The Explorers: Spring Baker's Clay (Rainy Fun and Magic)

Small Group Sensory Project "Baker's Clay": We all love cooking and making playdoh. Today, we tried yet another recipe and made clay. The clay can be baked in the oven to make the creations last and to display them. We added magnolia and cherry petals, which made the dough smell like spring.

Here is the recipe:
4 cups of flour
1 cup salt
1 1/2 cups water
Flower petals

Mix flour and salt, then add water.
Mix with spoon first so ingredients stick together.
Add small pieces of flower petals. Make sure pieces are small, especially if you bake the clay later on.
Then form a ball with your hands and knead 5 to 10 minutes.
Bake at 300 on cookie sheet for about an hour.

The recipe was adapted from  a wonderful  book "Mudworks" by Mary Ann Kohl. The book is packed with recipes and contains basic dough recipes for playdoh as well as recipes that use Plaster of Paris to create sculptures. The recipes will spark creativity and open ended fun. Great for students who do not mind when it gets a little messy.

The Explorers: Hip Hop (Rainy Day Fun and Magic)

Hip Hop "Following Directions by Mark Pencil and Friends": This new dance game has quickly become one of our favorites.

 Here are the lyrics:
“I’m feeling good now! That’s what I’m talking about!”

So put your right hand in the air. Now put your left hand in the air.

Now clap your hands two times, come on, clap your hands two times.

Put your hands on your hips. I said, put your hands on your hips.

Now stomp your feet three times, come on, stomp your feet three times.

Reach down touch your toes, now put your hands on your hips.

Reach up into the sky, stretch it out now, stretch it, stretch it, stretch it out now.

Reach down touch your toes, now put your hands on your hips.

Now reach up into the sky, stretch it out now, stretch it, stretch it, stretch it out now.

JUMP JUMP JUMP

Jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump.

Now shake, shake it out now, now shake, shake it out now.

Shake, shake, shake, shake, shake, shake, shake, shake, shake, shake, shake, stop!

OK, its going to get trickier!  Listen carefully and see if you can keep up!

Are you ready? Yes!

Are you ready? Yes!

Are you ready? Yes!

Now let’s go!

Now put your hands up and put them down.

Put your hands up now put them down. Put your hands up now put them down.

Put your hands up now turn around.

Stop!

Reach to your left, now to your right. Reach to the left, reach to the right.

Reach to the left, reach to the right. Reach to the left, reach to the right.

Put your hands down. Touch your toes.

Now stand up real slow. Because we’re about to slow it down.

Shake. Slow it down. Shake. Slow it down.

Shake. Slow it down. Shake."

 

Painting with Different Painting Tools: Since we had a very good time painting with different kitchen sponges last week, we expanded the idea and explored painting with different tools (e.g., kitchen brushes, kitchen spatulas). The most fun brushes (provided by nature) were the pine needle branches we used. They not only made interesting patterns but smelled good.