chatterbox learning - thinking cap thursday

Chatterbox's make great play things, i remember my mum spelling out words with them and then she would write funny things on the inside. They make a great medium for learning.

I have made a few for Flynn, the first has got our names on the outside then numbers on the inside, then shapes under the lift up bit. The second has colours on the outside, sight words on the inside and then positive sentences under the lift up triangle along the lines of "your a star" and "my little champion". I think this helps to boost his confidence ans i hope it will reinforce that learning is a positive experience. The green one is all about the alphabet, i worked through the letters on the outer, inner and the under layers. The bottom layer also has some words begining with that letter.

So how do you use them? i hope this makes sense, you pop your fingers into the bottom triangle and move the chatterbox as if it is a mouth. You spell out the word your child has chosen, or run through the alphabet until you hit that letter. Then you let them choose from the inner part, and you spell count or run through alphabet, when you finish this time you lift the little triangle flap and read whats underneath.

So how do you make one? im hooking you up on ehow and a video on metacafe

ok have fun learning, sassy x  linked on playtime

Painted Origami Lanterns

What to do with colouring in or paintings???? Make pretty origami!

I wanted to spice up Eli’s night light, currently a string of fairy lights. I was surfing around on the web and saw some pretty party origami lanterns on fairy lights, challenge accepted. I looked at 2 videos on how to fold them, not too tricky for this origami spas I then had 2 attempts on a bit of scrap paper. I looked at the stack of paper we already had but most of it was done on cardboard and I thought it would be too thick. So Flynn and I made some papers. I pre-cut the paper to squares, them I drew with pen some sea related patterns, I then highlighted bits with crayons especially the white crayon to get the wax resist magic for Flynn. I watered down some food colouring in a cupcake baking tray, and we set to work spreading the colour over the crayon. I let it dry and then I started folding the lanterns the last bit where you blow into it so it expands out, is fantastic! Then you take your little paper balloons and pop your twinkle lights into the hole that you breathed into, they stay on really well, till your 1 year old yanks at them.

 I am so impressed they look really pretty and Eli was impressed too. When he saw them there was a lot of baby natter and pointing until I took him to them he was so smiley and pleased and that makes me pleased it was worth it. These would look great for a party, and they would definitely work with any drawings or paintings you already have on paper, but if you want to do it as a special activity glitter paint would look fantastic and or some thinner paper like rice paper. There are also stunning origami papers available, or wrapping papers. Happy folding.  

video on how to fold your lanterns