Workshops Rail Museum - Build It

Yesterday we took a trip to the Ipswich Rail Museum, it's roughly 45 minutes from home, but is a great place to visit, especially if you have train loving kids in your house.

The children participated in a Crane Construction Workshop for a part of the visit.

They learnt about cranes, their function and the various types of cranes, via a series of slides and a presentation.

Then they proceeded to construct their own crane and work/play with its' various functions. Discussing what they were taught during the presentation.

Whilst the Bulid It Exhibition is on there are several activity stations placed around the museum all revolving around construction of some kind or another.

I don't think we got the opportunity to see even half of the hands on activities they had available.

Never the less, everyone had a fabulous time. During the week you are virturally the only ones there so definitely a great place to go for a day out.

Over the back of the museum they have a children's play area, with roads, a train track, bikes and trikes, large builidng blocks and trucks and trains to play in.

However, I warn you, it may be bery difficult to get your children to leave, I'm just sayin!

This post is linked to the Field Trip Blog Hop

Bambino Academy: Using The Telephone

 ~ C is 35 months ~

It wasn't that long ago that we needed to pretend role play in order for young children to learn how to use the telephone. 

Playing with phones and talking on phones is something that C has loved doing since he was able to hold a phone. Now I highly doubt that the fact that he sees his dad on the phone alot would of had anything to do with, but I'm just saying you know!

In recent months he has been picking up the receiver and talking to it and wanting me to pretend with his old (broken) mobile phone that he loves dearly. Being the obliging mamma that I am, I decided to take this play up a notch, grabbed my mobile and called him.

C Upon answering the phone: "Yes mum, watch doin?"
Mum:"What do we say again when we answer the phone, remember it won't always be mummy here talking to you"
C: " Hello, C speaking"
And we proceeded to have a running commentary about the bird outside our window, amongst other discussions.

Well consequently we have done nothing all morning except chat on the phone to each other. He's rung dad, dad's rung him...wanted more. He rang Nan, no one home...wanted more, he rang his Aunty had a little chat.

Finally I was able to coax him outside to play some.

I can see us doing lots of more this over the coming weeks, mmmmmm best not teach him anyone's phone numbers just yet, oh to think of the phone bill!

Bambino Academy - Flower Window Clings

: : : Simple Ideas For Your Bambino : : :

~ C is 33 Months ~

We actually made these for Mother's Day, but got to enjoy them hanging in our window for a day. They looked so pretty, we all had to think twice about giving them away.

The kids are now eagerly anticipating a fresh batch of flowers in the garden so they can do this again. Although the pickings will be slim, since we are coming into winter here.

This is really just another take on the simple clear contact window sun catcher.

I drew a flower shape free hand and cut out the centre, using a bowl for a guide.

I then cut 2 pieces of clear sticky back contact slightly larger than the inside circle.

We spent 30 or so minutes out in the garden (which really is half the fun) gathering the supplies.

C and K worked independently on this one and I simply applied the top layer of clear contact once they had finished. Oh and I also attached the ribbon so they could easily be hung.

In all honesty the photo doesn't do them justice, they really looked great on the window and will be a fabulous spring time craft to do when the garden is flourishing.

This post is linked at ABC and 123 Show and Tell

Bambino Academy - Handprint Flowers

: : : Simple Ideas For Your Bambino : : :

~ C is 33 Months ~

We made these adorable Handprint Sunflowers, well technically they are just flowers due to the colours C chose, but they certainly resemble sunflowers don't you think, for Mother's Day. They are so cheerful and pretty though that I'd love to fill a large vase with a couple.

So simple too, steps we followed are:

Choose large sheet cardboard

Paint hands 

Stamp handprints, should get at least 2 stamps before you need to reapply or change colours

Allow to dry

Whilst drying paint paper plates for flower centres

Allow to dry

Cut around hand prints and inside circle of paper plates

Glue handprints to the paper plates

We chose to attach sticks to ours. This really makes these a fabulous gift that is so easily transported to the particular loved one. 

Ever have those times where you have made something only for it to be crumpled and squashed by over loving little fingers whilst on the way to give the gift?  With a stick to carry there's no need to worry about that.

This post is linked at ABC and 123 Show and Tell

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Bambino Academy - What's In A Name

: : : Simple Ideas For Your Bambino : : :

~ C is 33 Months ~

Having loads of tactile fun painting experiences this year with C is something I have already mentioned. Apart from lots of fun with paint, learning to recognise his name is another item I had on the list for him to accomplish this year.

A few weeks back I printed in large font his name and stuck it to the wall above his little desk. So of course he can easily tell me what that says. But can he recognise his name in other places? No! There is no way on earth I want this to be a boring exercise for him and in fact learning to recognise his name in many ways is really just a by product of the creative fun we are having together.

I have lots of ideas stashed away for name recognition and we'll slowly work through some or maybe many of them depending on C and where he takes this.

For this name recognition craft you need a piece of card, pencil, PVA glue and coloured sand. Write your chosen name on the card. (for the sake of the blog we will always complete two of these, one for C and one with Mummy on it)

Paint PVA glue over the top of the written name and start sprinkling with loads of coloured sand. (I recommend to have your mummy do the glue painting for you so that each letter is recognisable, I'm just saying you know)

When you are certain that all of the glue has been covered with as many different colours as possible leave it to dry, whilst you go for your afternoon nap.

After a lovely refreshing nap, take your name art work outside and brush away any excess sand to reveal a beautiful rainbow coloured name. Hang your work of art on the wall, being very careful to place 4 small balls of blu tack exactly in each corner and then punch them as hard as you can just to make sure it is really stuck to the wall and stand back to admire your work.

Make sure that when your dad gets home from work you immediately grab his hand and show him your coloured sand name and explain the process in full detail to him, just in case he doesn't understand and wants to make his own name with coloured sand.

Linked To:

Tot Tuesday
It's Playtime 

Bambino Academy - Fun With Paint

Experience with paint was one thing high on my list for C this year. Not just your regular brush, paint and easel experience though. Painting with everything and anything on things of various shapes, textures and sizes.

Today he had buckets of sensory fun on his little toes. All of that paint squishing between them, he was giggling with delight, whilst trying not to slip over in the bucket of paint that is!

Whilst we set up his feet painting experience he was asking lots of questions about the various items as I laid them out on the grass. I hadn't told him what we doing, except that it was painting. Finally, after we were ready to get started he looked around and asked, "But what I am going to paint with mum?" "Your feet, darling" I said, with a big grin .... sheer delight was written all over his face!

One colour at a time, he dipped, squished and wriggled and then walked along the paper sheets to the bucket of water at the other end. When that colour was empty we rinsed the bucket and changed colours.

Of course you simply cannot set up a fun painting experience like this and expect that the bigger kids will simply stand by and watch. Oh no, they all had their turns and loved it.

We used poster paint, which is thinner and runnier so our foot prints didn't show up as well as they could have, but we now have a colourful footprint mural gracing the hall.

I plan sharing lots more fun painting experiences with C over the coming weeks and months.



This post is linked at

Bambino Academy - Play Things

This was a quick simple piece to put together, if I can do it, anyone can do it! Thanks to this blog for first showing me how, although it's so simple you really could figure it out on your own.

C now has an Underwater Felt Play Mat.

Materials I used:

1 Piece of A4 sized Green Felt (seaweed)
1 Piece of A4 sized Tan Felt (sand/ocean floor)
1 Oversize (roughly A3) Piece of Blue Stiffened Felt (ocean)
Iron On Fuse Webbing (from the sewing department)
1 Tube of Ocean Life Creatures ($10 from Toyworld)

Not picture but also required:

Scissors
Lead Pencil
Iron

** I chose stiffened felt simply because that was all they had in the size I wanted. It easily slides into the cupboard, but if you would prefer to roll it away be sure to find regular soft felt for this.


Putting It All Together:

This didn't even take half hour to do!

1. I roughly drew the sand across the bottom of the Tan Felt. Since it was A4 I needed to do this twice, one piece slighlty shorter than other. Be sure they are the same height so that once they are attached the sand flows evenly across the ocean floor. You will have a join in your sand doing it this way, but I didn't mind.

2. Cut a piece of Iron On Fuse Webbing as close to the same size as the sand you just cut as possible. Place the sand onto the webbing and iron carefully with a dry iron so it attaches. Peel the backing away and place sand into position on the ocean floor area of the large bule felt piece and iron once again.

Do the same thing with the 2nd piece of sand, you will need to be a little more careful with the second piece, ensuring that your joins match up and that you are covering to the edge properly. You can use the iron to 'spread' the felt a little, mine was actually a couple of millimetres too short but I pushed the felt with the iron to move it across.

3. With the Green Felt piece roughly draw a few pieces of Seaweed and cut them out. You could fuse these into place but I chose not.

4. Add your animals.

5. Introduce your child to their new world of fun.

C played with this all day on and off the first day I put it together. I love that for now it is as simple as just as a play mat but it will grow with him. For now we can tell stories, sing songs with and about the animals.

Later on I will be able to put together 3 part cards for these creatures for him to first learn their names, label them and then go on to learn more about the individual creatures themselves.

Bambino Academy: On The Shelves This Week

I can't believe it has literally been months since I put up a Bambino Academy post! I'll be honest and say that there is a huge part of me that has moved away from all of this focus on our toddlers as I feel that it just puts far too much undue pressure on mums (homeschool blogging mums in particular) to perform and to keep up with all of the fabulous activities that we all see circulating around the blogosphere, as opposed to keeping the focus on the toddler.

I know that at least in our home, our toddler receives all that he needs without me having to spend time planning, setting up and organising a myriad of activities, even though I can see and value their importance.

The number one reason I will continue this year is because this is his 'school' and whilst he isn't really satisified at that (he just wants to do school with the big kids) it will have to do for now. It keeps him busy and entertained for at least a portion of our day so that I have some time to focus on the other two.

~ C is 31 months ~

The above image shows what the shelves looked like on the first day this week, some of the activities did get rotated. If all goes well this shelf will keep him entertained for about an hour with very little input from me (taking the lid off the glue, filling his water tray for painting).

I am still finding my groove for the year with the bigger two, so in all honesty not a great deal of thought was put into the activities, on the shelves this week.

He got this Klutz Magic Painting Book for Christmas, which in my opinion, isn't the best value for money. None the less it is a simple and relatively non messy way of painting.

Gluing of any description is always a winner. This time, left over chocolate wrappers. 

He has been intrigued by cutting for some time and I finally put together a basket of cutting strips to help him conquer this skill. At this stage they are just plain strips, we'll work up to having him cut on lines etc.

Thanks playschool for this idea, he loved it. Pushing colourful feathers into a metal sieve.

And of course it made a great hat! (oops sorry eyes closed shot)

C also enjoys pouring of any kind.

Threading bears, I was encouraging him to match colours but he wasn't into that.

He spent a great deal of time watching K working with these beans and wanted a turn, so this was a completely self directed activity, I simply gave him the tray to keep all of the bits on.

It's been super hot here this past week and we've lived in the pool. Aren't they one of those things that you can live without for years but when you have one you just don't know how you ever made it through summers without it!

A spot more painting after some cooling off in the sparkling blue water.

This post is linked to:

• Toddler Tuesday

• Tot Tuesday's

• Tot School

Bambino Academy Basics: Washing Up - Sensory and Practical Life Lessons

Our little bambino's are never too young to begin the fine art of washing the dishes. What's more, they actually really want to do it and at times will beg to do it.

I know some you are probably freaking out about all of the mess and the water and bubbles everywhere and granted, that is going to happen, but just look at his focus, he was so into this and did a really great job at it too.

Save all of the non breakable easy to wash items from the day and whilst you are preparing dinner, get the toddler set up at the sink. Don't forget that their little fingers can't tolerate the water as hot as we can, add plenty of bubbles for that fun factor, a chair or stool to stand on and let them at it.

When they are done, they will no doubt be soaked through, great time for a bath (unless of course dinner is ready hehehe) and the floor will be a huge puddle. Well it needed mopping anyway and you don't even need to fill the bucket.

• Flower Arranging

• Colour Recognition and Sorting

• Dry Pouring