Teaching Toddlers: Thanksgiving Workshop

It is my favorite time of year once again! A day where we come together to share delicious food with thankful hearts. A time where we reflect on life and how grateful we are for all that we have.

Every child should learn to express gratitude as soon as possible, "Gracias" (thank you) was one of my son's first words! This year will be one of the earliest memories he will have of Thanksgiving, so it is important that he remembers the feelings of joy and the purpose of the holiday, which is to give thanks for all things.

 

Before gluing our turkey on to the paper, we created a beautiful work of art as a background for our little friend.  As he colored I explained that we need to be happy and say thank you to God for all of the things we have and I gave him examples of things to be grateful for. My main goal is for him to remember to always say thanks.

ex: Nico, say thank you for my toys! Nico, da gracias por tus carritos! 

Once he was satisfied with the paper, we arranged the turkey shapes and glued them to the page. 

 

Since Nico is beginning to learn his colors, we used a vibrant rainbow of feathers.

He counted them in Spanish, then in English, and I helped him glue the feathers down in the order and place where he wanted.
(thus explaining the 2 blue feathers on top of each other) 

 

By the end of the activity I told him that we were going to eat lots of food at his Abi's house (his grandmother's house) to celebrate all of the blessings we have received from God! 

Now he knows what a turkey is, and he is excited to have a fun day at Abuelita's house! 

Teaching Toddlers 103: Water Exploration Day

One impossibly hot summer afternoon, Nico and I decided to go outside to play. We don't have a fan in the living room/play area, so we roamed into the side yard hoping to catch a breeze. After watching Nico sweat it out for a few minutes, a brilliant idea occurred to me. 

I could turn the broiling day into a teachable moment! Nico already knew it was hot, he told me as much several times in both English and Spanish, so I came up with a fun way to cool him off without leaving the house and without wasting too much water. 

I went inside and grabbed a milk carton that I had been saving for a spontaneous craft, and using scissors, a sharpie, and a stapler, I turned it into a "watering can" and a "water house"!

It's okay if the pitcher has holes in it! The point is for the little one to see and feel the water fall out

The hole in the front is so that water can been seen going through the carton

The flap on the side is so that the toddler can see the water pouring off onto the ground

  

Once our supplies were assembled, I went inside and gathered water from the sink into a large pitcher. 

That's when the real fun began! 

Nico learned about pouring water, and that though it is tangible, it cannot be grabbed, only felt and contained. Of course I wasn't trying to explain those complicated concepts to my 23mo, he was content to figure it out in his own way.

Please excuse his naked lower half, we are still potty training =)

 

 He also learned that some things sink in water, while other things float, and that if you put enough force on an object in the water, you can push it to the bottom.

 

By the end of our little experiment, he was cooled down and soaked! 

He ended up running free in his birthday suit without a care in the world, and the hot hot sun was long forgotten! 

It was just another day of trying to keep my Gummy Bear from melting! 

A Special Christmas (; On a Budget ;)

 

 

This is the time of year for GIVING!! 

We all love to shower our friends and family with things that remind them that we care! 

But sometimes, our lists are miles long and our cash is a little short. The most important thing to keep in mind around this time of year is that Christmas is not about the money. It is about celebrating the coming of Christ into this world to save us! It is about being more like Jesus, giving and loving, especially to those you love! 

With these 4 tips, you can still have a very special affordable Christmas:

1. *Gifts - PICTURES!!! What better way to give them something to remember you by? A nice inexpensive picture frame with a picture of the kids is perfect for grandparents, aunts, and uncles! If you don't think they would appreciate a picture, get them CANDY!!! Buy nice small holiday boxes and fill them with Christmas confetti and that person's (or child's) favorite candy! If this person doesn't like pictures or candy, you can never go wrong with a RED BOX gift card. Just 5 dollars can provide a busy couple with 5 movie date nights after the kids go to sleep. Think about it! *Spend the most on 2 or 3 very special people!

2. Christmas Cards - Hand making Christmas cards is a fun family activity! Start out with a fun holiday photo shoot; there are plenty of awesome ideas on Pinterest. Then print 4x6 photos and tape them to the inside of blank Christmas Cards. Fill the inside with a personal message, or a Christmas bible verse; Luke 2:10 or 11 is nice! Don't forget to sign it with love from the whole family!

3. The Tree - If you live in a small apartment (like us) or you can't really afford a tree, getting what I like to call a "Tiny Tree" is a whimsical alternative! A few years ago we bought a $20 tree at Walgreens that had built in LED lights and came with a base and power cord. We put it on a small table and decorated it with colorful ornaments from the 99 cent store. It is absolutely beautiful! 

4. Dinner/ Breakfast - For breakfast have a pancake feast! Make them with egg eyes and bacon smiles! (Turkey bacon is a healthy and cheap alternative to pork bacon.) For extra fun dye them green with food coloring for Grinch pancakes!  For dinner, skip the turkey or ham and have a nice fat roasted chicken, whoever finds the wish bone gets to make a special wish! 

As long as you are overflowing with love it doesn't matter how much you spend!  

Throwback Thursday!

This past month when I served as an assistant with the little ones in the Children's Church, the lead teacher and I planned a very fun small craft for the four years old of our church! 

It was a wonderful activity, and so this Thursday, I would like to take you back to the Sunday before Thanksgiving! 

 
Did I mention that these kids are AWESOME?!?! 
I love these little guys! 
 

 Visual Steps to Making "Turkeys!

INGREDIENTS / MATERIALS:

5 Toothpicks

Apple Slices

Grapes

Pumpkin Spice Muffins (Frosting and chocolate chips optional)

Chilled Black Gel Icing or Food Marker

 Small Slices of Carrot

 

 

   

 

Happy TBT!!