I always loved doing the summer reading programs at the library growing up. The last few years I've had fun doing it with my daughter too. There's something about summer and reading that go together.
I recently came across a list of 100 Picture Books Everyone Should Read. I'm sad to say that in my 20 something years I haven't read all of them. I haven't even heard of all of them. My daughter and I have a goal to make it through the entire list this summer. We're having a great time and discovering some new books we love. We printed off the list and are checking them off as we go.
The previous owners of our home had a big play set in the backyard. It was really more like a park. It was huge. When they moved they took it with them but left the sandbox that was underneath it. So now we have a sand pit in the middle of our yard. A really big one. And I really would prefer to just have grass. Every time my daughter goes in the backyard she thinks she needs to play in it and she gets so dirty. Don't get me wrong. Some days it's great. She'll play for hours in there. But most days it's just an inconvenient mess. The sand is so old and so dirty. It's been through the rainy season and the pollen season and the weedy season. I would love to get rid of it.
This is what I want. A nice portable sandbox with nice clean sand and a lid to keep out the elements. I've seen these storage bins at the $1 store--although I would probably get one that's a little bit larger. Sand only costs a few dollars at Home Depot.
So one day we'll cover up our sand pit with grass or we'll move. Then I'll make one of these. The thought is very exciting to me.
I'm sure you're all very tired of all this white board/magnetic stuff by now, but I just had to share a few more things.
I recently found this site. I think it is a little gem. It has links to Bible flannel board stories that you can print out. The bonus is that they're already colored. My favorite! We've enjoyed using them on our magnet board for Family Home Evening lessons.
Also . . .
We subscribe to the Friend Magazine. Over the past few years we've come across these stories that we've enjoyed using in FHE too.
I've been awarded the "One Lovely Blog Award" from Nurture Mama.
Thanks Nurture Mama. You made my day! Check out her blog. It's fabulous.
Here are the rules for the award: 1) Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award, and his or her blog link. 2) Pass the award to another blog that you’ve newly discovered. 3) Remember to contact the blogger to let them know they have been chosen for this award.
The following are some of the activities we do on our magnet board. Sorry I can't show them all. That would be too exhausting. I have way too many of these things. Mostly because I'm crazy and always get carried away when I start something. My daughter and I love to pull out these activities out on a cold gloomy day in the winter or on a rainy day in the spring.
Letter People
These letter people are just daring. I found them here. You can print them out in color or in black and white. I'll be honest. I love that they're already colored. It saved me so much time . . . and bruises on my hands. I don't know why but I always get bruises when I color. I guess I need to loosen the grip . . .
Sorry I don't have a link for this one that you can easily print out. I just made it up. I made the "pool" into a pocket so the frogs can jump inside.
See.
My daughter loves it.
At The Zoo
I thought these animals were so darn cute that I had to find something to do with them.
Here's a little story that fit perfectly:
At the Zoo
Once there was a monkey who climbed out of his tree one day and looked around. He decided that there would be more animal friends to see if he went to the ZOO so off he went. The first animal he saw was a bear. He said Mr. Bear, which way to the Zoo. The bear said I DON'T KNOW. Let us ask Mr. Zebra. The bear and the monkey went to the zebra and asked. Mr. Zebra which way to the Zoo? I don't know, lets go ask . . . . elephant, lion, snake, etc. At the end they all go to the wise old owl. Mr. Owl which way to the zoo they all ask.? The owl replies "silly animals you are already at the zoo!"
FIVE LITTLE APPLES Five little apples hung on a tree... The farmer didn't care So guess who came to eat? A MOUSE . . . MUNCH, MUNCH Four little apples hung on a tree... The farmer didn't care So guess who came to eat? A BIRD . . . MUNCH, MUNCH Three little apples hung on a tree... The farmer didn't care So guess who came to eat? A SQUIRREL . . . MUNCH,MUNCH Two little apples hung on a tree The farmer didn't care So guess who came to eat? A PIG . . . MUNCH,MUNCH One little apple hung on a tree The farmer didn't care So guess who came to eat? A SHEEP . . . MUNCH,MUNCH Now the tree is bare There are no more apples there But when next fall comes around Guess who'll be there? THE MOUSE THE BIRD THE SQUIRREL THE PIG and the SHEEP YUM!YUM!
One day MOUSE saw a lovely ripe apple on the apple tree. It was red and shiny, and it looked delicious. Mouse waited for the apple to fall. Along came HEN. Hello, Mouse! What are you doing? I am waiting for the apple to fall, said Mouse. That is a good idea, said Hen hopefully. I will wait with you. So Mouse and Hen waited for the apple to fall. Along came GOOSE. Hello, Mouse! Hello, Hen! What are you doing? We are waiting for the apple to fall, said Hen. Apples are my favorite, said Goose greedily. I will wait with you. So Mouse, Hen and Goose waited for the apple to fall. Along came GOAT. Hello, Mouse! Hello, Hen! Hello, Goose! What are you doing? We are waiting for the apple to fall, said Goose. I love apples, said Goat hungrily. I will wait with you. So Mouse, Hen, Goose and Goat waited for the apple to fall. Along came COW. Hello, Mouse! Hello, Hen! Hello, Goose! Hello, Goat! What are you doing? We are waiting for the apple to fall, said Goat. I was just thinking about apples, said cow, licking her lips. I will wait with you. So Mouse, Hen, Goose, Goat and Cow all waited for the apple to fall. They waited. And they waited. And they waited. Mouse waited patiently, but Cow, Goat, Goose and Hen soon grew restless. They thought up ways to make the apple fall. I will fly up and knock it down, said Hen and she ran towards the tree, flapping her wings. But she tripped and fell on her beak with a bump. I will honk it down, said Goose. He opened his beak wide. Honk! Honk! Honk! But the apple didn't move. I will butt it down, said Goat. He ran at the tree and butted it as hard as he could. But the apple didn't budge. I have got a good idea! cried Cow. She jumped up and down on all four hoofs. The tree trembled and the apple began to quiver. Everybody jump! cried Cow, jumping up and down. Goat jumped up and down. Goose jumped up and down. Hen jumped up and down. The tree shook and the apple wobbled, but still the apple did not fall. Meanwhile, Mouse waited patiently. Let's go, said Cow grumpily. That apple is probably rotten anyway. Or sour, said Goat. Or hard, said Goose. Or soft, said Hen. Now only Mouse was left. All of a sudden the shiny red apple fell to the ground with a plop! It wasn't rotten or sour or hard or soft. It was the crunchiest, sweetest, most delicious apple Mouse had ever tasted!
Five Little Monkeys
And last but not least "five little monkeys swinging from a tree".
You probably can't see it in the picture but all the monkeys have a paper clip on them. I put a magnet on the back of the alligator so that you can . . .
"snap that monkey right out of the tree".
Yes, it's so much fun. I found it here.
I love it! It was only $15 dollars at Sam's Club. It's pretty big -- 23" x 36". It's also magnetic and the reverse side is a memo board.
My daughter loves to draw on it. We use these markers:
They are fabulous. They don't have the strong odor that gives you a headache like the other markers do. Plus there are four colors to choose from.
We also use our white board like a flannel board, except with magnets. We have all sorts of stories, games and songs that go up on the board. And I found this magnetic tape that works perfectly for that purpose.
I love this stuff. It's just like tape, but magnetic. It's nice and thin so it keeps all my "magnetic board" stories flat and compact. It lasts a long time too.
And because I promised my sister I would--stay tuned for some magnet board activities.
