Log Puzzles...aka Cookie Blocks

"If you build this puzzle you would get a log"

"No, it would be a tree!"

Last week was the city's annual spring brush clean up. The perfect time for curbside collectors to stock up on logs, sticks, and branches!!! Driving around, I simply could not resist stopping at a number of piles to investigate.

I found some trimmings from a soft maple tree and brought them up to my parent's house and my dad ran them through his ban saw. I thought about cutting them myself or with the children, but quickly realized that the logs would probably sit for a long time waiting for me to get to my "to do" list. I'm glad that I had that foresight, because the children absolutely love these new "cookies."

We have two boxes filled with various sized wooden cookies. For right now, we have them all inside, the children have been playing with them for hours. They can't quite seem to figure out how to get this crazy puzzle back together....

They sure are fun to build with!

Do you have any natural cookie blocks?

If you don't have the equipment to make your own,wooden cookies like ours and are in the market for some great natural blocks.....

You might want to check out B&B Blocks. They are a local (U.P. of Michigan) couple of guys who recently started a business making blocks! Their website is brand new and under construction. But, you can find all kinds of information and their products on the B&B Blocks Facebook Page.

Comments

Deborah@Teach Preschool said…

These are super cool! I want some:)

April 28, 2012 at 10:42 AM

block letters for nursery said…

My 7 years old son took a plastic shopping bag from the cupboard and used a pair of scissors to cut two large rectangles from the bag. He wrapped them around on his feet, and used lots of adhesive tape to secure the plastic “ice-skates” in place. Yeah, he did ice-skating in our living room. Anyway, those wooden cookies are cute. A great idea for children's toy.

May 31, 2012 at 4:30 AM

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...

Easter Egg Caterpillars!

OOOPS! This post has moved, please click on the photo to be redirected!

Xylophones and Outdoor Music (Originally posted May 2010)

These posts were originally published in May of 2010. Our music area has been updated quite a bit since then, but it will give you some basic instructions for creating the xylophone. I've wanted to make an outdoor area for music for quite some time. We had a new fence installed around the play area, and my thought was to put a HUGE xylophone on the fence, like the one we saw mounted on the wall at the U.P. Children's Museum. However, after being inspired with additional ideas for an outdoor area through following Teach Preschool on Facebook, we have opted to create an entire section of our outdoor play space to making music! The first project for our Music area was a Giant Xylophone. Here are a few photos as we worked to put it together. This photo is of our temporary installation. Due to the size of the xylophone, we need to reinforce it with wood, as the string is not strong enough to account for gravity. The xylophone is made out of scrap 2x4 pieces...

Ms. Amy's Blog @Child Central Station

Search This Blog