Ladybug Math

I saw this cute idea for a number match and counting game here. It was such a great idea and Jellybean is just starting to show more interest in counting and number recognition.

So funny how different kids are. The alphabet and numbers have been second nature for Buddy, but Jellybean hasn't been as interested. These little ladybugs have been awesome. I tell her that each ladybug wants to find its home. Which is somehow a riot to her. Once she finds the correct ladybug for the leaf, she then uses the leaf as a little blanket for the bug. It is fun seeing how these little bugs take on a life of their own when Jellybean is playing with them.

Because I'm lazy, instead of doing 10, I decided to do 5. I'll have to do five more when Jellybean has these down. For now, I'm letting Buddy use the five we have to work on his addition skills. I challenged him to find 2 or more bugs that add up to the leaves with numbers 6-10.

He had a lot of fun thinking through the problem and adding the bugs together. Extra fun finding more than one way to make ten.

Jellybean and I had a good time making these little bugs. We started with some black decorative rocks that I had around. Though, you could use any small rocks.

Because the rocks were already black, I just taped off some areas that I wanted to remain black. Jellybean did what she does best and painted the rocks red.

I took a little black paint and painted the dots on the bugs.

I wanted these to have some lasting power, so I sprayed them with a protective clear gloss and then added the eyes with hot glue. I used some dollar store craft foam for the leaves.

A perfect little busy bag activity. Thank you Coffee Cups and Crayons for this fantastic idea.

Have a Happy Day!

~MJ

First Day of Kindergarten!

Yesterday felt like the beginning of a long journey. We sent Buddy off for his first day of Kindergarten.

He was very excited for his day. We had purchased a new backpack and some new school clothing for the occasion. He was up and already dressed before coming to wake me up that morning. By the time we got to the school, his excitement had turned to hesitancy. That of course, made me anxious for him.

The day turned out well in the end. He was smiling when I picked him up. He cannot recall a single name of any of his 20 classmates, apparently they worked on some kind of gingerbread man and they received a special cupcake for a snack. Other than that, I'm a bit in the dark as to what the first day was like.

He seems willing to go again tomorrow, so that's good. My little boy doesn't seem so little anymore.

Have a Happy Day!

~MJ