Summer of Blazing Imagination #9 - Snowcones

I know this really isn't imaginative at all, but it is something fun we've done this Summer. There have been tons of snow machines for sale this year ...or at least I noticed them more this year. We got ours for free, thanks to Grandma who had this one stored away from the older grand kids. I will say I bet the new ones are way easier to use & faster, but this one will definitely give you a work out...for a tiny cup of ice! Who's to complain though, it's free, easy and a simple treat of a hot summer day.



Summer of Blazing Imagination #8 - Sock creations

Today's activity started with a box full of odds and ends of crafting supplies, plus some old socks.

This was completely open ended and full of creativity, plus it really doesn't matter what you have around as long as you have an old sock.

B decided there should be a scary monster.

While Mommy went with a crazy duck.

What kind of unique sock creations can you come up with?



Summer of Blazing Imagination #3 - Tell me a story

I've had this activity for a while, mostly because I plan to use it later as a good starting point for when B starts to write/journal and tell stories. However, in some reorganizing B found the box and wanted to know why all these pictures were in there? *Light bulb, why save it - use it now!* So, that's exactly what we did.

First you start with a box or storage container. I found my at the craft store, on sale of course. Some day it will get painted and look super cute, but for now it's just a box.

Then go through magazines, sale ads, newspapers & cut out pictures that are open ended. Then place the pictures in the box & have the child(ren) pick one and make up a story about that picture. For younger kids you can dictate their stories, for older ones have them write the story themselves, as a bonus have them read it to the family at dinner or on a family night. What's great about this activity is how many times you can repeat it & get different results, plus you'll have a great keepsake of their writings and how imaginative they are.

This is what B picked as his first story (I have no idea why the picture flipped that way)

His begins...Once Upon a Time there was a musical school bus, but people didn't know it's name. Then it grew bigger, bigger, bigger, bigger, bigger tires and people couldn't get on it and they had to get away....

What kind of stories will your child(ren) tell?

Summer of Blazing Imagination #7 - Grass painting

What says Summer more than the smell of fresh cut grass. This week we did a little textural artwork with some fresh cut grass (thanks to Daddy).

Before we got started we gathered a bucket full of grass clippings, paint, brushes and paper.

First we painted, using different hues of the same color. B requested greens, because they're his favorite color (at least right now).

While the paint was still wet we sprinkled the grass clippings on top of the paint. Then left it to dry in the sun. Only some of the grass will stick, unless you use a ton of paint; so be prepared to shake off quiet a bit once it's dry.



Summer of Blazing Imagination #6 - Nature Construction

This Blazing Imagination activity was not truly planned, it was simply playing outside when one idea became built on another idea. It began with B's construction trucks, who this morning needed to do some work outside. There were a lot of limbs that had fallen out of the tree from the recent rain.

B began to use his trucks to gather stick after stick, placing them in specific piles. From there he decided he needed some platforms (small pieces of lumber we have outside). Once he'd finished this job, he needed a job site for them to work at and to take all this lumber to. So we added our sand/water table top on the ground. B then re purposed the platforms into ramps so the machines could make it to the job site. At this point he decided that the job was to build a log cabin.

He tried and tried to stack these tiny sticks into a square shape, which turned out to be very difficult.

 Even for Mommy, this was not easy but we were finally able to make a log cabin.

I loved watching how B's imagination grew with the simplest of nature. I had often though of buying those nice, expensive natural tree building blocks like these below, but now that I've seen the free version delight B for more than an hour; these will be off our list. Now I'm wondering what he might come up with for rocks, leaves or anything else we find in our backyard.



Summer of Blazing Imagination # 5 - vehicle art run

Did I mention how much I love simple, and inexpensive projects to keep kids busy? Well I do (so if you have some feel free to share)...and here's another great example.

Step one - find a (medium sized) truck, car or some kind of rolling vehicle.

Step two - tape a washable marker to it so that the tip rest on the ground.

Step three - lay out large sheets of paper (if you have little ones, you may want to tape the paper to the floor so it is stationary).

Step four - drive the vehicles all over the paper.

This is what happens - simple, beautiful art!

The dots are from the markers sitting still in one spot and bleeding through. I thought about moving them a little higher on the trucks, but I kind of liked the different effect it was giving.

The picture doesn't actually do this piece justice, it is really beautiful...I think I may have to frame it and use it in our new classroom!

Summer of Blazing Imagination #4 - Glow in the dark water

So this is actually from July...I'm just really, really behind on post...

Today's Summer of Blazing Imagination activity is super easy! Last year I picked up several packages of glow in the dark sticks/rings from the dollar store, planning to use them on the 4th of July when we went to see fireworks. Well due to the weather conditions, fireworks were banned & after using them for a fun glow in the dark bath last summer; I completely forgot about the glow sticks.

Well I found them again & timing is perfect for this 4th of July, however since I have plenty I decided to update the glowing bath activity from last year. We did do this in the evening, but who says bathtime has to be in the evening? This would be great fun in the middle of the day...which is actually when I wish I would have done it because B had a ton of energy after this. 

Here's all you need. Paper & crayons optional.

To change it up this time I added carnival balls (similar to ping pong)

& made the sticks into rings or hoops. The object is to see how many of each color ball you can get in a ring.

*The rings sink on an angle and move with the waves of the water, so it can be difficult to get the balls into the hoops.

To add a little learning to the game, we kept score by charting. After bathtime, we looked at the chart, counted and determined which had more/less points.

Simple.Easy.Learning!



Where did my post go?

So this summer I vowed to go low keyed, no running around from this activity to the next, just simple easy going laziness and fun. I'm proud to say, I have worked very hard at being lazy (in a good way). Life had gotten to hectic & B is only 3...not a trend I want to continue. So instead of focusing on getting out the door to a class, field trip or errand...we just relax and go with the day. Let me just say, WOW, what a difference it has made! There is a complete calm throughout the house. Plus, I have always thought I picked up on all the new things B learned or something creative he did or how funny he is; but these past few weeks I've noticed more things about him that I think I either took for granted or just overlooked before. For instance, he's been trying on his own to sound out words...and even gets them right occasionally. He can remember words to songs, nursery rhymes and memory verses better than Mommy or Daddy. He's even going to play quietly in his room, without a reminder that it's 'quiet time'...because we don't nap anymore :(   All the wonderful things I would have missed out on, if I hadn't taken the time to slow down and just 'be' with this little blessing...

Now back to my post topic...with all this relaxing going on; I've dropped several items off my 'I have to get this or that done before I go to sleep list'. Unfortunately this blog was one of them, I just didn't feel the need to update it every day or even every week. We have been doing fun, relaxing and, crazy summer activities. We've been learning in more of an unschooled manner, we've cuddled, read, played games, traveled, visited the grandparents (alot), played in the water, built countless buildings and construction sites, and yes we even watch movies/TV because I refuse to deprive my child of technology (he is his father's son, so by the time he's 5 he'll know more than me)! Don't get me wrong we do all these things on a normal basis, but lately it's just seemed more relaxing.

I will try to post a few of our summer activities (especially how we've kept cool in this heat) and hope to pick back up once we start school back up in a few weeks. Until then, I hope everyone has had a fabulous summer and has been able to relax at least a little.