Yes, make your own book.

I never knew that my project during my masters program at DLSU will be put to good use (well, instead of collecting dust). We were tasked to make educational materials for young students, and I made an interactive book, complete with puppets. 


Now that we're homeschooling, I thought of this book, and behold -- still intact inside the tambakan! 


I wanted to place a specific time for manners/etiquette daily, so today we're focusing on saying "Excuse me," and teehee, we're using MY book!


You too can make your own. Make your storyline first. Select the main character, and 5 of the supports, should you have. 


Prepare 2 illustration boards for your cover (title cover and the back cover).

Write your story on a paper you prefer (that should be the left page; I used a simple oslo paper), and make illustrations on another page (that should be the right page). Leave an ample amount of space for a hole that you'd want to put for your main character. You must be able to fit your finger through that hole. The hole/space can be put on corners as what I did, or in the middle (very artsy) or anywhere you like. Draw them circles (holes) now. Make sure you align ALL the page holes or else it will destroy your puppet. (I did draw all of the circles in the lower left corner first before I wrote the words.) Now, draw circles too on your 2 board covers; they have to be all aligned with the pages, alright.

Should you want to print the words and pictures, do so. (There's a plethora of clip art and fonts online; these downloadables make me like a kiddie with new stationery packs!).

At this time, you should have designed your title cover. Then, cover the boards with plastic, then have the pages laminated (you're in luck if you have your own laminator; green eyed). Keep in mind that as typical books, a story (words) page will be on top of the illustrated page before having it laminated (I used double-sided tape for this). Make the holes using a cutter or an X-Acto knife.

Set aside the pages and make your puppets. My main character, Cranberry, is a caterpillar. I used old flannel cloths that we kept in our craft box. I drew along my index finger on the cloth itself using a crayon. Make 2 of this, cut with a millimeter of allowance around, sew them together along the crayon lines, except for the lower part (stronger than glue, can withstand really excited kiddie hands). Voila! A finger puppet! Googly eyes, colored wires, complete the whole shebang. Then a hand puppet for your left hand. Same procedures but make the lower part neater because your not going to cover it like the finger puppet. Glue laminated characters, then place the googly eyes or antennae.

{Guess on that page Cranberry should have said "May I pass through?" Oops!}

Time to assemble the pieces. I had mine wire bound somewhere in Legarda; felt it's cuter than the ringbind. Glue binding will be too rigid for the puppet. When done, glue the finger puppet on the inside of your back cover board, covering the hole of that board. Glue the laminated right page (which should be the end of your story) to cover the mess that is the finger puppet. Also, glue the first page on the inside of your back cover. Now, slide the puppet through the holes till you reach your cover board. There you go!!! Your very own interactive book, strong enough to withstand grabbing hands and writing marks (as the pages are laminated).

{Here's the last page of my story where Cranberry grew wings after a deep sleep (used velcro to attach it at the back of the puppet; wings were attached using a string). Cranberry flapped her little surprise and accidentally hit Lady}

 {Here are Cranberry's friends, using my left hand. The setting is the green garden, hence the color of the cloth. I had to insert some conversations in between the story.}

LIGHTBULB: Instead of a caterpillar, you can make it a talking hotdog (real cute), a growing tree (who'd have leaves in the end) or a stump (for environmental stories), a tall guy, or a short guy (with tall people as illustrations; for a story about self-esteem/confidence), a crayon/pencil, and a lot more. :) 

Enjoy and believe that you're a crafty momma!!! {momhug}

It's not too late for a freebie!

Geninne's Art Blog: For June

Here's a really pretty June desktop, hope it ain't too late for you! Click the thumbnail. <3

Lupang Hinirang: animated, "minus-one" for the perfect tempo, by Radioactive Sago + RockEd

Let the wild rumpus start!!! Officially you know. :)

And so today, we OFFICIALLY begin homeschooling, since Uncle C, my youngest brother, has gone to high school early morning, and my boys were like, "Mommy, so we have school today?"

We're still waiting for the materials from our provider, Catholic Filipino Academy, but I nevertheless wanted to formally begin today. The teacher in me was eager to improvise this day's lesson. Mind you, I have a 6 and a 2 1/2 year-old; both boys, B and M. I requested our bunso girl (1.2y/o) if she can play with yaya first while I teach her kuyas.

We sat on our little table at 9 am, and I felt this is the most workable time for all of us. We prayed first, in the lines of... "God send us Your Holy Spirit... Bless our family... Jesus, please help us make this school at home our best memory ever." Then, I asked Kuya if he wanted to start off with a free drawing first before his lesson. I turned to Diko and we traced standing and sleeping lines, hand-over-hand (HOH). After which, we traced a square, chanting up-down, up-down, while coloring the inside of the shape. We touched a bit on colors, and he has mastered blue, red and yellow. M asked if he can go to our play area and I permitted him to.

Kuya B was done with his drawing at this time (a shark and little fish, and we talked about gills and oxygen, how to color clouds that should be white with blue shades), and by now, he got a book that we eventually read aloud. I asked him to copy his new vocabularies on his notebook (recycled from his previous traditional school last year; this I truly love!) We were able to list 10 words, which he recited aloud in the end.

Off to numbers, as he was getting sleepy with this "bed" weather. I improvised Montessori beads using my old calling cards and my handy marker, drew dots to represent ones, tens, and hundreds. Yes, you're right. I want to begin with place values. This basic concept will be the foundation of everything about numeracy. Being reared in a Montessori system during pre-elementary years, then later on teaching in a Montessori school right after college, had made me realize how concrete their math system is. Manipulatives and all, by far, Montessori math is hands-down the best for younger children, according to, none other than, moi. (Tell me what suits your kids.)

After a series of numbers to be expanded, from single to 3 digits, B got a little bit bored and it was the best idea for snack and recess (play time). I had to explain to him that snack is well, snack, and recess means break. Here in Pinas, we were unluckily taught that recess IS snack period. Nope. Erase, erase, erase that notion.

M by this time was done with playing so, he went back to the study area to trace a big apple. :) We colored it once more, doing HOH once in a while. He still cannot do a tripod grip, unlike Kuya who did it at 2 years old. (Lots of coloring and tracing activities at abcteach.)

30 minutes after, I asked Kuya to sit with me so he can make a flag. I told him the significance of the Independence Day celebration yesterday while he painted. We cut yellow paper for the three stars and the sun (suddenly thought of FrancisM...) When the flag was dry enough to post on the wall, we stood up straight, placed our right hands on our left chest, and sang Lupang Hinirang. He was mumbling some words, oh well, actually not some, but a lot, so now you and I know what our next lesson would be. :)

We wrapped it up at 12 noon; gave them some more time to build blocks, this time with little girl, then off to a hearty lunch of Pork Nilaga at 12:30. Hmmm... Warmed tummies, warmed hearts.

T'was so fulfilling. First day, huh. Couldn't be more affirmed. No trauma, no uniforms, no crying, no I-don't-want-to-go-to-school-don't-leave-me whines. Just giggles, excited eyes, and "Mommy, tomorrow ulit?" Whew. :) Never knew I'd homeschool, really. But I actually enjoyed it more than the boys. (God you really are up to something I'm so clueless about. Anyhoo, just continue planting Your Will in my heart; I'm listening now.)

Upper Room Homeschool dismissed till tomorrow morning. :) (Thought I'd give our homeschool a name! Hooray!)

From Pinterest {follow me!}

This desire to homeschool

I know that homeschooling is of a higher purpose.
I know that God planted  it in my heart long time ago.
This big longing inside me is so big, it makes me want to jump for joy, haha!

(anticipating for the materials...nooneenooneenooooooo...)

Hug a momblogger today!

Have You Given a Mom-Blogger Hug Lately?

I've stumbled upon this really nice list from DaintyMom. :) Great for new mombloggers like me.

Well hello there June :)

Please be kind to me this year. Pretty please.
I'm aging.
But I pray to age like wine.

Happy birthday to me. :)

Twisted Sister

It's June 4th!
1st day of med school for sister#4!
Her 1st time alone in a faraway land...
And it also happens to be her birthday! :)/:(
We <3 you! God bless your dreams!