A few weeks ago I decided to video what a typical weekend is like with Eamon. Now that the weather has been clearer it is a lot easier to get outside for some fun!

Take a look!

This past weekend, Eamon and I conducted a little experiment in the kitchen. It's really difficult to get him interested in crafts at times; he'd much rather build train tracks and run cars around the house, but the need for his involvement in sensory based activities is becoming more important lately.

The past summer, thanks to dozens of visits to the Academy of Natural Sciences, created a new love for Eamon - dinosaurs! And thanks to a great video from What's Up Moms (probably my favorite mom vlog right now on YouTube, I discovered a fantastic recipe for dinosaur eggs.

Using household ingredients and a stash of tiny dinosaurs, we made our very own activity for the budding paleontologist.

Ingredients: 



To make the dinosaur eggs all you need is salt, flour, ground coffee, and play sand. We actually tried, originally, to use a container of instant coffee that no one would drink in the house (but we still kept around for camping) for the first batch of eggs but switched to regular ground coffee for the second. It only changed the consistency slightly believe it or not, but the smell of the coffee was a little overwhelming.


Directions:

Using one cup of each ingredient, mix in a large bowl until the ingredients are evenly mixed throughout. Add in 1/2 cup of water and stir until blended evenly.

When your mixture is the right moldable consistency, form into and egg shape, making sure to fit your "fossil" into the center. Once you have your eggs formed, place them on a baking sheet and bake for about an hour at 200 degrees. Eamon was so afraid that his dinosaurs were going to melt in the over, but the low temperature of the oven simply removes the excess moisture from the mixture - much like a dehydrator.

Once your eggs are done baking, let them cool off before letting your little one at them. This was the most difficult part of the experience and Eamon ended up mashing right into a few of them while they were still warm. He just couldn't wait.


Let the fun begin (or end)!

This was the best part! Using his little Home Depot tool kit, Eamon dug right into his eggs. Adding a little bit of extra water them made it softer and easier to unearth (get it?!)



It didn't take long for him to hammer, chisel, and saw away and find his dinos safe and sound deep in the center of the eggs. <3



Mixing and forming the eggs was very therapeutic and is a great sensory play in itself. Eamon loves dirt and sand and this really reminded him of playing at the beach digging through and compacting wet sand into shapes. Even when his eggs were already broken up he still wanted to spend nearly half an hour more just playing with the broken pieces, trying to crumble through, mold, and bury toys underneath letting his imagination run wild.




MOM TIP: I have to say that I'm glad I put down some Press and Seal on the table before he "dug into" this activity because any time you put little boys in front of anything hammering, digging, or breaking apart, you're bound to get some where it wasn't supposed to be, but this time I was able to 1 - 2 - 3 clean up just by removing the wrap from the table and balling it up into the trash when he was done. 

 If you're more of a visual learner check out the link to the What's Up Moms vlog below, which is where I got this awesome idea!

This past summer, after wanting to go for a while, we decided to take a trip to Smith Playground, a giant, nearly six acre playground located in the Fairmount Park vicinity of Philadelphia.

The park and accompanying mansion sized playhouse has been part of the city for over a hundred years, however, was shut down back in 2003 for some much needed restorations. Until then, the maintenance of the playground remained as part of a trust created by Richard and Sarah Smith, two wealthy Philadelphians who built the playground so that children could have a safe place to play outside of urban areas of the city. Now, the park collects donations from members and visitors to maintain and staff the park and its amenities - including a giant, 39' wooden slide, the multi level playhouse, and several, modern play facilities for children of all ages.

When you enter the park, it is asked that each family make a donation of $5, however, for $30 you can obtain an annual membership. Since we have already gone a few times, the membership pays for itself. There are also several member only events, including Halloween events, concerts, and meet and greets with characters from PBS Kids shows like Daniel Tiger. Visiting the playground can easily take up an entire afternoon, so if your little one likes to explore, climb and play, make sure you bring food and drinks with you...although occasionally there ARE some amazing food trucks on spot to try some gourmet food.

The multi-level playhouse is aimed for children five and under, although you do see some kids a little above that enjoying time with their younger siblings and gathering around the wooden train tables (which there are three of now with all the amenities). There are also soft blocks, doll houses, kitchen sets, and explorations drawers - although these can rotate since sometimes thing break or wear out form the thousands of visitors every week.



Besides the wood train area (of course), Eamon loves to explore the "woods" - a play area dedicated to getting dirty while balancing on logs, climbing branches, and digging in holes. In other words, it's a little boy's dream! There's even a mud oven, mud sink, and utensils to bake mud cakes (worms optional.)




You cannot visit the playground without at least one roll down the giant wooden slide. Marked as one of those "must visit oddities" of the city, the forty foot wooden slide is over a hundred years old (although recently refurbished) and lets kids and adults ride in packs atop burlap sacks until thy tire out. The sheer width of the slide, allowing around five kids to ride at a time, keeps the line at a minimum on most days.

In addition, there are several 'regular" playground areas that are sectioned off so parents don't have to chase after their kids through the entire park. There is also a dedicated play area with slides, swings, and more specifically for kids five and under away from the rambunctiousness of the older children so there is less of a chance of an accidental collision.

If you're interested in seeing more, check out the video Eamon and I made on our last visit!

Anyone who has ever been to our house or who know Eamon knows one things: he is obsessed with trains, especially Thomas the Tank Engine. There are literally hundreds of the wooden, metal, and now "mini" trains in strategic areas of the home along with their corresponding tracks, buildings, and other accessories and other items he likes to fabricate into his own little Island of Sodor. What began as a 20-minute nightly routine on Sprout TV has grown into a life of its own - and guess what? I am totally fine with that.