Bingo, anyone? (with a recycling twist)

Bingo is a fun game to play with your kids, and can be a great learning tool also. There are many store-bought varieties, but here are a few ways you can taylor a game to your specific target skill, and age/level.

And for those who know me, I am the hoarding recycle queen, so this is a great way to use things that I have scattered around the house in the recycle bin.

Do you have these?

I love using cereal boxes, because I get 4 game boards, and I even use the sides for the game pieces! But any cardboard box works, and game pieces can be printed on cardstock.

The picture above shows one way you can differentiate your game to the needs of your kiddos. The game board is upper case, and you can make both upper and lower case game pieces.  For this example I only drew 4 squares, but you can cut your boards to be larger and fit 6 or 8 squares on each. Also, younger children loose interest quickly or get frustrated, but as their attention span lengthens, you can increase the number of squares on your board.

I watch a pair of brothers (3 & 6) who both want to play, but the letter board is too easy for the 6yr old. I drew pictures on one board, so when a letter is drawn he has to find the item that begins with that letter or sound. For the sake of recycling and wanting this to be a practically free activity, I drew the pictures. But I am a horrible artist, and I will have to print out pictures in the future and glue or tape them to the game board.

if anyone knows how to rotate a picture in blogger, please help!!!
the picture itself is horizontal, but blogger uploads it as vertical

This numbers bingo game shows the variety of ways you can target a skill - numbers, counting, addition and subtraction (I put them all on the same board as an example).

The possibilities are almost endless! Some other ideas are: shapes, community helpers (match the helper to the job/building/vehicle/etc.), sight words, animals (farm, ocean, jungle, etc), transportation theme, holiday themes, colors, you could even make a personalized family game with pictures of family members!

And of course, you need bingo markers. "What should I use", you ask? Why, bottle caps! Another treasure that has so many uses!!! But that is another post in the works.

I'd love to hear your bingo game ideas!
Miss Liz

E's Valentines

I've said it before, and I'm sure I will say it again...I'm addicted to Pinterest! I saw so many cute ideas for candy-free valentines, I had to try it with E. I gave him a few options of toys/items to give all his friends, and OF COURSE he chose cars (don't know why i bothered, as i knew this was going to be the answer). But, I love his thoughtfulness - he didn't think the girls would like cars. So I asked him what he thought they would like, and his answer was hair bows :)

A friend made these absolutely FABULOUS gift bag tags! She is a wizard in PhotoShop!!!

E helped put all the items in the bags, and then my friend's 17month old daughter helped me staple the tags on them while he wrote his name on the back (yep, he's a lefty!).

I think they came out perfect!  Other than the picture loading sideways :/

Hope everyone had a great Valentine's Day!
Miss Liz

Sight Word Search

E, my 'godson', discovered my word search book a few weeks ago. Every week when I pick him up from school, he looks in the book, tries to find a word, and gets discouraged. So...I decided to make him his very own word search book, using the sight words his teacher sent home.

First, I created 2 tables per page. It was the first time using Google Docs, so I think they turned out ok, considering.

Next, I cut each page down the middle, and stapled together to make the book! (don't know why the picture loaded sideways, but this is my first time blogging :/)

I hope he likes it! If he does, I will make more with themes - colors, written numbers, dinosaurs (his FAVORITE!!), etc.

New Beginning

Welcome!

I have joined the ranks of Pinterest addicts, and in order to upload some of my ideas, this blog was born.  I am not a mother, photographer, or writer. My experience with children is limited (but blessed) to 3 years at a daycare, and 6 years (as of today) watching a friend's son.  But hopefully you will find some of these projects useful.

Thank you,
Liz