Shapes and Letters and Colors

Here is an activity you can do at home with your child to reinforce letters, colors or shapes. Pick a spot your child can place objects-a low table, a small blanket, etc.  Pick a letter and look around your home and find things that start with the letter. Or show your child a shape or color and find things.

Back to School

School supplies have been on store shelves for weeks.  It's the first day of August and school is less than three weeks away for the grade school and four weeks for preschool.  Here are some ideas to help with the first day of preschool or kindergarten---
*Visit the school and play on the playground.
*Go to the library and read books about going to school.
*Watch Cookie Monster on his first day of school or Barney and friends.
Sesame Street--http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5ZR1eExYsI
Barney--http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8UgPCgqaMo
*Drive by the school occasionally and draw a picture of the school or the playground.
*Pretend it is the first day of school and practice waving good-bye or saying good-bye at a door.
*Play school and take turns being the teacher.
*Have your child dictate and you write what they think the first day of school will be like.  What do they want to learn in kindergarten?  Read it at the end of the first day and read it at the end of the year.
*For kindergartners, eat some meals from a lunch box.  This is good practice for opening containers and then cleaning up their lunch.
*Several days before school, organize what your child will need for the first day. The night before pick out clothes.
Enjoy the last weeks of summer and we will see you soon!

That Is So Cool!

Danielle Hatch, entertainment writer for the Peoria Journal Star, wrote an article on local ice cream spots.  She has a really complete list of locations-http://www.pjstar.com/entertainment/x633529625/Ice-Cream-Its-all-cool

Want to turn ice cream into a learning experience?  Click on the post from last summer-http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2010/06/i-scream-you-scream-we-all.html

Negotiating With Kids

Bed times, clothes, television shows, video games, food, curfews...when you have children there are thousands of things you negotiate from the time they get up (pancakes or cereal?)  to the time they go to bed (Okay, five more minutes!)  Evidently this is a life skill they are learning and children are not just trying to drive their parents crazy...here's the article.  A good read-
http://www.cnn.com/2011/LIVING/07/26/negotiating.with.kids/index.html?hpt=hp_bn8

We're Gonna Rock This Town!

Okay, it might not be all rock and roll but there are a lot of FREE concerts around Peoria this week.  Get out and enjoy some summer music!

Tuesday, July 26th-Tower Park in Peoria Heights 
Peoria Heights Community Band  at 7 p.m.

Wednesday, July 27th-Peoria Courthouse Plaza Brown Bag It Series
Peoria Park District Summer Band and Orchestra 11:30a.m.-1 p.m.

CEFCU Center Stage at the Peoria Riverfront
Peoria Municipal Band 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, July 29th-CEFCU Center Stage at the Peoria Riverfront
Change Up Band 7-9 p.m.

Friday, July 30th-Metamora Park on the Square
The Dynamics 7:30-9 p.m.

Soakin' Wet

Here are just a few more...

Splashdown-super easy!  Buckets, water and sponges.  Try to toss the sponge in your opponents bucket.  For detailed instructions http://familyfun.go.com/playtime/splashdown-907348/

Drench Daddy-this is a hysterical game we played at a family reunion when my boys were little. It is a lot of fun for the kids and hopefully Dad is a good sport cause he is going to get wet!

You will need one empty beer bottle (or similar size) for each dad, a few buckets of water and plastic cups for each child.

Each dad holds the bottle on top of their head.  On 'GO' the children fill their cup with water and try to pour their water into Daddy's cup.  Of course, they miss and Daddy gets wet and there is a lot of laughing and giggling.  They more they giggle the harder it is to pour. 

First team to fill their bottle is the winner or everybody is wet so everybody wins!

Keep cool!

Cold Feet

 It's July in central Illinois and it's hot!  Looking for ways to cool off with your kids?  The photo shows a fun game called sponge brigade.  Easy to do-just buckets and sponges.  For a full explanation go to http://familyfun.go.com/playtime/sponge-brigade-1015159/
Check out some ideas from last year- http://metamoracommunityprek.blogspot.com/2010/06/water-play.html

For even more summer water games click on the Family Fun magazine site-http://familyfun.go.com/summer/summer-games/summer-water-games-pg-906016/

Keep cool and drink lots of water!