Daily at Home Project: Red House – Fun For All Greatest Hits & More

by | Mar 20, 2020 | At-Home Enrichment | 0 comments

Please find below our daily SolBe Family update letter containing helpful resources and exciting projects to explore while we all do our part to stay home during this pandemic.

March 20, 2020

SolBe Families,

If you are looking for more fun virtual ideas, our consultant Boston Naps is holding all of their classes and workshops online (some at a cost). The folks at Boston Naps are absolutely amazing and are a wonderful resource for new parents. Emily is SolBe’s health consultant.  Emily and Jamie are hosting a free COVID Q&A/ Sanity Check today (Friday) from 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.

Join Treasure Trunk Theatre for “Musical Theatre Fun LIVE!” online and free from 10:00 AM -10:30 AM. You can click this link to register. Sawyer has MANY local and national online classes to explore.

As requested! Here is a playlist of the “Greatest Hits” from the Red House- fun for all classrooms.  If you use Spotify you can click this link to connect to the entire playlist:

In the works

We are working to host our first virtual circle time in each classroom on Monday, March 23 from 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM via Zoom. Information to follow on Monday morning!

Good News of the Day

There is still plenty of goodness in this world. Please enjoy this video of penguins “Eddie and Annie” on a “field trip” in the Shedd Aquarium of Chicago amidst the shutdown.

Project of the Day Infants & Toddlers from The Imagination Tree: Discovery Bottles!

“Create some fun, engaging discovery bottle toys for babies and toddlers by using recycled and everyday materials from around the house! These are cheap to make, long-lasting and can easily be adapted to create exciting and intriguing sensory play experiences for little ones.

Insert image of bottles here

We found some small, empty water bottles and dried them inside. Next, we added simple materials from the craft baskets and kitchen cupboards that are too small for her to handle, but just perfect for safely exploring through the clear window of a bottle! The items were chosen based on the sound that they create when shaken, for being bright and captivating or for the way they move in a liquid, perfect for tiny developing senses to explore.

Some inspiration

  • Water with brightly colored Hama beads (pony beads are similar in the U.S.) for noise, color, and movement
  • Ripped pieces of tin foil for gentle, slow movement and reflection of light
  • Red water mixed with 1cm of vegetable/baby oil, for mixing and separation of liquids
  • Brightly colored, twisted pipe cleaners for visual interest
  • Blue water and a variety of seashells for gentle sounds and interesting objects to examine
  • Water, plastic crystals and a large amount of silver glitter for noise and beautiful movement and disbursement
  • Yellow water with a large squirt of washing up liquid (dish soap in the U.S.) for shaking and creating bubbles and froth
  • A mixture of pom poms in various colors and sizes, for visual stimulation and early maths concepts
  • Colored, shaped buttons for fabulous noise and exciting colors
  • Multi-colored dry rice for fabulous shaky noise!

Project of the Day Older Toddlers & Preschoolers: My Stay at Home Memory Jar!

Undoubtedly, this stay at home may feel a little strange at the beginning! It is true that before our friend “Corona” came into our lives, we all had a different routine, activities, and responsibilities. That being said, these stay at home days are an opportunity to take a pause, reflect, take care of ourselves and the ones who surround us, make stronger connections with our children and family, and appreciate life from a simpler perspective!

Materials

  • A mason jar, box, or any container
  • Paper (any kind!)
  • Colored pencils, markers, paint, crayons or any other art material you have at home!

Directions

Each day, at some moment during the day (it could be in the morning to think about the previous day, or closer to dinner time to go back and think about “today”), sit with your child and talk about:

  • Games or activities you have played during the day
  • Meals you have shared together
  • A funny moment or special “something”!

Provide your child with paper, colored pencils (or similar) and invite him to express his thoughts through art, by drawing a picture or making scribbles!

Carefully fold the paper and put it inside the jar or box to create a collection of those special moments! When you think it is “the perfect time” (after several days, weeks, or even months), sit with your child and go back to each drawing from the jar!

Suggestions for parents

  • Share with your child what you will be working on. Tell him/her how sometimes we forget special things that happen in our day; for this reason, you will create a memory jar together!
  • Let your child express freely! Sometimes you will see that they hold the marker and make a dot or mark – This is absolutely perfect! Celebrate and notice what he/she is doing (e.g. I see you made a purple line!)
  • Take your own paper too, and model how you can also express through art!
  • If one day, your child doesn’t feel like making a picture, it is ok. Make your own, and share how that special “thing” that happened during the day, was special to you.
  • Put your energy in the process, and don’t pay much attention to the end result – As always, have fun!

Feedback and more ideas welcome, as always!

Be well and stay healthy this weekend!

The SolBe Team

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