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Chilly Chalk

One of my favorite things to do is use sidewalk chalk. For some reason, creating art on a large sidewalk canvas never fails to make me happy. Note - I am not an artist; I actually possess little artistic talent. But I still love to use sidewalk chalk.

In an Early Learning environment, sidewalk chalk is a staple; sometimes kids who have no interest in writing or drawing in the classroom will suddenly become Picasso when handed a piece of sidewalk chalk and a large area on which to draw.

I have been exploring different recipes to create sidewalk chalk on my own; with moderate success. But I just stumbled on one that seems to work really well, is easy to make and is cold! When it is 110 degrees outside, icy sidewalk chalk is a no brainer.

You will need equal parts of:

baking soda
corn starch
water
liquid water color or food coloring (note: food coloring may take a few days to fade from sidewalk)

(1 and 1/3 cup of each will yield enough for one ice cube tray of chalk.).

Place all of the ingredients into a bottle with a tight fitting lid and shake well.

Pour mixture into an ice cube tray and freeze over night.

Now you have frozen sidewalk chalk!

If using your chalk during the hot part of the day, please remember the sidewalk can burn - find shade!

Added bonus: after you have made your chalk designs with your homemade chalk; grab a spray bottle and fill it with vinegar. Spray on your designs, and watch them fizz!

Hot Colors in the Desert

It is nice and hot outside right now, here in the desert.

This is the perfect weather to melt crayons in.

I am not referring to accidentally melting crayons, like those stray ones that you find on the floor of the car, or on your car seat (usually after you have sat in the waxy puddle...just me?).

When it gets hot I like to take all my old and broken crayons that I have saved (again...just me?) and melt them together to make new crayons.

Simply peel off the paper (have the kiddos peel off the paper...practice those fine motor skills), and put all the little pieces of crayon into cup cake liners. Set the crayon filled liners on a cookie sheet and place the cookie sheet outside in direct sunlight. Depending on the day, the crayons will melt into a multi-colored liquid fairly quickly. (This liquid is hot and messy - be careful!). Put the cookie sheet in the freezer for 20-30 minutes, and - wah-la! - new crayons.

There are many variations on this...using mini cupcake liners, silicone baking trays, etc...let your kiddo come up with what shapes they want their new crayons to be.

Have fun and stay cool!

Rhyme all the Time

Identifying words that rhyme is a building block to reading and spelling for young children. Rhyming teaches them sound discrimination and exposes them to phonological awareness (the ability to hear sounds within words). These skills will be used as they learn to read and write.

So rhyme, rhyme all the time!

Young children love to rhyme, and love to figure out what rhymes and what doesn't. Find opportunities to practice rhyming every day. If rhyming is a new concept, nonsense words are acceptable. As they develop their rhyming skills, and they come up with a nonsense word, ask them what they think the word means. For example, if they rhyme "fit" and "jit", ask them what "jit" means. Their explanation will more than likely be amazing.

Keep a running list of rhyming words your child makes, making the connection that spoken words can be written. Plus, young children love seeing their words in print.

There are a myriad of books out there that include rhymes. When reading these books, have your child identify the rhymes they hear.

Once a young child figures out rhymes, they will continuously rhyme everything. While it can be exhausting, know they are practicing to be amazing readers.

Have fun, everyone! (See what I did there?)

Word Search

As young students discover the concept that print has meaning, they become more aware of words in their environment. Giving a child a piece of paper and a writing utensil and asking them to go find 10 words around the house heightens their awareness of print, and gives them practice with using a utensil. Plus counting to 10! Math!

Neatness doesn't count
Spelling doesn't count

Making the connection that words are everywhere we look is what counts.

Don't Throw Away Those Markers!

One of my favorite mediums to paint with is liquid watercolor. Purchasing liquid watercolor is pricey, but thanks to Pinterest, I discovered a cheap way to always have liquid water color on hand. If you soak dried up washable markers in water...waa-laa! Liquid water color. It takes about 24 hours to get a nice, brilliant color; the longer the markers soak, the more brilliant the color.

In my classroom, we always have cups with dried out markers soaking, so we always have a ready supply of liquid watercolor.

Yay for recycling!

I Spy!

Making an I Spy bottle is easy and inexpensive, and lends itself to so many activities.

All you need is...

• clean, dry plastic bottle
• rice
• lima beans

With a Sharpie, write letters on the beans. Put beans and rice inside the bottle and seal the bottle (I use glue to insure I don't have beans and rice in places I don't want it).

Use your new I Spy bottle for the following literacy fun with your kiddo!

• For every letter found, say the associated sound
• Write each letter as it is found
• Cut a picture out of a magazine that has the same beginning sound as the letter that is found
• Cut a letter out of a magazine for each letter that is found
• Find the letters in your name, Check them off as they are found
• Find something in the room that starts with the letter that is found
• Say the ABC's up to the letter that is found

Variations:

• Use plastic alphabet beads instead of writing letters on beans
• Write letters on pebbles instead of beans
• Use numbers
• Use numbers and letters
• Use both upper and lowercase letters
• Let the kiddos make their own, have them write their own letters on the beans. Giant lima beans work well for this, Provide spoons and funnels so they can scope in their own rice.
• Add other items (sparkles, rocks, jewels, etc)

Spy on!