Crown of Weeds

Next time you pull those morning glories from your garden don't throw them out! Use them as a flowery crown for your little fairy princess. You can also make necklaces and other jewelry = ). Have fun get creative there's no limit to what your imagination can come up with!

Sight Words and Beginning Writing

Yesterday I was confused as to which steps I should take next with my daughter at home to get her ready for Kindergarten. She knows her letters, sounds, and for the most part how to write them. So I asked my mom who is the know it all of children's literacy what next.

She told me to have her make some little books. The purpose of these was to practice sight words and creative spelling.

So this is what we came up with. Now I don't know if I'm doing it exactly right but it was a good effort and I'm proud of it!

The picture above is of my daughter running in the sprinklers. It reads I can run in the sprinklers. This is because we are working on the sight words I can and the right now and she creatively spelled sprinklers but ran out of room and had to write some letters under other ones. If you look closely you can figure it out!

Anyhow I hope this helps with anyone who is trying to take their first steps to reading and writing as well.

My Mom also gave me a list of sight words to start with. I, can, we, the, like, a, see, go, to, have, is, play, are, for, you, this, do, and, what, little, said, here, was, she, he, has, look, with, my, me, where. I hope this helps = ).

Sticker Letter Directional Tracing

Learning to write numbers and letter can be frustrating for your little one as well as for you. Then add in the extra frustration of doing the right direction and you and your kiddo could be in tears but not to fear this is a fun activity that will keep them writing their numbers and letters the right way over and over and over again.

This is how you do it. Draw an outline of the letter you are working on a piece of paper. Start by letting them place a sticker at the first place they would place their pencil if they were to start writing the letter. Then place another sticker or marker close to the first in the direction that they should write. Now it's time for a little game of connect the dots. Have them trace with their finger from the first sticker or place marker to the next and continue this until the letter is complete.

By the time you are done with this activity they will have traced the number the correct way multiple time and they are well on their way to making a habit of it! This is a fun way to learn letter writing direction that feels less like lecture and more like play. That's the best way for a kid to learn anyway right!

So may I add that this idea is not my own but my mom's! She's the greatest!

Hand Print Wreath

I've been looking through the archives again and I found this hand print wreath that my daughter and I made for Christmas. It was so much fun and it was a memento of just how little she really was at age 3. All you have to do is trace your kiddos hand once and then use it as a pattern to cut out the rest. Then position the hand prints in a circle and glue or tape them together. My daughter added her own bow but you can mix it up however you'd like!

Fire Cracker Fans

My Daughter and I were watching Martha Stewart together today for some project ideas and we came across this fire cracker fan. It is actually quite simple and my four year old really enjoyed making it with very little help from her mommy.

Fathers Day Shirt Origami

I made these oragami hawaiian shirts one christmas to decorate the tree with! I have also used this pattern many times at church or else where to use as a gift or a card for Father's Day. Here is an excellent step by step how to on folding one of your own.

Hawaiian Snowflakes

One year while I was searching for some patterns to decorate some Hawaiian stockings I stumbled across this fun site that has lots and lots of Hawaiian snowflake patterns. Granted that some are a little bit intricate for a four year old you can look through and find some that are easy or you could cut them out and let the kids decorate with them.


There is also a link for some history on the Hawaiian snowflake you may be interested in. Have fun making your very own Hawaiian snowflakes!

These snowflakes are also a good way to teach kid about patterns and geometric shapes.