Antarctica felt set

For every unit-like study we tackle Calvin requests a new felt set and Antarctica was no exception. Like I did with the volcano felt set request, when he asked for penguins and the like I told him to draw what he wanted and make me a list of items to include.

I've made all of Calvin's felt sets using standard craft felt, sharp scissors, hot glue, and the occassional marker or pencil. Some of the shapes I cut free-form, some I mark directly on the felt and cut, and others I draw first on paper before sticking paper and felt together to cut along the lines. I was excited this time to find textured craft felt that made good mountains, and sparkly craft felt that made good snow.

We have two small travel felt boards now that Cavlin has now decided make up Antarctica in the summer and Antarctica in the winter, so I guess it's a goot thing I made two mountains. And there are three penguins here: the Emperors, the Adélies, and the Chin Straps. The red things are sea stars, the white in the sky is intended to be swirling wind and snow, and if you're wondering why the explorer seems to be sans pants, that's because he is actually from a different set I'd made and his pants got left behind in his haste to visit that cute penguin baby. Really.

Felt, the volcano edition

It's been a while since I made new felt. It's been a while since Calvin asked for new felt (although he does continue to get his old sets out at least once a month for quiet play time), and then a couple days ago he became rather intent on having a volcano felt set. The first day he asked me to make him said set I told him to make me a list of what such a set would include, because I just couldn't get my mind wrapped around it. All the "volcano felt set" images I found when I searched online were actually dinosaur related (and you'll remember that Calvin's interest is most definitely volcano related, not dinosaur related), and it left me wondering. Calvin's list included a sleeping volcano, a volcano erupting with "volcano red" lava, houses, people, and sheep. Sheep?

When we sat down to work on this today I asked him to draw a picture of what his ideal volcano felt set would be. I guess he forgot about the people today. The sheep seemed to be the real goal.

I did most of the cutting, but Calvin selected the colors, did all the basic design work, and helped with the hot glue.

Having now seen him at work with the set I now understand (or think I understand) that what he's going for is a reenactment of the Pinatubo evacuation as we saw it on the National Geographic special we watched a while back. He reassured me, for instance, that the sheep in this picture is not being touched by the lava because he has been "evacuated" and is in a town far away from the volcano. "It's a matter of perspective," I was told.

Five little snowmen

We had to retire the pumpkin and turkey tail feather counting rhymes/games, but this is our new winter felt fun.

Five little snowmen sitting on a hill
Five little snowmen sitting verry still
The sun came out and melted one away
Now there's four little snowmen sitting there today

etc., etc.

Thanksgiving crafts

We've been busy with our paints, stamps, papers and glue gun this week. Crafts, like baking, are a favorite part of the holidays for me, and now that Calvin is old enough to really take part it's kind of like a license to go crazy. I think the handprint turkey is my favorite. I've been wanting to do that one since the kid was born.

I'm not the greatest artist myself, but a quick Google image search for Thanksgiving coloring pages produced a number of iconographic salutes to run off for more Crayola usage. We colored these, then I used two of them as starting points to make larger outline drawings of a turkey and a cornucopia on newsprint, which we promptly painted over, some of us more thickly than others. I love the smell of art room paint almost as much as that of paste, and it's a good thing, too.

Our felt counting turkey, complete with song (think something like Five Little Speckled Frogs, only with turkey feathers and, oh nevermind).

And the Thanksgiving icons we made to go with Calvin's Thanksgiving book (the one I reviewed a bit here). I did most of the cutting on these guys, and all of the glue gun handling, but Calvin helped stick some of the pieces together. (In case you're wondering, that's a harvest moon...)

Go Away Big Green Scary Monster!, by Ed Emberley (our review)

Another library book that I think is about to become a regular visitor at our house. This is a book that our fabulous children's librarian has read several times with the help of her not-so-big, green, not-so-scary monster puppet, and the kids love it every time. In our current felt craze I had the idea to make a monster with multiple face options (a play on the make your own monster puppet toy by Melissa and Doug). When, in the making, Calvin started requesting a number of specific decorations I started to recognize the little green guy, and Calvin requested that we check out the book the next time we visited the library.

Book Review, 11/5: Go Away Big Green Scary Monster!, by Ed Emberley

Cortney: So, what do you like about this book?

Calvin: (reading the book) ...has two yellow eyes...

Cortney: Or what's your favorite part?

Calvin: (still reading) ...and a long bluish greenish nose...

Cortney: I love that you can make a monster while you read it, how about you?

Calvin: (reading) ...goodbye big red mouth...

Cortney: Which page is your favorite?

Calvin: (coming to the last page) ...and don't come back until I say so! (now to me) I love the nose, don't you?

His rapt attention speaks for itself. As a book it's pretty sparse, but it sure it is cute, and it was just made to go with an activity like a puppet or a felt board. Calvin really loves it and I have no complaints at all.