A Smorgasbord of Updates!

We've been busy. I try to share a glimpse of what is going on regularly, but sometimes it seems like there is just so much more to share! Tonight, I'm going to give you a few quick photo updates!

We are still going full force with our fort building. The children have been working hard on their indoor forts, but have also begun to work on plans for some outdoor building. The prospect of spring being right around the corner does not look good. We have a five day forecast that includes wintry mixes and chances of snow.

We had a lot of fun playing with our food again. We "painted" our waffles with a few drops of food coloring added to water. (Make sure to use new, clean paint brushes.)

Dane had a great time at the pinewood derby. His car "kept coming in fourth" (of four cars in the wolf division.) He was so excited to have a cool car and to receive a participation medal. He still isn't interested in making a car to win, he is much more interested in coming up with unique designs :).

Our plants are growing like crazy! We will probably have to transplant again, AND if the weather continues to bring us cold and snow... We might just have an indoor harvest for some of our plants!

Dane's artist wall canvas has now become a "community project" as he has invited some of his friends to share in the artist renderings on the wall. it is still a large mural work in progress, but he is loving the opportunity to write on the walls and have such a HUGE canvas.

The homemade chalkboard paint has been a HUGE success both indoors on the back of the shelf and outdoors on our fence.

I know there are oodles of other updates I could give, so if there is something you are curious about, drop me a comment and I'll see what I can do to fill you in!

(Oh, check out the outdoor classroom inspiration page too! There are over 50 link there (and growing!))

The next couple of weeks are going to be quite busy, so if you don't see me here as often, know that I'll pop back in when I have the time!

Comments

Sarah @ BecomingSarah.com said…

We've been talking about adding some chalkboard paint to our home soon - and I'm so glad to see that it worked for you!!

March 22, 2011 at 7:45 PM

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...

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How may times have you heard, "Ms. (fill your name in here), this marker doesn't work!" I know I hear it all the time. Sometimes it is because our little friends forget to replace the caps, and sometimes the markers have just been "all used up!" What do you do with all those markers that just don't work? Please don't tell me that you throw them out, try this instead: First, sort your markers out. Put the caps in one container ( save those too, I'll show you what you can do with them in tomorrow's post) and the markers in another. I have a box for the markers that "don't work" for the children to place them into every time they run across one. You can also have the children help you test the markers periodically to sort out the ones that need to be removed from the "working set." When it comes time to use "the markers that don't work," we use a small sponge paint roller to roll water onto our card...

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