[Nfb-krafters-korner] Summer fun with Kids

[Zimmer, Cindy]

Henrietta,
I love the idea and might try it with my daughter. 

Thanks!
Cindy Z. 

-----Original Message-----
From: nfb-krafters-korner-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfb-krafters-korner-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Henrietta Brewer
Sent: Wednesday, June 30, 2010 2:49 PM
To: nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org
Subject: [Nfb-krafters-korner] Summer fun with Kids


>
>Hello,
>
>It is summer vacation and time to entertain the kids. Creating 
>activities and crafts for children that a blind adult can carry out 
>with a splash has been my passion most of my llife.  I am looking 
>forward to offer some of my ideas on this list.
>
>I have done home daycare for over twenty years. I then, worked at a 
>child care center at Michigan State University for over a year.  My 
>Grand Children began coming on the scene then and I returned home to 
>do the greatest job in the world.  We have eight Grand Children and 
>they are teens now.  I have to work a lot harder to keep their minds 
>working during the summer. This year I offered a cash reward 
>toowards school clothes to anyone who sent me a contract promising 
>to read a number of books they thought was fair for the summer. 
>After each book I am to get an email with a short report on the 
>book.  The first Grand Daughter sent her first book report today.  I 
>haven't gotten contracts from most of the boys. hmmm
>
>Please let me know if these ideas are helpful or at least fun to 
>read.  If you have certain ages you would like  projectsfor, let me know.
>
>So here is the first installment.
>
>henrietta Brewer
>
>Plastic Flower garden
>
>This is great for toddlers
>
>Materials
>
>Old plastic flowers and plants
>
>Sand box
>
>Dirrections
>
>CCut the flowers and plants apart so that they have a nice stem to 
>plant.  Give the children the plants in the sand box.  Talk about 
>planting flowers, vegtables and plants.  The children can plant and 
>replant their gardens as often as their imaginations allow.
>
>Note, if you are up to the mess, let the children water the gardens.
>
>
>Shaving Cream play
>
>Here is an activity that can relax a routy group as well as be used 
>to teach. I have used this activity to teach times tables to older children
>
>materials
>
>a can of shaving cream. I like the gel because the change is more 
>noticable. But any cheep shaving cream will work
>
>A very washable table or cookie sheets can work too
>
>You might want to have tiny toy cars, popcycle sticks, or any items 
>that will be fun to run through the shaving cream
>
>Dirrections
>
>Give each child a small amount of shaving cream in front of them on 
>the table.  Talk about the texture. Have children squeeze it, pat 
>it, run fingers through the shaving cream.  You might want to play 
>music and ask the children to make their hands move to the music and 
>talk about the paterns they made in the shaving cream.
>
>This is a good way to show children numbers and letters. You can 
>write them and errase them over and over.
>
>Make sure children stay seated during the activity. You don't want 
>the shaving cream to cover your entire house or get in eyes because 
>of to much activity.
>
>I have often done this out on a glass picnic table. it also works on 
>a plex-a-glass storm window.
>
>After the children grow tired of the activity create a new activity 
>by bringing small pieces of sponge in a bucket of warm water.  Keep 
>the sponges small and talk about squeezing them out.  You will be 
>amazed at how clean your table will be after this activity.
>
>Growing grass
>
>Summer is the time to show children how things grow. Grass seed, 
>especially rye, grows quickly and in most envirements so it is 
>perfect for keeping the childrens interest.
>
>Materials
>
>one cup or so of any grass seed
>
>small pieces of natural sponge
>a cookie sheet or flat box for storing the project
>
>a small amount of soil
>
>at least one empty egg shell for each child
>
>dirrections
>
>First talk about the small size of the seeds. Make sure each child 
>holds seeds.  Wet the sponges and sprinkle just a few seeds on each. 
>a teaspoon might be a good amount.  Place the sponges on the tray 
>and then out in the sun.. Set up a watering schedule.
>
>Now fill each egg shell that has a bit of shell removed ffrom the 
>top with the egg removed and the shell rinced.  Filling to the top 
>with soil and planting some seeds to grow hair on this egg head.  I 
>used the egg carton to store the egg faces in the sun because 
>watering was easier then the second method which is cutting the 
>bottom out of a plastic bathroom cup to hold the egg.
>
>When the grass has grown out of the top of the egg shelll, children 
>can gently draw a face on the shell. Actually, they can make one 
>face on each side.  These faces will work well to create a play.
>
>I hope these ideas are useful to you.  This might be a good time to 
>try taking pictures of your children's projects. Or, if one child is 
>old enough have them take pictures and create a summer memory 
>book  or slide show on the computer.



Henrietta
~I wish you enough~


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