Tot School Tuesday : Wood balls, playing in dirt, picnic, colored ice, and exploring the grass

 

One of Blips favorite toys is his pound and roll bench by kids kraft. This is a great wooden toy that is actually made local for us!  We do so much with this toy, this week Blip has been obsessed with setting the balls in the holes.

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We took Blip to a local garden to explore some really nice green grass. He seemed to think it was interesting, but kept trying to walk on his hands and feet instead of crawl, I don't think he knew what to think about the fluffy green grass that is so much longer then ours.At his age experiencing new things is the most important thing I feel I can give him.

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I set up a big pot of soil while we were planting our new seed for Blip to explore. I am all for kiddos getting dirty and thought this would be a fun sensory activity. Blip dug right in. I was afraid it would be a constant battle to keep him from eating it, but he only tried to once and after that seemed content to just feel the soil and play.

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We also took Blip to the duck pond for a picnic and a walk. He was fascinated with he ducks, he loves animals.

Blip stole my fork so I put some watermelon on it for him to nibble on. He always gets a kick out of things like this. We love picnics in this family, Blip loves the chance to play on the ground while munching fruit and we love being outside and the play time meets meal time it brings.

Gus and I pointed out all the great things to see at the pond. Gus and Blip enjoyed lots of snuggles and we took a nature walk. Blip rode on Gus's shoulders and occasionally got to reach out and feel leaves.

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  His favorite activity was painting with colored ice we talked about Friday! This is such a fun activity that we will defiantly be doing lots this summer! Check it out!

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 As always you can see more Tot School by doing a click click!

Funny Fantastical Activity Friday: Colored Ice

Spring is slowly starting to warm up and invite us outside into the breezy daylight. Blip and I have been spending tons of time outside on the porch, winter seems like a distant dream.

Speaking of dreams, I dream about the day he decides that paint is not a good thing to eat so we can spend long afternoons finger painting in the sun. In the mean time I have been brainstorming some fun ways of doing little art type projects with a little one who is still very mouthy. Besides the yogurt and colored pudding ideas that many suggested I was coming up thin before I considered just coloring water.

The water seemed easy and less toxic then paint. It also seemed less likely to just be ate up like yogurt would be. I brain stormed this idea further: should I use a paint brush or show him how to spill it onto paper? Then one day as I made ice it hit me that we could paint with colored ice.

Right away I pulled out the food coloring and got to work dropping the bright colors into the water, making vibrant hues of water. It felt like forever before the trays were full of very solid and addorbly colorful ice cubes. I grabed Blip, a bowl, and some paper and we ran outside!
I took his onsie off so they would not get stained (for the record the colored water that melted from the ice washed right out of his cloth diaper) and we set to work. One by one we pulled out the ice cubes, he giggled when I ran the cold colors over his leg to show him what cold felt like. We then set the ice on the paper and I showed him how to move the ice so colors spread all over like water color. To my surprise he picked up on this quick and copied me, I don't give him enough credit, our little kiddos pick up on things so quick!

After a bit we started throwing some colors in the bowl to watch them melt. The colors will run together, I can only imagine that this would be a great way of teaching preschoolers about mixing colors!

We ended up dumping a bunch of the cubes on the warm concrete and watching as the sun turned them to colorful puddles. Blip splashed a bit and seemed very satisfied with his toy turning into water.

I can see this game being adapted to lots of age groups, I think it will be a regular spring and summer game for many years to come!

Tot School Tuesday : Color Blocks, Exploring Tubberwear, Spinners, Sorting, Exploring Flowers, Smelling Salts

Hall Shelf

This week we focused on colors! The top shelf has a book accompanied by a bowl that has colorful wood blocks. One block for each color in the book: Red, yellow, blue, green, and orange.

The bottom shelf has two tupperware containers with lids. I choose a smaller one and a slightly bigger one so they can nest. We did so much with these: nested them, practiced opening them, put lids back on, put blocks in them, put a button in each to shake, stacked them, threw them, rolled them! He had so much fun with these little lidded bowls. The best part, we all have them!

Blip did such a great job stacking the blocks! He also liked sitting the blocks in the ramekin while I told him the color of each one as they went in the bowl. Ours are all sorts of different shapes which adds to the fun. 

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 I found this silly book in a back closet, it has a spinner on it. I showed Blip how to spin, he practiced while I cleaned up the lunch mess, hence the messy baby!  

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 Not the best picture, our living room has horrible lighting...but this is way to cute! Gus was cleaning out our DVD drawer and Blip decided to help. He stood up next to Gus and pulled the DVD's out one by one to look at them. After he started throwing them back in. They had a lot of fun with it.

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 We had tons of rain this week, Blip was getting cranky being inside all day. When we had a sunny day Blip, the cats, and I all went outside to play in the sun all afternoon. Blip was really fascinated with the pots of purple flowers near our side walk. Tribble hid in the flowers while Blip "hunted" her.

 I know, my kid never has a shirt on...he hates putting clothes on. But this time we have a purpose, I think it is good for him to sometimes feel the cool air and warm sun against his skin! I let him pick a flower and we explored it up close together. It is amazing how his fine moter skills are developing so fast, he actuary picked it without crushing it! 

We chilled together for a bit in silence, just enjoying the air. Then I pointed out nearby things like cars and the grass before going in 

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 We also played the smelling salts game that I mentioned last Friday. 

Blip really enjoyed all the smells. Except we have been cup training and so a few times he wanted to drink the spices. All in all though he did great sniffing! 

He is also wanting to hand you everything now! He thinks it is so funny when you take things he is handing you! 

 The tray we used is actually a lazy-susan that spins, once Blip figured that out he forgot all about the spices and moved on to spinning the tray. We added my phone to the tray so he could watch it go in circles when he spun the tray.

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((Click Click for more Tot School! ))

Funny Fantastical Activity Friday: Smelling Salts

Babies and toddlers (maybe even a preschooler) all are developing the senses that help them explore the world around them. As parents we take our kids to the zoo to SEE animals, give them soft blankets to FEEL, turn on fun music to HEAR, and we give lots of yummy food to TASTE. But for the most part we assume they get enough to SMELL without our help.

But why leave it up to the environment to exercise the nose?

Spices and herbs have a strong and unique smell all contained in little jars ready to use! Nothing special required. For this game I sat a tray of 4 spices on the ground next to Blip. I have a cabinet shelf full of spices to choose from, we ended up going with mild curry powder, 5 spice, creole seasoning, and mild red pepper flakes this time around.

I think 4 is a good number, if you are doing this with a little bitty baby you could go with one or two...a preschooler 6 at most..4 is just perfect though.

A word of warning: I would recommend staying away from white pepper that may make your little one sneeze or a really strong chili pepper that could burn eyes. You want each one to be unique, a bit of a spicy smell can be good to explore, but use common since. 

Now that you have a few spices all laid out it is time to take off the lids. Of course Blip was eager to grab and throw so if your kiddo is in that stage hold on tight to the bottle and keep the unused ones away from little hands and lids on tight just in case. One at a time put the bottle under little noses and have them smell. Talk about how they smell in detail!

An older child may enjoy using a blind fold and turning it in a guessing game of what spice it is! There are a lot of fun possibilities with "smelling salts".

Tip: A bowl of coffee beans on hand can help clear noses between sniffs!

Funny Fantastical Activity Friday: Blow Bubbles

The weather is getting warmer and the days sunnier, spring is in full swing with summer in the see-able future. The grass in our yard is getting green and begging for our family to lay on our backs and feel the itchy grass on our arms and watch bubbles sail against the blue background of the spring sky.

You are never to old to blow bubbles, and you are certainly never to young! Imagine a gentle stream of bubbles floating over your tiny baby, like a ever changing bubble mobile! And of course toddlers and preschoolers will love chasing and catching, and of course blowing them!

Blip is at a fun in between age. At first he just watched as they sailed by him, later he crawled into our lap to investigate the source and try to touch them. However your kiddo acts it is a great way to spend the afternoon!

You can by simple bubbles as any big box store or dollar store for a dollar or two. When you run out of solution save the bottle and wand and simply fill it back up with a homemade bubble solution!

Funny Fantastical Activity Friday: Treasure Basket

One of Blips favorite "stations" in our home right now is his treasure basket. Our treasure basket is a baby version of a sensory tub. Blip is fascinated with it!

Every Monday I fill his blue felt basket with new household items for him to explore at his leisure. It is really random, I just walk around the house and pick out items. I pay close attention that they are safe and try to choose things that bring verity to his basket, and maybe promote different things. We keep our basket in the living room. 

This week his basket has:
               Metal measuring cup
               A vile that is meant to store breastmilk (his favorite this week)
               A ring that is meant to go over the rims of a jar
               A big hair clip
               Jingle ball
               Silky piece of brown cloth
               Blue teether

He is free to have open ended fun however he chooses. Some days he simply dumps the basket out and others he empties it one object at a time.
Some days he just chews, others he really focuses on fitting the objects together or other fine motor skill.

It always amazes me what our babies can do! 
            

Top10 ways to spark interest, learn, and have fun with everyday tasks

Welcome to the March Carnival of Natural Parenting: Natural Parenting Top 10 Lists

This post was written for inclusion in the monthly Carnival of Natural Parenting hosted by Hobo Mama and Code Name: Mama. This month our participants have shared Top 10 lists on a wide variety of aspects of attachment parenting and natural living. Please read to the end to find a list of links to the other carnival participants.

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One of the things I love about natural parenting is the focus on simple and natural learning through everyday activities. I love the idea of teachable moments happening without forcing them along. Everyday tasks and chores can be turned into great fun, learning, and spark interests!

So with no further ado I present to you:

' Top10 ways to spark interest, learn, and have fun with everyday tasks! '



1) Take It Outside! 

I always loved the picturesque scene of shelling peas on the porch. Your kiddo will too.

When the weather is nice we take some work to the great outdoors. Maybe we sit on our porch while menu planning or on a big hand-knit blanket in the grass while pea shelling. No matter what, it makes any chore fun!

Everyone needs some sunlight and it is amazing how fast your spirits will soar when you get some fresh air. Outdoors is a great classroom to present some everyday activities! You can incorporate natural lessons such as growing veggies from seeds or let your little ones explore the grass, leaves, and bugs in the yard. They will learn their own lessons while you get some boring tasks done, such as budgeting. Babies will enjoy watching the grass move in the wind and hearing birds. Older kids will enjoy the exploration outside can bring. 

The mind will be clear and more able to soak up all the great things you can teach, such as where those peas came from before you bought them at the market!



2) Appeal to all 5 senses! 

Let your child really experience what you are doing. Tasting, feeling, smelling, seeing, and hearing are all important parts of learning. Young babies especially love to taste everything; they experience the world with their mouth! Try to find ways to safely incorporate chances to use different senses.


Folding laundry has bloomed into a favorite game in our home. Blip loves it when we rub the different fabrics against his cheek or arms so he can feel them. I encourage him to smell the clean clothes and we flap, crinkle, and talk about the task to appeal to his need to hear. Of course, he loves watching as I fold the clothes and pile them in neat stacks and since he is so young I always try to find safe things for him to mouth and taste. A clean scarf will often go straight in his mouth.


3) Use the high back carry
 
We love a nice and high back carry in our Woven. All kids have clingy days and this is great for those days. A back carry allows you to go about your daily necessities, with both hands free, while still having your little one observe everything. Try washing dishes or clothes using a good carrier for your high back carry. Your kiddo will be able to see everything you do and easily hear your feedback on the task at hand. Best of all, they are right near your ear, so you will be able to hear all the questions or excited baby sounds.




4) Get them Involved

 Babies and kids love being involved! It is no fun watching all the time.

Little babies will enjoy sitting with you and playing with the tools you are using. Help toddlers pour a teaspoon of vinegar into your homemade cleaning spray or have your preschooler help knead the bread dough. It really does not matter what you are doing, just get them involved! Simple tasks teach all sorts of great things when they get to do them along with you. Science, fine motor skills, a love for cooking, etc... 



5)Accidents happen: relax and learn from them

Never yell or act disappointed in your child if they accidentally mess something up, break something, or spill. Evey one has accidents, even us! When little Soya spills all the blueberries on the floor, stop and take a deep breath, and remember this is a teachable moment!

No need to scold or really even force the lesson. Just say, in a happy voice, that it is ok and show then how to fix or make the accident better.

"It's ok, why don't I help you pick up these berries! Then we can rewash them!" 

Embarrassing your child or forcing a lesson will not make them eager to try again; that trying is what really teaches!





6) Child size and accessible

 I love the Montessori idea of not having a child fit into a world that is too big for them. It is a great idea to have some smaller tools of the trade for tiny hands.

Smaller sponges and a broom could spark an interest in helping you clean. It is fun to act like mommy or daddy but it also teaches them valuable practical life lessons. When kids work with items that fit them, they learn real technique! Storing items in lower shelves, and finding ways for them to get eye level with the lessons, is also a great way of keeping them involved whenever their interests strike!

I love the idea of a  learning tower to supply a safe place for your kid to stand while helping you bake!


7) Appeal to their interests

If your baby is practicing slowly taking things out of baskets, let them help you pull out clothes from a basket while you fold. If your child is obsessed with animals, go buy eggs and milk at the farm. If it is a topic, such as space, that your kid just can't get enough of, incorporate it into your day. Read up on it together: your kid will love it, plus you will learn new things as well. Make it a theme for lunch or chat about it on the way to the store. 







8) Know when to let it be

There are times when Blip is just not interested in the tasks I'm doing. Maybe he would rather play with his blocks or hear a story. In cases like this, really try not to push it.

No one will have fun or learn anything if you are forcing them to participate and honestly it is a tantrum waiting to happen. Know when to let it be.  

Sometimes a baby just wants to be left alone for some tummy time because they are on a crawling breakthrough! Sometimes a kid just needs time to focus on toys or a nap. Sometimes they just want to cuddle and read and we just have to remember that the vacuum will be there later! We can always come back to the task, but one day our baby will be grown up.

9) Try something new


Little one starting to hate grocery shopping? Maybe you both just need a change in pace. A new setting can be a treasure trove of learning opportunities! Go to the farmers market for some outdoor fun, local food, and a new experience. I find it the best way to shop. Your little one will meet new people, see new things, and get interested in the task all over again!

Maybe make up a game to go with a task! Go to the library and let your child pick out a new cookbook. Give your baby a new view that they can watch from. A little change goes a long way. And sometimes it is good to fit some 100% new experiences into your day. 


10) Give a choice

 No one likes being told what to do! A few choices will take you far.

Give your baby the choice to play with the pot lids or the measuring spoons while you cook dinner. Let your kid pick the meal. Less tantrums and more excitement come with choices which means more hunger to learn! It's never too early to give the little ones the opportunity to make up their mind, that in itself is a valuable lesson!



All in all, relax and have fun watching your child soak up all sorts of information from the ordinary! Be prepared to answer questions!

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Visit Hobo Mama and Code Name: Mama to find out how you can participate in the next Carnival of Natural Parenting!
Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants:
(This list will be live and updated by afternoon March 8 with all the carnival links.)

• Attachment Parenting in the NICU — Erica at ChildOrganics shares some strategies to help you parent naturally in some unnatural circumstances.
• 10 Reasons to Choose Baby Led Weaning — Luschka from Diary of a First Child shares ten reasons to choose Baby Led Weaning when it comes to solids.
• Choosing to Breastfeed — From selfishness to self-giving, CatholicMommy at Working to be Worthy lists reasons why breast is best for her and her family.
• Ten Things I Wish I Knew About Before Little Man — In this reflective post, The ArstyMama discusses ten things she wishes she knew more about before the birth of her son, Little Man.
• 10 Things That Helped Me Become a Natural Mama — The Accidental Natural Mama counts down ten things that helped her find her moderately crunchy inner mama self.
• Top 10 Reasons to Breastfeed Your Toddler — Extended breast-feeder Kate Wicker of Momopoly makes her own top 10 list for why she loves nursing her 2-year-old.
• Top 10 Tips on Authentic Grandparenting — Mamapoekie of Authentic Parenting offers a list of tips to make the grandparent-parent-child relationship flow smoothly.
• Top Ten "Dad" Things — Liam at In The Now talks about his favourite ways to spend time with his children.
• Top 10 Natural Strategies for Conception (aka How to Get Pregnant!) — Despite facing plenty of health issues, Jessica Claire at Crunchy-Chewy Mama found her way to two first-try pregnancies thanks to these natural strategies.
• Top Ten Reasons Why Home Birth Rocks — Lucy at Dreaming Aloud shares her passion for birthing at home - the natural place for natural birth.
• Top 10 reasons why cloth nappies are fun — Tat at Cloth Nappies Are Fun shows how using cloth nappies can brighten up your day.
• Top Ten Ways to Be Present With Family — Amy at Innate Wholeness shares how to make the most of parenting and family life through being present.
• Top 10 Things In My Arsenal of Kitchen Witchy Mama Tricks. — Joni Rae at Tales of A Kitchen Witch shares with us the simple things she would never want to be missing from her cupboards.
• Top 10 ways I'm not very good at natural parenting (and why I keep trying anyway) — Jenny at Babyfingers shares the ways she is imperfect as a natural parent, and why she embraces natural parenting anyway.
• Top 10 Ways to Know You Are a Natural Parent — So what makes us "natural parents," anyway? A lighthearted look at the Top 10 Ways to Know You Are a Natural Parent by the editors and readers of Natural Parents Network.
• The Top 10 Things Every Natural Household (with children) Should Have — Amanda at Let's Take the Metro shares a list of the most common natural products and remedies she uses for health and cleaning.
• Top 10 books for raising loving, spiritual children — In her 'food for the soul' post, Mrs Green from Little Green Blog shares her favourite spiritual books. No matter what religion you practise, there's something for everyone!
• Top 10 Things No One Told Me About Natural Parenting — Adrienne at Mommying My Way explains that the best things about natural parenting are things she never expected.
• Top 10 Flower Essences for Families — Kim of Nature Baby Bloggings lists her pick of the top ten flower essence which can help ease families through the ups and downs of life.
• My Top Ten Parenting Tools — Amyables at Toddler In Tow names the top ten tools that have been helpful to her while learning to parent respectfully and successfully.
• Ten Ways Families Can Enjoy Nature (for free!) — Spring is nearly in the air, and Jenn at Monkey Butt Junction is dreaming of the fun and frugal ways that her family is going to get out and enjoy nature this summer.
• 10 Reasons We Unschool — Patti at Jazzy Mama explains why unschooling is the right choice for her family.
• Must Read: Natural Parenting Top Ten — Amy at Anktangle wants you to do a little reading! She shares her top ten favorite books to help parents prepare for pregnancy, birth, and parenting.
• Top 10 Breastfeeding Misconceptions — Sheila at A Gift Universe examines ten reasons women give for why they didn't breastfeed as long as they wanted, and shows how these obstacles can be overcome.
• Ten Reasons to Plan a Home Birth — Since a home birth can be an incredibly empowering experience, Leslie at Lights and Letters outlines ten reasons why you should plan to have your baby at home.
• Top Ten Books for Birth, Breastfeeding and Parenting — Megan at Just Me(gan) writes about the ten books that have helped her the most in her natural parenting journey.
• A Top Ten Letter To Me... — Kat at Loving {Almost} Every Moment writes herself a letter of reflections and bits of wisdom she would have liked to know as a new mama.
• Top Ten Mama Necessities Money Can't Buy — Buying baby gear is fun, but Emily at Crunchy(ish) Mama knows real parenting must-haves can't be bought in stores (or even on Amazon).
• Top 10 Books for a Natural Mum — Isil at Smiling like Sunshine talks about her Top 10 Books for a Natural Mum.
• Ten Great Spring Activities To Do With Preschoolers — Kellie at Our Mindful Life and her family have come up with a great list of activities to do together this spring.
• 10 Ways to Reuse Yogurt Containers — Acacia at Fingerpaint & Superheroes keeps the stacks of yogurt containers out of her recycling bin by reusing them in both practical and creative ways.
• Top Ten Ways To Have a Harmonious Home — Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama shares her natural parenting-inspired methods for maintaining a harmonious daily life with her toddler.
• 10 Natural Baby Items I Love — Charise at I Thought I Knew Mama shares product ideas to support your natural parenting.
• The Pandas' Top Five Crunch-osophies — Top five crunchy philosophies, as employed at the Panda Residence by Ana at Pandamoly.
• Top 10 Reasons to Leave Your Son Intact — Mandy at Living Peacefully with Children has shared 10 reasons why you should leave your newborn son intact.
• Ten things everyone should know about unassisted homebirth — Olivia at Write About Birth shares practical tips for women considering an unassisted homebirth and debunks some common myths
• 10 Most Popular Ways To Treat Cloth Diaper Stains — Chante at My Natural Motherhood Journey gives ten easy tips to make your diapers like new.
• 10 Lessons in 1 Year — Abbie at Farmer's Daughter shares 10 parenting lessons that she has learned throughout her first year of motherhood.
• Top 10 Ways to Get Breastfeeding Off To a Good Start — Sheryl at Little Snowflakes shares 10 effective ways to ensure breastfeeding gets off to a good start.
• Top 10 Ways to Avoid a Time-Out — If you are uncomfortable using time-outs in an attempt to control your child's behavior, try one of these gentler alternatives. Dionna at Code Name: Mama shares her Top 10 Ways to Avoid a Time-Out.
• My Top 10 Parenting Scriptures — Dulce de leche is learning to integrate faith and parenting. Whether it is breastfeeding, babywearing, comforting her children, or gentle discipline, she finds that the Bible has beautiful passages to encourage her on her journey.
• Natural Cleaning Ideas - Top 10 — Laura at Laura's Blog lists the ways she keeps her house clean and clear of chemicals.
• My Top Ten (plus two) Life Altering and Growth Inspiring Books — A top ten list of books from MJ at Wander Wonder Discover that changed her life as an individual, a parent, and an earth dweller.
• Top 10 Ways to Use Natural Parenting for Children with Special Needs — Danielle at Mommy Makes Cents feeds the needs of her family and special needs child through the use of Natural Parenting.
• Ten Fundamentals — Seonaid at The Practical Dilettante gets philosophical with a list of the fundamentals that drive her natural parenting.
• 10 reasons why I chose breast over bottles — Becky at Old New Legacy writes a quick list of why she chose breast over bottles.
• Top Ten Natural Tools for the Work of Play — Lori at Beneath the Rowan Tree offers insight into 10 natural toys that will span the early years (and save you money).
• 10 differences between pregnancy and parenting in Japan and the US — Megan at Ichigo Means Strawberry gives her impressions about differences in pregnancy and parenting in Japan and the US.
• Natural Parenting Benny & Bex Style — Pecky at Benny and Bex explains why Natural Parenting principles work best for her boys.
• Top 10 Reasons to Co-Sleep — 10 practical, emotional, and completely selfish reasons to co-sleep and share a family bed from Lily, aka Witch Mom.
• My Top Ten New Mommy Moments — Melissa at The New Mommy Files recounts the ten most memorable moments of her daughter's first year.
• Top Ten Things Every Breastfeeding Mother Needs to Know — Kristen at Adventures in Mommyhood believes knowledge is power and wants all moms to be well informed.
• Top 10 Nursing Positions / Situations — Momma Jorje uses her 5½ years of nursing experience to share her Top 10 Nursing Positions/Situations. She includes some adorable photos of her youngest daughter at the breast.
• Ten Top Ways to Connect Kids with Nature — Terri from Child at the Nature Isle offers 10 ways to immerse ourselves in the natural world and develop a love affair with the Earth.
• Top 10 Slacker Ways to Natural Parent — Guavalicious is happy to show you how to parent naturally the slacker way.
• Simply what it looks like — Andrea!!! from Ella-Bean & Co. offers a glimpse into natural parenting through the eyes of mama and babe.
• Top Ten Reasons Why Natural Parenting Dads Are So Attractive — Nada at miniMOMist sure digs her husband, but it's not just his good looks -- it's his parenting!
• 10 Family Systems and Routines That Work for Us — See what routines, organizational systems, and parenting approaches work for Kristin at Intrepid Murmurings to help avoid conflict and maintain sanity in a family with three young children.
• Top 10 reasons to choose midwifery care — Lauren at Hobo Mama lists the features that drew her to midwives' care for pregnancy and birth.
• 10 Ways to Cloth Diaper on a Budget — Michelle at The Parent Vortex shares her best thrifty cloth diapering tips.
• Ten Reasons it Felt Sew Good To Make My Own Play Food — Brittany at Mama's Felt Cafe lists her 10 (OK, 11) favorite reasons to grab a needle and start sewing your own felt play toys.
• Top10 Ways to Spark Interest, Learn, and Have Fun With Everyday Tasks! — Bethy at Bounce Me to the Moon gives you her top 10 ways of incorporating fun and lessons into everyday tasks and chores.
• Postpartum Gift Ideas — Alicia at I Found My Feet suggests a top 10 list of gifts for mother's after giving birth.
• My Top Ten Shows Worthy Of Screen Time — Tree at Mom Grooves shares her top ten list of shows that she believes are positive, educational, kind, joyful, and a nice way to share some downtime with your children.
• The Top 10 Ways to Succeed as an Working Attachment Parent — That Mama Gretchen shares tried and true ways to succeed with attachment parenting even when working away from home during the day.
• Top Ten Books for Natural Parenting — Pregnancy, herbs, cooking, and healthcare the ten books Asha at Meta Mom the most.
• Preparing for a Hospital VBAC: My Top 10 — Thomasin at Propson Palingenesis shares 10 ways she's preparing for her upcoming hospital VBAC.
• Top Ten New Mom Survival Tools — Wolfmother shares her most beloved motherhood survival tools at Fabulous Mama Chronicles.
• Top 10 Montessori Principles for Natural Learning — Deb Chitwood at Living Montessori Now gives her top 10 list of Montessori principles parents can use to encourage their children s natural learning.
• Going Granola — Tashmica from The Mother Flippin' Blog describes the 10 ways that natural parenting sneaked up on her. She never expected to go all granola on the world.
• Step Away From the Amazon List — Stefanie at Very, Very Fine wishes she hadn't bought so much useless stuff.

Funny Fantastical Activity Friday: Brush our Teeth!

Every morning I hold Blip on my hip while I brush my teeth. I let him watch as I brush, brush,brush.

He likes looking in the mirror, and thinks it's funny to examine my tooth brushing up close. When he decided he wanted to grab the brush I re-gifted him a weird flossing handle my dentist gave me years ago.

So there we would be together, me brushing and Blip chewing.  I would then grab a soft cloth and clean his gums. He likes this.

I like to think we are staring a nice habit. Brushing our teeth together in the morning. I talk to him about what I'm doing, and show him how I move the brush. He thinks it is great fun.

Today was a big day for Blip, he got his first real toothbrush to brush his two new teeth! He thought this was the neatest thing!



To top it off we sing a little diddy that I make up on the fly.

Maybe it goes like this....
           "   We gotta br- br-brush your teeth
                   br - br- brush your teeth 
                       We always remember to brush our teeth
                            Up on top, and down on he bottom
                                  on your tongue so big and pink"
                                                 -Sung to the tune of Rockaway Beach by Ramones

Add this activity to your babies day everyday! It is both fun and healthy!

Funny Fantastical Activity Friday : Sign with baby

 

We were at a restaurant with my mom this week and our waitress spotted me signing something to Blip. She went on to say how interesting it is. What a welcome and refreshing change from the usual "look at that crazy women" looks I usually get!

I really love the idea of being able to communicate with Blip before he can talk. I love that signing makes me slow down as we go through daily activities. While I am remembering to slow down to talk with my hands I also am reminded to slow down and talk with my mouth as well! It is fun, and while we have not yet got to see the signing back I look forward to the day that we do. 

We have a handful or two of ASL signs that we use daily. Anytime we say the word while doing the action or seeing the object it gets a sign. Babies don't tend to wrap their minds around the ideas of past or future tense. So for now we try to keep it present.

Our Word List:

Daddy -  "Daddy loves you", "Daddy is holding you", Daddy loves playing with you"

Use while daddy is holding him or he is looking at him! 

Mommy   -  "Mommy loves you", "Mommy  is holding you", "Mommy is kissing you"

Use while mommy is holding him or he is looking at her!

Finished/All Done  -  "We are finished eating", "We are finished nursing"
Use when you are done with something and just about to stop and move on to the next thing.

More  - "Do yo want more yogurt?"
Use when you are offering more!

Eat - "Lets eat!", Do you want to eat?", You are eating broccoli"
Use when you are feeding or about to feed. Or while they are chewing!

Milk- "I love giving you milk." , "Do you like milk?" ,"Time for milk!"
Use at the beginning of a nursing session or when you are about to give a bottle and during the session.

Drink - "You are drinking water!" 
Use when offering a cup or sippy and while they are using it.


Bathroom-"Time to use the bathroom"
Use if you notice they are going in their diaper OR if practicing elimination communication and making a catch!

Cat- "The cat loves you!"  "See the cat"
We use when our kitty is playing or near Blip

gentle touch (or soft touch) - "We use soft touch.", "No hitting, soft touch".
Use when redirecting or teaching soft touch.If Blip pinches us or needs to be gentle we sign "soft touch" and gently stroke him or show him how to gently stroke us.

Hurt-"Does you teeth hurt?", "Ow! Did that hurt?"
We try to use this one of know he is having teething pains or accidentally hurts himself.

Change-  "Lets change your diaper", "Time to change your clothes".

Use right after you lay him on the changing table and while you are changing his diaper or clothes. 

Thank You- "Thank You!"

We use it when we say Thank You! 

Funny Fantastical Activity Friday : Read

You know those crazy pregnant women who carry on conversations with the baby bump? I was one of them. I would read aloud almost every day to my unborn baby as well! I would read dystrophy novels, articles, fantasy, kids books, blog posts, and basically anything I would normally read to my bump. I wanted to share with unborn Blip all the joys of a good read. I wanted him to hear my voice and know it. I think it was worth it and I would strongly urge all pregnant women to drop their guard and do the same crazy thing.

Now that Blip is born I have kept up the same reading aloud, although it does not seem so crazy now. We have been reading to Blip since day one. I will read him just about anything. I read aloud as I scan through message boards, I read aloud as I read a magazine, I read him novels, comics, and of course kids books. I'm reading him this as I type it.

I break reading down into several "kinds". It may be a geeky phylosiphy that has no scentific merit, or maybe it does...who knows! But I believe in several reading activities all done diffrent ways.

1. Reading Randomness Aloud. Hearing you talk is a great learning tool for baby. Plus baby just likes to hear your voice. Reading aloud while you read things you enjoy is a great way of introducing words you may not regularly use in a day with baby and helps you get that word count up. Stop occasionally and ask baby a question about what you are reading so they can get a gurgle or two in! It will be more like a conversation with baby and one day your littler one will be able to answer you with words instead of baby grunts.This is a great way to interact with baby while you Blog, scan your favorite message board, read a favorite novel, or magazine.
2. Reading to Learn. This is where books like 'Huggy Puppy' come in. You know the ones, simple. See Puppy Eat, Puppy Plays, Puppy Sleeps. Maybe this is stupid and pointless but we point to each word in books like this as we read and maybe even sound them our slowly. My 3 month old may be to young to get much out of it but we do it anyways occasionally. If anything slowly pronouncing the words makes fun sounds that will entertain them!
3. Reading for Fun. Think bright kids books like Dr. Seuss. Pretend you are a kindergarten teacher and sit in front of them with the book facing them so they can see the pictures as you read. Or sit them in your lap. Use fun and over the top voices. Books that rhyme and sound cool will be a favorite. These are probably the books that you will read over and over again once your baby is a toddler. They will probably even one day learn to read with them! 

I know, silly way of theorizing our reading activity. But the honest truth is it really does not mater what or how your read to your baby at this point, it will benefit them. It's a good excuse to snuggle and fun at that! We always read before bed as a family to wind down as apart of Blips bedtime ritual and at least one book in the afternoon for fun! 

Funny Fantastical Activity Friday : Fun with Cloth

Think about how you feel when you are wearing a thin cool cotton t-shirt versus a thick warm wool sweater. How about a silky party dress versus a scratchy tulle petticoat. Imagine being wrapped in a furry soft blanket and then about a scratchy knitted blanket. Fabric has many textures and is fun to play with. Baby will think so to. 

I started doing this activity with Blip when we were folding clothes. He usally sits on his blanket in his Boppy next to me and I talk to him while I fold. One day I started rubbing diffrent fabrics over him and explaining what they felt like and the colors befor I folded each piece. He seemed to love it so the next day I gathered a big heap of diffrent fabrics and we did it again. It is now a regular game in our house. Perfect for when Blip is in a good mood but not nesseraily in a 'running, jumping, climbing trees' mood. It is also a teaching tool. One day when he is a toddler we can develop this game even further by letting him do it to me and even useing a blind fold and having him guess what fabric it is!

Funny Fantastical Activity Friday : Funny Faces

Always smiling at your baby? That is great! But how about sticking your tongue out, opening wide, big frown, or all those funny faces that elementary school kids are so famous for?! Break them out and start using that face to entertain that expressive little one.

Blip is an expressive little critter. He has several smiles along with a pouty face that revels any big eyed hound dog. Throw those in with his surprise face, countless crying faces, random funny faces, and one face where you can see his expressions melting onto a full out tantrum before he cries and you can see that no words are needed! It's fun to teach them more!

My birthing coach once said that mommys tend to bound with skin on skin, breastfeeding, and all the sweet things you see on Hallmark commercials while daddys tend to bound with play. They will even copy the funny faces of daddy first. I'm not sure of the science behind this and know we both enjoy feeding, cuddling, and playing with Blip. But he did start to attempt to copy his dad first, so this may be a fun one to let dad in on!