Practical Life In The Kitchen

Wheels has recently become incredibly interested in helping in the kitchen.  He wants to help cook AND help do dishes.  He frantically says, "Wheels is helping.  Wheels is helping." and comes running if you start without him.  I have a few pictures of him helping make pizza and grilled cheese with tomato soup :)

He poured and stirred.....

counted slices of bread and spread butter....

Stirred pizza dough.....

rolled....

spooned and spread sauce..... (He really wanted to scoop all of the sauce, which was too much for our pizza.  In hindsight, I should have provided a little bowl to allow him to properly complete his work.)  He also helped distribute toppings and cheese, but I apparently stopped taking pictures.

I also just realized that he is wearing the same outfit during both photographed cooking sessions.  They were on different days, and I do require him to change clothes daily :)

I plan to get some Christmas activities on the shelves tomorrow, so hopefully I will get a blog up shortly after that.

This is linked to Montessori Monday at Living Montessori Now and One Hook Wonder.

Classic Turkey Fun

Turkey cookie cutters in playdough

Stamping turkeys.  He would say, "stamp in ink....."

"stamp on paper."  This was his first try with a stamp that was not self-inking, and he did well.

I wanted to make classic turkey hand-prints with him.  He really wasn't interested and just wanted to paint.  I let him do that first.....  

His free paint became a birthday card for his grandpa (whose birthday was on Thanksgiving).  We did the turkey prints anyway, so he would be able to give them to his grandparents as keepsakes.  I kept the one on the far right because it was the hardest to make.  He wanted to be the one to wash the paintbrush in between colors, which deleted the paint already on his hands.  It was stressful for me and likely not enjoyable for him, so we will stick with free art for awhile :)

To see what other tots have been up to, check out 1plus1plus1equals1

Thanksgiving/Harvest Sensory Box

What's Inside:

-Popcorn kernels

-Miniature pumpkins

-Miniature gourds

-Acorns

-Pinecones

-Pumpkin spice scented candles

-Sccop

-Cups

-Miniature pitcher

-Scarecrow doll (it was a gift; I don't know where it was purchased)

-I thought about putting little pieces of paper in the box that say things we have to be thankful for (family, friends, ect.).  I decided to wait and do that next year when he will be able to help me think of and decide what should be on them.

Wheels is often more interested in the trinkets that are in the boxes, but either my trinkets were boring or popcorn kernels are especially nice to pour and scoop because that is how he chose to spend his time.

 He also liked sweeping them up when he spilled, and I think he may have spilled on purpose a few times just so he could sweep.  (Don't mind my running shoes in the background.)

November Shelves

I left some of the October activities out, but also made some changes.  Here are a few of the newer activities:

Thanksgiving/Harvest Sensory Box

Fabric basket.  I tried to get him to use the blindfold and match the fabrics by touch, but he wanted nothing to do with it.  Instead I rubbed them on his back and he told me if it felt rough, smooth, soft, furry, bumpy, ridgy, ect.  Sometimes I had to give him choices (i.e: does it feel soft or smooth?)

DIY color tablets boxes 2 and 3.  He knows his colors and has no problem matching the stars.  He can usually find the lightest and darkest paint samples in each color, but the middle two are tricky.

Knobbed cylinders:  he is able to do two blocks at a time, but I haven't had them out for awhile due to decreasing interest.  I decided to re-initiate them with just one block at a time.  It is easy for him, and he does it very quickly.  I was demonstrating doing it with a blindfold (which he was not interested in trying), but he sneaked in and put half of them back in without me noticing when I was wearing the blindfold :) 

This was one of his first choices, but he hasn't chosen it since.

Shape bean bags.  He likes throwing them and knows all of these shapes, though sometimes he tells me the square is a diamond.  I tried to tell him that diamonds don't have right angles, but he's two and does not know what an angle is :)

Counting.  He is attracted to these dowels and likes the vase.  Recently he has wanted to count them into his dump truck and then dump them out.  I am fine with that.  He is still practicing counting.

Turkey feather counting

And in the basket

I realize this is not in season, but I found it in my printables stores and realized we had never used it.  I threw it on the shelves.  Matching is not difficult, but he didn't know coconut or lemon.  This is from 1plus1plus1

Pre-reading activity.  What doesn't belong?  I admit the attraction to this activity is the spray bottle, but it has been quite popular!

The printables are actually worksheets from Making Learning Fun.  I cut them into strips and laminated, so they could be re-used.

Transfer with a dropper.  He also practiced pouring!

Tools with cards.  This has been a favorite for awhile.  He knows the names of most common tools.  I made the three-part cards.  They are nothing special, but if you want them, let me know and I will shoot you an email.

And just for fun: Thanksgiving stickers and a turkey stamp.

This post is linked to Montessori Monday at Living Montessori Now and One Hook Wonder

First Choice From New Shelf

Transferring water with a dropper.  He hasn't quite gotten the hang of this, but he had fun trying...

This led to pouring practice.....

Which led to a drink.  He poured all but a few drops into the second cup.  He then drank the second cup and offered me the first cup :)

He also worked on his new sandpaper letters' basket, a geoform shape sorter, and a pre-reading "what doesn't belong?" activity (though I admit his attraction to this activity was the spray bottle used to wipe the dry erase marker off afterward.  I will post more about the activities on the shelves later :)

Three Ways To Decorate a Pumpkin

Paint it!  This is my preferred method for a two-year-old because it does not require any adult help (except maybe supervision to ensure no paint stays off carpet :)

Carve it!  I carved one last year to make sure he wouldn't miss out on the sensory experience of cleaning out a pumpkin; however, he wanted absolutely nothing to do with it.  I almost skipped it this year, but I'm glad I didn't !  Wheels loved it, and was so excited to be helping!

After the pumpkin was all cleaned out, I asked him what shapes he wanted for the eyes and nose and if he wanted it to have a happy mouth or sad mouth.  He chose circle eyes, a triangle nose, and a happy mouth.  I intended to follow his directions, but had difficulty making circles.....

Mr. Pumpkin Head!  This was his favorite once they were all done.