Super Tot's First Valentines

We are having a Valentine's Party this weekend, so I thought it would be fun for Super Tot to make his own Valentines.  I saw this little kit on sale for $2 at Michael's and thought it was cute.  The price was right and I knew it would be perfect for him!  

I didn't get any pictures of him making them, but he did all the work himself.  The bears are made of craft foam, and the pieces are all foam stickers, so all he had to do was stick them on.  I took the backing off of each piece, handed it to him and told him what it was (nose, eye, ear, etc.).  He did the rest all by himself!  All I did was draw the mouths on when he was finished.  We worked on one part at a time (all the noses, all the eyes, all the hearts, etc.).  It was so much fun and I was so proud of him.  All on his own, he gave each one of them a kiss when he was done!!  It was very sweet and I think they turned out so cute!  

Valentine Sensory Bin

Super Tot is 24 months old.  

I have been wanting to put together a Sensory Bin for awhile now, and finally got one done for February.  I plan to use this as part of Tot School 3 days/week, and to change the Sensory Bin theme once a month.  

Super Tot LOVED the bin and explored the contents for almost an hour.  He was not happy when we finally put it away!  This is a good sign!  Super Tot usually has a very short attention span, so he must have truly loved it.  

Princess took a break from her school work to explore with him.  She even had fun with it!

My only regret is that I waited so long to do this.  I have done "Color Boxes" in the past, but this is way more fun, and provides so many wonderful learning and exploring opportunities.  From sorting, patterning and math to just plain sensory play, these boxes have it all!  

Here are a few other Sensory Bins I found that other Tot Moms have blogged about:

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No Time for Flashcards

The Picky Apple

Lessons from the Boys

Shining Our Lights

To see what other moms are doing for Tot School, click here or on the button below:

Year of the Rabbit Tot Book

I am so excited to have made my first Tot Book!  A Tot Book is basically a small lapbook made especially for a Tot!  I have seen lots of other Tot Moms make them, but this was my first attempt.  I thought it would be fun to do a "Year of the Rabbit" theme to honor Super Tot's Korean heritage.  Basically, it's just a rabbit theme, and it turned out very cute. 

Here are some photos of the finished product: 

The "How Many Rabbits?" section is a small counting book that goes up to the number 10.  Each page has a number with the corresponding number of rabbits.  

There is an alphabet, accordion-style pull-out book.

I included a coloring book for Super Tot to color on his own.  There is a separate page for red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, and pink!  Each page has a different rabbit with instructions to color in the correct color.

I included a pocket labeled "Rabbit Puzzles."  Inside, there are six, two-piece rabbit puzzles.  

There is a shape book that includes circle, square, triangle, rectangle, heart, star and rectangle.

This Tot Book was a lot of fun to make and I look forward to making many more of them in the future!

Click here to see some other really neat Tot Books other moms have put together!

Library Pocket Advent Calendar

As I have mentioned in previous posts, I LOVE Christmas!  As a special way of leading up to Christmas Day, our family has set aside a special activity for each day of Advent.  We have used many formats for our Advent calendars/activities over the years.  This year, I decided to try something new. 

A friend of mine posted this idea on her Facebook wall, and I absolutely loved it.  Thank you Paula!  I had most of the supplies on hand, and headed straight out to get the rest.  Here is a quick tutorial for this fun and cute Library Pocket Advent Calendar.

Supplies

25 Library Pockets (I used Red and Green) - available at teacher supply stores or here.

Scrapbook Paper

Cardstock

1" Book Ring

Ribbon

Number Stamps & Ink Pad

Scissors or Cutting Tools

Hole Punch

Printer

Scrapbook Adhesive, Double Stick Tape or Glue

Hook (I used a Command Hook)

To begin, cut circles out of your scrapbook paper.  

Glue or adhesive the circle to a contrasting print and cut a square that is slightly larger than the circle.

Punch out or cut a smaller circle out of solid paper or cardstock.

Glue or adhesive the smaller circle on top of the larger one.

Glue or adhesive the entire square to the front (pocket side) of the Library Pocket.

Next, prepare your stamp with the # you will be using.  I prefer acrylic stamps to rubber because you can see what you are doing.  Stamp your # in the center of the smaller circle.

Punch a hole in the upper left corner.  You might want to do this step all together so the holes are all lined up.

Use a 1" book ring to hold the pockets in place.

Next, print off your activities for each day.  I print mine onto white cardstock and use red and green ink.  The cards should measure approximately 3.25" by 4.25" to fit nicely into the pockets.  Cut them out and place them into the pockets.  You can download and print the activities we use by clicking on the document below:

Finish off with a bow and hang!  I pull off the pocket at the end of each day and move it to the back so that the new one is in front.  

Christmas Nails

Several years ago, our family started a tradition of making and giving out Christmas Nails to various people we come into contact with throughout the Advent season.  We make a big batch of them at the start of the season, which is always a fun and special time.  As we are making the ornaments, we are praying for the people who will ultimately receive them

Once they are made, we keep some in a basket by our front door to give to delivery people or visitors, and we always have a few with us in my purse for when we are out.  We give these to waiters, grocery store clerks, postal workers, etc. - really anyone we come into contact with in the weeks leading up to Christmas.  

It is such a joy to see the faces of these people light up when they are given an unexpected gift.  They are always surprised and humble, and I have never had one turned down.

I have gotten several hugs and lots of tears.  Store clerks in particular are very touched, as many of the people they deal with this time of year are less than patient and way over-stressed.  Sadly, these clerks get the brunt of a lot of that frustration taken out on them.  

The ornaments are so easy to make.  All you need are a few basic supplies and a few minutes!  

Supplies

7 3/4" Landscaping Nails (available at your local home improvement store)

Ribbon or Cording

Cardstock, any color
Scissors or a Paper Cutter

Hole Punch
Match, Lighter or Fray Check (optional)


Begin by clicking the printable below to download and print the explanation cards onto your cardstock.  I use white or ivory cardstock and a color printer, but you could easily use red or green cardstock and black ink.

Cut out the individual cards using either scissors or a paper cutter.

Punch a hole in the upper left corner of each card.

Run ribbon through hole and tie onto nail using a square knot.

Tie a second square knot at the top, forming a loop to hang the nail with.  I use a fireplace lighter to defray the two ends of the ribbon.  Just gently hold the flame over the very edge of the ribbon for 1/2 a second.  I do this with all my ribbons and bows!  It is an optional step, but keeps them looking nice for years to come. You can also use a match or Fray Check.

Pray over each ornament and experience the incredible joy of blessing the unexpected recipient with a special gift!

May you feel the love of Christ, as you allow Him to shine on others through you this Christmas season!