Two Great Counting Activities

I am on a File Folder Activity role since I finally got around to getting cute file folders at Michaels and finding an old filing box to keep them in.

Ahhh, I love getting organized.

Here two great counting activities.

The first one my daughter loved.

You put the corresponding muber of apple cards in each pocket. It was the perfect amount of challenge for my two year old, but easy enough that she enjoyed it and actually wanted to do it again.

Here is the link for that one.

This next one was a bit more difficult, but a good difficult.

As long as I prompted her and asked her how many balloons, finger, ducks, etc. there were, she was able to count on her own and for the most part understand that you had to match it up next to the corresponding number.

Here's the link to "Count Me In"

Enjoy!

I Clean with Vinegar

Yes. I do.

And that's all I clean with (for the most part).

Something about the extreme chemically smell of cleaning products has always bothered me.

I never wanted to breathe the fumes in....and now after doing research I have good reason not to!

So I use vinegar.

For my counters, toilet, shower, windows, mirrors, etc.

Here's what I found out about vinegar:

"Heinz company spokesperson Michael Mullen references numerous studies to show that a straight 5 percent solution of vinegar—the kind you can buy in the supermarket—kills 99 percent of bacteria, 82 percent of mold, and 80 percent of germs (viruses). . He noted that Heinz can’t claim on their packaging that vinegar is a disinfectant since the company has not registered it as a pesticide with the Environmental Protection Agency. However, it seems to be common knowledge in the industry that vinegar is powerfully antibacterial. Even the CBS news show “48 Hours” had a special years ago with Heloise reporting on tests from The Good Housekeeping Institute that showed this."

So here's what I do:

I fill a spray bottle with a solution of vinegar & water; either 1:2 or 1:3, depending on how I'm feeling or what I am using it for.

You can either spray it on the desired area and wipe off immediately or you can let it sit if you want it to work harder.

For my mirrors & windows I spray it on and wipe it off....streak free, for real!

In the shower, I spray it on all over and let it sit for a while. Then I usually go back spray it again and wipe it off, using a scouring pad in places that needs it.

To clean my toilet, I pour straight vinegar in, filling the toilet up just past the top of the water, in order to get that mucky ring off. I leave it for 30 minutes then dip my toilet brush in the water/vinegar, pour baking soda all over the brush and dip it back in the toilet to scrub, scrub, scrub.

On the kitchen or bathroom counters (and walls) I just spray and wipe off.

Here's another tip for using vinegar in the kitchen for cleaning:

"Keep a clean spray bottle filled with straight 5 percent vinegar in your kitchen near your cutting board, and in your bathroom, and use them for cleaning. I often spray the vinegar on our cutting board before going to bed at night, and don’t even rinse, but let it set overnight. The smell of vinegar dissipates within a few hours."

One of the BIG pluses for cleaning with a safe and natural cleaner is that I feel comfortable having my daughter help me! One more practical life skill I am able to teach her and she really loves spraying the spray bottle :)

Oh yeah and the fact that it is SO much cheaper than traditional cleaners!!

Montessori Quote of the Day

"The basis for a child's early learning in mathematics and numbers should be established by the time he is three years old. With the infant, such simple games as counting his toes or fingers is a good beginning. Take advantage of everything in a child's environment. Count the steps to the front door, the bottles of milk the milkman left (wow, this book is outdated!), the trees on the block, the daisy plants Dad is putting in the garden."

Math is difficult for so many people.

I, myself, have never had a problem with math.

I can easily visualize things in my head and I have always enjoyed it.

My husband, is completely the opposite.

He struggles tremendously with it.

We have always just attributed it to certain strengths and weaknesses that we each have.

But can it really be that simple?

One inherent difference is that I attended a Montessori school during my early grade school years (thanks mom!) and he didn't. Of course you can't simply blame the difference in one's schooling for a lack or strength in core subjects such as math...or can you?

All I know is that the way Montessori teaches math concepts in such a concrete, hands on way, I really don't see how anyone could fail....honestly. If someone is not naturally gifted at math, I really can see how the Montessori method would help them reaach a higher level of achievment than would the traditional method of teaching math in other schools.

That's my two cents, I will be posting more later on specific math concept activities I am using and will be using with my daughter....so check back later!

My Review of Euro II Grow With Me Chair

Originally submitted at One Step Ahead

Built for growth spurts! Give your child our beautiful solid wood chair now, and someday he'll take it to college! Both the seat and footrest adjust to fit tots, growing kids, even adults up to 150 lbs. Built to last, and about half the price you'd pay elsewhere. Cushion included. Supports ...

Euro II Grow With Me Chair

Everything I wanted!

By Eleighnor from Akron, OH on 4/22/2010

 

5out of 5

Gift: No

Pros: Easily Assembled, Easy To Clean, Stable, Durable, Comfortable

Best Uses: Toddlers

Describe Yourself: First Time Parent

I really wanted a chair that my two year old could get in and out of by herself and one that actually went with our decor. This chair caught my eye and I have to say it is everything I had expected. I really love the fact that if necessary I can scoot her into the table all the way and she can't get out :) Like those times that she really needs to finish all those vegetables.
She just LOVES it, climbing in and out is so easy for her. I love the fact that it's adjustable. I also love the fact that I can scoot it up to the kitchen counter and have her stand on the bottom step to help me with food preparation. It is MUCH safer than having her stand on a chair, since I know she can get down on her own and that she's not too far from the ground.

Tags: Picture of Product, Using Product

(legalese)

Upper & Lower Case ABC Activity

I was so happy to find this activity online.

It's a file folder acticity, which means (when I find the time) you attach the activity to the inside of a file folder and add an envelope to keep all the pieces together.

It's a great way to stay organized...again, when I find the time.

But for now I just laminted the pages/cards and it works just as well.

The object is to match the lower case letter cards to the upper case letter on the sheet.

This was perfect for my daughter since she tends to mix up a lot of the lower case letters like d, p, b, q....etc.

This is how I do the activity with her:

I put the pile of cards in front of her

"What is that?"

"An 'r'"

"Yes, that's a small 'r', where is the big 'R'?"

She does pretty well with it and enjoys it for the most part.

Download it here!

Homemade All Natural Hair Wax that REALLY works

I am proud to say that my husband is the reason for this post.

He told me yesterday that he was thinking of making his own hair wax...hmmm, nice thought, right? Especially since it's so expensive and he goes through it so quickly.

So I bought him the needed beeswax that he asked for and tonight after dinner he comes down with a recipe (as easy as pie) and starts mixing things together.

Less than three minutes later, his hair wax was "done". Although it looked pretty liquid to me....but he assured me it would harden.

Sure enough it did.

Did it work?

Amazingly.

Even better than the "Surf Gel" he had been using, not at all sticky or greasy.

And may I add WAY less expensive and so much healthier.

I couldn't find his old hair gel on the Skin Deep Database but I have no doubt it would be a high rating.

Check out the spikiness (is that even a word?) he gets. He likes it spikey to say the least :)

So now when he's done slathering it on his hair to make his punk rock look, all he has to do is rub the remainder wax in his hands since it's all natural. Nice.

So here's the recipe:

1 cup Olive Oil

1/3 cup Beeswax

1 Tbs. Coconut Oil

Heat together in a pot until beeswax is fully melted. Remove from heat, let harden.

I got the beeswax at a local Health Food Store. It was like $23/lb (yikes!) But they had small containers of 0.165 lb for like $2 so it was pretty cheap, and there was some leftover after he made this first batch.

It looks like I'm rubbing off on my husband after all :)

Transferring Activity - Montessori

Transferring beans, rice, etc. from one container to another is a great practical life skill.

My daughter has always loved to do it.

She was just getting a little bored with transferring them from one bowl to the next.

So I tossed a few fun pots in there from another activity and she was happy again.

It also added the challenge of being more precise with her movements.

The small pots can be found at any craft store for super cheap and painted on your own if you wish.

Enjoy!

Rice Box Fun!!

I wish I lived in a house.

I wish that house had a fenced in back yard.

I wish that backyard had a full size sandbox for my daughter to play in.

BUT, since I don't this rice box will have to do :)

Thankfully, she LOVES it!!

I took an old box, put cute scrapbook paper around it, taped the edges for durability, then added a ton of the cheapest rice I could find.

Next I added little things she could hide and dig up....big buttons, shells, etc.

Add a couple of shovels, small bowls AND a rule that the rice stays in the box, and you've got yourself a babysitter that your child will love :)