This Classroom Has Balls

Did you ever really listen to the sound that dozens of screeching metal chair legs make when a classroom full of kids change classes?  For most folks, this is just ambient noise that can be easily filtered out and disregarded.  For those kids who wear hearing aids, however, this sound becomes an awful high pitched roar.  This was just the experience of a 1st grade friend of ours who came home one day after school complaining to her parents about the ‘terrible noise that went right into her brain’.   It turns out that  hearing aids which are usually a huge help, are not very good at handling such a high frequency sound.

To fix this problem her Dad (and Mom too) gathered up some old tennis-balls, cut an ‘x’ in them using a sharp knife, and installed them on all of the chairs in the classroom.  Just like that, their daughter (not to mention the rest of the kids in the class)  had a quieted classroom.  And the teacher was thrilled too!

This is a great low-tech, low-cost solution to a common problem.  You can easily make your own tennis-ball chair leg covers or you can purchase them on line at a few places including here.

Quilts from old T-Shirts

I have a really hard time throwing things away – especially some old t-shirt from camp in the 80′s that doesn’t fit and isn’t worth anything to anyone except for me. This is a good way to “upcycle” your old t-shirts into home furnishings. Am sure Carolynda isn’t the first to do this, but at around $20 per shirt for the quilt, its not a bad way to remember your t-shirts even if that 1980′s neon Mickey Mouse T doesn’t fit around your belly anymore.

At one point, I had enough t-shirts to make quilts for an entire army. Then facing the ever increasing demands on space, a friend of mine showed me their “T-Shirt” album. They took pictures of the t-shirts that they never wore, but wanted to remember.  My wife keeps a separate folder for this pictures and calls is “Chad’s Nostalgia Picks.” (Thanks Ellen)

Carolynda – Home.

A Fresh Take on Hand Puppets

These hand transformers are like sock puppets without the stink of an actual sock. These temporary tattoos apply to your hand. I hope they are easily removed. Would be kind of hard explaining that alligator on my hand during some fancy business meeting.

Talk to the hand, the Animal Hand – Babyology.

This is a Great Toy: Moonbeam Jar

Would you like to swing on a jar? Or carry moonbeams home in jar. And now you can! Thanks to this cool solar-powered toy.

This is a Great Toy – Moon Jar

Crayola's 3D chalk really works.

via twitpic.com

I tested out Crayola’s 3D sidewalk chalk this weekend with the kids. Turned a small patio into fish and shark infested waters. Got the teeth to really pop out. Surprised by how well it worked. Then took it to the sidewalk and lent the glasses to passers by, who were also impressed. Mostly bummed that the 3D chalk didn’t exist when they were kids.

Posted via web from Chad