Wednesday, September 27, 2006






Zoe's treasure box

I am amazed at how fast these little ones learn........and how creative their imagination is at this age.

I am at the local coffee shop using their high seed internet catching up on some work.....as usual we have an activity for zoe today is is HABA's peg puzzle and crayons. She is presently into using the block crayons to trace money. When she was quite young I made her a "treasure box" (I bought a wooden box from Michaels craft supply, stained it and woodburned a simple design on it) I filled the box with treasures which for us were real coins from around the world (the first condition was that the coins were bigger than a US quarter) and also gem stones, again of a significant size. I usually have a couple of new gemstones on hand so that of there is occasion for a special treat it is often a special treasure for her box. She has been playing with this box since she was 18 months. At first it was just looking, ooooooo she would say! then touching, emptying the box and filling, then came sorting and putting into little gift baggies, and now tracing the money and looking at the "magic" pictures.

ANyway back to the creativity, she just took my laptop mouse and started trying to skip with it! We have not yet talked about skipping or skipping ropes but she knew exactly what to do, look mama a skipping rope she said!.....I think I'll have to get her a skipping rope for her birthday.

While I am here writing about toys I'll just mention our other favorite.....and I mention it as it provides hours of entertainment and cost very little to create....

Sand Play




It began with a Doug and Melissa wooden box (that originally carried some percussion instruments) filled with sand and a few river stones and 1cm wooden cubes glued together in 2's, 3's, 4's, and 5's perfect for building. A little fork, spade and bucket followed (minatures for a doll house). Since then we have added a little wooden truck, a few peg people, and a little wooden village that we got for about $5 from "Blessings" catalog. Such a hit! and I don't even mind picking up sand........be prepared!!

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