DIY I Spy Jars

We have been M.I.A from the blogging scene for a while due to a number of reasons...we apologize for any inconveniences.... :)

We made super easy DIY jars using simple ingredients from our crafts' closet. All you need is a clean/washed baby food jar, dab of water-color paint, glitter, a few drops of oil (we used what we had), sequins or other small objects/toys.

Simple Directions:

Firstly, fill in the jar with water 3/4 full. Now you can add the materials individually; stars/sequins, drop of glitter or plain water-color paint, glitter, and a few drops of oil. The kids may or may not require help closing the lid on the jar. Now, the fun begins and the kids can mix the materials in the jar by shaking the jar. I chose baby food jar because they are really good with preventing leakage. Here are two finished DIY Space-themed I-Spy jars: 

Take care and thanks for reading,

Annie

I Spy Lenses

So you know by know that I LOVE playing "I Spy" games with my kids. They are a great opportunity to learn and practice concepts. Little kids learn new things quickly or may even learn them very easily, but they forget just as easily and quickly! So it is very important for early education to be repetitive but with a new twist or theme each time to keep it interesting. So we have been focusing on learning vocabulary words using our sense of sight and hearing. We use the "I Spy" lenses to look for things called out and our sense of hearing to hear the words and associated sounds. Here is how we made our "I Spy" lenses:

We colored a 8" by 11" paper.

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Collected a paper towel cardboard tube and cut in the middle to make two small tubes.

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Cut the paper we colored in half.

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Rolled the half paper around each tune and secured with a piece of tape.

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Taped the two small tubes by placing them together like binoculars.

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Secured a detachable keychain (optional) to wear around the neck. Viola! Our "I Spy" lenses are ready.

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Let the hunting games begin...hehe

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Annie

"I Spy" Literacy and Math Activities

I love playing "I Spy" activities with my kids. They can be played with kids of any age and stage. When I was a little kid, I loved exploring and playing with little toys and things. So keeping that in mind, I made "I Spy" activities with an emphasis on little things. Here is how you may incorporate "I Spy" activities in your preschooler/toddler's schedule:

"I Spy" with Picture Books - Books that are great to use for "I Spy" are ones with lots of little pictures or little picture clues. This would be a great time to introduce new vocabulary words. You can also describe things that are found by using simple sentences (This is a ball). 

Shapes "I Spy" - looking for shapes around the house can be a fun activity. I tell my kids that sometimes shapes are hidden around the house (i.e. on the furniture or on any patterns). This will teach them the math concept of 3-d (objects) and 2-d (pictures) shapes.

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Numbers "I Spy" - for this activity we look for a number of things around the house like 3 or 5 of something. This will teach the math concept of counting and sorting.  It can be played with anything around the house like macaroni noodles, books, stripes on the wallpaper, etc. 

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Color "I Spy" - we look for things that are of a particular color like blue or yellow. This will teach the concept of color and you can also make it advanced by using terms like lighter than, darker than, etc.

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Advanced "I Spy" - I do this activity with my preschooler but you can do it with a toddler who has extensive vocabulary. We look for things around the house that I usually name with an added adjective(s).  For example, I would say: "I Spy with my little eyes something that is red with yellow stripes." It is really fun and makes it interesting for your child.

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We always have fun playing "I Spy" games when we are free or as a time filler. And it is ALWAYS fun and exciting!

Annie