BIG Builders...

There is nothing like the smell of coffee to wake me up in the morning. I love it. I also love chocolate. Like, really love it. Put the 2 of them together, and well...mmmmmm. Perfection. And just when you think things couldn't possibly get better, a few dump trucks come along and take it to a whole new level!

This activity was one of our most successful ones here at Small Potatoes. The boys took the play to places I would have never even thought of. What started out as a pile of coffee beans and a mound of chocolate playdough, (recipe from the lovely NurtureStore) turned into hours of creative building, dumping, sculpting, crushing, rolling, and most of all, IMAGINING!

I poured a large bag of cheap (Western Family brand) coffee beans into our process table. I added some plastic construction trucks (found at Toys R Us), and some wooden play tools. I made a double batch of the chocolate playdough and plopped it in alongside everything else. Then I let the kids have at 'er!

At first, they did exactly what I had expected. They poured and dumped the beans in and out of the diggers and dump trucks, and drove them up and over the playdough hill.

But not long into their play time, they began to take the activity up into a more complex level...

First, they cleared roadways and marked the centre line with individual beans.

Then they started hammering the beans into the playdough to make some sort of foundation. At this point, I wasn't quite sure what they were up to...

Then, they went to the toy bins and returned with handfuls of wooden blocks. They used the playdough as mortar between their wooden "bricks" and built a house on their foundation! Such smart little boys!!

And then, just when I thought they couldn't be any more clever, they began to crush and grind the beans with a wooden block to make "cement" for their sidewalks. God bless them! 

Little hands building a sidewalk up to the house.

So I was able to enjoy the smell of coffee and chocolate all through my house (seriously, it smelled like Starbucks), and the boys spent the afternoon immersed in imaginative, sensory play. Win win! I packed the playdough into a plastic container at the end of the play session and we kept the beans in the process table for a good week. I brought the playdough out for them each time they asked. They absolutely loved this activity. And so did I.  If you don't have a process table, don't fret...just use your table top, or a large plastic bin. You will be sweeping up beans, but it's a fair trade when you see how much fun your little ones are having!

Don't you want to just get in there and play, too? I did! What are you waiting for?

Thanks for stopping by! Enjoy!

Ice Block Critter Melt...DAY 2 of Water Week!

Hello again! It's time for Day 2 of our water week extravaganza. And this one is super easy! Especially in the winter here in Canada. I took advantage of the giant deep freeze that my patio has become, and I filled every empty yogurt, cottage cheese, dip, or dairy container I had with water. Then I dropped some food coloring into each container. I gathered up as many creepy, crawly critters that I could find in the house and put them into the colored water. Then I put them all outside on the patio...

It didn't take more than a few hours to freeze...as it was -47 degrees Celsius that day. Brrrrrr! If you suffer (*wink) from a warmer climate, use your freezer and put them in the night before. 

When they are frozen and you are ready to play, run the containers under hot water for awhile to loosen the ice blocks. Drop them into a bin or water table already half filled with water.

Here is a snake encased in ice...it looks pretty neat. The children will love swirling the melting colors into the water, and watching the critters emerge from the ice.

The kids in my house were squealing and giggling and carrying on...it was the noisiest "ice melt" my kitchen had ever seen!

And it was such eye candy for ME! 

DAY #2

ICE BLOCK CRITTER MELT...

Supplies needed:

1. Empty plastic containers

2. Water

3. Food Coloring

4. Wash bin, rubbermaid, or water table with water

5. Plastic critters (lizards, bugs, snakes, or any other things you're in the mood to freeze!)

Have fun and enjoy! Maybe shake hands with a grasshopper while you're at it!

See you tomorrow for more water fun!

Thanks for stopping by!

Making a Big Splash...

 I can't think of anything that makes my children and myself happier than playing in water...I mean, take a look!

What is more fun than a good splash? 

So why don't we do it more often? Because it's cold outside? It's not summer anymore? Ha! Bring it inside! Because it's messy? Boo! There is nothing cleaner than water! Because it's too much work? Phooey! Since when was fun too much work?

There is no other medium out there that is more beneficial to play in, than water.

It's an all-sensory experience...feeling, tasting, smelling, seeing, and hearing, Fine motor skills are honed by pouring, squeezing, and swirling. Cognitive skill are developing as they measure, mix, and imagine. And don't forget the emotional side of water play. How often are your raw nerves soothed by an evening bubble bath? How often are you refreshed and energized by a morning shower? Being in, and playing in the water can change a child's emotional state in just a few minutes. So, no more excuses! Get playing! It doesn't have to be complicated. A simple bin full of water, measuring cups, funnels, and tub toys would do the trick!

For those of you who want more ideas for playing in water, the next few posts will be just the thing for you! I am going to divide this post into 6 parts, so it's not so overwhelming. One activity per day. And I'm not saying you have to DO the activities 6 days in a row! I'm just going to give you a new idea each day so it's not all piled up in one giant post!

That's 6 days worth of water play time coming up...are you ready to get wet??

DAY #1
BUILD YOUR OWN OCEAN...

Supplies needed:
1. A plastic washtub, bin, or water table.
2. Salt. (makes the sensory experience even better!)
3. Seashells (pet store, craft store, dollar store, or the REAL beach, if you can!)
4. Blue and green food coloring..we mixed a bit of both to give it a mediterranean feel.
5. Plastic ocean critters.
6. You can also put sand on the bottom of your bin if you want it really authentic.

Color your water, add the salt and critters, and you are ready for some great imaginative ocean play.

An oyster shell water fall...

A rainstorm at sea for the lonely fisherman...

A deep sea rescue mission...

A peaceful playground for the orcas...

I know many adults who long to see the ocean and be near it every day. Children are no different. The ocean holds a special magic that soothes and delights. Why not bring it into your own kitchen for a day or two? And if you have a cd or itunes track with whale or ocean sounds...put that on in the background to create an even better, all-round sensory experience.

 I'll see you tomorrow for another water play idea!

Thanks for stopping by!