Photo Scavenger Hunt

About three years ago, Zak and I wrote a bunch of family activity ideas on scraps of paper, which went into the Winnie the Pooh and Piglet cookie jar Uncle Cohen gave us. We don't do the activities especially often, so we still have dozens left. Last week, we picked "photo scavenger hunt" from the jar, and decided to make it our family home activity for the week.

We wrote down several items we expected to find around the neighborhood, and split into groups of two. Finding a flag was a little tricky (although Zak reminded me that most mailboxes have flags). The hardest item was sidewalk chalk. We had drawn with ours earlier in the day, so I didn't think anything of it when we wrote the list, but it rained this morning, and there aren't many kids in our neighborhood, so Daddy and Mr C ended up using the art we drew on the upstairs neighbor's portion of the driveway, and Miss V and I drew some art on our next-door neighbor's sidewalk. (We had a rule that the pictures couldn't be of our yard.)

The boys beat Miss V and me home, so they won. Everyone had fun, and we got some exercise along the way (vehicles were not allowed). Definitely worth doing, to explore our neighborhood from another perspective.

White wooden fence

Zak said it's wooden on the inside

Fire hydrant

Animal (real or decorative)

Graffiti

Purple flowers

Fruit trees

Flag

Sidewalk chalk

A pattern

Marker Mustaches

The kids have kept us busy and entertained lately. We're getting used to our new house, garden, and neighborhood. I thank Heavenly Father that He sent us to the earth in families.

After being in the other room for a while, I strolled into the family room and found these mustachioed hooligans. 

Miss V taking a picture of Mommy (while Mommy held the camera steady)

Mommy and Mr C

Mr C in sad mode

Miss V focusing

Miss V with her big smile

Miss V

Zak

Grandma bought them matching pajamas.

Wrestling

Logan Family Center

What a great, free resource to the community! The Logan Family Center (formerly Logan Family Information and Resource Center) have a free toy, book, and educational movie library, so you can take the items home or just play and read while you're there. I felt like I didn't have to go out and buy every developmental toy because Miss V and Mr C could play with them there. They also have parenting books, English classes, Love and Logic classes, and many other resources for adults and families.

Last year we attended a few song and story times at the Logan Family Center down in the "Island" and some of the summer activities, but this last fall they started doing Storybook Preschool. A free preschool for 3+ year-olds, where I can bring my younger children and they're allowed to participate?! Yes, please! I loved how fun Miss Coral made each class, and parents were given opportunities in each section of the 75-minute class to participate and learn how to teach their children. The units were based around classic kids books, which we enjoyed even more as we got to play and do activities along with each book. We had sections for crafts, large motor activities, and language skills.

I loved that my kids also got to practice being in a classroom setting, where they learned to listen to the teacher, follow instructions, and how to act around other kids in that environment. Miss V enjoyed the rotating opportunities to bring a book from home that I would read, and the times we had our turns bringing snacks. (My fail was bringing blue pierogis on the blue-themed day. Should have stuck with the berries.) Miss V learned the days of the week to the tune of "Clementine," The months of the year to "Ten Little Indians," and of course reinforcement with the alphabet, numbers, colors, and shapes.

One of the hardest things about moving out of the valley is not having this incredible resource anymore. Thanks for all you've done, Miss Coral, and the rest of the Logan Family Center staff and volunteers. For anyone who spends time with children in Cache Valley, I highly recommend checking out the Family Center for yourself.

Christmas activity

Each child knew where to set, where to put his or her bag, 

and where to gather any projects with a personal animal. 

Miss V's was the pink lamb, and Mr C's was the gray horse.

One mom went above and beyond one day.

Jumping on the "bed" (after reading The Napping House)

Pretending to be the night watchman from the Corduroy book