Window washing

Last week I posted about Crayola window markers and crayons and promised that I would let you know how the clean up went. Well, my windows are clean, sort of. The Crayola window markers and crayons are great, and we will definitely use them again but the clean up took some time. Soap and hot water, vinegar (my usual window cleaner), Method glass cleaner, and about eight cloth rags combined with a little elbow grease got all of the crayon and marker off the windows but I still notice a smudge here and there when I walk by the glass. I still recommend them because T, C, and R had a lot of fun covering every inch of space in color. If the idea of having your windows covered in smudges bothers you, I recently read (sorry, I don't remember where) a blog that recommended using the markers and crayons on old vases or hand mirrors that you don't use.

Tot school - New York city style

R is 38 months old

Tot school for R was a bit different this week because we spent a few days visiting New York city. Here are some of our highlights:

R had a fantastic sensory experience at an art exhibit - Ernesto Neto's Anthropodino. The exhibit was at the Park Avenue Armory in New York city. Neto is a world-renowned artist and for this exhibit he used hundreds of yards of translucent material, and suspended a gigantic canopy from the drill hall’s latticework truss, spanning 120 feet wide and 180 feet long. Magnificent, aromatic “fabric stalactites” descend 60 feet to embrace a vast labyrinth of passageways and rooms. The stalactites were filled with different spices so the aroma in the room was amazing. The different rooms of this structure included a huge beanbag, a rag rug, and a ball pit so there were many different textures to explore. It was also a visual experience. We all loved this exhibit because the children were encouraged to run through and explore the entire structure, it wasn't crowded at all, and it was inexpensive(this was the only inexpensive thing we experienced in New York city)! Please check out the link above because it was difficult to photograph but here are a few of my photos:


R also enjoyed the animals at the Bronx Zoo.
She had frozen hot chocolate at Serendipity! Yum.
R toured the American Museum of Natural History.
One of the highlights of our trip was listening to the amazing voices of the waitstaff at Ellen's Stardust Diner; R loved every minute.
This is R at the top of the Empire State Building. It was a rainy day, but a worthwhile experience nonetheless.
Kiddie rides in Central Park were a lot of fun for R!
She also ran through Central Park, enjoying the beautiful weather,
and even climbed a rock in Central Park.
R enjoyed the view of the Empire State Building from the top of Rockefeller Center.
This was a bit different from our typical tot school activities but it just goes to show that the learning never ends, no matter where you are.

The Important Book

Excerpt: "The important thing about grass is that it is green. It grows, and is tender, with a sweet grassy smell. But the important thing about grass is that it is green."

After reading The Important Book by Margaret Wise Brown, C and R wrote about things that are important to them. We used the book as a model and followed the format. I asked them to think of things that they think are important and then I would say, "The important thing about" and let them fill in the rest.

C: The important thing about Spiderman is that he is cool. He slings webs and climbs walls. But the important thing about Spiderman is that he is cool.

The important thing about dogs is that they are soft. They growl. Dogs like to play with you. But the important thing about dogs is that they are soft.

R: The important thing about princesses is pink. Magical wands. Glass slippers. Rings. Crowns. But the important thing about princesses is pink.

The important thing about The Wizard of Oz is ruby slippers. Toto. Tin Man. Scarecrow. Wicked Witch. Flying monkeys. The Munchkins and Glinda. Dorothy. The Wizard. But the important thing about The Wizard of Oz is ruby slippers.

Now, do you see why I titled this blog Superheroes and Princesses?

Magneatos

I recently started choosing a toy of the week for C and R to play with. It is always an open ended toy that will allow them to use their imaginations, and I try to pick toys that have been ignored. Toys get ignored around here because C and R have so many choices. This week C and R enjoyed playing with Magneatos.

Most of the time, I just let them play with the magneatos on their own, but we did spend some time talking about magnets and why the pieces "stick" together. I also made shapes and patterns for C and R to recreate. What are some of your favorite open ended toys that your children enjoy?

Yes, you can write on the windows

The idea of writing on the windows appealed to all three of my children. T is seven years older than C and almost nine years older than R so it isn't often that a product appeals to all three of them. I picked up Crayola window crayons at Target last week and Crayola window markers at Michael's.


After a long day of running errands and preparing for our upcoming trip to NY, I decided to let them write on the windows. At first, they didn't think I was serious; after all, why would I let them write on the windows? When I convinced them that I was serious and yes, they could write on the windows, they got to work creating their masterpieces. All three of them, together.
This is what it looks like on the windows. Notice the texture collage that has been on my sliding glass door since the beginning of April. It looks so pretty when the sun shines through it that I have decided to leave it there until it stops looking pretty, and then we will have to make another one. Check out that post if you want to make one of your own, and then hang it in a window that gets a lot of sun.
This is what my colored window looked like after dark. So cool!
I haven't tried to wash it off yet so I don't know how easy that will be, but I have always been happy with the washability of Crayola products so I am not really concerned. If I have a problem, I'll let you know. For now, I am happy that I spent a few dollars for original window art that all three of my children created together.

A Family Hike

On Sunday afternoon, my husband decided that we should take C and R hiking. We had already had a pretty full weekend and I didn't really want to go but I did because C was so excited.

I am so glad that I went. We hiked for 90 minutes and everyone, including our dog who is currently being trained off-leash, had a wonderful time and got some good exercise while enjoying the beautiful world around us.

Is there anything better than spending time together as a family?

The answer is no, there is nothing better than spending time with your family. If your children get to learn a little bit about nature....like how moss feels, that is simply a bonus.

I was tired and I really just wanted to sit down and do nothing. Instead, I had a memorable experience. Hopefully, my children will remember these moments as they grow.
And....it didn't cost a penny.

Top 30 Picture Books

School Library Journal posted the Top 100 Picture Book Poll of 2009. (Thank you SLJ!) From that fabulous list, The Bookworm's Booklist has created some more fun for all of us! Here's the scoop:
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Below is a list of the top 30 Picture Books according to School Library Journal. Copy and paste this post and create a post of your own with it. Then, go back and highlight the books you and your children have read! After you post, leave a comment at The Bookworm's Booklist to let her and others know that your post is up. I have highlighted the books we have read in red.
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#1: Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak (1963)
#2: Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown (1947)
#3: The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle (1979)
#4: The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats (1962)
#5: Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems (2003)
#6: Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey (1941)
#7: Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson (1955)
#8: Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans (1939)
#9: Millions of Cats by Wanda Gag (1928)
#10: Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale by Mo Willems (2004)
#11: The Story of Ferdinand by Monroe Leaf, ill. Robert Lawson (1936)
#12: Good Night Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann (1994)
#13: Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey (1948)
#14: The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka, ill. Lane Smith(1989)
#15: Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes (1996)
#16: Owl Moon by Jane Yolen (1987)
#17: Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina (1947)
#18: In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak (1970)
#19: Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney (1982)
#20: George and Martha by James Marshall (1972)
#21: Bark, George by Jules Feiffer (1999)
#22: The Monster at the End of this Book by Jon Stone, ill. by Mike Smollin (1971)
#23: Bread and Jam for Frances by Russell Hoban, illustrated by Lillian Hoban (1964)
#24: Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault, ill. Lois Ehlert (1989)
#25: The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton (1942)
#26: Corduroy by Donald Freeman (1976)
#27: The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter (1902)
#28: Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst, ill. Ray Cruz(1972)
#29: Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig (1969)
#30: Brown, Bear, Brown Bear, What do you See? by Bill Martin Jr., ill. Eric Carle (1967)

So, now I have ten great books to look forward to! When we return from our trip to NYC, I will be sure to make a trip to the library to find the ten books we have not read. Thank you so much for posting this for us Bookworm!