During the summer, water games are a lot of fun. Here are some ideas for water games.
*Water Balloon Toss: Fill up water ballons Set up empty buckets Make a line with chalk for the children to stand behind. Have the children, one at a time, throw water ballons across about 3 yards into the empty buckets. *Boats in Buckets: After they're done with the water ballons, fill the buckets with water. Put some water ballons in the buckets. Make observations about floating objects and encourage learning by asking open ended questions. Add toy boats and/or other toys. Some children can play in buckets of water for hours. We used this a lot at our home when the girls where smaller, and they still love it. *Water Bottle Spray Paint: 1. Set up- Outside Lay out white poster boards 2-4 and a ratio of at at least 1 posterboard per child. 2. In a small sized travel size spray bottle, add water, and a couple drops of food coloring. Mix 3-5 drops until the color is bright enough to see. Use less food coloring the smaller the bottle. (I don't suggest using KOOL AID or any other sticky substance.) Have at least one per child as well. 3. Have the children spray their water bottles at the poster boards. Lay out somewhere dry, under the sun, until the paint sets. After show the painting they made together. Here at We Love The Babies, we hope you had a wonderful holidayl season! Christmas doesn't just hurt the bank for parents of teenagers anymore! Nowadays, three year olds are asking for the same electronics as fifteen year olds. Personally, my three year old Emma, has been asking for a tablet, for about six months now. Her cousin, who she is very fond of, got a tablet. Since then, every time I asked her what she wanted for Christmas, she would say,"Mommy I want a tablet." So we've been planning on getting her one for Christmas, and we did. Ok, so I know some parents may be thinking "What use does a three year old have with a tablet?" They haves so many games for babies and toddlers in the app store! My cellphone has applications as well. So, when we downladed her a puzzle, and she amazed us, with what she could do! We decided she was ready. "Are you afraid she's going to drop and break it?" We have a system. She can use it as long as... 1. Her hands are cleaned first. 2. She sits with it on her lap on the couch. 3. Her littlest sister is taking a nap, or she can sit on her bed in her room. That way she can't drop it, if it's on her lap and she's sitting. Protection plans are amazing as well. "What about the other babies, are they going to fight over it?" Well her younger sister Mya also loves to play games. She enjoys counting games, puzzles, and books that read to her. Mya is two years old, and her hands are slightly smaller. When Emma is sitting on the couch with her tablet, I give Mya my cell phone. They have alot of fun helping each other, and learning how to use new games. They can even play the same game at the same time. Check out the video of Emma playing on her tablet via instagram @welovethebabies Thank you, and we hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season! Babies need time outside. It is important to use the parental locks and monitor what games are being played. Having the Internet switched off is a parental control that I use. The games typically donn't need internet unless making a purchase. After the game is downloaded and installed, no Internet is needed. Make sure as they grow older to continue to monitor them and use parental controls. Use timers and put time limits on use.
While at Hampton beach, we bought the girls hermit crabs on the board walk. I have never had a hermit crab before, and they are just so cute. What better place to buy hermit crabs than next to the ocean?After bringing them home, I wanted to get their habitat set up and make some accessories for their cage. I made them a tree, a ladder, and a sign held up by a rock. I decorated the sign with seashells, and I used craft sticks for the tree and ladder. I also used a pizza slice Tupperware container, found at ocean state job lot, as a wading pool. Hermit crabs are a great way for children to learn more about the ocean and different ecosystems. There are a couple key aspects that all hermit crab cages should have included as standard conditions. 1. There needs to be enough sand, for them to burry, tunnel, and molt. We are going to be putting a little bit more sand in the cage. 2. Also, the sand in the cage must be moist and the air humid. That's why I like to use beach sand. Sand found not at the shore line, but a little higher up. It has to be somewhat coarse to stay moist. Think sand castle consistency. 3. I used a sifter to sift out debris, and any little rocks that would prevent them from tunneling. Children will enjoy sifting the beach sand for the hermit crabs. 4. Use all natural materials, or strong plastics for accessories or toys. DO NOT use metal, because of the humid temperatures they need, rust will seep out and cause harm to the hermits. 5. Make sure their water dishes have a sea sponge or rocks and sea shells at the bottom to prevent drowning. Do not get their eyes wet, they can drown. I always thought they lived in the ocean, but in fact the hermit crabs we have (Purple Claws) are land hermit crabs, that drink fresh water. Only use bottled water, to prevent chorine contamination. Tap water can effect their overall exoskeleton, make them uncomfortable, and cause cysts on their shells. 6. Have two different water containers, one for salt water, and one for fresh water. The salt water is for them to bathe themselves, and the fresh water is for drinking. NEVER use table salt, as it contains iodine. 7. Give hermit crabs a fresh diet, containing fruits and vegetables. Hermit crabs are omnivores. They eat both meat and vegetation. It is also important to have a source of calcium, from which you can boil eggs and give them the egg shells. 8. Some pet stores have their own hermit crab section. You can also find different objects you may need in the reptile department. However, they are not reptiles, they are crustaceans. They also DO NOT carry or transmit diseases like reptiles do, such as salmonella. This makes them a good pet for children, and they are also hypoallergenic. They won't cause a flair up with allergies, like cats or dogs. I have highlighted some words to teach the children to promote vocabulary and to enhance their awareness and knowledge of their new pet! Please check out Florida's Marine Research for more information on hermit crabs! They are a reliable source and update new information. |
We Love the BabiesThis page is for up to date lesson plans. These are new lesson plans that I have created myself, or have searched for. All credit is given where due. Lets get these little minds running! Archives
August 2014
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