Exploratorium

I went to the Exploratorium several times as a kid and have fond memories of driving down to San Fran, walking around Fisherman’s Wharf and going to the Exploratorium. So, for this trip to California, I had to take Christopher to experience some little bits from my childhood and it was so fun seeing it again through his eyes.
He LOVED the Exploratorium. He RAN from exhibit to exhibit touching and playing (the museum is interactive) with everything. I loved seeing how excited he got making a tornado, listening with bat-like ears, trying to walk across the pebbles when the decibel meter was seeing how quiet he could be, looking at the developing chickens and going in the weird shaped house that I remember from my trips.
Not sure that he learned a lot, I tried to read to him what the exhibits were about, but he was more interested in seeing how they worked and doing things and then running full speed to the next exhibit.
Here he is enjoying the Exploratorium of San Francisco.

Diverting Water (This was one of the biggest hits, isn't water usually though?):

Playing with Black Sand and a Magnet, I loved this as a kid:

C and Brian listening with Bat Ears:

The funky shaped room, they loved looking tall:

Uncle Ronnie, Brian and C, I think making fog:

Oh, and did I mention the Exploratorium is right down the street from the Golden Gate bridge? Pictures to follow later.

Incorporating Learning

I have been trying to get better about incorporating learning in daily conversations with C. It usually goes pretty well, but yesterday morning he threw me for a loop. I was lazy and just made oatmeal for breakfast, but he was excited because I add food coloring to his oatmeal to make it a color. Yesterday I made it green. He liked it! I said, "C what other things are green?" He went on to say grass, turtles, oatmeal (haha) , I added leaves so he said trees, and a few more. I said, "what else is green?". He responded, "why do we always have to talk about what is a color like green, why can't we just sit and eat and talk like adults?" I almost fell out of my chair I was laughing so hard. It was just too funny! Where has he heard that or what made him think that?!?! No clue how their big minds work.

I checked out a book at the library called Before Five in a Row, it is a book that gives ideas to parents of preschoolers on having fun teaching their children about the world around them. So we checked out some books on the list and have probably 15 books out from the library for now. He has pretty much memorized Going on a Bear Hunt after three readings. His favorite though that we checked out was Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel. We also are doing some activity sheets with the Mike Mulligan one, where C will have to draw what he would discover in his hole if he was Mike and he was digging. I am looking forward to getting some more ideas on how to bring the books alive and teach him a little more at home. Some more examples are we are reading Brown Bear, Brown Bear and I made some activity cards where he will match the words to the characters in the story (like white and white dog). Also, for snowy day I made some picture cards and since we pretty much know that story by heart, I am going to have him color and glue his own snowy day picture book.

We started cooking classes tonight and it was a lot of fun. For March he is signed up for Cooking and Hockey and April I think we will do cooking and t-ball.

For his class tonight they made boats (deviled eggs with pepper sails), sandwich kabobs, and chocolate peanut butter rice krispie treats.

For the deviled eggs they were cut in half and the kids scooped out the yolks and then each had a plate that they mixed the yolks with a little mayo, mustard, and pickle juice.

The sandwich kabobs they got to choose from turkey, ham, cheese, pickles, olives, bread, peppers, and more and make their own sandwich kabobs.

For the rice krispie treats each one got to measure one thing and took turns stirring the bowl in between microwaving it to make it melt, then each spread their own into the pan. The kids had a good time.

Here are the finished products: