Jo D's Studio of Stratford

12/01/2023

NEW! Last Minute Wrap Up Bundles are LIVE, along with Christmas Bundles!

We have had great luck with mystery bundles in the past - Here are more details:

Last Minute Wrap Up Bundles

- available Dec 1-15 on ecommerce under their own category

https://d12789.paperpie.com/c/241/last-minute-wrap-up

- 11 themed, discounted bundles, at 25-30% off retail
- Themes are: Human Body, Sports, Architect, Science, Bugs, Weather, Cooking, Get Creative, DIY and Relax, Baby, Toddler)
- Ready to go and packed in a cute, branded tote bag (just add wrapping paper!)

Christmas Book Discounts

- available Dec 1-24 on eCommerce and found under Seasonal > Christmas category

https://d12789.paperpie.com/c/175/christmas

- 4 large bundles of Christmas titles are 50% off
- Themes are: Picture Books, for Littles, Activity, Nativity
- all other individual Christmas titles are 30% off

12/01/2023

12/28/2022

Big news! Those of you in my VIP group will have seen my graphics; I will share them in the comments here.

And for the final square... We are PaperPie! We create products and opportunities that enrich, inspire, and nourish the mind, heart, and imagination. We believe stories are made to share. We transform lives - one story, one book, one family, one child at a time.

Are you ready for the next chapter!? Stay tuned here for the full story and heart behind our name and check out PaperPie.com for more!

10/15/2022

Just posted this over in my UBAM VIP group- would any of ya'll be interested in some coding posts/lessons? A review of the Duplo Coding Express, perhaps?

08/19/2022

Boredom Buster #25- Cut and paste!



So many simple crafts using things you have around the house - and scissor skills are key for the littles.
We debated a random recycling collage or a “make a picture using shapes” activity and the vote went for the shapes.
Letting littles work on school skills while being creative and a little messy is usually a win that keeps them busy and older kids can have fun with the challenge of making a recognizable design using only tiny squares (mosaic style) or triangles or by digging into some of these projects:

https://d12789.myubam.com/p/8989/never-get-bored-cut-fold-and-stick-ir

https://www.freekidscrafts.com/paper-crafts/cut-and-paste-crafts/

(This is our last summer boredom buster- next up: back to school and homework helpers!)

08/18/2022

Boredom Buster # 24: Draw a comic strip or book!



We have been inspired by recent trips to the aquarium and planetarium.
The littles each wrote a chapter of the same story and I did my own page to sort of get them going.

We have mini books with tips for drawing stick figures, but older kids could enjoy this title:

https://d12789.myubam.com/p/6861/make-your-own-comics-ir

There are tons of sources out there for drawing cartoons or manga- and we have seen a good selection in the library too!

08/17/2022

Boredom Buster #23: Build an Obstacle Course!



We are blessed to have a play structure that lends itself to obstacle courses… but you can use painters tape and pillows in an apartment if need be.

Ours required throwing a ball into a milk crate, then taking a car or trike to the climbing wall, heading down the gangplank, through a tunnel, over a balance beam, hopping over some cones and then throwing a kid basketball basket.
The whole family gave it a try with surprisingly close- and fast- times of just over one minute.

A backyard or park layout that doesn’t require a swingset:

https://www.familiesmagazine.com.au/kids-obstacle-course/

An all out indoor version:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lCYBkNht_j8

Benefits:

https://kidwee.com/blog/14-benefits-of-obstacle-course-for-preschoolers/

08/15/2022

Boredom Buster #22: explore nature!



There are two books that come to mind; the Never Get Bored Outdoors (see video)

https://d12789.myubam.com/p/7815/never-get-bored-outdoors-ir

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HPhuKX8qH44

And the “My Very First Outdoors Book,” pictured below.

https://d12789.myubam.com/p/7831/my-very-first-outdoor-book-ir

The kids LOVE heading to the yard, beach, or woods for a scavenger hunt or to look for critters or identify plants.

There are a ton of resources available, but here are some ideas/printables for your own scavenger hunt:

https://www.greenchildmagazine.com/nature-scavenger-hunt/

08/12/2022

Boredom Buster #21: Sensory bins!




We already talked about how great play doh or clay can be, coloring, painting… but there are multiple benefits to sensory bin play, especially for the under eights:
“Other reasons sensory play is beneficial for children include:
It helps to build nerve connections in the brain
It encourages the development of motor skills
It supports language development
It encourages ‘scientific thinking’ and problem solving
It can involve mindful activities which are beneficial for all children”
From: https://www.goodstart.org.au/news-and-advice/october-2016/exploring-the-benefits-of-sensory-play

There are SO MANY options - here’s some inspiration: https://kidsactivitiesblog.com/53521/sensory-box-ideas/

Our collection of things that can keep the kids busy for longer than a half an hour is pictured below.
I like to mix up what is provided so that the play can vary. Figures and “dirt” and it is a farm, maybe next time plastic flowers, then there’s the “snow” and some animals or Frozen figures, we have kinetic sand in various colors to create different scenes…
And when I was little my grandma gave me dry uncooked rice to play with and some cups and funnels and I was busy for hours, so we also have a bin of split peas to practice pouring and just enjoy the feel of.

And don’t forget that clay and kinetic sand (and slime, though I try not to have it around) can be beneficial for arthritis or anxiety in adults too!

08/10/2022

Boredom Buster # 20 - put on a show!



Why not sing some songs, do a little dance, practice an instrument?
My kids LOVE putting on shows and just singing through life (seriously though- sometimes I feel like I live in a Musical) and giving them permission to get all fancy and make noise will keep them busy for a while!

Drumming, guitar, and keyboard books:

https://d12789.myubam.com/p/7132/drumming-book-ir

Older kids might enjoy this book on how to write scripts:

https://d12789.myubam.com/p/8349/write-your-own-scripts-ir

And I forgot to include this gem when I posted the puppets; I had two over the course of my childhood from Dell Publishing (Wizard of Oz and Nutcracker) and a third Strawberry Shortcake nursery rhymes and I LOVED them:

https://d12789.myubam.com/p/6016/slot-together-theater

(I just wish we had one for fairy tales/slightly younger kids- I found this on Etsy https://www.etsy.com/listing/914129203/toy-theatre-violet-toy-theater-paper)

08/08/2022

Boredom Buster #19- play with clay!



I was obsessed with Play Doh as a kid and then with polymer clay after my folks got me a neat Klutz book that came with Sculpey.

I ran a search and several great oven baked kits are around, as well as the book I loved (sans clay and used):

https://www.google.com/search?q=klutz+sculpey&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-us&client=safari

So helpful for building dexterity and strength and a great outlet for mindfulness or getting out frustrations or just being creative or making something cute- clay is great for any age (once they stop trying to eat it).

UBAM has a neat book (see the kids using it below) that encourages children to work on making specific shapes of various sizes with clay to complete various pictures in a board book. Some of the pages are still a bit of a challenge and totally engage the six year old as well and the four.

https://d12789.myubam.com/p/9449/little-childrens-dough-play-book

08/05/2022

Boredom Buster #18: a building challenge!



Build the tallest tower you can, or the longest bridge, or the strongest bridge, or a bridge that your hotwheels can use, or…

We LOVE these

https://www.mamasmiles.com/bridge-building-stem-challenge/

https://tryengineering.org/teacher/popsicle-bridge/

(Please pardon the kids on vacation mess tornado of our playroom)

08/03/2022

Boredom Buster #17: Puppets!




From felt kits to store bought (these are Melissa and Doug) to paper bags or socks or even Bob Bilby (any Bluey fans? https://www.bluey.tv/make/bob-bilby-puppet/), puppets are a great way to keep kids busy.

Making puppets, writing a play, putting it on… hours of entertainment, potentially for the whole family. If you’re having some trouble coming up with ideas, check out this long list at “Craft Freebies”:

https://craftfreebies.com/puppets.html

08/02/2022

Bonus
Design and make something (with leftovers from other projects if you can).

For her sixth birthday, my eldest wanted to “do a craft” and “make a doll.”
At first she was gathering paper and tissues and said she would need a stapler…
So I asked if she wanted to pick out some felt so it would last longer and I would do the sewing.
Little sis joined in, they handled what they could (see photo of them stuffing).

She designed the body, they discussed underpants and dresses, selected coloring for eyes, clothes, and hair.

The two of them are happy; I would change (and might in the future) the hair and tweak the dresses, but for something that came together in an hour with small people climbing all over me and helping… not bad. Proof that sometimes you can just roll with a kid’s idea and absolutely make their day 💜
HBD, Kiddo 🎂🎉

08/01/2022

Boredom Buster # 16- Cooking!




Do you know how many kids cookbooks are available? Check out my search below.
Sesame Street
Toddler
Disney Princess

Given that kids and summer tend to mean figuring out snacks anyway, why not send them to the kitchen when they’re bored?

For the teeny tinies there’s always Montessori style pouring activities, using a blunt knife to cut a peeled banana or spread nut butter and jam, or helping to stir/mix something.

Older kids can add steps and knife skills progressively. We are at the “help with icing the cupcakes” stage here and really enjoy making popsicles.

You can go international (https://d12789.myubam.com/p/7398/childrens-world-cookbook ), healthy (“Super Foods for Super Kids”), fun, dessert, snack…
And teach valuable life skills while alleviating boredom.

Just be prepared to take pictures of the finished product before your child is willing to eat something they’re proud of. 😉

https://www.google.com/search?q=children%27s+cookbook&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-us&client=safari.

07/29/2022

Wipe Clean comparisons

Boredom Busters #15: Wipe Clean (dry erase) books





Why are these so great? Because it’s a workbook you can do over and over again. We have wipe cleans that have been hand me downs and used dozens of times. A book or two and a few markers on a vacation can replace multiple activity and coloring books and a big box of crayons.

SCHOLASTIC, HIGHLIGHTS, and PRIDDY Workbooks (not pictured)- (4-5 out of 5 stars)

These “Workbooks” have been around for ages and are available in a wide range of places from Amazon to Barnes & Noble to random craft stores. They all come with a black marker that is frustratingly hard to get off of skin or out of clothing and are exactly what they claim to be, but can be expensive or a great deal based solely on when and where you come across them. If you want your little one to work on a specific skill and you have a coupon this could be just what you need.

http://shop.scholastic.com/content/parent-ecommerce/en/books/scholastic-early-learners-wipe-clean-workbook-grade-pre-k-9780545903240.html

http://shop.scholastic.com/content/parent-ecommerce/en/books/scholastic-early-learners-wipe-clean-workbook-grade-1-9780545903271.html

https://shop.highlights.com/b13e378b05bf466a81f86384a5358eb6-42

Amazon.com: Wipe Clean: Letters (Wipe Clean Learning Books): 9780312492519: Priddy, Roger: Books

Wipe Clean: Learning Sight Words: Includes a Wipe-Clean Pen and Flash Cards! (Wipe Clean Learning Books): Priddy, Roger: 9780312520076: Amazon.com: Books

CARSON DELLOSA DISNEY LEARNING -
(3 stars at best)
These are by far my least favorite of the options. The stickers rip if the pre-schooler uses them, they are a pain to get out and to put back, they start to curl after two uses or if they are left in the book too long, the instructions must be read by an adult, and the concepts don’t feel equally difficult to me. You have my kid tracing letters on one page and writing words on another? They have to draw complex scenes or use stickers that aren’t to scale with the background at 4-6 years old?(The selection of sticker designs and characters also seems rather random)The kids love how colorful they are and the incorporation of the characters, but this often feels forced to me, and even on sale they are the most expensive wipe cleans we have because of the character licensing.

COLORFORMS- (found at the Target Dollar Spot. May no longer be available; 4 stars)
I ended up removing the pages with the Colorform letters on them because the book was too difficult to use otherwise, but it’s possible to use it just as a wipe clean and it wasn’t difficult to remove the pages so the kids can access them more easily. All of the pages are pictured. Great practice for alphabetical order, letter sound awareness, matching upper and lowercase letters, practicing writing … the last couple of times I pulled them out I assigned two pages each and they asked to do more. It’s a little tricky taking the Colorforms out the first time and getting them back every use but we all love this option.

READY TO LEARN- (5 stars)
The markers are crap, but for sixty odd pages of developmentally appropriate and standards based activities, most of which are intuitive enough that I don’t have to read the instructions, all for $9-13, totally worth full stars. Cute colorful illustrations and plenty of red baseline ruled space to practice writing.

USBORNE- (tons of 4-5 star options)

https://d12789.myubam.com/search?q=Wipe+clean
There’s a range in size and price and they all come with a marker.

Activity - current favorites here are dot to dot, maze, and drawing (where you complete pictures and add details). We also recommend the Poppy and Sam activity book if you have a fan of their farm.

Skills- we have been working on pen control and tracing letters and numbers since before the age of three for both kids (and when they do a great job/are super proud I take a picture), and are now worrying about writing words and performing arithmetic. The skills packs require some adult interaction since there are specific and lengthy instructions on some pages (others are as intuitive as the simpler books) and to correct their work, but there’s excitement/enthusiasm whenever these are pulled out.

The simpler books are often completed in a single setting and any of them keep either child engrossed for a half an hour or more.

DOLLAR TREE FINDS-

Teaching Tree sleeves- (5 stars)
LOVE these. $1.25, very durable - you can get some free printable worksheets or make your own or just slide some paper in and the same worksheet can be done over and over or the student can write or draw without using several sheets of paper.
When my girls are especially proud, I take a photo with my phone. We have a record and no tree is used or physical space required to keep the work.

School Zone or Bendon (3-5 stars based on luck of the draw)
We found some mini white boards with lines (red baseline ruled) for practice and also some folders or couple laminate page character workbooks.
The Sesame Street letters and counting to ten lasted pretty well. Definitely good value for money.

The Jot Dry Erase Markers! (5 stars)
The little ones with the magnet caps that include an eraser are perfect for little hands and hard to misplace since you can stick them on the fridge or a file cabinet.

CRAYOLA TIP- Crayola makes dry erase crayons so if you have a toddler learning pen control who is making a mess with the markers this is an alternative that won’t require the child wear a smock

CLEANING TIP- if you forget to wipe right after, a dab of hand sanitizer on a tissue works wonders

07/27/2022

Boredom Busters #4 (second post attempt)



The very first books require interaction with a parent (reading things like “can you spot the —-“), but littles can enjoy the illustrations on their own and study the details in these sturdy thick paged books (thinner than most board books, but as thick as good quality cardstock). Mine used to like to narrate what they thought was happening and make little stories. This is a possible extension, as well as asking additional questions - how many have hats? What things are purple? How would you feel if —-? Does that penguin look happy or sad? Etc

The 1001 things to spot have the child find multiples of the items. They don’t all look the same and can be a bit of a challenge. Keeping track of how many they have found is also harder for younger readers but they gain confidence with time.
A great extension is to have the child tell a story about whatever’s happening on the page, or talk about what they would do if they were in the situation pictured and why.

https://d12789.myubam.com/search?q=Things+to+spot

07/27/2022

Boredom Buster #14 Paint some art!




We tried making prints from leaves, grass using a fork, sheep and blending colors with cotton balls and then, inspired by the art in “I’m a dirty dinosaur” ( https://d12789.myubam.com/search?q=I%27m+a+Dirty+Dinosaur ) put some drops of paint down and finger painted smears, then created scenes together (definitely going to do this again and experiment with different colors and blending colors - let me know if you’d like to see the results!