Joy
Wonder
Magic
Theme of the Week {Cupcakes}
Posted on March 3, 2010
Cupcakes Anyone??
We’ve had a week of cupcake CRAZINESS!
From our cupcake party (each kiddo had a lunch tray with a little cupcake magic):
How many ways can you say cupcake?
Jello Cupcakes
Clay Cupcakes
Felt Cupcakes
Traditional Cupcakes
Necklace Cupcakes
Mason Jar Cupcakes
Meatloaf Cupcakes
Favorite activity of the week was our cupcake hop (old fashioned cake walks with a twist). Kiddos kids jump from (large paper) cupcake to cupcake until the music stops, mom draws a cherry with a number, match the cherry to number of sprinkles on your cupcake and you win the round.
You must be on cupcake overload by now?!
Ya, me too.
And I’m not even done yet!
Mission: Kindness is a new tradition I’m weaving into our theme of the week.
Kindness Verse: 1 Corinthians 13:4 (NIV)
4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
Our act of kindness was to send twelve of our far-a-way friends and family a litle happy in the mail. We set up cupcake factory and made cupcakes in a jar:
I wasn’t joking about meatloaf cupcakes! The ”frosting” was mashed potatoes {turquoise even}! I’m not sure why but I was the only one who ate them?!
Joy’s Hope has wonderful step-by-step directions for the Mason jar cupcakes. Her blog is a wealth of beauty, creativity and inspiration— you’ll love it! I can’t leave her comments because I don’t have a google account so if you visit, tell her THANKS for me!
See ya later, Cupcake!
Theme of the Week: Green Eggs & Ham
Posted on February 15, 2010
[Green Eggs for Sale! Fill each egg with pennies, nickles, dimes and/or quarters.]
Green Eggs & Ham Words:
a am and anywhere are be boat box car could dark do eat eggs fox
goat good green ham here house I if in let like may me mouse not on or rain Sam say see so thank that the them there they train tree try
will with would you
[Dessert Dr. S Style: Melted Chocolate + Corn Flake Cookie]
Learning Fun:
Pin the YOLK on the Egg
Speedy Dinner Board Game
Egg Word Fill
Green Egg Painting
Eggs for Sale!
Pin the YOLK on the egg (and get the fork on the napkin bonus) was the big hit of the week!
Dr. Seuss’ birthday is March 2nd!
ICK! I do not do not like them Sam I am! (Not if they are over-easy that’s for sure!)
Theme of the Week: {S O U P}
Posted on January 26, 2010
Alphabet SOUP!
Stone SOUP!
Oh My!
Is it possiblie to make SOUP fun? Maybe!!!! YES??
S o u p s O N!
Learning Fun: Spell with Soup Cans & The Alphabet Soup Treasure Hunt
Books: Stone Soup (Murth), Campbell Kids Alphabet Soup (Adams), Mouse Soup (Lobel), Pretend Soup & Other Real Recipes: A Cookbook for Preschoolers & Up (Katzen)
Songs: The Vegetable Soup Song & Soups On! Lyrics: Here
Activities: The Tomato Soup Taste Challenge, Making Homemade Stone Soup (yes with a real stone!) & Can Doo Game
Arts & Crafts: Cardboard Soup Stove & Alphabet Soup Collage
Making Stone Soup (or shall we call it SILLY Soup?):
The Alphabet Soup Treasure Hunt was thg big winner of the week. Mason searched for tiny treasures to fill his pot of soup:
Ideas & Inspiration:
Lamb-Chop reads Stone Soup: Part 1 & Part 2
Photo Soup Cans: We made these last year!
Template for Alphabet Soup Collage: HERE!
Stone Soup Recipe: Family Fun
Stone Soup Printable: Scholastic
ohhhh and how could I forget the “Spelling with Soup Cans” game??? Ya, it takes a serious dose of cheesiness to embrace this kid friendly lifestyle!
So after a full day of winter snow play…. get your SOUP ON! 
:)
Theme of Week: {Snow!}
Posted on January 13, 2010
Does snow make you happy??? Sure does us… we waited and waited and waited… finally we have enough to get serious about some snow play!
From our Snowman Buffet (aka lunch):
Oh! the snow, the beautiful snow, Filling the sky and earth below, Over the housetops,
over the street, Over the heads of the people you meet. Dancing, Flirting, Skimming along.
J.W. Watson
—{Details}—
Arts & Crafts: Beardbuster (shaving cream) Snow People, Snow Painting and Felt Snowman Game
Learning Fun: Count the Snowballs (egg carton + pompoms) and Stamp & Count Snowguys
Fun with Food: Whipcream Snow Smash and Taste, Snowman Buffet Featuring; PB&Js, Snowman Soup, Snowman Sippies and Mini-marshmellow Snowfolks
Just for Kicks: Inside Snow Play and Tiny Snowfamily
Books: The Snowy Day (Ezra Jack Keats), The Snowman (Raymond Briggs), Dream Snow (Eric Carle) and Jan’s Bretts Snowy Treasury
Ideas & Inspiration:
Okay and perhaps the real reason for our theme this week (more like two weeks, three?)— I had an excuse to dress Blaise up as a snow-baby:
If you have snow I hope you are enjoying every single second of it!
If you don’t— come visit– we have plenty to spare.
Happy Snowy Days to you!
Theme of the Week {Gingerbread}
Posted on December 26, 2009
Hi friends! Sorry about all the technical difficulties!! I hope you were able to find me here. For those of you who emailed me about katherinemariephotography.com/blognot working, it should be up and running soon!!! If you click on HOME or go directly to katherinemariephotography.com (without blog) it should take you to my recent posts.
Our week before Christmas:
—{Details}—
Arts & Crafts: Cardboard Gingerbread Village (Martha Stewart) & Paper Gingerbread Friends
Learning Fun: Gingerbread Chalkboard Count and Sort & Flour Writing
Fun with Food: Decorating Houses and Cookies, of course!
Just for Kicks: Scratch and Sniff Game {Spices from gingerbread recipe)
Imagine the clean up after our FLOUR letter writing activity!
Sand paper + glue + cutouts = scratch and sniff cookies!
Blaise was the offical cookie tester!
Cookies are made with butter and love. Norwegian Proverb
Theme of the Week {Crayons & Colors}
Posted on November 13, 2009
—{Details}—
Fun with Food: Edible Crayons of course… Via Gormet Mom on the Go
Arts & Crafts: Crayon Cabin with Colorful Characters (made from a recycled coffee can), Crayon Art Display, & Crayon Birthday Card Pouch {Here}
Learning Fun: Personalized Counting Book (see next post) & Sorting Games
Just for Kicks: Baking Crayons (simply melt at 200 degrees for 8 minutes)
 
Inside or outside the lines? Sure, both please! My philosophy with regards to art is that whatever makes your heart happy is okay. There is no bad art.
My favorite creative coloring series is The Anti Coloring Book by Susan Striker.
Theme of the Week {Cookie Monster}
Posted on November 5, 2009
—{Details}—
Edible Delights: Cookie Soup (this is what happens when cookies get stuck to the baking sheet!), Cookie Monster Face Tortillas, and Marshmallow Pops
Learning Fun: Feed the Cookie Monster Math Game (paper cups + pennies for cookies) and Do-it-yourself Cookie Monster Book
Art Time: Cookie Monster Paper Plates & Draw a Cookie Monster Face with Sequencing Cards
Letter, Colors & Numbers: C, Blue & 20-30
Activities: Baking Cookies
How can anyone resist his fuzzy fuzzy face and his voracious appetite? I love all of Hensen’s characters, but Cookie Monster might quite possilby be my favorite.
This Cookie Monster Interview is hilarious (click on the video link at NPR)!!!
Make Learning Fun has a fantastic collection of early childhood theme activites including lots of cookie monter creations.
After all these cookie activities— ME WANT VEGGIES now!
Theme of the Week: {Guest Blogger!}
Posted on October 30, 2009
Welcome guest blogger Susie!!
Susie is the creative mastermind behind Decorate Your Soul and Catchlight Photography in Ohio.
Between raising three gorgeous girls AND running a wildly successful photography business, she made time to whip out a HALLOWEEN week of learning and fun for us!!!
WITCH HAT DETAILS:
 Edible Delights: Pear Witch project courtesy of Family Fun
Letters: Find the “W” on the witches hat
Math: Addition/subtraction on the witch’s hat (she turned it over and asked for subtraction, how cute is that?) We halved the pear in our “pear witch project” snack …Counted pairs for the eyes on both the witch face and snack… Used colorful dots to work on patterns
THANK YOU for all your fantastically fun ideas Susie!
Theme of the Week {Candy Corn}
Posted on October 21, 2009
Welcome guest blogger Heather!
Heather is an amazingly talented Florida based artist-photographer.
Just feast your eyes on her SWEET version of theme of the week.
Oh my… the colors, the creativity, the fun… I can hardly stand it!
—{Details}
Playful Fun: Candy Corn Toss
Edible Delights: Cheese and Crackers, Cupcakes, and a sad attempt at a fruit parfait with what I had on hand. I recommend pudding for the yellow layer instead of applesauce.
Learning Fun: Guessing how many candy corns are in a jar. Plus a lesson on volume- comparing equal amounts of candy corn in different jars/glasses.
Art Time: Melting Beads, Bean Bags
Activities: Sewing and Knitting
Decorating: Candy Corn Garland and Hair Clip
Thanks Heather for your wealth of inspiration!
Heather’s blog:Â Scrap Happy Heather
Theme of the Week {Pumpkins}
Posted on October 10, 2009
—{Details}—
Imagintive Play: Indoor Pumpkin Patch
Edible Delights: Jello Orange Pumpkins
Learning Fun: Pumpkin Life Cycle & Pumpkin Patch Match
Books: Biscuit Visits the Pumpkin Patch, Pumpkin Patch Party & Franny in the Pumpkin Patch
Letter & Colors: P, Orange & 11-15
Art Time: Mosaic Jack-O-Lantern
Activities: Pumpkin Patches, of course!!!
Entertainment: It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
Resources & Inspiration:
Pumpkin Life Cycle: PDF Template Here
Egg Carton Pumpkin: Mommy Guru
Pumpkin Snack: From the Hive
Pumpkin Printing: No Time for Flashcards
Photographers— I’d love to feature some fresh new THEME-OF-THE-WEEK ideas!!! Plan a week of creative learning around something your kids LOVE. Come share and INSPIRE us all! I’ll select my favorite themes and share them here! Email me for details.
Happy Pumpkin Pickin!!!