Toddler Gift Giving- Salt Dough

Today is Grandma B's birthday. (HAPPY BIRTHDAY!) The family celebrated the occasion this last Sunday.  I couldn't be there because of a horrible head cold that just wouldn't go away.  I was sad at missing the get together, but I had fun helping my kids make a gift for their grandmother.

We love working with play dough in our house. My kids also really enjoy creating gifts for people. Personally, I love seeing them experience the joy of making something for someone else and then the joy of giving their creation away.

 I put together a batch of salt dough and got out some cookie cutters and letter stamps.  Both Jellybean and Buddy enjoyed playing with the dough. If left to her own devices, Jellybean just rips dough apart in tiny pieces (she also kept licking the dough), so I helped her cut out some fish. Under her instruction, there had to be a mama, a dada and a baby fish.  I also rolled out a circle so she could do a hand impression.

Buddy lives for Halloween and was very attracted to the pumpkin and ghost cookie cutters. He also molded together a "monster box." Apparently, Grandma knew immediately that it was from him due to the "ABC" stamped on the outside (his other obsession is with the alphabet).

After the salt dough was baked and cooled, I got out some markers and let them color their creations.

Salt Dough Recipe:

-1 cup of flour
-1 cup of salt
-Half a cup of water
-Mix it together and knead it
-When ready to cook, put on a baking sheet in the oven at 200 degrees F for 2-3 hours
-When cool, paint or decorate. You may wish to varnish or cover with gloopy glue when dry.

When researching salt dough recipes, I came across a great resource for play dough recipes: The Imagination Tree. The post has over a dozen recipes/ideas for using play dough. It also talks about the benefits of working with play dough and how the medium of play dough encourages imaginative play. It's worth a read.

Have a Happy Day!

~MJ

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Book Review: Going on a Bear Hunt

It is amazing to me when a simple story can spark the imaginations of my children and inspire hours of creative play as well.  Recently, we picked up a copy of We're Going on a Bear Hunt, retold by Michael Rosen and illustrated by Helen Oxenbury. 

The repetitive text and beautiful illustrations combined with an adorable story have made it perfect for my 2 and 4 year old. Books that use onomatopoeia are especially good for this age group. I also find that, for me, sound effects make reading a book out loud over and over again more palatable. The "squelch, squerch" of the mud and the "hoooo woooo" of the wind are particular favorites with my kids.

Since purchasing a copy of this book, we have read it and re-read it.  Each re-reading is followed by an enthusiastic, "again!" Jellybean likes to say the words with me, especially the phrase, "Oh no! We'll have to go through it!" Her sweet, "oh no!" gives me a kick. Every. Single. Time.

When reading is done, I've had fun acting out the story with my children.  The front door rug becomes the oozy mud, the carpeted dining room becomes the wavy grass and Daddy's office becomes the gloomy cave.  We've even discovered the bear a few times, rushed up the stairs, run into my room, jumped into bed and hid under the covers. Buddy loves to wander the house now, hunting for a bear.  He's very vigilant and doesn't let any obstacles get in his way.   

It's not a new book.  I'd heard the name and seen it on bookshelves before, but hadn't ever read it myself.  In fact,  I may be the only person who hadn't read it until now.  If you are like I was and haven't had the opportunity, it's well worth adding to your collection. I'm looking forward to all of the bear hunts I'll get to go on with my children in the future.

Have a Happy Day!

~MJ