Learning About the Human Body, Animal Train and Balloon Zipcord!

It's been a busy week juggling between baking for Bites N Delights, taking care of C and the household chores! Glad that C and I still managed to set aside time to do some activities and learn. Here are a few of them:

1. Learning About the Human Body 
- What Makes You Unique
- Organizing our Organs
- 5 Senses
- Digestive System

2. Animal Train
- Learning to read animal names and matching activity

3. Balloon Zipcord!
- Using a straw with a thick string inserted through it,
and attaching it to an inflated balloon
- Learn about how air escaping can create a force in the opposite direction


1. Learning About the Human Body

What Makes You Unique

C learnt that everyone of us has a unique set of fingerprints. We used ink and stamp pads to make fingerprints and patterns on paper. C observed how different hers and mine looked. She then used a sharpie pen to add to the prints and made them into pictures of sea creatures, dragons and a knight!

We also utilized a torch to shine at our eyes (from the side), so we can look at the patterns of our irises (the coloured part of our eye). Each and everyone of us has a different iris pattern! While doing this, C also appreciated how our pupils became smaller when light is shone onto our eyes.


Organizing our Organs

To show C the major organs in our body, I used felt material to make this:

It includes little felt pieces of our major organs - brain, heart, liver, kidneys, stomach and intestines. C had fun removing the parts and placing them back again, sort of like a puzzle. A great way to learn about the position of the organs in our body!

If you are keen, I have attached something similar in the free printable below. :)

Another fun way C learnt about the organs of our body was using Pictionary! We used the Pictionary Man version of the game.

From top left, Stomach, Heart, Lungs,
Brain, Liver and Intestines.

C also had a recap on the 5 Senses of Our Body, matching activity also included in the printable.

Digestive System

I thought this was important for C to learn, so she can understand what happens to food we eat.

A magnet, paperclip attached to food picture, and the digestive system.

Here, we printed out a picture of the digestive system and attached a paperclip to a cut out picture (bowl of salad). C then used the magnet to move the "food" through the digestive system, according to the numbers in sequence, so she can visualize the process of digestion. :)

Here are the free printables for:
- Our Organs and 5 Senses
- Our Digestive System

2. Animal Train

In this activity, C learnt to read animal names and match them correctly.

If you are keen, download Animal Train Activity. :)

3. Balloon Zipcord!

This was a fun activity for C! We used:
- a straw
- tape
- balloon
- long thick string (to insert through straw)
- sturdy chair or furniture to secure string

C all ready to let the air out of the balloon!

The first thing to do is to tape the straw onto the inflated balloon.
Next, insert the thick long string through the straw, then secure the string to a sturdy chair so it stretches out.
Release the air from the balloon, and watch it zoom! Here's a short video of the balloon zipcord:

So while C was thrilled to do this over and over again, she also learnt about how air escaping from the balloon in one direction creates a force that sends the balloon zooming in the opposite direction. And this activity kept C busy for quite a while! :)

Sensory Play Time!

C had so much fun today because it was sensory play time! I found a pack of expired rice flour in the cabinet the other day, so I thought instead of just tossing it into the bin, we may as well put it to good use. :)

C was given a large tray of rice flour, a couple of scoops and a sift. At the same time, I used this opportunity to introduce the usage of a weighing machine to C, so she can learn about numbers and weight.

We used two cups initially, so C can observe the difference between a cup that is half filled with flour versus one that is full. We also adjusted the amounts of flour in the cups so C can see the changes in weight on the scale. C was then asked to fill 3 cups, so that we have one cup that is light, one medium and one heavy.

With this simple activity, C managed to learn:
- how to read a weighing scale
- unit of measurement in grams
- numbers 50, 100, 150 and 200
- estimation of weight based on feel

And of course, she was so happy making a mess! Haha.

After this, I realized that the rice flour can then be made into dough for a second sensory play activity! All we needed was to add water and food colouring, and voila! We had dough for C to knead into shapes! :)

Colourful snowmen by C!

C then made her own experiment by adding even more water after this, as she was curious as to what would happen. This was also a great activity for mixing and learning about colours! :)

So there you have it, a pack of rice flour, and a few other household items = hours of fun and learning! Meanwhile, do check out our related posts on sensory play and colours:

- Fun with Colours

- Sensory Play Activities

- Rainbow Fun!

- Colours

Our Solar System and Catch the Stars Activity!

It's been a while since my last post as I've been attending a course on cake decorating! We're never too old to learn, and it's amazing to head back to school to gain new knowledge and skills! Do check out my new Facebook Page, Bites N Delights for my latest creations. :)

Meanwhile, C has been having fun learning about our solar system! We came up with a few worksheets, as well as a Catch the Stars Activity.

Solar System Worksheets

The worksheets include writing numbers, tracing, colouring, decorating and counting stars, as well as sequencing the planets in our solar system.

And here, C and I used clay to recreate the planets in our Solar System!

Here's what we came up with! :)

If you are keen, download the worksheets here: Solar System Worksheets

Catch the Stars!

Here's another fun activity, and this one got C jumping! Haha! 

You will need:

-An old cardboard
-Black paper (optional)
-Hole puncher
-Felt material (for the back of the stars, as well as long strips to tie through the holes)
-Stars (we used glitter foam)
-Tape / Glue

First, I used an old cardboard and pasted a black sheet of paper over it, so it resembles the night sky. I then punched out holes through which I could tie strings made of felt material. The stars we used were made of glitter foam, and each of them had a piece of felt stuck on their backs so they can cling to the strings hanging from the cardboard.

There are 3 parts to this activity:

1. Jump and Catch the Stars
2. Count the Number of Stars Caught
3. Sort the Stars into Sizes.

Here, C was asked to jump and catch the stars, while I held the cardboard at the correct height. Here's a video of how C caught the stars! :)

C then counted the number of stars that she caught. And thereafter, she helped to sort them into sizes, Big, Medium and Small.

Cheeky C having fun!

Well, I'm really happy that C had loads of fun learning about the Solar System and Catching Stars! And I hope you enjoyed these ideas too! Wishing you a wonderful week ahead! :)

 

More Pretend Play Ideas! Postman Fun, Be a Gardener and Pipe Like a Pastry Chef!

Pretend play is always loads of fun, and it is one of the best ways to learn! :) So in this post, I would like to share a few more pretend play ideas C and I did together:

1. Postman Fun!
2. Be a Gardener!
3. Pipe Like a Pastry Chef!

Postman Fun!

C has always been curious about how a letter is mailed out, and here we have created an activity that allowed her to have fun while she:

1. Practised writing
2. Learnt about the layout - Recipient, Mailing Address and Postage Stamp
3. Recognized numbers and matched street names

C started off by choosing 6 of her favourite toys to send the letters to. She wrote down their names on the blank spaces of the envelopes, and also helped to attach the postage stamps and mailing addresses.

Meanwhile, I set up the street names and house numbers in various parts of the house. I used old envelopes to be makeshift "mailboxes" where the letters can be slotted in.

When C was done with addressing all the envelopes, she was ready to take on her role of being the postman (she corrected me that she's a postlady)! Haha. :)

C all ready to deliver the letters!

C took on the task seriously, looking carefully at the mailing addresses, and delivering the letters to their various locations. C now knows that a postman's job is extremely important, because if the letters are not delivered correctly, the letter will not reach the recipient.

I've included a free printable here: Postman Fun! :)

Be A Gardener

C also pretended to be a gardener today! This little pretend play activity allowed C to:

- Learn to recognize different types of flowers
- Practise counting
- Practise her fine motor skills (by sticking the flowers to their "stems", and by planting them into the little flower pots)

We used mini straws as the stems of the flowers, paper cushion as soil, and three containers to act as flower pots.

C counted the number of hibiscus, roses and sunflowers she had to plant.

Thereafter, I also placed the bee and butterfly cut-outs onto a few of the flowers, while C searched and counted the number of bees and butterflies.

C had so much fun! :)

If you are keen on this pretend play activity, here's the free printable: Be a Gardener! :)

Pipe like a Pastry Chef!

 

Recently, I started on a cake decorating course, and as I had some leftover icing from one of my classes, I decided to let C have some fun in the kitchen! C was given:

- a piping bag of icing (we added pink food colouring) 

- a practice board with a smooth, transparent sheet (so the icing can be easily scraped off)

- a sheet of lowercase alphabets  

C did an excellent job piping alphabets!

C also had fun designing her own flower, complete with a stem and a leaf! :)

It's amazing what kids can come up with when they have a chance to use adult tools! :)

You can find some affordable piping tools from Daiso, and even if you don't have a practice board, you can utilize waxed paper or parchment paper over a sheet of alphabets.

If you happen to be baking some cakes or cookies that require icing, here's a simple icing recipe, that your kids can have some fun with too:

- 1.5 cups icing sugar, sifted
- 25g softened butter
- 1 tablespoon milk / water
- optional, food colouring

Mix well with whisk, till all ingredients are combined into a smooth mixture.
You may wish to add more milk / water if the mixture is too thick.

So there you go, hope you and your kids have fun while learning! :)
Meanwhile, do check out our related post on Pretend Play:

Pretend Play and Learn!