Painting with Dinosaurs

This morning we decided to make paintings using our plastic dinosaurs.  We used paint, a brush, a sponge, plastic dinos, an egg tray for paint, and paper.

We painted the bottom of their feet with the brush  

and let them "stomp" across the paper.

Dodson was real excited about this, and he had a great time.  We also used a sponge and cut out a dinosaur foot "stamp" for him to use as well.  We talked about how the print the sponge left was probably similar to the texture of Dinosaur hide- rough and bumpy.

Dinosaurs, a mess and pajamas - some of our favorite things!  Have a great day!

Block Blueprints

First, let me just point out the NEW pjs!!!  He has moved from the doggie pajama obsession and is onto a rocket pair.
Dodson and I love playing with his blocks.  We have 2 sets, one small and one big.  I have to control myself when I build a perfect house only to have my boy tear it down with one quick movement.  Building and architecture is in my blood.  My brother is in the industry, and he's 5th generation to be in the field.  I always wanted to be an architect and I live the dream with Dodson's blocks.  I know - it's sad.  Anyway, I want to expose Dodson to the love of building as well, so we often go to the blocks!

This is SUCH a great lesson - spacial awareness, balance, and shape identification are all part of it.   I totally stole this idea from a blues clues episode - I guess that's why the producers get paid the big bucks!  Anyway, all you need is paper, pen and blocks. Then you draw out a "blue print" or building design and let them find the right blocks and try to build it.

I let Dodson wear his hard hat while we do this.  I also found he was too overwhelmed when all the blocks were available to him, so I gave his a small pile to choose from.

You could also present them with the necessary blocks and allow the construction to be the challenge. You can make them as simple or elaborate as you'd like!
We really liked this project and will be doing it again often!

Have a GREAT day!

"I do, I do. I do like that party hat!"

One of our very favorite books is Seuss' "Go. Dog, Go!"  I have wanted to find a project for us to do based on it for quite a while.  I love all the directional words and opposites in the book (above, over, below, beside, on top, in, out).  Dodson loves the part where the two dogs bump into each other and say "Do you like my hat?"  He likes that part so much, that he often re-inacts that part of the book when playing.
This project came about over two days... one part, I have to admit, was NOT in our pajamas, but it was too good not to post, and I figured you would just be happy to see something other than his favorite blue dog pajamas!
He was playing outside and I was planting flowers.  He found the empty plastic flower "pots" and together we used the hose and cleaned them out.  As soon as they were clean, he put one on his head and said "Do you like my hat?" (in his best Go Dog Go voice).  He kept that bucket on his head for over 30min. playing!






We then used them to build a pyramid and send it tumbling.

All that fun spurred on the second half of the pajama project - reading "Go. Dog, Go!" and decorating our very own flower pot "party hat" with construction paper, pipe cleaners and other various craft items. He loved wearing his party hat!