Because Babies Grow Up

Raising Creative Kids through Play, Music and Literacy

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Flower Craft and Poem

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The other day I picked up a Highlights High Five magazine to see how Sammi would like it. She loved it! We read it through twice and then we cut out the little book at the end and folded it together. Then we had to run to the store to buy cheap paper plates to do the flower garden craft.

I made a template and cut it out. Then we folded a bunch of plates and traced the template. Sammi had fun cutting out the centers, but decided the petals were not for her.

Then we cut strips of paper. She even identified them as rectangles, totally unprompted! She helped me pick out the papers and then we worked together to cut them with the paper cutter.

She loves tape and had so much fun taping the beginning and end of each strip. She also loved threading the paper through the middle hole as we wrapped each strip around the flower.

One is for Sammi and one is for Daddy. Not only are they flowers, but they also act as crowns and bracelets. Such creativity!

I wanted a flower poem to go along with our craft, but I couldn’t think of one. So I made one up and the girls loved it. We did it ten times and they both got the actions down.

Five Little Flowers
by Amber Passey *

Five little flowers, sitting in the yard,
The first one says, Growing tall is very hard.
The second one says, I just want to see some rain.
The third one says, I want the sun again.
The fourth one says, I am ready to bloom!
The fifth one says, I just need some wiggle room.

So clap went the thunder and down came the drops.
Then the sun comes out and all the rain stops.

Line 1: Show five fingers
Line 2: stretch up tall on tiptoes
Line 3: have fingers rain down
Line 4: circle arms overhead for sun
Line 5: put fists by face and then pop open fingers on “bloom”
Line 6: wiggle like crazy
Line 7: clap hands then rain fingers down
Line 8: circle arms overhead for sun then on “stops” hold both hands in front like you’re stopping traffic

*Poem is original. You’re more than welcome to share it, but please give credit to Because Babies Grow Up. Thanks!

Creative Spring Crafts

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Sammi started going through “craft project withdrawals” while at my dad’s house. I had my suspicions that this was the case, but I knew for sure when she brought me two empty toilet paper rolls and said, “Let’s make something with these!” There was an almost pleading sound in her voice and I knew we need a great project and fast!

I remembered No Time For Flash Cards‘ post on toilet paper flowers and decided we could do that with the resources we had at Grandpa’s. I cut one toilet paper roll in half then snipped about halfway down several times around to make petals. Then I folded them out and gave them to Sammi. She colored and added stickers for a minute. I was thinking about the best way to make them into a garden when Sammi held the two flowers up to her eyes.

I just knew we had to make glasses.

We taped two petals together while I tried to think of a way to make the sides to fit around her ears. I asked my dad if he had any bendy straws. He said no. I said, “So that probably means pipe cleaners are out of the question?” He replied, “Amber, our days of kids crafts are so far past I don’t think we have anything hanging around anymore.” Just then I remembered the big container of Q-tips in the closet upstairs. I ran up and got several. It took two and a half for each side to be long enough to reach Sammi’s ears.

Another impromptu craft we did used paper and some Easter stickers I picked up for $2 at Target. I found yellow scrap paper {again, we were at my dad’s and I had to search to find some paper to use!} and used a pen to draw baskets filled with eggs. Then I set out crayons and gave them each some stickers. This was a fun, easy craft because it was relevant to an upcoming holiday, didn’t take very much prep work or time and kept them entertained while I jumped in the shower. I think if I had sat with them while they did it, the activity would have lasted longer and they probably would have decorated all the eggs and the basket. But for an independent project, I think it turned out great!

Creative Crafting

It doesn’t take a lot of resources. It doesn’t take a lot of time or money. But with a little bit of creativity, you and your little ones can make some pretty creative crafts. If it weren’t for the forced need for creativity, I never would have drawn an Easter basket or used Q-tips to make flower glasses. I loved the challenge, though, and the outcome was fabulous!

I’d love to hear about your resourceful craft projects! Have you been creative in the materials you used in a craft project with your little ones?

CDC’s Learn the Signs. Act Early. Campaign

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I was at the health department last month and picked up an information card highlighting milestones of child development for little ones birth through 4 years old. I thought it fitting to share with you as it has great things to look for in your little ones as they change month to month.

The purpose of the CDC’c campaign “Learn the Signs. Act Early.” is to help parents and healthcare providers catch the signs of developmental delays and disorders early so resources and treatments can begin as early as possible thus allowing children the maximum benefit from those resources and treatments.

I’ve been blessed with two healthy little ones so I love this information from a “oh ya, she does that now!” perspective. But my best friend from high school just told me that her second child was recently diagnosed with high functioning autism. A label to the behavior somehow seems to change the whole experience. Sometimes it’s in a good way because now real information and solutions become available. But sometimes it’s in a negative way when there’s denial or an uncooperative attitude from a parent or teacher. I think information is the key to understanding. That coupled with the love we have for our little ones will get us and them far in this life.

Turkey Crafts

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I thought I’d get these up yesterday, but Brent has a test this week so I’ve been extra exhausted at the end of each day. Ah, the test is tomorrow and I’m looking forward to a relaxing evening. Back to turkey crafts!

Handprint Turkeys by Sammi and Elli

Handprint Turkeys by Sammi and Elli

This turkey handprint craft we made at the library. The template can be downloaded from Family Fun.

Supplies:

  • colorful feathers
  • googly eyes
  • orange beak from foam sheet
  • red gobbler from foam sheet
  • crayon or marker for tracing child’s hand
  • glue dots for quick and easy attachment
Sammi hung her turkey on HER fridge.

Sammi hung her turkey on HER fridge.

The idea for this turkey craft came from Make and Takes Turkey Countdown. We modified the face a bit by using foam sheets for depth and googly eyes for fun. Sammi loves BIG googly eyes! Here’s another one of her posing with her babies by her turkey.

PB120052

Stickers

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Sammi has long been fascinated with stickers. I love it when places like banks, the grocery store or the doctor’s office offer children stickers instead of suckers. Sammi thinks it’s a great treat to get a sticker from someone. And I love that she’s not being offered more sugar. Sugar is not the only treat! There’s some residual Halloween-candy-consumption-control irritation here. Please forgive!

Elli has recently discovered stickers. In one day she went from oblivious to their existence to acknowledgment, ability to remove the sticker from the page, and ability to place the sticker on a piece of paper. She made a beautiful collage of Sesame Street stickers. She was so intrigued by the experience that she focused on making her picture for about a half an hour. Pretty good for a 13 month old!

Sammi got in on the fun and enjoyed handing stickers to Elli. That presented a new challenge in how to get the sticker from Sammi’s finger and then manipulate it so she could get it to stick to her paper. She loved it. This was great practice in fine motor skill and teamwork. I really appreciate when the girls can share their interest in a common activity instead of fighting over who gets to do it. They did a good job of playing together on this one.

Stickers are a great thing to have on hand to distract and entertain your little ones.

Fine Motor Skills

Elli had fun learning how to control her finger and thumb to get them to work together. She needed this skill to remove the sticker from the page and then change how she was holding it so she could make the sticker stick to the new paper.

Spooky Monster House

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Happy Halloween!

Here’s one last Halloween craft you can do with all that candy you’ll get Trick-or-Treating!

We have enjoyed Make and Takes Monster Mania eBook. It is full of fun ideas that inspire creativity and problem solving skills. I love the projects because most of them use things I have on hand anyway. It makes it easy to pick and project and do it right away. For the Spooky Monster House, though, I spent some time preparing. I thought the prepping was half the fun and definitely worth it. I used the frosting recipe I found here.

Sammis Spooky Monster House

Sammi’s Spooky Monster House

Mommys Spooky Monster House

Mommy’s Spooky Monster House

Daddys Spooky Monster House

Daddy’s Spooky Monster House

Looking for more monster ideas? Check out my Monster board on Pinterest!

Pumpkin Patch Craft

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Update: Click for more pumpkin crafts, activities and our favorite book!
Sammi’s Pumpkin Patch
Pumpkin Patch Craft

Pumpkin Patch Craft

We had so much fun with our last pumpkin activity that we were anxious to make another pumpkin patch craft. I downloaded the pumpkin from Family Crafts and then printed it in different sizes. We then painted the pumpkins with our own version of orange and hung them to dry.

  • Hanging-pumpkinsAfter they dried, we cut them out.
  • I took a brown piece of construction paper and used a brown marker to draw a pumpkin patch (a box with rows).
  • Then Sammi used a glue stick to glue her pumpkins into the patch.
  • We used a green marker to draw vines connecting the pumpkins. I added the little curlies.
  • Then I found some cute Halloween stickers to complete the picture.

We kicked it up a notch

Sammi-with-painted-hairWe couldn’t use just any orange to paint the pumpkins! No, we had to mix out own. Sammi loves mixing colors. I added red and yellow to a plastic plate and let her mix them together. She said it looked like ketchup and mustard. I printed the pumpkins on cardstock so they’d hold up a little better to Sammi’s vigorous painting.

Sammi-mixing-paintShe loved painting and mixing so much that when the pumpkins were done, she mixed a few more colors and made a lovely brown. Then, while I was rinsing brushes, she proceeded to paint her hand and make handprints on the butcher paper protecting the table. Thank goodness for butcher paper!

Sammi-handprintsI’m working on another idea for the rest of the pumpkins. It involves the poem Five Little Pumpkins which is a favorite around here along with a few other ideas. Once we wrap up the pumpkins, I think it’s on to bats.

What Halloween crafts do you love?

Physical Friday: Handedness

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I love the term handedness. It conjures all sorts of ideas in my head: to be with a hand; to have things handed to you; the image of lefties writing; cute, chubby baby hands handling objects.

Handedness is defined as the preference for the use of one hand over the other. Here are some interesting facts about handedness in little ones:

  • for infants under 1, only about 30-50 % show a preference for the right hand in reaching for objects
  • for infants under 1, 10-30 % show a preference for the left hand
  • for infants under 1, the remaining show no preference
  • the preferred hand may change as they get older
  • more permanent hand preferences in infants don’t occur until the second year of life

Sammi showed an early preference for her left hand. We were certain she would be left-handed. Then shortly after her first birthday she started using her right hand more. We thought maybe she would be right handed after all. But now that she is more independent and opinionated (meaning she doesn’t have to exactly imitate us anymore) she has shifted back to a preference for her left hand. She fairly consistently eats with her left hand (she owns left-handed trainer chopsticks, so cute!), draws and writes with her left hand and throws a ball with her left hand. It will be interesting to work with her on writing since I’m not left-handed.

One thing we do that unknowingly influences handedness in our little ones is handing toys or other objects to a specific side of their body (always handing a spoon to the right hand). We can remove this influence (it’s not crucial to, but just for fun to observe their handedness) is to always hand objects to the middle of the body. When Sammi started preferring her right hand, I got in the habit of handing everything to the middle so she could choose and because I didn’t know what hand it would be this time. I think this also shows acceptance of whatever hand they use, especially if it is a different hand from you.

Does your little one have a hand preference?
Cute, chubby baby hands picture courtesy of Lottie Lou Design.

Physical Friday: Holding Objects

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One day you have a newborn who lays calmly in your arms, smiling contentedly as you go about your business. The next day, however, your baby has turned into an active, curious baby constantly looking for something to grab onto. This is one of my favorite transitions in early childhood because once babies realize they can control their environment, they begin to interact with the things around them.

Sometime between 3-4 months babies begin to show interest in objects other than faces. They look more intently at new objects discovering every detail. They may even begin to reach out toward objects. By 6 months babies usually have mastered holding and turning an object in their hand.

Here comes another of my favorite transitions: Babies then begin to realize they have two hands and can thus hold two objects. During this period I like to play my favorite game. Elli and I have entertained ourselves for quite some time with this engaging game.

I sit on the floor facing Elli with three blocks. I hand her a block; she grabs it in one hand. I hand her the second block; she grabs it in her other hand. I hand her the third block; she drops a block and grabs the third block in the now empty hand. I pick up the recently released block and offer it again. Elli again drops a block to grab the newly offered block. I pick up the discarded block and hand it to her again. She again drops a block and grabs the new block.

You get the picture. This goes on for a very long time! It’s so cute to see how excited she is each time a “new” block is handed to her. She is so excited to grab it that she forgets completely about the block she already has in her hand.

If your baby is in this adorable stage, act quickly with this game. Sooner than you think babies wise up and attempt to hold all three blocks at once.