Today, I was bound and determined to do our Camp Mommy activity. The morning started off with a very cool wind, and potential rain clouds in the sky. So I quickly got our activity ready and went outside to set it up. While I was inside, getting the boys ready, it rained for about 5 minutes and I was worried it was going to be too wet for the kids to handle. But thankfully, the sun came out and even though there was still a wind, it wasn't enough to deter this VDV mommy from completing our much anticipated weekly fun.
From Dollarama, I bought this package of balloons with sticks that you attach to them once they are blown up. I thought this was perfect to use for some number learning and recognition with our event today. Bug already had the Melissa and Doug critter set of a bug hat, some binoculars, a magnifying glass, a bug cage and a number of creepy crawlies. To prepare for our outdoor fun, I wrote numbers on the balloons 1 through 7, and then set them up sporadically around the yard. The balloon sticks worked perfect as I didn't have helium balloons and with the wind, the balloons wouldn't have lasted if they were actually floating attached to string. Under each balloon, I set the corresponding number of bugs on the grass. Once it was all set up, I got Bug to use his binoculars to search for the number 1. Once he correctly recognized it (obviously I have been working with him lots in regards to his numbers because he didn't need any help at all in this department), he used his magnifying glass to look at the bugs. Really, the bugs were big enough you didn't need the magnifying glass, but he loved it nonetheless. Then we opened up his bug cage and counted the bugs as we put them individually in their new home. The process was then started all over again until all the numbers were worked through in consecutive order and the bugs were picked up. Here is a
video of our bug safari.
Bear sat watching the fun on a blanket in the yard. I couldn't completely leave him out, so I had purchased him a new bumblebee stuffed toy to stick with the theme. He sat around, throwing him around and laughing, so it's safe to say Bear had fun too!
Once all the bug collecting was completed, I got my Bug to close his eyes and I hid a big yellow centipede in the yard (I showed him the bug first so he knew what he was looking for). Then I told him he could open his eyes and go searching. A lot of our play is geared around Bug finding things or playing hide 'n seek...but it's simply because he loves it so much. After he found the centipede, he wanted to hide it for me to find. He wasn't as stealthy as I was, opting to tell me where he hid it. He also tended to hid it below one of the balloons from our early part of the activity, and would tell me the number of balloon it was hidden under. It just added to more learning for him and continued number recognition. Here's the
video of this added fun.
While we were playing hide 'n seek with our big bug, my Bug would "hide" quite conspicuously behind balloons, thinking he couldn't be seen. It was pretty funny to watch!
Once we came inside, Bear went down for his nap with his new bumblebee friend. Then Bug and I sat and watched "A Bug's Life" while eating our Worms 'n Dirt dessert!
When Bear woke up, we had a little dessert for him too. He didn't eat the gummy worms, as he has a tendency to shove as much food into his mouth as possible so I figured it was safest not to give him a sticky, gummy candy. But he thoroughly enjoyed the Oreo crumbs and chocolate pudding.
All in all, this was another successful Camp Mommy activity! I love seeing how all the on the side learning is paying off...and I love how Bug has just as much fun with the learning activities as he does with the imaginary ones.
PS. If you don't have bugs or any of the extra stuff we used, you can buy a package of little bugs from Dollarama for $1 (I believe there are 10 in the package so buy as many as you need to have enough for the added sum of the numbered balloons). Dollarama also has an insect cage or really any type of container could work...you could even buy insect stickers to add to it so it looks more like an insect house. The binoculars and magnifying glass were just an added bonus, but I'm pretty sure Dollarama has those items too.
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