Move: Apple Picking

Happy First Day of Autumn! 

One of our favorite ways to celebrate the start of this season is to go... APPLE PICKING!

Apple Picking is fun and easy, even for toddlers, because there are usually low fruit-bearing branches, and the apples come off very easily. Gathering a bag or a "bushel" can be done in a fairly short amount of time...which is also a good thing when little ones (and little attention spans) are involved! Apples can also be used for SO many kid-friendly crafts and recipes. Stay tuned for a few of those in the coming weeks! I have some fun ones up my sleeve! :)

This year I also taught Landon this song to sing while we picked: 

I love you a bushel and peck
A bushel and peck and a hug around the neck
A hug around the neck and a barrel and a heap
A barrel and a heap and I'm talking in my sleep
About you, about you

To find an apple orchard near you visit www.pickyourown.org. 

Music/Move/Make: Yankee Doodle Fun

Materials:

Glue

Feathers

Macaroni (We used assorted dry pasta pieces.)

Paper hat (Tip: Use large paper. How-to steps here.)

Pony (optional, but very fun!)

Lyrics (found here)

After you've taught your kiddo the song,

 let them decorate their hat with feathers and macaroni.

Next, act out the song! 

Landon had so much fun he wanted...

Mama to join in! 

We even got Daddy to be a Yankee Doodle Boy!

He opted for a more modern day pony...

Music: Musical Glasses

A little water.

A little food coloring.

A little practice.

A BIG smile!

Music/Make: Rain Sticks

As I'm writing this, I'm listening to the pitter patter of raindrops on my roof. Maybe God's answering my little boy's bedtime prayers (see last picture).

Here's how to help your own kiddo make a rain stick:

Step 1: Mom, use a small nail to poke holes in a paper towel roll.

Step 2: Mom, insert plastic toothpicks in one hole and out another. To get the desired sound, make sure that your toothpicks are going all different ways (including slanted) through the roll.

Step 3: Mom, this may sound crazy, but next I heated my accupunctured-looking paper towel roll in the microwave for about 35 seconds. This made the plastic toothpicks flexible. I then slowly bent the pokey parts down (or up) and covered them with a good amount of masking tape. It's not a big deal if they snap off; the toothpicks just stay in place better with the sides bent and taped. Just make sure that any sharp pieces are covered with a lot of tape!

Step 4: Mom, cover one of the ends with a piece of wax paper. Next, cover the wax paper completely with tape. I did a criss-cross method, which seemed to work really well.

Step 5: Mom and Kiddo can now work together to wrap the rain stick like a mummy. This was actually really easy! Just attach the end of the tape to the stick and start turning it (the stick). The whole instrument will be covered in no time!

Step 6: Let your little one add the rain! We used dried beans, pasta wheels, and broken pieces of spaghetti.

Step 7: Work together to cover the open end the same way that you did in Step 4. Landon held the wax paper while I taped.

Step 7: Color the rain stick! Paint won't adhere to masking tape very well (I know you're disappointed), but crayons will work great!

Step 8: Teach your child how to slowly turn the rain stick to make it sound authentic.

Step 9: Snuggling one's newly treasured rain stick while sleeping, is optional. :)

Note: Just a head's up, the mom prep work on this project took me about 20 minutes (steps 1-4). Landon and I usually do our "Special Time" right after his afternoon nap so that I can gather and prepare materials while he's sleeping. Just an idea that works for us.

Make/Move/Music: Yard Games

On Top of Spaghetti

Yes. This post was supposed to be entitled "Sticky Gloves." And, we did try to play catch with traditional velcro sticky gloves, but, as is often the case in my motherhood experience, it just didn't go quite as planned.

First, the tennis ball was a bit heavy when it hit my little boy's velcro glove, and therefore kept sending his sweet little arms somewhat flailing backwards. Second, the only way that he could actually catch the ball was if he turned his glove flat, sort-of like a plate. But, he kept forgetting to do this, and so we chased the ball. A lot.

So...time to improvise.

Step 1:

I raided my craft room. Which, for the record, is actually just a corner of my creepy basement that is way too close to the catbox...no need to be jealous. I promise. Anyway, here's what I was able to dig up:

The Velcro Gloves (2)

Paint

Paintbrush

A ping pong ball

Small velcro pieces

White string

Step 2:

I painted the Velcro glove. After the "sauce" dried I painted the "plate" and some "noodles".

Hint: Red and brown together make a very appetizing tomato sauce color. :)

Step 3:

Little hands did a great job of transforming a ping pong ball into a meatball. After this has dried, add the small pieces of velcro (opposite of what's on the glove) to the ball.

Hint: Mix brown, red, and a tinge of black to get a meaty color. Have you ever painted something to look like meat before?!? I'll admit it. I'm a firsttimer...

Step 4:

Landon loved adding the string (noodles, of course!) to the spaghetti bowls. They actually stick really well to the velcro glove, and make it much more fun, don't you think?

Step 5:

Since we were in the mood, we read this before bed tonight. Landon's idea. If you've never seen this version, it's wonderful! It has flaps to fold, tabs to pull, and even plays the childhood song.

Step 6:

We're going to give "Sticky Gloves" another try tomorrow. But, we're going to change the name to "On Top of Spaghetti", and see if that little boy doesn't have better luck catching homemade meatballs! If not, at least we had fun making 'em! :)

Coffee Can Bongo Drum

This week's art project:

Fun to make. Fun to play.

Step 1: Materials

Step 2: Add the beans (or not).

Step 3: Paint

Step 4: Ready to play!