tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84430474587844649672024-02-21T17:35:25.227+13:00Chewing BunnyAdventures in life with three boys, three and under.Chewing Bunnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00763781997663775084noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443047458784464967.post-9481977213059542802012-11-07T22:29:00.001+13:002012-11-07T22:29:33.297+13:00Introducing Letters<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Since Felix was introduced to <a href="http://chewingbunny.blogspot.co.nz/2012/10/book-review-chicka-chicka-boom-boom-by.html" target="_blank">Chicka Chicka Boom Boom</a> he has become absolutely fascinated with letters. One day, about 2 weeks ago, we were playing and he randomly pointed to a letter and said "Y". It was the letter y and that marked the beginning of this learning explosion that is keeping me on my toes and sending me to bed absolutely exhausted at night!<br />
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I started with A, B and C but Felix found it so hard to tell A from B that I almost considered packing it in even though he was obviously keen to learn. A <a href="http://babyknowinfo.blogspot.co.nz/" target="_blank">fabulous friend</a> mentioned that in school, letters are taught in a specific order and maybe that would help him. I turned to my trusty book <a href="http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/How-Raise-Amazing-Child-Montessori-Way-Tim-Seldin/9780756625054/?a_aid=bevinyoung" target="_blank">"How to Raise an Amazing Child the Montessori Way" by Tim Seldon</a> which is a mine of useful information and ideas. Tim suggests teaching the alphabet in small groups of letters as follows:<br />
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<li>c m a t</li>
<li>s r i p</li>
<li>b f o g</li>
<li>h j u l</li>
<li>d w e n</li>
<li>k q v x y z</li>
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So that is what we are doing. The picture above shows the collection of letters we have for each group. We had the <a href="http://chewingbunny.blogspot.co.nz/2012/04/animal-flash-cards-by-eric-carle.html" target="_blank">Eric Carle Animal Flash Cards</a> already. The top right is the Leap Frog Fridge Phonics toy. I don't have a link to it because it is so difficult to buy online here in New Zealand for a reasonable price. I ended up contacting Leap Frog NZ directly; they said they're exclusive to Farmer's now but they sourced one to sell me. It is a great toy, slightly grating, but both boys love it. The round blue letters are milk bottle lids with foam letters from the $2 shop stuck on them! The mini foam inter-locking letters and the other fridge magnets are also from the $2 shop.</div>
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I introduced the letters to Felix using the principals of the <a href="http://www.montessoriprintshop.com/Give_a_3_Period_Lesson.html" target="_blank">Montessori 3 Period Lesson</a>. The link has a great description of the lesson. It's a very simple process, one that you probably use already without even realising. Once he knew the 4 letters in the first group I got him to lay out the 4 flash cards. Then I would pass him a random letter and he would name it and place it on the appropriate flash card. </div>
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Once Felix reliably knew the first set of letters, I put them aside and introduced the second set. Once he knew the second set well, I combined the first and second set to offer a bit more of a challenge. I don't have all the letters out at one time as I find Felix is happier when activities have a set start and end point. I might choose one set of bottle tops and one set of magnets to use with the flash cards. Once he has them matched, it all gets tidied away, unless he wants to explore more. </div>
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When we combined the first two sets of letters I would just have one set of letters to match with the flash cards or to match with another set i.e. the bottle tops with the foam letters. This keeps Felix from getting bored with the activity and means it never becomes a chore. I am aware that 27 months is relatively early to be working on learning letters but I'm following Felix's lead. The letters live in an easily accessible spot and they stay there until Felix asks to play. That way it always stays fun and there is never any pressure involved.</div>
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We are currently starting the third set of letters though Felix has inadvertently learned J, K, V, X, Y and Z just from reading and questioning! I have a number of letter related activities I'm hoping to share with you all soon. At the moment Felix is mastering them faster than I can create, my poor brain. </div>
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Please remember, this is just one way of introducing letters. I'm sure there are a hundred other and better ways, but this is something simple that is working for us. I am not a qualified teacher, just a Mum, winging it!! Always take the lead from your child, go at their pace and do those activities that suit the stage your child is at. Most importantly, make sure you're both always having fun, if you're not, put it away and go bounce on a trampoline together instead.Chewing Bunnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00763781997663775084noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443047458784464967.post-27137368845793367372012-10-16T23:16:00.000+13:002012-10-16T23:16:19.482+13:00Book Review: Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr., John Archambault and Lois Ehlert<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Chicka-Chicka-Boom-Boom-Bill-Martin/9781416927181/?a_aid=bevinyoung" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitY7AuLjM23vlTKREGbRcKhDJhFpaOFXt-sbWCrDxlsCz9pW_PXhaZbG-UG9dTw_UG9iangNXX3JMbfKnWnhrEf5z2DuHljeg2DP9pSm6BDzg9FbXZavghrYRyuR8rP-dzBNDi57DIzwvc/s400/chicka.jpeg" width="328" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Chicka-Chicka-Boom-Boom-Bill-Martin/9781416927181/?a_aid=bevinyoung" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Chicka Chicka Boom Boom</a> by Bill Martin Jr., John Archambault and Lois Ehlert has fast become a firm favourite in this house. It is a lively story about the letters of the alphabet. The lower case letters all race to climb to the top of a coconut tree. As they climb the tree begins to sag, and sag, and sag, until eventually; Chicka chicka, BOOM BOOM! They all fall down to the ground in a crumpled, tangled, mussed up heap. Along come the upper case adults to dust off their babies but by the last page it is evident they didn't learn their lesson as 'A is out of bed and this is what he said, “Dare, double dare, you can’t catch me. I’ll beat you to the top of the coconut tree.” '<br />
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I love the simple and bright illustrations Lois Elhert has done for this book. The letters are identical to the letters on the <a href="http://chewingbunny.blogspot.co.nz/2012/04/animal-flash-cards-by-eric-carle.html" target="_blank">Eric Carle Animal Flash Cards</a> which ties them together nicely for learning. The rhyme is catchy which phrases such as "skit skat skoodle doot" and there is lots of repetition which makes it nicely predictable.<br />
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Felix adores joining in for the "BOOM BOOM" and we do make quite a production of it. He also loves shouting "OH NO" repeatedly as we get to the part where all the letters have fallen out of the tree. Since we started reading this book he has become so much more interested in letters and is bringing out all the letter related activities to do every day.<br />
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We have done some gorgeous fun crafts related to Chicka Chicka Boom Boom which I'll post about soon. I'd love to hear how well this book is received in your homes and what related activities you've been doing. Chewing Bunnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00763781997663775084noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443047458784464967.post-49552098895240862632012-10-15T16:03:00.000+13:002012-10-15T16:03:39.823+13:00Pincer Grasp: Raisins and Toothpicks<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Pincer grasp is what enables a child to pick up and object with their thumb and index finger. It's an important pre-writing skill. We've already been developing this skill with simple activities like using tongs and tweezers, posting toothpicks through holes in jar lids, using eye droppers and stringing beads.<br />
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I decided to mix things up a little today and what better way to inspire Felix than to use food! My boy loves his food. At snack time I presented him with a plate. It had a serving of raisins and some toothpicks. I showed him how to pick up a raisin and hold it so he could skewer it onto the toothpick.<br />
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The idea being that he'd skewer a raisin onto each end of the toothpicks and when they were all full he could eat them. What actually happened was that he would skewer a raisin on each end of the toothpick and then eat them before moving on to do another two.<br />
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This was a perfect activity for Felix. It was tricky enough that he had to concentrate on getting the toothpick through the raisins but relatively simple so he mastered it quickly and modified so he was pushing the raisins all the way down the toothpick and also putting 3 or 4 on at a time.<br />
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He got through the raisins I gave him and requested more. How could I refuse. It was beautiful to see such absolute concentration on his face. He sat there for at least 20 minutes fully absorbed in the activity. At the end he showed such pride and happily posed for a photo with his accomplishment.<br />
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Chewing Bunnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00763781997663775084noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443047458784464967.post-48608465656725730602012-09-29T22:15:00.002+12:002012-09-29T22:15:33.970+12:00Homemade Toy: Baking Soda & Vinegar<br />
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This is an incredibly simple activity and great fun for kids of all ages. This was a quick, last-minute set up so it's very basic. Felix was tired and I needed to get dinner organised. He and Jonny did this one together. I took a few photos and left them to it.<br />
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I put a small box of baking soda in the bottom of an oven dish, you can use any type of dish you like and just use enough baking soda to line the bottom, it doesn't have to be too thick. I put a little vinegar in two ramekins; to one I added red food colouring, to the other I added blue food colouring.<br />
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We used a medicine syringe since that's what we had on hand. I've since bought a dropper so we can mix things up a little. Jonny showed Felix how to hold the syringe, making sure the tip was in the liquid, pull up the stopper to suck the liquid into the syringe and then squirt it onto the baking soda.<br />
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Felix was fascinated with figuring out how to use the syringe. It took a few goes to get the hang of sucking up the vinegar but he got the hang of squirting it out straight away (of course!). He enjoyed watching the vinegar squirt out and learned to aim at a dry area of the baking soda. Jonny showed him how to put the tip of the syringe into the baking soda and then squirt so it would bubble from underneath.<br />
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They talked about colours; white baking soda, red vinegar and blue vinegar. This naturally led to talking about purple once Felix used up the red and started adding blue. They talked about bubbles and fizzing, sucking and squirting.<br />
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But they also sat there in silence. Felix lost in concentration on his work and Jonny watching him and being there to support his learning, offering explanations or help when needed. I love seeing my boys like this.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOOhYRt3CXf28ODHSQKO1FxWXKrmuVwtkK8InSDYEg8mO3VDLUmOHSvVWwBAuS8yqyG7ZhGrOWxW2NhyH0mrDqIJ8Y-zwJ1tvUNh8ggBTt0DKm7GkvBjQaAkJZViFbavI4QssT0eOUU7-I/s1600/IMG_5459.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOOhYRt3CXf28ODHSQKO1FxWXKrmuVwtkK8InSDYEg8mO3VDLUmOHSvVWwBAuS8yqyG7ZhGrOWxW2NhyH0mrDqIJ8Y-zwJ1tvUNh8ggBTt0DKm7GkvBjQaAkJZViFbavI4QssT0eOUU7-I/s400/IMG_5459.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Simple activities, like this one, are great for the evenings. It's an opportunity for Felix and Jonny to spend some quality time together after work and on those days when Felix is fractious, it gives him something with purpose to concentrate on, helping him work though whatever it is that's upsetting him.Chewing Bunnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00763781997663775084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443047458784464967.post-88146449236414362272012-09-20T14:46:00.000+12:002012-09-20T14:46:37.998+12:00Toddler Chores: Doing LaundryFelix adores doing, all the better if doing involves helping either me or his Dad. His favourite phrase of all time is "I do" which often comes out as "IdoIdoIdoIdoIdoIdo" in his enthusiasm. Fantastic. I am going to jump on that, embrace it and milk it for all it's worth. Sure, if Felix helps me do chores, it's going to take twice as long. But if I plan for that in advance and allow that extra time I can teach him a new skill, have some lovely bonding time and make him happy all at once. How could I resist that.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFB7nWpFY4VrH-g4-OVQ-4mW_ji_dsmUaiGMtP00htMsrTUyOFlDyKLn9DC4kYCKQdcb86UykmjSxUCi8vrOQihrlc4rZwBPilVTgX1ue1sgmOluT2MthmlquqnscW-VdhUpkMmYkF7iBv/s1600/IMG_5233.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFB7nWpFY4VrH-g4-OVQ-4mW_ji_dsmUaiGMtP00htMsrTUyOFlDyKLn9DC4kYCKQdcb86UykmjSxUCi8vrOQihrlc4rZwBPilVTgX1ue1sgmOluT2MthmlquqnscW-VdhUpkMmYkF7iBv/s400/IMG_5233.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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Instead of doing everything for Felix and have him say "Oh, Mum thinks I'm not capable of doing that, I must not be able", I would rather set the bar (relatively) high for him, so he instead thinks "Oh, Mum who is amazing and knows everything there is to know in this world believes I can do it so I must be able to." There is an age old quote "give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, teach a toddler to do his own laundry and you can relax on the couch and eat truffles"... well, maybe that's not exactly how it goes but you get the idea!<br />
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I've mentioned before on this blog about my slight aversion to kids toys. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm all for kids having toys but I think that in many, many houses, the toy situation gets out of control. I've seen entire rooms just obliterated with an explosion of plastic. And 90% of those toys are completely pointless. Why on earth would I spend $200 on a toy kitchen when Felix can help me in the real kitchen? Why would I buy a magnetic food cutting toy when Felix can help me cut real food that we will then cook and eat?<br />
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Yes, we start small. Yes, we start slow. And yes, in the beginning, little gets accomplished. But Felix practices and in time, gets more and more accomplished. And in time, he needs less supervision. And eventually I will be able to entrust entire tasks to him without having to worry. That will be a sweet, sweet day for both of us.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHZQE-FBnGydgW2eOVGzU_XJad7FDC6dHo5yMOXsB6FTAOP4yOcFrBKk4ovyr1U17QkzbHKxPgntibv7sHypV5o29A8IdepHaj_nKTiecXsZDK82yCB_DSavVpvzoRm0ADIsMfqsTMjQB_/s1600/IMG_5264.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHZQE-FBnGydgW2eOVGzU_XJad7FDC6dHo5yMOXsB6FTAOP4yOcFrBKk4ovyr1U17QkzbHKxPgntibv7sHypV5o29A8IdepHaj_nKTiecXsZDK82yCB_DSavVpvzoRm0ADIsMfqsTMjQB_/s1600/IMG_5264.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHZQE-FBnGydgW2eOVGzU_XJad7FDC6dHo5yMOXsB6FTAOP4yOcFrBKk4ovyr1U17QkzbHKxPgntibv7sHypV5o29A8IdepHaj_nKTiecXsZDK82yCB_DSavVpvzoRm0ADIsMfqsTMjQB_/s1600/IMG_5264.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHZQE-FBnGydgW2eOVGzU_XJad7FDC6dHo5yMOXsB6FTAOP4yOcFrBKk4ovyr1U17QkzbHKxPgntibv7sHypV5o29A8IdepHaj_nKTiecXsZDK82yCB_DSavVpvzoRm0ADIsMfqsTMjQB_/s400/IMG_5264.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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One task we have been working on for a while is doing the laundry. Felix first showed interest because of the lights on the front of the machine and all he wanted to do was press them. So I explained to him what each button did, its name and how to turn the dial. He would press the buttons I would point to and be delighted. Then he moved on to emptying the machine and soon he was doing everything.<br />
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Now he can and does happily help me sort the laundry, puts it in the machine, measures and puts the powder in the correct drawer, closes the drawer and door, turns the dial but I direct him to which setting, adjusts the temperature and wash settings for the nappy washes and turns the machine on. Not to shabby for a just turned 2 year old. So many guys haven't acquired this skill by the time the move out of home!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZy9C3pNAM2678k5qaI_UHpZlJp1QcZnc3ElgzlGOAD9xqlu9KbLLqP2XoO5VVYkCtIMgQvMVK-ZboH2d5PZaeDVO9PTA9c4dmBYvsx_wy9cjh-J_b3UYTCttm0iEs9XaguQswPTBzuC_l/s1600/IMG_5289.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZy9C3pNAM2678k5qaI_UHpZlJp1QcZnc3ElgzlGOAD9xqlu9KbLLqP2XoO5VVYkCtIMgQvMVK-ZboH2d5PZaeDVO9PTA9c4dmBYvsx_wy9cjh-J_b3UYTCttm0iEs9XaguQswPTBzuC_l/s400/IMG_5289.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I really enjoy spending this time with Felix, teaching him new things. It's so lovely to see the look of concentration as he takes it all in, when he stops himself from making a mistake and corrects it without my help and the look of pride when he's finished is heartmelting.Chewing Bunnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00763781997663775084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443047458784464967.post-1810593325016186952012-07-31T20:23:00.001+12:002012-07-31T20:23:22.520+12:00Homemade Toys: Glitter Goo BagThis is another cheap, quick, and easy homemade toy.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTGQH_xRzGZETHKuIbU7KwPGYbVzPQotCCLwCnx0umCYFUHySiwlE_SSJYmqdFsl6jj1WLLOWz7VCzhgV8QX0czhvh6KrZXeTVGeAeUjKUrj8jKtiru8mG2DbZ6YxbDqrJ4DBh4qUDevQj/s1600/IMG_5212.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTGQH_xRzGZETHKuIbU7KwPGYbVzPQotCCLwCnx0umCYFUHySiwlE_SSJYmqdFsl6jj1WLLOWz7VCzhgV8QX0czhvh6KrZXeTVGeAeUjKUrj8jKtiru8mG2DbZ6YxbDqrJ4DBh4qUDevQj/s320/IMG_5212.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cast of characters: zip or snaplock bag, hair gel, glitter.<br />
I later added green food colouring, not pictured.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGRZRagdP59Etyw4ck4B1CRa-CJtPNIyb4f2j2IUD3vebO5dMfYFzHmElDUxXzPy5T4-DSu-SdceQC1UykRyCEZHhDOWIilosM1yHGkO_3IoFR17fdlIj_7rVgwlktp4JOQwFE1g1E5qJa/s1600/IMG_5214.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGRZRagdP59Etyw4ck4B1CRa-CJtPNIyb4f2j2IUD3vebO5dMfYFzHmElDUxXzPy5T4-DSu-SdceQC1UykRyCEZHhDOWIilosM1yHGkO_3IoFR17fdlIj_7rVgwlktp4JOQwFE1g1E5qJa/s320/IMG_5214.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prepare bag.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjUJw_d_RCqSKNNjUFt1evCffksikZCxgYyE9NbE7sNhWQypy32sxW75A5ca0lObvbjzsF-tS3Iqq2FkxLzLwSN5ndjhhjwbZxGjAPiZvJZlgdxh6zMzypjgIIy0oaR54FhMZEzp3R85uv/s1600/IMG_5216.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjUJw_d_RCqSKNNjUFt1evCffksikZCxgYyE9NbE7sNhWQypy32sxW75A5ca0lObvbjzsF-tS3Iqq2FkxLzLwSN5ndjhhjwbZxGjAPiZvJZlgdxh6zMzypjgIIy0oaR54FhMZEzp3R85uv/s320/IMG_5216.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Open pot of hair gel, try to ignore the desperate smell of teenage <br />
boy hair and hope the likes never enter my house.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDhm0tbB_cI_mm411QgsiLX7o-uQ6hZRaFlrYSeY0i6QX2otljsNLTNSuFktq8r_MSyqPLTJkdcEFPLWp5FE2Ew8GdknZPC54dlzaC-GnHGLW4gU3WIiLyxrwZHd0T095WP-Mjdyc4NEQl/s1600/IMG_5218.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDhm0tbB_cI_mm411QgsiLX7o-uQ6hZRaFlrYSeY0i6QX2otljsNLTNSuFktq8r_MSyqPLTJkdcEFPLWp5FE2Ew8GdknZPC54dlzaC-GnHGLW4gU3WIiLyxrwZHd0T095WP-Mjdyc4NEQl/s320/IMG_5218.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scrape gel into your snaplock bag.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqLeAZY9fCrvrZvodSDwiH0CHBj8LIJEXaM06KZbVuCmmw3IpO-ZjuzJ1t7m3hdrhUh_vNQNq4biBsqhxicP1MnpOw31i3bv0JdFH6zAhZ3HL0PcdtTF5EIOp7yaj2vKz_bWi3yX_72mUu/s1600/IMG_5220.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqLeAZY9fCrvrZvodSDwiH0CHBj8LIJEXaM06KZbVuCmmw3IpO-ZjuzJ1t7m3hdrhUh_vNQNq4biBsqhxicP1MnpOw31i3bv0JdFH6zAhZ3HL0PcdtTF5EIOp7yaj2vKz_bWi3yX_72mUu/s320/IMG_5220.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Add glitter, I use about half of a tiny pot.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS3BskCF6-UVYhLNx9HgSP9Q-9zhJBcB7TVw4Nd0RRkFV6nvgYhnPMG2IQ9ZIHP92F9zbdPQ-g39Sq6G93fznmKOLt4la7vPh_toWeY1GgAOSL_LPh5TFLh3uOrK8GCTA4aSi9FuHclZ_n/s1600/IMG_5222.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS3BskCF6-UVYhLNx9HgSP9Q-9zhJBcB7TVw4Nd0RRkFV6nvgYhnPMG2IQ9ZIHP92F9zbdPQ-g39Sq6G93fznmKOLt4la7vPh_toWeY1GgAOSL_LPh5TFLh3uOrK8GCTA4aSi9FuHclZ_n/s320/IMG_5222.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Squish the gel and glitter to mix, spread the mixture out,<br />
working from the bottom of the bag so you get rid of the air.<br />
Close up the bag and preferably tape it too, just in case!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Bd9EhxF7lUcb7k7HyKG29aG1_qmZzmDgbavOk05pfYJkV2Wtl0m6NWHqzMdEIxA54K4I1-AIeXNmb8DkjQEyF1ONnwn8ZBTiQaE6cT6D0Z_GR5RAXRW9yywl7ouATS0PQL9NSNgc421R/s1600/IMG_5225.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Bd9EhxF7lUcb7k7HyKG29aG1_qmZzmDgbavOk05pfYJkV2Wtl0m6NWHqzMdEIxA54K4I1-AIeXNmb8DkjQEyF1ONnwn8ZBTiQaE6cT6D0Z_GR5RAXRW9yywl7ouATS0PQL9NSNgc421R/s320/IMG_5225.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Have fun before your toddler wakes up from his nap.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7W7Zv-bsor10pkS3lRh7KCDc99uY1tAO8wGWSlw7oj0guYnLded_RpqEDTMsuNrtUkSyFQ75C6p16dJDT4aGf474ecitXTgvOgKGfDL3ITveIhNvs7q1R7yt7eN0ZokFtxpBiAVKFya9D/s1600/IMG_5293.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7W7Zv-bsor10pkS3lRh7KCDc99uY1tAO8wGWSlw7oj0guYnLded_RpqEDTMsuNrtUkSyFQ75C6p16dJDT4aGf474ecitXTgvOgKGfDL3ITveIhNvs7q1R7yt7eN0ZokFtxpBiAVKFya9D/s320/IMG_5293.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flattening out the bag.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCQv7I3Ahak-0KvnVWyNhxKZaB0kheQNaWv84eWENUx_GVu6aFnkx4B_qJGtQdpimdUVSKC8I_97pAFQ1D3IOEItyqeV9JJ3B8HIptrRrjhyphenhyphenMpzb-Km4bnZVd4Xq_40GtqjU5TXAkuuOxJ/s1600/IMG_5294.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCQv7I3Ahak-0KvnVWyNhxKZaB0kheQNaWv84eWENUx_GVu6aFnkx4B_qJGtQdpimdUVSKC8I_97pAFQ1D3IOEItyqeV9JJ3B8HIptrRrjhyphenhyphenMpzb-Km4bnZVd4Xq_40GtqjU5TXAkuuOxJ/s320/IMG_5294.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Squishing the bag.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqhyhUyQ1jI8uLbWbC6Q5CLGqhOuB-b7FFrCZFaUwalPMmWefSAoLfDHGgrhAK1dIYJj4wqwAgugLEiszLKC6Db-91PKdtwCmSvyuVAq8ajq8ItybkU0n2RTI9Md6ooUpTM997yRNKeqvb/s1600/IMG_5295.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqhyhUyQ1jI8uLbWbC6Q5CLGqhOuB-b7FFrCZFaUwalPMmWefSAoLfDHGgrhAK1dIYJj4wqwAgugLEiszLKC6Db-91PKdtwCmSvyuVAq8ajq8ItybkU0n2RTI9Md6ooUpTM997yRNKeqvb/s320/IMG_5295.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And there's the look of devilment, he's enjoying this.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
While Felix did enjoy the Glitter Goo Bag for a time, it wasn't a hit. I think it will be better received in a few months when he is a bit more interested in drawing shapes etc. Right now, he has little interest in actually drawing with his finger, he prefers to just squish the bag.<br />
<br />
I'm planning a few things when I pull this back out. One idea is to tape it to a window so the light shining through makes it easier to see the shapes drawn on the bag. Another idea is to just tape it to some white card for the same benefit.Chewing Bunnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00763781997663775084noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443047458784464967.post-54132811703792052432012-07-30T19:35:00.000+12:002012-07-30T19:35:03.793+12:00Homemade Toys: Rice Sensory BinFelix turned two on 11 July and as part of his birthday present I made him a rice flavoured sensory bin. A sensory bin is a whole lot of fun. This rice version is our first foray into sensory bins and I'm definitely planning more.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvkxoJI6LXeBUXRCGBtvJx97HFgYcQ655jKedFRsT_f11yjXlnmoUD_UqQKRfW1j0LKZFEpIiaCnXMzSy4Sdo1NQl-nbwO8IqyYdcsxokof3rph73KcvvWYebynTLQGebF6_YvPPKyTupc/s1600/IMG_1238-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvkxoJI6LXeBUXRCGBtvJx97HFgYcQ655jKedFRsT_f11yjXlnmoUD_UqQKRfW1j0LKZFEpIiaCnXMzSy4Sdo1NQl-nbwO8IqyYdcsxokof3rph73KcvvWYebynTLQGebF6_YvPPKyTupc/s320/IMG_1238-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I started with a 10kg bag of rice. I divided it evenly between<br />
5 snaplock bags.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqvnoScXAeSTBDcr3Q4Sn06fDQCDYt6O86CnbKkoGlTwHzjVZ9wp6DPkjZ6jMvMVvmiVkBQMNpcIPhe4-MKBtbJO4zdSYxV2QF0ujK-jF95TarCsHk7QE1L7KdDnlhyphenhyphenm6kqA6SxwHpJl8n/s1600/IMG_1239-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqvnoScXAeSTBDcr3Q4Sn06fDQCDYt6O86CnbKkoGlTwHzjVZ9wp6DPkjZ6jMvMVvmiVkBQMNpcIPhe4-MKBtbJO4zdSYxV2QF0ujK-jF95TarCsHk7QE1L7KdDnlhyphenhyphenm6kqA6SxwHpJl8n/s320/IMG_1239-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Next I added a bunch of food colouring. I used most of a bottle<br />
of cheap colouring as I wanted strong colours.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHMBCA2a3uxM3olRou5ArGAIBDg_BBa_Mhpgv9njqf10naiNmSMWWpkfx3QKZ8ST7_oHUmA02t2WDeGXxVNaO9f3X6odto3J-4s5gzp-gdKT7YGGGewYFAwHV5_BlyF3m7frhqcZz8OFyA/s1600/IMG_1240-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHMBCA2a3uxM3olRou5ArGAIBDg_BBa_Mhpgv9njqf10naiNmSMWWpkfx3QKZ8ST7_oHUmA02t2WDeGXxVNaO9f3X6odto3J-4s5gzp-gdKT7YGGGewYFAwHV5_BlyF3m7frhqcZz8OFyA/s320/IMG_1240-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Add enough white vinegar to spread the food colouring <br />
without making the rice too wet. I used about 1/3 cup.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0EkHewHcVlgk9zA-_h3s71vz7j9NbUU7ftQiFK0Zj2TaQAZmqKqmndjtp0tljhLC2GXb-QOrebCnrKkbdbT5XddwDK65m8WiNQnKP7mSQnSZxegE7OCDxle-9ptVE74MfX64oVU86CU-v/s1600/IMG_1243-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0EkHewHcVlgk9zA-_h3s71vz7j9NbUU7ftQiFK0Zj2TaQAZmqKqmndjtp0tljhLC2GXb-QOrebCnrKkbdbT5XddwDK65m8WiNQnKP7mSQnSZxegE7OCDxle-9ptVE74MfX64oVU86CU-v/s320/IMG_1243-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Expel most of the air from the bag, seal and mix it all up.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkVRfTX9o6nqfHoUvwAKTEtDAsgtBMfiaCNRagmjnEcNAngjbvOLiJAdLmLKC4fAqh9iHXydGzVDthtHOH3R1dLKUJToHScoOW_7Ggk9r-_hu6YO-Q_ZiOkqB6E5v7wQMFKxDc0fO4aWP9/s1600/IMG_1245-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkVRfTX9o6nqfHoUvwAKTEtDAsgtBMfiaCNRagmjnEcNAngjbvOLiJAdLmLKC4fAqh9iHXydGzVDthtHOH3R1dLKUJToHScoOW_7Ggk9r-_hu6YO-Q_ZiOkqB6E5v7wQMFKxDc0fO4aWP9/s320/IMG_1245-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leave it sit for about an hour so the colour can soak in.<br />
I forgot to photograph the next bit but once the colour is soaked<br />
in you should spread the rice out on trays to dry.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: white;"><br />
</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJI7wX97iTMtFhzJGmEx0StyRN1Pq2iW7-XCua4aiKrcMQE0dtMH2SuaFr5dcDoNJpxJ_J8f4Q-bjoa7k34ggeDYJzQ9oxJ6rVSolkqL1xMM-Q10fUwe6pKGFJRktQk9WfJCmaR9Xk5C33/s1600/IMG_4747.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJI7wX97iTMtFhzJGmEx0StyRN1Pq2iW7-XCua4aiKrcMQE0dtMH2SuaFr5dcDoNJpxJ_J8f4Q-bjoa7k34ggeDYJzQ9oxJ6rVSolkqL1xMM-Q10fUwe6pKGFJRktQk9WfJCmaR9Xk5C33/s320/IMG_4747.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Once it's dry you can empty it into your chosen tub. I picked <br />
this one up at The Warehouse. It's an under bed storage tub.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEhEtYpm-ac6v8OqV9LbdgnfRZVsCH1d0hrX4pseLaviySUCsSilvvj7Cl6a_kn7ICZ8GT18RnTHR9J-45qIYplv54lW2osCdNVbr8u_3vYoW2xJkubMkrXXHfQZAR4XqzB8moiOQomVq-/s1600/IMG_4748.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEhEtYpm-ac6v8OqV9LbdgnfRZVsCH1d0hrX4pseLaviySUCsSilvvj7Cl6a_kn7ICZ8GT18RnTHR9J-45qIYplv54lW2osCdNVbr8u_3vYoW2xJkubMkrXXHfQZAR4XqzB8moiOQomVq-/s320/IMG_4748.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So pretty and enticing. I recommend putting a mat down.<br />
Even with the most careful child, rice will spill and it's easy<br />
to empty the rice back in off the mat and hoover the rest up.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2wSe57oPKzDkJ1wkIIOdWmB4FEnNpgndlFQ08aUrqlfSOPVQxL3Qquc-v3KCXeMw6Jh2VluIR41DssYSYOr5jMzIBeg7_MMatWjKO0fs3rhtBx06LVhrFkKJISL_cRQ98C7Cf6LDPgJhQ/s1600/IMG_4750.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2wSe57oPKzDkJ1wkIIOdWmB4FEnNpgndlFQ08aUrqlfSOPVQxL3Qquc-v3KCXeMw6Jh2VluIR41DssYSYOr5jMzIBeg7_MMatWjKO0fs3rhtBx06LVhrFkKJISL_cRQ98C7Cf6LDPgJhQ/s320/IMG_4750.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I organised some accessories for scooping and pouring.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWRXfBAmPPN7fUgKvHnGta_0QDj-IcGAfBrul8GP45Nj7gvBsrkvlrEK0H_r0gXxsyHZVqQvuAvD1VRNHcz8y7JCheOF6iodIK-Y5oSKc76hzkd7izVwNhHI415RPLP7YiAtYNR7IOTMWR/s1600/IMG_4752.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWRXfBAmPPN7fUgKvHnGta_0QDj-IcGAfBrul8GP45Nj7gvBsrkvlrEK0H_r0gXxsyHZVqQvuAvD1VRNHcz8y7JCheOF6iodIK-Y5oSKc76hzkd7izVwNhHI415RPLP7YiAtYNR7IOTMWR/s320/IMG_4752.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Felix was quite tentative to begin. He didn't want to mix the colours.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXyhBx8GkRK_ngyW2q7SReubLRyv4dya3n7ifQ5HZGA-KsUCXPIIhZUKQgbhA92hWSm9So1wAVi05sT5Dlfkd-voGLzwtBYP8uRtrtkt_2PUXPMPMBP8Nh8Lte-kjA1ady9_ry027SQjXP/s1600/IMG_4762.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXyhBx8GkRK_ngyW2q7SReubLRyv4dya3n7ifQ5HZGA-KsUCXPIIhZUKQgbhA92hWSm9So1wAVi05sT5Dlfkd-voGLzwtBYP8uRtrtkt_2PUXPMPMBP8Nh8Lte-kjA1ady9_ry027SQjXP/s320/IMG_4762.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He warmed up quickly and started to really enjoy it.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP2LSumD18uCyD4QLzCIphwNDEHcSs_oLBErPfSwMNvZB-TrtpaPCxhVrNpuJosTE6f3-fUC__Kb0pTmLwo8BZ2aMyl4Ef8bSB2RSpBYYiPZnCA-bcXWzjqxme8_9PAmGsvHjyGk6tNjpN/s1600/IMG_4788.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP2LSumD18uCyD4QLzCIphwNDEHcSs_oLBErPfSwMNvZB-TrtpaPCxhVrNpuJosTE6f3-fUC__Kb0pTmLwo8BZ2aMyl4Ef8bSB2RSpBYYiPZnCA-bcXWzjqxme8_9PAmGsvHjyGk6tNjpN/s320/IMG_4788.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dexter got in on the action. He was fascinated.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh27cgAh8pofguFNtHj9zEMFXAe5uyttwc2FUXS0Q40T7K4OotOuPC2shiyjQ9DY5u8bVI6qwRzYcekowV-B1ndFrgYBLvSwGrhP8uppCHH-jqq7B2I8dJneude8RoGoTLJ0-IH6k1Xva2T/s1600/IMG_4807.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh27cgAh8pofguFNtHj9zEMFXAe5uyttwc2FUXS0Q40T7K4OotOuPC2shiyjQ9DY5u8bVI6qwRzYcekowV-B1ndFrgYBLvSwGrhP8uppCHH-jqq7B2I8dJneude8RoGoTLJ0-IH6k1Xva2T/s320/IMG_4807.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lots and lots of pouring.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhD3arpfWMcixluyQqkQyEMYAsTpyqILA3C0imF_a8R647MFuhg_A_FvixwZEYyrm1nBh8KPyF2IMmmDZexdLsPuFzDQRrT337oh2Kw0zg0RrvuJ73yaUUTRRrS-TfS4hZSn5PC_MdYfR6/s1600/IMG_4821.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhD3arpfWMcixluyQqkQyEMYAsTpyqILA3C0imF_a8R647MFuhg_A_FvixwZEYyrm1nBh8KPyF2IMmmDZexdLsPuFzDQRrT337oh2Kw0zg0RrvuJ73yaUUTRRrS-TfS4hZSn5PC_MdYfR6/s320/IMG_4821.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Felix really started to enjoy the texture of the rice.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUCfpU_YuwrzugWjMUucvpugY8vJUBSP5rG78oMb0CVaVW_SArrmTMuUg0LtxAH-foAhiRzgzCr87wt89wWMS2-OL7rjBUXUxnX8C5kfXO4B4c_0n5FaBBOlKfur-1OBSe48vsHUSmL1py/s1600/IMG_4827.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUCfpU_YuwrzugWjMUucvpugY8vJUBSP5rG78oMb0CVaVW_SArrmTMuUg0LtxAH-foAhiRzgzCr87wt89wWMS2-OL7rjBUXUxnX8C5kfXO4B4c_0n5FaBBOlKfur-1OBSe48vsHUSmL1py/s320/IMG_4827.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He decided Dexter had the right idea and wanted to feel the<br />
rice on his toes too.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBpvZo7aPP_dAP7EGm0bQq6ue94yT0EQUkBmi4bZ0jEe1IgWZS-6BG4rhNLzZUtSUY136WakzHXKVtLyttW55aZO8SHDnxnXVrRulNAKKZwPXu97-B17eIrZKsKXKJOrUguriVBh6SRBdz/s1600/IMG_4832.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBpvZo7aPP_dAP7EGm0bQq6ue94yT0EQUkBmi4bZ0jEe1IgWZS-6BG4rhNLzZUtSUY136WakzHXKVtLyttW55aZO8SHDnxnXVrRulNAKKZwPXu97-B17eIrZKsKXKJOrUguriVBh6SRBdz/s320/IMG_4832.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He wasn't sure about it getting stuck between his toes.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2SeEtSG0mRzO0LPLkcAdntWypBJiOEqh4ijA8iXP0AxAmASB-1Z4ITSqMQJtIEKEmxwxGvdDoTkN4cIlFVf3hMryEOHQ7qkGlrx9oOZTiQA4j-HVWz2inUM5ssCiJjNFmmAGz5wOcpid_/s1600/IMG_4834.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2SeEtSG0mRzO0LPLkcAdntWypBJiOEqh4ijA8iXP0AxAmASB-1Z4ITSqMQJtIEKEmxwxGvdDoTkN4cIlFVf3hMryEOHQ7qkGlrx9oOZTiQA4j-HVWz2inUM5ssCiJjNFmmAGz5wOcpid_/s320/IMG_4834.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">But he loved sticking his feet in anyway.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK8DbOYZEoyHxCOYhK-ROTfzUFE65aVNfBcQVCiPQAEYAKmT2CJS20sZo3Z4IsLCyoP2zWeAyBDXSlu0_67hyphenhyphenWy8i3rM0erzmw-t2a2ER_ZXLuk6Mz_Qa6Jz56QD3uafIBgUkY09-QjjXq/s1600/IMG_4840.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK8DbOYZEoyHxCOYhK-ROTfzUFE65aVNfBcQVCiPQAEYAKmT2CJS20sZo3Z4IsLCyoP2zWeAyBDXSlu0_67hyphenhyphenWy8i3rM0erzmw-t2a2ER_ZXLuk6Mz_Qa6Jz56QD3uafIBgUkY09-QjjXq/s320/IMG_4840.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scooping the rice up with his feet.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Ez-bHIh2NrHA4PKvODYgqWPJgyr_txMnXody5wH7QLvypIlCKS2x3hnk0fiQW2URr5ZsfytC9y94How51UieyOQ2vYXGDfbhPZj955mxTr94kgJNavAGX-xcWc4F1shxYwsaSm_x-yLX/s1600/IMG_4878.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Ez-bHIh2NrHA4PKvODYgqWPJgyr_txMnXody5wH7QLvypIlCKS2x3hnk0fiQW2URr5ZsfytC9y94How51UieyOQ2vYXGDfbhPZj955mxTr94kgJNavAGX-xcWc4F1shxYwsaSm_x-yLX/s320/IMG_4878.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He had a friend over later that day to join in the fun.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHQERxUUSDHeEHy5zUo51rGR5JEVP_ENNTC4cUTDTfTjbhaNdX7Sj62ge7cN6XGo8jDPD73EWEzjWcgVKURKSOM1YEcnoYVfJ4Tozu4HWlkAUU-q_VIcRHzfP8eLwbKAW5ogIwVPOiIdua/s1600/IMG_5028.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHQERxUUSDHeEHy5zUo51rGR5JEVP_ENNTC4cUTDTfTjbhaNdX7Sj62ge7cN6XGo8jDPD73EWEzjWcgVKURKSOM1YEcnoYVfJ4Tozu4HWlkAUU-q_VIcRHzfP8eLwbKAW5ogIwVPOiIdua/s320/IMG_5028.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More friends and Grandparents joined in the fun on the weekend.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The Rice Sensory Bin was a huge hit with everyone. Felix played with it non-stop for over three hours on the first day which is phenomenal for a just turned two year old. Dexter at 6 months loved it, I love it and his Grandparents loved it too. There's just something so soothing about the sound of the rice being poured, the feel of it in your hands and the bright colours. It does what it says on the tin and just appeals to all the senses. Well, except smell maybe, the vinegar smell does linger somewhat!<br />
<br />
We have had the sensory bin out regularly since then. Felix will bring the big mat to me when he wants to play with it. Since the initial novelty wore off we probably get a good hour of playtime before he wants to put it away. This is definitely the most expensive of our homemade toys since neither the rice nor the bin can be bought cheaply anywhere round here but it has been worth every penny.Chewing Bunnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00763781997663775084noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443047458784464967.post-84175038787101472202012-07-29T22:55:00.001+12:002012-07-29T22:55:42.320+12:00Homemade Toy: Using TongsAfter an extended hiatus, due to an unfortunate meeting between my laptop and a cup of tea, I'm back! I have a beautiful new iMac to blog from and I am head over heels in love.<br />
<br />
We're all about cheap and cheerful toys in this household. We don't have the space or inclination to buy a whole bunch of stuff. We strongly dislike plastic & battery operated toys and a lot of wooden toys are just out of our price range. So I focus on making toys when and where possible.<br />
<br />
This is one of the simplest "toys" I have made. All you need is a tray, a basket, some pom-poms and a pair of tongs. I set the invitation up with the pom-poms in the basket and the tongs alongside. Felix empties the pom-poms onto the tray and then uses the tongs to pick them up and pop them back into the basket.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzAPr5aqY8rMq0tpCXdUNFCTZHmoh3VfQXfy-kCcOrAzuEriHBS-vwpCprSCJohm0djebAUtMBCJ2uqzRUc8iv6mhQJBESO4gUf_qTQQXQLTInokYU-mX3exMZWQA6sx0Ei1oel2E07aLi/s1600/IMG_5156.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzAPr5aqY8rMq0tpCXdUNFCTZHmoh3VfQXfy-kCcOrAzuEriHBS-vwpCprSCJohm0djebAUtMBCJ2uqzRUc8iv6mhQJBESO4gUf_qTQQXQLTInokYU-mX3exMZWQA6sx0Ei1oel2E07aLi/s320/IMG_5156.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Examining the tongs and figuring out the best way to hold them</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQmHUEAYIMJz_-Gx6iXSeS3m2fAptXrPtPfAoi1WLKHtYCm1YyP-aX0lfADir6oEHLAC5v-U9oudSpg8aQO-ocyuo_FmHiY0MXYP6aDyA3KVUZbQB_otQ2mxkBBu335UkmnfvzZoMatSld/s1600/IMG_5167.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQmHUEAYIMJz_-Gx6iXSeS3m2fAptXrPtPfAoi1WLKHtYCm1YyP-aX0lfADir6oEHLAC5v-U9oudSpg8aQO-ocyuo_FmHiY0MXYP6aDyA3KVUZbQB_otQ2mxkBBu335UkmnfvzZoMatSld/s320/IMG_5167.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting better control of opening and closing the tongs</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSMp_H7NV6zpny4gqJW3aHKx_0r20mZY2i6FnyaHeK3tm8vAaJgfEnD4KJ1sB_bv3uLL2IHQKmoDk9c83Q_0uc3oG0XhTCG2Wtm9JlECsjgkzJZKCoWhKCWnnTq6wvYFu8lcr7qXI19BrV/s1600/IMG_5171.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSMp_H7NV6zpny4gqJW3aHKx_0r20mZY2i6FnyaHeK3tm8vAaJgfEnD4KJ1sB_bv3uLL2IHQKmoDk9c83Q_0uc3oG0XhTCG2Wtm9JlECsjgkzJZKCoWhKCWnnTq6wvYFu8lcr7qXI19BrV/s320/IMG_5171.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Noticing all the clicks of the camera shutter</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX4tlX01_kuyvd7SA2Ay_JqwfDiltDjnvXi0QYLmH0-L_kHuKAEZeV5JV0piPtNJgfuoKjj6dvGdNY8yhhlkNN_8sKkKM2TdoUuWUnZASrRL-Sva02i0iRn43ULfkrH6nagHuKhpWg8lff/s1600/IMG_5175.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX4tlX01_kuyvd7SA2Ay_JqwfDiltDjnvXi0QYLmH0-L_kHuKAEZeV5JV0piPtNJgfuoKjj6dvGdNY8yhhlkNN_8sKkKM2TdoUuWUnZASrRL-Sva02i0iRn43ULfkrH6nagHuKhpWg8lff/s320/IMG_5175.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Obviously the camera is hilarious and I'm very distracting</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimYbxUMY-GnTm7SObV8yofQDpMtL_6n8QQG72gnyDIV-5GejEbdhS8Fw6Hy13-bG7R4DjKqZSV8yTD6A8Uqd59KlLXUj_xhBm_LplnstEpkuM7ItG-hOwKL4NNmBdnj767vIlgD7TnLn7w/s1600/IMG_5192.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimYbxUMY-GnTm7SObV8yofQDpMtL_6n8QQG72gnyDIV-5GejEbdhS8Fw6Hy13-bG7R4DjKqZSV8yTD6A8Uqd59KlLXUj_xhBm_LplnstEpkuM7ItG-hOwKL4NNmBdnj767vIlgD7TnLn7w/s320/IMG_5192.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moved the basket off the tray to pick up errant pom-poms. <br />He's reaching pro status now, picking up two pom-poms at once.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpDrCkb3racJat6ZfhFQdpzii26GjgqRuQpN-j0SYCZ_zFP0yoWBn2j0Pi2slI6kr-FH9-B51TXc5TASP2xOYgloKlYXeyOBsN48b8n3Y-LN_82fGKAdrxzZZnKvVg28I_TXzty_ATlU3L/s1600/IMG_5196.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpDrCkb3racJat6ZfhFQdpzii26GjgqRuQpN-j0SYCZ_zFP0yoWBn2j0Pi2slI6kr-FH9-B51TXc5TASP2xOYgloKlYXeyOBsN48b8n3Y-LN_82fGKAdrxzZZnKvVg28I_TXzty_ATlU3L/s320/IMG_5196.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Placing the basket back on the tray.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhidiT9loy_YC2AC-X6P_xPoSe-Lf6h2tsap94j5PE6vQEDIdzqTY9GXlMsU3ADOxdBtJjSWNiAH0GL_SHDBBcg3hT3T0sxpvkb24NBHqd-dVE1I0LrCvwbaAVbd-FtU9xl17sAHVxFaimT/s1600/IMG_5198.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhidiT9loy_YC2AC-X6P_xPoSe-Lf6h2tsap94j5PE6vQEDIdzqTY9GXlMsU3ADOxdBtJjSWNiAH0GL_SHDBBcg3hT3T0sxpvkb24NBHqd-dVE1I0LrCvwbaAVbd-FtU9xl17sAHVxFaimT/s320/IMG_5198.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Placing the tongs back on the tray</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhnri6-e5WfrMHr7ncKWwSlHB9i4BWZDPxN4qo97d7fm8xSF7rJHRCb7Yl5_wWn16HNNETQjzMc5ftaJwXimb30lCfFvAVXuMTZhR6JovcvNNPRGtH58ukSCf7YXtrfrO_lqbbNcun_-fz/s1600/IMG_5200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhnri6-e5WfrMHr7ncKWwSlHB9i4BWZDPxN4qo97d7fm8xSF7rJHRCb7Yl5_wWn16HNNETQjzMc5ftaJwXimb30lCfFvAVXuMTZhR6JovcvNNPRGtH58ukSCf7YXtrfrO_lqbbNcun_-fz/s320/IMG_5200.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All tidied away, now he's coming for the camera!</td></tr>
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We first tried this activity a few months ago. Felix couldn't quite get the hang of the tongs, though he did try. I think his hands were just a little small! I packed it away and forgot about it for a while. At 24 months, after a minute or two of experimenting, he easily got the hang of it. He really enjoyed it and has repeated this activity a few times since.<br />
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I'm planning to put this into our regular rotation of toys but I'll switch out the pom-poms next time for a bit of difference. I'm planning to try coloured ice cubes for a different texture, and as Felix gets better we'll progress to smaller items like pasta shapes or broad beans. Eventually we can use a smaller tongs and then a tweezers.<br />
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I'd love to hear if you try this activity. Was it a hit? What other objects do you use?Chewing Bunnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00763781997663775084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443047458784464967.post-82431609279746941542012-05-17T09:32:00.000+12:002012-10-16T22:42:24.017+13:00Spot Loves His Dad by Eric Hill<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51VloqBe86L._SS500_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51VloqBe86L._SS500_.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
We love Spot the Dog in our house, we must have at least 10 of the books by now. <a href="http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Spot-Loves-His-Dad-Eric-Hill/9780723254829/?a_aid=bevinyoung" rel="nofollow">Spot Loves His Dad by Eric Hill</a> was Felix's first Father's Day gift to his Dad. It's a book that Jonny and Felix regularly read together and it has a firm spot as one of Felix's all time favourite books.<br />
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There are so many appealing things about the Spot books; basic language, large text, lots of repetition and lovely simple pictures with bright, bold colours. It is an uncomplicated story about a young dog and his Dad spending a lovely day together; feeding ducks, flying a kite, kicking a ball in the park, visiting the beach and at the end of the day they curl up in bed and read a book together. What young child could imagine a day better than this.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://a248.e.akamai.net/origin-cdn.volusion.com/jants.petuy/v/vspfiles/photos/8631-2T.jpg?1323080336" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="151" src="http://a248.e.akamai.net/origin-cdn.volusion.com/jants.petuy/v/vspfiles/photos/8631-2T.jpg?1323080336" width="320" /></a></div>
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The pictures in the book match the story beautifully and there are lots of opportunities to expand on what is written. Let's take, for example, the page above where Spot and his Dad visit the beach. First we can label the characters; Spot, Sam, and Mr. Bear. Next we can look at all the different objects; sun, boat, bucket, spade, ice-cream, ball, rug, ocean, sand, shop and shells. After that we can list all the colours and expand on our words; orange bucket, yellow sun, blue boat etc. And finally we can find all the shapes; the stars on the ice-cream shop, the sun is a circle, the boat has triangular sails etc.<br />
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There is so much opportunity throughout this book to chat with your child and to give them the opportunity to use their words. Once you've been through the book a few times, labeling the objects etc, you can start to ask your child to point to specific items on the page and as their language comes on you can point to the object and ask what it is. Don't forget to be as descriptive as possible as you go; "where is the yellow sun?", where is the orange bucket?".<br />
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This can obviously be repeated on every page through the book, turning what might have been a 1 or 2 minute story into 10 or more minutes of bonding and learning. <br />
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What Spot book is a favourite in your house? Do you have any other fun tips for reading these books with little ones?Chewing Bunnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00763781997663775084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443047458784464967.post-8871218191756652882012-04-29T15:50:00.000+12:002012-05-17T10:54:13.951+12:00Delicious Oatmeal Cookies<div class="ingredients" style="margin-top: 10px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg987pQnK-O_ndwsPiO825UWcMEDvSMBr0G998skcdZPF0xHUQonbgkk4lz_1jif4X8gvphwyVlMQzHeHcwSXDHnYZ3IbcGmG537i09ILoOs-4KF3-ZHYRQg18myG0sEQRtNEYbnF2r52b/s1600/IMG_1103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg987pQnK-O_ndwsPiO825UWcMEDvSMBr0G998skcdZPF0xHUQonbgkk4lz_1jif4X8gvphwyVlMQzHeHcwSXDHnYZ3IbcGmG537i09ILoOs-4KF3-ZHYRQg18myG0sEQRtNEYbnF2r52b/s320/IMG_1103.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<h3>
Ingredients</h3>
<ul>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient">
1 cup butter, softened</li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient">
1 cup packed brown sugar</li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient">
1 cup granulated sugar</li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient">
2 eggs</li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient">
1 teaspoon vanilla</li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient">
2 cups flour</li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient">
1 teaspoon salt</li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient">
1 teaspoon baking soda</li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient">
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon</li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient">
3 cups rolled oats</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="directions" style="margin-top: 10px;">
<h3>
Directions</h3>
<ol>
<li><span class="plaincharacterwrap break">
In a medium bowl, cream together butter and sugars. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in
vanilla. Sieve flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon into the
creamed mixture and stir. Mix in oats. Cover, and chill dough for at least one
hour.
</span></li>
<li><span class="plaincharacterwrap break">
Preheat the oven to 190</span><span class="st">°</span><span class="plaincharacterwrap break">C. Line cookie sheets with baking paper. Roll the dough into walnut sized balls, and place 2
inches apart on cookie sheets. Flatten each cookie slightly with a large fork. The softer you want the cookie, the less you flatten it.</span></li>
<li><span class="plaincharacterwrap break">
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Allow
cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a
wire rack to cool completely. </span></li>
</ol>
</div>
<a class="nutritionanchor" href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8443047458784464967" name="nutritionpanel"></a>
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<h3>
Improvements</h3>
<span class="plaincharacterwrap break">
Before chilling, divide the mixture into three bowls. To the first add about a cup of chocolate chips, to the second add about a cup of raisins and to the third add about half a cup of dried cranberries and half a cup of chopped walnuts. Delicious!</span><br />
<h3>
</h3>Chewing Bunnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00763781997663775084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443047458784464967.post-76527164499253856912012-04-28T00:05:00.000+12:002012-04-28T00:05:24.183+12:00My Adventures with Mountain Buggy - Urban Jungle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://mountainbuggy.com/images/stories/mb_2010_images/urban.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="291" src="http://mountainbuggy.com/images/stories/mb_2010_images/urban.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
The very first pram we ever owned was the <a href="http://www.babyuniverse.co.nz/product/31250/mountain-buggy-urban-jungle-single/affiliate_number=288/" rel="nofollow">Mountain Buggy Urban Jungle</a>. It was beautiful, if a pram can be beautiful! A gorgeous vibrant red with clean lines and a wonderfully intuitive design. I fell in love instantly. It took just minutes to assemble and even being a first time pram owner I did not need to refer to the manual to figure it out.<br />
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The seat is well designed and seems to be very comfortable. The seat is on a slight recline rather than flat so Felix's bum stayed snug into it. The backrest reclines to almost flat so you can use it from newborn but even at its most upright it is not straight which was unfortunate as Felix loved siting poker straight rather than relaxed back. To recline the backrest and return it to upright is easy peasy, though you do need both hands. It's just like adjusting the shoulder straps on a backpack - so clever!<br />
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The 5 point harness with shoulder pads is comfortable and the buckle is well thought out. The only negative would be what a pain in the arse it is to adjust the shoulder height of the straps. Mountain Buggy have addressed this in the newer models so I doubt this is an issue anymore. The "follow the sun" sun hood is huge, I actually never bothered buying the sun cover with this pram. There is a nice viewing window on top of the hood that closes or stays open with velcro. You can also move the sun hood up the pram to make more headroom for an older child.<br />
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The handlebar is very clever. With a simple push on the buttons either side you can move it up or down to suit the individuals height. It is great to be able to adjust it if you're pushing up or down a very steep hill. The rubber grip is comfortable to hold and the buttons coped well with my constant adjusting, just because I could.<br />
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The suspension and wheels on this pram are fantastic. The picture above was taken about a 15 minute uphill walk from where I live. That's the kind of terrain our pram faces every day (who am I kidding, maybe a few times a week if the dog is lucky!!). But yes, this pram was pushed through foot high tussock, through pine forests, snow, rock beaches, dirt paths and even some farm visits. Not a single problem. This pram laughs in the face of extreme terrain. And Felix remained happy, he was jiggled and bounced about a bit but he was always happy and comfortable and he slept brilliantly in it.<br />
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The brakes work perfectly, even on particularly steep inclines with a full load we never had an issue. I like that you can lock and unlock the brakes with either foot though it is a little more difficult in jandals. The gear tray is immense, it's amazing how much you can fit in here. I love that there are little mesh pockets in the gear tray and a zip pocket; great for throwing in the house keys, dog poo bags, phone and other items that you want easily accessable and not at the bottom of a nappy bag. It even comes with an insulated water bottle holder up near the handle which is the best idea ever as I am notoriously bad at remembering to drink enough water.<br />
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The Urban Jungle is a breeze to fold and unfold. It's not to heavy either. I could easily get it in and out of the car boot up to when I sold it at 8 months pregnant. The rear wheels come off easily and the handle folds down if you have a particularly small boot but really, if you've got kids, I hope your boot's not that small!<br />
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Overall I adored this pram and only sold it because we were having our second baby. We owned ours from January 2011 through to November 2011 when we sold it in order to upgrade to the <a href="http://www.babyuniverse.co.nz/product/102548/mountain-buggy-one-bundle/" rel="nofollow">Mountain Buggy +one</a>. I would love to hear from anyone else who has or has had this pram. Do you also love it?<br />
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<br />Chewing Bunnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00763781997663775084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443047458784464967.post-86565123491281813062012-04-24T07:33:00.000+12:002012-04-24T07:33:20.334+12:00Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Goodnight-Moon-Margaret-Wise-Brown/9780230748606/?a_aid=bevinyoung" rel="nofollow">Goodnight Moon</a> by Margaret Wise Brown and illustrated by Clement Hurd is one of our "rotate regularly" books. These are the books that we need to hide for a week, every so often, just so we don't get driven demented reading them over and over and over again. And again. And again. You get the picture. It is a firm favourite of Felix's and he will even request numerous readings in succession which is rare.<br />
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It is a simple story of a young bunny's bedtime routine of saying goodnight to the things in the bedroom. It is very effective at creating a bedtime atmosphere; as you read the book you hardly notice that your voice lowers and you read the text slower until you are whispering the last line. There are lots of little details through the book that contribute to that effect; the clock progresses from 7pm to 8:10pm, the moon rises from the lower left corner of the left window and the lighting in the room grows progressively darker.<br />
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There are lots of other tiny details you come to notice after multiple readings; the tiny mouse is present on every colour page, moving about the room until on the final page he has eaten the mush, the book on the nightstand is "Goodnight Moon", and the painting on the wall in the painting of the three little bears is of the cow jumping over the moon.<br />
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There are so many way to expand this book into something more than just a simple story. Felix and I love to play "find the mouse". We go through each colour page and it's Felix's job to find the mouse. As soon as he points to it I squeek like a mouse. Well, in fact, it's absolutely nothing like a mouse, but I squeek in the most fun way possible to elicit maximum giggles. Possibly not conducive to a relaxing, sleep inducing atmosphere but sometimes fun just has to take precedence!! I like to think of the mouse as a precursour to Goldbug.<br />
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I hope you take the time to introduce this book to your child. If you do or if you already have I would love to hear what reception it got.<br />
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<br />Chewing Bunnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00763781997663775084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443047458784464967.post-84199221609233522032012-04-23T07:53:00.000+12:002012-04-23T07:53:21.760+12:00Animal Flash Cards by Eric Carle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This box of <a href="http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Animal-Flash-Cards-Eric-Carle/9780811852562/?a_aid=bevinyoung" rel="nofollow">Animal Flash Cards by Eric Carle</a> is absolutely fabulous. I just love everything about it, I'm unsure where to begin. Simply, it's a set of 26 flash cards, presented in a hinged box, with one card for each letter of the alphabet. One side has a beautifully illustrated animal with the name of that animal printed underneath in lowercase letters. The reverse side of the card is completely painted in matching colours and in plain white has the upper and lower case letters presented in a cut out style. The card is nice and thick and would require some amount of purpose to damage. So long as you're not raising the Tasmanian Devil these cards should last well through a family.<br />
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One of my favourite things about this set is unusual choice of animals for some letters; we get a narwhal, a quetzal, a xolo and a very familiar caterpillar to name a few. The only very small gripe I have is the use of a giraffe for the letter "g". I would much rather see a gorilla since when learning phonics, children learn the hard g of gorilla first and the soft g of giraffe later as an exception. Similarly, you would teach the hard c of cat before the soft c of centipede. But that's just a small detail and I am notoriously pedantic so you could probably just ignore that!<br />
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The important thing is that Felix loves these cards. We look at them in a leisurely fashion, with no agenda. I'm not trying to teach him to read but we talk about the animals, their noises, where they live etc. and when he shows interest, we talk about the letters. We look at the letter, I help him trace the shape of the letter with his fingers while pronouncing it and we talk about other words that begin with that letter. And by we, I obviously mean me. Basically I prattle on and he lets me know I've prattled on for long enough by taking the card, putting it back in the box and choosing another one for me to prattle on about.<br />
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Speaking of the box, that is another great part of this set. The gorgeous, sturdy, hinged, cardboard box to store the cards in. I bought this set with the intention of hanging the cards on the wall. It turns out that they are far too valuable to be relegated to a life of dangling off a wall, collecting dust. These cards are one of those child high value items that, conversely to adult high value items, gets loved to within an inch of its life. Cara has been chased with "X for xolo", "H for horse" has been clip clopped on by the Schleich Clydesdale and "J for Jellyfish" has been rescued from the bath just before the taps got turned on.<br />
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And that is truly the sign of a successful children's "book". Without even trying, Felix is learning. "D for Duck" gets the excited, ear piercing reception of "dogdogdogdog". Yes, D is for duck, but it is also for dog, and to accidentally learn that at 21 months, just because you're having fun, is fantastic.Chewing Bunnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00763781997663775084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443047458784464967.post-82255627522854816752012-04-22T04:27:00.001+12:002012-04-22T09:59:30.951+12:00Melissa & Doug Latches Board<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I don't even know where to begin reviewing the <a href="http://www.iqtoys.co.nz/product/33786/melissa-and-doug-latches-board/affiliate_number=288/" rel="nofollow">Melissa & Doug Latches Board</a>. This is by far, one of the best toys we have ever bought for Felix. On a whole, Felix isn't hugely into playing with toys. Don't get me wrong, he definitely enjoys them and spends time playing but he spends at least as much time exploring everything from the phone, dishwasher, bathroom sink, lights, switches and windows to even the door stoppers. He has an amazing curiosity; he wants to know how everything works, how it's put together and then he wants to master using it.<br />
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This is where the Latches Board comes in. It is a large, solid wooden board with 6 doors. Each door is a different colour, covering the 3 primary and 3 secondary colours, the numbers 1 through 6, 6 different shapes and 6 different animals. In addition, each door has a wonderful, high quality brass latch and is held on with a similarly high quality brass hinge. That is an amazing amount of learning opportunities for one toy and while the price tag is on the high side, as soon as you receive this toy you can see why. This is one that will last and last.<br />
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The box recommends this toy for ages 3 years and up however we bought it for Felix at just 20 months as we knew it would perfectly suit his interests. We were right. He took to it immediately and played with it for a solid half hour before taking a break. Right away he mastered doors 3, 4 and 6 as they have the simplest latches. Door 5 with the door chain took another week to master, door 2 another week again and he has yet to master door 1. In fairness the latches on doors 1 & 2 are both fairly stiff and even I find door 1 a bit of a challenge!<br />
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Now that the new novelty value has worn off the toy it has cemented itself in with the firm favourites. We will play with it a few times a week. Initially Felix will spend time opening and closing the doors and latches and will soon invite me to play with him; naming and counting the animals behind the doors and naming the colours and shapes.<br />
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What toys have you blown your budget on? Was it worth it or did you end up with a serious case of buyers remorse?<br />
<br />Chewing Bunnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00763781997663775084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443047458784464967.post-48700161205856668382012-04-19T08:29:00.000+12:002012-04-22T09:59:20.108+12:00Tolo Roller Ball Run<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The <a href="http://www.iqtoys.co.nz/product/32136/tolo-roller-ball-run/affiliate_number=288/" rel="nofollow">Tolo Roller Ball Run</a> is another favourite toy around these parts. We bought this for Felix when he was 14 months old. We definitely could have bought it a lot earlier as he got the hang of it right away. I'm very much looking forward to Dexter growing into this toy.<br />
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So the basic gist of the toy is that you pop the balls through the holes in the top and they roll down the ramp. Simple? Yes. Addictive? Yes. Mesmerising? Absolutely! The first thing I love about this toy is how well it is made. It is a weighty, solid, quality plastic. I'm usually a bit of a stickler for wooden toys, I dislike plastic crap and I generally detest toys requiring batteries. But this plastic is different. It's not cheap and nasty, it's the type of plastic you can imagine dropping onto a floor and the floor breaking instead of the toy. <br />
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On the side of the toy is a twisty switch. If you lock it, you prevent the balls from falling off the first ramp. This means you can lock off the switch, pop all three balls through the holes and the balls are safe inside the toy. Great if you want to transport it or like me, if you rotate your toys regularly and therefore want to store it for a time.<br />
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The three balls are a good size and weight. There are green, blue and orange balls, each is half bright colour and half black and white pattern. Two of our balls have what sounds like a smaller ball inside so they make a slight rattle, kind of like those baoding balls that hippies so love. The colour of the holes in the top of the toy correspond with the colours of the three balls. This provides a good opportunity to introduce colour matching. The balls also need to be pushed through the holes with a small bit of force so we build co-ordination and problem solving skills there too.<br />
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At 21 months Felix has well mastered all aspects of the toy, including the switch on the side. However, he will still take out this toy a few times a week and play with it for a while. It's also a high value item when friends come round to play. I would estimate the ideal age range for this toy as being from about 9 months through to about 18 months.<br />
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Have any of your children played with this toy and enjoyed it? Do you have a similar roller ball toy you would recommend? I'd love to hear what you think.Chewing Bunnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00763781997663775084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443047458784464967.post-62431284654846461272012-04-18T11:03:00.000+12:002012-04-22T09:59:09.044+12:00Pintoy Wooden Walker with 24 Blocks<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Felix received this <a href="http://www.iqtoys.co.nz/product/28779/pintoy-wooden-walker-with-24-blocks/affiliate_number=288/" rel="nofollow">Pintoy Wooden Walker</a> for his first birthday from his favourite Aunty. It was an absolute hit from day one. As Felix didn't start to walk independently until he was 15 months old, he loved having this walker to help him get about. We used to go for short daily walks with it. Granted it took us about 15 minutes to go 20 metres from the house and back again but the smiles and Felix's sense of achievement was totally worth it.<br />
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The walker has a bit of weight to it which makes it lovely and steady for young toddlers. Felix was able to use the walker to pull himself up to a stand and then lean on it quite a bit while walking. It is also very strong so if he got tired of walking before we got back to the house, he could sit in the walker while I pushed him. Sometimes I think he just faked tiredness as he so enjoyed this aspect of the toy.<br />
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The downside of this sturdiness and weight is that it is a
difficult toy to maneuver in tight spaces. Our house is quite small so
there was a phase where Felix found it frustrating to try and turn the
walker. He needed a fair amount of supervision and help during that time
but he soon learned how to 3 point turn and was delighted with himself.<br />
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Now that Felix is a little older and he is such an avid reader, he is showing a lot of interest in words and letters. In addition to stacking the blocks, knocking them over, taking them out of the walker and putting them back in, there is the opportunity to learn colours, numbers, and letters. We also spell out familiar words that he can pronounce. So far he can recognise dog, ball, moon and cat.<br />
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At 21 months, Felix still plays with this most days of the week. I envision his interest in it lasting a lot longer and I can definitely see Dexter being pushed round the house in it when he is older.<br />
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Do your wee ones have this walker? How do they enjoy it? Or do you have a different type of walker you love?Chewing Bunnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00763781997663775084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443047458784464967.post-75647732553968051652012-04-17T11:50:00.000+12:002012-04-22T09:58:56.918+12:00The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar should be on every single child's bookshelf. It appeals to both Dexter at 3 months old and Felix at 21 months old. Dexter loves to look at the bright colours and simple bold pictures. Eric Carle's artwork is absolutely beautiful. Felix loves to name everything and to stick his fingers through the small holes in the pages.<br />
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The book follows a caterpillar from birth as he eats his was through the pages, from one apple through cheese, a lollipop and even watermelon. There are so many learning opportunities with this book. It provides a child's first science lesson, seeing the metamorphosis from an egg to a caterpillar to a butterfly. We are also introduced to an array of different foods. At the same time we are presented with the days of the week and numbers from 1 to 5. At the end of the book there is the opportunity to talk about the rainbow of colours in the butterfly's wings; red, purple, blue, green, yellow and orange.<br />
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I bought this book for Felix when he was approximately 6 months old and we have been reading it almost daily since then. His first birthday party had a Very Hungry Caterpillar theme and neither he not I are sick of the book yet. I can recite the book word for word but I still enjoy curling up and reading it to both boys.<br />
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Do any of you already have this book? I'd love to hear what your children think of it, if they love it as much as mine do.<br />
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If you live in North America I would recommend buying the book from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0399226907/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=chewbunn-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0399226907" rel="nofollow">Amazon.com</a>, however if you live elsewhere in the world <a href="http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Very-Hungry-Caterpillar-Eric-Carle/9780241003008/?a_aid=bevinyoung" rel="nofollow">The Book Depository</a> is the place to go for all your books. They offer free shipping on all books and at the moment have a 10% off sale.<br />
<br />Chewing Bunnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00763781997663775084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8443047458784464967.post-51770342275943594962012-04-16T14:20:00.002+12:002012-04-22T09:58:42.873+12:00Hop On Pop by Dr. Seuss<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: small;">Felix's book of the week is <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/039480029X/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=chewbunn-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=039480029X" rel="nofollow">Hop on Pop by Dr. Seuss</a>. Hop on Pop is part of the Blue Back Books by Dr. Seuss; a range of books designed for parents to share with their children. Hop on Pop is a fun read and a great introduction to rhyming words, such as Hop and Pop, Cup and Pup, Ball and Wall, See and Bee. In time, Felix will learn that he can simply change the first letter to make a whole new word.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Felix has been going through a phase of not wanting to read long books; we've been looking at a lot of picture books, just naming things and not reading the story. Hop on Pop was our reintroduction to reading. At 64 pages, it is a lengthy book and Felix did not sit through the entire thing straight away. It was on the fourth reading that we finally made it to the end. Since then we can happily read the book five times a day, sometimes more.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">At the moment, "No Pat No, Don't sit on that." with the strange yellow creature about to sit on a prickly cactus is Felix's favourite page. It never fails to elicit a giggle from him and sometimes a full belly laugh. The rhythm of Hop on Pop is lovely; it can be read normally, just like any other story or you can really embrace the rhythm and almost sing your way through the book. </span></div>
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Do you own this book? I would love to hear what your children think of it and what their favourite parts are.<br />
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If you live in North America I would recommend buying the book from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/039480029X/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=chewbunn-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=039480029X" rel="nofollow">Amazon.com</a>, however if you live elsewhere in the world <a href="http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Hop-on-Pop-Dr-Seuss/9780007158492/?a_aid=bevinyoung" rel="nofollow">The Book Depository</a> is the place to go for all your books. They offer free shipping on all books and at the moment have a 10% off sale. </div>Chewing Bunnyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00763781997663775084noreply@blogger.com0