Watermelon Seed Counting Game

Here's a fun counting game that we played with our watermelon counting boards. Each player used one board with twenty seeds.

We took turns rolling the die, counting the dots, and removing that number of seeds from our board. Play continued until there were no more seeds on the boards. This was an easy, quick way to practice counting!

Does It Get Any Better Than This?

I was busy making dinner when I heard Lauren's little voice say, "Julia, you read me this book?" A moment later they are cozy in the recliner enjoying a book together. Ahhh, mommy bliss!!

Bug Racers

These adorable bug racers are fun to make and fun to play with! This craft idea came from Evan-Moor's Crafts for Young Children.

I cut apart a cardboard egg carton and the girls painted each cup. We threaded chenille sticks through two holes that I poked in the top of the cups. We finished the bugs by adding googly eyes and drawing mouths.

We placed a marble under each bug and raced them down our ramp.

Tissue Art

This art exploration is as easy as it gets. I provided some liquid starch, paint brushes, white construction paper, scissors, and colored tissue paper. Lauren brushed some starch onto the white paper and pressed on pieces of tissue that she tore or cut.

Julia cut her tissue paper into shapes and used them to make a clown face. I love to give the girls art materials and see what they create on their own!

Writing Numbers

Julia needed some practice writing numbers so I cracked open my copy of Math Their Way by Mary Barrata-Lorton for a little guidance.

In Math Their Way children are introduced to numeral formation using purple and green cards. The first part of each numeral is written in purple and the second part is written in green. That author states that these cards help "to eliminate reversals and gives the children a sequential pattern to follow when writing the numerals."

Each numeral card is traced several times and then Julia practices writing the numerals...

...in shaving cream,

..in colored salt or her favorite writing substance: Jello powder (thanks to Teach Mama!)

...using the "wet, dry, try" method (Thanks to Handwriting Without Tears)

..and finally, after lots of practice, she fills in a row on her practice sheets.

Big Painting

My latest order from Lakeshore arrived with several large, crumpled sheets of paper. The girls are using the paper to make these wonderful murals. Painting on such a large surface is a new experience for my girls who have had many opportunities to paint at the easel. Julia loves the freedom of painting outside. She has been exploring splatter painting and making prints with different body parts.

Counting Watermelon Seeds

These watermelon math mats are perfect for counting and addition practice in the summer months. I have had them so long that I can't remember where I got the idea but I think they are from Workjobs 2 by Mary Baratta-Lorton.

To make the mats I used green poster board and red, white, and green felt. For the seeds I used small, white beans and spray painted half of them black. I made eight of these watermelon mats.

To practice counting, the child places a number card on a mat and then places the correct number of seeds on the watermelon,


To practice addition, the child places an addition card on a mat and then uses the black and white seeds to solve the addition problem.

Salt Drawings

Mix a few drops of food coloring into a bowl of salt. Let the salt dry over night or spread it on a cookie sheet and place in a 350 degree oven for a few minutes.

Use a paintbrush or cotton swab to apply glue to a piece of construction paper.

Sprinkle the colored salt over the glue. Shake off the excess salt.

When the glue is completely dry, gently tap the paper to remove any loose salt.

Enjoy your bright, textured drawings.

Glittery Fireworks

Glitter is probably my girls' favorite art material so they were thrilled to make these glittery firework pictures.

First they used a cotton swab dipped in glue to paint a firework on black paper.

They covered the firework with red, white, or blue glitter. After shaking off the extra glitter, they oooed and aaaed at their sparkling fireworks.

Have a fabulous Fourth of July!