Art on the Sidewalk

Your sidewalk or driveway can be your very own museum. Sidewalk chalk can provide hours of fun and endless opportunities for creativity for the artist and pleasure to the passerby who has the opportunity to look at it. Now that the weather is getting warmer, there is more time for budding artists to decorate the sidewalks and driveways. This fun never has to end because after the rain washes it all away, there are clean slates to decorate once again.

Fun for many ages:       


Think beautiful pictures:               

Think interactive artwork for kids (or stuffed animals in my case):
                                           

Think instructive/obstacle course:
               

In this day of ordering what we need, you can have an endless supply of sidewalk chalk. If you are adventuresome, you may want to make some of your own sidewalk chalk paint for something a little different and equally as fun.

Here is an easy 3 ingredient recipe for sidewalk chalk paint. You probably have the ingredients in your pantry, and it is a cinch for the kids to make. Kitchen magic (aka science)!

SIDEWALK CHALK:
5 - 8 eggshells finely ground
1 tsp. hot water
1 tsp. flour
food coloring is desired

Mix all ingredients well. Pack into toilet tissue rolls and let dry. Either push up as the chalk is used or peel the cardboard roll.

SIDEWALK CHALK PAINT:
You will need:
½ cup cornstarch
⅔ cup water
food coloring
Mix the cornstarch and water in a non-breakable bowl.
Distribute the mixture evenly in a 6 hole muffin pan.
Add food coloring to reach the desired colors you want in each hole.
Stir well and carefully.
Use large paint brushes to paint on the sidewalk!

Stringing Beads

Stringing beads is one of the best ways for little hands to improve fine motor control, dexterity and coordination. There are several ways to let your children do this - and even big kids enjoy stringing beads. Remember it is the process, not the product, but your children might really enjoy making bracelets and necklaces to wear and to give away.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
pipe cleaners, yarn, or spaghetti
beads of all sizes or pasta such as penne that has a hole through the middle

TAPE TO THE TABLE METHOD:
If using pipe cleaners or yarn, tape one end to the table so the beads or pasta won't slide off the end.
This is not possible with spaghetti, but you could stick one end in a small mound of play dough.
Once  the long piece is in place, children can start beading. Watch as their little fingers work as they hold the end of the yarn or string or spaghetti with one hand and slip the beads or pasta on with the other.  If they are making something particular, help them untape one end and join the two together in some kind of not or twist. If they will be repeating the activity, they can just slide the beads off and store for next time.
                                
COLANDER METHOD:
Using a colander to hold pipe cleaners for beading is a genius idea. You will either need to pull pipe cleaners through so that only a few inches are showing or cut the pipe cleaners in half. Leave space between the pipe cleaners so little fingers can grasp and bead. Once pushed through the colander, you will need to bend or tape the ends to give them some stability. Beads can be strung over and over until you need your colander again!
                                                                           
Children can sort and count the beads by colors first as a math activity. Older preschoolers can even follow or make their own patterns with the beads, a great math literacy skill.

Let's Celebrate Cinco de Mayo

Cinco de Mayo is a national holiday in Mexico, and we love to celebrate it as well in the United States. The holiday remembers the 1862  Mexican military victory over Napoleon III's French forces at the Battle of Puebla. Your children do not have to grasp all the history to have fun though. Here are some ways to commemorate the day at your house.

MAKE QUESADILLAS
Ingredients:
4  8" flour tortillas
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese (You can use 2 cups of whatever melting cheese your children like.)
1 cup cheddar cheese
2 Tbsp. butter cut into 4 equal pieces
Optional toppings: Salsa, avocado or guacamole, sour cream

Place the tortillas on a cutting board. Scatter ¼ of each kind of cheese over one half of each tortilla. Fold the uncovered half over the tortilla half that has the cheese. Press gently to form a quesadilla.

Melt ¼ of the butter in a frying pan and add 1 filled tortilla to the pan. When the underside of the tortilla is golden brown, use a spatula to flip the quesadilla over. Continue to cook, pressing gently. After about 2 minutes, the cheese should be melted and the underside golden brown.

Using the spatula again, remove the quesadilla and put on the cutting board. Cut into 4 wedges with a knife, or my favorite - a pizza cutter. Repeat the process until all 4 quesadillas have been cooked and cut.

Serve with toppings you love!

MAKE TAMBOURINES
You will need:
2 paper plates
markers, crayons or paint, glitter, jewels, stickers, etc.
dried beans
streamers, ribbons, pipe cleaners
hole punch

Place the 2 plates together, bottom sides out. Punch about 5-6 holes through both plates.

Have your child decorate the raised side of the paper plates. If you have streamers available, they may be glued on the inside of a plate. This decorating can be as simple or as elaborate as you want. If your child is old enough to understand, you could use only the colors of the Mexican flag, red, green and white to decorate. If using paint, let dry.

Fill one plate with some beans. Place the other plate on top, bottom up, lining up holes. Tie securely with ribbon or pipe cleaners.
                                                 
Shake away!

MEXICAN SOMBREROS
You will need:
paper plate
paper cup
paint, crayons, jewels, stickers
pom poms
glue

Have your child decorate the right side up side of the paper plate.
Glue pom moms around edge.
Glue cup into center of plate.

                                                

And there you have a simple sombrero for decoration or to dance the Mexican Hat Dance around!

Learn the Mexican Hat Dance

And here is a link from Señora Cobb, our Spanish teacher, for some more ideas to help celebrate the day:  5 fun ways to celebrate Cinco de Mayo.

Our Favorite Dr. Seuss

We all grew up listening to the funny, rhyming stories of Dr. Seuss, and children today love his books just as much. The nonsensical words he creates make us laugh and teach about rhyming words before a child is even old enough to need to know what they are.  His characters have become iconic and his books have some great messages about how to get along and how to dream. Dr. Seuss has truly given us many gifts.

I hope you have some Dr. Seuss books at home. My younger grandchildren love Hop on Pop  and One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish. These are great to read and re-read. Children learn the flow and cadence and can"read" with you. And who can't recite the lines from Green Eggs and Ham? I recently introduced one of my older grandsons to Yertle the Turtle, much longer but worth the read because of its message.

The official Dr. Seuss website, Seussville , has a variety of activities that coordinate with the books and characters and there are videos of many of the books. Investigate all there is for hours of fun.

As a follow up, you and your children can always write your own Dr. Seuss-like book, full of funny characters and made up words that rhyme, of course!

Bread in a Bag & Sunday Invitations

Good Sunday morning! We invite you to join us for our IPC 11:00 Service Live. We also have a wonderful youth Sunday school class each Sunday morning and a children's Sunday school lesson, often from the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd atrium. For adults, Rev. Brian Lays is facilitating reading the Bible in 90 days and it is never too late to join us. The daily devotions are uplifting and there are even some yoga sessions.  Click here for all these classes and daily devotions.

For a good family activity today, let's make bread in a bag. Kids love making it, and everyone will enjoy eating it. For this recipe, it will be important to teach your children how to correctly measure. They may need help, but should be able to do most of this. You can also talk about the chemical reaction caused by the yeast with the warm water and sugar. They should be able to see the bubble action. And, if it is messy, know your children are having fun and let it be!

BREAD IN A BAG
Ingredients:
1.25 package rapid rise yeast (or 2 ¼ tsp)
3 cups all purpose flour
3 Tbsp white sugar
1 cup warm water
3 Tbsp olive  or vegetable oil
1 ½ tsp salt
                        
Instructions:
1. Pour yeast, 1 cup of the flour, and the sugar in a sealable plastic bag.
2. Seal bag and shake.
3. Add in warm (105-110 F) water.
3. Squeeze air out of bag and re-seal.
4. Squeeze ingredients to mix.
5. Let rest for 10 minutes at room temperature and watch bubbles form.
6. Open bag and add 1 cup flour, oil, and salt.
7. Reseal bag and use hands to squish until well mixed.
8. Add last cup of flour, seal bag, and keep squishing until thoroughly blended.
9. Remove dough from the bag and turn out onto a floured surface.
10. Knead for 10 minutes until it appears smooth.
11. Divide dough in half and place in 2 greased, mini loaf pans or 1 large one.
12. Cover pan(s) with a dishtowel and let rise for 30 minutes in a warm spot.
13. Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes. One large loaf will probably take 35 minutes. Bread should be golden brown on top.
14. Cool (as long as you can wait) and serve.

Rock Art Rocks

We have plenty of rocks around our communities, some in nature, and some we bring into our yards for various reasons. We have rocks of all sizes, from marble-size to huge boulders. Some are light and some are too heavy to even move. They are different shapes and some are smooth and some rough. There is some great vocabulary and concepts to talk about when you are investigating rocks.There are also endless opportunities to choose some rocks to use as a blank canvas and paint or draw something, anything!

One of the out of the way places I have been walking has proven very inspiring. There is a budding artist who leaves different rocks each day. It has become fun to spy them. Most make me smile because they are so creative. The artist actually seems to be inspired by the shape of the natural rock and paints accordingly. Cute, huh?
                         
                                     

                                           

First find a rock or two that you want to use. Wash them off and let them completely dry. Good markers, water colors and tempera paint (or acrylic depending on the age of your children) will all work, though the water colors need very little water on the brush so the colors remain dark enough to show up. If your rock is dark, water colors may not be a good choice. You can look at the rock and ask yourself what it looks like to you. If a certain object comes to mind, you could decorate it that way. Remember though, it can be just as much fun to decorate a rock with any design
                                                            
 or special words.
          
You can share your rocks by placing them where your neighbors may see them when they walk by or you can give them to someone in your family as a sweet gift. Anything goes as long as you are having fun turning rocks into art!                                              

Music is Good for the Soul

 I hope you are enjoying all kinds of music in your house. Music is not only good for the soul, it is a fun way to pass the time during our isolation. You can just sit and relax while you are listening or get moving. There are so many genre to choose from, the sky is the limit. And it might be a good time to find some new kinds of music that speak to you and your children.

If it's Tuesday, then the Alabama Symphony Orchestra will be presenting a virtual concert for all to enjoy. Click #Tuneful Tuesday   to watch and listen. Put this on your calendar an every Tuesday treat.

 Check out Andrea Bocelli: Music for Hope - Live from Duomo di Milano on Youtu.be for a really moving concert.

Look for other virtual orchestra performances on YouTube.be. Many symphonies around the country and world are doing some amazing things apart together.

These are some great kid music websites that I have shared in the past:

Wiggy Wiggles Freeze Dance-Hap Palmer

https://youtu.be/DA63mbCkJ24

Roger Day Is doing some live stream shows and has posted lots of videos

https://www.facebook.com/RogerDayMusic/

          Groovy Joe: Ice Cream and Dinosaurs
          https://youtu.be/yPjoUcTDBoM

          Toddler Tunes Live Stream
          4:15 PM EST Sundays
          11:15 AM EST Wednesdays
          Toddler Tunes from New Haven

          Toddler tunes on iheartradio