Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Hello, hello!

The kids and I have been having a blast in the mornings! With summer drawing to an end, I so want to enjoy the remaining days...so we've been doing art projects after breakfast. While the kids create, I've been reading to them from a Chick-fil-A kids' meal book about the Renaissance. We've been learning about Sandro Botticelli and I've cracked up listening to MW and T3 try to pronounce his name.

That would be a yawn. I suppose MC hasn't yet learned to appreciate the arts.







We've done a little painting (and might I add this was the best forty-four cents I've ever spent at Walmart...these were in the craft section and the kids had a BLAST painting them! I thought they'd be done in five minutes and wondered if it would be worth getting out the paint, etc. They spent more like thirty minutes painting them and then had a great time mixing paint colors and eventually painting coloring book pages. Not to mention they are quite proud of their works of art. Well worth the effort in my opinion!




I often set them up with play-dough in the evenings during that crazy time when I'm trying to prepare dinner and keep their little hands occupied. It gives them something to do that isn't too messy and keeps them in the kitchen with me. However, the play dough recently bit the dust. It was beyond keeping...all crumbly and loaded with grit...not to mention both containers of it were a disgusting green color...so I decided to try my hand at making our own play dough. I'd seen recipes before and figured it couldn't be too hard. It wasn't. And it was pretty cheap and quite convenient. I mixed up a batch, divided it in half, and again, another hour of a morning was filled with inquisitive hands building fortresses and making bowls and animals, along with lots of discussion about what colors they would paint their creations. So the backsplash of the oven is lined with their creations...and when they dry, we'll break out the paints once more.

Here's how we made ours:
2 cups flour
1 cup salt
1 cup water
2 T cooking oil

Enjoy!

6 comments:

  1. FUN! I think I will give that a try with my 2 year old... he loves to help me in the kitchen, so maybe he can even help me make it.. do you use food coloring or just let them paint it when it dries? and one last question, do you just use acrylic paint? or watercolors?

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  2. Looks like y'all are having fun and enjoying these last few days of summer. I think I will try my hand at making the play-dough, thanks for the recipe.

    I think MC looks like MW in that picture!

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  3. Great ideas!! Here's one too- Mix it with koolaide packets and it will be pretty and smell great!! Wish we could craft together!

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  4. Great idea, I think I'll have to copy you since I know Av would love it! We got your package in the mail, but are waiting until the big day to open it. Thanks for your thoughtfulness!

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  5. ok, what in the world is that {sorry} haenous lacey thing they are painting on top of? did you get that at walmart for 40 cents, too? heehee :)

    you are such a good mama. i am learning so much from you! love you!

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  6. Thanks for the new play dough recipe! It looks much easier than the one I have : )
    I bought a $2 painting craft for the kids and it was worth every cent too, it was little wooden alligaters from Micheal's and they loved them and are still playing with them.
    Did I mention it ended with a blue mouth b/c Davis needed to try it : )
    You have been busy with your newborn! I'm impressed!

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