More thrifty goodness + Practical Life

On Monday I squeezed in a short visit to our local thrift store again (without my children).  I found several "treasures" to use in the classroom that I would like to share.  Specifically, I was looking for a vintage tray to use for plant watering with the little watering can I found on my last thrifty outing.  I was also looking for little doilies to complete my flower arranging work.  Needless to say, I found those items, and much more.

I LOVE this vintage metal tray.  I am most likely going to use it for the plant watering work, but may find other uses for it as well.

Here are the four doilies I bought for flower arranging.

And here is my flower arranging work all ready to go.  I bought the little green vase at Goodwill and the other three were aleady in the classroom.  The flowers are silk.  Ideally, you would have scissors and a little water pitcher and the children would pick fresh flowers to cut.  At this time, we don't have a school flower garden per se, so I am using silk flowers.  I will probably keep this work out all year, changing out the flowers seasonally (i.e. fall leaves, poinsettias, etc.) or I will rotate it in and out throughout the seasons.

Here is a little vase with flowers.  In the flower arranging work, the child arranges the flowers and places the vases throughout the room. 

Here are some of my other "thrifty" finds.  Top left is a little silver bathtub.  Going clockwise, a milk glass basket, a little tray with an Asian-themed painting on it, two very small "shot" glasses, and a very adorable tiny red ceramic pitcher.  I am picturing the pitcher, glasses and tray together for a water pouring activity with a little sponge placed on the tiny tray.  LOVE IT!!

This was a set of three little trays that appear to be made out of shell or some other natural material.  They are really pretty.  I'm not sure how I'll use them yet, however.

I needed one more bag of the smooth stones to finish a math work, and so I picked one up at our local discount store.  In the dollar section, I also found the colored clothespins.

Here is the work I set up using the colored clothespins.  I don't know where I originally got the little white rack or what it's for, but I've used it in the past for clipping regular clamp-type clothespins.  The colored ones just slide onto the bars.  I tried using little pieces of felt with the pins, but it was too thick.  I may add pieces of a thinner fabric, or I may just leave the work as is.

Comments

[Luciana Scavuzzo]

Hi Laura, when I saw the rack with the clothespin I almost cry!! My husband put in the garbage the old rack the go in the freezer!!! is the same!!! Wow only maybe was need some paint... :(
I love your ideas!!
Luciana

[Wilma Kelly]

Hi Laura,

We just read your recent blog and enjoyed learning more about the

activities you are preparing. I know the children will not only

enjoy them, but will learn much without even realizing it! Keep up

the good work.

[Lindart]

Flower Arranging: I have a sign up sheet for parents to bring in fresh flowers every two weeks. Works great! Just make sure they don't bring in coloured (dyed) and glittered flowers! Sometimes they will bring in a bouquet of all the same flowers or a mixed bouquet. It's a good vocab lesson too.

[Thimbleina]

I like the rack for pinning the pegs onto - good activity, we do one like that where Mister T has to pin them on to the edge of an empty round tin type container.