We started our week in tank tops and swimming suits and ended the week in pants and sweaters. So very typical for Iowa weather (which we spoke a lot about this week), but one thing is for sure: fall is definitely here! We did several of our fall art projects throughout the week and have several more planned. Take a look at our week:
The kids enjoyed playing "shopping and mommy and daddy" this week. Basically they fill the shopping cart, strollers, and any kind of bag they can find with as many toys as they can, all while referring to each other as mommy or daddy.
The boys are very into "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" right now. I tested out my drawing skills so they could color "Turtles."
One of the fall art projects this year: Apple Trees. Read how the kiddos made them here:
http://ashlen-kidspert.blogspot.com/2014/09/simple-apple-trees.html
We made apple scented shaving cream, put swimming suits on (on the last warm day of the week), and got messy. Read more here:
http://ashlen-kidspert.blogspot.com/2014/09/sensory-activity-apple-scented-shaving.html
The kids love digging in the dirt hole (also known as where the sandbox sat all summer).
I get a new coffee table (mostly so the kids could have another play surface) and it quickly becomes kid central. It now stores blocks and kids magazines. I've given up trying to have anything semi adult-like in this house!
The kids have been quite creative with the building blocks this week. Elizabeth even got out the DVD's to be a part of the castle the kids were trying to build.
Yes, yes, that is a potty chair you see being cleaned in the dishwasher. The cold and flu season is most definitely here so I've been doing my best and over sanitizing anything. Durable plastic toys, potties, etc. all went into the dishwasher one afternoon for a good cleaning.
Another fall art project: painting paper plates to turn them into apples. We also used apple scented paint for this project.
Green apple play dough. Find the recipe here:
http://www.playdoughtoplato.com/2014/09/01/green-apple-playdough-recipe/ It was more sticky and messy than what the kids are use to, but they rather enjoyed making handprints in the dough and smelling it because it smelled delicious! I did have to remind them not to taste it though.
The kids had a wrestling match one afternoon. Lil Miss E pinned her big brother quite easily!
Building with waffle blocks. I love these for coordination activities. Even the 6 year olds I had this past summer enjoyed building with these. Waffle blocks are completely safe for kids of all ages, but I've found kids under 3 have a difficult time putting the blocks together.
Painting some way cool pictures!
I had the kids help me make homemade strawberry muffins for snack one day. The kids really enjoyed it and couldn't wait for the muffins to finish baking.
As I said before, the kids really got into building with the blocks. They built a tower to the ceiling one day with the help of the hubs.
Cool, rainy weather means several days inside. We built forts to combat boredom.
Target's Dollar Section nearly broke me this week. One of my excellent find: Crayola Bathtub paint. I love this bath fingerpaint because it's soap and washes off easily, leaving no residue or anything of the sort. It also provided an hour long bathtime for the minis one night!
We broke out the Treasure Chest I made for the kids. The kids had a blast finding the shapes I had hidden. When they were all found, we went over all of the shapes and their colors. Read more about our Treasure Chest here:
http://ashlen-kidspert.blogspot.com/2013/11/review-it.html
Garbage day is still a favorite around here. The kids still talk about the day we were out for a walk and a garbage truck stopped, honked the horn for the kids, and let the kids touch the side of it. It's always the little things that are the most important to kids.
Coloring color book pages. I love to see how a child's coloring progresses. I noticed a couple of the kids colored in the lines perfectly for the first time, which is something they weren't doing a week ago. I am constantly amazed at how quickly they learn and grow.
Next week we'll continue with our fall activities. We'll be doing leaf prints, painting with fall scented paints, making homemade applesauce in the crock pot, and having a "potions party" with fall scents.
