Science and Engineering for Girls

My 7 year old daughter has shown an increased interest in science and how things work, my 5 year old loves to investigate and opening things to see what is inside. After a colleague mentioned a new toy called GoldieBlox which encourages girls engineering concepts I had to buy it as a Christmas present. Keeping a girly feel to the toy and designed in a way girls think and look at things, it is intended to get girls more into thinking beyond dolls yet it includes a toy dog and other characters. I think they will both enjoy it and I will post images and review more once they have played with it. 

I found these test tubes with experiments included that I think are great stocking stuffers for kids. My girls want to make snow so now they can and how your body can create energy which lights up the tube. Finally how sand can stay dry in water. I think these are all great products for girls who want to know how things work. All kids want to understand why things do what they do and girls more than ever should be encouraged to investigate. 

Instead of the usual dolls, kitchens (which they have) I think it is also important to mix it up with toys that are fun but they learn at the same time.

Pro D Day - Puppet and Theatre Making

Pro D day was spent at Port Moody Art Center, creating a lovely puppet theatre and puppets. The centre is lovely and has some very experienced staff. They have courses for everyone but I love the sessions for the kids. They really know how to get them creating and experimenting.

These are the characters for their stage. 

Arts and Crafts

The local art center, Place Des Arts, had a free lantern making open day for kids. They made lanterns and paper flowers and clay owls. It was a great afternoon spent creating.

Paper flower

 Lantern. Made with a bottle.

 Paper Lantern

Paper Latern

How to Make a Dancing Puppet

A dancing puppet

 Supplies: Glue, dole/rod, pipe cleaners, eyes, glitter glue, polystyrene ball, cotton wool or pom pom balls, wired ribbon. 

 Wired ribbon.

• With a pencil pierce a hole into the polystyrene ball. Insert the dole into the hole and securely place, you may need glue for added security.
• With the pom, pom balls glue to each side of the polystyrene ball to make the ears, or create hair, whatever works for you. Be creative.
• Add the eyes to the ball. Use a pen or glitter glue to add facial features.
• The piping can be used to create the arms, wrap it around the dole and tie at the back and glue to secure. 
• The wired ribbon acts as the clothing, cut a nice length of the ribbon and wrap around the body (dole rod), glue to secure.  

Share you dancing puppets :)

Halloween is Coming.

At Art Knapp garden centre; one of the Hallowe'en displays.

Their displays are fantastic. They have a haunted house which my eldest insisted on going into, it was pretty, scary and awesome, in her words. They have free and paid activities for different age groups which I think is fantastic. There is a horse carousal, crazy golf, bouncy castle, climbing frame, swing tyres, photo opportunities and more.

Great times.

Happy Thanksgiving Eh!

Ice Skating for Kids

  

I just love how kids can take a task and get on with it. Should they fall they get back up, nothing phases them too much. It has been a few years since we took the kids skating, well actually I skated as a kid but have not been on the ice since. The girls are taking to the ice nicely. Lots of tumbles but they are learning to get back up, not to be defeated and practice, practice, practice. 

I love the lessons in life.

4Cats Art Studio for Kids

During the summer my kids went to 4Cats. It is a fantastic place for kids to paint, create, play with clay and learn about artists. They painted the pirate ships as per the image and they made a small cup and an owl with clay, plus a paper mache animal. They are now on full display on a shelf. They are amazing pieces of work any artist would be proud of.

Wish I had a kids art studio to go to as a kid.

xxx

Vancouver Zoo

A fantastic, hot summers day at Vancouver Zoo was had by all. My eldest got to handle the baby bird pictured, a kestrel which was in-training and I was able to handle a 2lb owl, it was lovely. We saw the lions fed and we saw many animals, like giraffes, a black panther and hippos.

It is a lovely kept zoo with a great environment. It is lovely to walk or cycle around and there is plenty of food available for your little gannets. Definitely going again. 

Back in Canada

Another epic return to Canada. Moving back to England was lovely; able to be with my parents at any point and the kids were able to visit, cousins, uncles, aunts, grandparents. My kids met a girl at school who's mum ran a livery yard, so they were able to visit and ride the ponies. I also got back into the saddle. But we had to come back to Canada due to work and it was a sad and stressful return, particularly as the kids were settling into a school routine, making friends and enjoying the countryside fresh air and having access to London.

Our return has been a good one, we have had amazing weather and we are doing a lot of great things with the kids, posts to come.

xxx

Natural History Museum London and Rainforest Cafe

The day before our flight we visited the Natural History Museum and the Rainforest Cafe.  A fun event for the kids and adults alike. 

Natural History Museum

Rainforest Cafe

T-Rex

Rock climbing for kids

My little girl rock climbing with her uncle who is very good at the real thing. A little reassurance needed but she got there step-by-step. Well done for trying, it was a bit scary. Very proud mummy.

Nothing like getting your kids to try something new. As it happens she was the only little girl there, all the others were boys. Great confidence builder and good for self esteem, try something that is a little scary but the achievement of getting just a little way up the wall can bring on a big smile. 

Not just for boys!

Snow

We have snow lots of snow. So we went sledging, making snowmen and snow angel imprints.

Interviewing my kids

I love the Artful Parent, the author of the site, Jean, shares inspirational activities for kids, including art, baking and creating. More recently she interviews her children and I though it would be a great idea to have a go and interview mine. It is a great way to get conversation going and to listen to what they have to say and think about what is is they are telling me.

Interview with Melissa age 6 and Victoria age 4:

What is your favourite colour?
M: Pink and Purple
V: Green and Blue

Who is your best friend?
M: Millie, Hannah and Amelia
V: Abby and Violet

Do you like your school?
M: Yes
V: Yes

What do you like best about school?
M: Playing with friends and working hard
V: Playing with toys and my friends

What is your favourite subject?
M: What is a subject? Writing and reading.
V: Painting and glitter, sparkling

What was your best thing(s) about Christmas?
M: My doll and my lion and having a nice family. I like my slinky.
V: New toys that Santa gave me, slinky, I love my princess doll and my teddy.

What sort of work would you like to do when you are all grown up?
M: Working on a computer and writing. Writing a book. Learn about new things.
V: Play on a computer, look out and see fish.

Which toy is your best?
M: My lion.
V: My teddy

What do you most like about having a sister?
M: It is fun with my sister and she does what I want sometimes. To play together.
V: Playing ball with her and airplanes.

Melissa wanted to add a question:

Why do my mum and dad work so hard?
M: To pay for the house

Victoria wanted to add a question:

Why does my mum take me to school?

V: Because you do.

It is cold outside

After a walk out in the woods my cheeks are now flushed!

Rocking Horse

My Sweat Pea and Sugar Plum have a fantastic little rocking horse that I got from a car boot sale for only one pound sterling. After much deliberation we decided to call her Maple Syrup. Why Maple Syrup? Well she looks like the colour syrup, a nice rich brown and has a flaxen main and the tail, (the tail has fallen off) and since we love it on pancakes and both my kids were born in Canada we thought it appropriate.

There will be some adventures on this little rocker I am sure.

Fairy paintings

Happy New Year 2013!

Time has flown and I have been busy creating and organising and getting through some challenging times but I am feeling up-beat for this year and have been creating with the kids.

Latest WIP, fairy paintings with sequins for a bit of glam.

First stage:



Second stage:


MM 6 yrs, Mum, VM 4 years.

Puppet show

There is nothing more fun than watching children put on a performance. One Christmas present they received was this wonderful, portable stage with finger puppets. It certainty gets their imagination going.

Merry Christmas!

Hope you all had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Pop Up Pirate time, just one of the presents for the kids to enjoy.