Chase the Sunset

This evening the dishes were piled in the sink
(because the dishwasher was full),
the laundry was piled in baskets
(because the washer was full with that load I need to wash again),
and it was nearing the end of one of those long days where you never stop doing,
yet nothing feels like it got done.

I breathe deeply, and remember this is the Summer of Gratitude.
I am grateful that I have a dishwasher, a sink, running water.
I am grateful I have a washing machine, clothes,
healthy boys that get those clothes dirty.
I am grateful I am able to do,
and I am grateful that although it doesn't feel like it,
things did get done.

Breathe again, time to dig in and do more.

Then he walks in and says,
"Momma, did you see the sky? It's so ORANGE."

Yes buddy, the Sun is setting.

"Can I catch it?"

Sure, just go look out of the window.

He grins,
"No Mom, I mean if I chase it... can I catch it?"

Clubhouse Guest Post: A Simple Way to Teach Kids About Being Grateful

I am excited today to give a big Clubhouse welcome to Chelsea, who has decided to join us in our Summer of Gratitude. Her blog, Moments a Day, is truly inspirational. Some of my favorite posts she has written are "Teach Your Kids How to be Resourceful" and "Helping Children Recognize and Practice Kindness in Speech". 

Today she shares with us a way she has taught her kids about being grateful. Thank you Chelsea, we are grateful you're here :)

Clubhouse Angry Birds: Screen-Free Edition

Let me start this post by admitting something.
I was the anti-angry bird Mom.
The game was on iPhones everywhere, and I refused to give in.
I especially refused to allow the bird addiction to reach my Clubhouse Kid.

Then he had a friend over for the weekend, and she just had to show him her pig hitting skills.
So it began.

After a few game plays myself, I realized it wasn't as nonsensical of a game as I had thought.
You have to actually think about where you're sending that bird. The launcher has to be angled the right way. They even have different birds with different skills, which means knowing who is best for which pig. I mean really, this game did require some skills.
So, I uploaded it and gave in.
Not entirely though.
My Clubhouse Kid has limited screen time,
and so we have found a variety of ways to bring the game "to life".

Clubhouse "Thank You Station"

Our Summer has started off pretty busy, and has given us a lot to be grateful for.

That's a different post though.

I just want to check in on how we're doing with our  

Summer of Gratitude bucket list.

One item on it was that we would write Thank You cards all Summer long,

and so it begins...

Summer of Gratitude

I have a few posts sitting in my drafts folder, waiting for their finishing touches. Trying to decide which one to finish first I glanced at the stats and realized that I have published 99 posts.

99.

That meant the next post was going to be, clearly, number 100.

For some reason to me that meant the post had to be something different. Something I hadn't done before. I tossed around a few ideas, and then boarded a plane to San Francisco, CA for a conference. The conference was going to be all about Early Childhood Education, there just had to be inspiration there, right?

Well, there was. It just didn't happen in the conference room.

It happened on a busy intersection, behind the wheel of a car. A terrifying car accident that shook me to my core. After the shock and the shaking, and beyond the bumps and the bruises, there is a very clear feeling that has completely overtaken me. It is that feeling that found this post...

Clubhouse ABC's Revisited

*This is a post I wrote awhile ago when I had no idea how to attach a printable. I've had a flurry of emails recently asking for a printable of the letters, so here is the post revisited, printable included...

In the past I have been asked how I teach Preschoolers ABC's, letter recognition, and ultimately writing their name. The answer is simple. Here at the Clubhouse, letters are everywhere, and the Clubhouse Kids manage to teach themselves.

Sure, I help them a long.

That's what I'm here for, right?

I start with a basket.

Clubhouse Garden Math: Common Core in the Dirt

We do a lot of learning here at the Clubhouse.
Everything from Math to Science, Literacy to Geography, and so much more.

The irony is, I hardly do any teaching at all.

They learn through what we're doing, not because of it.

We get a lot of questions about "Common Core State Standards" though. Basically people want to know how we're going to ensure standards are met for Kindergarten.

Because really, how can these core requirements be learned without specific worksheets, flash cards and teacher led instruction?

To that I say, we start in the Garden...

and if you want to see what that has to do with common core,

be sure to read the writing in italics over here on this side.

Clubhouse Eyeball Experiment

If you read our last post you know all about our little conundrum.

If not, let me sum it up for you. 

We have an eyeball stuck in a jar.

Clubhouse Scientist: An Eyeball, a Jar, and a Giveaway!

Whenever I travel without my Clubhouse Kid, I make it a point to bring back a gift for him. Unfortunately, I usually don't remember to get said gift until I'm at the airport awaiting departure. That leaves me to search airport shops looking for something fun that doesn't cost more than my airfare.

In this case, I found an eyeball.

What boy wouldn't be excited to receive an eyeball from California?

...and so it begins.

 

Clubhouse Easter Eggs, Naturally Dyed and Decorated

A visit to the Farmer's Market and some ingredients from the pantry was all that we needed to create these naturally dyed eggs...

Clubhouse Creation Station: DIY Hungry Caterpillar

Some of our favorite activities around the Clubhouse have always been to take our favorite books and bring them to life...

Clubhouse Snowman

There are parts in the Arizona desert where it snows.

The Clubhouse is not located in or near those parts.
On purpose.
When we moved here from Buffalo, NY my plan was to quite possibly never see snow again.

Then I had a kid,
and he wanted to make a snowman...

Clubhouse Calendars

Happy first day of January :)

First thing this morning my Clubhouse Kid asked me,

"What day is it and how many days until we go to Buffalo?"

He led me right into today's activity, getting our January calendar ready.

We have been working on our 2013 calendar center, and wanted to have a space where we displayed the entire month. I wanted a monthly calendar in which he could trace the name of the month and all of the dates, since he is very much into tracing right now and enjoys practicing his letter and number writing. I also wanted the month and days of the week listed in both English and Spanish, since we are always incorporating Spanish into the Clubhouse Classroom. My searches came up with no results, so I took to making the template myself...

Clubhouse Year In Review: Top 10

As 2012 comes to an end, I thought it would be fun to take a little walk down memory lane and visit some of the most popular Clubhouse posts of this past year.

Coming in at #10,
one of our first Clubhouse Showdowns!

Goop vs. Gak.

Do you know who won?

Find out here!

On a hot Arizona day in May, #9 was born.

Rainbow Bubbles!

Do you know how to color bubbles?

Find out here!

Here at the Clubhouse we had A LOT of fun discovering and exploring with water beads in 2012.

So, what happens when we added a few pipes to our water bead play?

Why, Clubhouse Plumbers of course!

Coming in at #8, Waterbead Plumbing.

Have you explored with water beads yet?

See all of the ways they can be used on our water bead page here.

We make our own paint here at the Clubhouse all of the time. The fact that this post came in at #7 goes to show all of you out there are looking to make your own paints too.

Our DIY Watercolors painted vibrant colors, and were a lot of fun for the kids to make. Plus, they loved painting with the paint they made all by themselves.

Need the recipe? Here is it!

A bar of Ivory soap, a microwave, and 2 minutes, is how we landed at #6.

This post generated a lot of emails with the same question,

"Will this ruin my microwave?"

I'll have you all know, we are still using the same microwave, and every once in awhile we still stick soap in there ;)

For details on how to use soap in a Science experiment,
see here.


Coming in at our #5 post of 2012 is a tray activity that led to a 3D Art project.

Clubhouse Tray: 3D Art, all you need are pipe cleaners and a latch hook canvas.

3D art continues to adorn corners of the Clubhouse :)

Here's an activity I am sure we will revisit in Fall 2013.

Am I talking about Fall already? Sorry!

Fall Sensory Bags land at #4.


Sensory bags are popular, and so are Clubhouse Creation Stations. When I put the two together we ended up with #3, DIY Sensory Bags.

Preschoolers really are the best at making sensory bags ;)

To see some of their creations (and get some great sensory bag ideas), check out the post here.

Let's start to wrap up this countdown, with a hug! Also known as our second most popular post of 2012.

Do you know how to mail a hug? If not, be sure to get the details here, because everyone loves getting hugs in the mail!!

Finally we have reached #1. The most popular post of 2012 is an absolute adventure in Preschool Science. We proved that anything can be learned when you make it fun.. and add a lot of balloons ;) To read the post that led to a group of 3 year old Clubhouse Kids being able to distinguish between the States of Matter, check it out here.

There you have it.. The Top 10 Clubhouse posts of 2012!!

What a great year we had playing, learning, laughing and just plain having FUN :)

Thank you for stopping by the Clubhouse, and joining in on the fun.

HAPPY NEW YEAR Clubhouse Friends,
Ms. Liz

So you don't miss out on any of the adventures 2013 has in store, be sure to follow the Clubhouse:

Clubhouse Christmas Crayons

We're starting to feel festive here at the Clubhouse, 

and what better way to add a little Christmas cheer to our classroom then...

Clubhouse Manger

This was a very simple, and fun, little craft I did with my Clubhouse Kid last holiday season. Unpacking the Christmas boxes, it warmed my heart when I found it. I tracked down the photos of when we made this (I was not actively blogging back then, but I was still an avid photo taker) and decided to share...

Clubhouse Christmas, A Green Event

Today being December 1st, the countdown to Christmas has officially started here at the Clubhouse. Last night I got out last year's Advent Calendar, which I made out of all recycled materials. Tissue paper from gift bags, Christmas cards from year's past (yes, I save everything), brown paper bags, and even some wrapping paper. This year, we get to use it again.. so I guess it's re-recycled? 

That got me to thinking about all of the different ways we recycle during the Holidays. You'd be surprised at how much can be found in the mail. Before you throw out yet another "look at our lowest deals ever" circular, take a closer look...

The Clubhouse at NAEYC

There have been a few changes here at the Clubhouse, and that's why you haven't heard from me in awhile. We were taking the time we needed to transition, and we did some travel.

We're back though, and we sure do have a lot to catch up on!
What better place to start than last week?

It was a week spent in Atlanta, Georgia at the National Association for the Education of Young Children Conference. An event full of exciting sessions, informative meetings, focus groups, and more! Surrounded by friends and colleagues, I thoroughly enjoyed indulging in the world of early childhood education.

The exhibits were a personal favorite, it's just amazing to have every possible education resource under one roof. From toys to books to outdoor play, I was able to enjoy a lot of hands on fun, and be introduced to an entire range of new products coming during this holiday season and throughout the new year.

A panoramic photo of the exhibits area.
I wish I could have made the photo larger,
but I wanted you to see the entire spectrum of options.
It was definitely A LOT to see!

Clubhouse Cloud Dough Bakery

Sometimes I get an idea from a book the Clubhouse Kids are really enjoying, or comments I hear in the classroom during play. Even just a question from a child or parent can spark an entire array of activities in my mind.

In this case, I just had a lot of flour.

Really, too much.

So, the Cloud Dough Bakery was born.

The Clubhouse Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month: Spicy Tamale Art

This year, I am six, so I get to mix the dough, which is made of cornmeal. My sister Lidia is eight, so she gets to spread the dough on the corn husk leaves. I wish I was eight, so that my hands would be big enough to spread the dough just right--not too thick and not too thin...

          -Growing Up With Tamales by Gwendolyn Zepeda

As we continue to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month here at the Clubhouse, we have been reading some good books about food. Food is a big part of the Hispanic Culture, with many cultures having specific foods/recipes that are passed down from generation to generation.

A popular favorite at the Clubhouse?

Tamales.

So, I decided it was time to bring some of the ingredients, scents and spices of tamales into the Classroom, the Clubhouse way.