Thursday, December 29, 2011

Guidecraft Educator Review #6 ~ Multi Match Sensory Discs & Balance Base

Happy New Year! What a great way to start the year - with a review of some awesome Guidecraft products. This month's products are Multi Match Sensory Discs & Balance Base.

I gave Lydia (age 2) the box of Multi Match Sensory Discs so we could play with them together This set of discs comes with an activity guide with great ideas, but we decided instead to make up our own games.

First, we counted the shapes on the large discs and lined them all up in order.


Next, we worked on one-to-one correspondence. This is a really great skill to target when working with 2 to 3-year old children. We placed one object on each shape on each disc. The objects were small animal and people toys.


We then cleaned up the small objects and worked on number identification. We placed the correct number of discs on each disc. For example, we placed three small number 3 discs on the big disc with three triangles. The only problem with this activity was that there are only four small discs of each number/color, so we had to leave one empty spot when we got to number five.  


Then, we talked about the colors, shapes, and sizes. Lydia enjoyed telling me which discs were big and which were small. We matched the small discs to the large discs according to shape. 


We played lots of other games with the discs, too!  Lydia and I built a tower, and of course she knocked it down. 


She counted each disc as she walked across them. 


And we even worked on patterns.


I gave the Balance Base to my nephews (ages 5 and 7), and they came up with some great active play ideas, too! They experimented with standing on both sides of the base. They played with it barefoot, with shoes, in the house on tile, on a rug, and in the garage. They tried kicking a ball while standing on it, playing catch with one ball, and playing catch with two balls. They actually carried it around the house all night New Year's Eve. Clearly, this was a hit! They both play on youth soccer teams - this Balance Base seems like a good way to work on some of the skills necessary to play soccer well.


Both the Multi Match Sensory Discs and Balance Base would be great for pre-k and elementary school physical education programs, for children who are typically-developing and children with special needs.

BUY IT! You can purchase the Multi Match Sensory Discs (RV $70) and Balance Base (RV $60)

WIN IT! What's great about this Guidecraft Educator group is that each month, one of us will be hosting a giveaway of the product that we have all reviewed. Visit Mamanista! for a chance to win a set of Multi Match Sensory Discs & Balance Base for a special child in your life. This contest is open to the US and Canada. 

* I received the aforementioned product for free to review. The opinions expressed are honest and provided without monetary compensation.

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Holiday Cookie Party!

by Carrie Wells, Ed.D. 

This holiday was a very special one. My husband is one of 6 children - he's the baby. He grew up with his half-brother Scott (who is 8 years older), but he also has 4 other siblings: Bryan, John, Paul, & Tena. Due to circumstances that don't make a whole lot of sense to me, Richard never saw much of his other siblings. We met up with some of them a few times over the years, but nothing ever came of these meet-ups...until recently. Richard's dad, who lives in the Bahamas, came to visit. He asked us to hang out with some of the siblings, and we did. We learned that Lydia and Bryce have four awesome cousins, Aryssa, Luke, Kyle, & Alana - who is two just like Lydia! They welcomed us into their homes for Christmas last weekend and New Years this weekend. I decided to begin a new tradition - I invited them over for a holiday cookie party!

We made Chocolate-Gingerbread cookies and Sugar cookies. We decorated them with sprinkles, M & M's, homemade buttercream frosting and colored icing, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and small candy stars.
Lydia and her Aunt Tena making a chocolate gingerbread Mickey Mouse.

Aunt Tena making a swirled Mickey Mouse.

Luke decorating a gingerbread house.

Aryssa decorating a gingerbread man.

This was quickly eaten!

Tena, Alana, and Adam decorating cookies together. 

Cousins Luke & Kyle decorating a Jewish star.

Aryssa made this HUGE cookie! It was two layers of cookie and at least 6 inches long!

I decorated two cookies, too. Yum!


Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Bryce's Holiday List

I am very fortunate to have learned about all of the giveaways and opportunities available through twitter, blogging, and Facebook, as they have funded a majority of my children's holiday gifts. Here are Bryce's holiday gifts (a few are on wish lists for family members, so we are hoping to get them!):

Each child gets one big gift. 

This is Bryce's big gift: KidKraft ~ Push Along Play Cart


K's Kids ~ Pull Back Autos

Alex ~ Rub-a-Dub Dirty Dogs

Green Toys ~ Dump Truck

Fisher Price ~ Laugh & Learn Dance & Play Puppy


Leap Frog ~ My Pal Scout


Tiny Love ~ Follow Me Domino


Yookidoo ~Pirate and Pal Play Set

Little Tikes ~ 2-in-1 Snug n' Secure Swing


And some stocking stuffers:

Kids Preferred ~ Flat Blanky, Pat the Bunny


Skip Hop ~ Squeak and Rattle Funny Face Mirror


 Munchkin ~ Disco Tub Lights


ImagiPLAY ~ Hedgehog Rattle
 I think that's everything! I truly hope he loves all of his holiday gifts. I will probably hide a couple and open them over time when he seems developmentally ready for them. These are all first year gifts, but many of them require him to be 6+ months (some 9 - 12 months).

Lydia's Holiday List

I am very fortunate to have learned about all of the giveaways and opportunities available through twitter, blogging, and Facebook, as they have funded a majority of my children's holiday gifts. Here are Lydia's holiday gifts (a few are on wish lists for family members, so we are hoping to get them!):

Each child gets one big gift.

Lydia's big gift: Disney ~ Sing and Storytelling Belle

Alex ~ My Giant Busy Box

Alex ~ Balancing Baker

Fisher-Price ~ Disney's Jet Pack Mickey

Best Pals ~ Isabelle 16" Ragdoll

Fisher-Price ~ Kid Tough Digital Camera

Munchkin ~ Dora the Explorer Bath Squirters

Crayola ~ Pipsqueaks Washable Glitter Glue

Mattel ~ Monster High Frankie Stein & Whatzit Plush


Lydia got a lot of great toys from Melissa & Doug.

Deluxe Wooden Lacing Beads

Make-a-Face Sticker Pad

Dry-Erase Markers

Handle Stampers - Favorite Pets

Deluxe Wooden Town Blocks Set

Snowman Stacker
I feel very lucky to have so many amazing gifts to give to my children. I hope Lydia loves them all. We'll have to go through some of our older toys and donate them to children in need. Gotta pay it forward!