Grocery List as a Teaching Tool

I make simple "lists" for my daughter to follow when we go grocery shopping. I just cut out pictures and glue them to construction paper and she can help me find what is on her list, while I can look for what is on mine. She loves it, it keeps her focused, and I love the excitement she gets from the recognition! (and being mommy's helper, of course!)

You can easily adapt this for an older child even including a checklist...the possibilities are endless!

Rainy Day Kit and Make Your Own Flashcards

It has been raining, nearly nonstop, alllll week long here. It was summer weather last week and then BOOM. No more park. No more sidewalk chalk. Rain, rain, rain. We played games and did lots of "no camera mommy" crafting. Had to get really creative and keep her busy because she, like me, wanted to be back outside.

So, I decided to put this together for my little sister's birthday. This should be all she needs to get her craft on on a rainy day, too. You could get really creative and go all out at all the "dollar spots", i.e. Michaels, Hobby Lobby, Target, dollar stores, etc., but I wanted to keep it old school. The stuff I remember using... all the things you probably already have in your home (that I happen to save for this exact purpose) just waiting for a child's creativity and imagination to take over. You know, the basics. Also some things I have picked up for next to nothing in clearance bins for times like these.

So here goes:

Those are puff stickers, aren't they awesome?


Now for the contents:

A soup can is filled with pipe cleaners (chenille stems) and a stencil.

Tiny plastic containers holding foamie stickers, googley eyes, rhinestones, etc...and a stamp:

If you ever see these containers at the Dollar Tree, or anywhere, GRAB 'EM UP. These things are awesome for not only crafts but tons of other stuff. I'll show you at the end of the post why I am so obsessed with them.

Ok Janie, back to the kit:

A cello bag with pom poms, tied with a pipecleaner.

A foamie set of shades she can decorate then rock when the sun's back.

A sheet of red felt tucked inside a toilet paper roll. I also included a paper towel roll, paper plates, brown paper bags, foam frames, and a paint-your-own ceramic with paints and a brush.

Tucked in there as well are my homemade flash cards.

You know how sometimes a kid's meal will include flash cards? Well, at least Sonic does. Anywhoo, they are usually way too advanced for my daughter so I replace them either with our own, or ones I've made. I've just done these on colored construction paper and had them laminated at an office supply store for less than a buck. Once I even laminated them with packing tape ;) Either way, just punch a hole and hook 'em on.

Less mess, won't get torn, and actually something we are working on at the time.


And as promised, and just as a warning, I have an unnatural obsession with clear containers and labels.

Some say it's a sickness. I call it peace:

My sprinkle lovelies....the front row

Easy Match Game for Little Ones

I have gotten in the habit of giving my daughter a pile of colored gold fish and having her match the colors in a muffin tin. It has really been helping her with her colors. Simple and inexpensive learning!

A peak into our classroom..

slash craftroom. slash storage.. slash third bedroom ;)

Slowly but surely, I have been working on a creative haven for my little monkey and I to "get our craft on" and we are loving it!

I'll be posting more about this, including places to score CHEAP learning tools and activities, the best blogs to follow for teaching a toddler, and so much more...

I feel so passionately about this, so I look forward to everyone sharing! In the meantime, check out my old blog, Memories at Home, where I posted similiar things like Toddler Time, and Teaching in the Home. I'll also be working on a Mr. Linky for this site and can't wait for us to share our ideas and tips!

Just a note: if you followed my old blog.. here's the deal in a nutshell. I had not planned to neglect it. I went on vacation only to come home to find I had a major copycat on my hands. It. was. bad. Hurt and frustrated, it completely took the fun out of blogging for me. I took a small break only to realize I could no longer access the blog. (still can't...) So, if you followed Memories at Home, thank you for becoming a part of mommy has a blog... I have so many ideas and am so excited!