Help oogly Ring in Spring!

Today is the first day of Spring! The posh name for Spring Equinox is Vernal Equinox which means day and night have approximately the same length. As daylight hours increase and warmer temperatures arrive, the changing weather can lift the spirits of young – and old – alike. Don’t miss this opportunity to have some fun and educate at the same time.

What’s the weather like where you are today? Help oogly dress for the weather. Is it raining? Maybe your oogly needs a raincoat or an umbrella? If it’s real sunny, how about some sunglasses or a hat? Kids are fascinated by the vast and interesting subject of weather – just watch a child when a thunderstorm begins or when the sun pokes out during a storm and kids run outside to see the rainbow in the sky.

If spring ushers in some hard rain, make a rain gauge and teach the kids about measurements and precipitation.Take an empty plastic or glass container and, using a permanent marker, mark up the side in quarter or half-inch graduations. Place your rain gauge in an area that is open and unsheltered. Check your gauge each day and record how much rain you collected. You can also keep a log and average the amount of rain you collect over a specified period.

We’d love to see photos of your oogly celebrating the first day of Spring --  please share the sunshine or the rain!

Create an oogly self portrait

One of the best things about oogly is it gives children an opportunity to express their feelings that they can’t – or don’t want to – put into words. Children easily grasp the idea that their oogly can represent their positive thoughts, and also challenges they’re facing.   

 Ask your child to make an oogly self-portrait. If they’re struggling for ideas, ask them the following questions:

• What shape is your face?
• How long is your hair?
• What shape are your eyes? Are they big? Small? Close together?
• What makes you different from other kids?
• Do you have all your teeth? 
• Are you smiling today?
• Do you have freckles?

Here's a crabby oogly self-portrait representing a very crabby kid!

Resist the urge to “correct” your child. Instead, ask them questions about what they’ve created. 

Example: “I see oogly has three eyes and sharp teeth today. Tell me about that.”

We found this great blog with lots of ideas for creating self-portraits in mediums other than clay. 

A child’s self-portrait is a special snapshot – one that shows how they see themselves. You can learn a lot about your child through this fun project!

It's Leap Day! Make a Leap Year Time Capsule.

 

It’s LEAP DAY!  Have a Leap Day celebration with oogly…Create a Leap Day Time Capsule

This can be done at home with the family, or as a class activity. Have your kids decorate a shoebox or oatmeal container and fill it with a variety of items you gathered during the end of February.

Some ideas might include:

• make an oogly and take pictures of oogly with the family members
• a grocery receipt
• last night’s dinner menu
• list of questions & answers for each child:
• who are your closest friends?
• what is your favorite activity this year?
• who is your favorite teacher?
• what books are you reading?
• what do you think you'll be doing in 4 years?

Then pack the time capsule away somewhere and don't open it until the next Leap Day. Kids will get a kick out of seeing the old pictures and learning how much things change in four years.