Play silks!

I used to have play silks in my old classroom, and I really wanted some for my kiddos. They're crazy expensive though! I did some research and found that the only way to get them at a semi-reasonable price was to buy blanks and dye them myself.

I told Tom I wasn't that crazy.

It turns out I am.

I took some blanks, and some kool-aid, and made myself some playsilks.

There are instructions all over the internet, but basically I took my silk:

And put in into a simmering pot of water, kool-aid and a splash of vinegar.

Once the silk had sucked up most of the dye (the water turns almost clear), I rinsed them, and hung them up to dry.

Then they were ready for the kiddos!

I took them in yesterday and they were quickly snatched up to become superhero capes, dancing dresses, and baby blankets. I love having open-ended toys like this in my class, it is fun to see what the kids come up with.

In running news, I am in the research phase of looking for my next race. I'm checking out what's coming up in the next few months/this fall and is semi-nearby. I know myself well enough to know I will start to slack off if I don't have a race coming up.

How do you choose your races? Location? Sweet race swag? Do tell!