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Book excerpt: Detectives
Reprinted with permission of the author.
All rights reserved. ©1999 Pamela Waterman
Art/Craft
 Turn
fingerprints into art.
Press thumb and fingertips onto a washable inkpad, then press them onto paper.
Use the prints as parts for drawing bugs, cars, and flowers, by giving them legs,
wheels, stems, etc.- Press fingers onto pieces of clear tape or the surface of a
mirror. Lightly sprinkle baby powder over tape to make fingerprints show up.
Can you see the difference?
- Assemble a detective's kit; get a magnifying glass, a
flashlight, a can of baby powder, a clean paintbrush (for dusting for fingerprints) and an
empty envelope for clues.
- Make detective badges out of foil, string, and cardboard,
and a detective's hat (see directions).
- On a pad of paper, use a pen to heavily draw a simple
picture. (Make sure your preschooler can handle a pen.) tear off the top
sheet. Rub lightly over the next sheet with the side of a pencil or a crayon- the
same picture reappears
Indoors
Go on a mystery search: make up a scavenger list of household items, and
give everyone a basket or shoebox to collect them in.  For younger children, look for a
wooden block, a toy car, a stacking cup, a headband, a piece of paper, a tiny book; older
children can hunt for a measuring spoon, a blue marker, a red sock, a rubber stamper, a
roll of tape, a necklace, a Lego block, a cracker.
If you have carpet, gather different shoes for the children to wear. With everyone
else in another room, have one child put on a pair and walk on the carpet, leaving
patterned footprints, then take off the shoes. Have the others guess which
shoes made the prints. Take turns.
Fill a bag with odd items. Each child can reach in, feel the item, and try to guess
what it is.
Music
Theme songs from detective show (Mannix,
Hawaii 5-0)
Outdoors
In the snow, leave bootprint trails for others
to follow. (Or use a shallow puddle or damp sand to create a trail)
Have each child pick up something to examine, without the others seeing it. Put the item
in a paper bag: have other children close their eyes, reach in, feel it, and guess what it
could be ( maple leaf, twig, chalk, petal etc.)
Use a magnifying glass to get a close-up view of ( depending on the season/weather):
tiny wildflowers, one flower petal, different textures of leaves, different colors and
types of rocks, grass, dirt ( see any bugs?), a sidewalk a puddle ( anything in it?), a
plastic swing, and house paint.
Hints for your
own situation:
Figure out mystery sounds or smells. let
one child go in another room and make a noise (jump, open/close drawer, bang two plastic
bowls- you can pre-select these items). Others can guess what made the noise.
Or, fill empty film cans with scent samples (cinnamon, orange slice, peanut butter,
baby powder, chocolate bits) and have them guess (no peeking).
Books
 Piet Potter's Hot Cue
by Robert Quackenbush (McGraw Hill books 1982) (4/6)- My Dog and the Knock, Knock Mystery
by David A. Adler (Holiday House1985) (4/6)
- The 13th
Clue
by Ann Jonas (Greenwillow Books 1992) (4/6)
- Rollo and Tweedy and the Ghost at Dougal Castle
by Laura Jean Allen ( Harper Collins Publishers 1992) (4/6)
Videos
Art/Craft
Materials
- Foil String or yarn
- Cardboard
- Scissors
- Glue stick
- 2 sheets of construction paper
- safety pin
Art/Craft
Directions
Detective Badge
- Cut a badge from cardboard. Draw your initials on the
front.
- Rub all over the badge front with a glue stick. Cut
bits of string long enough to go around your initials. Lay the string bits on the
glued surface, covering the lines of the letters.
- Cover the badge with foil, gently pressing around the string
shapes to mold the foil and make the shapes show through as raised initials. Tape
the foil to the back around the edges. Tape a safety pin to the backside.
Snack-time
Write children's initials on a piece of
light-colored bread using a clean, tiny paintbrush and wither water or lemon juice.
Be generous in wetting it. Pop the slice into the toaster and set it on dark.
The mystery letters will appear! Serve with butter of jam.
 Introduction: Pamela's Interview
In this
interview....
also see:
Meet the Authors
Mariaemma Willis, M.S.
& Victoria Kindle Hodson, M.A.
"Discover Your
Child's Learning Style"
hosted by Joe Spataro
 Interview
& FREE Excerpt
  Mariaemma Willis, M.S., and Victoria Kindle Hodson, M.A., have written a
sensitive, thought-provoking book that honors and celebrates the unique learning styles of
all children.
In this interview hosted by Joe Spataro, the authors discuss their ideas on ADD, ADHD,
dyslexia, homeschooling, afterschooling as well as an easy to follow way to assess your
child.  This
book challenges the assumption at the heart of the traditional school system: that all
children learn (and therefore should be taught) in the same way. The book contains a
step-by-step program of self awareness test that guide you to a better understanding of
your child’s unique strengths and weaknesses. Normally, these tests would cost
hundreds of dollars, but now you can do it yourself and help your child achieve a better
inner peace while helping them achieve their goals and fulfill their interests. |
In this
interview....
The Absolute Best
Play Days:
From Airplanes to Zoos (and Everything in Between!)
by Pamela J. Waterman
Children Love Theme Days!
The Absolute Best Play Days contains 52 themes and activities for keeping children between
ages two and seven happy, safe and creatively occupied for an extended time period. From
dinosaurs and bugs to clocks and inventions, this book covers themes kids love. Low-cost,
everyday materials plus simple planning make this book invaluable for parents, and it's
perfect for baby-sitters, childcare providers, and grandparents too!
Kids Around the
World Create!:
The Best Crafts and Activities from Many Lands
by Arlette N. Braman, Jo-Ellen Bosson
also see
the interview with author Arlette N. Braman
 From
Italian carnival masks to Egyptian jewelry,a fantastic collection of Earth-spanning
activities Kids Around the World Create! is an excellent way for parents and teachers to
introduce children to dozens of diverse cultures from around the world and throughout
history. Each of the projects and activities in this collection is original, fun to do,
and accompanied by a host of interesting facts about the culture. Author Arlette Braman
helps kids recognize the similarities between cultures as well as appreciate the value of
diversity. Perfect in the classroom or at home, the many multicultural projects include
making an Egyptian bead necklace, designing an Amazonian Indian headdress, sculpting an
Inuit spirit figure, and many more. *Includes original activities from many countries,
including India, Ghana, Japan, Korea, and Mexico *All projects can be done with
easy-to-find and inexpensive materials |
