Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Bubble Painting

My love for Pinterest grows daily. There are endless amounts of projects, activities and ideas to be found there. In fact it is where I found this activity.

This was a simple craft that Owl loved.
The best part is you most likely have the supplies you need right at home.

You will need:
dish washing soap
straws
paint ( we used tempera and acrylic)
water
cups - our cups were too large and we ended up switching to smaller cups.



Fill each cup half way with water, add generous squirts of both dish washing soap and paint.
Add more paint and soap as needed. I noticed with our larger cups that by the time the bubbles made it above the cup they had no color to them. When we switched to the smaller cups it worked much better.




Then start making bubbles...


When you become a pro bubble blower you can add two straws: double the straws, double the bubbles, double the fun!

Once you have a good set of bubbles push your paper down onto the bubbles. This will pop the bubbles, but the imprints will be left on your paper. We used cardstock paper which worked well.


Our finished bubble prints....


To get a start on Easter decorating I think I will cut these out into Easter egg shapes and make a garland out of them.

Monday, February 20, 2012

Making Snow Inside


We had snow for Halloween and snow for Thanksgiving however now, in the middle of February, we have no snow. It has been a crazy winter and my two are missing playing in the snow. So of course I searched pinterest and found this project. Today, we brought the snow inside and the Owl was thrilled.

For this super easy project all you'll need are these two ingredients: dish-washing detergent and water:



Add about 1/3 cup water and several squirts of dish washing soap to your food processor ..

Soon a white foam will appear. The longer you run your food processor the fuller and firmer the snow will become. Owl loved watching the mini blizzard appear right there in our kitchen!



Just add some trucks and of course a hardhat and you will have one happy preschooler.



Owl loved plowing the snow. It lasted for about 45 -6o minutes of play and then sadly, like the snow in our backyard, it was gone and all that was left was a puddle of water. However, while it lasted it brought some winter fun to my little guy.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Remick Country Doctor Farm Visit

We're lucky to live in a beautiful area with loads of
fun and historical places to visit with our little ones. Even in the deep of winter there are events going on at our local museums which celebrate the season. This past weekend we decided to check out Remick Country Doctor Museum and Farm.

Remick Farm is located in Tamworth, just north of
the Lakes Region. The farm, a gorgeous living history museum, focuses on highlighting the "medical life and agricultural way of life of a country doctor". They offer numerous hands-on events which are perfect for even the youngest of children to enjoy!

Last weekend was their annual Ice Harvesting event. Owl and I went with his best buddy and had a great time.

First stop, checking out the well pump ......




Owl loved watching the teams of oxen pulling the ice, from the lake, to the ice house.



Of course, visiting and petting the farm animals ( goats, sheep, ponies) is always a hit.


As was taking a horse drawn wagon ride...


The Farm has a free preschool story time the first Monday of each month. We haven't made it to one yet, but I've heard fabulous reviews from other mamas!

During NH's upcoming school vacation week ( February 27th-March 2nd) Remick Farm has daily children's activities scheduled for 11:30. Also on Tuesday (2/28) they have a snowshoe hike scheduled at 1:30 and on Wednesday (2/29) an art activity at 10am. Check out their calendar for more information!

If you visit on Saturday, even in winter, be sure to check out Tamworth's Farmer Market!







Monday, February 6, 2012

Ahern State Park Walk


Sunday was a beautiful day, bright blue skies and mild temperatures, a perfect day for a walk in the woods. This week we headed to Ahern State Park in Laconia. I wasn't feeling well ( massive head cold) but thought the time outdoors would help.

Of course, since I wasn't on my "A" game, my memory card for my camera was sitting in my computer at home while the camera was out with me on the walk, UGH, so no pictures.

Ahern is located on Lake Winnasquam with a nice beach, but no other amenities.
We went with one of OWL's best buddies and his parents, both Laconia natives who knew the trails. However I did find this great trail map here. We walked the Fire Road down to the Lake Point and then took Pipe Line back to the parking lot. It was an easy walk - covered in snow, but icy in many places. The boys loved looking for signs of animals as well as sightings of the lake through the trees. From start to finish, with lots of curiosity stops, it took us about 1 hour and 1o minutes round trip.

It was just what we needed to get us out of the house on a Sunday afternoon: close by, not too difficult, and fun for OWL. And surprisingly for me, I felt much better after a good dose of clean country air!

Saturday, February 4, 2012

Ice Collage

These natural ice collages are a perfect winter craft. ( I found my inspiration here). I love when I can tie a craft in with an experience and these were a perfect extension of our walk in the woods last week. While walking in the woods we collected some fallen pine cones, pine boughs, and red berries. Due to the freezing rain we had recently the trails were covered with just these materials. Owl and I had fun on our search, looking for neat items to pick
up and collect.

Once home we took some disposable pie plates ( 2 for $1 at Dollar Tree).....



and arranged our findings in them.




Then we looped a piece of twin into the pan - this will serve as our hanger.


Owl poured water into each of our four containers. I love the Montessori based idea of practical life practice, especially on trays, but for me it makes perfect sense to incorporate these types of activities in authentic learning experiences.

Then we put them outside to freeze over night.

In the morning we popped them out of the containers ( which can be reused) and hung them from our front porch.


Not only do they look beautiful and sparkle in the sunlight, but they also are a reminder of a very special afternoon I spent with my little guy walking in the woods.

Friday, February 3, 2012

Winter Hiking at Ramblin' Vewe


I'm blessed that both of my little ones love to be outdoors - in all seasons. Owl, especially, loves to walk in the woods. Luckily there are many places here in the Lakes Region that have great hiking trials for young children.


One of our favorite places to walk through the woods is Ramblin' Vewe Farm in Gilford. They have a pretty extensive trail network that is perfect for walks with young children. In the winter, when we have enough snow, their trails are perfect for cross country skiing and snowshoeing. This past weekend we were able to hike through with just our snow boots.


While out hiking I always encourage Owl to notice the world around him. Since we frequent here often Owl does notice many changes in the woods.


He used his "binoculars" to search out the creature that was making noises we heard while hiking.

( His imagination amazes me!)


Of course, the views can't be beat...



A trip to Ramblin' Vewe isn't complete without a stop to say hi to it's furry residents.



During the summer the resident shepherd and his wife run a great little store on the farm where they sell homegrown eggs, lamb, veggies as well as adorable handmade gifts. Be sure to check out Shepherd's Hut Market during the summer months.