Dinosaur Fun

Dinosaurs are intriguing no matter how old we are. Is it they were so gigantic? Or that some have scary scales or sharp horns or massive wings? I have no idea why they are so interesting, but we will just celebrate them today with a variety of activities.

For older kids, this would lend itself to a great chart, a good skill to learn (for years from now when they are comparing colleges they get admitted to!). For younger children, just handling any dinosaurs you have at home or looking at a book or online and talking about these things will definitely work. We are always surprised by how much the kids know and remember and love to share about dinosaurs.

Let's Learn About Dinosaurs
Learn the names of some dinosaurs.
Learn which ones ate plants and which ones ate other dinosaurs.
Talk about their different sizes and talk about bigger, smaller, taller, shorter.
Learn about how they move

Dinosaur Shadow Drawings
What you will need:
plastic dinosaurs
white paper
pencil or crayon

Instructions:
Go outside
Set the dinosaurs on the driveway or sidewalk so that you can see their shadows
Set the paper down so that the shadows are cast on it
                                                
Have the child trace around the shadows
Tracings can then be colored and decorated!
                   
Check out these links for Crayola's Free Dinosaur Activities - They are providing weekly activities so check them out every week.

Crayola DIY Dinosaur Eggs

Roar-able Coloring Page

Dinosaur Detectives They'll Dig It!

Our Favorite PEP Songs

One of our favorite songs to move to in PEP is Tony Chestnut. This version is sung by the gang from The. Learning Station. It has a catchy tune and words that correspond to body parts to really get a body moving. Just think of Tony and what it takes to point to those two body parts repeatedly. The real fun is that you sing it faster each time through, so you will surely be laughing by the end.

                            http://tonychestnut.com/

            Some more of the kids' favorites can be found on Apple Music and You Tube: 

                                 Slow and Fast by Hap Palmer

                                 The Elephant by Hap Palmer

                                 We are the Dinosaurs by the Laurie Berkner Band 

                                 The Party Freeze Dance Song by the Kiboomers.
     
              Check out GoNoodle - here are some titles to view, but lots of other great ones we use:
                                  Get Yo Body Movin'
                                  Popsicle
                                  Milkshake
                                  Koo Koo Kanga Roo 

Buenos Dias

HOLA! For our kids who are missing Spanish classes, we have some links that may help:

ABC Mouse Preschool Spanish lesson for kids- 

Rock 'n'Learn Spanish Lessons - numbers, Colors, and More

Spanish Lessons for Food, Animals, and Activities

Spanish Lessons for Body Parts, Family, and Feelings

These are colorful, well-done videos that will capture their attention - no replacement for Senora Cobb, of course, but we are grateful she shared them. They are a fun way to learn and review Spanish vocabulary. Remember, what your child will get out of these lessons totally depends on their age, maturity and interest, but we think they are fun!

Our Yoga Mats Are Lonesome

Yoga continues to rise in popularity with adults, but, guess what! Kids love yoga, too. We love practicing yoga at the Day School, but right now, the mats are rolled up very tidy, missing the kids.
                                                 
We hope you will take some of this extra time you have to practice some yoga with your children.

One of our favorite yoga resources is Cosmic Kids Yoga. Each entertaining video has both a story and actions, the yoga positions. The children listen and watch intently and do a great job with the yoga moves.

Another favorite site of one of my grandson's is Yoga for Kids with Alissa Kepas, found on YouTu.be. He reaches and stretches and bends and breathes AND listens carefully.

There are so many advantages for you to do yoga with your children. The workout your body gets is gentle but effective, and we know it helps relieve stress. Yoga also helps children be more mindful of their bodies, their surroundings, their actions.

So take off your shoes, grab a mat if you have one, and have a wonderful, family yoga experience.

Going Bananas?

Do you feel as if you are actually going bananas? I know this is so difficult for everyone...moms and dads keeping little ones busy, moms and dads helping older children keep up with their school work, moms and dads trying to work from home. And then their are the grandparents and great-grandparents who are isolated and lonesome. We worry about them and need to make sure they have what they need. It is an exhausting list, but I know each of you can handle whatever is put before you with God's help.

So instead of going bananas, let's look at some kid-approved recipes with bananas:

Banana Muffins - 2 dozen large super moist muffins
¾ C. butter  (1 ½ sticks softened)
1 ½ C. sugar
2 eggs
3 ripe bananas
4 T. sour cream
2 C. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla

Cream butter in a large mixing bowl. Gradually add sugar. Beat in eggs, thoroughly.Sift together flour, soda, and salt; add gradually to mixing bowl. Mash bananas and beat into mixture. Add sour cream and vanilla and blend. Pour into lined or greased muffin tins until ¾ full. Bake 2350 degrees for 20-30 minutes.
Note: If gluten is an issue, I have substituted gluten free 1 to 1 cup flour blend and these muffins turn out just right. I have also made lots of mini-muffins, too. All yummy!

Frozen Peanut Butter Banana Bites
Slice bananas into ¼" pieces
Arrange in ice cube trays or on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper
Spoon ¼ to ½ tsp. peanut butter onto banana slices
Freeze for about 2 hours.
Enjoy!
Note: You can exchange any type nut butter for the peanut butter. You can also top each peanut buttered covered banana slice with another slice to make "sandwiches" if preferred.

Looks like mine have a little more than ½ tsp of peanut butter! Extra yummy!

                                                 

Quarantined Kindness

What a wonderful calendar to remind of us ways all of us can be kind during this time of social isolation and quarantines. Thank you to our Social Studies teacher, Miss Betsy, for sharing this. I challenge every family to take this to heart and follow it. What a difference it will make in so many lives, including each of us. And be kind to yourself and give yourself some grace, parents.

It's the Sabbath

Happy Sunday! 

This is a great day for family time and to continue in this season of Lent to prepare ourselves for Easter. I love this stain-glassed cross my grandsons created with chalk in their driveway. You can get plugged into a live-streamed church service, adult Sunday school class and Youth Sunday school class led by our different ministers or a Children's Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Sunday school class. All of these offerings as well as daily devotionals are available on You Tube IPC Birmingham.