As the weather gets warmer, you and your family should consider visiting the 25Drivein in Greenwood, SC.
They show current movies at a great price, $5 per person or $20 dollars per car. They charge an $8 fee for bringing your own food, but they've got yummy diner style dishes at their restaurant for a decent price. And popcorn is only a dollar!
The drive-in is welcoming and friendly. However, I do recommend that you take bug spray. The mosquitoes are a nuisance in the summer. While you wait for the movie to start, you can eat at picnic tables, and your kids can play on the playground.
Bring your camping chairs or blankets and spread out in the grass, or sit in your car. Either way, the price, the food, the movie, and the nostalgia are excellent and worth the drive.
For more information visit their website:
http://www.25drivein.com/
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Letter Scavenger Hunt (A game for Two and Three-Year-Olds)
Materials
Five Sheets of Paper
Basket of Toys
Set-Up
1. On each sheet of paper in your biggest, clearest, and darkest handwriting, write a letter you've been practicing with your child. (You may create as many letter pages as you feel your child is ready to do.)
2. Fill the basket with toys that start with those letters. (Warning: Letters with similar sounds, such as "C" and "S" or "C" and "K, may add an extra difficulty when trying to identify letters.)
3. Lay the paper flat on the floor around the basket.
To Play
1. After practicing the letter sounds on each sheet, have your child sort the toys by placing them on the paper with the corresponding letter.
Warning: Have extra sheets of paper on hand because your child will start finding other bins of toys in the room to sort.
Five Sheets of Paper
Basket of Toys
Set-Up
1. On each sheet of paper in your biggest, clearest, and darkest handwriting, write a letter you've been practicing with your child. (You may create as many letter pages as you feel your child is ready to do.)
2. Fill the basket with toys that start with those letters. (Warning: Letters with similar sounds, such as "C" and "S" or "C" and "K, may add an extra difficulty when trying to identify letters.)
3. Lay the paper flat on the floor around the basket.
To Play
1. After practicing the letter sounds on each sheet, have your child sort the toys by placing them on the paper with the corresponding letter.
Warning: Have extra sheets of paper on hand because your child will start finding other bins of toys in the room to sort.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Classic Valentine's Card
Doilies, glitter, and hearts!
Don't forget the classic Valentine's Card this year!
Homemade Valentine's cards are extra sweet when they come from a beloved little one, and even if the giver doesn't appreciate them, your child will enjoy making them.
To make this classic design you will need the following materials:
1 8" doily
1 sheet of red paper
Glitter (I recommend the glitter glue pins because my daughter can use these with little supervision.)
Glue
Directions
1. Cover your work surface with newspaper or a sheet of paper.
2. Cut out a heart from the red paper.
For instructions on how to create a heart use the following link: http://www.ehow.com/how_2181972_cut-heart-shape.html
For a heart template use the following link:
3. Glue the shape in the center of the doily. (Note: the glue will seep through, so pull it up from the newspaper occasionally to ensure that it doesn't stick.)
4. Allow your child to decorate.
Heart Happiness!
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Treasure Hunt for Parties
Reason for Resourcefulness:
As I prepared for the preschool's annual Fall Festival, I had to stick to a tight budget. In our storage room I found a old sand table. I knew the kids would love a treasure hunt but knew we didn't have the extra funds to buy sand, so here's what I did.
The Creation:
1 sand table or Kiddy Pool
Several 100 sheets of used paper (old newspapers, coloring sheets, bills, etc)
1 shredder
Prizes*
Directions
1. Shred enough paper to fill your container.
2. Layer prizes and shredded paper.
3. Continue to alternate prizes and paper until the container is 3/4 of the way full.
4. Allow your kids to dig through the paper to find the prizes.
*Note: If your church or organization is on a tight budget, a great way to get prizes for free is to contact a local fast food restaurant. With proper identification (organization letter head), they will usually donate old kid's meal prizes.
Extensions:
Earth Day Project: Because recycling is more than taking items to a recycling center, this is a great idea to teach older kids how to recycle. You could have older kids bring in old toys to put in the paper as prizes.
Indoor Easter Egg Hunt: Make your paper green and use plastic eggs instead of prizes.
As I prepared for the preschool's annual Fall Festival, I had to stick to a tight budget. In our storage room I found a old sand table. I knew the kids would love a treasure hunt but knew we didn't have the extra funds to buy sand, so here's what I did.
The Creation:
1 sand table or Kiddy Pool
Several 100 sheets of used paper (old newspapers, coloring sheets, bills, etc)
1 shredder
Prizes*
Directions
1. Shred enough paper to fill your container.
2. Layer prizes and shredded paper.
3. Continue to alternate prizes and paper until the container is 3/4 of the way full.
4. Allow your kids to dig through the paper to find the prizes.
*Note: If your church or organization is on a tight budget, a great way to get prizes for free is to contact a local fast food restaurant. With proper identification (organization letter head), they will usually donate old kid's meal prizes.
Extensions:
Earth Day Project: Because recycling is more than taking items to a recycling center, this is a great idea to teach older kids how to recycle. You could have older kids bring in old toys to put in the paper as prizes.
Indoor Easter Egg Hunt: Make your paper green and use plastic eggs instead of prizes.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
No Mess Painting for Two-Year-Olds!
Reason for Resourcefulness
When I worked as an assistant director for a preschool, one afternoon several teachers called in sick at the last minute. The director and I rushed to cover rooms without having time to prepare activities. I covered the baby room, and she covered the two-year-old room. Once a sub for the baby room arrived, I went to relieve my boss. When I entered the room, I was meet with a pleasant surprise: she had SEVEN TWO-YEAR-OLD CHILDREN QUIETLY SITTING around a table. She used the resources around her and created this idea:
The Creation
1 Small Cup (3oz)
1 oz of water
1 Paint Brush per Child
Hard Surface: counter tops, dinning room table, tile, bathtub, etc
Allow child to paint on a hard surface with water.
Since two-year-old children are exploring how to make vertical, horizontal, and circular strokes with writing utensils, this activity appeals not only to their interests but also to their motor development.
When I worked as an assistant director for a preschool, one afternoon several teachers called in sick at the last minute. The director and I rushed to cover rooms without having time to prepare activities. I covered the baby room, and she covered the two-year-old room. Once a sub for the baby room arrived, I went to relieve my boss. When I entered the room, I was meet with a pleasant surprise: she had SEVEN TWO-YEAR-OLD CHILDREN QUIETLY SITTING around a table. She used the resources around her and created this idea:
The Creation
1 Small Cup (3oz)
1 oz of water
1 Paint Brush per Child
Hard Surface: counter tops, dinning room table, tile, bathtub, etc
Allow child to paint on a hard surface with water.
Since two-year-old children are exploring how to make vertical, horizontal, and circular strokes with writing utensils, this activity appeals not only to their interests but also to their motor development.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
DLTK's Kids
This website is perfect for Sunday school teachers, Bible school teachers, and moms. When I worked at First Baptist Church Child Development Center in Anderson, this was my go-to-website. I've even used it to create projects for my English III students (juniors!). It's extremely easy to navigate. So check it out for a great idea!
http://www.dltk-kids.com/
http://www.dltk-kids.com/
Monday, January 24, 2011
Swan Mask
Reason for Resourcefulness:
After watching Swan Lake, my daughter wanted to dress up as a swan.
The Creation:
4. Cut out a triangle notch about a 1/4 of an inch high where you marked the nose.
5. Punch holes for ribbon. Feed the ribbon through the whole and tie a knot on the front side of the mask. The two pieces of ribbon should tie together in back.
6. Help your child cut the coffee filters with children's scissors. The messy the cuts the better.
7. To make the beak, roll one corner of the construction paper into a cone. Tape down and cut the excess paper. Tape the beak over the triangle notch you cut into the mask. (Don't worry, the feathers will hide the tape.)
8. Trace your child's four fingers on the white paper, but instead of rounding out the tips of the fingers create a point. (Trace your child's hand for slender feathers and because they love it!) Tape these on the sides of the paper plate, flush with the bottom of the mask and covering the ribbon.
9. Now allow your child to glue the coffee filter feathers on the mask. Remember...Messy is better! Bumps and Crumples add depth!
After watching Swan Lake, my daughter wanted to dress up as a swan.
The Creation:1 Paper Plate
2 Coffee Filters
1 Sheet of white paper
1 Sheet of orange paper
2 Pieces of Ribbon or String
Glue and Scissors
1. Cut the paper plate in half.
2. Hold up to your child's face and mark two places for the eyes and one place for the nose (The nose should stick out of the bottom.) Mark a spot above each ear for the ribbon or string.
3. Use a quarter to make two circles. Cut the circles out for the eyes.
5. Punch holes for ribbon. Feed the ribbon through the whole and tie a knot on the front side of the mask. The two pieces of ribbon should tie together in back.
6. Help your child cut the coffee filters with children's scissors. The messy the cuts the better.
7. To make the beak, roll one corner of the construction paper into a cone. Tape down and cut the excess paper. Tape the beak over the triangle notch you cut into the mask. (Don't worry, the feathers will hide the tape.)
8. Trace your child's four fingers on the white paper, but instead of rounding out the tips of the fingers create a point. (Trace your child's hand for slender feathers and because they love it!) Tape these on the sides of the paper plate, flush with the bottom of the mask and covering the ribbon.
9. Now allow your child to glue the coffee filter feathers on the mask. Remember...Messy is better! Bumps and Crumples add depth!
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