Everyday Learning – Page 30 – The Creative Salad

Earthy Collage Project

A simple project, with ingredients straight from the pantry, for some toddler arts and crafts exploration.

You will need:
-cardboard, poster board or sturdy paper
-seeds, legumes or nuts (we used dried chickpeas, black beans, split peas and pumpkin seeds)
-craft glue
-popsicle sticks, optional (for moving around the glue and incorporating into the collage, if interested)

Spread the glue around on your paper, then drop beans, seeds, or nuts on the page however you like.

Encourage your toddler to stir, mix-up and sort the supplies! Evidently that was the best part.

Let the collage dry. Then hang it up or put it away to give later as a present.

For All You Non-Believers

Here’s a time-lapse video of our two year old putting together a 100 piece puzzle.
(Thank you, Tracey, for the awesome suggestion!)

VIDEO: For All You Non-Believers from Carrie on Vimeo.

And you thought I might have been exaggerating.

Puzzle Addict

I already know that my biggest hurdle as a parent will be to keep Miss Leyba challenged. At two years old, she already speaks in full sentences, shows a strong interest in learning to read right now, and loves her puzzles. Not little 4 or 12 piece puzzles.

16, 24, 35, 63… 100 piece puzzles!

You know, the ones that say 6 years and up on the side:

I should make a movie so you can see her at work. After all, you may need documented proof of her in action to believe me. She’s truly amazing.

And she knows it.

I do think she’s also screaming, “Mom, come on! Challenge me already!”

Morning Craft Time

Miss Leyba surprised us this morning when she woke up at 5 am (yes, you read that right!) and suddenly we had hours until our morning playdate. What better time to practice cutting with scissors and do some crafts together?

With several cups of (decaf) English Breakfast Tea for Mom, it made for a rather perfect morning.

Puzzle Addict

I frequently hear a chorus of “Mommy, come and puz!” The girl loves working on her puzzles!

After doing this Very Hungry Caterpillar puzzle dozens of times with David and I (we always took a back seat though and only offered guidance to her; she always placed the pieces), she now can do it all (well, mostly) by herself. Hurray!