Kids Acitivities

So I found this website through Pinterest.  This fellow (BRILLIANT) blog mommy does home schooling and has little ones.  I found some simple activities to try with the girls.  They were so entertained, I had this guilt moment.  Like, why didn't I try this before?  How did I NOT think of this?  Seriously?  I spend eight dollars at the Dollar Tree and Esme played for 40 min! Stella takes it to "quiet time" every day. I already plan to go get more supplies. Okay, enough suspense, I will share with you.

I bought a divider dip like tray, some pom poms, dinosaurs, Christmas erasers, magnet numbers, and some plastic tongs.

 Pile one group of items in the center, then sort.  I helped Esme the first time and she watched Stella once.  She now will pick an item, dump it in the center, and sort all by herself.

 I love the Blog Mommy's use of the tongs to sort.  What a great way to work on fine motor skills.

Once Esme finishes a group, she gets so excited, "I DID IT!!!" She puts them away and then dumps a new group starting all over.  For Stella, I have been making it more challenging by creating certain patterns or groupings. I am looking for marbles for her to sort too.  

Then the same Blog Mommy also had a sort of treasure hunt game that I also love.  I mean, please tell me I am not the only Mommy out there not to think of these simple activities?  I cannot believe how LONG this keeps a two year old occupied. 

 Bury your letters or numbers from a puzzle in a tub of rice.

 Then have them treasure hunt for the items to put away.

I didn't have a number puzzle, so I picked up some magnets for the D-Tree. Then, I made a photo copy of the numbers in order (I would like to figure out our printer to make color copies so

 they have to match the color and number).  

I like the idea of the word recognition with the numbers.  It would be nice to laminate these sheets.  You could really photo copy anything and bury it in the rice. So fun!  

How many of you are headed to the good ol ' D-Tree?