Language - Halloween 3 Part Cards

I found these great Halloween 3 Part Cards on United Teaching's website - Free to download.  There are 12 of them altogether, plus a control chart.

Dew1 Loves them!  I realized that while he is still behind in speech and such, there is no reason to not try to teach him new words to expand his vocabulary.  I think his favourite right now is the Cauldron.  He also loves "cards" in general, so I try to keep new ones in his box for he and his VB teacher to work through during their session.

If only I had a printer that would take cardstock!  That is an essential feature for my next printer purchase.  Instead, I print them on regular paper, and then glue them to a cardstock weight paper, and cover them in contact paper.  It makes them a little more durable for Dew1.   If they are cards that we are really going to use a lot, I'll use the Xyron to stick them down (I hate gluesticks ... they never really stick ...) and then also laminate them with the Xyron.  But for something as quick and short lived as Halloween cards, glue and contact paper is all that's needed.  For even quicker, I won't stick them to cardstock, and will only contact paper one side.

I did not get into the full aspect of the 3 Part Card, as clearly he's not old enough yet, but I have filed the other parts away so when he is ready, they are good to go.  One of these days I'll come up with a better way to organize it all, but for now, this works.  Right now we are simply running through the cards and labeling them for what they are.  He does like to match, but I kept these as straight vocab cards.

I store his 'active' cards in Tupperware sandwich keepers. I had a set of 4 from my single days, and have repurposed them this way.  It works well as they are generous in size, hold the cards well, are durable, and slightly tricky to open so it forces them to ask for "Help to Open Cards". (Although Dew1 has become quite good at using his teeth to open the little latch ...)

I really like these cards, and United Teaching was a great resource.  They have other downloads, as well, some free and some at cost.  But thanks to them for helping me introduce Halloween to my son.

Organize - Our Art Gallery

Last year, Dew1 brought home about 2 pieces of art a week from preschool.  We put them on the fridge, and then when it was time to replace them, I put them in a plastic 12x12 scrapbook storage box.

Well, this year rolls around.  And there are two problems immediately presenting.  The first is the fact that I now have a box full of last year's art.  The second is that he now brings home about 3 pieces a day - 6 pieces a week - and many of them are 3 dimensional.  Way too much for the fridge.  I've seen cute ideas that involve screwing binder clips into the wall, mounting plastic frames to the wall, painting fancy art frames on the wall or even nailing empty picture frames to the wall.  All lovely ideas, but we rent and i don't want to do anything that I am going to have to reverse later.

Enter the amazing and wonderful 3M Command hooks.  Add some ribbon and a few clothes pegs and we have the Dewey Family Art Gallery.  It's not pretty nor is it perfect, but it works.  The moment it was up, Dew1 and Dew2 were fascinated with it.  Dew1 was telling me about Big Bird.  He was naming all of the items that we painted on his fall picture the other day (leaves, corn, pumpkin - and  a new one - acorn.)  It holds art of all shapes and sizes, and makes our drab white walls much more interesting.

Remember my motto?  Done is better than Perfect.  I spent all of last year trying in my mind to make it perfect.  But it never got done. 

It can be improved.  Prettier ribbon (I used some leftover Christmas curling ribbon.)  Pretty clips (I had a bunch of clothes pins in the Tot Tools box.)  3M does make little springy clips - I could add some of those as well.  But I think that the first thing to add is a second line.  Or even a third.  One for Dew1 and one for Dew2 ... or one for school work and one for home work ...

But today, it's done and it's another project off of my list.

Oh, and problem #1?  Well I emptied the box of art from last year into a file box and brought the clear one back downstairs to use this year.  I'll have to deal with both problems soon - the box upstairs and the soon to be full box downstairs.  I'd always heard that pizza boxes are great for this. But before there was a pizza in it ... there is the problem ... for another day.