Morning Well Spent

We've been busy getting Zilla into his new school routine which often has left Mega craving attention. She truly misses playing with him before/after school. I've been trying to be more intentional about setting aside time to play following her lead. Today she decided we'd build. There are so many lessons that can be learned from a morning spent playing with Legos. Fine motor skills, creativity, math skills... It is a classic activity for a reason!

Duplo Lego Playground

The kids have been busy this week crating and imagining. We've had a few rainy days so there has been time for some well thought out construction projects.

 

If you look care funny you can make out a swing, jungle gym, slide, teeter-totter, riding toy, sun shade, rain shelter and picnic space!

 

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Learning to Share

Miss Mega is 1 year 1 month old

Zilla is 3 years 10 months old

 Perhaps one of the toughest things kids have to learn is how to share.  Complicating that in a family situation is the difference in ages/abilities.  While Zilla knows which things are his and which things belong to all of us, Mega thinks that everything is either hers or it is something that Zilla should share with her when she wants it.
During the past week I've seen some real steps towards sharing being made by both kids.  Zilla has figured out that if he wants to play with the Lego or a train track he should first make something for Mega to share with so she doesn't take his creation.
Mega has figured out that if she wants to use something that someone else is using then she should offer a trade.  She also likes to pass out food - sometimes even food she has already "tasted" for you!

When we have our school time we have run into a problem though... Mega wants to share everything her brother is using.  It is very difficult to put together a puzzle with her help!  We have a compromise which works about half the time - she can do a similar activity at the same time at the same table.

Earlier this evening I was uploading a video to the On Our Signing Way blog.  It has a great example of the use of the sign "more" and an attempt at the sign "airplane".  It wasn't until I was adding the word annotations that I noticed Mega signing "share".  How could I have missed it?  It was quick, it was right after another sign, but it is such a key word/concept!

On a side note - putting "more" and "share" together means she is able to "speak" in 2-word sentences at 13 months old.  Signing kids really do get a head start!!!

Homemade Lego Books

I just read about making your own Lego idea book on another blog. It's a few years down the road for us but such a good idea! Would make a great birthday present for the grade school boy who seems to have everything! (or maybe for my husband...)

Check it out here.

2 of the Best Toys

For this past couple of weeks this has been a very common sight in our house.

Every evening and sometimes in the morning too the little guy asks for help setting up his train set.  It's a combination of sets from Ikea with Duplo Legos to provide tunnels with a few milk and juice carton tunnels thrown in.  Sometimes the cars come out to watch the train go by.
Running the trains on the tracks is a great fine motor skill exercise.  The magnets which connect the trains provide an introdution to the positive/negative ends of magnets.  There are also endless oppertunities for creative problem solving and role play.
With a small assortment of well chosen toys and a bit of imagination you can be entertained for hours!
~ Houdini

Rainy Day Play

Before I get into things to do with a toddler on a rainy day I wanted to show you this simple toy that the little guy loves.

It's the bottom of a milk carton with holes punched in the side so a string can be attached. I decorated it with duct tape (one of the best inventions ever!) so it would look a little less milky. The idea actually came from a friend who makes these with her hoikuen (daycare) kids. She encourages the kids to put their little treasures in the box instead of in their pockets. An especially great idea when at the park!

Of course you need to supervise carefully when a toddler is wearing this because of the string. You also might need to keep an eye on you cell phone because it might get picked up as a treasure!

Here are my two no-fail fallbacks for indoor rainy day activities:

Legos

Blocks

The little guy actually took the lego picture himself. He's very intent on learning to use the digital camera.

Legos in our house only come out on special occasions. It is hard to keep track of all the pieces if they are always out. Plus, that is something magical about *special* toys that makes them more interesting. I love that legos work both the fine motor skills and the imagination.
Blocks of all kinds - especially wooden ones - are great.

Pictured here is our new set of nesting blocks. I had hoped to get the Montessori pink ones but when I found these on sale for about $7 on the Japanese amazon I just couldn't pass them up!

I'm not much for the busy design but the little guy had great fun going through all the pictures and naming objects and characters that he recognized. He's picking up on the difference between letters and numbers. We even went from 1-10 tracing the numbers on each box. Next time we play with them I hope to introduce tracing the alphabet. Maybe he can learn a few letters besides A, B and W!