By Haven Mitchell-Rose 

As the weather gets colder, we must move our play and exploration from the vast outdoors into our considerably smaller living rooms. despite the space limitation the possibilities for creative play endless. If you're running low on ideas, have no fear! Spellbound is here to help with some creative play suggestions that you and your little one can do from the comfort - and warmth - of home. 

Aaand our indoor theme for this week? Pictures: Drawn, collaged, and posed! 

Say cheese! 

In one of our explorers classes this week, we read the book "Perfect Square" by Michael Hall. This book tells the story of a square who is transformed into many other shapes, all comprised of parts of the original square. Now you and your little one can experience the exciting world of collage pictures, beginning with the square...

Materials: 
Construction paper 
Glue/ Tape 
Scissors
Hole punch (optional) 

Step 1: Present your child with a square cut from construction paper (If you feel comfortable with your child using scissors, allow them to help you cut) 
Step 2: Give your child a chance to explore the shape, hold it, feel the edges, and count sides and corners if that is interesting to them 
Step 3: Allow your child to rip (or cut depending on your comfort level with them handling scissors) the square to see how many other shapes they can make. (for infants you will have to do this for them, but make sure to show them every thing you do, and let them hold and/ or touch each new shape so that they remain engaged. 
Step 4: Once your done exploring, and you and your child have arranged the shapes in a satisfying way, glue them to another piece of construction paper 
Challenge: If you and your little one want to add more to your collage, trying beginning with a circle instead of a square, or any other shape you can think of! 

Pencils and paper are not the only ways we can make pictures. In this next indoor picture activity, you are a book author who needs your little one's help in creating pictures for their latest book. 

Materials: 
Your body 
Your imagination
Costume pieces/ props from around the house (optional)
Camera (real or imaginary) 

Step 1: Select a story to tell your child, it can be one that they already know, or a brand new one. 
Step 2: Tell the story pausing every so often to allow your child to create a picture for that chunk of story with their body. (for infants you can dress them up and/ or pose them while you tell the story) 
Step 3: Take a picture with a real camera, or an imaginary one, of your child's pose 
Step 4: Repeat with each section of the story until it is finished. 
Challenge: If you and your little on are felling extra crafty, and you used a real camera, print the pictures you took, staple them together into a book that you and you child can add too with writing and drawings. 

As always, please share any aquatic pictures/ videos you take to our Facebook Page with the hashtag #saySpellbound 

Before we can truly understand the life of a fish, we must first familiarize ourselves with their home. So, get those flippers ready, and let's explore! That activity is great for babies and toddlers, but can also be fun for kids on the upper end of our Spellbound demographic (5 yrs.). 

Materials: 
Music player 
Bubbles 
Any pieces of blue/ ocean colored fabric found around the house (e.g. a scarf or a t-shirt)
Your Imagination 

Step 1: Drape the blue fabric around the room to set the scene
Step 2: Create the ambiance of your underwater world with some aquatic music! Click HERE for a suggestion.  
Step 3: Blow bubbles as a final touch to give the space a true under water feel 
Step 4: Show baby how to pop bubbles, or (if they are old enough) blow them themselves. 
Step 5: Grab a piece of blue fabric, and show your child how to move it in an under-water way. Let them try! 
Challenge: Can your child and/ or you think of some fun undersea dance moves? Show us! 

Now that you are properly immersed in the world of the fish, you and your little one are ready to become them. Slightly older children will enjoy this activity more than their infant counterparts as it involves fine motor skills. 

Materials: 
Bed sheet  
2 Chairs
Light source (i.e. flashlight or cell phone) 
Your hands 

Step 1: Stretch bed sheet across chairs to create your playing space 
Step 2: Establish which side is the back and which is the front by placing the illuminated light source on the back side
Step 3: Place a flat hand, with palm facing the sheet, between said sheet and the light source. Stick your thumb up, and you've got a fin! Practice swimming around 
Challenge: Can you and your little one use your hands to create other fishy shapes? Show us! 

As always, please share any aquatic pictures/ videos you take to our Facebook Page with the hashtag #SpellboundOcean.

Photo credit: http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-make-hand-shadow-puppets