Saturday, July 11, 2009

Stepping Stones Toddlers Can Make

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I suppose my blog is in synchronicity with the season, in that our learning activities have really decreased since we choose to spend most of our time unscheduled and with outside play.  I’ve went back to work part time and my daughter is going to preschool two days a week during that time.  We are still doing a lot but it tends to be unscheduled and without a camera.  Winter is so very long, so I want to take full advantage of being outside.  So many Summer activities do not seem to welcome the addition of a camera.  Take yesterday, we went swimming at the river, but I worried about the camera getting wet so it was left at home.  However, I actually do have a project to post today! This project was supposed to have been completed for Father’s Day but I was really sick around that time so it was put off for a while.  

At one point I had the directions on my computer, but they seem to have disappeared so I’m going to post this by memory.  The only things you need are some QuickCrete, a bucket, a shovel to stir the concrete, stones to embellish, and some plastic plant saucers. 

  1. Going by the directions on the Quickcrete bag, add a little water until the consistency is like brownie batter.  Here is where I made a huge mistake.  Mixing the concrete was a little more difficult than I’d thought it would be, so I added way too much water.  This made it difficult to add the fingerprints. 
  2. Once the batter is ready, pour it into the plant saucers.  Let it sit for about 30 minutes before adding stones or handprints.
  3. Have your little one set their hands down to make fingerprints.  Immediately wash their hands.  This is also the time to have your little one add marbles, rocks, shells, or however else they want to decorate the stones. 
  4. We still have plenty of Quickcrete to make more stones.  Next time, we won’t add so much water and hopefully we can write on the stones.
  5. Let them sit for about 2 days.
  6. I didn’t coat my saucers with Pam but I’ve heard that if you do that you can reuse the saucers.  I simply tore mine off.

Great project for your little ones to decorate that costs under $10!

bdaypics 077

bdaypics 078

6 comments:

MommyWise said...

I'm sorry you have to see your cat suffer. It's horrible and many people will not have any sympathy for you. Just make sure you say goodbye! Today we actually built Claire, our cat, a coffin (Yes we did! and its even lined!) and tomorrow is her "service". Sounds crazy, I know, but her devotion of all these years deserves more than a hole in the ground.

Super Fun Mama said...

I never know where to respond so I did here and your blog, lol.

What happened to your cat? I didn't read about that anywhere. Oh, I'll definitely do something similiar. Never would I give her just a hole in the ground. You know I have to admit that I judge people by how they are about animals. If someone doesn't have an animal, I always kind of question their character and heart. I've never been without animals and can't imagine a life without them. I just don't trust people that don't love animals...

MommyWise said...

How funny! I judge the same way. I try to remind myself that people are different blah blah blah but when they are so disconnected from other creatures... it seems like there's something WRONG with them.. like something is broken... Anyway, we're not really sure...we're actually paying to have some biopsies done on her to find out.. it may have been cancer but all her blood work was normal. The horrible thing is that our 15 yr old cat is now sick too and we don't know if we'll lose her as well.

Frugal Sara said...

These are great!

Elise said...

I can't think of a more perfect stepping stone to have in a garden. They are delightful and would be so much fun to create. I love that you can capture hand and footprints in these and then have them for years to come.

Happy belated 3rd birthday to Zhana. Wow, three years old. My little girl is three in a couple of months. The letter you wrote to Zhana is such a beautiful keepsake for her and I am sure she will delight in reading such a treasured letter when she is older.

Elise

Goat Gal said...

We did these last year for my ILs when they retired and moved away. They were quite the hit.