What's in the Box?

This mantra runs through my head...a lot...more like everyday...and it makes appearance mainly during art..."It's a process, not a product."  I find the most adorable art activities on one super addictive website, I envision these beautiful creations decorating the walls of my classroom...and then we do the activity...it never turns out like the picture, but that is 100% OK because, well, it's a process and I have to step back and let the creativity happen!  Every single person that works with children knows that art, creativity, and imagination are huge parts of the early childhood experience and the majority of children love to paint, so I have the painting box.  My calendar is broken down by themes and of course in those themes are art activities.  Each day of the week brings a new art experience: Painting, Drawing, Prints, Clay, and Collages and we follow that general rule, but sometimes, my kids just need to create without me telling them what they can use or giving them an idea of what to draw, during those moments the painting box comes out.  My painting box is just a cardboard box full of things other than paintbrushes for the kids to use.  I have found items in dollar bins at box stores, had parents donate items, and just collected things I found that I thought would make a unit painting experience.  There are no rules when the painting box comes out...the children can use whatever they choose in whatever way they choose (so long as nobody is getting beaten with a dish scrubber!).  The painting box comes out once every couple of weeks, it is especially helpful on rainy days when we have run out of theme related activities.  So, what's in my box?  Here is a list:

- Dish Scrubbers (long handled and round ones)
-Wine Corks (purchased at the craft store)
-Newspaper
-Bath poufs
-Paper towel rolls
-Bubble Wrap (both small and large bubbles)
-Milk Jug Lids
-Lids off of plastic bottles
-Egg cartons

I am always on the lookout for more fun things to experiment with and add to our box!

Happy Painting!!

Water Play Bubble Day

 

 We have been doing a unit on bubbles and I wanted to incorporate bubbles into our water play day, so I got out the bubbles for us to blow and added dish wash soap to water, put out washcloths, babies, and even some of our riding toys to wash...but I wanted more!  So, I searched for bubble recipes...and found two pretty cool ones...bubble dough and bubble foam.  I made the bubble dough, and even though it didn't turn out exactly like I thought it would, it was fun for the kids.  The next project was a huge hit!  Bubble foam!  I have never, in my 20 years of teaching preschool, used a mixer to make a sensory activity...that changed today!  The recipe was super simple and the kids thought it was awesome!  All you need to make this foam is dish wash soap, warm water, food coloring (gel or liquid), and a mixer!  In the bowl of the mixer add 2 tablespoons of dish soap, 2/3 cup of warm water, and 2 drops of gel food coloring (more of the liquid kind).  Turn the mixer on the highest speed and let it go for a full 2 minutes (I did mine for about 4 minutes though so the peaks would be stiffer).  When it's done, it's like a colorful meringue!  I added it to the container I use for sensory play and let the kids go to town!  This will definitely be a go to for bubble week from now on! 

Get in Shape, Girl!

When we lived in Alaska working out was a normal part of my day.  I loved it, Jillian Micheal's was someone I spent about an hour with everyday even though she loved kicking my booty...it helped me deal with the stress of a deployed hubby and three little kids!  Once we moved to Alabama it seems like my love affair with weights and cardio has died!  I opened my FCC, still working on my degree, have a family, and have this crazy hip issue that sometimes has me in so much pain I can barely move.  Sounds like I'm making excuses, right?  Well...I guess I did for a while, but not anymore.  I know I have to take care of me in order to take care of everyone else and that is what I am doing!  I have been going to the gym on post every other night.  Pounding the treadmill with my ear buds in is still the best stress reliever I know of!
I have been eyeing the Bowflex Tread Climber for a while and I finally took the plunge and ordered one!  I am excited and filled with anticipation for it get here! On top of that, I got some new workout gear...my old Polar heart rate monitor watch finally gave up, I've had it for ever...so I ordered the Polar FT4 Heart Rate Monitor from Amazon.  I like it, it's easy to use, but I am not super crazy about the chest strap...oh well, I'll deal!  I also ordered some Diva Bands to keep my hair back during my sweat sessions...I love them, they don't slip and they are adorable!  Finally, I got really good shoes and a pair of calf compression sleeves which I am hopeful will help with the crazy painful shin splints I have.  I am committed to changing my eating habits, making my workouts a priority, and getting back in shape! 

 My adorable Diva Bands and Polar Heart Rate Monitor Watch

New shoes and calf compression sleeves to bring a pop of color to my mostly black workout attire! 

Sweet Sugar

I love sugar scrubs and I have spent large amounts of money in bath shops on their versions of them.  The day I walked into my favorite bath shop and discovered they no longer carried the yummy smelling pumpkin scrub I loved so was a sad day my lovelies!  During the week my showers are super quick, but Saturday is my long, hot, indulgent shower day complete with a sugar scrub exfoliation.  Since I can't buy the yummy pumpkin scrub anymore, I have been making my own combinations of delicious scrubs!  I made a pumpkin spice scrub that I felt was pretty comparable to the one I was spending about 20 bucks on!  Recently I made a brown sugar and honey scrub and I like it, but I used olive oil and it seems a little too greasy!  I need to play with the measurements a bit.  Today I made these two sweet sugar scrubs!  I am already in love with the sugar cookie scrubs, it uses both white and brown sugar and smells like a batch of sugar cookie dough!  I also made coconut lime scrub, it was so simple and smells like the tropics!  I can't wait to use it!  I have so many more combinations that I can't wait to try!  Another plus to making my own, they are so inexpensive!  I think the sugar cookie scrub cost me about $10, but I was able to throw it together today because I already had all the ingredients in the pantry!