Cornmeal and Shaving Cream... (Week 4)

Well today is the day...

"A Place For Little Hands" has officially closed

as a Licensed Family Child Care Home

It is bittersweet, and I am tired

Earlier today...

we were all running around barefoot

while enjoying our last day together

so after lunch I grabbed

a towel

a box of baby wipes and

a shallow pan of warm water

so that I could wash the children's feet 

When my mother called to see how the day

was going, I laughed as I told her that I was

washing the children's feet

She reminded me that the Lord performed this humble

service for his disciples right before He was offered up. 

I stopped laughing

grateful for the amazing journey,

and the time now come for

"A Place For Little Hands"

to be offered up...

__________________________________________

Here are the final activities

from our "spilled cornmeal"

(click here to go back)

 Cornmeal Letter Search

What I did:  

Hid letters in a bowl of cornmeal... 

(Social-Emotional Development, Language

and Literacy, Physical Development).

What they did:

The children paired themselves up (1 older child/ 1 younger child)

and played a game they made up.  The younger child pulled a

letter and challenged the older child to name something

(food, animal, color, person's name, etc... ) that began with the letter. 

This game was a lot of fun and helped the younger children

make the connection that letters represent sound.

Cornmeal Play Dough Pie

What I did: 

Put play dough in a large bowl w/ beans, unpopped popcorn,

rice, and bird seed to enhance the sensory experience. 

(Social- Emotional Development, Visual

and Performing Arts, Physical Development).

Helpful Tip:

Keep your children's age and developmental stage in mind

when planning your activities.  Some things may be inappropriate

for the little ones in your care.  Closely supervise your kiddos!

Cornmeal Goop

What I did:

Added water and glue to the cornmeal

and began stirring to make "goop" 

(Social- Emotional Development, Language and

Literacy, Mathematics, Visual and Performing Arts).

What they did:

This activity was an epic FAIL! 

The children hated everything about it... they said that it

smelled funny, it was runny, and was definitely NOT goop!

Cornmeal and Shaving Cream

What I did:

Added brushes, paint, dry cornmeal, and

shaving cream for children to mix on their own. 

(Mathematics, Visual and Performing Arts, Physical Development).

What they did:

They love, love, LOVED this activity so much

they were actually singing "shaving creeeam"!

(watch the video)

Helpful Tip:

The use of shaving cream is controversial

and in some programs is NOT ALLOWED.

Please check with your State licensing entity for guidelines.  

Cornmeal Play Dough (Week 3)

Adults suffer from childhood amnesia... 

our responsibilities to overwhelm us

and we stop

-playing in the mud

-running barefoot through the grass

-making up silly songs and singing them out loud

but working with children

has allowed me to

stay young

stay in the moment 

while learning to see more

Click here for the beginning...

Cornmeal Play Dough

What I did:

I found a homemade cornmeal play dough recipe,

set out rolling pins, cookie cutters, and play dough

scissors for the kids to finally open their bake shop!  

(Social- Emotional Development, Language and Literacy,

Mathematics, Visual and Performing Arts, Physical Development)

What they did:

To my surprise, no one showed up for the activity.  NO ONE!

I called out, "We have play dough!  Who wants play dough?"

"Not now" they answered.  What were they doing instead? 

Two of the older girls had set up a nail spa with a foot soak tub,

towels, and the promise of pretty polish!  Even the one little guy in

my care was waiting in line to soak his feet in the warm, soapy water!

Lesson Learned:

Don't anticipate... live in the

moment, and follow their lead.

Helpful Tip:

Homemade play dough that is properly stored (in a sealed

container, in a dry/cool location) can last quite a while.

Cornmeal Foot Scrub

What I did:

Followed their lead and made a cornmeal foot scrub

(oil, powder, tiny amount of dry cornmeal) for the

nail spa customers!!  Not only did the kids LOVE it, they

said it left their feet silky smooth and smelled great too. 

(Social-Emotional Development, Language and

Literacy, Visual and Performing Arts, Health)

I see more:

Go with the flow. Meet the children where they are. 

If they want a manicure/pedicure party, then party it is.

Join them and supplement THEIR ideas!

Build upon what they are interested in and support their vision. 

Cornmeal Play Dough (Cheerios)

What I did:

Put out the play dough again with a variety of play dough tools. 

(Mathematics, Visual and Performing Arts, Physical Development, Health).

What they did:

Used items to cut and poke the play dough.  We ended up

with something that looked very similar to Cheerios.

Lesson Learned:

Revisit activities.  Although the children rejected

the play dough on Monday, they enjoyed it every day thereafter.

Part of "going with the flow" is knowing when to try again!

Cornmeal Play Dough (Necklaces)

What we did:

The night before I baked the cornmeal "cheerios" in the

oven and let them cool/harden overnight.  The following day 

I set out paint and brushes and let the children paint them. 

After drying we used them for stringing. 

(Visual and Performing Arts, Physical Development)

Helpful Tip:

Make sure your children are mature enough

to comprehend that these are not for eating!  

Play Dough and Paint Dotters

What we did:

Spread a thin layer of cornmeal play dough onto a

tray, gave them paint dotters, and let them at it!

(Language and Literacy, Mathematics, Visual

and Performing Arts, Physical Development)

(Click here to see Week 4 activities)

Cornmeal Music Shakers... (Week 2)

If you have been following the cornmeal journey,

you may be wondering...

"Tondra Denise, is that the SAME cornmeal

you spilled on the floor over a month ago?" 

My answer to you is

"Why yes it is, and thanks for asking." 

We have had so much fun with it, and still have

3 more weeks of activities to share with you! 

I'm so glad I didn't throw this stuff away!! 

(told you I saw more) 

Click here to go back to the beginning

---------------------

Week 2 activities included... 

Cornmeal Maracas

 

What we did:

Set out cornmeal, beans, and empty paper towel rolls. 

Folded and staple the end of the paper towel rolls, filled

them up and stapled the top. We wrapped ours inside of the

children's artwork to prevent leakage.  Stylish, yet functional! 

(Mathematics, Visual and Performing Arts, Health).

Helpful Tip:

Recycle, repurpose, reuse
what you already have on hand. 

Cornmeal and Rainbow Rice

What I did:

Put cornmeal and Rainbow Rice in

separate bowls inside of our red sensory table. 

(Social- Emotional Development, Language and

Literacy, Mathematics, Visual and Performing Arts).

Helpful Tip:

Keep the rules simple and consistent. Each person must wash

their hands before and after the activity, sift through the

cornmeal after use, and store in a sealed container.

Following these tips allowed us to use

our same cornmeal for over a month!

Cornmeal Textured Painting

What I did:

Mixed cornmeal together with paint

and put it into a repurposed egg carton

(Visual and Performing Arts, Social-Emotional

Development, Language and Literacy).

What they did:

The children used their fingers to explore

the texture of the paint, and dip out onto paper.

Blindfold Sensory Game

What I did:

Separated items (birdseed, feathers, cotton balls, string,

rice, cooked noodles, beans, and cornmeal), asking

children to identify using only their sense of touch. 

(Social-Emotional Development, Language

and Literacy, Visual and Performing Arts).

I see more:

We later read the legend of "The Blind Men and the Elephant"

in which each man (sight impaired), uses only his hands to

explore an elephant.  And as each felt a different part, each

was led to a different conclusion; the elephant is a spear,

a wall, a snake, a tree, a fan, and a rope...

"And so these men of Indostan disputed loud and long,

Each in his own opinion exceeding stiff and strong,

Though each was partly in the right, and all were in the wrong!"

Reinforced Lesson:

The children were so excited about this activity, they invited

their parents to play at pick up time.  Research has shown that learning

is extended when adults get involved and show interest in children's

play as builds communication, teaches them their ideas are important,

and promotes a love for future learning activities.  It was so 

AWESOME to have dads that came in at the end of a LONG DAY,

willing to let their children blindfold them for a 4 minute game! 

The cost of that?...Priceless!!!

Cornmeal Sand Castles

What we did:

Mixed sand, cornmeal, water, added trays, and utensils

to assist in building the perfect homemade sand castles!

Helpful Tip:

Get the most from the cornmeal, do all of

the dry activities first.  Once you add water to

your cornmeal, it must be tossed within 24 hours.

(Click here to see Week 3 activities)

Cornmeal Tracing... (Days 4 & 5)

If you have ever attended one of our annual art shows...you know I LOVE children's art!

Ok, so here's the deal.

Growing up I never considered myself an artist.  In fact, if you asked me about art, I would have given you the negative answer...  "No, I'm not an artist.  I can't draw.  I'm not very artistic".  I now realize that the main problem I've had is getting the elaborate ideas in my head to translate onto paper.  I hadn't learned how to master the art of getting the physical product to match the creative process which was taking place in my mind. 

Well, in college I took a child development class that CHANGED MY LIFE,

as I learned the difference between process and product oriented art

The process is where the

creativity is showcased because...

Life is a PROCESS, after all, isn't it?

Here is what we did Days 4 and 5...

Cornmeal and Colored Sand Art

What I did:

Mixed cornmeal together with colored

sand and put it into a repurposed egg carton

(Visual and Performing Arts)

What they did:

Used cotton swabs to make unique designs with glue

onto their papers.  Every child's looked different, and 

several children made more than one.  They seemed to

enjoy the creative process, and didn't stop until lunch!

Cornmeal Tracing

What I did: 

Spread a thin layer of cornmeal

onto a tray and let them at it!

(Language and Literacy, Visual and Performing Arts)

I see more: 

Since school was out, my 7-year-olds were working right

beside toddlers and preschoolers, and I was blessed to see the

Scribbler Stage, Schematic Stage, and Realistic Stage all at work. 

I LOVE when the children teach me!

Week 2

Cornmeal Racetrack... (The First 3 Days)

It's been a little over a month

since I first spilled the cornmeal...

(the day that I began to see more)

and within this time I have been documenting it all

and I am sure that one day I will look back, grateful for

Ordinary Moments,

Extraordinary Memories!

Here are some of the activities that we have enjoyed...

Cornmeal and Funnels

What I did:

I put cornmeal in the sensory table and provided funnels,

turkey basters, cups and spoons of various sizes 

(physics)

What they did:

The children explored for a bit before bringing

other items to the table, declaring that they were

going to make cupcakes and open a cupcake shop!

I see more:

The children extending the activity did not surprise me. 

I was surprised, however, that as they saw me taking pictures

of the activity, they asked me to film them for their "cooking show".

(I was heartbroken that my battery was too low)

Lesson Learned:

Charge the battery next time so I can fulfill their request. 

There is no telling how far they would have taken this idea

had I been prepared to follow their lead.  Child initiated activities

are so important for healthy growth and development

and missed opportunities like this are impossible to get back!

Helpful Tip:

Before you begin... know your children.  Where are they

developmentally?  Are there any allergies?  Are they ready

for this type of activity? Are there cultural sensitivities

that would make playing with food inappropriate?

Beans and Cornmeal

What I did: 

I put the cornmeal in the sensory table, mixed in a bag of dry

beans, and brought dinosaurs from the dramatic play area.

(Social- Emotional Development,

and Language and Literacy)

What they did:

Launched their dinosaurs into "full attack" mode accompanied

by full-on sound effects.  One of the children collected eggs

from the dramatic play kitchen area, and informed 

that it was so the dinosaurs "could hatch their babies".

Helpful Tip:

Once you have set out an activity for children, be approachable. 

Let them bring whatever they feel will make the area complete.

If needed, offer an invitation and keep the ownership neutral

"What else can we do here?  Do you have any other ideas for this area?"

Cornmeal Racetrack

What I did:

Created a "start to finish" desert racetrack.

(Social-Emotional Development, Language and

Literacy, Mathematics, Directional Awareness)

What they did:

The looks on their faces made my day as they gasped

in awe and started claiming their cars.  We're off to the races!

Lesson Learned: 

Don't underestimate your kids. 

Remember to keep it fun, but if they are

ready for more of a challenge... give them more!

Helpful Tip: 

Adapt this experience to make it challenging for older children. 

For instance, to build upon the Mathematics foundation

(for older preschoolers) let children pull numbers out of a bowl,

and count out that number of spaces with the car of their choice. 

(Or for school age children) Jot down several appropriate

math problems, and when children answer correctly,

they get to move forward the number of spaces. 

The first one to cross the finish line wins the game. 

Most of all, be creative and listen to ideas from the children.

(Click here to check out days 4 and 5)

A Bag of Opportunities

I'm wondering how many would look at this and see a bag of opportunities

Not many, I'm guessing

In fact, I will venture to say that most people would look,
and just see a bag of trash ready to be discarded

(But I see more...)

As I prepare to enter this next phase in my life and career, I can't help but smile as I realize that the more that I'd spent so much time searching for, is actually less.

God has been busy, and while it appeared to me that He wouldn't move, I didn't realize that He was actually repositioning ME!  Now I've looked up and I notice that even though I am still standing in the same spot, everything looks...different. 

Now instead of problems, I see potential.  How did I get here?

For instance, like the night that I was preparing to fry fish for dinner, and I accidently dropped the cornmeal.  My daughter Moriah shrieked as cornmeal spilled incredulously onto the kitchen floor.

I looked down at the container and smiled realizing that I hadn't manage to lose it all.  "That's alright Moriah, God still left us enough to fry the fish".

Then I would see more...

I went to get the broom and dustpan, and returned to sweep up the mess that I had made.  That's when I saw it.

"This is not trash, Moriah".

I decided to get my camera instead so that I could document the more that I was seeing.

"Just because we can't eat this, doesn't mean that we can't still use it. 
What if we put this in the red sensory table for the kids tomorrow?"

Then she saw more...

The smile in her eyes showed me that she saw it as she proclaimed,

"Ooh, yeah!  That will be so much fun,  I can hardly wait".

As I scooped up the cornmeal and bagged it up, my mind began to flood itself with thoughts of redemption and restoration.  Although cornmeal is supposed to be used for food, I could immediately think of several developmentally appropriate activities the children would enjoy, along with the Preschool Learning Foundations that each activity would meet.

This cornmeal would NOT go to waste! 

And so it is with God.  He has an awesome way of using people that many of us would just bag up and set to the side.

(But He sees more...)

Running a daycare for the past eight years has helped me in more ways than I had realized.  Now that we are counting down the days until our child care program closes, people have begun asking me "what are you gonna do now?"

There are too many ways that I could answer that question, so I just smile and graciously reply,
"I am holding a bag of opportunities"

And I see more...

------------------------------------------

Cornmeal Activities

Cornmeal Racetrack
Cornmeal Tracing

Cornmeal Music Shakers

Cornmeal Playdough

Cornmeal and Shaving Cream

Cornmeal Activities Summary

Having Eyes That See

One day during my personal Bible study time I stumbled upon Mark 8
and began reading the account of Jesus with His disciples and the multitude

I became especially intrigued when I reached the 18th verse which reads...

"Having eyes, see ye not? 
And having ears, hear ye not? 
And do ye not remember? 

When I broke the five loaves among five thousand,
how many baskets full of fragments took ye up?"

I went back to Mark 6 to read the entire account referenced there

As I read, I began to reflect on all of the miracles that are recorded in the Bible.  Then I started to reflect on all of the miracles I have seen in my own life.  I began to wonder why it seemed so easy for the disciples and multitudes to quickly forget the miracles they witnessed Jesus perform.  I began to wonder what it is that causes us to do the same thing today.

What is that? 
Why do we need constant reassurance? 
Consistent reminders? 

Why do we have eyes that do not see?

So I began writing...

"Having Eyes That See" 
(a testimony journal I have since decided to share with others)

as an invitation 
to

slow down
listen
take the time

to embark on the journey to develop eyes that see!

Now let me ask you...
How many baskets full of fragments have you taken up lately?

_____________________________

"Having Eyes That See"

Life Lessons That Brought Me Closer to God

click the links to read the lessons

Lesson 1
"You Are My Child"

Lesson 2
"I Love You"