Latest Nursery Activities

For our nursery I'm trying to think of one different activity to do each week....in addition to their usual books, puzzles, toys, and colouring in. I've planned about 3 months in advance (the ideas at least, not the actual materials, but still, the idea's half the problem sometimes).

Here's some we've done over the past month.


Bottle Lid Matching. Seth loved this one cause even at only 19 months old he could have success at it on his own

Coloured dye pictures

I'd been planning on making child-friendly finger paint this week, but I was a bit apprehensive given the mess I knew it would inevitably make. I happened to work in a Year 1 class in the week leading up to this painting activity and after seeing the teachers art trolley with dye and little plastic droppers I went with a slightly different idea (she kindly let me borrow the droppers in the hope that I would save their clothes from paint/dye....under tight teacher supervision of course)

Dry Erase Re-usable DVD Covers

A little while ago Daddy Joe and I cleared out some DVDs that were scratched beyond watching or ones that we decided weren't family friendly etc. That left me with a pile of about 15 DVDs. I was about to throw them all away, but thankfully at the last minute I remembered an idea I'd seen on pinterest. So I threw away the old DVDs and took out the covers from inside the plastic. Next step was to cut out new paper to go inside and voila, I have mini whiteboards for my nursery children to use.

This is the pinterest pic that I got the idea from. Mine are all in the nursery cupboard at the moment.

Playdough

2 1/2C plain flour
1/2C salt
2 tbsp Cream of tartar (mix in a big bowl)

Add

2C boiling water
2 tbsp oil
Food colouring

Mix and then roll out on floured surface. Knead until the colour is all mixed in and it's not sticky anymore. Maybe add a little flour to the bench as you knead it if it still feels a bit wet.

Birthday treats for this year

 I had wanted to do something more than just a bag of lollies but it was all I managed in the end. Better than nothing but not as cool as a few other ideas I had (Gospel ABC book, playdough with cutters, printable 'I am a Child of God') Maybe that can be one of my goals for next year!

Ella was super duper chuffed to be the person that knocked on the door with Ollie's lolly bag

Birthday cupcakes that Ollie's kind Mum baked for us

Very proud of my beautiful little sharing time singing superstar!

And last but not least, this is usually how we find our cars after church.....the lonely last ones in the carpark. No not quite, there were about 3 cars around the other side, but still, it takes me forever to round up the kids who love to get out of class and play, and my husband who has to talk to every single person before leaving the building!

Nursery Update

Here's some updates of what we've got up to in nursery lately...

Ironically on the day we had a lesson about keeping the sabbath day holy, the kids got soaking wet playing with the baby bath....my bad!

With this afternoon church thing the girls are both pretty sleepy during sacrament. Out of 4 sundays, they've both fully fallen asleep once each. I was a bit worried they'd wake up really grumpy but thank goodness it was the total opposite for both of them

Love this pinterest idea and so did the kids

Little sleeping beauties again. I was in between them with both of them resting on my legs and once they'd both nodded off I slipped out and enjoyed sacrament in peace and quiet. When they woke up they'd missed sharing time and went straight to their primary classes.

One of our activities today was to sort coloured rods, beads and cubes.

And our much funner and yummier activity was to make shortbread stars for their Valentines goody bags (along a few lollies and chocolates)

Totally unrelated, but these were also on my phone

Mummy Mel at 32 weeks pregnant with Dallin or Joseph (Faith took this pic while we were having dinner with the Elders on the deck last night)

This is so embarrassing but I've just got to put it on here for recording purposes.  My bed hair....shame! (after going to bed with wet/washed hair). I came out of the room with straightener in hand to fix the wavy problem and as soon as the girls saw me they both go 'Wow Mum, your hair's so beautiful!!!!!' Cracked me up that they thought I'd especially done my hair like this for church when in reality that's the natural hair and I spend half an hour with the straightener making sure that no one ever sees it!!!! But thanks girls. I love your bed hair too!

Folders of Activity sheets for my nursery babies

I've spent quite a while today making colouring sheets for my nursery babies (they all seem so little now that my big kids are gone). Each week they'll do the sheet with the lesson and it'll get put into their folder, eventually being given to them when they leave.

And I've sorted out about 10 different activities for us to rotate around over a 10 week period....like playdough, moonsand, race tracks, threading beads, sunbeam plates, finger painting, planting seeds.

Ella's Nursery Graduation

Today my middle baby (and 3 of my other nursery kids) graduated from Nursery. Sad day for me as a Mummy and nursery leader :(

I've been excited and sad for this day all week. Nursery is certainly going to be very different next week without my little Ella Bella with me. But I'm looking forward to seeing her grow and learn new things in Primary.....as with so many things in life, it's bitter/sweet.

I made all the food and the movie, and Daddy Joe did the special graduation caps for us. He did such a good job!!!

Ella wouldn't join in for the group shot

Straight home to play with her babies (in her special 'Mummy dress' of course)