Baby Genius

Billy is smart.  Very smart.  And he knows it.  But I'll get to that story in a second. . .

A few weeks ago I found this activity on a blog and have been wanting to try it.  It just so happens when Billy came home from his mom's on Sunday, he wanted to play music with glasses.  Perfect.  So, I busted out the glasses, food coloring, paper, crayons and knives (because when you are five, it is such a big deal to be able to use a knife rather than a spoon).  This is the BEST activity ever-so much practice for so many skills:

1) He lined up the glasses from most water to least.

2) Tried out all of different glasses to see what sound they made.

3) Learned to draw musical notes.

4) Made a pattern with a black note, yellow note, black note . . .

5) Made the one-to-one connnection between the note on paper and the note being played.

6) Named the songs.

Here are his songs:

I'd show Alexa's songs, but she drank hers before I had a chance to show her how to play them.

And Billy has such ingenious ideas.  He thought to use this idea with our colored jingle bells in preschool.  And he had another great stroke of genius when I was explaining to the kids that their compasses point north, and he pointed out that they are actually pointing to Santa.  Of course!  How boring is north, when it could always be Santa's house.

But here's the funniest part-and how I now know I may boost his intellectual ego a little much.  Tonight we were driving around town checking out Christmas lights.  We drove by a nativity scene and Billy asked what it was.  I told him it was Baby Jesus and it is Baby Jesus's birthday and that's why we celebrate Christmas.  He said, "It's not my birthday."  I replied, "No, it is Baby Jesus's."  He responds, frustrated that I'm not quick enough to catch on to what he is telling me, "NO-I'M a baby genius [baby Jesus] and it is not my birthday!"

Touche.