Picture frame craft (a gift for Nana)

Today is my Nana's 96th birthday, so this week we have been making her some picture frames as a gift from the boys.

I bought some plain wooden frames from Bunnings.

Decoupage frame

I decided to teach Mr Sociable some simple decoupage. He tore small pieces of coloured tissue paper...

covered sections of the frame in PVA glue and then glued on the pieces of tissue paper. 

Once the frame was completely covered, we coated the tissue paper with PVA and left it to dry.

Once it was dry, I inserted a photo of Mr Sociable. 

Textured silver frame

I was originally planning to make Mr Fun's frame by gluing pasta on the wood. But, had run out of pasta and I had to improvise. I gave him a selection of dried chick peas, popping corn and uncooked rice. We put PVA glue on the frame (one section at a time) and Mr Fun sprinkled the peas, corn and rice onto the glue.

He needed a bit of encouragement to keep going until it was all finished, but we did get there in the end!

Franky sprayed the frame with silver spray paint (this was also from Bunnings) and I inserted a cute picture of Mr Fun.

Alphabet Activities for Playtime (A-D)

This term at Playtime, we are learning about the alphabet. The kids and the parents have been really positive about the activities and songs. I have noticed Mr Fun singing the songs and pointing out the letters while we are out and about. 

We have been using the songs and actions from the Jolly Phonics program (http://jollylearning.co.uk/). I have made a poster for each letter (with just one letter and a picture cue on each poster). I really like the Jolly Phonics program because it appeals to different types of learners - visual (the posters), auditory (the songs) and kinaesthetic (the actions for each sound). You can find the songs on YouTube, and buy the book (Jolly Songs) online.

Each week at Playtime, we focus on one letter; we do a craft, a story and teach the relevant song from Jolly Songs.

Aa

Craft: Salt-dough ants

I pre-made the ants and baked them in the oven. I used a skewer to poke holes for legs and antennae prior to baking. At Playtime, the kids inserted pipe-cleaners into the holes and glued on googlie eyes with PVA glue. I had planned to get the kids to paint them too, but they were happy with them unpainted, so I decided to save myself some cleaning-up. ;)

Song: Ants on my arm 

Story: We read a Sam the Ant book from the Reading eggs series.

Bb

Craft: Butterflies

We gave the kids a butterfly outline. We placed blobs of paint on the paper, then folded it in half. The kids spread the paint around to create beautiful butterfly pictures. 

Song: Bring your bat and bring your ball

Story: The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle (the caterpillar turns into a butterfly). 

Cc

Craft: Castanets

One of the other lovely Mums planned this craft (thanks Cara!) We made castanets from cardboard, stickers and buttons. The kids decorated strips of thick cardboard with crayons and stickers. They then glued buttons inside with PVA glue to make the clicking castanet sound. This craft has been really popular with Mr Fun - he loves clicking his castanets and singing the song.

Song: We are clicking castanets

Story: Cookie Cat

Dd

Craft: Drums

This was a really popular craft! Even the kids who don't normally participate in craft time wanted to do this one! I spray-painted empty baby formula tins with gold spray paint. The kids stuck foam pictures to the drums with PVA glue. We then used cheap chopsticks as drumsticks. During story-time, we said a rhyme that involved drumming, so the kids got to test out their new drums.

Song: See me play on my drum

Story: Maisy's Band

Mr Sociable's turns 5 and leads a Rescue Party

It was Mr Sociable's 5th birthday on Saturday. It was a very fun (but exhausting) day.

In the morning we walked downstairs to show Mr Sociable his birthday surprise...

(see his excited face!) 

a new bike! A Hot Wheels bike, with a bag at the front filled with markers and flags for racing. It was a big hit!

We let him practise driving around the lounge-room while we made his birthday breakfast. I gave him his number "5" shirt to wear. It has become a bit of a tradition that I make him a number shirt each birthday, which he then delights in wearing for the rest of the year.

After breakfast, we took the kids for a bike-ride at the park (I did make them wait until 8am, to be kind to our neighbours!).

Mr Sociable played with a neighbour and then went to a birthday party of another girl from Prep. When we first received her invitation, I was a bit worried that no-one was going to come to Mr Sociable's party, but it all turned out fine on the day. There were plenty of kids at both parties!

Mr Sociable had a "Rescue Party" at the bike park. He loves police, firemen, paramedics, etc and playing "rescue" with his toys, so I decided to theme the party around that.

Wearing his "police" shirt that I made with iron-on t-shirt transfers

The kids and I made an "emergency room" from a large cardboard box. We covered it in white paper, made a sign for the front and put shoe-boxes inside as beds (unfortunately I only seem to have a photo of the back of it!). I made up little first aid boxes containing bandages and cheap bandaids (these were also in shoe boxes, with a red cross on the top). The kids had a great time covering the toys in bandaids!

The first-aid station

The toys were "rescued" from places around the park (trees, play equipment, etc) and carried to the emergency room on stretchers. I made the stretchers from some old curtain fabric and some broom sticks that I cut in half.

I made my boys matching shirts :)

Franky & I made a rescue helicopter pinata. I made the structure of it and Franky painted it.

I have been to some parties where the pinata is impossible to break open, so I tried not to make it too thick. I don't think I made it quite thick enough (5 layers), as not all the kids got a hit before the pinata broke open. But the kids were soon distracted by the toys, lollies, stickers and tattoos. 

My sister made an awesome "rescue" birthday cake. The kids were very excited and put in requests for parts of a fire-engine, or water, or an ambulance, etc.

"Haaaaaaaaaaaapy...."

We had the party at dinner-time and we looked at a few Christmas lights on the way home. The kids were so excited about the party and the presents that they were up until almost 10pm. We let Mr Sociable open 5 presents when we got home and we saved the rest for the next day. Both kids have enjoyed having new toys to play with this week (although I'm saving a couple of the lego models for an "at home" day in the school holidays).

It's hard to believe that my big boy is 5! He does seem to have suddenly matured this week - he keeps telling me that "5 year olds have good manners" ;)

Happy Birthday Uncle Ben [Wordless Wednesday]

Last weekend, we went on a walk (from Oatley-Como) & had brunch at a Cafe on the water at Como to celebrate Uncle Ben's birthday. 

It was a good chance for Mr Fun to practise riding his new balance bike (he was very slow, but enthusiastic!).

The boys LOVED watching the trains go past!

We went across a bridge, looking at the water and watching trains.

Mr Sociable went exploring with Daddy and Uncle Ben.

We played in the park...

ate breakfast...

and climbed rocks.

Happy Birthday Uncle Ben.