Lessons Learnt Journal » paper

Paper Plane Challenge

Pauline — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 09:00:00 +0000

We didn’t pack any toys for our weekend away. We were spoilt with a beautiful, large garden. The kids rolled down grassy hills. We had a fireplace. The kids spent their afternoons collecting sticks for the fire. We had paper. The kids made paper planes and proudly marvelled at their creations.

Sometimes, it takes time away for me to remember how good life is. Sometimes, it takes time away to remind me how inescapably good God is.

I have a new resolve; a fire in my belly. I want to spend more time reading. I want to spend more time being in the moment with the people in my life. In the words of my four year old twins, “I want to be good.” I want to do what’s best for others, because I have understood something of the kindness of God. On Lessons Learnt Journal, I will continue to only share things that we love.

Paper Plane Challenge

As irksome as it is to see and hear myself on a screen; Google+ hangouts really do save so much time (and it’s fun)! I won’t lie – blogging is time consuming stuff. With Google+ hangouts, I get to share stuff in a fraction of the time, and you get to see and hear me. That’s an Aussie accent, and please excuse my excessive blinking… (what is going on there?!)

Here are some quick resources for your paper plane challenge:

A video of how to make our favourite two paper plane designs. One flies really, really far. The other flies with a curve.

How to make Paper Airplanes by Sergey Burlakov (available through iTunes App Store).

World Record Paper Airplanes (also available through iTunes App Store).

Happy flying!

More Activities for Preschoolers

Three to Five: Playful Preschool is stuffed to the brim with tried, tested and loved playful learning ideas for preschoolers. There are 25+ ideas for preschoolers, ten printable resources and additional links to over 50 more activities. A great resource for parents. Download your copy here.

April 2013

N&M: 4 years, 10 months

E: 2 years, 9 months

K: 16 months

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Play with Paper: The Weekly Kids’ Co-Op

Pauline — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 22:05:29 +0000

“I just need a taxi!!!!” reads a friends’ Facebook status. It a Thursday night and midnight draws near. The poor dear. She just wants to get home to rest.

Are we all in that similar state of longing for rest? I am looking forward to the Christmas and New Year holidays.

Rest. Refresh. Ahh…. I feel my shoulders and neck relax at the mere thought.

This is my last Weekly Kids’ Co-Op for 2012 and I am psyched to go out with some pizzazz.

An Instagram from us:

How do you wait for your turn at the doctors’ (who is running an hour late?) Mr N and I passed the time with some paper planes, (and the iPhone helped too). Seriously though, the paper planes were so much fun and the highlight of our waiting time.

Paper is so useful! I honestly can’t imagine a world without it.

This week, I bring not 3, not 5, not even 10… but 20!!! Yes, 20 fun ways to play with paper. These brilliant ideas were all from last weeks’ Weekly Kids’ Co-op.

What a collection!

I am blown away by the kid focused brilliance contributed week after week at the Weekly Kids’ Co-Op. To those who link up, thank you!

I will begin hosting the Weekly Kids’ Co-op again in mid January 2013, (after some lovely rest). Can’t wait to see what 2013 will bring at the Weekly Kids’ Co-Op.

For more kid focused brilliance from the Weekly Kids’ Co-op, keep visiting our very popular Weekly Kids Co-op Pinterest board and The Kids Co-op on Facebook.

Dec 2012

The post Play with Paper: The Weekly Kids’ Co-Op by Pauline appeared first on Lessons Learnt Journal.

Marbled Paper with Shaving Cream

Pauline — Sun, 18 Nov 2012 13:00:50 +0000

In my journey as a mum and blogger, I come across many beautiful art and craft projects. I remember the ones that look easy to do and are pleasing to the eye.

It’s beautiful and easy; surely you would think I would gather the simple materials together and do it the next day, or within the week at most.

Ah…. I surprise even myself. The lazy part of me procrastinates any attempt for months; and as I write this post, I discover it’s been more than a year since I have come across this particular art project.

Marbled Paper with Shaving Cream

I first came across the idea of creating marbled paper with shaving cream on Little Wonders’ Days’ Shaving Cream Painted Fall Leaves. I adore Autumn leaves and their painted Fall leaves were gorgeous. I fell in love with their blog and the idea of creating marbled paper with shaving cream.

A year passes, and one day I see shaving cream painting while we’re watching ABC4Kids’ PlaySchool. “Goodness gracious me,” I thought. “That looks like fun.” The idea of creating marbled paper with shaving cream resurfaces.

One afternoon, my preschool twins N and M were particularly restless. Normally they would pounce upon a chance to play with some shaving cream, but they had just played that yesterday so there was no pouncing so to speak.

It was finally time to create marbled paper with shaving cream.

Time: 30 minutes

Materials: shaving cream; food colouring (or washable paint); toothpick or skewer; paper or card stock; rectangular take away container lids (or something with a strong long edge).

Method:

Spray a generous amount of shaving cream into a long dish. Spread the shaving cream so that it covers the dish.

Place little droplets of food colouring (or washable paint) on top of the shaving cream. (We used food colouring and loved the vivid colours, but a note of warning – our hands were stained for about a day).

Using a skewer or toothpick, swirl the colours around gently.

Place the paper or cardstock on top of the shaving cream and press gently.

Lift the paper off the shaving cream and using the rectangular takeaway lid as a squeegee, gently scrape away the shaving cream.

Leave your beautiful marbled paper to dry.

It’s beautiful, easy… and the kids loved it.

Don’t procrastinate like me; make your marbled paper with shaving cream today, (okay… within the week).

N & M: 4 years, 4 months
October 2012

(I originally published a version of this post on KidsActivitiesBlog.com).

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Art for Toddlers: Block Printing

Pauline — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 14:00:52 +0000

E is my current toddler-in-residence.

Only a year ago he happily sat wherever we plopped him.

Now, his little feet take him where his curiousity wills, which has been to the art & craft table.

Set up the invitation to play with block printing:

Toddlers innately want to explore the world around them. They’re figuring out cause and effect relationships. When doing arts and crafts with them, expose them to as many different materials and processes as possible.

Place a variety of small dishes with different coloured paints and blocks on the table.

Vary the paints each day. Use different colours. Use paints with or without glitter. Offer thick or thin paint.

Use different kinds of paper. You can use plain, coloured or textured paper. Don’t forget to use three dimensional mediums like boxes or rocks for variety.

Helpful things to remember when doing arts and crafts with toddlers:

It’s about the process, not the product.

Step back and let him do the whole project himself.

Repeat experiences are invaluable so resist the urge to pack things away.

What about block printing for older children?

To extend the activity for Big Brothers N and M, we explored the beginnings of patterns and algebra with block printing.

E: 2 years

N & M: 4 years

July 2012

A version of this post was originally published on KidsActivitiesBlog.com

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