In an effort to create a happy, healthy, growing family...we have been trying new things to see what works for us. last year we started "rock jars" which were a big hit in the states and the rock jars made it over with us in tact, so we just started using them again. in the states the kids got to exchange their rocks for candy, but it seemed like we could do more with this system. they get rocks for being kind or sharing or doing something without being asked and now we have added if they do something productive like read a book, do a puzzle, etc. So now whenever they want to enjoy one of these privileges listed on the rock list they must pay out. so far it has worked really well. if they are short a rock or two and want to be able to watch tv, they just run and read a book or do a puzzle to earn their way.
another fabulous invention was our date jar, we used an old jam jar and cleaned it out and made this fun label. then we sat down together and came up with 20 ideas and folded them up and put them in this jar. in america we would have weekly dates with the kids. one week i would take annie, the next week tim would take toby, the next week i would take jesse and so on. we LOVED this time. it filled us all up and the kids look forward to this time more than any other time. we knew we had to keep this tradition alive, but in a town with NOTHING to do, it gets old really fast walking to the local store to buy a not so great ice cream. so we put our heads together and came up with some really fun ideas. annie chose this one...make play-doh and sculpt.
we decided to make edible play-doh first. we went to store to find honey, powdered milk and peanut butter(actually we can only get this in the big city...so we have several jars all the time) we enjoyed snacking on this yummy treat and creating little things.
but it was a little sticky and would get stuck in the cookie cutters sometimes. we also made some baker's clay and made a footprint and a little noah's ark....we had such a fun time together. some of annie's friends came in at the end of our date and they were so excited about the clay. i think we will make some today for them to create something. they rarely if ever get to make crafts and create things.
In an effort to create a happy, healthy, growing family...we have been trying new things to see what works for us. last year we started "rock jars" which were a big hit in the states and the rock jars made it over with us in tact, so we just started using them again. in the states the kids got to exchange their rocks for candy, but it seemed like we could do more with this system. they get rocks for being kind or sharing or doing something without being asked and now we have added if they do something productive like read a book, do a puzzle, etc. So now whenever they want to enjoy one of these privileges listed on the rock list they must pay out. so far it has worked really well. if they are short a rock or two and want to be able to watch tv, they just run and read a book or do a puzzle to earn their way.
another fabulous invention was our date jar, we used an old jam jar and cleaned it out and made this fun label. then we sat down together and came up with 20 ideas and folded them up and put them in this jar. in america we would have weekly dates with the kids. one week i would take annie, the next week tim would take toby, the next week i would take jesse and so on. we LOVED this time. it filled us all up and the kids look forward to this time more than any other time. we knew we had to keep this tradition alive, but in a town with NOTHING to do, it gets old really fast walking to the local store to buy a not so great ice cream. so we put our heads together and came up with some really fun ideas. annie chose this one...make play-doh and sculpt.
we decided to make edible play-doh first. we went to store to find honey, powdered milk and peanut butter(actually we can only get this in the big city...so we have several jars all the time) we enjoyed snacking on this yummy treat and creating little things.
but it was a little sticky and would get stuck in the cookie cutters sometimes. we also made some baker's clay and made a footprint and a little noah's ark....we had such a fun time together. some of annie's friends came in at the end of our date and they were so excited about the clay. i think we will make some today for them to create something. they rarely if ever get to make crafts and create things.
Once again you show your resourcefulness (?). I hope I have as much resource as you do when it is our time to go.
ReplyDeleteyour family always does the most creative things! ryan and i have stolen "pajama runs!" well, we've only done one, but totally plan on doing it more as they get older. love and miss you!
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