Caity and her creation. She said it’s her and her lil’ bro.
The kids have this magnetic puzzle toy which you can form into clowns, trees, boat and other things their creative minds can think of. It comes with a small rectangular metal sheet where you put the colorful shapes. It has some pictures which kids can follow. Caity loves playing with this and she already knows how to copy the pictures but mostly, she just makes her own figures. I mounted the metal sheet on the wall so its easier for the kids to stick the magnets.
That’s Mama (with dangling earrings) according to Caity.
On Tuesday, Caity and I made awesome autumn leaves out of melted crayon on paper. It’s all about the proper blending of colors to give your leaves that authentic autumn look.
Up close:
If you want to know how we made these lovely leaves, please click here.
I was too busy making the project and forgot to take photos of Caity playing with the leaves. But she managed to take a pic of the leaves on the plate being eaten by wriggly worms.
Caity isn’t in a tiptop shape and we decided its best for her to stay at home until she’s well. Her fever didn’t come back anymore but last night she got up from her sleep and coughed wildly.
I’ve been running a homeschool for her since Monday so she doesn’t miss her school. What do they do in school anyway? They learn and sing songs, do artworks, play and play and play. Nothing this Mama can’t do. But oh well, you toss in other things I have to do at home and that makes me a very busy Mama!
Anyway, here’s what we did on Monday (little Adie included). It’s all about indoor fun these days as the weather has been deplorable but not as bad as in other countries in Asia like Thailand.
Colored rice in a tub! I threw in some fusilli and animal pasta to make it more interesting. Others call this as sensory tub. Then I gave them stacking cups and ladles for scooping the rice. It was instant fun for the kids.
It lasted a little longer until Adie started pouring the rice out of the green carpet. Yikes! It was easy to clean up anyway but takes time! Extra work for me.
Caity sorted out the animal, and fusilli pasta (which we called wriggly worms).
And in the afternoon, when the temperature got a bit warmer, I let them play outside in the balcony with their coats on! Their sensory tub needs a little upgrade though. I’ll try mung beans, and other pasta forms next time, add in some new cool tools for scooping and pouring too.
Try this with your kids! It’s too easy to do! And I’m 100% sure you’ve got the materials hiding there in your kitchen cupboard.
11 challenges! Kids of different ages playing the games! Parents going gaga helping and cheering for their kids! Who will succeed? Only those with perseverance to finish all the tasks given and and the stamina to endure the long, tiring walk! That’s Pohádkovy Les.
So we came, joined and … didn’t win any prize. hehehe but Caity had fun (at some point) until she got tired and didn’t want to do two of the obstacle games. Out of the 11 challenges, we failed to join the first one coz we didn’t know then the whole concept of the activity. The two tasks, she got stamped on her booklet even when she vehemently refused to participate. The guys in charged probably took pity on our tired little girl who was being carried by her dad.
Starting the game with cotton candy.
Challenge 3 – building a pyramid. Pausing for a pic. (:
Challenge 4 – Fishing.
Challenge 6 – Pushing the cart, going through those orange cones. Bigger kids had to push with water bottles in their carts.
Challenge 7 – Pirate looking for the treasure chest. Challenge 10 – Solving a puzzle.
Checking out her booklet.
Grumpy pose with Winnie the Pooh and Piglet.
Happily riding the pony.
Anyway, Caity went home with loads of new experiences, free goodies and got to ride on the pony for free too (she’s crazy about pony rides!), so it was still a time well-spent.
Caity is fond of wearing my accessories. She’d borrow my bracelets or necklaces which sometimes lead to mishaps. You know how kids (mis)handle things. So I got a chipped stone pendant, a broken string, or missing beads.
When we were out shopping in a toy store one Sunday afternoon and I saw this DIY bracelet/necklace, I immediately foresee the creative play Caity will have making her own accessories. Also kids are more interested in using or eating stuff they make or took part in making. So it’s a better choice than buying her ready-to-wear products.
Wooden beads.
Caity stringing a bracelet for Mama.
Caity wearing her beaded accessories.
She’s been using it everyday when she gets home from school. (:
I left my computer opened to a website dedicated for preschoolers’ activities. Caity saw it, clicked on the pictures and saw a post on making big bubbles. “Mama! Let’s make bubbles!” The little girl requested. Seeing that we have all the tools needed, we took a break from our shopping-shoppingan for bubble time.
You’ll need a plastic bottle, dishwashing liquid soap, water and a deep container (where you’ll mix the water and soap), and tadan, you’re ready for lots of bubble fun! It’s a great way to recycle those water bottles you have.
We took the kids in the playground later that afternoon together with our bubble arsenal and it drew attention from other kids (and adults too).
Click here for more ideas on water bottle bubble fun.
Last week, our friend Ai asked if they can leave their 5 y/o daughter with us for a night coz her husband will be performing in a band and she wants to watch the show. I didn’t have any problems with it. Nikki is one of those few friends Caity have and I know my little girl would be thrilled to have her playmate in our house, and sleep with her? Oh yes! She liked the idea so much.
I brought the kids to the playground after Caity’s little brother woke up from his nap. We stayed there until they got tired. Then it was dinner time. It was a bit challenging to make them eat their food coz all they can think about was to ran to the living room to play more. But the Jelly Belly laid out beside their dinner plates was a good motivation for them to finish their food, or else they won’t get their sweet treat!
After bathtime, munching on raisins.
Goofing for the camera…
Later that night, the kids had fun in the tub. Even Adie joined them. But our bathroom floor was a mess! They splashed water which accidentally landed on our floor. Talk about mini-flood in there. The next challenge was making them sleep. The set-up was to let Nikki use Caity’s bed while the latter will sleep with us in our bed. BUT, Nikki asked if she could sleep beside Caity. So I pulled the bed beside ours, close to Caity’s side. BUT, Nikki asked again if she can sleep with Caity on the same bed. Okay I obliged. In the end, it was all four of us in our master’s bed – Nikki, Caity, me and hubby.
The next day, I got them involved in baking chocolate cupcake and they enjoyed decorating/eating their baked goodies.
Decorating their cupcake.
Nikki’s cupcake…
Caity and Nikki eating lunch of shrimp noodles.
All in all, the sleepover was a success. I didn’t encounter problems with Nikki, and the kids had a blast. I brought the kids again after lunch to the playground where our little guest was picked up by her dad. Both kids didn’t want to part ways. It was much harder for Caity to see her friend leave. She bawled loudly in the street “I want Nikki! I want Nikki!“
It was Friday night (Nov. 26) when the first snow of the year fell in Prague. Caity was then already lying in bed. I know she loves snow a lot, so I told her to look out of the window. The little girl couldn’t contain her happiness and excitement, she kept shouting “look! it’s snowing! Tata, Mama, it’s snowing!” We promised her when she wakes up in the morning, we’ll take her out to the snow.
The next day, she woke us up quite early for a weekend to make good of our promise. “Mama, Tata, wake up! Let’s go to the snow!”
There wasn’t much snow yet for sledding…
But since then, it has been snowing a lot… so on Tuesday, when Caity visited her grandma, the snow on the ground was already thick and soft enough for lying down and forming a snow angel.
The little red-nosed girl…
I also found last year’s picture of Caity in th snow from her grandma’s picasa album… You can tell she really loves the snow!
Notice the snow angel forms beside her?
With her dog friend, Ori…
All pictures were taken by Baba, except for the first one.
Sorry I haven’t posted for a long time!
I can’t let the month of November end without posting a single entry. All is well with Caity. She is growing up so fast and learning many things but she still enjoys the same old activities…
Playing with her dad. Flying, up and away…
Sneaky! She took my moisturizer (without my knowledge of course) and applied it on her face.
Jumping up and down, one thing she loves most…
Dancing to Singing in the Rain… look at her imitating the actor’s facial expression. And she has to have props!
She still loves reading – even a magazine for winter sports…
And here’s a video clip of Caity singing along to ABC:
Caity’s favorite expression (when something goes/ went wrong or isn’t right) used to be, “o-oh!” which changed into “oh no!” few weeks ago and recently she has another new cutey expression – “ayayay!”
And this is her new favorite song since yesterday which she likes to listen to over and over : Baa Baa Black Sheep.
Caity got a water color set from my friend yesterday. She was very curious what it was. When we got home, she immediately opened the package and I helped her get started with her first-ever water color painting.
It was messy! I should’ve let her wear a kiddie apron to protect her shirt from water color stains.
