July 16 - 20
This week was fairly easy, yet fairly not. We had a few rounds of various illnesses hit daycare hard. The week was busy with text and phone calls to and from parents, check temperatures, doling out puke bowls, and ending the week with an S.O.S. because I got sick during daycare hours. We were meant to finish up our 50 States theme, but I couldn't manage the energy to do geyser experiments.
So technically listening to Elvis and Garth Brooks was for Tennessee the week prior, but the kids really like their Elvis so we listened to him again. On the record player because the kids find that "so cool."
Since we had already done a cowboy activity (we were cowboys lassoing the stick horses for Oklahoma), so we went with a space theme for Texas. The kids had a blast with the inflatable planets in the backyard. I found it hilarious when I heard a child shout "hey! Throw Mercury down the slide and bring me Uranus.....and don't kick Earth so hard!"
One thing I was NOT anticipating on saying while we learned about Texas: "take the planets out of your shirt now!" Sigh. That one was mine too....
Hide n' seek, a ten year old meltdown, or both combined. I'll let you decide and just know I'm still rolling my eyes at this one. Also, the ten year old took a nap right after this.
A nice little perk of being the daycare provider (which means all of your bestest friends come to you each day) is that my kids can spend the day however they choose. These two have been in their pajamas most of the summer. I hope they remember these summer days as fondly as I'll remember them.
Our salt water experiments for Utah. No child wants to swim in the Great Salt Lake after "taking just a sip" of the salt water glass (you know, for science purposes).
The kids have had fun meal planning this summer. Some of the foods they come up with for meals shocks me (4 bean taco soup is the one that made me smile). The kids have been asking to "do a salad bar" one day. I was a bit skeptical and thought I might have an army of hungry kids after this lunch, but they all loved it and ate really well. I was impressed with some of the combos they came up with and I was more impressed that they ate them all.
Vegetarian taco salad (for me): lettuce, spinach, and arugula, peppers, black beans, pinto beans, cheese, jalapenos, Doritos, salsa, and sour cream. I had taco meat for the kids that wanted it on their salads.
We have gone through equal amounts of bug spray and hydrocortisone cream for bug bites. Mosquitos are my least favorite thing about summer.
Of course we would do an outdoor coffee shop for Washington. Too bad it wasn't actually Starbucks, but the kids had fun even though I was missing my iced nonfat white chocolate mocha for the day.
Ben and Jerry's for Vermont. I liked this day just as much as the mini Hershey's bar for Pennsylvania.
The mud kitchen was hardly played with the first month of summer. Then one day it rained and the dirt got super wet. The kids made mud soup with it. Now, every day, the mud kitchen is packed with kids! As a result, my entire house is full of dirt and mud. My minis require showers nightly because they have mud caked on their feet, under their nails, in their hair. You get the pictures. I love it!
I wasn't quite sure what to do for Virginia. I've tried to avoid the traditional "read and learn" method for our 50 States theme, however, some of that was required to explain Virginia's importance to our country. After explaining the Revolutionary War and Civil War to the kids, we had a Nerf gun battle in the backyard. This did not go as planned as the kids were more concerned with the darts and shooting their Nerf gun properly. I like to think it was a good idea though!
"I'm getting ready for the war!"
The US Government book is my new favorite to read to the kids.
I made Airhead Nerds cupcakes for two kid's moving away party. The kids loved them.
This was my favorite: Elizabeth picked up the cat and shook/hugged her. I told Elizabeth the cat didn't like that and Elizabeth responded "yes she does." Kitty fought back. Kitty really didn't like that. Proof of the shaking and the put-me-down-now clawing.
The kids played with a coal sensory bin for West Virginia. Actually, all I did was put coal in a bin and told them they could add whatever they wanted to it. They chose figurines and trains.
And then the illnesses came. It wasn't pleasant.
The kids got their choice of milk with lunch while we learned about Wisconsin. The kids thought this was "really cool" because I "never offer any other kinds. Just white milk."
Even a week when no one's at quite the top of their game is interesting, busy, and fun!