Mud Pie Kitchen Renovation

(Our mud pie kitchen, in the very beginning)

Ever since Jenny over at Let the Children Play posted about Mud Pie Kitchens (almost a year ago), we have had the "madness" The mud-pie kitchen madness that is :). I immediately found a few things and spiffed up a section of the yard into our very own mud pie kitchen. Like all things in an indoor or outdoor classroom, the play and space has continued to evolve. Over the last week, we have done a little "renovation" in the kitchen.

Look what I found for FREE at a yard sale!!!! You can't beat a free shelving unit for your kitchen renovation! The more free and inexpensive things you can find the better ;).

With the new sand filling in our sandbox, it was the perfect time to do a little bit of rearranging, and stocking.

The hanging baskets received a fresh helping of long grass, and the bins have been collecting every rock we find mixed in with the sand.

We put a few more hooks on the fence to hang our pots and pans, and we added a number of "spice" containers to the new shelf. They are from Parmesan cheese and ~~are currently filled~~ were filled with pink sand. We are still using wooden cookies as our stove top burners, and they double as plates when the children choose to use them in that way.

We are going to be adding a beverage container with a spout this week to help insure we have enough water. (We have been using buckets, but I think the spout it going to be more fun!)

If you saw our original kitchen, you will notice that we removed the plastic picnic table and replaced it with a great wooden spool table! We were able to find our spool at a do it yourself/hardware store for just a couple of dollars! (It isn't something they usually "sell" but some of the tubing and wiring they do sell comes on the spool, so they were happy to sell us a couple to have them moved out of the lumber yard!)

Do you have a mud pie kitchen? I've been collecting inspiration from all over the web. I'd love to see your kitchen! Feel free to link it up below :).

A Few Ideas With Marker Caps (As Promised)

Yesterday, I hope I convinced you not to throw away your markers that "don't work." Today, I will share with you a few ideas for what to do with all of the caps. The possibilities are nearly endless, but here are a few of our recent creations: 1) A Leprechaun/Fairy Ladder/Rope Ladder: 2) #1 if not permanently secured can also double as a rope bridge: 3) #1/#2 can also be made into a train track for your homemade trains :). (No photo available) 4) You can use them as beads for a necklace: 5) You could make them into a wind chime. (No photo available). 6. You can use them as small manipulatives to count, sort, and make patterns with. (No photo available). 7) You could use them as playing pieces in your own homemade board game. (No photo available). 8) You could put them on a wire and glue them in place to make a twirling whirly-gig. 9) You could top them with a lid from a milk jug to make tiny tables or toadstools. 10) You could make them...

Santa's Dead

"LOOK! It's Santa!" I exclaimed in my best impression of elf as I noticed a child putting on a Santa suit. "I'm not SANTA! I'm -------" "Oh, I thought you were Santa." "No, Santa's dead. I guess I have to deliver the presents now" (with a deep sigh) "Santa's dead?? What happened?" "Yeah, Santa's dead. It's a long story" and.. just like that he skipped off to play. Clearly the story was too long to tell, and he had other things that were more important to do than to share it with me. Many programs are looking at the calendar and providing materials and lesson plans revolving around spring and Easter. We tend not to look too closely at the calendar and instead follow the lead of the children. We have many holiday related materials available to the children, but they are available year round. On any given day of the year you will most likely find a child dressed up as Santa (in fact...