DIY Language Magnets

I made these for my son when he was very young - before he could talk.  They are great for increasing vocabulary, promoting language development, strengthening communication skills, and decreasing frustration for children who are not yet talking.  I initially put them on my fridge and let my son explore them.  We talked about the pictures (I only started with a few at a time) and related them to the real thing when we could. Eventually I used them as a way to let him make choices at meal and snack time (when he wanted to) - great for instilling self-worth and giving them "control" over their choices (empowering them) at a young age.  I would set a few aside at meal/snack time and ask him to pick what he would like to eat.  He loved them.

(For older children they can also be used for sorting, categorizing, etc.)

All you need are MAGNET SHEETS from Office Max (and a computer and printer). 

You google for pictures you want, copy them into a word document, print, and cut them out.

After so many requests for our food magnets and grocery lists we decided to make them accessible to you.  We created a document (13 pages) that includes:

Benefits to your child (infant, toddler, beyond toddler)

Directions for both magnets and velcro (for those of you without magnetic refrigerator)

2 pages of fruit

1 1/2 pages of veggies

1 page of common foods

2 types of grocery lists

Click on button below for an instant download
Total Cost is $3.50

- AK (MESE, MECD)

DIY Rubbing Plates

For those of you that have tried the microwave puffy paint... 

http://playathomemom3.blogspot.com/2011/07/microwaved-puffy-paint.html

Here is another great addition to it... DIY Rubbing Plates!

We have been creating and experimenting with this paint a lot ever since we discovered it.   Girls love it.    

After they were done playing with the paints my daughter asked to color.  I can't tell you the last time she wanted to color... I was excited about this one!  We received some Soy Rock Crayons in the mail yesterday and she couldn't wait to get her hands on them.  The crayons can be seen here.  Perfect for Rubbing Plates.  :-)  

http://playathomemom3.blogspot.com/2011/07/pure-play-kids.html

I set up this invitation.  As you can tell my 17M old wanted nothing to do with this one!  LOL  

Microwave Puffy Paint Crayon Rubbings.  

It was nice to see some excitement about crayons again!  :-)  

She had a hard time holding the paper down and coloring....

So I taped it down.  She asked to do her animal plates for the next few.  

Also taped down the paper

"Look Mommy, it's a cow!"  

DIY Sensory Swing

This is the sensory swing my husband made.  Ours is in the garage.

- AK

Things you need:

• Board (We found ours in the scrap pile at Home Depot for $1.  Its is 2.5'x21" - but you can use any size)
• Rope (also bought from Home Depot)
• Zip ties
• bath mat  (I got the cheapest I could find to fit the board at Walmart)
• staple gun

 Here is a full view of the swing.  The first thing we did was drill the holes in each corner of the board and then we cut out the circle board and drilled the holes in it (this piece keeps the ropes from caving in on the child).

 This is the attachment.  We secured a piece of wood to the garage ceiling and then secured the swing attachment.  We ran two ropes through a ring and bundled it with a zip tie to keep it from slipping.
Click HERE for swing attachment.

 A closer look

 This is the circular piece.  There are zip ties under each hole to keep it from sliding down.

 I used a staple gun to wrap the board with a bath mat, cut slits in the mat, and ran the ropes through.

 Bottom view - the ropes are knotted under the board.

- AK

Not Just A Swing

Having taught children with autism for several years, Im very familiar with Sensory Integration.  If you look in magazines geared toward special needs children, you will see that the prices are OUTRAGEOUS!  I will never understand why its nearly unaffordable to buy things like this for the children who need access to it THE MOST (outside of therapy).  My son is a typically developing child, but sensory integration is beneficial for all children - so I had my husband build this sensory swing.
(It can be seen on the blog under DO IT YOURSELF FURNITURE)

This is a great activity to stimulate the vestibular system - and it was just down right FUN!!!  The pics speak for themselves.  SWING PAINTING.

- AK (MESE, MECD)
 

 Since he is only two and his arms barely reached the paper, I let him just pour some paint on the paper to start (no pic of that - sorry).  For an older child, I would have paint cups out and let the child maneuver themselves to the cups and to the paper (great for gross motor skills and sensory integration).

 

DIY Lacing Board

I still had some peg board left over from several past projects, so I opened the tool box to see if anything inspired me.  I ended up making a lacing board.  This is a great activity for fine motor skills.  My son laced for a good half hour when it was complete.  He particularly enjoyed pulling the string OUT and watching it slither through all of the loops.  "Its like a snake", he would say. 

- AK (MESE, MECD)

Things you need - Hook and Eyes, peg board, a Dremel (to cut off excess bolt), shoe laces or string

Hook and Eyes

This is the bottom of the board after I used the Dremel to cut off the excess bolt

Lacing

Bubble Snakes

I originally saw this here:

www.confessionsofahomeschooler.com
(THANKS FOR THE GREAT IDEA!)


What you need: Water bottle, wash cloth, rubber band, dish soap + water

Such an easy activity. Cut off the bottom of the water bottle. Using the rubber band, attach the wash cloth to that end, dip wash cloth end in dish soap + water, and blow. BUBBLE SNAKES. It was about 103 outside today, but my son loved this for the short time we were out there!!

- AK (MESE, MECD)

Homemade Playdough

Homemade Playdough
1 c. flour
1/2 cup salt
1 T. cooking oil
1 T. cream of tartar
1 c. water
Food coloring of your choice... or throw in a kool-aid packet.
Add-ins of your choice (i.e. spices, extracts, glitter, etc.)

Mix dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients and mix. Add to a pan (I just used a non-stick deep frying pan) and cook over medium-low heat. Stir constantly until dough forms into a ball and isn't wet anymore. This took maybe 2 minutes?? It may sound like a pain in the butt but it was super easy. Take dough out after you have your ball (it will obviously be a little warm) and knead for a minute or two.

The beginning and end of color

We decided to skip color today and have some fun with black and white.  I was originally going to set up a painting invitation so they could have fun mixing.  However, paints have been short-lived lately, especially for my 17M old.  

Homemade Playdough

1 c. flour

1/2 cup salt

1 T. cooking oil

1 T. cream of tartar

1 c. water

Food coloring of your choice

Add-ins of your choice (i.e. spices, extracts, glitter, etc.)

Mix dry ingredients.  Add wet ingredients and mix.  Add to a pan (I just used a non-stick deep frying pan) and cook over medium-low heat.  Stir constantly until dough forms into a ball and isn't wet anymore.  This took maybe 2 minutes??  It may sound like a pain in the butt but it was super easy.  Take dough out after you have your ball (it will obviously be a little warm) and knead for a minute or two.  Greatest homemade playdough ever!  

I made a ball of black and a ball of white.  You can see how much you get from the recipe in the pictures below.  More than enough for both my daughters.   

The invitation

White materials (displayed on top of a piece of black construction paper): white playdough, bottle caps, lima beans, buttons, googly eyes, and feathers. 

Black materials: black playdough, pipe cleaners (also had these in white), buttons, feathers, and stones.
I just used what I had on hand around the house.  I also set up a few "props" to hopefully inspire them. 

My oldest was up from her nap first.  She explored everything for a good minute or two before she actually touched anything.  

She went for the white playdough.  "I need to roll this out, Mommy"

Adding white buttons to white playdough.  

It was interesting she never mixed any of the colors together until my youngest woke up and of course wanted to make a penguin (her favorite animal).  

Making "paw prints"

Again, placing white feathers on white playdough and black feathers on black playdough.  

She also associated the black playdough as being cold.  "The black one is the coldest, so the penguin lives there"

17M old up from her nap.  She loves pushing her finger and objects into the dough.  :-) 

Working together

My oldest is a helper by nature.  It is extremely difficult to stop her from doing everything for my youngest.  I do usually step in and prevent this from happening.  However, today they were not having the greatest day together... so I let them have this moment.  

Making penguins.  This is when she decided to mix black with white.  

Ever since Christmas, every animal she makes has to have 3 buttons like a snowman.  LOL!  

RL