Muffin Tin Monday ~ Learning

Today's Muffin Tin Monday theme is Back to School or Learning!


My kiddos LOVE LOVE LOVE circle time. The funny thing is that we do not do an extensive circle time, but they love it any way. Every day after quiet/nap time (about 3 pm ish) we sit down and do our calendar, and talk about the theme, shape, color, letter, and number of the week. We also read books and poems to go along with the theme, play educational games, do some type of large motor skill, and go on a hunt of something in the house that goes along with the letter, shape, or color of the week. Aferwards, we normally do an art, math, or science project. I like doing this stuff in the afternoons because it leaves are mornings free for playdates, park trips, and I work 3 mornings a week but am home by the end of quiet time.


Today our muffin tin went along with our circle time. We had Square cracker with White cheese on it, 7 peanuts, Square shaped mango, and beets, broccoli cheese soup, and bread for the letter Bb.

Happy faces all around! It was yummy!

Bean Mosaics

We had alot of fun with today's Open Ended Art. The theme is Bean Mosaics. The kiddos each decided what they wanted to make, drew it on paper, and then glued beans on top.

Aidman made a baseball.

Lyssy made a flower and a butterfly.

Mommy even got in on the action and made a big butterfly.

Banana Box Race Cars

Today we had a playdate to show everyone how to make these awesome race car boxes because everyone loved them so much at Aidman's birthday party.

We take a regular ole banana box (that I get free at the local grocery store). I cut the center hole alittle bigger and add handles to the sides.

I like to paint them white first because it makes the paint stand out better. Kinda like priming the box.


Decorate to your liking.

And you have an awesome race box!

These boxes show alittle better how I cut them (on top and between the holes on the sides).

Then start racing.

As you can see, for the party I had put on rope for the kids to put over their shoulders. I noticed that the kids had a hard time with them and it just worked much better with them only holding onto the handles.

See what everyone else has been up to at We made it Friday Showcase hosted by Ramblings of a Crazy Woman.

Beautiful Butterflies!

Today was a Special Day! My sister SherryBerry and niece Laneybug came to visit. They live an hour and half away so we don't see them too often. First we took Laneybug to this great new park to play. When we got home I asked the kiddos what they wanted to do and of course they wanted to do a project. I then asked Laneybug what kind of craft she wanted and she said "beautiful butterflies". After making a few butterflies, they also wanted to make caterpillars to go with the butterflies.

First Laneybug drew the caterpillars for everyone. I drew the butterflies, had I know that Laneybug could do it I would have had her make them too.

Then each of the kiddos cut out their own butterfly and caterpillar.

Then they painted using Pepperell Crafts Rollitt paint. It reminds of of the old roll on deodorant and they really like using it.

Then they added dots using Do A Dot. We also love these, we call them bingo dabbers.

Then we added another texture buy squeezing on glue that's had food coloring added to it. I love this because it dries on bumped up and shiny. All kids LOVE squeezing out glue and they are allowed to this way. I think using cardboard (like cereal box) would be best for younger kids who would pour alot in one area.

Look how pretty they turned out!

Coffee Filter Butterflies

First we colored coffee filters with markers.

Then we sprayed them with water.

Then we let them dry.

Finally, we turned them into butterflies by scrunching the center and twisting half a pipe cleaner around it. Lyssy REALLY loves thes butterflies!

We read The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. Sadly that is the only butterfly book we could find on our shelves, and we have at least a hundred books! Looks like we need to go to the library!

Head over to Just for Fun for some other Friday book projects.

Bb is for Banana Bread and Butter

Last night we made the yummiest Banana Nut Muffins and butter! This is probably one of the best banana recipes I've ever had!!

3/4 cup butter or margarine
1 1/2 cups granulated white sugar
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas -- (3 medium bananas)
2 eggs -- well beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk or 1/2 cup milk soured with 1 teaspoon vinegar
3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 325°F. Cream butter and sugar together thoroughly. Blend in bananas, eggs and vanilla. Sift flour, baking soda and salt together. Add to banana mixture, alternating with buttermilk and mixing thoroughly after each addition. Add nuts and gently mix. Pour batter into greased muffin tin. Bake for 25 minutes, or until done. The recipe comes from recipe source.

Then we made our very own butter to go on our muffins! Here is a great how to.

Bears at Night

Since our other Friday Book Feature didn't go so well, we decided to try another. We read Bears at Night by Stan and Jan Berenstien. The kiddos LOVED this book! We read it earlier this week and when I opened it up today Aidman "read" it to me!! It is so simple and the pictures are so good that he knew what it was going to say. I was so impressed.


We decided to do our own obsticle course and do the exact things that the bears did. So we went...
1. In the chairs
2. Out the door
3. Down the stairs

4. Over the box

5. Under the pool table

6. Around the chair

7. Between the couches

8. Through the kitchen

9. and finally, up the bed.

Then they got spooked by mommy and had to go...

1. down the bed

2. throught the kitchen

3. between the couches

4. around the chair

5. under the pool table

6. over the box

7. up the stairs

8. in the door

9. and in the chair

They LOVED this so much that we did it back and forth 3 times!!! I loved it so much because they we learning directions and they were having fun.

Head over the Just for Fun for some other awesome book features!

Projects Don't Always go as Planned!

For our Friday Feature the Kiddos decided that they wanted to read this beautiful picture book by Brian Wildsmith. I just LOVE the colors and pictures in this book. The kiddos really liked seeing the different types of birds. AND since it was Bb week and we've already been talking alot about birds this was a great book pick.


The only problem was the project. After snack the other day we threw the leftovers of our popcorn out for the birds and they gobbled it up! So we decided to string popcorn for the birds to eat. We tried using our big fat plastic blue needles and the popcorn just broke because the needles were too fat. Then I tried using pipe cleaners and the kids still had trouble. So we decided to let the kids try real needles. With the first itty bitty finger prick, they gave up. So, Granny and Mommy ended up making the popcorn strings for the birds while the kiddos ate the rest of the popcorn. The kiddos STILL loved hanging the popcorn string on the tree and have been watching all day to see if the birds were eating it. I think this project is best for older kids!

Bb is for Binoculars

We are a VERY active family! We like to get out of the house often to go to playdates, to the park, or to the Library for story time. Since we live in FL and in a VERY family friendly town, that is not a problem. But when we are up here in TN visiting and helping family, we really don't get to get out of the house often due to weather and no places to go (and also the fact that we are spending precious time with family). This leads to a very restless mommy and kiddos that are itching to get out of the house. Granny and Pa have 5 acres of beautiful land that we LOVE to run around, but honestly we just aren't used to weather that is below 50 degrees.




So as a way to run around alittle today, we went on a hunt. I placed Blue circles all around the house (actually the circles were supposed to represent bubbles and the prize would be bubbles to blow outside, but it rained all day so mama had to change plans), that had phrases like "go to where you brush your teeth". They had to go to each place to find another blue circle (there were 10 in all), so they were running all around the house going to the next destination. The last circle said "Bb is for binoculars" and had supplies to make our very own: 2 toilet paper tubes, markers, stickers, and tape.

After they made their binoculars, they ran to the porch to watch the birds. And boy did they not disappoint! We must have seen about 15 different birds out enjoying the 20 minutes of no rain. We are so excited to see them eating off of the pine cone bird feeders that we made earlier in the week too.

Beautiful Bb Art

Today we made Bean Bb's. It was super simple as all the kiddos had to do was glue beans onto a Bb. As always, they had a fun time doing it.

Letter Bb and Muffin Tin Monday

This weeks letter is Bb! And BOY have we been Busy Bees today!


Our Plans for this week are:


Art:
-Bean Bb (glue beans to letter Bb)
-Bubble Art (add food color to bubbles and blow onto paper)
-Cut Birds, Bees, and Butterflies from magazine
-Color with Blue, Brown, and Black (I would finger paint, but we're still at Granny's and I think she'd freak out)



Science:
-Act like Bb animals- bunny, bear, bee, butterfly, birds
-Make binoculars (out of toilet paper tubes) to bird watch
-Make bird feeders


Math:
-Count balloons and buttons
-Patterns with bug toys
-Tweezer sorting- brown and white beans (we had a Great time doing this today with this great $2.00 find from the thrift store)

Cooking:

-Banana Bread

-Butter

-Muffin Tin Monday- Since there was no theme this week for Muffin Tin Monday we decided to do a Bb muffin tin for Breakfast! It was very yummy and included: bagels with blackberry jelly, brown (chocolate) milk, blueberries, and bananas.

Movement/Outside:

-Balloons

-Bubbles

-Balls

-Bean Bag toss into a Butterfly Basket!

It does seem like ALOT on our list this week, but we are at Granny's and NEED stuff to occupy ourselves with. Plus, there are a TON of Bb words to cover, and none of this is very hard or time consuming.