Preschool Book Club: The Snowy Day

Last week we embarked on a fun new adventure with 3 of our friends who are also planning to homeschool their kids. The 4 of us came together and started a Mommy & Me Book Club! I hosted the first one at our house and chose the book "The Snowy Day" by Ezra Jack Keats.

We read the book, had a snack, talked about how snow is formed and then did several activities. I was a little nervous about how it'd go with 5 kids (and 5 more under 2 upstairs!), but it was great!

The Snack:
While I read the book, the kids had a Build Your Own Snowman snack. I used:
  • Rice cake for the head
  • Raisins, peanuts, almonds, craisins for the eyes/mouth
  • Carrot nose
  • Fruit strip for a scarf
Some of the foods were new for some of the kids, but they all made some tasty-looking snowmen!



We also read about where snow is made:


Here are the activities we did to go along with the book:

(Sadly I don't have pictures of these first two activities, we were too busy playing along!)
Walking like Peter: We got in a line and walked around the living room with our toes pointed out and our toes pointed in, then we dragged our feet and pretended to drag a stick.

Snow Angels: There was snow outside, but it was REALLY cold that day so we stuck to making snow angels inside. All of the kids picked a spot, laid down and made snow angels on the carpet.

After the angels, we moved into the kitchen. Each kiddo had their own cookie sheet/tray to define their space (and if I'm being honest contain messes!) at the table and another mama and I rotated the activities in and out.

Snowman "S" dot sheet from PreKinders: The purpose of this was to dot the items that started with S and they all got the hang of it pretty quickly. Honestly, the only one that stumped them for a minute was seahorse. The rest they were in unanimous agreement about! After they did the items, they dotted a bit more for fun!

Snowman grid from PreKinders: Using the die, each child rolled and then put the corresponding number of cotton balls on the snowmen. We've done this before by ourselves and I have to say I think Sweet P had a lot more fun/interest doing it with other kids.

Snowy Day scene: I saw this on a few different blogs and thought it was a neat project. They really enjoyed tearing the paper, but in hindsight I probably would've given them a smaller piece of white paper because they wanted to cover their entire piece of blue paper! :) The stamps and gluing were a big hit, and I thought it was neat to see how different each of their scenes turned out.


Snow Play dough: I had 5 animals and several Playmobil people to use to make tracks in the playdough - they also used little plastic snowflakes to make snowflake prints.

More ideas for The Snowy Day:

The Sunday Showcase: The Snowy Day


This week we read The Snowy Day with our Preschool Book Club so I was excited to see other posts this week about The Snowy Day and activities to go along with it (I'll be posting our activities on Tuesday).

The Tiger Chronicle shared their activities, which included looking at snowflakes under a magnifying glass! So neat! 

Maro's Kindergarten has a fabulous round-up of The Snowy Day activities along with a read aloud video and a printable book to color. 

Check out their posts to see more Snowy Day fun! 

Happening on the Blog:
Check on the Winter Wonderland Blog Hop if you hadn't already! Full of awesome winter ideas to help beat the doldrums and cabin fever!


Were you featured today? Don't forget to grab a button!

Now it's your turn to link-up! If this is your first time, please read this informational post for details.

This is a fun and relaxed linky with a few guidelines:
  • You can link as many kid friendly or child-centered posts as you'd like, however, links for giveaways, shops, or downloads for purchase, etc. will be deleted. 
  • Please try to visit a few other posts if you are linking up. Everyone loves comments, feed-back, pins and shares!
  • I'll share some posts via Facebook, Twitter and Google +, while commenting on and pinning others.
Please NOTE: By linking up you are giving us permission to use a photo (with proper link to you!) in our featured section! If you prefer not to be featured comment below or e-mail me.

Thanks for joining us and I look forward to seeing what you've been doing this week! Don't forget to visit my co-hosts for additional features this week!

The Sunday Showcase: More Snowmen


More amazing snowmen activities this week! I just couldn't resist featuring more. I'm lovin' these 3 fab ideas:

Top left: Snowman Bowling!!! from Frogs and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails
Top right: Snowman Flannel Storyboard from Love, Learn, Play
Bottom right: Counting Snowmen Activity from Housing A Forest

How awesome are these ideas?! Just might have to try them all!

Happening on the Blog:
Check on the Winter Wonderland Blog Hop if you hadn't already! Full of awesome winter ideas to help beat the doldrums and cabin fever!


Were you featured today? Don't forget to grab a button!

Now it's your turn to link-up! If this is your first time, please read this informational post for details.

This is a fun and relaxed linky with a few guidelines:
  • You can link as many kid friendly or child-centered posts as you'd like, however, links for giveaways, shops, or downloads for purchase, etc. will be deleted. 
  • Please try to visit a few other posts if you are linking up. Everyone loves comments, feed-back, pins and shares!
  • I'll share some posts via Facebook, Twitter and Google +, while commenting on and pinning others.
Please NOTE: By linking up you are giving us permission to use a photo (with proper link to you!) in our featured section! If you prefer not to be featured comment below or e-mail me.

Thanks for joining us and I look forward to seeing what you've been doing this week! Don't forget to visit my co-hosts for additional features this week!

Printcopia Canvas Review & Giveaway

You know what I love right now? Canvas prints! I have been wanting one for a long time, but 1) didn't have any professional or current pictures that I thought we were worthy of turning into a canvas and 2) wasn't sure where to start in the realm of canvas prints!

I was approached by Printcopia to do a review and giveaway of their awesome canvas prints and was sold! We had professional pics taken in November by the amazing Capri Photography by Meg.  Would you believe we've NEVER had professional pictures taken of our family until now?! And can ya'll believe we're ALL looking AND smiling?! Holy smokes I was over the moon for this photo and I couldn't WAIT to turn this picture into a canvas!

(it's not hanging crooked, I just take crooked pictures!)

I received an 11x14 canvas and I love it! The website is super simple to navigate and our canvas arrived in the mail about a week later. You can choose from several different options for the fit/wrap - I went for a mirrored wrap on ours. I also chose the standard thickness .75" and the standard wall hanging. 

I could talk all day about how much I love mine and how I can't wait to fit it into the new wall decor we're planning for our living room, but I'd rather you check out Printcopia and enter to win one of your own RIGHT HERE! 

Printcopia

One winner will win an 11x14 canvas and receive a code to upload the picture of your choice. Giveaway for US Residents only. Must be 18 years or older to participate. 

To enter: Simply visit Printcopia and then leave a comment (with valid email address) telling me what you plan to do with your canvas!

Winner will be chosen on January 24th, 2013. Winner will be contacted via email - please provide a valid email address to be considered.

FTD Disclosure: I received this product free of charge from Printcopia in order to conduct an honest review. I was not compensated in any other manner to review this product. The thoughts and opinions in this post are my own and may differ from other users of this product. Photos and images in this post are owned by me or provided by Printcopia.

Winter Wonderland Blog Hop: 10 Winter-Themed Activities


I'm so excited to present the Winter Wonderland Blog Hop. For the next month (Jan. 13th-Feb. 13th), 35+ bloggers will be posting about a winter-themed activity, craft, recipe or printable. You can find a calendar list at the bottom of this post of the dates and bloggers who'll post on those dates. Each day I'll pop in to update the link to show the title of the blogger's winter-themed activity so check back often to beat the winter doldrums with super fun activities from some amazing bloggers! 

To kick-off the Blog Hop, I'm posting about 10 of our favorite winter activities! 

1. Build Your Own Snowman Muffin Tin Meal - Our favorite muffin tin meal of all time! 
2. Snow Glad We're Friends Cards - Send a card to a friend just for fun!
3. Winter-Themed Sensory Bin - Use rice as snow for a fun way to explore!
4. Coffee Filter Snowman - Perhaps the simplest snowman you'll ever make!
5. Bring Snow Inside! - If it's too cold (or dark) to play outside, bring the snow inside!
6. Simple Snow Play Dough - Try our simple snow play dough recipe!
7. Snow Tracks - Find and explore animal tracks in the snow!
8. Tot School: Snow Edition - Fun ways to learn with snow-themed activities!
9. Fingerprint Snowmen - Make a village of snowmen or turn them into a card!
10. Build a Snowman - Last, but certainly not least go the traditional route and build a snowman in the snow. Find fun items around the house for the face, arms and buttons, or use Mr. Potato Head pieces!

CALENDAR LIST OF POSTS:
January 13th: The Iowa Farmer's Wife - Introduction Post
January 14th: B-Inspired Mama - Snowflake Drop DIY Baby Toy
                    Kid World Citizen - Ice Sun Catchers
January 15th: Love Play Learn - Snowman Felt Story Board & Song
January 16th: KC Edventures - Fun with Kids Books and Winter Activities
                    Frogs and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails - Winter Bath for Kids
January 17th: Milk and Cuddles - How to Make Snow
January 18th: Putti's World - Craft Foam Snowman
January 19th: Nurture Store - Bake a Snowman - Cake Recipe for Kids
January 20th: Creative Playhouse - Homemade Cold Snow
January 21st: Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas - Packing Peanut Snowflakes
January 22nd: Teach Preschool - Snowman in a Bag
                     This Reading Mama - Snowflake Window Wonderland
January 23rd: Housing A Forest - Creating Colorful Icicles
January 24th: Royal Baloo - How is Snow Formed?
                    Home Learning Journey - Potato Print Penguin
January 25th: Two Big Two Little - Comparing Different Types of Fake Snow
January 26th: Ready Set Read - Winter Word Work
January 27th: CraftoArt
January 28th: The Outlaw Mom Blog - Easy Sticker Snow Globe
January 29th: JDaniel4s Mom - Snowflake Mobile
January 30th: Creative Family Fun - Polar Bear Masks
January 31st: Kitchen Counter Chronicles - Snowy Day Felt Board
February 1st: Caution! Twins at Play
February 2nd: Enchanted Homeschooling Mom - Groundhog Day Round Up
February 3rd: Blog Me Mom - Cotton Rounds Snowman Craft
February 4th: Mama Miss - Snowflake Stained Glass Mobile
February 5th: Living Montessori Now - 25+ Snow-Themed Sensory Tubs
                    Ingles 360 - Playing with Ice
February 6th: Glittering Muffins - Peanut Snowman Magnets
February 7th: The Pleasantest Thing - Winter Song: Today is Monday
February 8th: Here Come the Girls - Create an Inside Winter Wonderland
February 9th: 3 Dinosaurs - Paper Roll Snowman
February 10th: Train Up a Child - Penguin Sensory Bin
February 11th: Little Artists - The New Year of China
February 12th: The Chirping Moms - Snow Inspired Crafts
February 13th: My Nearest and Dearest - Winter Picnic

What's your favorite Winter-themed post? Share your post with us in the comment section!

The Sunday Showcase: Snowman Activities


Is it cold where you live? Because it's cold here! Actually, today we had a fairly warm day and loads of our snow melted, but tomorrow's going to be 30 degrees cooler than it was today! In honor of snow, today I'm featuring Snowmen!


Top Left: An adorable snowman from JDaniel4s Mom to go along with a great read! Love all the possibilities with this piece!

Bottom Left and Right: Both of these activities are from Maro's Kindergarten. I love the snowman counting and matching activity as well as the cotton ball snowman! Those colored cotton balls remind me of colored marshmallows! He is too cute!


Were you featured today? Don't forget to grab a button!

Now it's your turn to link-up! If this is your first time, please read this informational post for details.

This is a fun and relaxed linky with a few guidelines:
  • You can link as many kid friendly or child-centered posts as you'd like, however, links for giveaways, shops, or downloads for purchase, etc. will be deleted. 
  • Please try to visit a few other posts if you are linking up. Everyone loves comments, feed-back, pins and shares!
  • I'll share some posts via Facebook, Twitter and Google +, while commenting on and pinning others.
Please NOTE: By linking up you are giving us permission to use a photo (with proper link to you!) in our featured section! If you prefer not to be featured comment below or e-mail me.

Thanks for joining us and I look forward to seeing what you've been doing this week! Don't forget to visit my co-hosts for additional features this week!

Behind the Blog: Catching Up

What happens when you go on vacation for 3 weeks?

A whole heckuva lot, actually. Won't get too in depth in this post, but wanted to say that we are trucking through 2013. We've had a few unwanted surprises thus far, but it's also been jam-packed with memory making.

What's up for us in 2013? Only God knows for sure, but to start we'll be heading the Winter Wonderland Blog Hop happening in just 3 days! For a month, fabulous Kid Bloggers will post activities, printables, crafts and more to beat the winter doldrums! I can't WAIT to see what each of them has to offer and share it all with you! Be sure to check back on Monday for an introduction post to the Winter Wonderland Blog Hop along with a list of participating bloggers!

I'll also be posting about our 3 week vacation as a memoir of sorts. We did a lot of rockin' stuff and had a grand time with our families.

Hope your 2013 has been full of blessings so far. I know we're looking forward to what else God has in store for us this year.

May the God of hope fill you with all the joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. ~Romans 15:13

For now I'll leave you with a picture of my cutie patootie Farmer and me at the Cotton Bowl.

The Sunday Showcase: Best of 2012


And we're back! I hope you and yours had a delightful holiday season. We are actually still on vacation. I'm writing this from the comfort of my mama's couch while my sister, BIL, hubby and mama (and me) sit around discussing books and watch the Oregon/Kansas State game. And I don't want to go home to a foot of snow!

But I digress.

Since we haven't had linkies for the past 2 weeks, a few of us are posting our fellow hostesses' Best Kid Activities of 2012! Check out The Very Best Kids Activities of 2012 blog hop for more Best of posts!

Mom of 2 Posh Lil Divas' shared her 7 Tips to Encourage Your Beginning Reader as her Best Kids Activity of 2012. Great ideas on encouraging your early reader!

And how much FUN are these Glow Water and Water Beads from Train Up A Child?! Definitely need to try this.

What Can You Learn from a Cardboard Tube? from Inspiration Laboratories. So many great learning opportunities here! 

And I just about fell over from the adorableness of this Rainbow Fish Costume by Here Come the Girls! LOVE!

And in case you missed the post, our favorite post from 2012 was our Baby & Toddler Sensory Bottles! And we still play with them today!



Best of 2012: Baby & Toddler Sensory Bottles


Today I'm sharing my favorite post from 2012! My favorite post also happens to be the most popular post on my blog of all time. In May of 2012 I set out materials and plastic bottles for Sweet P to create sensory bottles for her and her brother. 

Haven't seen the post? Pop over to see our Baby & Toddler Sensory Bottles. This activity was a huge hit with my just turned 3 year old and 7 month old. It turned out to be much more fun than I imagined and we STILL play with the bottles today! 



This blog hop is hosted by oodles of amazing Kid Bloggers! 
52 Brand New ~ Adventures in Mommydom ~ angeliquefelix.com - The Magic Of Play ~ At home with Ali ~ B-Inspired Mama ~ Blog Me Mom ~Boy Mama Teacher Mama ~ Busy Kids = Happy Mom Carrots Are Orange ~ Caution! Twins at Play ~ Coffee Cups and Crayons ~ Confessions of a Montessori Mom Craft To Art ~ Creative Family Fun ~ Creative Kid Snacks ~ Creative Learning Fun ~ Creative Playhouse Creative with Kids ~ Cute and Peculiar ~ De tout et de rien: Activités pour le Préscolaire ~ Dirt And Boogers Edventures with Kids ~ Enchanted Homeschooling Mom ~ The Good Long Road ~ Frogs and snails and puppy dog tails Glittering Muffins ~ Go Kid Yourself ~ Growing A Jeweled Rose ~ hands on : as we grow ~ Here Come the Girls Home Learning Journey ~ Housing A Forest ~ Mama Smiles ~ In Lieu of Preschool ~ Inspiration Laboratories Inspired by Family ~ It's A Long Story ~ JDaniel4's Mom ~ Kids Creative Chaos ~ Kid World Citizen Kindergarten & Preschool for Parents & Teachers ~ Kitchen Counter Chronicles ~ Laughing Kids Learn ~ Learn with Play at home Lessons Learnt Journal ~ Life At The Zoo ~ Little Artists ~ Living Life Intentionally ~ Living Montessori Now ~ Love, Play, Learn Loving My Nest ~ Mama Pea Pod ~ mama miss ~ Mamas Like Me ~ Mess For Less ~ Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas ~ Momma's Fun World Montessori Tidbits ~ My Buddies and I ~ My Little Bookcase ~ My Nearest and Dearest ~ No Twiddle Twaddle ~ Nurturestore Octavia and Vicky ~ One Perfect Day ~ ourfeminist{play}school ~ Picklebums ~ Play Activities ~ Playdough to Plato PlayDrMom ~ playful learners ~ playing with words 365 ~ PragmaticMom ~ Putti'sWorld ~ RainbowsWithinReach Rainy Day Mum ~ Raising Playful Tots ~ Reading Confetti ~ Red Ted Art ~ Royal Baloo ~ Science Sparks ~ Scribble Doodle and Draw Small Potatoes ~ Smiling like Sunshine ~ Sun Hats & Wellie Boots ~ Sun Scholars ~ Teach Preschool ~ The Educators' Spin On It The Fairy and The Frog ~ The Freckled Homeschooler ~ The Golden Gleam ~ The Imagination Tree ~ The Iowa Farmer's Wife ~ The Outlaw Mom Blog ~ The Pleasantest Thing ~ This Reading Mama ~ Toddler Approved ~ Train Up a Child ~ True Aim ~ Two Big Two Little ~ What Do We Do All Day? ~ Connecting Family and Seoul