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Purple Crayon Playdough

Materials
3 purple crayons, shaved or chopped
3 cups flour
1 1/2 cups salt
2 Tablespoons Cream of Tarter
2 Tablesppons oil
Pan
Mixing bowl
2 cups water

Directions

In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients (3 cups flour, 1 1/2 cup salt, 2 Tbsp. cream of tartar)  Next, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan. Add the chopped crayons. Stir until the crayons are completely melted. Slowly stir in 2 cups of water. Continue stirring until mixed. Add dry ingredients a little at a time. Continue stirring until all ingredients are mixed and dough has formed.  The dough will pull together in a ball over the heat. Once the dough has formed, remove from heat and dump playdough out onto a cutting board or counter. Let the dough cool slightly before kneading. Knead the dough until smooth. 
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Babycycle (0-3 months)

A Body-Awareness Activity (0-3 months)

Place your baby on his back on a blanket on the carpet. Facing your baby, very gently and very slowly move his legs in a bicycling motion, all the while talking and smiling at him to encourage him to wiggle his legs without your help. By moving his legs for him, you let your baby feel his little legs and feet moving in a new way – each side of the body working in reciprocal movement. You also mimic an action he’ll be using later on as he learns to crawl.

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Swat the Toy (3 months and up)

Eye-Hand Coordination, Visual Development, and Fine Motor Practice

Attach a small plush toy or teething ring to a brightly colored ribbon or plastic links. Place your baby on a blanket and dangle the toy in front of your baby – making it sway from side to side, and encouraging your child to reach across her body.  Praise her efforts as your baby reaches out and swipes at – or even grabs – the toy. Reaching for moving objects helps your baby fine-tune the coordination of both sides of her body. 

Extension Activity

Big Bouncing Ball

Using a brightly colored punchball (available at toy stores) or a beach ball with a colorful ribbon tied to it, lie your baby on his back and dangle the ball in front of him. Three- to six-month-olds can swat it with their hands, kick it with their feet, and eventually try to get both arms around it. This takes eye-hand and eye-foot coordination, as well as an understanding of just how far their arms and legs extend – all of which come from steady swatting and kicking practice. 

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Harold and the Purple Crayon

Materials
Storybook:  Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson
Purple Crayon
Large White Construction Paper

Directions
Read the story, Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson.  Provide large sheets of white construction paper and purple crayons.  Invite your child to draw and explore with a purple crayon.  Where does it take her?  What does she do?  What experiences does your child have with the purple crayon?  Have fun!

Read other stories about Harold and his purple crayon.  Like Harold, what other adventures does your child have with a purple crayon?

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Jewel Drop

Materials
1 empty plastic bottle (Voss water bottles work well!)
Acrylic colored jewels
Small bowl or basket

Directions
Place 10 – 12 acrylic jewels into a small plastic bowl or basket.  We used purple jewels only during Purple week. Provide an empty plastic bottle.  Invite your child to pick up one jewel at a time using her pincer grasp (thumb and index finger) and drop the jewel into the plastic bottle.  Continue until your child loses interest.  Pour the jewels back into the bowl or basket.

This activity helps stengthen the pincer grasp which is needed for writing and practices eye and hand coordination.

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Painting Purple Grapes

Materials
Corks for Crafts
White construction paper (9″x 12″)
Purple tempera paint
Paper plate
Green Marker
Purple glitter (optional)

Directions
With a pencil, lightly draw a simple triangular shape in the center of the white construction paper.  This will serve as a guide for your child to make purple dots inside. Pour a small amount of purple tempera paint onto a paper plate.  Using one of the larger corks, invite your child to dip the cork into the paint and press onto the white paper.  Once the triangular area is filled, help your child sprinkle a small amount of glitter (if desirous) and add a green stem to the top.  Dry completely before hanging.

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Purple Circles Matching Game

Materials

Various shades of purple paint chips from a paint store
Large piece of white construction paper
Marker
Glue
Scissors


Directions
To prepare the activity, cut the paint chips into various size circles or rectangles, making sure to have matching pairs.  On the large piece of white construction paper, draw a grid with  – one line down the middle of the paper and several lines that go across the paper.  Glue one of each matching pair onto the left side of each section on the grid.  Place the other pieces in a small basket or container.

Invite your child to match each shape in the basket to the one on the grid.  Match all the pairs.

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Purple Cow Shakes

Ingredients
1 small scoop of vanilla ice cream
2 Tablespoons of grape juice concentrate
2 Tablesppons of milk
Small jar with lid
Red and blue food coloring

Directions
Help your child place a small scoop of vanilla ice cream into a jar.  Measure 2 tablespoons of grape juice concentrate and 2 tablespoons of milk.  Add to the ice cream. Invite your child to add 2 drops of blue and 1 drop of red food coloring into the mixture. Screw the lid on tightly and shake!  What happens to the ice cream?  What color is the shake?  Pour into a small cup and enjoy!

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Purple Pretzel Monster Cookies

Ingredients
Pretzel sticks broken into small pieces (approximately 1 inch in size)
1 package of Wilton Candy Melts in Lavender (can be purchased at Michael’s)
1 package of Wilton Candy Eyeballs (can be purchased at Michael’s)

Directions
Melt candy melts as directed.  In a large mixing bowl, pour melted candy over pretzel bits.  Stir with a spoon until all pretzels are coated.  Drop by spoonfuls onto cookie sheet covered in non-stick foil or parchment paper.  Add candy eyeballs.  Allow monster cookies to harden. Serve.