sestrenki

2012-02-13T00:32:00.000-05:00

Did you ever take part in a Science swap? Oh, you've never heard of them. Neither did we until we began homeschooling. If you did, and came here looking for swap bag ideas - scroll down...

We just made our bags for the upcoming swap. The idea is that you prepare a science activity that kids can do with minimal help; you prepare the "ingredients", write instructions, experiment log, questions, etc. And put everything in a gallon plastic bag. The rest works just like any other swap: 15 people make 15 bags each (same ones), so you end up with 15 different projects to take home!

So, here's our swap project - Balloon Magic. There are actually two different experiments, both are entertaining and simple enough for small kids, and science-y enough for older ones.

First experiment is "Screaming balloon", the second one is "Balloon Kebab" (see it here).

Bag assembly instructions:

- print out the label, experiment directions, log, answers (download)

- punch holes for binder (optional)

- put 2 balloons, 1 hex nut, 1 penny, 1 skewer (protect the tip with a piece of drinking straw) in a zipper bag

- put a copy of the printouts in the bag

- cut out a label, attach it to the front of the bag with wide scotch tape.

Bubble art and explosions

2012-01-23T15:46:00.000-05:00

My dear husband brought home 20lb of dry ice... We spent the whole weekend doing every possible (yet safe) experiment.

Here's our favorite one - bubble art.

You probably know that if you add dry ice to a bowl of soapy water, you'll get a lot of bubbles. Well, if you add food coloring to the soapy water - you'll get some colored bubbles. You've got an idea.

Here're more detailed instructions, just in case.

Put some dish soap in a cup, add warm water. Mix. Add a few drops of food coloring. Mix. Add some dry ice, stir a bit. Wait for the bubbles to form.

Take a piece of paper - press it onto the bubbles. Let dry, enjoy your "bubble" paper.

If your kids like explosions better than art, here are some safe ideas:

- film canister - the lid pops with a bang, it seldom flies off. (safe for home, just point away from people or breakable things)

- a plastic zipper bag - put it on the floor, watch it inflate and then pop. It's easier to handle than a balloon, but just as much fun.

- milk/juice tetra pak with a screw on cap (better to do outside as it may splash) - it makes a loud bang, the top seam breaks apart. No flying debris.

Crochet Finger puppets: Girl and Cat

2011-12-12T15:16:00.000-05:00

finger puppets

I've made these for my daughter's birthday. This is my own design, and I tried to write down the pattern as I was working on them, so I could make more puppets later. And so I could share with you, of course. :-)

Here's the pattern. I've never wrote a pattern before, so I hope it makes sense. Let me know if you have any questions.

View the pattern

Hope you like them.

You can't post it, reproduce or sell the pattern without my permission; you can't use it to make toys for sale. Thank you.

homeschooling, the beginning.

2011-10-04T01:53:00.000-04:00

We're homeschooling our daughter... This is the end of the first month. And I can say that I know more than I did just a few weeks ago. We decided to play it safe and signed up with a correspondence school - secular, reputable (the list of their alumni is quite impressive)... We spent some time deciding on placement and such, and at the end went with a standard curriculum, 2nd semester of the first grade. It fits her well. But I want to add a proper grammar book and art study in some form...

Here's what our "school" looks like.

We get up around 11am. She might wake up earlier, I never know. She reads in the bed or colors or plays something quietly till I wake up.

We have breakfast and talk over what we need to do that day. We usually do a lot of work on Monday. She has to do Phonics and Reading comprehension books which are way too easy for her, so she does those quickly while I clean up and set up some other school work. [she reads at 2-3 grade level. We use a couple of other books to teach advanced phonics, but they are not a part of the "school work"]

When I plan our study time, I try to divide the work among 4 days. If we can't finish it or have something urgent (or more fun) to do, we always have time to complete it on Friday. I use a Teacher's planner that I've got at Target dollar section. I write down what we should do each day, and mark it when it's done. I also record our trips and PE.
Speaking of PE. We found that there are many places offering classes for homeschooler at a discount rate. You just have to ask. Kiddo is taking swim lessons and gymnastics.

School work usually takes us a couple of hours. I don't make her sit longer. I can make her do math drills on iPod or computer or finish her paper at some point later. I know that she'll pick up a book to read by herself.

We have a science experiment or two weekly. If she feels like coloring - I get her some coloring pages that have something to do with what we study that week in Science, Health or Social studies. Coloring is a good exercise for the hand - it helps to build endurance.

In the afternoons/early evenings -if we need to- we go shopping, run other errands. It also is the time when we have classes or meetups. If we're home - it's a free play. I need to scan the work that's done and I find it easier to do so every other day, otherwise I might have to spend an hour or two scanning, prepping, sorting on Sat. And weekend time is precious. Weekends are Family time.

We joined a local homeschooling group. We learn about local events and classes for HS, and we have meetups... We did not join any Coops yet. Maybe for the spring session. We go to the library a lot: we check the books our, we take part in some after-school programs and come to the presentations.

We have plenty of time to play. Kiddo's allowed to play on computer whenever she wants (she does not abuse this, so yes - it's whenever she wants). I do have to pre-approve what sites she goes to though. (btw, check your local school's website, they might have a login for BrainPop or other educational sites for kids. You can use it, too and save on subscription!)

We make dinner around 8pm. Sometimes she helps me cook, but usually her "job" is to set up the table. Daddy comes home around 10pm. She does not always wait for him, she eats her dinner earlier if she's hungry, and just has tea & cookies with us. And then it's time to brush teeth and read in bed. It usually is "I read to you - you read to me". Sometimes we read a few pages from the phonics primer... She'll keep reading for a while after I kiss her good night... We're "night owls". But we don't have to be at school at 8am, so it works for us...

Calendar _September 2011

2011-08-31T18:31:00.000-04:00

Here's the new fill-in calendar:
September 2011

Happy Back-to-school OR NOT-back-to-school, everyone.

We'll be homeschooling. Wish us luck! :-)

Summer list

2011-08-10T01:08:00.000-04:00

We scratched some things off our summer to-do list. There are still plenty to do though. We are not heat-loving people, so humid and hot summers are the worst time of the year for us. So, our list did not have many outdoor activities - those will be for the fall.

Here's what we did do (in no particular order):

-have a goo-making playdate. Instructions from our older post.

-have a science playdate. We did not organize that one. We made Poop. Yeah... But it was a lot of fun. And I think everyone including adults learned a thing or two. Wanna try this? Here's a good how-to.

-melt crayon bits in the car parked outside (required 3-digit heat index). I don't remember where we got the idea from. But here's what you do: put the bits of the crayons in the silicon mold, put the mold into a baking pan, and leave it on the dashboard. Park the car in the sunny location (beach parking is great). The verdict is - it works! Crayola crayons melt the best, cheap ones separate into solids and wax (though I did not have this problem when I did this in the oven).

-ride a boogie-board. It took some time to find a beach that allows boogie-boards, but it was a lot of fun.

-speaking of the beach. Sand casting seems to be a trend of the year, but we did not try this yet. The easiest one requires a bottle of glue, the more complicated one - plaster of paris. Here's the how-to from Family Fun magazine.

-another popular trend is Giant Bubbles. This video convinced me to give it a try. And it was a lot of FUN! Our neighbors stopped to admire them. We are still looking for a perfect soap recipe, it seemed that it has to be thicker than usual - the best soap so far was jelly-fied old bubble soap.

-fly a kite. Beach IS the best place for the kite. Again, not all the beaches allow kite-flying. We opened the kite-flying season this april on the lawn by the Washington Memorial in DC. It's always windy there.

-swing in a hammock. Bliss...

-grow some food. It's not true that growing veggies will make your child like them. So, grow something your child likes. This way she'll be more interested in watching them grow and helping you tend to them. For us the veggie that kiddo loves best is "cucumberry".

-go ice skating. Yes, there are rinks that are open year-round. It's nice and cold there (don't forget a sweater). The kids loved the ice "shavings" that the guys on hockey skates made for them. I guess snowballs are really cool when it's super hot. :-D

-make popsicles. I love love love my Zoku (and Magic bullet). Best way to make my picky kid eat a cup of fruit is to turn it into a popsicle. Her favorite one is Watermelon: puree watermelon with apple sauce and a dash of sugar (if using unsweetened apple sauce).

-learn to make friendship bracelets. I'll write a post on that later. To my great surprise I found a way to make bracelets that 5yo can do.

-make a rag rug. We're still working on this one. We're weaving it, so kiddo could help. It's big.

-do free crafts/activities. This is always a great opportunity to try something new. Many craft stores offer weekly make-&-take craft sessions, and some sports stores have camping inspired activities. You can also check your local library, museum or state park.

-read. If you need an incentive - join a reading club at the library. Kids get prices or certificates at the end of the summer. Another cool trick that would work with older kids - read a first chapter to them. Tell them that if they want to know what happens next - they have to finish reading the book themselves. Put/take books in the places where your kids are bored otherwise (bus rides, doctor's office, etc). My daughter loves to read in the car. She does not get car sick, somehow...

Chopsticks

2011-06-24T00:38:00.000-04:00

When we were on vacation in San Diego earlier this month, we bought a pair of kids' chopsticks. They have special rings for the fingers, teaching kids the correct way to hold chopsticks. They come in Left or Right handed versions. Our daughter loves them. She tries to eat everything with them.

And it is supposed to be good for her small motor skills. ;-)

So, if you've ever seen kids chopsticks and wondered is they really work - they do.

Monte-LEGO (or LEGO-sori)

2011-06-23T16:23:00.000-04:00

Kiddo did a huge progress in reading, so I decided we need to do a math activity for a change. And I had an epiphany: why not use LEGO bricks to make manipulatives. So, here you are: "Golden beads" activity made of LEGO single bricks. By the way, many non-Montessori schools use similar counting activities using math rods.

You need nine single units and nine 10-bars. You can also make a 100-square. (PS: The bricks are smooth and you can't feel where one ends and another begins, as with beads. So using the bricks of different colors makes it easier for a child to count them if she wants to check her answer.)

There are a lot of activities that you can do with them:
- counting. 1_2_3...9 (on single beads, then goes a 10-bar) 11_12... etc.
- count by 10.

- make up 2-digit numbers: first ask a child to make a number for you; then she's comfortable with that ask her to "read" a number you made. Then you can mix the rods with the decimal number cards to teach the child the formation of complex numbers and the matching quantity. These activities also form an impression of the hierarchy of numbers, place value, and the role of zero in determining place value.

- adding numbers without carrying over: for example here's how you do 11+12=?
make 11 (one 10-bar and one single bead) , make 12 next to it. Add 10-bars = three 10-bars = 30. Add single beads = three beads = 3. Make up the number = 33. This makes addition very concrete for small kids.
-same for subtraction.

-addition with carrying over is a bit more complex but it's also do-able. But I like using plain sticks for this.

door stopper

2011-06-22T00:44:00.000-04:00

Here's a little hack I came up with. It serves two purposes:
a) it keeps the lamp cord in place (to prevent the lamp from being accidentally pulled down);
b) it is a door stopper; it prevents the door handle from slamming into the edge of the bookcase.
Cheap. Easy. It works.

"eat me, I'm nobody"

2011-05-27T14:53:00.000-04:00

Just a quick observation...
Did you ever notice that if an animal in the kids cartoons or books is not given a voice and a name it's "nobody". You don't care about it. At all. Your kids don't care. And so, it does not bother you (or kids) when that animal gets killed, cooked, eaten, etc. (well, other animals have to eat something, right?) We have a picture in the book when the Bremen Town Musicians (Rooster among them) are sitting around the table in the robbers' house and there's a roasted chicken on it. It does not seem to bother anyone...

How to wash extra long hair using hotel sized bottle of shampoo.

2011-05-02T15:17:00.000-04:00

I have a very long hair. I like it in a bun, so it's easy to not notice that it's gotten too long. I was looking for a way to wash it efficiently, without using too much shampoo, water, etc. Here's my formula. It works great. I hope it helps you to teach your long-haired daughter not to use a whole bottle of shampoo every time she washes her hair; or helps to make your travel lighter and easier.

Step 1 - always wash your hair AFTER you wash yourself. (this way the hair will get wet thoroughly, and the clean hair will not get dirty again from soap splashes and high humidity.)

Step 2 - pretreat - take a small amount of shampoo and rub it into the scalp. Don't bother making sure that you get it on ALL the length of the hair, it's not nessesary. This is what you usually waste your
shampoo on. The oil on the hair does not let the shampoo to foam up well, and you have to use more and more. Don't bother. Rinse. Move on.

Step 3 - wash. Notice how much less shampoo you are using. Rinse. No need to repeat! Use conditioner if you like.

Step 4 - adjust the shower stream to the max (if possible) and lower the temperature a bit. Using a thick-tooth comb, comb your hair. It's easier to comb in the shower and will minimize tangles.

Step out of the shower. Dry your hair as usual.

Classic "practical life" activity

2011-04-07T19:09:00.000-04:00

Our today's practical life activity was made possible by generous donation by Daddy. His old shirt's sleeves were cut into squares that we used for this classic two-part activity. First, we fringed the edges; Then we sew on some buttons.

These are self-explanatory, and you might still remember doing this in elementary school, so, I'll just write some tips.

- use woven fabric with low thread count. It will be more difficult to fringe the edges of the sateen vs linen, e.g.
- use embroidery hoop to support the fabric when sewing on buttons.
- use blunt end needle, like the ones that are used by knitters.
- start with the buttons that have 2 holes.
Draw the diagram for the 4-hole buttons combinations and help the child figure out the directions.

- to modify the activity for younger kids:
make buttons from heavy cardstock (cut the circles and use a hole-punch to make the holes) and use a sheet of plastic canvas for the fabric. Use thin shoe laces or a plastic needle with yarn to sew.

Here's to a cat!

2011-03-30T18:34:00.000-04:00

We have a cat. It's his third birthday this spring. It was difficult at first to convince my husband to get a cat, but it was so worth it. I grew up with cats and dogs, and he never had a pet, not even a gold fish. I strongly believe that having a pet at home is essential, the pets can teach a child something that nothing else can.

First of all, let me tell you about the process of adopting an animal in US. If you have a small child -ours was 2yo at the time- most pet shelters will not even speak to you. If they do, you'll need to fill up a long form, provide some references, go through a home inspection, etc. We are very grateful we were able to find one organization that met us, talked to us, and decided that our kid won't break the kitten's neck. Thank you, FOLAS, for your trust.

I was very specific that we had to adopt a kitten, not a tiny one, but nevertheless a kitten. We've petsitted an adult cat and we knew that there was no chance in the world that a cat with a "baggage" could be trusted to be good to a small child, that we could tame the adult cat. Cats are very intelligent animals and have a much better memory than dogs. They could be loyal to a new owner who takes care of them and feeds them, but I would never trust them with a child. (here is some trivia about the cats' behaviors)

The cats grow fast. So a few months after we brought a small-ish kitten home, he grew into a behemoth. At first, the kiddo was jealous of the kitten, not letting anyone pick him up, upset when he got new toys. Almost as if we brought another baby home. She was very careful around him, and so overjoyed the first time she was allowed to hold the kitten. She called him "her brother" for some time, too. The cat was very protective of her, and very loyal to her. He was next to her when she was playing, watching over her when she was napping. They've bonded fast and well.

It's easy to spot the parents who never had a cat/dog when growing up - they get a gold fish or a hamster for their kids, because they think that this will teach the child that "having a pet = responsibility". Is not there more the kids should be getting from the experience? Well, not unless they have an intelligent pet who they can truly communicate with, like a cat or a dog. These animals can teach kids to respect others' space; to "read" the non-verbal language animals communicate with; and ultimately this will make kids safer, less likely to be attacked by a stray animal. And pets teach them about love, loyalty and trust. Can a gold fish do that? I doubt that.

So, here's to Cat. We love you. Happy Birthday! I promise to buy you some treats and pompons.

reading worksheets

2011-03-10T16:38:00.000-05:00

The kiddo made a huge progress in reading over the past few months. We are currently doing the Intermediate books (Progressive phonics books), and the Level 1 workbook (2nd grade Hooked on Phonics). Hands down, Progressive phonics is our favorite program!

We began renting books from the library for her to read by herself. We take a dozen of books, read each of them several times until she can read them well without any help.

Today we decided to try something new. I found some reading comprehension worksheets online. There are short stories, very easy for a child to read, followed by 4 questions about the story. She loved this new work! Check out the Super Teacher Worksheets website, there are lots of good printable worksheets, and not just for reading.

homemade plant-me paper

2011-02-04T16:57:00.001-05:00

We got a little seed infused plant-me card recently, and it gave me an idea that it should be easy to make them from scratch at home. You just need to make paper and add seeds into it. Easy-peasy!

I have a Paper recycling kit, that I bought a few years ago on clearance. But any old blender or mixer will suffice. I may want to purchase a cheap one at the garage sale or a thrift store as it's not a good idea to use a blender you use to make your smoothies. If you are using a paper making kit - use the tools and follow the directions that came with it. But you can also make your own frame by attaching fine mesh (like window screens) to a wooden frame.

Get your ingredients. I once make paper from dryer lint. It worked! Lint paper is very soft, felt-like and would disintegrate as soon as you get it moist. But for plant-me cards I want sturdier paper. So, I got some napkins and a handful of shredded paper. You can also use construction paper, egg cartons, newspapers - most any kind of paper, other than glossy magazines. You need to cut it into small bits, or use a shredder.
Theoretically, torn paper is better as it absorbs water faster, but shredded paper worked very well for us. As for the seeds, any small flat seeds will work fine.

Make pulp. Next put your paper bits into a bowl of hot water and leave to soak for several hours or overnight. Use a blender to puree the wet paper.

Gather pulp onto the screen. Pour the paper pulp into a tub. Slip the frame into the tub and gather a nice layer of pulp. We wanted to make thicker paper, and the result was a paper that was almost as thick and sturdy as an egg carton.

Add seeds. While the frame is still in the water, sprinkle the seeds on top of it, tap them in gently. You could have added the seeds to the pulp before pouring the mixture into the tub. We used very small seeds -Black-eyed Susan- and it was easier to sprinkle them over the paper. Also, no seeds get wasted this way.

"Wring" and dry the paper. Lift the frame up. Let it drip. Put a washcloth over the frame (or flip the frame over onto the dishtowel, whichever is easier for you). Using a sponge, gently press out as much water as you can. Peel the paper sheet off the frame and off the towel, put it on the paper towels. Let it dry undisturbed for 12-24 hr. And you can reuse or recycle these towels later.
We found that drying it on the paper towel gives you a flatter paper vs hanging it to dry.

Now you can cut your new paper into shapes, make cards using it. And don't forget to include the planting instructions before you give them to your friends.

Complete me.

2011-02-01T15:16:00.000-05:00

The kiddo is going to have a "gift exchange" at school for the Valentine's day. Since, most of the parents shop for V-day goodies at the same big-box store, we try to come up with something a bit more original (and sugar free). And it has to be something you can make cheaply, fast, in large quantities (we have 30 kids in the class this year) and with a "help" of a 5 yo.

Small kids love bubbles almost as much as they love candy; so we decided to go with bubble wands again. They were a big hit last year. I got a pack of pink bubble tubes with heart tops at the wedding aisle at the craft store (who cares that it was intended to be a wedding day favor!? Stuff at THAT aisle is more tasteful than what's sold for the V-day).

Then we made tags. We cut out small hearts, and did two thumbprints on each. We drew faces on one print, leaving the other one unfinished. I hope that the kids will draw on it after they get the bubbles. [by the way, the Thumbprint drawing book was a huge hit with my daughter]
I thought of writing "complete me", but 3-5yo aren't good at V-day humor. The back side of the tag has Kiddo's name.

We managed to squeeze in a small math lesson - skip counting by 5. We put finished tags in the piles, 5 hearts each. And then counted by 5. I was trying to make a point that skip counting allows you to count faster.

Attach the tags to the bottle tops with a piece of string.
We even decorated the box.
Ta-da!

Cutting.

2011-01-13T16:37:00.000-05:00

This is a simple "Practical Life" activity.
All you need is a letter opener and some envelopes (check your junk mail). First, glue them shut. Or have your child licking the glue strips - it's fun. Then cut them open. We only had a few enveloped today, so we had to cut the paper instead. It worked well, too.

The crazy party.

2010-12-23T13:31:00.000-05:00

We were looking for a low-key in-house Birthday party idea for our 5yo daughter. We were to have a dozen of kids from 4 to 11yo, so we needed something that would work for all of them. My idea was to make a giant ball pit.

We took out all the furniture from the bedroom, and rented over 5 000 plastic balls. (I wanted to buy them and found a manufacture, but they were sold out)
First of all, it took a while to find a party rental place that had that many balls. Also, we spent about 12 man-hours washing them as they were way too dirty. Anyway...

It was a huge success, and that's what matters. The kids had a ball (pun intended). It was very loud at times, but there were no whining or bored kids! Now the kiddo wants the balls to come back every year. I'm not so sure about that.
[PS: that's only about 2K of balls on that picture.]

Another hit was the dining table covered with sheets of drawing paper. There were some crayons for the kids to doodle with (safer option for drawing on the table than pencils or markers). It was as practical as it was fun. At some point one side of the table got too dirty, so I just replaced that sheet of paper.

We also had a self-serve sprinkles for the cupcakes, and the kids loved that as well. Non-pareils are the glitter of the baking world, so expect the mess.

thrifty Holidays 101: garland

2010-12-09T18:36:00.000-05:00

Gingerbread men garland from mailing paper

This was my favorite cutting activity when I was in kindergarten. You can say, that I was abscessed with folding the paper, drawing 1/2 silhouettes and cutting them, unfolding to see what I've got.

It's super easy. If you woke up and remembered that you were in charge of classroom decorations, and the party is today - you can still make it! Here's how to.

1) Find a piece of paper that's as long as you want your garland to be. Note, that if your garland is longer that 10 Gingerbread men, it might be too difficult to cut through that many layers of paper.

2) Decide how wide you want your design to be.

3) Fold the paper back and forth like accordion (fan fold). Draw your design on the top layer. You can either draw the whole Gingerbread man or just a 1/2 of it. Make sure their hands are touching at the folded edge. If you're making a very long garland, you can make a wider folds and draw 2 men, or Gingerbread man and a Snowman.
4) Cut out your garland, being sure not to cut the fold lines under the hands.

5) Open up the garland.

6) Iron it with a hot iron with steam turned off.

7) For extra credit, decorate the Gingerbread men.

Happy Hanukah

2010-12-06T17:45:00.000-05:00

This is a Menorah bagel we made as a Hanukah snack. Our little one is allergic to eggs among other things, and there aren't that many traditional Hanukah foods she can have. But I just wanted to point out that a little out-of-box thinking can turn the plain snack of bagel and carrots with some dip into a unique, festive (ok, maybe not so festive, but attractive) dish. I think it will also work for kiddo's Birthday. :-)

Very easy holiday cards

2010-11-30T14:28:00.000-05:00

Here are two simple ideas for Holiday cards your 3-5 yo can make with minimum help. Another hidden benefit of kid-made card is that they are so cute you don't have to write a message! A simple "Happy New Year" scribbled by your preschooler is more than enough.

Draw (or have your child draw) a simple tree shape (a triangle over a small rectangle).

Cut construction paper (scraps left over from some other project are perfect) into tiny pieces, the smaller the better.

Starting at the bottom of the tree, apply glue row by row, put the paper pieces on, apply more glue, keep going until you're done.

Draw a tree-topper or make one from paper pieces.

Scribble a short note inside the card (write it on a piece of paper so your child could copy it).

Make as many cards as you need. Mail them to friends and family.

And here are the cards we made last year (with almost-4-yo.).

Scribble a snowman (or a Xmas tree). Use the stick-on foam mosaic pieces to decorate it.

December calendar template

2010-11-29T15:45:00.000-05:00

Wow, is it December already!? Where did the year go?

If you came here looking for a calendar templates, this is your lucky day. Lots of snowflakes.
I promise to put some easy ideas for Holiday cards. We're working on them now.

Fill-in calendar December 2010

November calendar template

2010-10-29T18:23:00.000-04:00

Here's the link to November template. Enjoy!

November 2010 fill-in calendar

She's reading!

2010-10-26T11:32:00.000-04:00

It finally happened. The little N. overcame the fear of "long" sentences and became to read. The excitement of the child who just discovered that she can read the whole book all by herself is priceless!

She was able to read phonetic words for a while now, but she was intimidated by sentences. It was funny, because she'd choose to read 50 words instead of 10 sentences. But now, she's excited and proud of herself, and she loves reading the BOB books or Hooked on Phonics books. She reads TO us at the bedtime now; she reads to her toys at the playtime; she reads to herself...

I also finally found a guide I was searching for - The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading. It has a step-by-step lesson plans that take you from teaching letters and letter sounds to reading "supercalifragilisticexpialidocious". And the lesson should take you only 10-30 min a day. It's the first time I opened the primer and said to myself: "Yeah, I can do this. I can teach my child to read, even if the school keeps discouraging her from reading." (long story)

The other reading activity that we recently got is a Very Silly sentences game. It won't teach the child to read, but it will introduce him to the idea of the sentence structure and parts of speech.

October calendar template

2010-09-30T14:08:00.000-04:00

Calendar Template

The monthly calendars became one of the favorite activities here. It gives kiddo a chance to practice counting and writing numbers (without her realizing the hidden agenda), and it gives her a chance to draw a picture and have it displayed on the fridge for a full month! It also helps her to get the concept of time. She does not need to ask "How many days till..." - now she just counts the days on the calendar. She can also figure out whether there is a school day or a weekend. See, I told you there's plenty of hidden agenda, yet she LOVES them.

So, for a few days she was reminding me that we need to print out a new calendar. And here it is. I finally figured out how to upload it somewhere, so you could also print out your own copy. Note that I only write the first and last day of the month, because I know that kiddo is capable of filling in the blanks. Add more numbers if your child is not yet comfortable writing all the numbers by himself.

Oobleck.

2010-09-27T19:01:00.000-04:00

Yesterday we went to the Maker Faire. It was brilliant. All of us have found something to do. And we had a lot of fun. Kiddo's favorite was a vat full of OOBLECK. You might know that we are fond of goop (see here how we made a batch of blue goo). This is a type of goo we have not made yet. And I doubt that we'll ever be able to make THAT much of it.

Oobleck is a mixture of starch and water. It's a non-newtonian liquid. It's fluid and it's hard all at the same time. Kids had a blast running and jumping, and doing a handstand in the vat-full of this stuff. If you run on it, it feels just like rubber; but if you stop, you start sinking in, and it feels like sticky mud. It's weird. It's fun! I should make some next time we have some kids over at our house.

Here's the video of oobleck from the Craftzine blog, the organizers of the Maker Faire.

PS: can you tell that she also liked making the mask? She was wearing it the whole day!

Magic

2010-08-21T23:12:00.002-04:00

I think everybody needs to know how to perform a trick or two, especially parents. I'm not a big fan of tricks that use a fake deck of cards. Nor can I do any of the coin tricks.

So here are two simple ones that everyone can learn. They don't require any special equipment or skill. And they are really easy to master.

Balloon on a Skewer.
You will need:
-balloon
-wooden skewer
-a dab of dish soap.

Watch Steve Spangler demonstrating it here:

It really works! Beware that some kids might get upset when they see you popping the balloon. Make sure it's not the last balloon in the house.

Have a tougher audience? Try this Arm Twisting trick that David Copperfield and David Blaine often used in their shows. It IS easy to do. Just watch this video.

If you like illusions better, check out my post about thaumatrope.

What's that number?

2010-08-10T15:11:00.000-04:00

Little N., who is 4.5yo, can count from 1 to 100, she understands the value of the numbers (like 10 is less than 100), she also knows the names of 100s (one hundred, two hundred, etc); what she can't do is count by 1 from 100 on (101-102-103, etc) or to name the 3-digit numbers (123 is not called "one-two-three"). So, to help her learn that I've made a home version of Montessori Decimal Cards. You can buy them for $20 plus shipping, but the fact is, that for many activities you need more than one set, and then it becomes too expensive.

I've printed out mine on a regular paper for now before I get the time to make the cards from the Sturdy Board. You can also either glue the print-out onto the card stock, or laminate it.

Before you begin, make sure that your child can name all the 100s, 10s and single digit numbers. Or use the cards to teach her what they are called. This is a first step. You can use the decimal cards in many ways, but I'll only tell you about one "game" today. It's primary purpose it to help the child figure out the concept of naming 3-digit numbers.

He's how you do it. First, show the cards to the child. Ask her to name them. Start with ones, then do tens and hundreds. If she gets bored quickly, then randomly draw some cards out and ask her to name them.

Next tell her that you are going to make some numbers and learn how to name them. The numbers on the cards are color coded (all the 100s are red for example, and 10s are blue). Take one of the 10s card [50, e.g.], put it down and say [50]. Then take a single digit one [4 e.g], put it on top of the 10s card so it covers the 0 [say "4"]. Say [54]. Now ask your child to make and name a 2-digit number.

Now do the same thing but using the 100s, 10s and 1s. If your child says 2 instead of 200, take the top cards off and show her the bottom card. Say: "this card is called 200, not 2. You should say the name of this card". Do groups of numbers like 101, 110 and 111 (pattern wise). Note that the numbers like 213, 314 (the ones that have teens in them) might be more difficult to decode.

Don't forget to praise your child's efforts. Practice this game a few times, and you'll be amazed how quick she'll learn it.

The video of little N. calling out the numbers is coming soon. And also the template so you could make your own set.

How to clean your toothbrush

2010-08-07T09:39:00.001-04:00

Everyone knows that it's recommended to replace the toothbrush every 3 months, but I'm not sure I know anyone who actually does that. The toothbrushes are of such high quality now that they can live much longer than that IF you clean them well (and don't chew on them). It is not enough to just rinse them thoroughly after use. This is how I "deep clean" ours.

Fill a cup (one per each toothbrush) with 1:1 solution of hydrogen peroxide and hot water. You don't need much, but it has to cover the head of the brush. Put a toothbrush in there head down. Leave for a few hours. If you around, you may want to swish the brush sometimes, but it is not essential.

There's going to be some fizzing. All the yucky stuff that was on the brush will fall off. Rinse. Enjoy your clean brush.

Proper pencil grip in 3 easy steps

2010-08-06T12:13:00.000-04:00

Teaching a child to hold a pencil correctly is important, and since you've landed here, you probably know that. This is the easiest way I've found so far. I did not invent it, I saw it in a japanese activity book for kids. Below are the pictures of me demonstrating the 3 easy steps. It works equally will for lefties.

If you're looking for more handwriting tools, I recommend checking out Handwriting without tears workbooks or for smaller kids getting one of the Grasshopper kits. Check out my earlier post on them here: "getting small hands ready for school".

Cookies and Shrinky DInks.

2010-08-01T23:02:00.000-04:00

Imagine the kids disappointment when they've been promised a trip to the beach but woke up to a rain. But apparently, once they heard "Let's bake some cookies", they forgot all about the beach and the rain.

And so we've made some vegan allergen-free chocolate chip cookies (for a 4yo who's allergic to milk and eggs) and some walnut puffs (also vegan, btw) for everyone else. From scratch. We used up all the flour, butter, nuts, colored sugar that we had in the house.
Oooh, yum yum. These melt in your mouth. I don't even mind setting the smoke alarm off. Something is wrong with this wax paper, it starts to smoke very fast...

Then the kids got another surprise treat - Shrinky Dinks. I collect the tops and bottoms from the take-out containers made from #6 plastic, and that's what we used. They got out Sharpies, drew some pictures, and, armed with a flashlight, set in front of the oven window watching their creations bubble and flatten again. They called it a "magic show" and were super impressed. And here's a little how-to, if you've never done shrinky dinks before.

Take a piece of #6 plastic (or a special shrinky dinks plastic sheet), cut it into a desired form. It should be 2:1 or 3:1 in size (meaning that the result will be 2 or 3 times smaller than the original). Don't worry about the colors being dull as they will get more vivid after "baking".

Bonus: If you have older kids, you can ask them to measure their shrinkies before and after and calculate how much they've shrunk.

Decorate it using permanent markers. This is a picture of our cat as drawn by my 4yo daughter.

Put it on a sheet of aluminum foil and into a hot oven, 300-350F works fine.

Watch it carefully. The "baking" only takes a couple of minuted. Enjoy the "magic show".

Take it out as soon as it's flat. You have a few seconds to flatten it more before it cools down completely. You can use them as game tokens, or drill holes in them and make bag tags or necklaces.

vacation

2010-07-27T11:51:00.000-04:00

Hi, sorry for being MIA, we were visiting my family in Russia. Me and my 4yo daughter, who has some food allergies... and that is what the post is all about.

She's allergic to milk and eggs (and possibly to some nuts or legumes). She is a somewhat picky eater (I suppose, many kids with allergies are cautious than trying new foods), but when at home she has enough choices to pick from. I'm not sure if this is true for everyone, but every time we travel outside the US, our child has very limited food choices. Eating out becomes impossible unless there is a McDonald's around. The ingredients are not always listed on products in Russia. Very often pasta and baked goods are sold by weight, and so there's no package to look at. Also, hot dogs and sausages commonly have milk or cream in them. We were not able to find a single variety that was safe for her to eat.

What did she eat for three weeks? At least we could cook... We took a box of Cherrybrook Kitchen Original Pancake Mix with us, so I was able to make her pancakes. We found a brand of pelmeni (Russian style meat tortellini) that had no milk/eggs. She ate mac and kasha (buckwheat), potatoes, meat; and various berries that were in season. For snack she had "sushki" - small, crunchy, mildly sweet bread rings which can be eaten for dessert (from wikipedia). The only fast food choice she had was french fries, so I had to make sure we had enough food with us when we were out and about. It seems counterintuitive, but it's a lot easier to feed a child who has diabetes than a child who has food allergies. But it is true.

I'm curious how other people handle travel and food issues. Especially when you stay in hotel and have no stove.

tie-dye

2010-07-03T23:43:00.000-04:00

I had a 10 year old in my care this week, so I finally had an excuse to try tie-dyeing. I bought a Tie Dye Kit and a bunch of t-shirts. We watched the DVD that came with the kit, and the girls picked their favorites folds. We had enough t-shirt to try all the basic folds: spiral, "bull's eye" (best on bandanas!), vertical and horizontal stripes and crinkle.

Here's what we've learned. Tie-dye is fun, easy, and the results are great. The girls were very happy with their t-shirts and proudly wore them the next day, telling everyone that they've made them themselves.

The kit came with everything we needed: dyes, soda ash, rubber bands and gloves (and a DVD and instructions, of course). I used the regular kitchen gloves, because they stay on better, especially on the small kids' hands. In addition to the kit, you will also need gallon size ziplock bags, one per each item you paint.

The process was not very messy, but it took a long time, and there were a lot of "Are the t-shirts ready?" We made some Jello while the folded shirts were pre-soaking in soda ash solution.

We had t-shirts of different quality, all brand new, the best results were on 95% cotton/5% spandex t-shirts from Target; the worst on 50/50 cotton from Hanes. We also dyed worn, washed, not-so-white-anymore socks, and these turned out great.

We painted 10 t-shirts, two pairs of socks, bandana and a hand towel. And there still was some dye left. The dyes have to be used within 2 weeks of mixing, so if the package says that you can paint 10-15 shirts, make sure to get that many.

Here are some of the t-shirts we made:

a) two-color spiral.

b) two-color vertical stripes (stripes are the easiest to make)

c) three-color spiral.

d) three-color horizontal stripes.

Portable Dollhouse

2010-06-18T23:32:00.003-04:00

Kids like small things. And kids like to play with miniature versions of real life objects. So, sooner or later you end up with a box full of small dolls, animals, furniture and accessories. You might go and get a dollhouse, or if you are like me, you might decide to make one instead.

This is our recent project. The Dollhouse. It took only an hour to put it together. It's portable. It's cat proof (can be closed and put away). It does not take a lot of space, and is easy to clean up: all pieces stay inside the suitcase when the playtime is over.

Here's how we made it. Take one cardboard suitcase. We had a medium size one, and the room is spacious enough for two kids to play together at the same time, or to use larger furniture, if you wish.

We used a Calico Critters Deluxe Kitchen Set.

Open the suitcase. Line the "floor" with some scrap paper or newspaper, trace along the perimeter. Take another sheet of paper and repeat for the "wall". Take it out, carefully cut along the lines. Now you have your templates.

Take some construction paper, scrapbook paper or contact paper, trace the templates, cut out carefully. Affix the "flooring" first, using double sided tape or glue. Open and close the suitcase a few time to create the crease.

I used the Contact cork for the floor. The result is nice and cork is more resistant to scratches, but it will be more difficult to remove, should I ever change my mind.

Glue the "wallpaper". I used a sheet of scrapbooking paper. I glued it on with the regular school glue.

Arrange the furniture. You may use a double sided tape or a mounting tape to affix the pieces to the "floor" and/or "walls".

I think I'll make a "window" to put above the sink/counter. To do this, you can either buy a Dollhouse window or just make a pair of curtains and a small picture (aka "the view"), and glue this onto the wall.

The only thing left now it to invite some toys over for a house warming party. Enjoy!

Coloring skills evolution

2010-06-09T22:16:00.000-04:00

I've just noticed this, and I wanted to share. I was sorting out the pictures that my daughter made over the last couple of years and I could clearly see that there were several different phases of coloring skills development. This is based just on my observations of my own child. She never had art lessons.

1) If you give a coloring book to a toddler, he'll be doodling on it as if the list is blank. The fact that the crayon leaves a colored line is too fascinating for a child and he is too occupied trying to figure it out so he does not notice the image on the paper, he would not care to color it.

2) The child notices the image, and uses the crayon to color it. But he is not coloring, he's examine the image, points to the parts that interest him, and the crayon colors them. For example, the child first notes the face, doodles on it, when goes on to a next face/object that interests him on the picture (if any) or proceeds to the next picture. He can make as little as a few strokes.

3) The child colors the whole image with the crayon just to cover it, he is not even trying to stay in lines. Covered = Colored.

4) The child colors the image area by area, trying to stay in lines if possible, BUT forgets to change the crayon OR changes the color but just because he's tired of yellow and he wants blue now, not because the scene needs it. So the end result may be very similar to the stage (3) unless you can see the strokes or watch the process. The child will most often color only the main object of the scene or the one that interest him the most, leaving the rest of the page blank. (image on the left = 3.5 yo)

5) The child colors the image using different colors, thoughtfully assigning the color to a specific area. The colors are not always true to life (the clouds can be orange, and the trees purple). The child soon learns to use the yellow crayon to color all the areas that need to be yellow before putting it down and taking another one. He is likely to color the whole scene not just the main object. (image on the left = 4 yo)

6) The child may add his own details to fill up the blank page, such as a sky, clouds, sun, grass, etc. He makes the coloring book page look more like a free-hand artwork. (image on the left = 4.5 yo)

7) The child tries to make colors true-to-life. I don't think that, unless the child is taught so, he'll ever attempt to make images look 3 dimensional (by adding shades, shadows, using mixed colors -like different shades of yellow, red and brown to color a leaf).

Do you pay attention to how your kids color/draw? I would like to hear what other people think about my theory. I'm sure that professionals like OTs and art teachers can explain why exactly the child does what he does. And I know that the key answers will be concentration skills and hand skills (strength and endurance). This is fascinating to me nevertheless.

Propellers

2010-06-03T15:12:00.000-04:00

We went to a science museum this weekend, and we bought a simple toy at the gift shop. It basically is a propeller on a stick. To launch it (note that the propeller stays ON the stick, it does not fly off), hold the stick between the palms of your hands. Quickly slide your right hand forward while keeping it pressed against the left hand.

Aside from being a fun toy to watch flying or to try to catch, it is a good practice for hand-eye coordination. You can buy it on Amazon.

Rocket Science

2010-05-26T15:30:00.000-04:00

Preschoolers may be too young to understand the Third Law of Motion, but they still have a lot of fun watching Alka-Seltzer rockets soar. Forget about paper templates, to make a rocket easy enough for a small child to handle, all you need is:

- clear air-tight plastic canister (e.g. film canister) - rocket's body
- stickers, permanent markers, etc - to decorate your rocket (optional)
- Alka-Seltzer ORIGINAL pill, broken into 4 pieces - rocket fuel
- water
- flat surface in the open area (e.g. driveway, patio) - launch pad

1) Turn your can lid-side down. Decorate the rocket, making sure that you can put the lid on and off easily.
2) Go to your launch pad, make sure there is no breakable things within 6 ft (2 meters) off the launching area.
3) When ready to launch, put 2 tablespoons of water in the rocket, put 1/4 of Alka-Seltzer pill into the water, QUICKLY snap the lid on, turn the rocket right-side up and set it on the launch pad. DO NOT try to pick up your rocket up once you set it down for launch.
4) Step away! Count backwards from 10. And watch your rocket take off.

Once your rocket has launched, collect the rocket, cap and leftover fuel. Clean it up, and it's ready to go again.

Crochet flower pattern

2010-05-20T23:46:00.000-04:00

I see more and more things for little girls decorated with crochet flowers. Dresses, hair accessories, bags, scarfs - most anything nowadays gets decorated with crochet flowers. It's very cute, romantic and very "homey", but a pair of hair barrettes with crochet flowers can cost as much as $5! There's no way I'm going to pay that much for something my daughter will lose right after leaving the house.

If you know how to crochet -just basic stitches, really- you can make your own flowers in just a few minutes. And then you can decorate your little girl's things. Not only she'll look trendy but she'll be proud to tell everyone that her mom (grandma, aunt...) made these for her.

I don't know how to write the crochet patterns, so I've made a chart instead:

Notes: Use two different colors to make a "daisy", or use one color and sew a button in the middle.
I recommend using mercerized cotton yarn as it's very strong and "shiny". It also washes well.

Catching a ball

2010-05-18T18:44:00.000-04:00

This came up in the conversation today...
Do you know how to tell a difference between 3.5 and 4.5 yo? Ask a kid to catch a ball. The eye-hand coordination is much better in 4 yo.

When my daughter was learning to catch a ball, we did not use a ball, we used a ... balloon! Yes, that's right, regular air filled ballon.

A ballon falls slower, giving a toddler a change to track it with his eyes and get his hands ready for catching. It also it lightweight and easy to hold. And it's won't break the chandelier should it be thrown too high.

"Can I paint on your computer?"

2010-05-11T22:36:00.002-04:00

We have an EEE PC (with Linux) that we bought for travels. It came with a Tux Paint software that our daughter, then 3, mastered quickly. It was and still is a big life saver during long flights.

The program has an easy kid-friendly but not too-cartoony interface, and a very good set of tools (brushes, stamps, "magic" effects, etc) and some coloring pages. It's all your child needs and even more.

It supports various operation systems, so it will run on whatever you have. And you know what the best part is? It's FREE! You can download it from their website: tuxpaint.org

We also got some "painting" apps for iPod. They are not exactly drawing apps, but are fun nevertheless.

Doodle Kids -this is good for small ones, there are no tools or controls, everything is random. All you do is doodle. But doodling is good too, right?

Make a Martian - this is an alien making "factory". It's fun, cute, simple, and makes my daughter giggle every time she plays with it.

If you like an educational twist, the Dot-to-Dot Number Whiz is a good one. The level of difficulty can be adjusted. So your child can practice 123s or ABCs, or skip counting.

Let me know in the comments if you know about any other good paint/doodle apps for small kids.

(photo by mamalya, snapshot of the Martian we made)

Printable calendar template

2010-05-02T01:50:00.002-04:00

It's May, and it's time for a new calendar. We have a little tradition: we print out a monthly calendar, our daughter draws a picture and writes in the numbers. Then we put it on the fridge, and every day she makes sure to move a magnet to the right date. You can read more about it in the earlier post.

You can see that I wrote some of the dates, this is what is called "control of error", it allows a child to do the work independently (fill in the blanks), and to be able to check whether or not the numbers are in order. Depending on where your child is, you can write in as many numbers as needed. Filling in the blank spaces with flowers also gives a child a signal that they need to stop. You know that a 4yo will keep writing 32-33-34-etc. until she runs out of paper.

If you'd like, you can download my template to use at home. I'm not sure how I can "attach" a pdf, so the template is in jpg for now.

Making a Lid-Bot.

2010-04-28T21:08:00.002-04:00

Hello.
We've had a family craft time this week. We made a Lid-bot, which is a robot, made from lids.

We'd been waiting to do this project for a long time, since it took a while to collect a basket full of lids and caps. The original inspiration came from Lidmen. Actually, I wanted to make a puppet, but the assembly of the robot took longer than expected, and it was too much for kiddo.

All you need is:
-bunch of caps/lids, big and small
-thread
-drill

Learning from our first try, I would recommend pre-drilling the lids before calling your child over. Let your child design a lid-bot by laying the pieces on the table (or rug). It also helps to take a picture of the layout before you start the assembly, this way if it gets messed up or you get interrupted, you'll still remember what the original plan was. Once you pre-drill the holes, your child can help you thread the lids on to the strings. You can also use permanent markers to draw a face or decorations on your 'bot. You can even spray paint the whole thing, if you like.

These are the pictures of the 'bots layout we tried. This was the kiddo's favorite part! Most of our lids are from soda/juice/water bottles, the larger ones are from the spices, deodorant, shaving cream, the girl bot's skirt is from the laundry detergent; we also used straws from old sippy cups for making limbs and inside the lidbot's chest to connect his stomach to his neck.

Overall, it's a fun family project, that costs nothing. The design possibilities are endless. But you WILL get addicted to lid collecting.

Happy crafting!

(photos by Mamalya)

Jacket flip

2010-04-25T00:30:00.001-04:00

First of all, thank you to everybody for stopping by.

After I wrote about the shoe tying trick, I've realized that I've never posted the "jacket flip" that both girls used to do before they learned to put their coats on the traditional way. The jacket flip is taught at Montessori schools and some daycare centers. It works best on kids from 1 to 3 years old.

a) lay the jacket on the floor with the collar at the child's feet.
b) put the arms into the sleeves.
c) raise the arms up, over your head and then down [as if drawing a circle in the air].
done.

Small kids usually want to do things by themselves but we, parents, rarely have an opportunity to give them the time they need to do so. They need to practice a particular skill over and over until it's mastered and they can put that jacket on fast enough so we don't rush to put it on for them in the morning. As with academic skills, it is important to give kids an opportunity to learn to care for themselves. Teach them to dress themselves; let them help to set the table, get their own snack, etc. Not only does this help to boost their self confidence and sense of independence, but it also trains their motor skills; it teaches order of events; patience, etc. Incorporate this little activities into your routine. Ultimately, this also make your life a bit easier.

(photos by Mamalya)

one-two, TIE my shoe

2010-04-19T16:24:00.004-04:00

There are a lot of products designed to help kids learn to tie their shoes, like the Tie Buddies.
Here's my homemade shoe tying aid. If your kid can tie a knot - she can tie her shoes! Guaranteed. It works just like the Tie Buddies, but costs nothing.

Preparation. Make a simple loop knot in the middle of each shoe lace.

To tie the shoes

Step one: hold the shoe laces by the aglets (plastic or metal sheath at the end of the laces), tie a regular knot.

Step two: hold the laces just below the loop knots, tie a regular knot again. Congratulations! You just tied your shoes!

Please, leave a comment whether or not this worked for your child.

(photos by Mamalya)

Walmart thinks I've got a new baby.

2010-04-13T14:01:00.000-04:00

All of a sudden I began receiving tons of baby related coupons and offers in the mail. I even got two cans of formula! I had to carefully line the letters up, and call the companies one by one and ask them to remove me from their mailing lists because I don't have a new baby and I'm not planning to get pregnant any time soon.

But I wanted to know how I made it into their databases and who sold me... It was a long investigation, which lead me to one purchase at Walmart made on my credit card. You see, I bought a Preemie size set for a baby doll my niece has; preemie clothing is a perfect size for it, and is of a much better quality than any doll clothing.

I would never suspect that ONE purchase would be enough to suspect that I have a baby and need coupons and diapers, and start attacking me with unsolicited offers! Now I can't find a way to contact Walmart and get myself removed from their list. But the lesson is learned - if I ever want to buy a baby clothing or baby food (I buy it sometimes for making pop-sickles), I will make sure to pay IN CASH, especially in Walmart.

Dandelions

2010-04-12T18:34:00.000-04:00

Spring is here! In fact, we had a record high heat last week. We're starting the garden. Kiddo said that she's "going to grow flowers and mommy is going to grow food and leaves" (aka Basil). But more on this later...

Right now N. is the most excited about the dandelions. She takes her basket and goes outside to pick some flowers. Dandelions should be called "The official flower of the Childhood". The child never gets "no" if she wants to pick up a bouquet of dandelion, or make a diadem. On contrary, she might even get her parents to help her.
And how exciting it is to watch the yellow flowers turn into big white fluffy balls; and then blow hard on them and watch them fly away...
No, there is definitely no other flowers that bring as much joy to small children as dandelions.

(photo by Mamalya)

Calendar

2010-04-09T16:44:00.000-04:00

"I never tried this today" "Are we there yet?" "Is it tomorrow now?" Small kids have no sense of time. Presenting them with a visual calendars seems to help a lot.

We first started to make our calendars in December. There were simply too many things scheduled for little N. to keep track of: Birthday, Party (try to explain to a 4 yo why these two are not on the same day!), Holidays, School show, etc... So we made a Block calendar. We took a "post-it" block, counted out 31 pages. Then we helped N. to write the numbers on each page, and then we drew pictures that symbolized the event. It was a success. There were no more questions about "when" and "why not now". She also loved being in charge of the calendar, taking a leaf off every morning.

Now we do monthly calendars. With a space for a picture (either to color or to draw, depending on what we feel like). The order of the events and the idea of time are not the only things that kids learn when they make their own calendars. They can practice counting, writing, drawing or coloring; they learn days of the week and months. You can also count how many days are until the special event.

TIP: For the younger kids, fill in some of the numbers and/or use a yellow highlighter to write the numbers for them to trace.

Her hand in mine

2010-03-31T01:35:00.000-04:00

In our busy lives with tight schedules, planned events, a lot of
pressure, we tend to ask too much from our little ones. We expect them
to keep up with our pace, making them grow up faster.
This is a small tip I've got some time ago from the teachers in my
daughter's Montessori school. When you tuck you child in tonight, take
her hand. Look at how small it is. Think how little this hand has
done, how little time it has spent in this world. Childhood is a
magical time, but it is ever so short. Make the memories that will
last a lifetime. Give them youselves. Give them your time.
Turn your phone off. Run outside with a paper boat and sail it in the
puddles. Look for some bugs together. Have a dance party before
dinner. Have fun. Together. Put the rest of the world on hold.
The other thing is that it is also important not to rush your child
all the time and let her finish a task by herself. This helps the
child to develop self confidence. Teach her to dress herself, set the
table and use utencils, write her name or tie her shoes. Let her help
with daily tasks even if they will take longer to complete.
Slow down. Hold your child's hand...

Awesome radio show for small kids.

2010-03-25T17:03:00.001-04:00

Sorry for being MIA. I'm being an on-call tour guide/translator for a group of teen-age ballerinas who came to NY from my hometown in Siberia.

I wanted to tell you about our favorite podcast. It's from the CBeebies - a BBC radio station for small kids. You can listen to them online or subscribe to the podcast on iTunes.

Each of the 30 minute podcast includes a song, a rhyme, silly jokes, "count out loud" game, and an action game like "musical statues" or "follow-me". We've been really enjoying listening to the CBeebies in the car and dancing to the CBeebies beat.

Little N. learned the silly ending to the "row your boat" and she even wants to tell it to her friends and teachers at school (she does not like to be in the spotlight, so this IS a big deal). It goes like this:

Row, row, row your boat gently down the stream.

If you see a crocodile, don't forget to scream AAAAAAAAAAA!

I don't know, and could not find, any online or radio shows for small kids here in US that are fun, educational, simple and appropriate for preschoolers. So, if you're reading this and you live in UK, know that we envy you. Because you have some really good stuff.

Family game night for the small players (3+)

2010-03-20T22:30:00.002-04:00

I've already wrote about our love for board games and about the games suitable for the tiniest players.

Now, let's go back to the shelf and see what we can find for the preschoolers. This looks like it's going to be a Haba edition. All the games in this list are made by Haba. Their games are very creative and are of a superb quality. Should you ever lose a game piece, Haba will replace it.

Our favorite game [in the whole world] is Kikeriki. It allows you to play 4 different games. But we only play one. Because we like it so.

Dwarfs Mini game is a very simple game. And it is a lot of fun to "steal" pieces from your parents! It comes in a tiny tin box. Fits in your pocket or your child's pocket. So it is perfect for playing in the doctor's office or restaurant, or airplane. The game round takes between 2 and 10 minutes.

The Orchard (we have a tin version. The game pieces are tiny but we have not lost any in 2 years) is a cooperative game: all the players vs the raven. Who will get the fruits first?

We have other games that we play w/o rules:
Tottering Towers - the rules that came with the game are too complicated. So we play it like the Dwarfs game and then see who's tower is higher.
Lucky sock dip - we don't play as a race, we just use it as a matching activity.
Hedgehog mini game - the rules are a bit difficult to explain to a 4yo, so we're playing it by ourselves for now. It's fun, but some logic skills are required.

(image: Mamalya)

Identity crisis

2010-03-19T22:02:00.004-04:00

I've been thinking about this post for a while now...

Last summer little N. started calling herself "Kitty Princess". It came from nowhere. We were never able to locate the origin of this nickname. We thought of her favorite toy - a funky orange cat that she took to bed with her every night. We thought of all the cartoons she watched and the books we read. Nothing.

It was cute at first. We saw it as a phase and played along. Little did we know that this will last long enough to become really annoying. By the winter if anyone called her "sweetie", "dear", etc., she would immediately correct the person telling her/him that her name is "Kitty princess" and that's how she should be called (and mommy is a "deer/dear" and daddy is a "duck", don't ask me why). When they began to learn their full names and addresses at school, she even told the teachers that her last name is Kitty Princess. The "phase" turned obsession and went out of control. She even meows when she cries!

Recently we were discussing the Halloween, and N. said that she wants to be a butterfly. I said, OK. For a few days she called herself a butterfly, but then stopped (she will say that she's a butterfly if we ask her).

And so the "Kitty Princess" phase was over, just like that. And you know what? I kind of miss it. I don't understand it. I don't think that either my sis (mamolya) or I, or any child I know had ever nicknamed herself.

PS: if you ask her, she still thinks that our cat is her "boy sister".

"Magic" for kids

2010-03-17T19:50:00.003-04:00

This is a very simple project to do with your kids.
It's called "Thaumatrope". You can explain to the kids that this is how animation works, or you can just call it a "magic trick". Spinning the thaumatrope is a good exercise for little hands. It helps to improve a eye-hand coordination.

Print out the template or make your own design and follow the directions below.
You will need:
-Paper
-Pencil
-Glue or scotch tape.

1. Print out the template.

2. Cut out the circles. If your child is old enough to work with scissors, let her do that herself.

3. Align the circles back-to-back. Put it on the window or against the light to check that the butterflies are above the flower.

4. Glue the circles together.

5. Insert a pencil.

6. Use a piece of scotch tape to secure the pencil.

7. Hold it between your palms. "Grind" your palms again each other. And watch the new [combined] image appear as the thaumatrope spins.

Have fun!

(images by Mamalya)

Wakey-wakey, little Snakey

2010-03-09T23:08:00.003-05:00

The spring is here. A few days ago we found a tiny flower, and immediately N. proclaimed that it's the best day ever, and a very beautiful one.

Today we were cleaning the back yard. We checked on the flowers, found the buds and were very happy about it. Cleaned our veggie boxes (one box has strawberries planted last year, another one will be converted into a flower bed, because of its location). We also cut down some not-so-wanted trees and raked the leaves.

All this time I was thinking how much I hate being the one to clean up there, since I could find some sleeping snakes. Little did I know that later I will find one by the side of the shed. Small garden snake. I took it and put it in a large cardboard box (so N. could look at it safely and I could finish up raking). The snake "woke up" and began moving around trying to find a new "bedroom", then curled up and went back to sleep. Kiddo had a great time watching it. And she was crying when it finally was time to release the Snakey back into the yard. "No, dear, we can't keep the Snakey. He wants to go back to HIS family".

Meaningful activities

2010-03-08T13:06:00.002-05:00

I find it challenging to find "activities" for my child. I have to compete with her Montessori school. She does not want toys, she wants activities, preferably meaningful ones. Who wants to play pretend cooking when you can help make meatballs or pancake batter!?

So today I'll share a couple of activities we did with her last week. Our first activity was loop loom weaving. We went to a craft store and got a loop loom and a bag of loops. The cotton loops were too tight, we had to stretch them in order to make weaving easier. This was a fun activity per se.

She got an over-under-over-under pattern quickly and we made a potholder. Overall, it was a fun experience, and something a child could definitely do with little help or supervision. It's easy to keep the tension right comparing to a peg loom. I wonder if it is possible to weave using a string of yarn instead of the loops. We have a ton of old t-shirts that we are planning to cut into strips for future weaving projects. And I will make a peg loom just to have her try it.

Another activity repotting the violets. We bought two pots on our recent trip to IKEA for the violets that outgrew their small pots. So it was time for them to get new bigger ones. I did not even get a pot and a plant yet, when N. was already waiting for me armed with a plastic spade. She enjoyed scooping soil and putting it into the pot. Meanwhile we discussed the gardening plans for the summer. She asked if she could have a flower garden of her own. And I said "yes", because I remember my own "garden" (a 4 in wide strip of dirt alongside of the greenhouse in my grandparents' garden) and how fond and proud I was of it.

I prepped the plants, and potted them while N. ran and got our watering can and some water, then she carefully watered the flowers. She truly enjoyed the whole experience.

(images by Mamalya)

Beach must-have

2010-03-03T19:21:00.002-05:00

We are back from vacation. It was an exciting one: we survived the tsunami scare and got some yummy ahi for lunch; learned a lot about Hawaiian history (the flag makes you want to visit Wikipedia); tried Spam musubi; and much more...

But today's post is about a must have item that should be in everyone's beach bag but very few people actually have it – baby powder. Seriously, it will change your life.

Unless the beach is a short walk away, you have to dry yourself up and change back into your shirt and pants. But it's unbelievably difficult to rinse off all the sand. And that is what the powder is for. Just sprinkle some on yourself after you get dry and wipe off. The sand falls right off. You can have an itch free drive home. Guaranteed.

(image by Mamalya: Hanauma Bay, Hawaii)

The very long flight

2010-02-26T13:23:00.002-05:00

We spent the whole day strapped to our chairs twenty something thousand miles up in a sky. We flew from gray rainy day in NJ to ever sunny Hawaii.
As usually we've drawn too much attention to ourselves in the airport as little N drove her bright green Trunki across the terminal. Trunki is a hard case suitcase that the child can sit on while you pull it behind youself or she can pull it by herself if it's more convenient.
(it looks like Melissa & Doug will be an oficial distributor in US, so they might be coming to major stores soon. We bought ours from a kid boutique).

The flight was never-ending. It's difficult to convince a four-year old that time goes faster when we sleep; or that we need sleep because we woke up at the crack of dawn... So she was restless and we all were tired. Somehow Transcontinental flights are easier than extra-long
local ones.

The Trunki (our in-flight entertainment bag) was packed with snack bars, juice boxes; coloring books and crayons; a deck of Uno and a deck of Go fish!; iPod and a small laptop. For the first portion of the flight N played with her purple beany bear and was learning to use the wild cards in Uno (apperantly it's fun to make daddy lose his turn) then we found out that the laptop can't read from the SD card (we have an eee pc) so cartoons were canceled to everyone's disappointment and I had to give her my new iPod. She uses it like a pro! And looks extreemly cute. I've got a few more games from iTunes and she loves them. The only thing she did not want was the coloring book (even doodling in the airline magazine was more fun).

Another long flight is coming in a week when we'll be going back home but we won't have a beach and ocean and pool that we can promiss her for being a good girl during a flight. So it's going to be an exhausting one unless we fix the laptop or figure out some other ways to keep her busy.

Do you know a good way to keep the small child happy and on her chair for a long time? If you do, please leave a comment.

Making goo.

2010-02-25T14:45:00.000-05:00

New goo. Blue goo. Gooey. Gooey. Blue goo. New goo. Gluey. Gluey.
[from "Fox in Socks" by Dr. Seuss]

We made a goo. Blue, because it's N.'s favorite color. Actually, we've made it a few months ago, but it is still alive and we still play with it.
It's rather simple.

Ingredients:
1 tsp of Borax
4oz of Elmers glue (PVA glue)
water
food coloring -optional

In the mixing bowl, mix glue and water 1:1. Stir well.
You can add a food coloring if you'd like. Keep in mind that it will stain your hands.
In the small cup mix borax and 1 cup of water. Mix until dissolved.
The following is better done with two people. Keep stirring glue, add borax solution, few drops at the time. You'll see how the glue is polymerizing. It will be harder and harder to stir the slime, keep mixing for as long as you can. [you will have some left over borax, never mind it] Let the mixture sit for a couple of minutes. Finish mixing by hand.

Have fun! Make balls, and feel the bounce; stretch it; make a snowman and see it "melt"...
Store the slime in a ziplock bag in the cool place. It's not toxic, but it's not edible.

PS: (if there's no Borax where you live, it's possible to make goo, using starch instead. The goo will have a slightly different feel. Use this recipe: 1/2 cup liquid starch
1/2 cup PVA glue. Mix starch and glue together until it feels like silly putty. Store in airtight container in the fridge. It should last a couple of weeks.)

(image: Mamalya)

Making sand cakes

2010-02-23T22:30:00.004-05:00

Do your kids like to play in a sand box? Who am I kidding, I love sandboxes myself! We have a sand box outside filled with purple craft sand. But we can't use it when it's 37F and raining.

Once for a party we made enough InstaSnow to fill a large storage box. But it did not last and it was difficult to clean up. We tried Moon Sand, but it was very messy. We use play dough but I don't like the smell of it and I don't like the clean up part, especially if it gets on carpets. So we were on a lookout for something better...

Finally, at the Toy Fair, I found a perfect compound for an indoor sand box. It is called Bubber and it is made in Sweden by the same company that makes Moon Sand. Bubber is lightweight, non greasy, non sticky, non smelly and it never dries out. It's very easy to clean up from clothing and floors.

You can mold it; you can make bricks and build castles from them; you can take a cup and make sand cakes; you can compact it and then carve it. It's the perfect material for pint sized sculptors. (And it makes a good substitute for a stress ball.)

So, today we received a bag of neon green Bubber in the mail. The 24oz bag filled a 5 gallon Ikea Slugis box (21x13x6 in). We took some plastic knifes, scissors, molds and cups, and went on building things. We spent the whole evening by the sand box making green sand cakes.

(images: Mamalya)

Birthday gift

2010-02-21T14:32:00.000-05:00

I've got an early Birthday present today - iPod Touch. Yeepee!
And my 4yo is already playing with it. Booo! ["Is it mine?"]

We've got a couple of edutainment kids' apps on it:
"Feed me!" is a cute one. And it's free! The idea of the game is to feed a little purple monster all sorts of things, and in the meanwhile learn about shapes and colors, time telling and fractions. And if he does not like what you've given him (meaning, your answer is incorrect), he says "yuck".

We also have "My first 123" and "ArithmeTick"- both teach simple math. But little N. was not very interested in them.

And this is what will be on my wish list for the New Year: Xachipet. I can't find a video of it anywhere, but the idea is that this is a plush robotic toy that uses iPod/iPhone as a remote control.

The iPod was intended to be my PDA / personal gaming device. I want to find a simple drawing application for N. and some games for myself. What's your favorite app? Leave a comment below.

(image source xachipet.com)

Would you like a goo bath?

2010-02-20T16:00:00.000-05:00

This is a really weird product from UK, it's called Gelli Baff. The add says that it "turns bath water into goo... and back again". Well, that is exactly what it does. And it comes in some pretty funky colors (there is even a color changing version). But it won't stain kids, towels or carpets. Chemically speaking it is a powder similar to one used in disposable diapers (sodium polyacrylate to be exact). It can hold 400 times its own weight in water.

So, in the box you get two packets. You fill the bath tub with warm water and add the packet #1. The water turns into brightly colored goop. Not slimy goo, though, something like gelatin. Your kid -if he is an adventurous type- jumps in and hopefully has a good time. When he's done, you add a packet #2, which is pure table salt. The goo turns back into liquid, that is safe for the septic system. You rinse the child and he is good to go.

Here's a TV commercial:

But the question is, would you buy it? Do you think your child would get in?

The official website is www.gellibaff.co.uk

Making mitten clips from event badges

2010-02-19T15:10:00.001-05:00

This ingenious idea is courtesy of good folks from Ohdeedoh.

Reuse the lanyard (with clips on both ends) that you've got with your conference/expo/fair badge by turning it into mitten clips for your toddler.

Just thread the lanyard through the sleeve of the child's jacket, through the loop (or sew it on to a collar) and then through the second sleeve (see the picture below). Clip the mittens on.

The lanyard is long enough for a child under 4 years old.

To read the original post on Ohdeedoh go to:
How to reuse an event badge

(images: Mamalya)

Getting small hands ready for school

2010-02-18T13:34:00.000-05:00

Last year I went to a Hand Writing Without Tears workshop. It was an eye opening experience. They stressed out the importance of such things as crawling; coloring, using easels, playing with clay and blocks - because all of these activities help to develop hand muscles that will be important when it's time to get a pencil and start writing.

The program, created and widely used by OTs, has materials to help teach the child proper pencil grip, posture, proper letter formation and left to right order. This is not at all a Language Arts course, the goal of the program is to help children write correctly and fast. Did you know that improper letter formation can lead to a lower speed of writing and improper pencil grip can lead to achy hands? And slow speed and hand pain can lower your child's performance in middle and high school.

I would recommend their teachers book to everyone, especially if you are homeschooling. The materials are great for school or homeschool use, but they are not specifically geared towards parents and home use. For more information, visit www.hwtears.com and please do recommend them to your child's teacher.

Grasshopper® kits on the other hand were designed for home use. They were created by Rachel Rudman, an OT with an advanced specialty in pediatrics. We met Rachel at the Toy Fair. The kits are not available for sale just yet, but will be this summer.

There are 4 colorful kits that are packed with simple playful activities to help small children develop small motor skills necessary for school all through play. There are no workbooks! The kits are recommended for children ages 3 to 5, but could be used with children as young as 18 months.

-kits 1 "ABCs and Simple shapes" and 2 "Following directions" come together and include a Grasshopper® no-spill carrying case with organized compartments and built-in easel. My favorite activity from this kit is a gel packet letter tracing: you slide a letter card inside a gel filled plastic pocket and then trace the letter.

-kit 3 "Getting out hands ready" has coloring and clay activities as well as hungry Mr. Crunch that likes to eat foam butterflies.

-kit 4 "Snip, Glue and Grow" contains 10 multi-sensory games and craft projects to improve fine motor skills. My favorite is a bubble blower!

For more information, visit grasshopperkits.com

(image source grasshopperkits.com)

Rubik's Slide

2010-02-17T16:55:00.000-05:00

I don't know why when somebody writes about the Toy fair, they write about Barbie trying on new jobs or "The Toy Story" themed products. There were lots of toys that deserve attention. I have a great passion for toys that are versatile, encourage open play, encourage using one's brain and imagination. I am not paid a dime for my reviews. I'm writing them simply because I want others to know about good toys.

Did you know that the Rubik's cube celebrates its 30th anniversary this year? And it still is the world's best selling puzzle. Last year the makers of Rubik's cube came up with the TouchCube, which basically was an electronic version of the original one. This year at the Toy Fair the new Rubik's Slide was unveiled. It's an electronic hybrid of the "Magic cube" and the slide puzzle (aka "15 game"). You can twist it. You can slide it. But can you solve it? This is a great way to pass the love of puzzles on to your kids. Though you might find it hard to part with a Slide. I am keeping mine to myself, that's for sure.

There are 10,000 brain-busting puzzles in 3 different levels (easy, medium and difficult) and 2 different mode of play (free play or timed mode). The object of each puzzle is to rearrange the pattern of lights until they match the solution for this puzzle.

The Slide will be available this summer. You can watch the demo here: http://www.technosourcehk.com

(image source Techno Source USA)

Photos from Toy Fair

2010-02-15T23:22:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the photo review of the Toy Fair. New York. 2010.
The overview of the lower exhibition hall. Toys! Everywhere!	One of the Ugly Dolls walking around. He does not talk, but he can bounce.
The opening day parade. This is the Elf [on the shelf] and a plush YooHoo.	Buzz and Woody from "The Toy Story".

(images: Mamalya)

The Toys are coming to town!

2010-02-15T01:10:00.000-05:00

Hi, we are lucky enough to be attending the International Toy Fair in NYC this week.

We have our personal favorites on the show. And we're upset not to see them getting enough attention from media.

So, we'll be presenting you with our "off-the-mainstream" reviews.

Come back to read about construction toys, educational materials, board games and more.

Happy Valentine's Day

2010-02-14T02:43:00.000-05:00

This is a fun rendition of our favorite love song.

wear your heart

2010-02-11T17:45:00.000-05:00

Little N. is going to have a Valentine's day party at school tomorrow. Due to the snow storm, the school has been canceled for two days, so we wanted to make up for that and make Friday feel extra special. May be we should celebrate at home tomorrow too, because I'll be on a trade show on Sunday (this, by the way, is supposed to be the greatest expo ever, so come back on Monday to read about it.).

These felt button covers from Martha Stewart website were my original inspiration. But N. does not have white shirts yet.

So we decided to use the heart that I crocheted some time ago. I think I've used the instructions from Skip to my Lou.

And of course, we'll be taking her Valentines with her. Thanks, Ohdeedoh for featuring our cards today. You are always so kind to our little projects.

making Valentines

2010-02-08T16:41:00.000-05:00

We have just finished making Valentines for little N.'s classmates. Little kids appreciate trinkets more than a sophisticated card with a thoughtful message. And all kids like bubbles, don't they!?

For the "mind-blowing Valentines", you will need:
-bubbles in tubes ($10/48 tubes) Sold at Walmart, craft stores and party stores as wedding favors;
-construction paper;
-scissors;
-optional: crayons, markers, stickers, glitter to decorate the hearts.

Fold the paper in half, draw the heart shape. You can also draw a butterfly. It works beautifully.

Cut the shape out.

Cut the slots for the tube: make two parallel cuts (about 1/8" apart) at the right angle to the grease line.

Open the heart and weave the tube down into one slit and up through the other.

Write the child's name and decorate the heart if desired.

funny song

2010-02-05T23:51:00.001-05:00

this cute little song is destined to become any child's favorite. Warning: it WILL get stuck in your head forever!

Learning to read

2010-02-03T16:17:00.001-05:00

English was a second language for me. We learned it at school, but after we learned to read in Russian. The way we were taught was also very different. So now, when the time came to teach N. how to read, I look for any help I can get. Sometimes I even wish there was a class for parents "Teaching your child to read 101".

N. already knows all the letter sounds and can read 3 letter words, but as I read somewhere, in order to be good readers kids need to be able to recall the letter sounds almost automatically, without thinking too much. That means they need a lot of practice. So were are on a lookout for some fun resources.

I came across the FREE all-in-one Phonics program online - Progressive Phonics. There are mini books that you read WITH your child (on screen or print out), word writing worksheets, word search puzzles, games and more.

Handwriting is an important part of Progressive Phonics, and for good reason: many educators are returning to basics -- reading AND writing -- as the key to literacy. Simply put, when children write what they learn, they learn it better.

The underlying reason has roots in physiology: when we write, we activate kinesthetic (motion) memory, which is the earliest, strongest and some say the most reliable memory channel. Furthermore, writing takes more time than reading a word, giving the brain ten to twenty times more exposure to a word.

The mini-books also introduce kids to the Sight words - aka the Dolch List. The list consist of 220 commonly used words many of which cannot be sounded out, so children need to recognize them by sight in order to achieve reading fluency.

We're really excited to add Progressive Phonics to our reading practice materials. N. seems to like them more than mini books (Bob Books for example), that we also use.

Totoro

2010-01-28T14:48:00.000-05:00

We watched "My neighbor Totoro" last night with Little N. She is totally in love with the Totoros now. She even asked me to make her a Totoro.

We've got a little bit of snow today, just enough for a small "dust bunny".

to lie or not to lie...

2010-01-24T20:45:00.000-05:00

The lie is a condition of life.
Friedrich Nietzsche

We love child's studies as they tell us more about our child than most parenting books. We did a dozen of studies at the NYU infant labs when Little N. was smaller. So, now we're doing a Deception study at the John Jay college in NYC. Read more about the study here.

For the next two weeks we'll be keeping a diary of her lies. That will include all kids of lies. She's pretty honest even when given an opportunity to lie for a benefit of self, she choose to tell the truth (and not get a price), nevertheless she tells different kind of lies all the time. For amusement, to buy more playtime, etc. We'll see what the diary shows.

Family game night for the smallest players (2 years+)

2010-01-20T23:39:00.001-05:00

We like board games. Miss N. got her first set of games when she turned 2. She now has a rather large collection of good quality games.

Board games teach concentration, as well as taking turns and following rules. Here's the list of games we recommend for the youngest players in your family.

–Bingo (aka Loto) with simple pictures or just colors. Bingo also helps with vocabulary. On the photo is our little N. playing Mini-Bingo (by Haba).

–"go away monster" (by Gamewright). This simple game is a variation of Bingo. And it can also teach little kids how to deal with the under-bed monsters - just shout "GO AWAY!"

–memory. For the youngest kids, start with 9 different cards. Arrange them on the table face up. Give your child enough time to memorize them. Then turn the cards face down. Ask her to find the cat, dog, etc. If the child is just learning a concept of same-different, you can help her by playing another version of the game. Divide cards into 2 sets. Give one set to the child and hold another one in your hands. Each player deals one card at the time, compare cards to see if they are the same.

–UNO is another great matching game. Just make sure to leave the "special" cards out.

(image: Mamalya)

Tinker Tree

2010-01-19T14:34:00.001-05:00

The tinker tree I've made for my daughter's room was featured on Ohdeedoh.com:

And as if the tree weren't enough, this homemade little crochet piggy is just about killing us with the cuteness.

Thanks Ohdeedoh. You've made my day.

(image: Mamalya)