Home with kids during Covid-19
Former TLC Mom Miara
My name is Miara and I am a 27-year-old mother of two girls. I like to read, draw, do crafts with my kids, and just plain have fun.
This is Nieomi. She is 7 years old. She is a second grader full of creativity, sarcasm, and love. Her favorite color is blue. If you can't tell by the picture, Nieomi loves to cook. When she isn’t playing sports or reading a book, we love to bug hunt and play outside together!
This is Marcy. She is 2 years old. She is definitely in her “terrible twos” and into everything. She loves elephants and hats. If you couldn’t tell she also loves boxes. Marcy is full of energy and never stops moving.
Toddler Fun If you have an empty box you can give your child crayons and let them get creative. Marcy loves to color in her boxes. Share a comment about our blog below.
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Blog Post #9, Home with Kids during COVID-19
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Blog Post #7, Home with Kids during COVID-19
Week of Monday May 11th
Welcome to week number 7! I hope you had a great week! We took this week to do little things that make us happy. The little things are what matter in the end after all. The more time we added for ourselves into the day, the happier we seemed to be. Even a little action or gesture can make your whole day less stressful.
This Week’s Activities:
Outside Play
This week I focused on going outside more. This was a great way to burn off some energy, get some sun and enjoy nature. We all needed some fresh air!
Game 1 Tag
We went out and played a great game of tag together. You don't have to play for long, but I found that getting active started to lift my mood!
Game 2 Wiffle Ball
This is a great game to play as a family. You really only need two people if you get creative!
1. Get a bat and ball of some kind.
2. Set up something to act as the 4 bases within the space you have.
3. Set something up as a strike zone (We use a lawn chair)
4. We played with the traditional rules of three outs per half inning. If you have only two or three people playing, relax the rules to what you want (one or two outs per half inning). Go as many innings as you like.
5. You may want to set rules based on the size of your yard for what would be a single (1 base), double (2 bases), triple (3 bases), and where a home run (4 bases) would be.
6. Outs are when the ball is caught in the air after being hit or by tagging the runner or the base they are headed to with the ball.
Most importantly, have fun while exercising with your kids!
Explore
Nature is beautiful. We took a walk and talked about what we saw. Not only did it get us out of the house, but it also provided us with some bonding time! We talked about colors with Marcy. Nieomi helped explain some of the animals we saw. We also soaked up some sunshine. Then we looked in the woods a little and tried to find new things, such as nests or buds. We learn something new everyday, so why not learn something new in nature and get some sunshine!
Art
Nieomi and I decided to go with something simple, fun, and creative this week. We chose to trace her hands and make sections using a ruler. Check it out!
Materials needed:
1. White Paper
2. Crayons, markers, or colored pencils
3. Black Marker (Permanent works best)
4. Ruler
5. Pencil
Instructions:
1. Lay the white paper on a flat surface. Trace your child's hands or have them trace their hands with a pencil.
2. Trace the hand outlines with the black marker.
Outside Play
This week I focused on going outside more. This was a great way to burn off some energy, get some sun and enjoy nature. We all needed some fresh air!
Game 1 Tag
We went out and played a great game of tag together. You don't have to play for long, but I found that getting active started to lift my mood!
Game 2 Wiffle Ball
This is a great game to play as a family. You really only need two people if you get creative!
1. Get a bat and ball of some kind.
2. Set up something to act as the 4 bases within the space you have.
3. Set something up as a strike zone (We use a lawn chair)
4. We played with the traditional rules of three outs per half inning. If you have only two or three people playing, relax the rules to what you want (one or two outs per half inning). Go as many innings as you like.
5. You may want to set rules based on the size of your yard for what would be a single (1 base), double (2 bases), triple (3 bases), and where a home run (4 bases) would be.
6. Outs are when the ball is caught in the air after being hit or by tagging the runner or the base they are headed to with the ball.
Most importantly, have fun while exercising with your kids!
Explore
Nature is beautiful. We took a walk and talked about what we saw. Not only did it get us out of the house, but it also provided us with some bonding time! We talked about colors with Marcy. Nieomi helped explain some of the animals we saw. We also soaked up some sunshine. Then we looked in the woods a little and tried to find new things, such as nests or buds. We learn something new everyday, so why not learn something new in nature and get some sunshine!
Art
Nieomi and I decided to go with something simple, fun, and creative this week. We chose to trace her hands and make sections using a ruler. Check it out!
Materials needed:
1. White Paper
2. Crayons, markers, or colored pencils
3. Black Marker (Permanent works best)
4. Ruler
5. Pencil
Instructions:
1. Lay the white paper on a flat surface. Trace your child's hands or have them trace their hands with a pencil.
2. Trace the hand outlines with the black marker.
3. Use a ruler and add lines to the picture as shown below
4. Let your child color each section a different color. Enjoy their newest work of art :) Here is what Nieomi made!
Toddler Fun
We love to read in our home! Books help toddlers develop their vocabulary and imagination! Nieomi loves reading to Marcy and teaching her all about the story. Above is Nieomi Reading to Marcy and talking about the pictures with her.
Science Bob Website Review
This week I took the time to review the Science Bob website. I think this website provides some fun experiments for kids of any age. I was going through the experiments and most of them use common items found in your home. I plan to make the ice cream one with my children! These activities are simple and easy. Please check this out!
https://sciencebob.com/category/experiments/
Wrap-Up:
This week has boosted our family’s bond. We enjoyed the little moments and felt uplifted as we played outdoors and explored nature. I hope you get outdoors too and feel positive as you see signs of new growth all around. Please leave me a comment and I will respond! If you have any ideas or topics that you would like me to include in my blog, I would love to hear from you. You can reach me by commenting on the blog or by email via Liz at Liz@tlcfamilyrc.org. Wishing you a week of good health and sanity until next time!
We love to read in our home! Books help toddlers develop their vocabulary and imagination! Nieomi loves reading to Marcy and teaching her all about the story. Above is Nieomi Reading to Marcy and talking about the pictures with her.
Science Bob Website Review
This week I took the time to review the Science Bob website. I think this website provides some fun experiments for kids of any age. I was going through the experiments and most of them use common items found in your home. I plan to make the ice cream one with my children! These activities are simple and easy. Please check this out!
https://sciencebob.com/category/experiments/
Wrap-Up:
This week has boosted our family’s bond. We enjoyed the little moments and felt uplifted as we played outdoors and explored nature. I hope you get outdoors too and feel positive as you see signs of new growth all around. Please leave me a comment and I will respond! If you have any ideas or topics that you would like me to include in my blog, I would love to hear from you. You can reach me by commenting on the blog or by email via Liz at Liz@tlcfamilyrc.org. Wishing you a week of good health and sanity until next time!
Blog Post #6, Home with Kids during COVID-19 Week of Monday May 4, 2020
Welcome to week number 6! We did some dancing this week to melt away the strain of our current situation. Putting on some music and doing silly dances and movements really helped. Sometimes it is really hard to keep up with the little ones! They keep going and I need to take a small break :). Sometimes, I step away and sip some tea or sit for a few minutes. Then I get back up and join back in. This has been such a great but tiring week for us. I hope your week has been full of hope and love!
This Week’s Activities
Air Dry Clay
This activity was so much fun! We had a blast doing this! We made bigger objects that are still drying.
Homemade Air-Dry Modelling Clay {aka baking soda clay}
· 2 cups of baking soda
· 1 cup of cornstarch
· 1 1/4 cups of water
Place all ingredients into a pot over medium heat. Stir the mixture almost constantly, until it thickens and becomes the consistency of whipped mashed potatoes. Let cool and then knead until smooth and no longer sticky. Make what you want, then set to dry. Once dry, paint! https://mamapapabubba.com/2016/02/16/homemade-air-dry-modelling-clay-aka-baking-soda-clay/
Air Dry Clay
This activity was so much fun! We had a blast doing this! We made bigger objects that are still drying.
Homemade Air-Dry Modelling Clay {aka baking soda clay}
· 2 cups of baking soda
· 1 cup of cornstarch
· 1 1/4 cups of water
Place all ingredients into a pot over medium heat. Stir the mixture almost constantly, until it thickens and becomes the consistency of whipped mashed potatoes. Let cool and then knead until smooth and no longer sticky. Make what you want, then set to dry. Once dry, paint! https://mamapapabubba.com/2016/02/16/homemade-air-dry-modelling-clay-aka-baking-soda-clay/
Jellyfish Paper Bags
Do you have extra paper bags around the house? Do you pick up meals from a school for your kids? Look no further! You can put those bags to good use in many ways. This week we made jellyfish paper bags. This activity is super easy, needs minimal materials and is loads of fun!
Materials needed:
1. Paper Bag(s)
2. Crayons, markers, or colored pencils
3. Scissors
4. Googly eyes/ pom poms(Optional)
5. Glue or Tape
Instructions:
1. Lay bag(s) flat as shown below.
Do you have extra paper bags around the house? Do you pick up meals from a school for your kids? Look no further! You can put those bags to good use in many ways. This week we made jellyfish paper bags. This activity is super easy, needs minimal materials and is loads of fun!
Materials needed:
1. Paper Bag(s)
2. Crayons, markers, or colored pencils
3. Scissors
4. Googly eyes/ pom poms(Optional)
5. Glue or Tape
Instructions:
1. Lay bag(s) flat as shown below.
2. Have your child color the bags in any way they would like.
3. Add the googly eyes to the top and cut the open side of the bag in strips as shown below.
Nieomi and I did this craft together! Can you tell whose is whose?
Flower Vase for Mom
Nieomi and I laughed and had a great time making this craft. This is a really good way to help inspire creativity as it is up to the child to come up with the exact design. She was so excited. She did tell me I'm not supposed to see what she makes me for Mother's Day though :)
Materials needed
1. Papers (2 pieces)
2. Crayons, Markers, Colored Pencils, etc.
3. Scissors
4. Glue Stick or Tape
Instructions
1. Lay one paper on a flat surface
2. Help your child trace their hands and have them color in the hand prints
3. Cut out their hand prints
4. Lay the second paper on a flat surface
5. Ask your child to draw a vase, then lines for the flower stems.
6. Use the glue or tape to attach the hand prints to the stems
7. Have your child write Happy Mother's Day and the year
8. Enjoy your new memory!
Nieomi and I laughed and had a great time making this craft. This is a really good way to help inspire creativity as it is up to the child to come up with the exact design. She was so excited. She did tell me I'm not supposed to see what she makes me for Mother's Day though :)
Materials needed
1. Papers (2 pieces)
2. Crayons, Markers, Colored Pencils, etc.
3. Scissors
4. Glue Stick or Tape
Instructions
1. Lay one paper on a flat surface
2. Help your child trace their hands and have them color in the hand prints
3. Cut out their hand prints
4. Lay the second paper on a flat surface
5. Ask your child to draw a vase, then lines for the flower stems.
6. Use the glue or tape to attach the hand prints to the stems
7. Have your child write Happy Mother's Day and the year
8. Enjoy your new memory!
Toddler Fun
Marcy is very expressive, which helps her build character and shows her personality! Dress up and pretend play are two examples of how she enjoys expressing herself, and both lead to great conversations. By giving Marcy many opportunities to express who she is, I am helping her build self-confidence and a positive sense of self.
Switch Zoo Website Review
This week I took the time to review the Switch Zoo website. I think this website provides some fun and useful tools for kids 6 and up. This website has some fun games that teach you about different biomes, habitats and animals in general. I played the Build a Biome game and I learned some new information as well! You pick a biome and then you have to pick the correct information as you go. This website is easy to navigate and so much fun! https://switchzoo.com/
Wrap-Up
This week has been about learning to love simple moments in life. We enjoy sharing our experiences with all of you and hope it provides some normality during this chaotic shift. If you have any ideas or topics that you would like me to include in my blog, I would love to hear from you. You can reach me by email via Liz at Liz@tlcfamilyrc.org. Wishing you a week of good health and sanity until next time!
Marcy is very expressive, which helps her build character and shows her personality! Dress up and pretend play are two examples of how she enjoys expressing herself, and both lead to great conversations. By giving Marcy many opportunities to express who she is, I am helping her build self-confidence and a positive sense of self.
Switch Zoo Website Review
This week I took the time to review the Switch Zoo website. I think this website provides some fun and useful tools for kids 6 and up. This website has some fun games that teach you about different biomes, habitats and animals in general. I played the Build a Biome game and I learned some new information as well! You pick a biome and then you have to pick the correct information as you go. This website is easy to navigate and so much fun! https://switchzoo.com/
Wrap-Up
This week has been about learning to love simple moments in life. We enjoy sharing our experiences with all of you and hope it provides some normality during this chaotic shift. If you have any ideas or topics that you would like me to include in my blog, I would love to hear from you. You can reach me by email via Liz at Liz@tlcfamilyrc.org. Wishing you a week of good health and sanity until next time!
Blog Post #5, Home with Kids during COVID-19
Week of Monday April 27, 2020
Welcome back for week 5! This week Nieomi asked if we could each color the positive message that goes with our blog. I honestly think she out-shined me this week! I couldn’t be happier with the time we spent coloring these together. We talked about the phrase on the page and Nieomi share her thoughts about her color scheme. This activity brightened our mood because it promoted a family discussion and we got a sense of accomplishment once the picture is completed! We could all use extra positivity as well as creativity to keep us on a sane path!
Activities
Cooking Banana Bread
Nieomi and I spent some quality time making banana bread this week! We used the following recipe from https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/banana-bread-recipe-1969572
Ingredients
1 cup granulated sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs
3 ripe bananas
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Butter a 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan.
3. Cream the sugar and butter in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Cooking Banana Bread
Nieomi and I spent some quality time making banana bread this week! We used the following recipe from https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/banana-bread-recipe-1969572
Ingredients
1 cup granulated sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs
3 ripe bananas
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Butter a 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan.
3. Cream the sugar and butter in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4.In a small bowl, mash the bananas with a fork. Mix in the milk and cinnamon. In another bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
5.Add the banana mixture to the creamed mixture and stir until combined. Add dry ingredients, mixing just until flour disappears.
6.Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set aside to cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Remove bread from pan, invert onto rack and cool completely before slicing.
6.Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set aside to cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Remove bread from pan, invert onto rack and cool completely before slicing.
Box Fort!
The kids and I took some time to design and put together a box fort! This activity kept us busy for hours and then the kids kept on adding even after I was done. This allowed us some bonding time as well as for them to show their creativity and their imagination! There are so many ways to make a box fort. Make it your own. All you need is a box but it helps to have several boxes. If you want to stack and cut boxes, you may need some tape like we used. After the fort is how you want it, it’s time to decorate! We used stickers, crayons, colored pencils and even markers.
The kids and I took some time to design and put together a box fort! This activity kept us busy for hours and then the kids kept on adding even after I was done. This allowed us some bonding time as well as for them to show their creativity and their imagination! There are so many ways to make a box fort. Make it your own. All you need is a box but it helps to have several boxes. If you want to stack and cut boxes, you may need some tape like we used. After the fort is how you want it, it’s time to decorate! We used stickers, crayons, colored pencils and even markers.
Our final touch was to add lights to the inside! Marcy and Nieomi had so much fun. They drew and colored together as well as took turns with the drawing utensils. They had some sister bonding. The blue light was for their dance party and then they turned it off and used the battery operated tea lights to make shadow puppets. A flashlight might also be fun to use. This activity helped my sanity and the kids loved it too :)
Toddler Fun
A great activity for toddlers is to have a conversation with them about what they are doing. Marcy is 2 and loves to talk as well as move.
In looking at this picture, a conversation starter would be to ask Marcy what she is holding. Then if she can’t say it or doesn't remember, I would tell her what the object is. In this case, I would tell Marcy she is holding a green soccer ball and then I’d ask her what she was going to do with it, or where she was going with it. With younger children, you can name and describe their favorite items to them. I used to do this all the time with Marcy and this activity has helped her improve her vocabulary and increase her knowledge.
History for Kids Website
This week I checked out a website filled with events and places that you can learn about from history! If your kids love to learn about what past events, this site makes it fun. There are different subjects and each one offers additional articles you can read to learn more. This site is easy to navigate and it provides a ton of information that can spark an interesting family discussion. https://www.historyforkids.net/
Wrap-Up
I hope everyone is staying happy and healthy! We are staying positive by spending more time together as a family. We are staying sane by taking small moments to remind ourselves we matter. For us these moments come in different forms. I drink some tea. Nieomi draws or plays with toys. Marcy watches something or plays with toys. If you have any ideas or topics that you would like me to include in my blog, I would love to hear from you. You can reach me by email via Liz at Liz@tlcfamilyrc.org. Wishing you a week of good health and sanity until next time!
A great activity for toddlers is to have a conversation with them about what they are doing. Marcy is 2 and loves to talk as well as move.
In looking at this picture, a conversation starter would be to ask Marcy what she is holding. Then if she can’t say it or doesn't remember, I would tell her what the object is. In this case, I would tell Marcy she is holding a green soccer ball and then I’d ask her what she was going to do with it, or where she was going with it. With younger children, you can name and describe their favorite items to them. I used to do this all the time with Marcy and this activity has helped her improve her vocabulary and increase her knowledge.
History for Kids Website
This week I checked out a website filled with events and places that you can learn about from history! If your kids love to learn about what past events, this site makes it fun. There are different subjects and each one offers additional articles you can read to learn more. This site is easy to navigate and it provides a ton of information that can spark an interesting family discussion. https://www.historyforkids.net/
Wrap-Up
I hope everyone is staying happy and healthy! We are staying positive by spending more time together as a family. We are staying sane by taking small moments to remind ourselves we matter. For us these moments come in different forms. I drink some tea. Nieomi draws or plays with toys. Marcy watches something or plays with toys. If you have any ideas or topics that you would like me to include in my blog, I would love to hear from you. You can reach me by email via Liz at Liz@tlcfamilyrc.org. Wishing you a week of good health and sanity until next time!
Blog Post #4, Home with Kids during COVID-19
Week of Monday April 20, 2020
Here we are at week 4! The walls seem to be closing in sometimes. This week I tried some yoga to melt the stress away. Even 10 minutes can brighten your mood! When I do Yoga, I feel refreshed and calm. Sometimes, I only have a couple minutes to breathe and just doing a couple yoga poses helps to take some of the edge off. I searched free yoga classes on YouTube. Our family has been a little more moody this week. When we add new activities or change up certain routines, I find that our moods improve. Little positive changes will help us all get through this.
This Weeks Activities
Nature walk
We love being outside! The outside helps improve our mood; it gets us out of the house for a little bit, and gives us a chance to make happy memories. If you have any sort of woods near you, try it! We made a list of objects to find along the way that consisted of a stick, a rock, a leaf, moss, a bug, animal tracks, and something unique. Adding something unique to the list of things to find provided Nioemi with the chance to express herself. When she chose an acorn, I asked her why she chose that, which lead to an engaging conversation. As for Marcy, she had fun just walking with us. This was a great opportunity to talk about colors and nature with her as well!
Nature walk
We love being outside! The outside helps improve our mood; it gets us out of the house for a little bit, and gives us a chance to make happy memories. If you have any sort of woods near you, try it! We made a list of objects to find along the way that consisted of a stick, a rock, a leaf, moss, a bug, animal tracks, and something unique. Adding something unique to the list of things to find provided Nioemi with the chance to express herself. When she chose an acorn, I asked her why she chose that, which lead to an engaging conversation. As for Marcy, she had fun just walking with us. This was a great opportunity to talk about colors and nature with her as well!
Art
This week’s quick art project was leaf rubbing! This is super easy and super fun! This is also a great way to talk to kids about colors and it lets them show you who they are. Nieomi chose to use only blue because that is her favorite color. It’s great to encourage the use of many colors.
Materials Needed:
1. Crayons with wrappers peeled off
2. White Paper
3. Leaves (as many as you want!)
Instructions:
1. Gather leaves
2. Put the leaves, white paper and crayons onto a hard level surface
3. Put a leaf under the white paper
4. Place the crayon sideways on the paper where the leaf is as shown below.
This week’s quick art project was leaf rubbing! This is super easy and super fun! This is also a great way to talk to kids about colors and it lets them show you who they are. Nieomi chose to use only blue because that is her favorite color. It’s great to encourage the use of many colors.
Materials Needed:
1. Crayons with wrappers peeled off
2. White Paper
3. Leaves (as many as you want!)
Instructions:
1. Gather leaves
2. Put the leaves, white paper and crayons onto a hard level surface
3. Put a leaf under the white paper
4. Place the crayon sideways on the paper where the leaf is as shown below.
5. Rub the crayon up and down over the paper where the leaf is located
6. Enjoy your art piece!
6. Enjoy your art piece!
Bonus Art!
I really encourage my kids to be outside when possible. This activity was one of our personal favorites! We made nature art to spark creativity. I took Nieomi outside with a bag and let her collect nature items and then we made a picture! I hope you enjoy this just as much as we did.
Materials Needed:
1. Any kind of paper!
2. Something to hold the items that your child chooses
3. Glue
Instructions:
1. Collect some nature items from outside
2. Bring the items inside to the designated craft area. You will need a flat surface. Put paper here as well.
3. Ask your child about what kind of picture they would like to create.
4. Have them put the glue where they would like to put an object.
5. Have fun and watch the art come to life!
This is what Nieomi came up with!
I really encourage my kids to be outside when possible. This activity was one of our personal favorites! We made nature art to spark creativity. I took Nieomi outside with a bag and let her collect nature items and then we made a picture! I hope you enjoy this just as much as we did.
Materials Needed:
1. Any kind of paper!
2. Something to hold the items that your child chooses
3. Glue
Instructions:
1. Collect some nature items from outside
2. Bring the items inside to the designated craft area. You will need a flat surface. Put paper here as well.
3. Ask your child about what kind of picture they would like to create.
4. Have them put the glue where they would like to put an object.
5. Have fun and watch the art come to life!
This is what Nieomi came up with!
Toddler Fun
Marcy may be 2, but I am still constantly playing simple games like peek-a-boo with her! This helps her develop gross motor skills as well as helps her social development!
Marcy may be 2, but I am still constantly playing simple games like peek-a-boo with her! This helps her develop gross motor skills as well as helps her social development!
Science Kids Website
I was looking for other interesting ideas to do with Nieomi and Marcy when I stumbled upon a wonderful website. I think it may be geared more towards a child Nieomi's age though. There are so many great activities and learning opportunities available at this site! They have learning games, fact sheets, projects, quizzes and so much more! I learned some new information too. The website is also really simple and easy to use. The best part is it is free! https://www.sciencekids.co.nz/nature.html
Wrap-Up
This week we spent a lot of time outside, while still maintaining social distancing from others. I found that when we went outside we all felt like we had more energy and our moods were lifted. I encourage anyone who can, to get outside in the sun and just get some fresh air! If you have any ideas or topics that you would like me to include in my blog, I would love to hear from you. You can reach me by email via Liz at Liz@tlcfamilyrc.org. Wishing you a week of good health and sanity until next time!
I was looking for other interesting ideas to do with Nieomi and Marcy when I stumbled upon a wonderful website. I think it may be geared more towards a child Nieomi's age though. There are so many great activities and learning opportunities available at this site! They have learning games, fact sheets, projects, quizzes and so much more! I learned some new information too. The website is also really simple and easy to use. The best part is it is free! https://www.sciencekids.co.nz/nature.html
Wrap-Up
This week we spent a lot of time outside, while still maintaining social distancing from others. I found that when we went outside we all felt like we had more energy and our moods were lifted. I encourage anyone who can, to get outside in the sun and just get some fresh air! If you have any ideas or topics that you would like me to include in my blog, I would love to hear from you. You can reach me by email via Liz at Liz@tlcfamilyrc.org. Wishing you a week of good health and sanity until next time!
Blog Post #3, Home with Kids during COVID-19
Week of Monday April 13th
It’s week three of the stay-at-home order yet it feels like it has been a lot longer. This week the kids and I felt the need to connect with people and because socialization is a big part of school, I included virtual connections as part of our daily activities. Staying connected while physically separated helped us feel supported and reminded us of how important it is to nurture our relationships with others. Please make it a point to stay connected, especially to loved ones and friends. Together we can get through this!
This Weeks Activities:
Socialization
Staying socially connected while physically distancing is important for you and your children. Email and texting is good, and these suggestions give you a few more options.
1. Give someone a call! Friends or family, it doesn’t matter! Let them know you are still there.
2. Video Chat (Skype, Duo, Google Meet, Facebook Messenger video, etc). This is a great way to have face to face communication while maintaining the recommended social distancing.
3. Everyone could use some humor. Send a postcard with a lighthearted message or picture to someone who you want to cheer-up. It’s fun, it’s fast and effective.
4. Mail a letter! Are you super bored? Write to a loved one. Tell them how you are feeling and maybe include something special. You could send them a card, a recipe, or even something homemade.
With the three of us at home, we practiced self-care in order to get through the day. Here are a few things we have been doing to stay sane.
This Weeks Activities:
Socialization
Staying socially connected while physically distancing is important for you and your children. Email and texting is good, and these suggestions give you a few more options.
1. Give someone a call! Friends or family, it doesn’t matter! Let them know you are still there.
2. Video Chat (Skype, Duo, Google Meet, Facebook Messenger video, etc). This is a great way to have face to face communication while maintaining the recommended social distancing.
3. Everyone could use some humor. Send a postcard with a lighthearted message or picture to someone who you want to cheer-up. It’s fun, it’s fast and effective.
4. Mail a letter! Are you super bored? Write to a loved one. Tell them how you are feeling and maybe include something special. You could send them a card, a recipe, or even something homemade.
With the three of us at home, we practiced self-care in order to get through the day. Here are a few things we have been doing to stay sane.
- 1. Take small breaks throughout the day for some peace of mind. For me this includes enjoying that cup of tea or coffee and for the kids it is a quiet solitary activity like doing a puzzle or drawing.
- 2. Our daily routine includes self-nurturing. We eat 3 meals a day and stay on a schedule that includes healthy snacks between meals and some outdoors time. At the end of the day, I love my hot shower and the girls enjoy their tubby time.
- 3. Utilize community resources. TLC offers free support that I’ve used in the past and they are so helpful! http://www.tlcfamilyrc.org/
- 4. We have been spring-cleaning and moving our furniture around. It has given us a change of scenery that has less clutter! Re-organize and get creative.
Bug Hunting
This week, I took Nieomi and Marcy bug hunting. They had so much fun and they got some sunshine. We don’t have a very big area of woods where we are, but there are plenty of bugs normally. You can make this a learning experience by talking about the bugs or even just nature in general!
This week, I took Nieomi and Marcy bug hunting. They had so much fun and they got some sunshine. We don’t have a very big area of woods where we are, but there are plenty of bugs normally. You can make this a learning experience by talking about the bugs or even just nature in general!
Art
This week Nieomi drew some pretty awesome objects! These are really fun and creative. She drew her favorite pair of shoes, traced her feet, and invented her own future car! These are activities are simple and activate kids creativity.
This week Nieomi drew some pretty awesome objects! These are really fun and creative. She drew her favorite pair of shoes, traced her feet, and invented her own future car! These are activities are simple and activate kids creativity.
Toddler Fun
This week we made a cereal box game using simple household materials! This game can help teach your little one many lessons including colors, shapes, and numbers while also improving their gross motor skills. The object of the game is to feed the penguin the correct fish. Once you make the fish, add colors and shapes. Then ask your child for the fish with the blue triangle. If your child picks the right fish, they feed it to the penguin by putting it into the penguin’s mouth. If the child picks the wrong fish, ask them to try again.
This week we made a cereal box game using simple household materials! This game can help teach your little one many lessons including colors, shapes, and numbers while also improving their gross motor skills. The object of the game is to feed the penguin the correct fish. Once you make the fish, add colors and shapes. Then ask your child for the fish with the blue triangle. If your child picks the right fish, they feed it to the penguin by putting it into the penguin’s mouth. If the child picks the wrong fish, ask them to try again.
Materials Needed
Instructions
1. Cut a Rectangular hole in the middle of the cereal box.
2. Draw an oval to look like the penguin’s belly on a piece of construction paper as shown below
3. Color the area around the oval shape black.
4. Line up the paper to the mouth of the cereal box and cut the rectangle. Tip- use a pencil, trace on the paper, and then cut it out.
5. Put glue on the paper and line it back up to the box or tape the paper to the box. Color a second piece of paper or glue another piece of construction paper to the back of the cereal box. Color a third piece of paper or cut a few strips of construction paper to fit the sides of the box.
6. Add eyes! We used googly eyes but you can also draw them on or maybe even use something different.
7. Let box dry if glued
8. Fold a piece of paper and draw this basic house outline for the beak near the folded edge as show below. Then cut it out!
- Cereal box
- Construction paper or white paper
- Crayons or colored pencils
- Scissors
- Glue or tape
Instructions
1. Cut a Rectangular hole in the middle of the cereal box.
2. Draw an oval to look like the penguin’s belly on a piece of construction paper as shown below
3. Color the area around the oval shape black.
4. Line up the paper to the mouth of the cereal box and cut the rectangle. Tip- use a pencil, trace on the paper, and then cut it out.
5. Put glue on the paper and line it back up to the box or tape the paper to the box. Color a second piece of paper or glue another piece of construction paper to the back of the cereal box. Color a third piece of paper or cut a few strips of construction paper to fit the sides of the box.
6. Add eyes! We used googly eyes but you can also draw them on or maybe even use something different.
7. Let box dry if glued
8. Fold a piece of paper and draw this basic house outline for the beak near the folded edge as show below. Then cut it out!
9. Color the beak orange or use any color you would like! If you used construction paper you are ready for the next step.
10. Line the beak up with the mouth rectangular hole. Trace a rectangle to match the mouth hole. Cut out the mouth hole. Finally glue or tape the beak over the mouth. Let the glue dry if needed.
11. Make the fish! Just draw one fish, fold some pages in half and cut them all at once.
10. Line the beak up with the mouth rectangular hole. Trace a rectangle to match the mouth hole. Cut out the mouth hole. Finally glue or tape the beak over the mouth. Let the glue dry if needed.
11. Make the fish! Just draw one fish, fold some pages in half and cut them all at once.
12. Draw the objects with the colors of your choice on the fish. Add a face to the fish! You are now ready to play the game and have fun!
Virtual Field Trip of the Week
This week’s virtual field trip was to the Son Doong Cave in Vietnam. If you want an absolutely breath taking experience, you should check this out.
This interactive map let you travel around and has a 360 camera for each area! Each place you travel to has a different bit of information on the side panel to tell you some interesting facts. Check it out: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news-features/son-doong-cave/2/#s=pano60
PBS Kids
I found this article about Covid-19 on PBS Kids and I found it helpful. This article is about how to de-stress during this pandemic. Please take a moment to read it if you get a chance.
https://www.pbs.org/parents/thrive/how-you-and-your-kids-can-de-stress-during-coronavirus
A Special Note
We hope you had an amazing Easter. If you don't celebrate Easter then we hope you had a wonderful and relaxing Sunday. It wasn't the same, but we made the most of it and we hope you did too!!
This week’s virtual field trip was to the Son Doong Cave in Vietnam. If you want an absolutely breath taking experience, you should check this out.
This interactive map let you travel around and has a 360 camera for each area! Each place you travel to has a different bit of information on the side panel to tell you some interesting facts. Check it out: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news-features/son-doong-cave/2/#s=pano60
PBS Kids
I found this article about Covid-19 on PBS Kids and I found it helpful. This article is about how to de-stress during this pandemic. Please take a moment to read it if you get a chance.
https://www.pbs.org/parents/thrive/how-you-and-your-kids-can-de-stress-during-coronavirus
A Special Note
We hope you had an amazing Easter. If you don't celebrate Easter then we hope you had a wonderful and relaxing Sunday. It wasn't the same, but we made the most of it and we hope you did too!!
Wrap-Up
I hope everyone is staying happy and healthy. Please reach out if you need someone, now is the time to support one another! We hope your week is full of strength and productivity. If you have any ideas or topics that you would like me to include in my blog, I would love to hear from you. You can reach me by email via Liz at Liz@tlcfamilyrc.org. Wishing you a week of good health and sanity until next time!
I hope everyone is staying happy and healthy. Please reach out if you need someone, now is the time to support one another! We hope your week is full of strength and productivity. If you have any ideas or topics that you would like me to include in my blog, I would love to hear from you. You can reach me by email via Liz at Liz@tlcfamilyrc.org. Wishing you a week of good health and sanity until next time!
Blog Post #2, Home with Kids during COVID-19
Week of Monday, April 6th
Welcome back! Thank you for joining me for another week of blogging. I hope you have been taking a few moments for yourself when possible. We all need a moment to breathe. When I need to calm down, I draw, read, and may even do some coloring like in the photo above. I took time for me and practice self-care and hope that you do too!
This Week’s Activities
Feelings
The feelings thermometer helps me and my kids be aware of how we are feeling and our level of readiness to start school for the day. Making one is simple, or you can print out the below picture.
I used it as a guide to ask the following questions.
1.On the feeling thermometer, show me how are you feeling?
A feelings thermometer has a scale of 0 to 5. 0 means your body is calm and in control. 5 is when your child is experiencing emotions where they cannot control their bodies. This could be over excited, sad, or angry. When a child is at a 5, they will not be able to hear what you are saying because their body is not calm enough. Let them cool off until they are below a 3 and then try asking the next question.
2.What feeling are you having?
This question allows the child to express how they are feeling. If they are having trouble, help them put words to the feelings. Use pictures if needed. If they are feeling calm and in control, they are ready to learn and you can put the thermometer away. If not, go on to questions 3 & 4.
3.When did this feeling start or what happened to make you feel this way?
Let them talk about where their feeling came from and validate their emotions.
4.What can we do to get to calm and in control?
This question helps develop problem solving and helps children identify ways to move from being reactive (out of control) to responsive (ready to learn).
Art
This week Nieomi and I added water colors to our black and white pictures to make them stand out.
Materials Needed
Black marker (Sharpie or any permanent marker works best)
Pencil
Small white poster board or any white piece of paper
Paints (Water colors work the best, but you can use any paint)
Something to put the paints on if not using water colors
Newspaper or something to set the drawing on to paint it.
Instructions
1. Draw a picture of your choice with pencil. Try to keep it simple.
2. Trace the picture drawn in black marker.
3. Set up the painting station.
4. Paint rectangles or squares straight across the top of the paper in tiny rows until you reach the bottom of the paper.
5. Enjoy their masterpiece :)
Toddler Activity
This week Marcy and I went over shapes. We made a fun shape sheet and talked about it as a family. It’s so easy and it works great! No need to spend money. All you need is a piece of a paper and a writing utensil. Divide the paper into 8 parts and put a shape inside each one. You can choose to label them to help teach some letters. This is simple, fast, easy, and a ton of fun.
If there are other children in the house, include them too! Nieomi loves to help Marcy learn and to help me teach!
Virtual Field Trip of the Week
This week we decided to visit the San Diego Zoo. This site is amazing. You can view some live cams of the animals, in the videos tab, for free! You can also learn about the different animals in the animals tab. This website features an activities tab. There are activities for kids of all ages! Check it out: https://kids.sandiegozoo.org/videos
Calm at home review
Calm is a website with free meditation and other helpful activities. Your mental health is just as important as your physical health. Try this as a family to manage emotions and bond at the same time. https://www.calm.com/blog/take-a-deep-breath?utm_source=lifecycle&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=difficult_times_subs_031720
Reading Time
There are some great options for you to be with your kids and enjoy books together while others read to you! With libraries closed, this is a great option. For Story Time from Space, Josh Gad --the voice of Olaf in Frozen, and more read aloud options go to http://www.tlcfamilyrc.org/online-resource-information.html
Wrap-Up
It has been a roller coaster ride this week. Try to find the good in every moment, especially when you are struggling. If you have any ideas or topics that you would like me to include in my next blog, please email Liz Liz@tlcfamilyrc.org. Wishing you a week of good health and sanity until next time!
Blog Post #1, Home with Kids during COVID-19 3/31/20
Introduction
Within the span of a few weeks, we all went from our normal day-to-day lives, to being concerned and/or fearful of what comes next. While waiting for life to return to normal and are physically distancing ourselves, we should try to remain socially connected. I had been involved in a playgroup with my youngest child, but that is no longer an option. This blog is my new connection to the community. In it, I share activities that I’m doing with my kids to keep us active and sane. I hope that it gives you some ideas, makes you smile, and reminds you that we are in this together.
This week’s activities
Art
My daughter Nieomi and I made a Secondary color chart on poster board. Poster board is relatively cheap, comes in a variety of colors, and available at most stores with a craft section. If you can’t get, or don’t have, poster board, get creative! Use the side of a box, printer paper (you can tape or glue it together if you need a bigger surface area), or maybe even some old fabric!
Materials Needed:
- Paints, markers, crayons, or colored pencils
(Blue, Yellow, Red, Green, Purple, Orange, and Black)
- Material to do the project on like poster board, paper, etc.
- A plate and paintbrushes (if using paint) for colors.
Instructions:
1. On a level surface, place the craft materials
2. Put some of the black paint on the plate and paint the words “Secondary Colors” on the top of the chosen material you are working with (i.e. Poster board, printer paper, etc.). If you are using something other than paint, then just simply write the words instead. Add the plus and minus signs as shown below
3. If using paint, let the paint dry for one (1) hour.
4. In the meantime, you can go over primary and secondary colors.
Primary: Blue, Red, and Yellow
Secondary: Green, Purple, and Orange
5. You can do this part in many different ways. I chose to paint my child's hands and let her put the colors in the correct spots. If you are using crayons, markers, colored pencils, etc you can trace their hand instead of painting their hand.
Keep it interesting
You can keep your child engaged by simply interacting with them. Ask questions and have fun! Before you put anything in any spot on the project ask these questions:
1. Which two primary colors make green?
2. Which two primary colors make purple?
3. Which two primary colors make orange?
Virtual Field Trip
Many places are offering free virtual tours and live videos. Our trip of the week was to the Georgia Aquarium. At this website, you can learn about the animals and see live videos. This can be very calming and soothing as well as educational. These feeds are in real time so it is as though you are right there at the aquarium! This is great for kids of all ages as you can talk about what is going on or just watch what is happening.
Link: https://www.georgiaaquarium.org/webcam/ocean-voyager/
Scholastic.com
This week I am reviewing Scholastics new learn at home system. This resource is great for students, Pre-K through 9th Grade. My daughter's teacher is using this as part of her school week! The website allows you to choose the grade for your child. For younger children they offer two storybooks a day plus a video and activity. They listen to a narrator read the first book and they can choose to read or listen to a narrator for the second book. There are questions and key words to help keep the child engaged. Everything is mapped out and simple on this site. I would highly recommend checking it out!
For my daughter, Nieomi, day one was about spiders. She learned so much and loved the video that goes a long with this lesson. The activity was to invent a new type of spider. Below is what she came up with.
Link: https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/learnathome.html
Many places are offering free virtual tours and live videos. Our trip of the week was to the Georgia Aquarium. At this website, you can learn about the animals and see live videos. This can be very calming and soothing as well as educational. These feeds are in real time so it is as though you are right there at the aquarium! This is great for kids of all ages as you can talk about what is going on or just watch what is happening.
Link: https://www.georgiaaquarium.org/webcam/ocean-voyager/
Scholastic.com
This week I am reviewing Scholastics new learn at home system. This resource is great for students, Pre-K through 9th Grade. My daughter's teacher is using this as part of her school week! The website allows you to choose the grade for your child. For younger children they offer two storybooks a day plus a video and activity. They listen to a narrator read the first book and they can choose to read or listen to a narrator for the second book. There are questions and key words to help keep the child engaged. Everything is mapped out and simple on this site. I would highly recommend checking it out!
For my daughter, Nieomi, day one was about spiders. She learned so much and loved the video that goes a long with this lesson. The activity was to invent a new type of spider. Below is what she came up with.
Link: https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/learnathome.html
Read-Aloud
Every week I want to include a couple of storybook readings. This week I have chosen, Friends, by Catherine Thimmesh and, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, by Laura Numeroff.
Related links to check out:
Read aloud from Outer Space https://storytimefromspace.com/library/
Josh Gad, Voice of Olaf, Reading stories: https://indyschild.com/josh-gad-olaf-reads-books/
Wrap-up
I'm so happy to be doing this blog and be part of our wonderful community! I hope you enjoyed reading it and if you did please look for my new blog post every Monday afternoon. If you have any ideas or topics that you would like me to include in my blog, I would love to hear from you. You can reach me by email via Liz at Liz@TLCFamilyrc.org. Wishing you a week of good health and sanity until next time!
Every week I want to include a couple of storybook readings. This week I have chosen, Friends, by Catherine Thimmesh and, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, by Laura Numeroff.
Related links to check out:
Read aloud from Outer Space https://storytimefromspace.com/library/
Josh Gad, Voice of Olaf, Reading stories: https://indyschild.com/josh-gad-olaf-reads-books/
Wrap-up
I'm so happy to be doing this blog and be part of our wonderful community! I hope you enjoyed reading it and if you did please look for my new blog post every Monday afternoon. If you have any ideas or topics that you would like me to include in my blog, I would love to hear from you. You can reach me by email via Liz at Liz@TLCFamilyrc.org. Wishing you a week of good health and sanity until next time!
