DIY Baby Stuff

DIY Montessori Material : Inset for Design Set 1

2008-08-28T23:23:00.003+08:00

I started to make this set since... I think three years ago.

Yupe, before I carried ZuYan and I was still working with young children.

I start to trace the outline, cut out then it was on hold till last year, completed in October 2007.

I use mounting board for the inset, cover with contact paper then glue on a board pin.

I was amazed by myself that I made it!

But it will now be a reserved set or might keep it at ZuYan's granma's place, so ZuYan got something to work on during his visit to grandma's house.

Number puzzle

2008-05-26T22:15:00.001+08:00

I bought this puzzle and decided to make a change on it.

This is the original piece. Colorful and distracted.

This is the inner part of the puzzle after the numerals are remove.
I am yet to decide whether to do any change to this or not.

After modification.
Green color because the Sand Paper Number call for green.
With knobs make of board pin for pincer grip.

I certainly feel that the modified version is much eye soothing.

Barney Pinata

2008-04-11T18:13:00.003+08:00

For Zu Yan 2nd Birthday this year, since he is so into Barney recently, I decided to make him a Barney Pinata.

The head of the pinata is made of a balloon.

The mouth and the body is from this My Pony Children exercise ball.

The hands and feet are make from Coca-Cola tall cup.

I paper machier each body part, the balloon for head, cup for hands and legs, My Pony for the body and the mouth first.

After each part has dry up, then I connect the body parts using masking tape then cover the whole thing with paper machier again.

Let dry, totally dry, the paste on the colour tissue paper.

Cut out holes for filling goodies later.

Tissue papers are more difficult to handle and manipulate than crepe paper but I choose to use tissue paper because of the colours.

Then paste on the eyes, nose and mouth.

I am using 1 part flour(expired flour) to 1 part water and add salt to prevent mold for the paste.

Check up here if you need some guidance.

Zu Yan carrying the unfinish Barney Pinata around the house.

Zu Yan get my help to place unfinish Barney Pinata sitting next to him.

Zu Yan holding his plush toy Barney and the almost complete Barney Pinata.

Zu Yan filling goodies into Barney Pinata.

Barney Garland

2008-04-08T20:37:00.000+08:00

The homemade Barney Garland for Zu Yan 2nd Birthday Party.

DIY Inset for design

2007-09-27T22:40:00.000+08:00

The 1st year old birthday cake

2007-04-19T02:22:00.001+08:00

ZuYan turned 1 on 13 April 2007. I baked ZuYan a Devil Food's Cake and Mini cupcake. This is the first time I tried the recipe and it turn out 'yummy', especially the chocolate ganache. Guests were asking for recipe. Thanks to www.tpcalcake.net who given me some advices and encouragement at the last minute when I thought I would not be able to do it.

Buy Mini Cake Cup Paper

The ball

2007-02-12T01:50:00.000+08:00

Zu Yan playing with a soft ball with his leg at 4 months old.

My mother saw a similar soft ball while shopping with baby and me. She handmakes one for Zu Yan with her excellent quilting skills.
Zu Yan loves it very much. To manipulate a bit, I put some green beans in a small sauce container (KFC salads sauce container) and stuff inside the ball.
Now he has a ball that makes sound when he kicks or shakes it.

The sun /wind catcher mobile

2007-02-06T03:19:00.002+08:00

In the book Montessori from the start, you are encouraged to begin with mobiles to help babies learn focus in their eyes.

This is the sun and wind catcher that I made out of colour paper. Cut the spiral, then the flower shape, then the dot in the middle. Paste the dot in the middle of the flower shape, then paste the flower onto the spiral. Make four sets of spiral at different length. Tie each spiral to a round cardboard (cut out from carton box). Then tie the round cardboard to the mosquito net bar.

I have the template of the spiral, flower and dot but don't know how to link it to the post so that you can print it out. If you know and you don't mind, let me know, please.

Zu Yan sitting up with support at 3 months and 2 weeks old. He is really admiring the mobile. Especially after a warm shower, he likes to lay in the crib watching the mobile spining.

The clock

2007-02-06T03:19:00.001+08:00

I decided to hang a wall clock in ZuYan's learning room.
The clock will be hang at child level.
ZuYan can see it, notice it and aware about the existance of a clock.
I think many children don't know how to read a clock until they go to primary.
They are having hard time understanding every 60 minutes turns 1 hour, 24 hours turns 1 day, don't mention about sitting for test.

Before After

This wall clock is a free gift.
The background is definitely not suitable for children.
I had it changed to numberals, and will add on the minutes.
Emm... that will be years later when ZuYan is about 6 years old.