Working with Locks and Keys

Locks and Keys

The other day I found some inexpensive locks and decided to put together a fine motor activity for Michael.  With the keys all mixed up he would have to figure out first which key fit into which lock and then be able to twist and unlock each one.

Here is what I came up with:

 Michael has a natural curiosity and when I placed the basket before him he immediately picked up a lock and key. 

I watched how he sat there turning the lock over and trying to fit the key into it.  He did not get discouraged only picked up another key and tried it in the lock.   This is a good activity for him to work on concentration skills.  He kept at it.  When the key fit in he struggled to get it to unlock but he kept at it.

  

Michael spent several minutes working with them but could not get them to unlock.  I told him to keep practicing and he would eventually get it.  So for the next couple days he would stop by the basket and try and try to get a lock opened.  It took two days but now he can really open the locks!  He is also so proud of himself that he did it all by himself!  He takes the a lock out of the basket now and goes right to opening them.  Then he holds the lock up for us to see that he opened it.

I love the way he is proud of his accomplishments.  I love to design activities that get him to think and concentrate and feel success when he achieves something that at first was challenging.




Had to throw this last picture in.  We were at the playground at the school and Michael read the words, "General Store."  I told him it meant a store that sold lots of different things.  Michael took my order and then said he was out of that but I could have an ice cream. 

We played in the evening with imagined cones dripping, our minds on our play, and the beautiful sun lighting our moments.

 I was reminded of the countless pizza deliveries Jimmy made up to me on his bike with training wheels, and Andrew's ice cream cone business he made to me when on his tricycle.  All those imagined play times melding into this one here where I am again playing with a son, now Michael, who creates his own dishes for me. 

And I am filled with the magic of memories blending with today's similar inspirations and I smile for all three of my boys, all who I cherish and enjoy their creative play and fine dishes.  It's good to be a mom.

Dollar Store Water Bottles

Dollar Store Delights

The dollar store is a treasure trove for creative ideas.  Today the kids and I scooped up two cool spray bottles for them to use.  They spent a lot of time outside spraying everything in the  back yard.  Then they rode their bikes to the school playground.

Instantly they were off their bikes and racing around the playground  with the  bottles spraying everything.  They giggled and raced about, so cute.

Michael went to the slide and sprayed with such concentration.  I wondered what he was thinking as he sprayed.  

Nora raced up to the top of a slide and slid down spraying.  At the end of the slide she jumped up and sprayed towards me.  She was having so much fun, such smiles.

Michael peeked out from beneath the playground structure and grinned at me. 

They spent so much time just roaming the playground and spraying and giggling.  The dollar store find was such a good discovery for such a sunny day.

Then they turned towards their bikes and decided to do a bike wash.  

Then it was time to head back after a few more sprays.  They had it on a fine mist spray so the water seemed to last for a long time.

They balanced their way down the school's sidewalk and we headed for home.  

Nora is going to spend time with us this summer and I am so happy for us.  Michael loves his "Eleanora" as he thinks her real name is called.  (It is Eleanor, he couldn't understand that the "a" is dropped so I didn't push it.) 

I imagine more days of water sprays, bike rides, and exploring the outdoors.  I want them to create Nature Journals and draw and write and just be in their experiences.  And I think I may need to buy one more water  bottle and join in the washings of our days.

Making Ice Melt

Making Ice Melt

The other day Michael and I decided to explore freezing toys into ice cubes.  He selected some small objects and put one in each muffin tin.  He poured water over each one so carefully.  His concentration was amazing as he tried so hard to get each one covered but not over flow.  We did have plenty of towels and I let him go at it.

Then we put them overnight in the freezer.  Michael couldn't wait to check to see if his toys froze into ice cubes.  He rushed to the kitchen and peeked inside.  There they were and he was ready to observe them.
I dumped them out onto a tray and let him touch and examine each one.

After a while I asked him if he knew how we could melt the ice so we could get to the toys.  He wasn't sure so I gave him some things to try out.

First we used a turkey baster and hot water.  Michael basted hot water over the ice but the cubes did not melt very  much.

 The toys were pretty frozen and Michael thought this was taking too long.

So I handed him a spoon and watched him tap on the ice.  He tapped a bit harder but
realized it would take a long time with a spoon. I wanted him to think about what else he could
use and he jumped up and grinned.
"What about my hammer?"  He ran downstairs to his tool bench and brought his hammer up.

 He looked at the cubes and thought about how to start.

 Then he stuck his tongue to one side and went to hammering the ice.  He really went at it.

After a few minutes of satisfied banging he stopped and looked at the cubes.  I asked him if he remembered the ice cube game we played about a month ago.  We raced to see who could melt an ice cube the fastest by doing certain things determined by the number rolled on a dice.

"Maybe salt."  He said.  Salt was the fastest melting avenue in our game and he remembered that.  I gave him salt and let him sprinkle it all over the ice cubes.  The ice really started to melt.  He grinned.

 Pretty soon he reached into the slush and pulled out a penny we had frozen.  He tapped onto the turtle which was halfway out. 

Satisfied they were melting he went off to play in his room.  Every so often during the day I would discover him in the kitchen observing the melting ice and the toys.  He would shout for me to come look as another toy would be free of its ice cube. 

Sometimes he would pick up the spoon or the hammer and give a good thwack on the melting cubes.  It is a satisfying feeling to break something and I was glad to watch him break up some of the ice.  

 That night we dumped all the salty water out and piled up the toys and the hammer and spoon on the tray.
 

It was really fun to observe Michael's thought process as he tried to deduce what would melt the ice the fastest.  I could see him really thinking as he observed the cubes and made each decision to try out the tool
I put before him.  Having him think to use his hammer was a great connection he made.  The spoon was not hitting them hard enough and so he thought to what would really work.


I enjoy being there to watch him learn and think on his own.  I have always wanted my boys to not be afraid to problem solve.  I can remember looking at a problem and being frozen in fear if I made the wrong choice so therefore I couldn't make any choice.  I want Michael to be a thinker and to not be afraid to make a choice. 
 
Eventually he remembered the salt, and together we watched the ice melt.  He continues to teach me as I share in his days.  If you ever have the chance to freeze some objects, the hammer is a fun tool to try to excavate the objects!

Big Truck Day

 Big Truck Day in Burlington was so much fun!  Michael spent the time with his cousin Nora whom he just adores.  He loved to hold her hand and walk around and up on all the trucks that were there.

He wasn't sure what a news truck was but we showed him the inside.  There was a camera outside that was hooked up to the tv monitor inside.  Jim stood outside and waved to Michael.  Michael was in the van laughing and waving back at Jim on the screen.  He had no idea that Jim couldn't see him!  So cute.

The playground was just as much fun as the trucks were to him.  With Nora beside him, he trip-trapped over the bridge and up to the slide.  He wouldn't slide down, but he enjoyed the climb.

Michael was excited to see "Mary Ann" , the digger from Mike Mulligan, at the event.  He ran right up to it
and touched the big wheels.  He said, "Hi Mary Ann!"

He wasn't too sure to be on the big wheel but he sat for a picture, but not too happy about it.

He was definitely ready to get down after just a few snaps of the camera.

                                      This was much safer and he sat right down on the wheel.

He was very daring on the mixer as long as Nora was right beside him..  He loves her so.

The police car was also a big hit.  He wanted to turn on the computer and the sirens but settled with
"driving" the car.

Michael really enjoyed exploring on all the big trucks.  There was a race car and an RV that he liked too.  

Michael reaffirmed that he wanted to be a fireman when he grew up.  He also wants to be a chef with a big white hat who drives a fire truck.  He also wants to be a bus driver.  He also wants to have a badge like the police man.  

I like that Michael has endless ideas of what he wants to be when he grows up.  He believes anything is possible.  His role playing and imagination is so important as he learns of different roles in life.     His imagination reigns and it is beautiful.    Why not a super hero who drives a fire truck and wears a big white chef hat?  Life should be filled with creativity.  I want Michael to create as long as he can.

Vintage Fisher Price Afternoon!

Did you know I liked to thrift?

Today we found the Fisher Price Garage to add to our vintage collection.     My sister Beth and I trekked about Franklin County this morning and there inside a vintage home was the vintage garage!  I scooped it up for just a few dollars and we spent an enjoyable day getting lost on the back roads of Vermont!

After I cleaned it up, Michael and I went right into play mode!  He got out his little people, his matchbox cars, the vintage boat, and the airplane.  I was transported back to my own childhood as I played with him and his vivid imagination.  I remember Johnny and I playing with similar Fisher Price toys, and it made me smile so!

Here is the boat we found at Christmas.

 The table and grill were  a rare find
at Goodwill.




Does anyone else remember this?  I made so many pretend BBQ's with this,
it was funny to bring those memories back from so long ago.

Michael raced about today with the plane full of passengers.

Michael and I had lots of fun playing with these.  He is still playing and talking to the little people right now as I write this.  He is wheeling the plane down the hallway towards the garage.  I do like to see him living out his imaginings.   Childhood needs to be cherished and protected for as long as we can for our children.  There can be so much hardship and pain in life that I want to keep Michael's  life as sweet and safe and happy as I can.  I wish that for all children.

I wonder how real his stories are to him.  Cartoons are still just as real as any other show.  He believes the cartoons are in real life.  How real are the little people he talks to?  So sweet.  The matchbox cars are
speeding down the garage and he talks to them, gives them tickets to pass by the gate.

I am reminded of my childhood where days were filled with imagined tales, friends and family, and toys
that were good for making the stories come alive.  How great to find some vintage toys and share the time with Michael without blinking lights and screeching toys, but the wheels of his imagination spinning great tales for us to act out.

If you have time stop in to a thrift store, walk about and find a memory to relive.  Today I walked past my grandmother's old plastic cups with the 60's pink hue and the wicker-look behind the plastic.  I thought about her and smiled.  Grandma Isabelle had so much to share with me, I miss her.

Happy Hunting all.