Thanking 13 in 2013

2013 is quickly coming to an end. Many folks are gearing up to spend more time offline and to celebrate with family. I'll be logging off myself soon-- but wanted to take a moment to say some thanks to a few bloggers that have been going above and beyond to keep this page afloat- even with my crazy inconsistencies in posting!

The blogging world is ever evolving, and I'm always learning as I go. I know that our little childcare blog continues to grow, and I am making some changes to keep it moving forward. Thankfully, there is an amazing support network of bloggers out there who keep this page from being a stagnant place! It seems like whenever real life gets too hectic to keep new posts coming- someone jumps in and shares some of our archives to keep our blog traffic afloat! I cannot adequately express in words how grateful I am for your continued support!

And to our faithful readers- thank you so much for continuing to come back and to get a glimpse into our busy days!

Now- If you have never visited these sites-

Please share the love, hop on over and check them out! These are the sites that have highlighted our activities and/or caused people (maybe even you!) to find us in our little corner of cyberspace:

Teach Preschool

Tinkerlab

Kids Activities Blog

Let the Children Play

Growing a Jeweled Rose

Mini eco

Fantastic Fun and Learning

Hands On As We Grow

PreK and K Sharing

Childhood 101

Irresistible Ideas for Play Based Learning

Modern Parents Messy Kids

Living Montessori Now

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

I know that there are oodles of other sites and folks that rally around to spread the love and share. I do appreciate each and every one of you. I wish you all an amazing finish to 2013, and I can't wait to see what 2014 will bring!

Oh, and if this list of inspiration leaves you wanting more- please hop on over and check out the Kid Blogger Network, I can almost guarantee that you'll leave inspired!

Comments

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...

Our DIY Light Tables

There has been a lot of buzz about light tables over at Teach Preschool on Facebook . Deborah has collected some great ideas for light table play and has been experimenting with making her own table over on the Teach Preschool blog. I thought I would share with you our two light tables and how we made them. This first table is one that we put together with some scrap wood pieces, an old plexi-glass door from an entertainment center, and a couple of aquarium lights. Total Cost = $0. (We had everything on hand.) The table needs a little bit of tweaking. (It is on my to do list). Basically, we made a frame of wood around the plexi-glass and placed the lights under it. Our DIY skills in putting this together were far from expert, so the frame has a couple of gaps (and the reused wood is warped). We plan to try a new frame and use some caulk to seal any gaps. We also plan to attach the lights to the side of the frame instead of just placing them on the f...

"The Markers Don't Work!"

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...

Ms. Amy's Blog @Child Central Station

Search This Blog