winter bird-watching with a toddler

Last winter, we set up a bird feeder outside our front window, and we've enjoyed watching a variety of bird visitors ever since.  It's been especially great this winter, when it's been too cold to go outside for very long.  We've been feeding a regular group of black-capped chickadees, and an occasional white-breasted nuthatch and northern flicker. The chickadees are friendly enough to stay and dine on a seed or two, even with Elise's face pressed against the window, watching them!

Here are a few activities that I've put together to support Elise's budding interest in birds...
 

binoculars and cleaning cloth

Of course, she still likes to use my binoculars the most!  

a basket of bird guides

The owl section is Elise's favorite in both books, even upside down.  ;)  

bird feeder and bird magnets

(laminated paper with magnets glued to the back - bird images from supercoloring.com) 

 I couldn't find my much-loved magnet board from my teaching days, 

so we improvised with the lid from our roasting pan!

filling the bird feeder

Elise is always ready to help feed the birds!  

(BTW, I've since shortened the string on our pine cone bird feeder.  

It was a little too wild of a ride for the chickadees - ha!)

e's first ski day

Elise tried out skis for the first time today!  

Yay!  

We also did a little sledding...

Elise would sign "more" each time we came to a stop at the bottom.  ;)

For those of you who like to play "Where's Rosie?"

I think this sledding photo is kind of a fun one.  What a crazy herding dog!

Here's to a winter full of adventure!

countdown to christmas: days 3-6

Here are a few more days of E's Christmas countdown!  Each morning, she opens a small gift accompanied by instructions for a simple, corresponding activity. 

day 3:

snowflake paper punch - make snowflakes

The paper punch was a little too big for Elise's hands, but we still had fun!  We also played in fresh snow outside and read Snowballs by Lois Ehlert (Elise loves this book right now).

day 4:

bird ornament - make bird feeders

A classic winter activity - peanut butter and birdseed on pine cones.  We tied them with red yarn to a few trees outside our windows, and later that afternoon we watched a Northern Flicker swoop in for a taste!

day 5:

dog bone cookie cutter - make dog treats

We used Martha Stewart's recipe for Easy Homemade Dog Biscuits to make treats for Rosie and a few special dogs around our neighborhood.  They turned out so delicious, it was hard to convince Elise to share them with her canine friends!

day 6:

bubble bath - take a holiday bath

Inspired by Montessori Beginnings, Elise took a special, "snowy" bubble bath.  Earlier in the evening, I snuck into the bathroom, lit a yummy smelling candle and draped a strand of white lights around the room (not too close to the tub, of course!).  I also put together an assortment of whisks, scoops, etc and a squirt bottle of water with a drop of blue food coloring.  The lavender bubble bath was the icing on the cake - Elise thought the whole thing was fab!  

One more day until Christmas...

on the shelves - 17 months

Here are a few of Elise's favorite activities this month:

1.  rolling shape sorter (Wonderworld)
2.  opening and closing boxes
3.  pushing chips through a slot (a variation on E's first "bank")
4.  a basket of winter woolies (similar to our much loved basket of hats)
5.  hanging ornaments on a child-sized tree
6.  whistle and harmonica for jamming out by the Christmas tree ;)

Hope you're all having a lovely weekend!

countdown to christmas: days 1 & 2

Here are the first two days of E's Christmas countdown!  Each morning, she opens a small gift accompanied by instructions for a simple, corresponding activity. 

day 1:

handmade (by me!) barrette & hot chocolate date

the opening...

I love E's concentration when it comes to unwrapping gifts! 

the barrette...  

It matches her handmade stocking - photos of that to come! 

Vertigo... 

My happy girl is almost always a blur lately!  ;)

the hot chocolate date...

We met friends at a coffee shop downtown.  Please note E's soaked shirt - ha!  I was sort of peeved because they put my hot chocolate in a real mug, and E's in a paper cup with a lid.  She couldn't even see the whipped cream!  Of course, I traded with her, and she proceeded to dump the drink into her mouth, literally - don't worry, it was luke warm!  Needless to say, she was the only topless customer in the coffee shop on that windy, wintry morning!  ;)

   

day 2:

zipper pull & a walk in a winter wonderland

(With a quick stop to feed the ducks some corn!)

the zipper pull...

Not made by me, but by Bonnie Goodman.

Rosie...

Glad to be included, and embracing her inner wolverine.

Elise...

Making tracks in the fresh, deep snow!

Check back for more Christmas countdown fun!