Outdoor car tracks

It has beautiful summer weather lately, so today I brought outside a collection of matchbox cars and trucks for F & E to play with outside in the shade. They made tracks, jumps and holes for the cars in the dirt and grass.

Fairy Garden

We started making our own fairy garden under a shady tree in the back yard. I found some appropriately tacky miniature garden figurines (on metal posts) from the Reject Shop . We found some little glass stone to make a path and scattered rose petals around. At Finn's preschool they had a gorgeous fairy garden in the playground with a little red painted door (on a wooden log) with a little brass knocker.

Big Box

My children get so much enjoyment out of empty cardboard boxes. We had a huge one left over from a new BBQ, so I cut a circular trap doors and square windows into it with a knife blade. I also attached a ramp from one of the top openings, so balls and toys can 'ride down a slide', and land into a basket at the bottom.

We didn't have any balls handy, so I made some from scrunched up newspaper and wrapped sticky tape around the outside. They were perfect for indoor play as they were light enough not to cause any damage.

Finn Turns 4

For Finn's 4th birthday party he requested an aquarium style cake.

I'm afraid it looked better than it tasted, but I've seen an easier alternative for the theme here:

http://www.nickjr.com/recipes/waldens-jelly-aquarium.jhtml

Painting

I gave Finn a quality sheet of A3 size paper, and a permanent black pen to start drawing his outline.

Then when he was satisfied I gave him a selection of block paints (already selected into colour themes- sans black). Found on the link below.

http://eshop.zartart.com.au/webstore/index.wsp?session01=b0051aa592d678ad&page01=category&category01=2238.583

He had a great time blending and mixing colours, and filling in his all his robot drawing parts. 

By giving children a black pen, they can create an outline, define their work and create more detail than they could by using paints alone. 

sticker fun

We are in the process of moving interstate, so our lives are chaotic and our possessions (and art supplies) are in boxes.

To keep the kids amused and creatively stimulated, you can't go wrong with a packet of dot stickers and a some coloured textas what ever your circumstances are...