3 Year Check-Up

Between our move to Arizona, new jobs, Lizzy starting preschool, it has been hectic. Not to mention we didn't have insurance for the first time ever the month of May when Lizzy turned 3. Thankfully she is a very healthy child. So finally we took Lizzy to the pediatrician. Just a well check up and the second part of a hep shot and tb test. Lizzy did she well we are so lucky to have a child who loves going to the doctor, dentist, and soon to be eye doctor. Lizzy didn't flinch or cry when she got her shot and tb test! Afterwards I was worried she wouldn't want to go to school but she was excited to show all her friends her cool bandaids and sticker she picked out. Then later that day she pretended to be a doctor.

Bath Tub Color Fizz

Some days it’s still a struggle to get Lizzy to take a bath other days she’s fine with it. But for those times when she doesn’t want to take a bath I try to find fun things to do for her in the bathtub. I found some colored bath fizz tablets that color the bath water. They come in primary colors so your child can mix colors to create other colors. Lizzy had fun with this. I will have to get more next time I am at the store.

Solar Oven Smores

I recently attended a workshop put on by the Arizona Science Center about nature science activities to do with children. I got a packet of different activities to do out in Arizona nature. I think I will be doing most of these with Lizzy. This weekend we made smores using a solar oven we made together.

Upper and Lowercase

Use your leftover plastic Easter eggs to create a upper and lowercase matching game. Have your child match the uppercase letter with the lowercase to complete the egg. Lizzy can recognize all her uppercase letter and is now learning to recognize the lowercase letters.

Water "Painting"

Another hot summer day for Lizzy in the kiddie pool. She is a fish and absolutely loves it. Today I brought out some extra "toys" for Lizzy to explore and learn from. Some cleaning sponges, some paint stamping sponges, a paintbrush, a small watering can, and a dish for water. I let Lizzy explore the toys and find out what she would do with them. She played hockey with the cleaning sponge by kicking it back and forth and saying she was playing hockey. She used the sponge stamps on the patio to stamp the different shapes, she used the paintbrush to write her name and paint flowers onto the concrete, she used her water dish, hands and feet, to stamp on the ground. So simple, fun, and for the most part not messy.

Nature Collage

Most of the nature in our backyard is dying in this heat but I had lots of contact paper and I knew Lizzy would enjoy making a nature collage. I let Lizzy go outside to look for things to add to her collage. She stuck everything onto the contact paper, when she was done I sealed it with clear contact paper and we put it up to display on our glass door. This could really be a great activity to do in the spring when all the flowers have bloomed for a really colorful collage.

Active Play Ideas

Lizzy has lots of energy and some of the things she does to keep active are listed bellow. We are always looking for new ideas that are easy, indoors if possible (for the summer), and fun.

Hopping Ball

Playing Catch

Hop Scotch

Riding Scooter

Riding Bike

Shapes Twister

Yoga DVDs

Dance

Video Games

I usually bring books, stickers, crayons, coloring pages, and whatever else fits in Lizzy's backpack with me when we go out to keep her entertained. When those things aren't keeping her happy when we are out I take the leapfrog video game player for Lizzy and she will spend lots of time playing with it. All the games are "educational" but in my opinion I don't see it as an educational tool just entertainment for when we are out. This video game player and our cell phones have saved us of meltdowns several times while we have been out.

Carousel Ride

Banana Splits and the Park

Making and Playing with Playdoh

Jump Street

Today was hot and dusty so we went to check out Jump Street an indoor trampoline park. Lizzy had lots of fun jumping, meeting new people, doing somersaults, and jumping with mommy. The only thing that would get her to leave was the promise of smoothies on the way home.

(If you look close you can see orbs in the pictures. Either ghosts were having fun too, or it was really dusty in there from the dust storm outside)

Adventures Out West: Apache Trail to Canyon Lake

As my parent's visit came to an end we drove the Apache Trail to Canyon Lake where we took a relaxing steamboat cruise. It was quite beautiful and relaxing.