Sensory Water bag

Digby is starting to drive me crazy as he becomes more mobile and adventurous. Gone are the days when he would just sit back and watch his sister play. This morning he was clearly fed up with his usual toys and was becoming quite vocal about his dissatisfaction, so I quickly made a sensory water bag and took the play outside. I saw a similar sensory water bag some time ago on The Activity Mom.  Our bag contains water and some small objects including a crayon, bottle tops and some of his sisters play kitchen items. I didn't feel the need to tape the edges up as the contents weren't too little, we were outside and it was a very warm morning. After the photos were taken, I let out about half the water to make it easier for him to catch the objects. He seemed relieved to have some sensory stimulation out in the morning sun.

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Glue/Paint Recipe & Some Cornflour & Water Play

We were out of glue... again! And Miss 2 was adamant that she needed some to stick some paper scraps together. Alrighty then. I pulled out a recipe that I had been saving for such an occasion.  

• 1 cup cornflour
• 1/2 cup cold water
• Boiling water
• Large bowl 
• Spatula

We mixed the cornflour with the cold water until all the cornflour was dissolved... At this point we made a remarkable discovery... One cup of cornflour mixed with half a cup of water has an incredible texture. Does this have a name? Am I the last to know about it? It was dry and crumbly when manipulated fast and began to liquify when left alone for a while (My dad gave kind this of behavior a name which I can't remember and am not prepared to look up right now). Glue making went by the wayside and the mixture went in a tub for some sensory exploration.

Eventually we did finish making glue- by adding boiling water slowly while stirring until the mixture was glossy and had the texture of runny custard.

Food colouring added to the mixture makes a lovely thin and glossy paint. We stored it in the fridge in containers to use another day.

Busy Bag Swap

Busy bags are a new and exciting internet craze or at least new and exciting to me. What is a busy bag? It's a small zip lock bag (or similar) containing an activity that can be done independently or with minimal assistance by your toddler. Basically an easy activity to keep them busy. Great for the car, shops or while cooking dinner!

Threading Activity                                                                          Story Stones

I've seen other busy bag swaps around the internet so when my sister-in-law, Rebekah, from Just for Daisy hinted that she would like to organise one, I was dying to be involved. After a few weeks of deliberation, we are finally hosting our very own Australian busy bag swap and we'd love for you to join in!

Here is how it will work:

We will be taking 'sign ups' from today until February 29. Only Australian residents can participate. If you commit please ensure you can meet the deadlines to ensure everyone receives their bags of goodies complete and on time! Once sign ups close you will be assigned an activity (hopefully one of your choice but we don't want to double up!)

Please start to think about an activity you would like to create and duplicate for your group. (perhaps have a 2nd choice in case it's taken)

Upon being emailed your activity you will be given one month to create your duplicate activities and post to myself or Rebekah ready for swapping and sending back your completed Busy Bags!

Recycled Wallet Activity                                         Block Puzzle                                                               Felt board

 

All activities should be:

• Grab & Go: The purpose of a busy bag is to have convenient activities with all necessary components ready to go! 
• Confined to a zip lock or similar bag is ideal. They should be transportable and easy to use at home OR out and about!
• Easy to use: The bags shouldn't need extra supplies, particularly those that are messy or need to be set up prior to use (ie. paint) Remember we're encouraging independent play!
• Long-Lasting: Choose activities that don't need to be restocked. Laminate where necessary. Try to have an activity that is age appropriate for an extended time frame too!
• Inexpensive: Activities should come in at around $1-$2 each, hopefully less! We don't want the swap to be a huge cost to anyone. Try to use things you already have or be resourceful with second hand or inexpensive items.

Silhouette Puzzle                                                                                          Easy Travel Game                    Paper Doll

This Busy Bag Swap will run via mail (aside from local participants).

Your busy bags will need to be posted to myself or Rebekah by March 31 (all details in your sign up email), giving you about a month to complete your duplicate activities and post them off.

Postage should be in a prepaid satchel (500g size may be okay for initial items - approx $6) and you should include an additional self addressed satchel (500g-3kg size necessary (approx $10) to receive all of your goodies back. (You may choose to go for express or registered satchels for an extra cost or for an extra $1 I think you can have a 'sign on delivery' option added.)

We would hope all recipients have received their completed busy bags by mid-April.

If you like the sound of this and would like to sign up to be part of this fun swap where you will receive a collection of interactive, educational and engaging activities for your toddler, please comment below with your email address OR email us at justfordaisy11 (at) gmail (dot) com to express your interest.

We'll send you some more information and keep you updated on activities.

If you sign up below please do the following:

• Start thinking about what activity you'd like to do (have a few options) You can include these in your sign up email or we will request them by the month's end.
• Visit Rebekah's Busy Bag Pinterest board and My Busy Bag Pinterest board for some exciting busy bag ideas.
• Take a look around this blog and Just For Daisy for more ideas.
• Be on the lookout for specials at your local thrift store, craft shop or $2 shop - this might influence your choice of activity.
• Ensure you can meet the deadlines so that the swap runs smoothly.
• If you have a blog, grab our Busy Bag Button and pop it on your side bar.

We really hope you can participate and look forward to hearing from you soon!

Dramatic Play - Hairdressers

Imaginative play is one of Miss 2's strengths. I am continually amazed by her boundless imagination. In our house, everything is something that it isn't. Last week she declared a pair of ice tongs to be scissors and a hair salon began to take shape in our living room.

She collected her clients from the waiting area (complete with reading material) before combing, spraying and 'cutting' their hair. This was easily accomplished with things we had laying around the house and best of all, her favorite playmate came over and joined in too! 

Treasure Basket Ideas

Treasure baskets have become quite popular in this house. A couple of weeks ago, we introduced a textile treasure basket and since then, two new baskets have made their way into the mix. Both kids play with these un-toys for hours.  I love thinking up new objects to expand our basket collection. New items include:

Wood Basket:

• A comb
• A curtain ring
• Wooden Spoons
• A nail brush
• Coasters
• Rolling pin
• Decorative balls
• Building blocks
• Toy chopping board and rolling pin

Miscellaneous Basket:

• Leather wallet
• Doily
• Lemon juicer
• Salt shaker
• A sea shell
• An orange
• Coasters
• Cardboard roll
• A dariole mould

Baby Play - Hanging Objects

Hanging objects within a baby's grasp creates a wonderful opportunity to develop hand/eye coordination. He can hit, grab and pull them from the ground and as he gets older he can sit or crawl between the objects. Hanging objects or mobiles also provide sensory stimulation and depending what you hang they can explore a variety of colours, shapes, textures and sounds.

Last week we found a shady spot under a tree and hung some objects with string for Digby to explore. I chose to hang some cane decorative balls that I bought from an op-shop and two fabric baby blocks which talented my sister-in-law made him for Christmas. She posted a great tutorial on making fabric baby blocks on her blog Just For Daisy.

I like to take play outside when I can because it is easy to start feeling cooped up when you've been at home all day. I find the best time to take the kids outside is late in the day or in the early evening when the sun's rays aren't too harsh on their skin or eyes. 

Once he had grown tired of looking up at his toys, I sat him up so he could experience them from another angle and the play session lasted twice as long.

Fun With Balloons & Water

Last week we had a sweltering summer's day. I've been planning having some water fun with balloons for a while and this was the perfect opportunity. My friend Renae over at Adventures at home with Mum made a Balloon Sprinkler recently and it looked like so much fun that we decided to give it a go (with a few variations).

All you'll need are some balloons, a sharp needle or pin, some water and string if you wish to hang them. I began by making about 10 small holes in each balloon. I filled them with water and tied them off. Immediately they started shooting small streams of water in all directions. Miss 2 was delighted. I was under the impression that they would empty quickly but each ballon lasted about 10-15 minutes.

Miss 2 proceeded to experiment. She swung, bounced and dropped them...

With a little help, she hung them and had a shower (and a drink!). She even discovered that she could 'spray paint' the wall with them. All-in-all, a very refreshing summers day activity.