Weekends with Gage- A World of Colors

September 29, 201316 Comments

A World of Colors: Seeing Colors in a New Way Gage has known his colors for a while, but when I saw this book at the library I thought he’d enjoy it. A World of Colors by Marie Houblon and published by National Geographic is one I can recommend enthusiastically to all kids from 2-5 or 6. Let me start with the photos – they are gorgeous, interesting and international. Each color has 4 pages and the text isn’t something the child will read by themselves, but the text makes this book interactive so it isn’t something they’d want to read by themselves anyway. For each color it asks that you look around and find something that color and because of that it would be fun to go around the house reading it in different rooms. Let me show you a few pages…

So sorry about the blurry pink page but I’m including it so you can get an idea of the photos. So after we read this I decided that tis might be a good way to start categorizing and practicing gluing abilities. So I let Gage choose a color in the morning at breakfast and over the course of the day I collected things that he could attach to a piece of construction paper. Next time we do something similar (and we will just with other categories) I’ll let him help with the scavenger hunt (but to be honest just the gluing part was all the time Gage wanted to spend on this activity, 5-10 minutes, so I’d break it up into two activities).

Today was our last day and we did green. Here’s how it went down…

His standard pose for the camera to start.

I always think it’s fun to see what he’s going to choose first. Today it was the grasshopper.

This is so blurry because this mom doesn’t like to have her hands so far away from a 2 year old with glue.

After the grasshopper is a small green craft stick. I did try to have a few tactile items for each color for more interest.

Some days he would put everything I put out on there, other days he just chose a few. Today he told me he was done and I told him he had to add 3 more things. He chose 3 dinosaur stickers. When I asked him to point to his favorite thing he chose Kermit the frog.

His final color collection.

I have a big plastic bin where I keep old torn up books and misc. craft supplies to use for projects just like this one. The book was the inspiration for this activity. So much fun 🙂

Saturday Snapshot-first full week of preschool status

September 14, 201317 Comments

Gage went to school 5 mornings this week for 2.5 hours each day. I don’t get a lot of conversation and what I do get takes so much effort I’m usually tired by the end. He has no problem telling you things that he wants you to know, but is less interested in whatever question I may have. I think this may be a boy thing. Anyway, on Wednesday I had to pick him up early from the city school to take him to orientation for the Jewish school. There was nobody in his room, but I did take notice of this…

Hmm. Think I should be worried?

It was also picture day on Tuesday so I’m excited/scared to see what those look like. This is the one I took when he got home…

So, first full week done and he’s still enrolled at both schools 🙂

Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Melinda of West Metro Mommy. It’s easy to participate – just post a picture that was taken by you, a friend, or a family member and add your link on Melinda’s site.

Weekends with Gage and the Big Red Barn

August 25, 2013August 25, 201310 Comments

I knew that we’d be visiting the farm again so I decided to have Gage do a few activities to get him excited. You can see the blue cow he painted in front. The pig he did next was much more refined but not nearly as much fun 🙂 And then I checked Big Red Barn by Margaret Wise Brown out of the library. Gage loved it! He knew all of the animals and liked seeing the farm turn from daylight to nighttime, but his favorite page was the seeing the field mouse born in a field of corn. I liked this book because it had lots of comparisons to introduce or practice (big/little) and counting, and friendship. The illustrations and colors are perfect for a toddler who can handle more of a story in his picture book. I don’t think this would be as appealing to kids under 2.

Here’s Gage reading the book on the way to the farm. I know Wise’s book, Goodnight Moon is a classic, but Gage likes this one more than he ever did Goodnight Moon. I was hoping to get in more farmish activities but the week got away from me. Do you have any suggestions for next time?

I’ve already posted pics of Gage at the farm so instead I’m adding my favorite photo of the week. This is Gage when we took him to ride a big new train. Think he was excited?

Weekends with Gage- the train obsession

August 18, 201323 Comments

Gage has always loved trains but these past few weeks he can talk of little else. It’s his favorite thing at the library so I can usually peruse the picture books and watch him at the same time, knowing he is unlikely to stray from the tracks. So, we have a rotating train book collection. These three are our current train reading material.

We’ve had The Little Engine That Could for months. Our library lets you renew things as long as no one else has requested it. It was his first introduction to the train funnel. This morning when my mom went to wake him up he opened his eyes, looked over at her, and said ‘funnel’. Yea, kid’s got trains on the brain.

My Little Train is a nighttime favorite for Gage. Even though I have and do read it to him, he considers this Daddy’s book. It’s cute.

I just picked up Freight Train last week and Grandma has already had to read it, oh maybe a few dozen times since she arrived on Thursday.

Today, I’ll be making another trip to the library to find some replacement train books. Any good recommendations out there?

One more way we keep the addict addicted is to take him to the kiddie park every two weeks where he gets to choose from a half dozen rides, but his favorites remain the two train ones. All aboard the crazy train! These pics are from last night.

Weekends with Gage – a family friend goes off to college

August 11, 201315 Comments

When you live somewhere away from your extended family it is necessary and difficult to find babysitting help. We were lucky that two sisters lived a few doors down from us when Gage was born. The older sister left for college last year, and the younger one has been with us for over two years, these past seven months being times of change and stress around here. She always showed up with a smile and allowed Jason and I to have a dinner date every week and worked with Gage to teach him all the things little boys need to know. We will all miss her, she’s been a fixture around here and I’m not sure which one of us will miss her most. She’s off to join her sister in Dayton and I’m sure she’ll have the time of her life. As for me, I may have shed a tear or two.

with Gage in December 2011

with Gage in February 2012

and her last day on Friday.

Weekends with Gage at the Farm

August 3, 2013August 3, 201321 Comments

Last week I took Gage to the farm.

The stroller lasted about 20 minutes.

He got to pet a pony. And got sneezed on by same pony. The girl said, “It’s all right.” Um, no not really. We both had horse residue on ourselves til we got home.

He also touched the big cow. Progress. On our first trip he was too scared to get close.

Riding the tractor around was a big hit.

He studied up on windmills and solar power.

He pushed big tomatoes around. He doesn’t like to brag but he’ll tell you, “I’m strong.”

By far his favorite was the big train near the entrance. We had to make several trips back to watch it during our visit. It is a cool train.

We had lots more fun, but no amount could be enough. I broke the news that we were leaving when he was driving the tractor. After 10 more minutes of playing we actually left 🙂

Lake Farm Park is very kid friendly and much more accessible and relaxed than the zoo.

Weekends with Gage – Caterpillar to Butterfly

July 21, 201314 Comments

This week Gage came home from summer camp with a little caterpillar he’d made out of a milk carton and he was so proud of it. When I say made I’m pretty sure he just put the green paint on, but he was excited about it. We do read The Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle The Very Hungry Caterpillar so I thought it would be fun to make a butterfly to go with this caterpillar. My mom cut out some beautiful wings and I collected some things to glue and stick on. He was having a hyper day so I wasn’t sure how receptive he would be, but he saw the set up on the table and started saying butterfly and getting excited so I thought we had a chance. He lasted about 5 minutes, but that’s okay. He glued, stuck, and markered it up. My mom and I put the antennae and cotton bodies on after. Ta-da. Crafts are not his favorite thing so I’m going to have to think of something more active for this week.

the set up Those cardboard rolls in the middle were going to be our bodies until we went with something simpler)

Carefully placing a blue pom pom that he will try to move a few times.

Having grandma make one too was part of the fun!

And the finished product. Can you tell which one is Gage’s? I put his caterpillar above it as a hint.

There’s no butterfly here now but it would be the perfect place for one 😉 This was taken in a village in the French countryside. Sorry I don’t know which one.(courtesy of Bookbath)

Weekends with Gage – Gage and the Purple Crayon

July 14, 201317 Comments

Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson is a book that I have loved sharing with Gage. It is all about imagination and that’s something I want to encourage in Gage. The fact that purple is his favorite crayon color and that there was a scary dragon in it made this an easy sell. It is a little long, but Gage makes it all the way through. I’d say It’s perfect for kids 2 1/2-5 and there are just so many activities to try with this one. I decided to let Gage make his own. book. Harold was armed only with a crayon, but Gage got stickers and a little help from mom.

For prep I folded 4 sheets of paper in half and then a sheet of white cardstock for the cover, collected purple crayons and stickers that could help with storytelling. We very loosely used some of the scenes from the book. Gage had fun even if I had to prod with the storytelling. I will do this activity again and each time prompt more from Gage so I have to provide less. I made the cover myself after he was done 🙂

the set up

what should I put on the road?

sometimes one crayon is not enough

and sometimes I needed help.

I’m feeling proud.

the final product I had so much fun with Gage I’m thinking of making one myself. I think this book is a must have for any kid. Harold’s that is, Gage’s isn’t for sale!

There’s a little bit of purple in here :(courtesy of Bookbath))

Weekends with Gage – Lola Goes to Work and Gage hits the hot tub

July 7, 201316 Comments

We took a trip to Michigan this week to visit Jason’s family. After visiting the Livonia and Flint areas we’re back home getting into our routine.

Jason’s dad has a big pool but Gage kept wanting to go in the little pool, aka the hot tub, so I let him sit on the top step when nothing else would do. I brought a few books to Michigan, Lola Goes to Work, is his new favorite, so it was awarded hot tub status. Kathy wrote a great review of this one and then sent it on to Gage. I wasn’t sure he’d like it since he doesn’t have any favorite books with photos, but from our first reading, Lola has been a hit. He likes to finish reading each page for you, but I should mention that Gage’s ‘Lola’ sounds suspiciously like ‘Lellow’, but no matter, it only makes her cuter.

Lola is a five-pound Yorkshire Terrier who wanted a big job so she worked very hard to become a therapy dog. I wish I had taken a picture of the page I stress to Gage, “I learned to sit and stay, to lie down and wait patiently.” Lola eventually passes her test and becomes a therapy for the elderly and classrooms.

This is a sweet book that all ages can enjoy. It was written and photographed by Lola’s mom, Marcia Goldman. It’s 32 pages and even has a page at the end for teachers so they can better use the book in the classroom. Visit Lola’s website for some cute photos.

(courtesy of Birdbath) I know Lola’s not French, but I think she could pass with that sassy red scarf, don’t you?

France 102 A friend we found at Versailles (you’ll probably have to click on it to see). A few days later Jason and our friends would be dining on his family and friends. I don’t understand how that is possible after meeting the little guy.

Weekends with Gage…If You Were Me and Lived in …

June 30, 201313 Comments

If You Were Me and Lived In... Mexico: A Child's Introduction to Cultures Around the World If You Were Me and Lived in Mexico by Carole M. Roman

If you were me and lived in... South Korea...: A Child's Introduction to Cultures around the World If You Were Me and Lived in South Korea by Carole M. Roman

These fun books for 3-8 year olds were sent to me by the author. Each is just over 20 pages long with colorful illustrations and enough text to give kids the basics of life around the world through the eyes of someone their age. Gage wasn’t as interested in the learning as he was the pictures, but I learned a lot 🙂 We learn where each country is on the globe, information about their capital city, common names, what they call members of the family, big attractions, food, fun, traditions. It covers all the simple facts and I think these are great additions to any child’s library.

For the Mexico book Gage colored a map. It may not look like much to you, but since he used other crayons in addition to the purple one it is a huge accomplishment. The author also sent us a blow up globe and as Gage looked through the book and colored I blew it up. When I gave it to Gage to show him where Mexico was this is what happened.

He really just wanted to blow it up like mommy.

For the South Korea book the author sent a flag and I thought it would be fun to make our own.

This is what happened.

No matter how much I tried to get him to color the flag (I even tried to bribe him with purple!) all he wanted to do was run around the deck waving the flag. So, I made it myself.