree! Check out who else is participating!