Make a Ribbon Wand for “Ribbon” Gymnastics

A few weeks ago, near the end of the Olympic Games, we made ribbon wands after watching the Rhythmic Gymnastics competitions.  They were very easy to make and my children have had a wonderful time pretending to be “Ribbon” gymnasts these last few weeks (as my youngest calls the sport).  

Did you know that the Paralympic Games began yesterday?  You can find a list of sports and a schedule here.  Rhythmic Gymnastics is not a paralympic sport, but in the spirit of the games, I give you the homemade ribbon wand.

We were able to make these wands with items we have on hand.  My girls are always finding ways to play with ribbons, so we keep all the cloth ribbons from gifts or broken hair bows in our bin of dress up clothes.  For this project, my children choose long ribbons, one gold and one cream colored.  We also happened to have wooden rods, but plastic rods or broken fairy wands would work too.

To make these wands, you need:

long ribbons (we used some that wrapped gifts bought at fancy stores)

12 inch wooden craft rods

markers

a glue gun

Let your children express their creativity as they color the ribbons.  My older daughter opted for solid colors while the younger also drew lines and shapes on hers.  After your children have colored and decorated the ribbon with the markers, wrap one end around the wooden rod and secure it with hot glue.  I placed glue on the first edge and sealed it again after wrapping the ribbon around the rod a few times.  Let dry and then dance with your ribbon.  This is a great way to encourage indoor exercise on a rainy or super hot day.

If you need inspiration for how to use your ribbon wand, you can watch the gold medal winning ribbon routine by Yevgenia Kanayeva here.  By the way, my children don’t throw their ribbon wands inside the house, but they do like to wave them quite spastically and have so far not caused any damage to our possessions.  They both study ballet, so this activity is all about pirouettes and spins with a ribbon accessory for them.  When they are ready to try out the other rhythmic apparatus, such as the hoop or the ball, they will have to go outside.

I have not structured a formal lesson around the ribbon wand, but my children are learning about graceful movements, translating movement into a visual image, and coordinating what their feet do while their arm manipulates the ribbon in various ways.  They tend to take turns with their ribbon presentations, learning new movements by watching each other and then copying or changing what they have seen the other do.

I have a question for you, readers.  Rhythmic gymnastics is a women’s sport because women have the flexibility required for the dance movements.  Since I have girls, I did not hesitate to make these wands when they asked for some.  Will any of you be making these wands for boys to play with?  I think both boys and girls could have fun with this toy, but will boys think it is too girly?

I have attached this post to Laura’s Fantastic Ideas for Summer Fun Link up over at Come Together Kids.  This on-going link up already has over 200 ideas for summer projects and activities.  

Karri at My Life’s a Treasure hosts a weekly My Favorite Things Link up, and I am linking this post there. 

Megan at Sorta Crunchy shares hosting duty for the weekly Your Green Resource Link up with three other blogs.  This link up is for green living: recycling, repurposing, do-it-yourself, organic gardening, and recipes using whole foods.

Stef at Educating Laytons just started a Tactile Tuesday Link up for tactile learning projects and resources, so I have also linked this project there. 

Rachel of Sun Scholars hosts a weekly For the Kids Friday Link up for “KID-RELATED activities, games, recipes, parties, gifts, clothing you've created, crafts, traditions, lessons, and so on.”

The Healthier School Day Lunch

My daughter returns to school in two weeks, so I am starting to think about packing her lunch box.  Even if you homeschool, a busy day might leave you short on prep time for the midday meal.  Below, I list a week’s worth of lunch ideas, for the lunch box, or the busy family at home.

As you know from reading other posts, I make most of our meals from fresh whole foods.  My daughter attends public school, and even though our school district makes an effort to include whole grains and fresh foods on the menu, much of the offerings are processed and/or overcooked, often with lots of added sugar and salt.  So, I try to limit her school lunch purchases to once a week.  Even though her school lunch is inexpensive, buying often can add up, so bringing lunch from home saves money.

One way to stock the lunch box with something besides sandwiches is to make use of leftovers from dinner or weekend lunch (another great way to save money on lunch instead of making something special).  My kids won’t always eat something a second time, but there are some things they really like.  In the plan below, I share some of our go to leftovers (and suggest some from recipes I have posted on this blog).  In particular, I list the things my daughter likes to eat cold, because she doesn’t have time to wait in line for the microwave (she is a slow eater).  Plus, our ceramic food containers (no plastic in the microwave) are too heavy for her to carry back and forth.

The key to packing a varied lunch is to have a good set of plastic containers.  Just a note: I am not a big user of plastic containers.  I use glass as much as I can, but glass is not practical for carrying to school (or anywhere). 

I was planning to recommend the plastic jars we use, but apparently they have been discontinued.  I suggest a set of round or jar shaped plastic containers with screw-on lids that your child can easily operate.  Unfortunately, screw-on lids are not spill proof, but jars that seal well are difficult for children to open.  If you plan to send liquids, try a soup thermos.  Whatever you use, make sure you get something that is made without BPA.

Also, don’t neglect the safety of the lunch box or bag that you buy.  Look for ones that are lead free, BPA free, and PVC free to avoid exposure to dangerous substances.

If your children are not in the habit of drinking water at lunch, try sending it one or two times a week, or dilute juice with water to cut back on sugar.  Get a BPA free water bottle and send a non-sweetened drink along with the usual to start a healthier habit.  Sometimes, I send chamomile tea, and this year, I may try sending naturally flavored water.

In addition to the protein choices I list below, I send fruit every day.  Most days, I send the fresh fruit that is in season (we cut up big fruits like pineapple and keep them in the refrigerator so they are ready to go).  Occasionally, I pack dried fruit.

5 Healthy Lunch Ideas

Monday = Sandwich day.

Peanut or other nut butter and jelly or fruit sandwich, with cut up veggies on side (carrots, cucumber, jicama).  See my post about the healthier version of this sandwich.

Tuesday = Pasta day. 

Leftovers, such as pasta with sauce, pesto, or fresh tomatoes and sunflower seeds, plus salad on the side.  Boil vermicelli or angel hair quickly in the morning if you don’t have leftovers.  Pour sauce or pesto from a jar or pull it from the freezer.  Or, pack leftover Sesame Noodles.  Add a cheese stick or grate cheese on the pasta for more protein.

Wednesday = Bean day.

Refried beans and veggies wrapped in a tortilla or a pita pocket filled with hummus and veggies.  Or, leftover Curry Lentils or Cilantro Lime Chickpea Salad.

Thursday = Yogurt day.

Plain yogurt with fruit and granola and a trail mix of nuts, seeds, and dried fruit on the side.

Trail mix of pecans, peanuts, raisins, & sunflower seeds.

Friday = Egg day.

Leftovers, or boiled eggs with a salad (boil extra eggs at breakfast earlier in the week), or buy from the cafeteria.

Of course, there are many other healthy things to pack for lunch.  I hope you’ll leave your favorite lunch ideas in the comments.

Need ideas for healthy breakfasts?  Find them here.

In 2013 I am linking with: Motivational Monday, Better Mom Monday, Welcome Home, Try a New Recipe Tuesday, Back to School, Weekly Kids Co-op

 
In 2012 I linked with: Catholic Bloggers Network, Menu Plan Monday, My Favorite Things, Tiny Tip Tuesday, Your Green Resource, Frugal Friday, Tea with Saint Anne, For the Kids Friday, and Food on Fridays.