A Free Story Podcast for Young Children

If you are looking for a free story podcast for your preschool, be sure to check out the Snuggles Podcast. There are a variety of recorded stories for you to listen with your children. There are archived episodes too, so you can listen to back episodes too!

Listening to stories help children to learn what reading sounds like. If you grab the book that goes along with the story, you can follow along with the words, teaching left to right tracking.

If you don't listen to these podcasts, read aloud with your preschooler! Any book will work, even the newspaper!

Let me know what you think!

OnTray- Make Grocery Shopping Easier

As I was cruising a blog carnival with great giveaways today, I came across the OnTray giveaway offered by The Giveaway blog, a great little contraption to make your shopping easier with little ones. Any mom with a preschooler needs to check this out. A great invention!

What NOT to do with Homemade Slime

Don't allow your child to put slime in their hair! With instigation from her brother, my little princess stuck the slime in her hair. It came out with shampoo, but what a mess! Also, be careful with the slime on other body parts. It should just be used with the hands or it may irritate the skin! Use my experience to your benefit!

Easy Slime Recipe!

In my effort to save money around the home, I decide to do some fun projects with my little ones. My son has asked more than once for a slime making kit at a local craft store. It was over $5! When you see the recipe, you will see how the packing, labeling, advertising, and shipping inflate the price!

I made slime many years back for my preschool class sensory table. It was easy, icky, and fun! I did a quick search and found these slime recipes. I choose to do the one with the slime recipe with borax. Borax can be found in the laundry section for around $3 a box and can be used for a gazillion different things! So for the tablespoon this recipe calls for cost maybe 5 cents???!! I had some white glue left over from a project, but I know I bought small 2 oz bottles at the dollar store (4/$1) and I used 3 (explanation later on my change in the recipe). Plus the tap water, that means this cost less than $1 to make.

Using the recipe linked above, I mixed my water and glue, but probably not thoroughly enough. When I added the borax water, it did not combine well, but I was able to pull out the slime from the watery mix. Then I just emptied another 2 oz. bottle into the water and stirred quickly. That gave me some more slime.

If you are going to color the slime, I would recommend adding it to the borax water or the water before mixing it with the glue solution. Then combine the two together.

Have fun! And save money (plus packaging, gasoline, etc!).

Turning Off The TV

During summer vacation, we have to make a concerted effort to turn off the television. With what I know about preschoolers and TV, (I did a research paper on it a few years ago for a graduate course), I should know to limit it. But it is a challenge sometimes just to remember.

When my kids wake up, they watch TV as they wake up and as the eat breakfast. Then, if we get caught up doing this around the house, it may stay on. Once we turn it off, the kids actually play, and get into fights! That in itself makes it tempting to TURN IT BACK ON, but we have been careful.

When school starts back, they hardly have any time to watch, although it still is more than recommended. Until then, it is a daily challenge!

Things Kids Say

My 5 year old is really grasping language and wants to use "bigger" words. Here are two things he said this past week.

Can we go see the cannonball movie (at Epcot)? (translation- the Canada movie)

Does my hermit crab live in a conscious? (translation- conch shell)

Lil' Sugarplum Hairclips- A Must Have!

Months ago I won a blogging contest and won some cute clips from 'Lil Sugarplum. I meant to post a picture of her cute hair clips back then and forgot. Recently I reordered some clips since the original disappeared. I am so happy with how cute the flower clips are as well as the price. I could not be without it since they dress up any outfit! My sister ended up getting one too for her 4 year old. This picture is of my daughter wearing the clip for her birthday party. Too cute! Make sure you check out her online store and get some adorable hair clips for young children and babies, as well as supporting a work at home mom!