Emma wrote letters on paper and then cut them out to make this child-invented Boggle/Scrabble game a few weeks ago. It was one of her first experiments cutting with scissors, and she and Johnny both enjoyed spelling out “words”, particularly words featuring the (nearly always backwards) letter “J”! This is a great example of learning through play. Kids frequently use free time to work on skills they are learning, and by creating this game Emma is working on her knowledge of letters, as well as fine motor control both as she cuts out the letters and writes them.
Emma loves writing with these gel pens, but they are the ONE thing I cannot get out of clothes. Luckily she is very careful with them!
MaryAnne is a craft loving educator, musician, photographer, and writer who lives in Silicon Valley with her husband Mike and their four children.
This is a super idea for a game Joe could make–thank you (and Emma:-) ) Your Emma is SO smart! You are doing such a good idea of teaching her. You have got to be so proud of her.
Way to go Emma!
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MaryAnne thanks for the book recommendation: Pretend Soup. I went straight to amazon and looked it up. I was surprised to see that it was written by Mollie Katzen. I have several of her Moosewood cookbooks. I’m going to check this out. I’ll head to the library to take a peek, they have a copy. yeah!
Your FREE Zigby book is on the way! Enjoy!:)
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Looks like something all my girls would love to do. :)
.-= Sandi´s last blog ..Summer and Fairs =-.
How neat – I love it when they come up with their own games!
.-= Natalie´s last blog ..We Play with Wedgits =-.
Tell Emma I love gel pens, too. But only at the table!~
This could be a cute idea for a memory game. Kid-made, of course.
.-= stephanie´s last blog ..A million tears =-.
Very fun! What a great word, too. I can’t wait to use it in a Jianjje sentence.
My hat is off to you, MaryAnne, braving the world of both scissors and gel pens!! The scissor activities you’ve posted recently make me want to start thinking about getting Nikki some scissors. I’m sure she’d be very careful with them, but how do you prevent them falling into the wrong hands?!
.-= Elisa | blissfulE´s last blog ..a parenthetical expression =-.
@Elisa- I held off on the scissors until Johnny could handle them too, actually. He cuts straight lines only, on the edges of paper. I do have to watch to make sure they don’t start cutting the wrong thing, though – Emma cut a doll’s hair the other day…
Gel pens? You are brave. The other day I got out some glitter glue pens and immediately put them away. Way too messy.
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@ Quadmama – I’m still scared of glitter glue pens, they are way messier than gel pens…
Love to see children creating their own games and being engaged in their own learning! Love this!
Such a smart girl!
.-= Jen´s last blog ..My Picture Wall – Project 2 =-.
What a great idea.
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