Showing posts with label Mother's Day. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mother's Day. Show all posts

Saturday, May 3, 2014

Es-SPA-cially for Mother's Day

Today's post is coming to you from Kinder Kapers....and my first question is, "Where has the time gone??"   It is May and time to be thinking about Mother's Day.  In my Kindergarten classroom I always want to do so many things, but these bath salts have been a favorite year after year.

They are easy and fool proof.  You just need:
epsom salts
coarse sea salts
baking soda
scent
color
a container


The measurements don't have to be exact (which is great when kinder kids do their own measurements).  There are many, many recipes on the internet, but mine goes like this:
3 parts epson salts
1 part sea salt
1/3 part baking soda
few drops of scent (essential oils)
few drops of color
*mix together until scent and color are evenly distributed.

In real life for each student it looks like this:
measure into a quart baggie:
1 cup epson salt
1/3 cup sea salt
2 Tablespoons of baking soda
few drops of scent (I use the liquid candle oils, essential oils are expensive)
few drops of color

*mix together, then pour into glass jar (just because it is so pretty)

Add a card, a note, and you are set.  Send home any extras in the baggie (or layer like a sand painting for someone at your school).  The flowers are just 3 sheets of 6"x12" tissue paper accordion folded, and attached in the middle with a pipe cleaner.


Two notes...if you want to add dried flowers they look lovely in the jar, but I added dried lavendar to the first batch I ever made and when I took the bath it looked like I had little bugs floating all over in my tub.  Looks pretty....but not in the tub.  Never again.  Second, if you are layering bath salts from different students, be careful how many smells you mix together.  It could look pretty....but smell awful.  

Try something fun for your container if you want to dress it up a bit:

I gave those to some special friends one year. 

Stop by my blog, Kinder Kapers, to check out what else we are up to. 

http://merrykinderkapers.blogspot.com/
http://merrykinderkapers.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

The Perfect Song for Right Now: "Gifts for Mommy!"

These 3's are holding their "bees" - carefully!
    Spring is…well, it's trying to spring here in Chicago.  Miss Carole of Macaroni Soup here!  With 1.5” of snow on Monday I think the crocus and anemones in my garden would disagree (not to mention the angry squirrels under my empty birdfeeder!  I've been busy, guys!)
     You may be preparing for a Mother’s Day program, or just need a great song to sing for Spring!  I don’t know where I first heard some of these verses – and I’ve added my own at my students’ requests.  It’s easy to learn, easy to teach, and the children love it.  They get the humor, no bees are squished and it’s downright adorable!  
     You probably already know the tune – “I’m Bringing Home a Baby Bumblebee!”  If not, it’s on my Sticky Bubble Gum cd – you can hear a clip HERE (track #13) – and it was the Song of the Month on my website in May 2007.
Do you hear your bee? Bzzzz!
    I use Beanie Baby animals for visuals in each verse – you could use pictures or puppets, too.

Verse 1:  Waggle your pointer finger around while buzzing until you catch an imaginary bee.  Check your hands to be sure he’s in there!  Sing:

I’m bringing home a baby bumblebee
Won’t my Mommy be so proud of me!
I’m bringing home a baby bumblebee-
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!
Teacher:  Would that be a good present for Mom?
Kids:  NO!
Teacher:  Then let him go – bzzzzzz!  How about a dinosaur?
Stomp! Stomp!


Verse 2:  Pat hands on thighs for dinosaur steps!

I’m bringing home a baby dinosaur
Won’t my Mommy hide behind the door!
I’m bringing home a baby dinosaur –
Stomp! Stomp! Stomp! Stomp Stomp!
Teacher:  Would that be a good present for Mommy?
Kids:   Nooo!
Teacher:  How about a crocodile????

Chomp! Chomp!
Verse 3:  Open and close arms vertically in front of you to the beat to make croc jaws!

I’m bringing home a baby crocodile
Won’t my Mommy wear a great big smile!
I’m bringing home a baby crocodile –
Chomp! Chomp! Chomp! Chomp! Chomp!
Teacher:  Would Mommy like that?
Kids:   NO!
Teacher:  How about a grizzly bear?






Smiling grizzly bears - it's so much fun to growl!
Verse 4:  Make claw-paws.  Teach kids to put teeth together to growl!

I’m bringing home a baby grizzly bear
Won’t my Mommy tear out all her hair?!?
Oh, I’m bringing home a baby grizzly bear –
Grrrr!  Grrrr!  Grrrr! Grrrr! GRRRRR!
Teacher:  Would THAT make a good present form Mom?
Kids:  NOOO!
Teacher:  What if we brought Mom something she would really like?  Can you think of what your Mommy likes?  I’ve got a great big pot (hold out arms, hands touching in front, to make a big pot.)  What can we put in it that Mom would like?   (take all suggestions – flowers, kisses, chocolate, salad, noodles – yes, it usually includes things the children like, too!)  After all ideas are in, sing:

Verse 5:  Everyone holds a big “pot” in front of them.

I’m bringing home a great big pot of love
So much bigger than the sky above!
Oh, I’m bringing home a great big pot of love –

Hug, hug, kiss, kiss, kiss!
Teacher:  Would Mommy like that?
Kids:   YES!!!

    I have done a ladybug verse (won’t my Mommy give me a big hug?) and even done Daddy verses!  Have fun with this song – all year long!

Yours for a Mommy Song!
"Miss Carole" Stephens

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