Paint Bags

I found this one around on Pinterest, too (here).  I set it up while the girls were sleeping, so it would be ready.  Another super easy set up. Squeeze paint (generously) into a Ziploc bag, squeeze out air, lay white paper down and tape sealed bag onto the table over the paper. Way easy.

Quick thoughts:

• I used craft acrylic paint (because that is what I had). I either didn't put enough in or it was too thick (or both). It was difficult to mix around and feel the paint in the bag. Maybe try copious amounts of the tempera paint next time.
• I made two "stations" but guess what? They just played with one together. 
• They lost interest quickly - mostly because I think it was too hard to feel and move the paint. But they came back every few minutes to try again, so I think if I got the paint right they would really like it. Good thing I picked colors for them to mix that I want to use on a painting project! 

Fill the Trays

Another super easy activity using stuff around the house. While Abby was sleeping, I gave Alyssa an ice tray with a large plastic bead in each space - which would have been too complicated and too small for Abby. When Abby woke up we replaced the ice tray and beads with the cupcake pan and balls that fit. 

Quick thoughts:

• Alyssa looked like she was played mancala. It was super cute. The beads were really good sized for finger control practice. 
• Abby was putting the balls into the cups - just a couple before she wanted to dump, but still she was putting it in and letting go. Go Abby!
• Alyssa liked to experiment how far she could tip and shake before they all came out. She also was carrying the ice tray around. It was the perfect size. 

Alyssa Time: Peg People

Later, it was Alyssa's turn for some one-on-one time when Abby went to bed early. I had introduced these Peg People to Alyssa earlier when both girls were awake, so the activity ended up with Alyssa carrying them away from Abby - not actually the intent of the toy...

I found similar Peg People here. Originally I had purchased the round candle cups from Hobby Lobby along with their peg people. But I found that 1) the pegs didn't fit well and 2) when I was going to exchange for smaller pegs that these goblet-like candle holder fit much better and had a more stable base. It was about $7 for the two wood sets (6 cups and 8 pegs). I already had brown, black, yellow and red paint so I've got my first three painted. As soon as I get some blue paint I'll paint the other three. But meanwhile Alyssa can play with these.

She loved them and she was very good at them. I have been trying to encourage color matching in some of our other activities but she hasn't really gotten it. She always put the right peg in the matching color.

She was a little distracted because she kept hearing Abby crying from upstairs. Each time she would look up and say "Abby". Then when she didn't stop crying, Alyssa went upstairs to get her. She is very aware of her little sister.

Quick thoughts:

• This is a great activity for color matching. I think it worked so much better than my other color attempts because the pegs and the cups were fully colored (as apposed to setting colors next to each other - less direct comparison). 
• Good for fine motor skills and hand/eye coordination. 
• Can't wait to finish my other 3.
• I would also recommend a matte paint. My yellow was a gloss enamel and the peg is a little sticky in the cup (the orange less so). The red doesn't stick at all. It isn't as shiny, but the peg slides in and out better.

Abby Time: Nesting

We've been having a sick week this week. Not so much fun. They have not been sleeping well nor napping well. Mostly Alyssa since she was the sickest. She got so tired, she walked over to the stairs and gave me the "sleep" sign. And she took a nap. I was so happy she finally slept and so proud that she knew she was tired and communicated it with me.

So then I had some great one-on-one time with Abby. We practiced nesting cups. She lost focus a lot so we also played with the discovery bottles and the easter eggs. She was doing awesome. She figured out how to nest two cups. We used a set of nesting barrels. I kept one half of each barrel and gave her the other halves, so I could demonstrate with identical looking cups. Eventually we added in a third cup and she did a little nesting with them too - but only got all three in if I held the bottom red cup in place. She made a lot of progress though and was so happy with herself - we celebrate every time she nested the cups.

She also was a little more thoughtful with the eggs. She still likes to play with the egg carton a lot. She was interested in opening and closing it and even putting some eggs in (and then shaking them out). She figured out that the eggs pull open and had a fun time doing that. Then she put the eggs in and out of the wicker basket. She let go of the toys, put a few eggs in without taking them out, and took them back out.

I was so pleased. Abby was doing a lot of the things that her therapist and I were talking about this week.  - Things she hasn't really done much of. Her focus is still poor, but it was so much better than when Alyssa is playing with us. Abby gets very distracted by whatever her sister is doing. And frankly, I think I get too distracted, too.

Quick Thoughts:

• I love one-on-one time. I need to figure out a way to do this more frequently - not just the rare occasion when only one naps. 
• I think it worked out better that I didn't try to force her focus. She would drift to a new toy for a minute. Then I would reintroduce the eggs or the cups and her attention would come back. 

Bath Painting

I have been wanting to do bath painting for a long time.  I found a good recipe for sensitive and baby friendly paint here, but I was still worried about the carpet in the bathroom. Who puts carpet in a kids bathroom?! So I've been putting off painting. Finally I got a towel out and covered the floor up to the tub. 

Paint recipe: 

1 part baby bubble bath/bath wash

3 parts baby powder

food coloring

How easy is that recipe. I just eye-balled the amounts. It worked out just fine. They seemed to enjoy it. We'll try this again when they aren't sick...

Quick Thoughts:

• Really easy, pretty cheap.
• Abby was eating it still. I may try one of the more edible recipes out there next time. Although I liked this one.
• Abby's therapist wants me to help Abby do activities above her head to strengthen her shoulder muscles. So, I encouraged them to paint high on the walls. Mixed results. 
• Very easy clean up. The towel didn't even get very wet or colored. The rest was just rinsing out the tub after the bath. 

Soapy Sponges!

This was a big hit and super easy. I have been waiting to do this one for a while, and this week we finally had some weather warm enough to do it outside. I partially filled a small bin (their old baby tub) and added some dish soap (I imagine that you could use bath bubble soap or some other sensitive soap instead). I purchased a set of 4 sponges from the dollar store. They were kid sponges so they were a little softer, more colorful, and two were shaped like animals. Bottom line: it was a very cheap activity.

I set the bin down and demonstrated how to squeeze the water and bubbles out. Then they got to work. I refilled the tub once from all the sloshing and squeezing. They even scrubbed the patio a little for me. In the end, Abby dumped the remaining water and suds all over herself.

Quick thoughts:

• So easy. The trickest part is coming back inside, but we just took clothes off inside the door and put them straight into the laundry room. 
• Good finger and wrist work out - the squeezing is great for that. 
• I love that the more they squeeze and play the more bubbles and suds. It makes it way more fun. I think it would also be fun to add food coloring to the bubbles. 

Easter Eggs

Easter is getting closer! I wanted to introduce my girls to the easter eggs, but mostly I just thought they would enjoy them so why keep them hidden away? They did like them. I got a bag of 18 at the dollar store. Perfect. 

I gave them an empty egg carton so they could put the eggs in and out. Alyssa put them in, Abby dumped them out.

Quick Thoughts:

• Next time they really need their own egg carton. After a while, Alyssa would just try to pick up the carton and run away with it each time Abby started heading her way. We got the eggs back out later while Abby was still napping and it was much easier to play. 
• I really like how there are six different colors of eggs. Alyssa doesn't match them up perfectly yet, but it is introducing and reinforcing the matching concept. I filled one row and then she would fill the second row. I didn't push her into matching them, since this was the first time. 
• Abby's favorite part was spilling all the eggs at once and saying "woah!" So we are practicing words here, too. We practiced putting the eggs down, but she doesn't really let go and she likes to shake them. I think it was better for her than the straw activity - less finely tuned motor skills needed. 

Straws

This was a super simple activity. Straws and empty bottles (shorter than the straws) are all you need. Alyssa was totally won over and put the straws in and out over and over, occasionally trying the drink out of one. Abby was always trying to drink out of the straws. In fact, it was all she did. Well, a little shake here and there sending her straws everywhere. But she had fun for a few minutes, then went and found the basketball. Alyssa lasted a lot longer.

Quick thoughts:
- I guess I did a good job teaching them what a straw is. They just wanted to drink at first. I had to show them how to put them back in. It didn't take long for Alyssa to figure it out.
- I think it was a great exercise for fine motor and hand-eye coordination.

We will definitely be doing this again and again.

What a Week

I haven't posted yet this week. We have done a lot this week, but the girls have been a little sick, and I have been so emotionally drained that I haven't really felt like posting. I'll just recap and maybe I'll get around to finding my pictures and doing a through post later. If not, I'll just start from here again.

We went one night downtown, saw family, saw friends, looked at cars, and went to Dad's basketball game. That was a late night.
We went to a viewing, and then they got some good Grandma and Grandpa time today while Mark and I went to the funeral.
The girls played with boxes, blocks, bubbles, babies, baking pans and books. We frolicked with the neighbor's dog until we were thoroughly chilled from the wind. We even gave Abby a haircut. It was a pretty tiring week. Yesterday was the closest to a normal routine day for about a week. I hope the next few days can be more of the same, so that they can remember what their routine is...