twolittleajs: Autumn

Friday, 3 October 2014

Leaf people!

With Autumnal breezes in the air, and fallen leaves all around, I was inspired by a picture I had seen somewhere (I'm sorry but I can't remember where!!) Of leaf people. So on the way back from nursery from dropping of Arthur, I picked up various leaves. Once home I gave Alyssa some glue, a few sequins and a few googly eyes and let her play.

To begin with she was quite happy painting the glue on one leaf lots and lots, then I showed her how to stick the eyes on and a sequin for a mouth, then she got stuck in (excuse the pun!) And started creating faces. She occasionally needed a bit of help when the eyes would get stuck to her fingers, and put on far to much glue then was needed, but she seemed to really enjoy herself getting creative. Soon it was time to pack up for lunch, and she was not a happy bunny, the poor little lady started to scream as I tried to tidy up, so we had to delay lunch a little bit and make a couple more till we had a whole little family for her, she even started to get done from the table and walk over to the window to put finished ones out to dry in the sun where I had put other ones.

Such a simple and effective idea that really works on pincer grip, dexterity and creativity, something I will definitely be doing it again!

Playing with the spreader

Almost face like!

Loving the glue a bit too much!

Kiss me quick!

The little lady in action!

This one makes me laugh!

Alyssa's little leaf family!

Thursday, 18 September 2014

Painting with nature

Yesterday whilst walking through a park to meet Nana, we stopped and collected lots of conkers that had fallen on the ground, so today I decided to use these along with some fir and pine cones, and create a little sensory box for Alyssa. We took them with us to a local craft cafe that we go to occasionally, which was a little bit calmer than usual for me with just the one, but I still was unable to sit down for longer than five minutes as Alyssa is potty training, and found the toilets fascinating compared to her potty, especially when I flushed it. I very rarely get to do any of my own crafts at these cafe events, as I am usually wit the children, but I do find just being by creative people can be very inspirational. The venue had lots of Autumnal things on display, beautiful browns and golds, from bunting to wreaths created from Autumn leaves, and whilst playing with Alyssa and the sensory box, the cafe members started to discuss painting with the fir cones and things which I thought was a great idea.

I found it wonderful watching Alyssa play with the conkers, counting them "1,2,3,4,8" which was amazing to me, as having to always fight for attention with her brother always talking over her, or saying "mummy mummy" all the time, I had never previously realised she could count at all!! I feel like such a bad mum sometimes that she hasn't had as much attention as Arthur had as a first born, but then moments like these tell me she is doing just fine as she is. Her favourite game was definitely turning it all out then putting it back in the tub again, occasionally counting as she did.

Once we got home I got out some brown, yellow and orange paints, and thinking of marble painting, decided to let Alyssa roll a conker through paint to great a painting. She didn't quite understand tipping the tub, and did try a few times to just pick the conker up and paint with it instead, but she seemed to enjoy the noise that it made when she did shake it. Next we tried painting with the fir cone, by rolling the cone in paint then rolling along somer paper, and also a bit of leaf printing with some leaves we found on the way home, the effect was pretty hit and miss but I think she enjoyed getting her hands covered in paint, it seemed such a shame to stop her to have dinner!!