Thursday, June 20, 2013

AR's Class at the Library & DIY Streamers!!!

...The past 3 Thursdays, I've been able to get away from work to take AR to a class at the library. It's more like a workout for me because I feel like I chase her around the entire time. One thing to say about AR, she is NOT shy. Today she went and sat by another mom (mainly because she was eyeing her daughter's baby doll)! She'll walk up and wave to all the other kids, she goes and stands directly in front of the teacher, she'll carry all the sit-upons (the mats they sit on) to me, but sit down? Yeah right!
 
The class is great because it's only 30 minutes but it gives you some great ideas to do at home. Some other things they taught us was to let them play with wax paper because they can crinkle it, ball it up, throw it, lay it flat and it helps strengthen their hand muscles for writing. Also, to play with chalk on black construction paper because you don't have to push as hard.
 
I've also learned new songs like "Down By the Bay" and AR's learned "Head/Shoulders" and the hokey pokey although she does sometimes mix them up but she'll touch her head, toes and ears and she'll shake her arms when we sing those songs. If anything, I think the class has helped me because I know what I can do at home with her.
 
We're also doing the Summer Reading Program. For babies, they give you a list of activities to do rather than reading X number of books. Our daily three are read a book (normally we read more than one but we only count it once), let her turn the pages and sing a song (again, we sing way more than one but only count it once). We've already completed one page and we're working on our second sheet now. Oh and did I mention the class and the reading program are both free?
 
The first week of class, she let the kids dance around with streamers. AR loved it so I was on a mission to make some of my own. It was so easy! Shower rings ($1 for 12 at Dollar Tree) and a vinyl tablecloth...easy and cheap!
 
AR was pretty excited when she saw me working on them
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As you know, babies aren't always easy on things. So the first round, I used the cheap tablecloths from Dollar Tree and Wal-Mart and they lasted all of 30 seconds. I ended up going to Party City and buying the $2 tablecloths which worked out great! We made these last week when H was here so it was a before camp project.
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The verdict from AR...success!
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She loves the movement it makes!
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$4 for two tablecloths plus $1 for the curtain rings=$5 for 12 streamers and a ton of leftover tablecloths...any ideas what I can do with that? For my baby friends out there, I'll be bringing you some streamers!

3 comments :

Liz said...

What a fun craft! I'll take one of those. :)

Meg @ Meg-in-Training said...

So fun! I feel like C is behind, she isn't doing this kind of stuff yet, like pointing or dancing etc. I guess I need to find more activites to do with her!!! I think she would love the streamer craft!

Unknown said...

I saw that about the streamers! I can't remember where, but I thought that would be great, and here you made them! Funny. You are such a crafty Mommy. :-) Wish I was too. Haha.