When the day looks like this outside the kitchen window .... this mom tries to employ her creative genes to keep the kiddos busy. Schoolwork first, then on to crafts and playtime.
Zeke (above), now 6 years old, practicing hand-writing.
Dash finds a spot to read his gospel passage. This wouldn't be my first choice for comfort in reading, but it works for him, I guess.
Angelina practicing piano. Notice the bare feet - and to think it's -2 degrees plus a nasty wind chill outside!
Graham, and the other kids, enjoy the colored rice. This time, I added a variety of different magnets and metal objects that he can find. It's messy - completely out of my comfort zone! - but his entertainment is key to sanity on snow days. I made the rice a couple years ago. It started out in four separate colors - red, blue, green and yellow. One day it was mixed together; which does make for easier storage.
Ingredients Needed:
1 cup uncooked rice for each color (I used Minute Rice, which is less expensive)
3 to 4 drops of each bottle food coloring (I used the liquid coloring in squeeze drop bottles, but also read that the paste colors can be used if you prefer brighter colors)
1 tsp. rubbing alcohol per color
To color the rice: In a quart sized jar, add the dry rice and 1 tsp. rubbing alcohol. Cover and shake to coat. Drop on the food coloring, mixing/shaking between drops. Keep adding drops until you get the desired color. Pour the colored rice onto a cookie sheet that has been covered in foil or waxed paper. Let dry in a warm airy place (out of the reach of kids and pets). The drying takes about 1 hour.
Repeat the steps to make additional colors of rice. I store our rice in glass jars, but ziploc bags would work just as well. While the colored rice is non-toxic, I wouldn't recommend eating it!
IDEAS: mosaics, hidden magnets, scoop and pour with spoons and funnels,
I had an old soup mix that had colored rice, lentils and alphabet letters in it. I opened it and dumped it into a plastic bin and added all things little and metal.
ReplyDeleteIt was FUN! Eva loves to use her "magnet wand" to find the treasures, but mostly likes to run her hands through and make a mess :)
You are daring, though, to let 2yr old play w/ glass containers!
Stay warm out on the farm! We are making good bye cards for our favorite mailman that will get a new route next week.
Tator tot hotdish sounded good after the sandwiched no meat days of Lent. I thought of you and how much we enjoyed the t.t.h.d. you gave us!
Love ya!
Looking at the snow and all I want to do is make cookies. Lots and lots of cookies~
ReplyDeleteCookies and Tater Tot Hotdish both sound fabulous! Such temptations...
ReplyDeleteThat rice would be a big hit with my boys. When we lived in ND, I would let my then 2 year old son play with his trucks in cornmeal (in a big, flat rubbermaid) in the kitchen while we did school work. It occupied him forever! I'm not sure why I haven't done that again here - probably because there's now 2 boys and they tend to make the biggest mess imaginable with EVERYTHING!
ReplyDelete