Hot Air Balloon

This month we are learning about all different forms of transportation.  For some reason we have not gotten very much done this month so I had a bunch of days left.  I decided to set them all out and each let them choose a day.  Lachlan chose the Hot Air Balloon day.

Most of the time I get out their More Math & More Literacy workbooks to do at the end of the day.  But on this day, as I was still trying to get things together, I gave them the books first.  This actually worked out really well.  They had good focus and it helped them to get excited about today's theme.

Adam decided to try something new on this day as well, cutting with scissors.  He is almost 21 months, so it freaks me out a bit.  But when he did it his way he pulled out the chair, climbed up and grabbed the scissors.  I tried to put them up, but he made his opinion known.  So finally I decided if he is buckled into his seat and I am sitting with him he can work with scissors. 

He pulls them apart, slides them over the paper and then he uses his little pointer finger to help close them and push the top blade down.  He does this all very carefully, but it's still a bit unnerving.  This was about 3 days ago and since then he has sat and cut for at least an hour everyday.  If I help him hold them the right way he can cut with out using his little finger to push them down which lets me relax a bit.

Proud for sure.  

Then we got started on our Hot Air Balloon craft.  First we had to weave our basket together.  I asked Lachlan if he needed me to teach him and he said "no, I have been weaving in my Maker's class."

He colored his balloon and is attaching it to the basket.   I didn't help him one bit on any of this.  No help with the tape or cutting the yarn, nothing.  We have come such a long way.  That's the great part about all of these crafts and props they make.  They can complete it with the abilities they have and be proud of the finished product no matter what.

 Still proud.  Watch where you are cutting buddy. 

 We also learned sign language for the words "up" and "down". 

^ "Up."

"Down."
After Lachlan got his Hot Air Balloon all finished I gave him directions on how to fly using sign language.

 I made him keep going up and up, tippy toes, reach, reach.

 Down, down, down, don't get stabbed by baby brother with scissors!

 Still need to work on scissor safety with this one.

We have seen hot air balloons take off before and they have seen and heard the fire roar.  They have even ridden in a tethered hot air balloon that just went up and down.  So it was fun to have Mother Goose Time bring back those memories and ask questions to remind us how it worked.   I think that is my favorite part about craft time with the kids.  The discussions we have while we work.

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