Morning Mayhem

Mornings can be stressful getting ready for school and work. 

You are tired.

They are tired.

You are hungry.

So are they.

Picture it…

Little Tommy can’t find his shoes because his brother Johnny is wearing them.

Johnny can’t understand why his shoes don’t fit properly, because he is mistakenly wearing Tommy’s shoes that are a half size too small. Now, he is spiraling into a temper tantrum.

Because remember, tired and hungry.

Your husband is answering emails and sipping his coffee while the pancakes burn on the griddle behind you, because you’re trying to help Tommy and Johnny. 

Milk has spilled onto the counter and now you have Nutella fingerprints all over the front of your dress, because baby Susie is crying for her mama and trying to climb you like a tree.

Does this sound familiar?

Hang in their Mom.

Check out a few tips that we have found extremely helpful to propel mornings in the right direction with less madness and mayhem.  Most of which is prepared the night before.

Lunches are best prepared the night before because it can be one of the most time consuming activities of the entire routine.  If you do this at nighttime, it is guaranteed to shave off a good ten minutes of your morning rush.

And mom, if they are old enough to criticize what they find in their lunchbox, they are old enough to make it themselves.

Kiiiiiiiiiiidddddinnnnnng. Sort of.

Lay out the outfits you are all planning to wear the next day.

Make sure all chores are done the night before.  You don’t want to have to climb any unnecessary hurdles throughout the morning.

In the mornings make sure that the TV stays off. If they get preoccupied with a show they aren’t going to easily get moving when you need them to be on the top of their game the most.

Spend the last few minutes before racing out to the car to do something fun like a little game or maybe sing some songs together.  Something that will have you all parting on a good note after the morning rush.

Hopefully this will help you have less mornings with mayhem and more time enjoying your family before the day begins.

Walking Water Science Experiment

How cool is this science experiment?

It is something so easy to do and produces results immediately. Try it at home with your little ones and experience the wonder that we did here in class.

If you are a Teacher you would enjoy doing this with your students during the spring months due to its rainbow effects. You could add it to your spring theme in the classroom along with other activities.

The supply list needed for this fun little experiment is simple:

~ Small clear cups

~ Paper towels

~ Food coloring (stick to primary colors)

~ And of course...water.

The setup is quite simple. Take a peak at the pictures to see just how easy it is.

~ Line your cups in a row or as you can see in the pictures, a circle will work just fine.

~ Fill your cups with water. Not necessarily to the rim. You will want to leave some space so that you avoid overflow when it is time to add the paper towels.

((When adding food coloring you will want to use the same amount of drops in each cup))

~ Add a few drops of red food coloring to the first and the last cup.

~ Add a few drops of yellow food coloring to the third cup.

~ Add a few drops of blue food coloring to the fifth cup.


Now, it's experiment time:



Cut your paper towels in half unless you have the "select-a-size." You won't need an entire paper towel because it will be entirely too bulky.

Fold that half sheet in half lengthwise and then again lengthwise.

Place a paper towel in the first cup and bend it placing the other half in the cup next to it. (Ex: form a rainbow)

Place another paper towel in the second cup and forming the rainbow into the third and so on until you reach the end of the line.

Immediately, you should notice the colored water starting its travel up the paper towels.

Eventually you will see how the colored water has traveled up the paper towel and down into the ends that are in the empty cups.

Those empty cups aren't there for decoration. They have their own purpose. There might be a little mixing action taking place within a few hours!

See? Super easy and fun. Enjoy!

Springtime Books For Preschoolers

It is the first day of Spring and we are expecting a BIG Snowstorm. 😞 A great way to remedy this situation?

We can dream of warmer days.

Orrrrrrrr...How about a few book ideas that you can read with your child? 😉

Here is a list for you to enjoy.

1 ~ Planting a Rainbow

Young children will enjoy learning about colors and flowers with this new edition of one of Lois Ehlert's most popular titles in a brand-new format.

2 ~ The Snail and the Whale

When a tiny snail meets a humpback whale, the two travel together to far-off lands. It's a dream come true for the snail, who has never left home before. But when the whale swims too close to shore, will the snail be able to save her new friend?

3 ~ It's Spring! 

A beautifully illustrated rhyming story about spring.

The robin told the rabbit...
The rabbit told the deer...
The deer told the duck...
Then all the birds began to sing
To tell the bears, "Wake up, it's spring!"

4 ~ Because a Little Bug Went Ka-Choo

Little things can have a big impact, as in this funny Beginner Book by Dr. Seuss (writing under the name Rosetta Stone) and Michael Frith. When a little bug sneezes, he unknowingly sets off a hilarious chain reaction that wreaks havoc clear across town. From a toppled turtle to a sinking ship to a disrupted circus parade, Because a Little Bug Went Ka-Choo! takes a hysterical look at consequences in a way that only Dr. Seuss can.

5 ~ The Little Gardener

Discover what it takes to become a little gardener with this interactive board book that's perfect for spring and summertime reading. 

It takes more than just seeds and water. Lift the flaps in this bright board book and find out all you need to know in order to create and care for your very own garden!

Shovel.
Pail.
Rake.
Ho.
Tiny seeds in a row.

Compost water.
Rain.
Sun.
Seeds sprout, one by one.

6 ~ And Then It's Spring 

Following a snow-filled winter, a young boy and his dog decide that they've had enough of all that brown and resolve to plant a garden. They dig, they plant, they play, they wait . . . and wait . . . until at last, the brown becomes a more hopeful shade of brown, a sign that spring may finally be on its way.

7 ~ Spring is Here (Bear and Mole Stories)

Sniff. Sniff. Sniff. Spring is in the air. Mole can smell it. But Bear is still asleep after his long winter nap. How will Mole wake up Bear so they can celebrate together? When a knock, knock, knock and toot, toot, toot can't get Bear out of bed, Mole cooks up a special treat.

Spring fever is catching in this vibrant story of friendship.

8 ~ The Tiny Seed (The World of Eric Carle)

Eric Carle’s classic story of the life cycle of

a flower is told through the adventures of a tiny

seed. This mini-book includes a piece of

detachable seed-embedded paper housed on the

inside front cover. Readers can plant the entire

piece of paper and watch as their very own tiny

seeds grow into beautiful wildflowers.

9 ~ Bear Wants More 

When springtime comes,

in his warm winter den

a bear wakes up

very hungry and thin!..."

Bear finds some roots to eat, but that's not enough. He wants more! With his friends' help, he finds some berries, clover, and fish to eat, but that's not enough. Bear wants more!

10 ~ Terry Treetop and the Lost Egg

Terry joins his family for a camping excursion. A lost egg sends him on an adventure in nature, where he meets different animal moms and learns about their eggs, their life cycle and their habitat. Terry manages to help someone in need, while gaining beautiful friendships along the way.