Painting with Pomegranates

Last week Freida and I cut open some pomegranates we picked up at the local Farmer's Market, took out some seeds to munch on, squeezed out some juice to taste, and went on to break out the paintbrushes and water color paper and surprisingly created some of the most beautiful red-tinged magenta strokes of color. The juice paintings dried so wonderfully - leaving behind a sheer glossy laquer (likely due to the fruit juice's sugar content), and Freida was totally blown away by the concept of painting with juice. Her vocalized amazement went like this, "I can't wait to show this art to Daddy! He won't believe we didn't use ANY paint to make it!".

Apple Stamping

We had a little lesson on apple exploration, and whilst cutting open apples of different shapes and sizes I decides to whip out the paint and let her do some apple stamping.

Once there, I cut up some white cardstock and figured she could create some Shana Tova cards. All you need for these cute and colorful litte cards is an apple, paint, cardstock, do-a-dot stampers, and a black marker.

The apple we used was cut lengthwise, and Freida stamped it once on the front of each card. After they dried I let her mess around with dot stampers on the front and back. I then simply outlined the initial apple stamp and wrote some new year's wishes on the front. You can then do whatever you'd like inside the card (I stuck a printed photo of her doing the apple stamping), and give to family and friends (I don't know any Bubby who wouldn't appreciate this sort of crafted nachas!). :)

Fish Hotel

How modularly awesome is this Fish Hotel??

I'm totally smitten by the simplicity of taking something as common as the concept of a goldfish bowl and turning it into modern interior art! What a great way to liven up a dead corner - plant life or aquatic life; we now have options. :)

Also, seeing this made me think that this would be such a fun and hands-on way to teach children about the Jewish custom of "tashlich". Not necessarily through this particular fish residence, but just by buying a goldfish/beta fish or two and letting the kids explore the science and nature of these simple water creatures (they don't close their eyes when they sleep, for instance etc.). Viewing things first hand makes each custom much more personal and memorable. Just a thought...

Tip the Scale.

While I didn't have the energy to trek out to Lakeshore for a kid-friendly balance scale, nor the extra $ to fund this little experiment, I was surprised at how easily we were able to put one together out of regular household items.

DIY Scale

- 1 hook

- 1 hanger

- 2 matching bags, baskets, or boxes

- string

What I loved most about this was that I was able to leave it out all week and let her mess around with how how ever she wanted, with all different toys etc. She would go over and play with it whenever she wanted, and because it was so cheap and simple I wasn't worried about her putting in things that were too heavy and breaking it - she had total freedom to experiment however she wanted.

While I did talk a bit about good side/bad side, and how Hashem measures our mitzvos, this did generally seem too advanced for her (even when I put in a marble every time she did a mitzvah etc.) and pretty much went right over her head. Good to know for next year though. We'll take 2 when she's 3. :)

Apple Patterns

With the "apple themed" Jewish New Year just around the corner, we've been doing lots of different games and activities with the simplicity of little cut-out apples. Surprisingly, Freida's favorite activity of the bunch was learning the concept of patterns. I'd start a pattern (red apple, green apple, red apple/ red apple, green apple, green apple, red apple etc.) and she would have to continue placing the next apples from the stacks in order of the pattern. She was so into this and made me sit there for a loooong time doing this little lesson over and over and over again. Thought I'd share this 2-year-old discovery! :)