Flannel Friday Round-Up

I'm hosting the round-up this week. Please leave your link in the comments.

Here's the post for Flannel Friday 12/14.

Messy Learning Lab: Mini Volcanoes and Fingerpainting

The two activities I'm sharing today are classic messy play. Sometimes simplicity works best!

Crayola fingerpaints and fingerpaint paper from Discount School Supply invitation. After using the special, glossy paper, I highly recommend it. The paints spread easily and didn't tear the paper even after several layers of paint. The product retained the brilliant colors of the paints even after drying.

Fingerpaints are so fun!

Mini volcano invitation, vinegar in spill-proof cups (DSS, again) with liquid watercolors for color, baking soda and vinegar from the Dollar Tree, and pipettes from DSS.

The mini volcanoes are always a favorite at the library. I'm surprised more people don't do this simple science experiment at home. I recommend it for reluctant bathers as a fun bathtime activity. It's also easy to set up in the kitchen while you're busy preparing meals.

Water removes most of the mess of these activities. I'm happy to say the fingerpaints came right off the wallpaper and the floor (our custodian helped with the clean-up, so I'm not sure what he used). I did throw out the table cover for the mini-volcanoes.

I'll be sharing the two messiest activities from the Learning Lab on Saturday. I'm hosting Flannel Friday this week for the first time!

Sharing with Kids Co-Op and TGIF

Messy Learning Lab: Rainbow Floam and Rice

Last week, I dumped the rice I had left from making raindrops for another craft into three ziplock bags and squirted some liquid watercolor paint into it. I rubbed the paint all around in the bag until I had a color I liked and spread it out to dry.

Scooping, dumping and pouring galore

Most of the rice ended up on the floor and that's fine because it's so easy to sweep up.

Floam is a foam substance that sticks together but doesn't make hands sticky. It is the biggest hit with parents so far! I ordered several bricks of floam from Discount School Supply for the library's playgroup last year. I don't think it dries out as I've kept it in the original bags with no problem.

As you can see, all the colors mix into a giant ball of floam. I think it looks beautiful. Plus, if you pack it tight enough, the pieces bounce! For clean-up, I simply break the floam apart into 6 bricks and stuff them back in the bags. I use the large pieces to "suck" up the rest. Easy peasy!

Sharing with Kids Co-Op and TGIF and For the Kids Friday

Messy Learning Lab: Packing Peanuts Sensory Bin

In anticipation for our Messy Learning Lab, I purchased several under the bed storage containers from Meijer. They are the perfect size for large sensory bins with several children playing at once. I filled this one with packing peanuts, magnetic letters and re-purposed puzzle piece magnets.

Again, the first couple of parents to observe this activity asked the children to keep the peanuts in the box. I quickly assured them that I expected peanuts to be everywhere. It is a messy learning experience after all. That is the only encouragement the little ones needed!

When everyone finished up, I swept up the peanuts on the floor and tossed them. They were flattened anyway. I put away the magnets and dumped the rest of the peanuts into a bag for later use. Easy clean-up for two hours of messy fun!

Sharing with Tuesday Tots and It's Playtime! and For the Kids Friday

Messy Learning Lab: Shaving Cream Table

Bubble wrap table with shaving cream swirl all over

The Messy Learning Lab is a program I created for the library children to enjoy messy play with friends and family. I'll be sharing an activity from the lab each day this week!

I still have a large quantity of bubble wrap, so I covered a table with it. Masking tape didn't work, so I used packing tape to secure large sheets over and under the table. I envisioned a large mountain of shaving cream in the middle of the table as an invitation, but I just couldn't get that much out at once. 

The Lab lasts for two hours, so families can come at the best time for them and stay as long as they want. With ten messy activities available, you can really tell who is allowed to make a mess at home. Some of the children put a couple of fingers or a whole hand in the shaving cream, then immediately ask for washing up.

While others show great abandon.

I use regular shaving cream, which has a nice, fresh scent and smooth texture. The bubble wrap provides sound with gentle popping as the shaving cream is spread and squished. I am sharing this activity first because it is the least messy and easiest to clean up. It can also be adapted for the home by taking it outside or to the bathtub.

To clean, I simply pull the wrap free, fold it over the mess, and toss it. We have wood floors at the library, so I just used an extra paint shirt to wipe up the floor and a dry mop to suck up the moisture. The children can likewise be wiped clean with a dry cloth and smell wonderful afterwards.

Be sure to check back for more messy activities!

Sharing with Montessori Monday and Tuesday Tots and It's Playtime

WMCIR: MARVELous, Simply MARVELous

All our favorite superheroes come together in one action-packed book. We've been reading this for the past month, one story per night. I waited until we finished all of them to share, though. Captain America is Bobo's favorite story. I enjoyed the illustrations and compact story with lots of variety. We were both disappointed there was no Black Widow story. "No, see she's right there," Bobo insisted after we finished the book and kept pointing emphatically at the cover. Nope, sorry.

And it's about time for Christmas books, yay! I've been reading lots of new Christmas books as they are delivered to the library. It's like Christmas everyday! Santa Knows by Cynthia Smith is about a little boy who doesn't believe in Santa. This is one of those books I didn't read before taking home and I was a little worried about where this story was going. Bobo believes in Santa wholeheartedly. I don't think I've ever told him Santa was real or not, but we've read lots of books on the topic. My little guy's fantasy was not crushed by this book, but it did spark lots of conversation. Very funny, light read.

Oh, Minerva Louise, you make me LOL every time! I recommend these books for older children, maybe five to six and up. The humor comes from the illustrations, not the words. You have to look for clues and figure out what Minerva Louise has gotten wrong. Bobo is beginning to understand these books as I walk him through the observations.

Me: "Now is that really a farmer?"

Bobo: "No, mom. It's Santa."

Me: "Oh, Minerva Louise!"

Bobo laughs maniacally... turn page and repeat.

Sharing with Read Aloud Thursday

Media Review: LarryBoy and the Bad Apple

Veggie Tales: LarryBoy and the Bad Apple written by Richard Liebmann-Smith and Mike Nawrocki with music by Kurt Heinecke

My Rating: 5 out of 5 superhero cucumbers

Recommended For Viewers of Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends and Batman: The Brave and the Bold

Summary: Larryboy and the citizens of Bumblyburg are struggling with temptation in the form of vanity, video games and chocolate. The villain, Bad Apple, has every intention of taking advantage of the situation.

Review: I avoided the Veggie Tales series for a long time having been burned with other Christian shows, namely Soul Surfer. I found the idea of talking vegetables unsavory and downright silly. Then I watched one, Veggie Tales: The Lord of the Beans, and kicked myself for not giving these a chance!

Veggie Tales is a show with a message and a purpose, but it does so in a clever, witty way that is appealing to children and bearable for adults. LarryBoy is the perfect character for little guys who are interested in superheroes and comic books. LB swings from his plungers like Spider-Man and has a secret hide-out like Batman. 

He also has an enemy that combines the personality of Cat-woman with the robotic improvements of Doc Ock. The story has appeal! Plus, the music is fantastic. We were singing "The Temptation Song" the rest of the day after viewing this fun film. I've added the rest of the LarryBoy episodes the the Netflix instant queue.

Sound Bites

"Broccoli, Celery, Got to Be... Veggie Tales!"

Bad Apple: "I'm not preachin' moderation. Knock! Knock!"

Citizens: "Who's there?"

Bad Apple: "Temptation!"

Bob: "A text message?"

Larry: "It's the latest thing, cool huh?"