The Detroit Zoo during the Winter

  Detroit Zoo

in the winter!

                  We took a ride to the Detroit Zoo.   Our zoo is great any time of the year.   There are wide paths to walk on between the exhibits.   Perfect for Social distancing!  Not many animals were out frolicking in the cold.   Not even the Polar Bears!   But, we had a great time!

           The Detroit Zoo opened the new Polk Penguin Conservation Center that was perfect on a cold winter day in Michigan.   When you first walk in you can view the little rock hopper penguins swimming around and diving under the water.   The guide instructed us to walk down the ramp to view the penguins swimming under water.   The ramp is surrounded by a 360 degree video of Shackleton's  ship and icebergs.  Very interesting and gives you the feeling of going deep into the ocean.

           These penguins at the end of the tour were having a great time walking around on the ice and diving into the cold water.    My granddaughter really enjoyed watching these Black and white very entertaining birds.

            There were many beautifully colored peacocks was strolling around the grounds of the zoo even thought it was about 30 degrees and windy that day.    This fellow just wanted to show off his lovely tail feathers.    He followed us around as we walked the zoo paths.

  
           We also found a nice warn place to visit with the giraffe family.   Here are three of the four family members.   The baby giraffe is up front with mother giraffe peering over the baby's head.   The father giraffe, the tallest on the right, was in a separate area but could visit anytime he wanted.

           As you can see the sign on the right says "QUIET".  The giraffes don't like a lot of noise.  Shhhh!

           The Detroit Zoo is a great place to take "children of any age".

Enjoy the winter season wherever you live. 

Beti

Gooey Play

    

Goo 

and More Goo!

            Today I mixed together  2 T. of sugar and 1/4 cup of cornstarch.   This mixture was added to 1 cup of cold water in a small sauce pan. I found this recipe on one of Martha Stewart's blogs. ( Martha Stewart's recipe calls for 4 T. sugar, 1/2 cup of cornstarch, and 2 cups cold water).   Then sugar and cornstarch was stirred into the water heated over medium heat.    Stirring constantly while heating the mixture began to thicken.   When heated and stirred the mixture will be smooth.    This mixture will continue to thicken after it is removed from the heat.

            I stored the gooey mixture in a plastic container.  You can add food coloring to make a "finger paint" if you wish.  I did not try this.  We were thoroughly entertained with the white goo.  
        

                As you can see, this toddler used her Ernie in the goo.   Just another addition to the the tactile experience.
          
            I did let my little one spread the goo on a blue sheet of construction paper.  Prior to the activity, I used masking tape to form the outline of a snowman ☃.  After the goo was applied to the paper, coarse salt was sprinkled on the goo to give a snowy effect.   You can see where the masking tape was removed from the paper.

     
  I'm not sure which way the paper is turned to look more like a snowman.   This did not turn out the way I had planned.    Oh well, sometimes you have to take the good with the bad.   I always tell my kids that I learn something new every day.    I guess I'll have to do a little more experimenting with this goo. 

          This was a good activity for a January day or any rainy day during the spring or fall.   There are some days we could not get outside to play.    January or any winter month in Michigan can be a difficult time to get your kiddos out doors for play time.

 Enjoy the day!  I will!
     Beti

Barkley

        

 Barkley

Barkley is showing off his latest haircut.

 

     This is Barkley, a cute little Yorkie in our family.  I spent a couple of weeks in the presence of this little fellow.  He brightened up the day from the first thing in the morning to the last yawn at night. 

    

          This box was intended for my granddaughter to play in, but Barkley decided it would be fun for him too.

         This is when he was just a pup wearing his winter coat. 

    He doesn't like to get wet, so Barkley rides on his own raft in the pool because he wants to be part of the action.

      Last, but not least, here he is with his friend, Aldo the large black dog, taking a rest after an active day.

   

Barkley loves his baby.

        Everyone needs  to relax sometimes!

 It was a rough day.  Everyone needs a little snooze!
What can I say?

Enjoy your day!

Beti 

Flannel Stuffies

Flannel Stuffies Pocket Pals

          I love to wander through the flannel aisles at JoAnns!   The colors and patterns are so much fun.    Cars, animals, dolls, monsters, spacemen, holiday designs,  I could go on and on.

              I found a flannel fabric with polar bears holding fish and wearing hats and cozy scarfs.    How Cute!     The tallest bears are about 4 1/2 inches tall and about 2 inches wide. Some are smaller about 2 1/2 inches tall and just as cute. 

      First,   the bears were cut apart so they could be sewn.   Each bear piece was placed on felt and sewn around the figure.   Stuffing was adding and then the open edge was sewn together.   Finally, the edges were cut with pinking shears.

 
        This was an easy little project.  Hopefully the grandkids will enjoy playing with these new soft friends.

Beti 

Super Hero Peg Dolls

Super Heros

 

Super Heroes are always a favorite for both boys and girls.   They could easily be used for a creative writing assignment to encourage creative ideas.   Creating a scenario with any one or all the Super Heroes would be so much fun!  You child could also be encouraged to create a background and some buildings for the characters to live, work, and save the universe. 

      These guys would be a fun project for the dog days of summer before the kids head back to school.

      I really enjoy making manipulative toys for my grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.  As  I was browsing Pinterest pins, I came across Super Hero peg dolls.  So I thought I would give them a try.  The bright colors on Superman's and Robin's outfits really stand out.  But Batman really flies with his black felt bat wing cape.   Their colorful felt capes are a must and definitely add to the complete character.

     This time the tall flat clothes pins were used for these brave fellows. Felt was added after all the painting was complete and the final shellac coating was dry.

       I will definitely add these to my collection of peg dolls which includes 

girl scouts, bunnies, and  a families of  Michigan State and Arizona State fans.  They can be whipped up in a short amount of time if you need a quick gift.

   

      
       These bunnies were so much fun to make. Each has its own friendly personality with different colored ears, flowers in their hair, and handsome bow ties.

              
         This little Michigan State fan family has an Altoid tin carrying case house. Each person is a different height and have varied eye colors.

     I hope you enjoy looking at these cute little faces as much as I enjoyed making them.

Beti

How Sweet it is!

    

       Years ago, one of my students, Natalie,  gave me this cute singing bear.  Year after year , he has sat on a self in my classroom watching over my classroom.  When you press his right foot, he sings "How sweet it is to be loved by you!" He also sways back and forth. 
        When I needed my students to line up or get ready quickly, I would make him sing. The kids loved it. It was a great stress reliever.  Some students needed an incentive, so I would say, " We need to do "this" before the bear stops singing".  
       Yesterday, I turned in my school keys for the last time.   I retired after 25 years of teaching. So my little singing bear has come home with me.  He makes me smile and remember all of the students who came to my homeroom. 

Teaching.... How Sweet It Is! 
Enjoy the summer! I will!

  Beti

Polar Bear Amigurumi

       Hello,  Mr. Polar Bear!

          Here is my newest Amigurumi creation!  A white polar bear with a red scarf.   He is ready for the cold weather wrapped in a cozy scarf.  This little guy is about four inches tall and about three inches wide.  You could say that he is on the chubby side.

         Mr. Bear is just waiting for someone to love, play , and sleep with.

    He was very easy to crochet using only single crochet stitches in the round.

If anyone would like the pattern for my Polar Bear, please let me know.

Happy CROCHETING!

Beti

Five Little Monkeys

Five Little Monkeys

            Five Little Monkeys is such a wonderful finger play for the young toddler.  These children are beginning to listen and repeat actions and words. They love rhyming sounds and silly songs.  What better song than "Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed"?  
          
            I made these little finger puppets for my granddaughter. Riding in the car seat for a long trip can be very boring a for the child as well as the adults.  But I would rather hear Five Little Monkeys jumping on the bed than a child whining or crying unnecessarily.
           
           Some little distractions like this will definitely help with the sanity of the adults in your car. Spend a few quality minutes with your child instead of putting on a video. Remember that children benefit more from adult interaction than screen time. 

          As you can see, there is nothing fancy about these finger puppets, and you can whip these up quickly on a sewing machine with minimal sewing skills.

               These little monkeys needed a little bed to jump on. A little tin  Altoids box was the perfect size.  I cut a little blanket and pillow from some felt and glued it to the lid of the tin. Hopefully, you can use your imagination to see the little bed. The five little monkeys can sleep inside when not jumping on the bed.  This little tin can be popped into a purse or diaper bag.

              As you can tell from my blog,  I am a proponent of being with and doing as much as you can with your young child as you possibly can.  Our children are young for such a very short time.  They grow up so very fast.  Don't let another opportunity pass you by.  
         
       Today I linked up with Doodle Bugs Teaching for the Five for Friday linky.  Check out all the other blogs who have linked up, too.

www.doodlebugsteaching.blogspot.com

            Please leave a comment if you have a minute.  I'd love to read your thoughts.

Beti

People Search

People Search
            
     At the beginning of the year, usually the first week of school, I like to have my 5th graders have a People Search.  Each student is given a handout.  They need to find classmates to fill each category. They need to find a different person  for each answer.  

Find someone .......
   Who as a baby in their family?
   Who has traveled to New York?
   Who has has a birthday in the same month as your birthday?
   Who has gone camping?
   Who has gone to another school?
   Who rides the bus?
   Who has traveled out of the United States?
   Who is an only child?
   Who is the oldest child in the family?

Have some fun and make up some of your own questions.
       The tricky part for the children is that this activity is a                             SILENT ACTIVITY!  
     The kids soon realize that they need to communicate with each other without talking. Many groans and moans are heard in the room, but soon they are moving around the rooms silently finding needed information.  They are also making some new friends in the process. This is a great ice breaker for the new students in school. 

     We have three 5th grade homerooms.  My teaching partners and I take our 90 some kiddos to the air conditioned cafeteria because it can be very hot the first week of September in Michigan. 

     We give the students about 15 or 20 minutes to mingle and talk. The children are encouraged to ask both boys and girls for their answers. After the kids are finished, I might say,  " Everyone who walks to school, or everyone who has traveled outside of the country,  come stand here" .  Everyone can see what they have in common with others.
    
Today I linked up with The Whimsical Teacher for Tried and True. Check out all the great ideas.
www.thewhimsicalteacher.com 
     I hope you will be able to use this activity in your room.   

 I have also linked up with 4th Grade Frolics for Monday Made It.

www.4thgradefrolics.blogspot.com
                                         
     Have a great year!
Beti

Felt Tool Kit

  Tool Kit 

for my 

Granddaughter 

             When my granddaughter saw her Dada in the garage working on a project, she had to pick up tools and do some work too.  Everyone knows how helpful a two and a half year old can be!

            As a grandmother, I like to make play things from felt.  

 New Idea!! 

          A felt tool kit.  First, I headed to the store to buy some plastic tools.  The tools were measured to fit into the tool kit nicely. Not too big, not too small.  It had to be the right size from a preschooler to fit a hammer, screwdriver, and wrench.  I had too make sure there was room for a few extras.  You never know what a little one might place in her tool kit.

            I decided to use some green felt that I had in my sewing room. The tool kit measures 8 inches long, about 2 1/2 inches wide, and about 6 inches tall.
it has been reinforced with stiff felt pieces on the inside, stitched to the outer felt fabric. My sewing is not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but it will hopefully be played with for many hours. That is the important thing.

        As you can see, I just had to dress it up with a flower on the outside.  I figured that she might want to used the tool kit for something other than tools. A stuffed animal, blocks, play food, books, or little people to name a few, could be carried in this little satchel. Children usually find multiple uses for their toys.  Anyway, a little flower with a button in the middle can't hurt anything.

          Creative dramatic play is wonderful for preschoolers.  Dolls, play food in the kitchen, building blocks, a workbench, just to name a few can enhance a child's life. They need to copy what there parent's are doing. I am so glad my father and mother let me work along side of them when I was a youngster.  Now I am very capable and confident with tools around the house as well as cooking in the kitchen. 

          I'm glad you stopped by to read my blog.  Leave a comment if you have the time. I'd love to hear from you! Enjoy your day!

Beti

Felt Cupcakes

Felt Cupcakes

Yummy! 

    
        I love making things from felt for my granddaughters. Felt is so forgiving and easy to work with. So, when it was time to have a baby shower for my niece, I decided to make felt cupcakes as a centerpiece for the table. Don't they look yummy?  My niece's precious little girl will  have her first felt food treats for her play kitchen in a couple of years.

      I used a little paper Dixie cup from the bathroom as a pattern. Carefully, the cup was taken apart at the seam and then the bottom was taken off. As you can see in the picture below, I decided to cut the side of the cup down  to a little less than 1 1/2 inches. A circle of 2 1/4 inches was cut for the frosting. The bottom of the cup was a circle of 1 1/2 inches in size. 

       The side of the cupcake was hand stitched first. Then the frosting was stitched on. Some of the frosting pieces were sewn to the inside of the cupcakes. I stitched other frosting decorations to the outside of the cupcake. You can choose whichever you like best. Then I added the toppings of lace, buttons, and different designs made from felt. This is the part where you can get so creative.  Many of us have a button collection.  So, now is the time to look through all those colorful darling buttons to add to your cupcakes.

   Finally, the bottom was stitched on half way around. The cupcake was filled with poly-fill stuffing. I placed a plastic circle, slightly smaller than the bottom circle on top of the stuffing. This add stability and a firm bottom to the cupcake. Lastly, the cupcake was stitched closed.

     You can see the chocolate cupcakes frosting is stitched to the outside of the cupcake and the pink cupcake the frosting is stitched to the inside.

       Hostess Cupcakes anyone?

                 The chocolate cupcake with the butter cream frosting has chocolate "Jimmies" on top.  Who could resist? 

      In addition to the cupcakes, a felt chocolate cake was added to the small collection of goodies for the baby shower. This cake was made on a base of a Cool Whip container. The bottom on the cake, made from the plastic lid, can be opened if you would I to store other felt goodies inside.  From a distance, I hope the guests will think they are having a variety cupcakes or cake  for dessert!

     These are quite easy to make if you have some extra felt around the house.

Enjoy!


Please leave a comment if you have a spare moment in your busy day.


Beti

Michigan State Peg Dolls

  Go Green!   

         This Michigan State peg doll family is ready to root for their favorite team! They all have their Green and White ready for the big game.
Any little girl or boy would enjoy playing with this little set of peg dolls while their family is watching the game.  All four peg dolls fit into an Altoid tin carrying case for safe keeping. It can easily fit into a
backpack to be played with in the car or on the airplane during a longer trip. 

    I hope this little family made you smile today.

 Beti
   

Peg Doll Travelers

Peg Dolls 

will Travel!

           Now that we are stuck at home trying to figure out something new to do with our kids, give peg dolls or peg  "people" a chance.  The simple wooden clothesline can become a person or animal in an hour or two.

           There are many blogs on how to paint faces on peg dolls to guide you through the painting.  But I am sure your kids will be able to paint there people or animals.

           After the painting is complete, have your kids think of an adventure that the peg dolls has gone on.  They could start a journey journal. They will be working on creative writing without even knowing what happened. 😉

       Peg dolls are popping up in so many places.  These have a special Altoid tin as a secret hiding place or travel case.  I added a special personalized note in the cover for the child. Hopefully, the tiny friends will travel to many exciting places with their new friends. 

          

     Peg dolls would be a wonderful addition to an Easter basket.  Along with a small journal or diary and pens or pencils, your child will be able to record their journeys.  This is a wonderful way to get a reluctant writer to enhance their writing skills.  You might also include colored pencils to add illustrations to their writing.  I always tell my students that a picture is worth a thousand words. 

    This could be a great introductory art lesson for kids to make a peg doll that looks like themselves.   Wouldn't the students in school enjoy having a peg doll in their desk? The peg doll could come out during creative writing time.  We all know a child or two that needs a little extra encouragement to write.  This might be the trick for your students. 

      Have fun and enjoy your day!

Beti