Rain, Rain, Go Away!

Ten Things To Do On A Rainy Day~

1. Read aloud ~ Fun for all ages.

 

2. Make homemade play dough ~ Working with hands is very calming.
 (click here for a recipe)

3. Build with blocks ~ Good constructive fun.

4. Sing songs ~ Rain, Rain, Go Away / It's Raining It's Pouring.

5. Do some yoga ~ A great way to stretch some muscles that don't get used on rainy days.


6. Start a fight ~ You could use Nerf guns, pillows, rolled up socks, or even cotton balls.
7. Bake ~ Warm up your house and your belly.
 

8. Make a fort/tent ~Under the table or over the couch with lots of blankets and pillows.

9. Play games or do puzzles ~ Any and all kinds (If you're happy and you know it....)

  

10. When all else fails put on boots and jackets and GO OUTSIDE ~ After all, life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, it is about learning to dance in the rain!

Linked to For the Kids Friday!

Wordless Wednesday

 

                                                                      

Linked to--

Autumn Blog Hop

An Enchanted Childhood~ Daycare:Week 4

We have been asked many times to write up our "lesson plans" so others could use them.  Honestly, we just spend a little time thinking about how we want the "school year" to look and go from there.  We wing-it a lot, doing impromptu things that add to our plans.  I am always amazed that anyone would think what we do is worthy of writing down for others to read, but here it goes!

This year, we are doing "Childhood Classics"--reading great children's books--you know, the kind every child should get to know, and then doing little activities to go with it.


Week 4~
We continued our study of plants, gardens, seeds, and seasons by reading The Carrot Seed and Miss Rumphius.  The Carrot Seed is the story of a little boy who plants a carrot seed.  No one thinks it will grow, but he faithfully cares for it each day and is rewarded with a huge carrot!  Miss Rumphius is the story of a lady who "makes the world a more beautiful place" by planting lupine seeds.

Monday--We read The Carrot Seed, emphasizing that a carrot is a root vegetable, during CircleTime.  For snack we ate carrots with ranch dip.  During CreativeTime, the children sponge painted one piece of card stock with orange paint and another piece with green.  As those were drying, we taped together 1/2 sheet of blue construction paper and 1/2 piece of brown (sky and earth).  We added cotton ball clouds and a foam circle sun.  We (meaning me) cut out the carrots and their green tops from the painted cardstock, helping the children to glue them into place.  We again talked about carrots being a root crop.  We followed up CreativeTime with a NatureWalk and a trip to check on the chickens and take a look at the garden.

Tuesday--Today we again read The Carrot Seed.  During SnackTime, we cut open apples and looked at the seeds.  During CreativeTime, we decorated (using markers) envelopes to use as seed packets for the green pepper and "Moon and Stars" watermelon seeds we saved and dried.  We watered our parsley seeds and checked in on our germinating seeds.  Yippee!  All of the children had at least one (and some had many) beans seeds that had sprouted.  We looked for the white root and the green stems!  During OutsideTime, we took a nature walk, observing various seeds along the way.  We helped nature with seed dispersal, by blowing the seeds off dandelions and sprinkling rose bush "seeds" along the path! 

Wednesday--Today we read Miss Rumphius.  We watercolor-painted lupines and made a "happy birthday and get well soon" card for one of the boy's uncle, during CreativeTime   During various "learning times", (of course they learn allll the time) we worked on the continent map, counted to 10, identified numbers to 5, sang and signed the ABCs and sang our song of the letter sounds for each childs' name. We then scurried outside to enjoy the falling leaves and temps warm enough for creek play!

Thursday--  Again we read Miss Rumphius.  For CreativeTime, we used our germinated seeds to do an art project.  We sorted the seeds into various stages of development.  Next, each child made a chart to take home, by gluing the seeds, seeds with roots, and seeds with roots and leaves onto cardstock.  During OutsideTime, we opened morning glory and cleome seed pods and sprinkled the seeds around the yard, "making the world a more beautiful place" like Miss Rumphius did in the book!

  

                                

Friday--We finished up the week by reading both our books again.  For CreativeTime, we mixed paimts to make purple, pink, and light blue.  Then, the children made "fingerprint" lupine flowers.  Afterwards, they used the leftover paint to "free" paint!  Before talking a walk to visit the chickens and play at the creek, we broke open milkweed pods and blew seeds everywhere, showing how the wind blows seeds.

**We had some excitement during CreativeTime--we brought in a frog--a rather large frog. It hopped out of Hannah's hands, into the plate of blue paint, and onto the floor leaving a trail of blue footprints! The children thought it was awesome!

What I Am To Me

I am foremost, a wife and a mother.

Next, I'm a daughter and daycare provider,

A sister, an aunt, a Hanny, a Fee.

This is a description of what I am to me. 

I worship God, every day of the week.

It is His direction that I try to seek.

I consider myself a conservative hippy.

I am a homemaker. I try to be thrifty.

If you don't get to know me, I can be misread.

I am sometimes quite shy, unless something needs said.

I have my beliefs. I believe they are true.

I like the outdoors. I don't like to wear shoes.

I have only kissed one man in my life.

I am now proud to say, I am his wife.

I am an old soul, who is young at heart.

If I cannot finish something, then I don't like to start.

I like to rhyme things, if you couldn't tell.

I love art and history, but I cannot spell.

I am a tomboy, who grew into a woman.

I love to say that I can when the world said I couldn't

Being a little different doesn't really bother me.

I guess I've never been tempted by normality. 

I try my best to do what I know to be right.

Because I know if I don't, I'll have to pay the price.

I am extremely happy 98% of the time.

I put my baby in cloth diapers. I hang clothes on the line.

I live next door to my grandparents and  parents.

I guess I am a homebody to a certain extent.

I love spring, like summer, love fall.

I could pretty much do without winter at all.

I want to be boss, but I need to be lead.

I like to smile at people and hope that it spreads.

I like to take pictures, but am not a photographer.

I like to star gaze, but am not an astonomer.

I have quite a long story, so it's often untold.

Some of my best times have been with two year olds.

I try my very best to me true to myself.

I imagine the stories in the books on the shelves.

I always have plans and interests and projects.

I love simple things, though I am complex.

Though I don't feel like this poem is done,

I'll save the rest for another day's fun!

This Moment

{this moment} - A Friday ritual inspired by Soule Mama. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Wordless Wednesday

Living Purposefully~Family Goals

May we always. . . 

In all things, glorify God
*Follow His path, even when it is not our own
*Pray, worship, and serve together
*Fellowship with other believers

Be each other’s best friends
*Play and laugh together
*Spend one on one time together
*Encourage and comfort each other

Treat each other with respect
*Speak gently
*Act kindly
*Take each other’s feelings seriously

Be together as much as possible
*Guard our commitments away from home
*Go on regular outings as a family
*Have almost every breakfast and supper together

Let our little light shine
*Keep our home clean and peaceful, to welcome others
*Help each other and others
*Act as if you are the only example of God’s love someone will ever see

Live simply, within our means
*Continue to be debt free
*Be content with what we have and plan ahead for what we want and need
*Keep only what we use and love

Be good stewards
*Of our bodies
*Of our home
*Of our world

Be lifelong learners
*Homeschool
*Help each other learn to do it ourselves
*Try new things together

Work hard
*Do our very best at whatever we do
*Persevere (try, try again)
*Do not complain

Fill our home with love
*Love for God
*Love for each other
*Love for life

These are our family goals. A mission statement inspired by Simple Mom. 

"The first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: Decide what you want."
Ben Stein. 

An Enchanted Childhood~ Daycare:Week 3

We have been asked many times to write up our "lesson plans" so others could use them.  Honestly, we just spend a little time thinking about how we want the "school year" to look and go from there.  We wing-it a lot, doing impromptu things that add to our plans.  I am always amazed that anyone would think what we do is worthy of writing down for others to read, but here it goes!

This year, we are doing "Childhood Classics"--reading great children's books--you know, the kind every child should get to know, and then doing little activities to go with it.

Week 3~

This past week, we chose How Groundhog's Garden Grew and The Tiny Seed as our books to read.  Groundhog's Garden is an adorable (and very educational) book that tells the life cycle of a garden.  The Tiny Seed tells the about the life of a seed.  Both books talk about gardens, planting and harvesting, and the seasons--perfect books for this time of year, with fall arriving and the beloved garden coming to an end.

Monday--read How Groundhog's Garden Grew, took a nature walk to see the garden (gathered veggies to bring home) as well as checking our volunteer pumpkins.  We also gathered acorns--lots and lots of acorns.

                                

Tuesday--read Groundhog's Garden again--discussing root vegetables, perennials, and the four seasons..  We used our acorns, gathered the day before, as part of our TableTime toys. During CircleTime, we sang a song about the four seasons "Winter, spring, summer, fall.  Thank you God for making them all."  We ate some very yummy candied acorns and some Moon and Stars watermelon for morning snack, while saving seeds for next year.  For CreativeTime, we used cute insect stickers to decorate plastic babyfood containers in which we next planted parsley seeds.  We then took a long nature walk, where we looked for seeds, seed pods, etc.  The children then visited the garden where they sadly learned the raspberries were done producing and there would be no more until next year.

Wednesday--read Groundhog's Garden yet again--taking a long time to point out the various plants and animals.  We watercolor-painted gardens for CreativeTime.  The children were all so proud of their garden paintings!  Once again, a long nature walk and a trip to the garden were turned into educational experiences--the children took their nature bags and filled them with all kinds of goodies along the way.  While eating lunch, we saved more watermelon and green pepper seeds for next year.  Before NapTime, we read In the Garden with Van Gogh.

 

Thursday--We used our insect and animal finger puppets to discuss the book How Groundhog's Garden Grew, talking about things like root crops, perennials, helpful insects, and our favorite veggies and berries in Poppaw John's garden.  We read The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle.  For CreativeTime, we planted bean seeds in small ziplock baggies with a paper towel soaked in water to start the germination process.  We will observe our seeds over the next few days/weeks to watch for the seeds to split open, roots to appear, and green leaves!  We also watered our parsley seeds that we planted Tuesday.

Friday--We read through both our books to finish up the week.  We repeated the finger puppet fun, reviewing important things about a garden, lifecycles of plants, seed dispersal, and more, as well as sang our "seasons" song during CircleTime. During CreativeTime, we made sunflowers and used real seeds for the center.  During OutsideTime, we again took a nature walk, gathering ferns, wildflowers, acorns, and other bits of nature (including a toad we caught and observed for a while.)  Next week, we will continue to study this theme as we read Miss Rumphius and The Carrot Seed.

An Enchanted Childhood~ Daycare:Weeks 1 & 2

We have been asked many times to write up our "lesson plans" so others could use them.  Honestly, we just spend a little time thinking about how we want the "school year" to look and go from there.  We wing-it a lot, doing impromptu things that add to our plans.  I am always amazed that anyone would think what we do is worthy of writing down for others to read, but here it goes!

This year, we are doing "Childhood Classics"--reading great children's books--you know, the kind every child should get to know, and then doing little activities to go with it.

Weeks 1&2~

The first two weeks of "school", we read several Beatrix Potter books, starting with The Tale of Peter Rabbit.  Throughout the two weeks, we also read Benjamin Bunny, The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck, The Flopsy Bunnies, and Mrs. Tiggy Winkle. We read the same book a few times each, so the children could get to know the book and the characters and become "friends" with them!    We took several walks to Poppaw John's garden (lovingly referred to as Mr. McGregor by the daycare children) where we enjoyed raspberries picked straight off the plants, watermelon cut open and eaten right then and there, as well as green peppers, carrots, tomatoes, and more to carry home for snacks and lunches.

During CircleTime, we used Peter Rabbit finger puppets (bought off etsy.com last year) and sang "Five Little Bunnies Jumping on the Bed" (yes, sang just like "Five Little Monkeys"!)  We sang our shortened version of  "Little Bunny Foo Foo" and learned "Six Little Ducks".  Rather than singing "If You're Happy and You Know It..." the correct way, we made the motions to be animals in Beatrix Potter books--If you're happy and you know it waddle like Jemima Puddleduck, hop like Benjamin Bunny, shake your bushy tail like Squirrel Nutkin...

For snacks and meals, we got a little creative--we had "bread and milk and blackberries" for breakfast one morning, as well as "rabbit pie" for lunch.  (really it was chicken pot pie, but they had fun pretending it was rabbit pie!)  Snacks were various garden veggies, berries, and watermelon.  We made chamomile tea to taste,  just like Peter had to drink!

CreativeTime included: freehand watercolor painting like Beatrix Potter, a few printed off Peter Rabbit and friends coloring pages to paint (we copy onto card stock, so the paper holds up better when painting).  We made bunny ears and foam duck magnets and an awesome handprint hedgehog (Mrs Tiggy Winkle is a hedgehog!)  Our goal is to have approx two "crafts" a week, free style art a couple of days, and playdoh a few times a week as well!  (We recently made some lavendar scented playdoh that is irresistable!)

In addition, we have a series of Beatrix Potter videos that are so well done--The Beatrix Potter Collection.  Each one only lasts about 15 minutes, so it was perfect for that time between coming inside and lunch being served.  We also read a delightful book about Ms Potter writing letters (which later became her books) to a little boy, called My Dear Noel: The Story of a Letter From Beatrix Potter .  I read this to my own children many years ago as a part of their own Beatrix Potter study!

We love that the children love Petter Rabbit as much as we do!

"The little stories by Beatrice Potter (1866-1943) are meant to be held in a little child's hands.  They are fanciful but lovely because a lover of nature wrote them.  Her watercolor illustrations are the result of her close association with the creatures of the countryside."

Karen Andeola in Pocketful of Pinecones