A change of scenery, a change of mood!

A busy morning of food shopping, hyper children who had already eating the toast for breakfast that was meant to distract them and occupy them, and wanted to pick up EVERYTHING on the shelves!! Followed by the dreaded unpacking once home, two loads of washing that needed to be caught up on as we had run out of washing liquid during the week, and the previous days dishes still sitting by the sink, I was not in the best of moods for small children that were not listening and constantly squabbling. 

 So in an attempt to change the mood a bit, I used the power of Youtube to show the children some bagpipes and Scottish music, as in Scotland this weekend celebrations for Burn's night were occuring, so I thought it would be a fun topic.  Whilst they watched this I found a way to make a Bagpipe using a rubber glove, then we attempted to have a go, but I only had a toilet roll tube, so it didn't actually work very well, so then I used balloons and let the air out very slowly so they squeeked to show the basic idea of how bagpipes work.

they were fairly amused by this for all of five minutes, so it was time for lunch, (and squabbles, and stress) "mummy Alyssa is touching me!!" from Arthur and constant pleas from me to just sit down and eat, meant yet again my bad mood was elevating, add to this a husband desperately trying to get some work done, whilst constantly being interupted, who was also getting annoyed!

SO I CHANGED THE SCENERY!!!

I decided that was it, time to get out and give daddy some peace, and time to let the two of them run free and wild and burn off some energy!  One I had fought with them to actually get wellies and coats on that is!!

When we arrived on the hill I took a football into the large flat grassy area at the summit, and we chased around a football and kicked it to each other, and immediately my mood lifted.  The children started to listen again and we were all smiling and laughing, and then Arthur decided it was time to explore.  It was a great chance to try and get Arthur to listen and stay close in order to stay safe, as there were huge dips and drops here and there all over so I explained this to him, and once or twice when he did run a bit to far ahead, I explained that we needed to be together as a group and look after each other, and wait for Alyssa who was smaller and slower.  It worked well giving him that bit of responsibility and he enjoyed going back and helping Alyssa up tricky parts of the trail. 

When we reached the mine part of the trail, there was a small dip, which they both enjoyed climbing up and sliding down, and we were care free and stayed there for a good ten minutes whilst they did this.  That and their style climbing fun, just goes to show that you don't need a soft play area for kids to use different muscles and climb.  We finally made our way back to the top and played with the ball a bit more, feeling like the wide open space made the stresses and strains of the day seem insignificant, the view reaches far from where we were so it made everything seem so small! We waved to Nanna in one direction, and to other landmark ares shown on the stones at the top, then after our two hour adventure headed back for hot chocolate and snuggles during our weekly saturday night movie night!

It just goes to show a change of scenery really does mean a change of mood!! :D

Our failed bagpies

Admiring the view

Cheeky monkeys!!

Off on an adventure

Stunning!

Trusting Arthur to climb unaided!!

Then Alyssa!! EEEK!!

Hill sliding

Helping his little sister! 

Bird food fun!

This weekend is the RSPB big garden bird watch so in preparation for this we made sure the birds have plenty of food to eat by making some yummy treats for them. 

First we did the usual 'lard cakes' by getting the AJ's to squidge and smoosh half a packet of lard each into bowls, then we mixed in, with hands and spoons, some bird seed that I managed to get at a pound store, and some chopped up dried apple.  We then shaped them, Arthur made a rectangle shape to go in the feeder, whilst I got Alyssa to create a simple sausage shape, that I then pushed some string through so we had a way of hanging it, then both were popped in the fridge to set.

After that, using some paintbrushes, they painted some pine cones with some warmed up peanut butter, making sure to gt down deep as much as the could.  Then they rolled, shook and sprinkled some more of the seeds all over.

Because they had been at nursery all day, I didn't want them to have an activity that was too complicated or involved as they are usually a bit tired, so this one seemed perfect.  The only downside was the amount of seeds on the floor and lard smeared in the table, but they had fun.  The textures must have been great fun to experiment with as they both really enjoyed manipulating the lard in their hands, and even more so when mixing the seeds and fruit in.

It was getting quite dark by the time we had finished and the lard ones were not completly set, so this morning I popped outside quickly and hung all the food, and the AJ's excitedly looked out the window waiting for the birds to taste, we have already had a few Robins!!

Mixing away

Squidging and moulding

Painting the pine cones

Rolling the cone in the seeds

Looking Yummy! (if your a bird that is!!)

 

 

 

Watching for birds

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Sometimes you just have to let them play....

I need to start this post off with an apology!!

I'm sorry for not blogging so much recently, I'm sorry for not scheduling organised activities for my little ones, or for doing things but not writing about them. There are many reasons for this, an illness for me recently that has left me very tired in the evenings, a week stay in hospital, and various hospital appointments and tests that have eaten into our play time.  Plus the usual Christmas chaos of running around visiting various family members and spending the big day away with family.  Then the onset of the New Year brought on chicken pox for the two AJ's.  Then finally of course is the excitement of new toys for Christmas making it impossible for the children to want to put them down to do anything else, but sometimes you just have to let them play!!

Arthur recieved lots of Lego, and Alyssa lots of Mega blocks/Duplo sets, so often now when I ask what the children would like to do, I am either met with cries of "can you play Lego with me?" or walk in the room to find them quietly amusing themselves building or just playing with the ready made up vehicles etc.  This brought me to a New Years Resolution of making sure I listen to Arthur when he tells me about what he's into or building and learning more about how to build Lego or role play Spiderman etc, rather than just saying "daddy will play Lego with you!" Because right now, things like Lego and Spiderman are huge things to him, and one day it with be relationships or problems at school, and I don't want him to feel that I'm not interested in what is important to him.

Because of all this I haven't planned much in the way of activities, or if I have, if they are not interested and want to play something else we wont do them, as I want them to be able to make decisions about what they want to do so that as they get older they don't constantly say they are bored, as they are use to making up their own entertainment.  I'm hoping the magical days of listening/watching them say "what would you like?" whilst playing shop keepers together, or "i've made you a hot coffee!" during a tea party, will lead to even more self sufficient play as they grow!  I don't want to say, "No you can't play Lego as mummy wants you to play with this or make that!" I don't want to squash their imagination.  I recently found a Poster online that I found very inspirational, and if they ever struggle with boredom may be tempted to re-create, but i'm hoping I wont have to.

That's not to say that we haven't done anything at all, as you can see we had a wonderful dress up day on Three Kings day, where they pretended to deliver presents to baby Jesus, as well as making our own crowns with card and sweet wrappers.  We have had plenty of Play dough marathons, one in particular lasting 2 hours, play dates, woodland walks, and a train themed day of role play and train making, as well as painting sessions last week in particular Alyssa experimented with sponge painting and stencils, and this week she tried string painting. I thought i'd share them all in one big post seeing as I have missed so many, and hopefully my future blogs will be more consistant, dependant on what the children want to do, even it they end up being all about Alyssa whilst I let Arthur play Lego. 

Sponge painting

Sweet wrapper crowns (great excuse for xmas chocs!)

She loves Yellow!!

Play dough chaos!

Testing the temperature of the river

Admiring the view

Train role play

Our cardboard train making!

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Balloon Rocket!!

There is a new thing amongst other kids activity bloggers that I keep seeing called S.T.E.M (science, technology, Engineering and Maths) Saturdays, so inspired by this and a space related movie we had watched in the morning (tired mummy needed A LOT of coffee to slowly wake up!) I decided to show them how to make Balloon Rockets.

Whilst I was making the AJ's dinner, I gave them each a rocket shaped piece of paper to decorate, then after we had eaten, I set about attaching the balloon, string, and straw.  We lost Arthur's rocket after he ran off with it in a moment of hyperactive madness, so we just had Alyssa's to work with. Alyssa was very excited to see it fly across the room, and they both wanted it again and again, although the balloon did come unattached a couple of times when deflated it worked really well.  The only problem was that I was unable to blow up the balloon continuously as I am not 100% healthy at the moment, so I let the children try and blow the balloons up and release into the air, then explaining that the air they blow in pushes the balloon forward as it's released, I also for fun told them if they farted a big enough fart the same might happen to them, just like the whizzpopping the BFG does (we are currently reading this book and had just read that part the night before!)

I think some improvements can be made to our design, but they definitely enjoyed watching them fly, but some more S.T.E.M Saturday activities will definitely be occurring in the future!

Attempting to blow balloons

Our Rocket!

Playing with the rocket!

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Hibernating Hedgehogs

At the AJ's nursery this week they are talking about Hibernation and Emigration, so I decided to continue the theme at home with some hedgehog fun!  I wasn't sure how Arthur was going to be today as he was diagnosed with an ear infection yesterday, so we took it really slow in the morning and tried watching a film, but both of them were too interested in running around than watching it.  So after lunch, I decided to be brave and get the paint out for some Hedgehog crafts. 

First off I photocopied a few copies of a basic hedgehog shape, as I knew we would get through them really quickly, then I cut some basic hedgehog shapes out of paper plates.  To begin with Arthur wanted to play with his Lego quietly, then once he saw the fun Alyssa was having he soon changed his mind.  Alyssa got stuck straight in, making good hand prints to create the spikes, but soon she just enjoyed the feel of the paint and smudged it all over the page, Arthur also did the same, so I lost the hedge hog shape on both of them.  Next I got them to experiment creating the spikes with plastic forks, Alyssa got on really well with that and created some lovely spike effects, Arthur soon got bored and went back to using his hands.
 
After we had cleaned up the paint and washed our hand, it was time for a snack, and what else do you eat on a Hedgehog themed day, than a 70's style cheese and pineapple Hedgehog!! Whilst we ate this we watched a short video clip on Hedgehogs. 

Once upstairs Arthur wanted to use the blanket to pretend they were spikes for his back as he crawled around, I love how imagination means anything they see can be whatever they want, then we made a little den for them to crawl into and pretend to hibernate, soon I had two dens so they could visit each other for cups of tea etc.  It was so lovely watching the two of them play together without any input from me apart from draping blankets for dens, and eventually getting the two pop up tents as they kept knocking the dens over.  They played so nicely for over and hour, I have to admit mummy did a little accidental hibernating herself on the sofa they were so happy! ;D

Handprinting away!

Almost looks like a Hedgehog!!

Arthur having a go!

Before....

After...

Trying with a fork!

Cheese and Pineapple Hedgehog! (sort off!!)

Arthur being a Hedgehog

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Firework Play dough fun!

Keeping in theme with Guy Fawkes and fireworks, I wanted a simple transportable activity for Alyssa whilst I went to a local craft group for some inspiration for my next project.  So armed with a mat for the floor, a pot of black play doh (I was going to make my own but I was worried that the black paint would stain too much!! If you want to know how to make your own, read my Autumn Play dough post Here.) and some plastic stars and beads and gift wrap bows.

Once we arrived I sat her down and immediately she started sticking the bits in saying "making Fireworks!" once she had added all the pieces, I was very mean and told her to take all the pieces out and she could start again, she really enjoyed picking them all out again, which is great for her fine motor skills, then off she went creating again.  I was really amazed at how long she kept picking them out and putting them in again, I wasn't expecting her to concentrate on it as long as she did.  After a while she was no longer making fireworks, but other things like a "doggy!"  It was also lovely seeing her trying to name the colours of the beads as well.  And as a bonus it was quick and easy to clear up when finished, my love for Play dough increases every time we play with it, I really need to print off some play dough activity mats to really make the most of it, as they say the possibilities are endless!!

Picking out stars!

Fireworks in the sky!

Adding more sparkle

Getting stuck in!

Picking them out again!

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Fireworks!! An intrigung look at art and influence!

Wednesday is Guy Fawkes Night, or 5th November, so we have a fireworks theme for the week.  Whilst dropping Arthur off to school I noticed they had some black paper and chalk out for the children ready to create firework pictures.  When we arrived home I only had about an hour before a friend was due to arrive for Alyssa, so I wanted an activity for her that was quick and simple, and could easily be cleared up whilst I quickly washed the dishes.

I always think that asking a child to draw something they haven't really seen (this year will be her 2nd fireworks night!) is a bit of an impossible task, so I used the tablet in the kitchen to find a video of a fireworks display on YouTube to show her whilst she drew.  It was wonderful talking to her about the colours she could see, and was using and asking her to name the colours of the chalks, whilst I was washing the dishes, I so often feel guilty for having to do housework and not being able to spend time with them, but then feel guilty for not doing it and not having clean dishes etc, so this kept us both happy. 

I asked Alyssa what noises she could hear the Fireworks making, and it was great fun, teaching her words like "whizz, bang, crash" and was wonderful for her to pick up the word firework so quickly.  The pictures she created were wonderful in my opinion, I really liked the fact that some of it was smudged by the sleeve of her cardigan by accident as she drew, almost making it like the fading smoke of fireworks, and the frantic energy created by her scribbles, looking like multiple fireworks at various stages of their explosions. 

It was very interesting to compare her pictures, to that of Arthur's when he returned home from school, baring in mind he had nothing but the word Firework to work from, and instructions (i'm guessing) from teacher and influences of other children.  Arthur's is a lot more simplistic of a few lines for the trails and a few stabbing marks made by the chalk and some stickers, still brilliant in it's own way, but i'm wondering if he would have created the same picture if he was at home and seen the fireworks like Alyssa, it's amazing how the influences create completely different styles (as well as probably their own artistic styles of course), one more how others would draw fireworks almost ( probably how I would if asked, a few curved lines in a circle and some spots!) and the other more chaotic and representing what could actually be seen whilst drawing.

Of course I could just be reading to much into the scrawlings of a toddler, seeing amazing art work that is nothing more than mark making, also known as "Proud Parent Syndrome!" ;D

Adding some pink!

Choosing the next firework!

My favourite picture!

More frantic scribbles

Fading smoky picture

Arthur's Art!