Creative Output - Sensory Bag for Nursery School / Input- Cookbook Challenge

SENSORY BAG FOR NURSERY SCHOOL!

Creative Output

I came up with a new activity for circle time in my nursery school classroom - a sensory bag!

I am going to put in objects that relate to the story I've just told, like an apple when we read Apple Farmer Annie or a toy truck for fun book with trucks stuck in the mud called Preschool to the Rescue! I am going to have one child come and put there hand in the bag without looking - and with a promise of nothing scary or icky - and try to guess what it is!

So I found a good sized box to use as the 'home' of the game and some fabric I don't really need to make the bag.  I had envisioned a red bag, but this was my volunteer fabric

It's OK, it's nursery school.  I ironed the top of the bag before sewing the draw string portion to ease the sewing

When I sew it now, it's hemmed first by the iron

Easy.  I made drawstrings from the remainder of the fabric

I sewed the strips into 'cords' by sewing the strips down one side and leaving the ends open.  It was going to be such a hassle to turn them right side out through the tube, so the cords have a unfinished edge to them, again, it's nursery school, they won't notice!

I cut off the flaps to a good sized box - I think I made the bag too big, but I got the box right!

 Once I got the drawstrings through the top of the bag - I put a safety pin on each end to use as a pulley, that helped speed up the process.  

My final step was to hot glue the box to the bottom of the bag for stability.

and I have a bag to help a child use there sense of touch and feel

 I can't wait to see how this will work with my class!

Cookbook Challenge:  Four Couscous Recipes from Cooking Light Magazine

The recipes are Red Pepper Couscous, Percorino and Parsley, Tomato and Cucumber, and Nectarine and Basil.  Only one is going into my book!  I will include all four because my choice comes down to family reasons.  There are pine nuts listed in the Percorino ingredients - and I bet it's a real flavor hit

 but my daughter has a tree nut allergy, so that's out.  The Nectarine and Basil recipe I wasn't going to waste my time on because my kids don't like fruit mixed in with a savory dish.  Period.  So I made the Tomato and Cucumber and the Red Pepper Couscous.  

The winner?  The Red Pepper Couscous!

It looks like I deleted the winner by accident - these pictures are of the tomato and cucumber couscous - which was alright and I do love feta cheese, but only this isn't the one that's a keeper for me.

Red Pepper Couscous from Cooking Light Magazine

3/4/ cup chopped red bell pepper

1/2 cup chopped red onion

4 tsp olive oil

3/4 cup Israeli couscous

1 1/4 cup water

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

3 Tbsp lime juice (my kids ask for me to cut back on this next time)

2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped

1.  Saute bell pepper and onion in oil 3 mins.  Add couscous, 1 1/4 cup water, salt and pepper; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium - low; cover and simmer 8 min.  Stir in juice, cilantro and jalapeno.

I am guessing that I don't have to say how fast and easy these sides are!

Pecorino and Parsley

Bring 1 1/4 cup water to a boil and add 3/4 Israeli couscous.  Reduce heat to medium low; cover and simmer 8 mins.  Stir in 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley, 2 Tbsp shaved percorino Romano cheese, 1 Tbsp toasted pine nuts, 1 tsp grated lemon rind, 1/4 tsp salt and another of pepper

Tomato and Cucumber

Bring 1 1/4 cup water to boil and add 3/4 cup Israeli couscous.  Reduce heat to medium low; cover and simmer 8 mins or until liquid is absorbed.  Stir in 1/2 cup halved grape tomatoes, 1/2 cup diced seeded cucumber, 1/4 cup chopped red onion, 1 Tbsp lemon juice, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1 1/2 ounces crumbled feta cheese

Nectarine and Basil

Bring 1 1/4 cups of water to a boil and add 3/4 cup couscous.  Reduce heat to medium low; cover and simmer 8 mins or until water is absorbed.  Stir in 1/3 cup chopped Vidalia or other sweet onion, 3 Tbsp chopped fresh basil, 2 Tbsp 2 Tbsp fresh orange juice, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1 medium nectarine. diced.

I prefer the texture of the pearl couscous to the grainy variety - it holds up better with the chunky vegetables.  One more piece of paper out of the old, trimmed to size because of only one winner in this household, and into the new book!

Enjoy!

Pam