Wooden Summer Blocks

Jeremy cut some wooden blocks for me awhile back and I have used them for a couple of projects.  I wanted a new table decoration for summer and I thought these would work but the word is too long for the table center. Oops.  Anyhow, they still look cute up on one of the plant shelves. :) I used one of the TSR kits from March. Joshua helped me paint the blocks. :)

Have a great weekend!  We hope to hit the Farmer's Market tomorrow...yippeee!!

Chore Chart

I made a chore chart for Abby today.  Joshua has had one for awhile and it was time to start keeping little miss Abby accountable.  At the end of the day, if they have completed all of their chores, they get a ticket to the "Mommy Store." The Mommy Store is a little box filled with $1 or less items. I need to buy some girly things to add to it but right now, it has Hot Wheels, coloring books, crayons, etc. They need two tickets to buy one item. The last "chore" isn't really a chore, more of a daily reminder to be as good of helpers as they can.  I will put a new chore over it when I need to add another one.

Anyhow, this is super easy.  I used a 10x10 piece of thin cardboard and glued some paper to it.  I cut 1 1/2 inch squares out of the same material. I used my OLD sewing machine to slowly and carefully sew the velcro on to the squares and the chart. (Trust me, go slowly or you will break a needle. Oh, don't use the same needle on fabric after you use it on paper.) You can also stitch them on by hand like I did with Joshua's last year.  But this was easier and faster for me.  (I was obviously too lazy to stop between velcro pieces which is why you can see all the zig zags.  Oh well.  If I wanted it perfect, I would have had to wait to do it until late at night instead of with a 2 year old or 6 month old on my lap.) Then I think the rest is pretty self explanatory...glue more paper, add some letters and a ribbon to hang it...ta-da!

Sooo....can 2 1/2 year olds really do these things? YES!!! They might (ok, WILL) need daily reminders, but in the long run, it will be worth it to teach them independence and responsibility. :)

~ Have your kids use plastic dishes so they don't break anything (mine also get their own forks and plates, etc. from a drawer I have low enough for them to reach.) Then they can set their dishes near the sink (or toss them in like mine usually do.)

~They pull up their comforters and straighten their beds to the best of their ability (obviously it won't be as nice as if an adult did it!!)

~They can pick out their clothes and *try* to put them on.  My daughter has mastered taking off clothes but can just partially put them back on. LOL She's practicing and getting better though.

~We have boxes for most of their toys so they toss each different type of toy into the correct box.  Sometimes they get all mixed up.  But as long as they get picked up, I am happy. :) I used to have just one box on Joshua's chart for picking up toys but I found I need it on there twice so we don't have such a big mess at the end of the day.

Happy crafting!!