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Handmade Halloween: DIY Paint Chip Garland

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That's right, I'm officially diving into Halloween.  I know, it's only September and usually I'd be totally with you in thinking it's a little obnoxious to start gearing up for a holiday this far in advance.  However - C is at a super fun age for getting into the holiday spirit and I have so many Halloween activities that I want to do with him.  They bounce around my head all night, every night and keep me from sleeping.  So I've decided to start purging them in order to finally get some much … [Read more...]

How to Have Fun Playing with Rocks

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Happy Friday everyone.  I have to start today with a great big THANK YOU!  Not only have you all been voting for MPMK as Parent's Best Craft for Kids Blog (that's right, I said "you all" - the five years I spent in the South comes out when I get emotional), you've also been sending me some really sweet feedback.   Here are a few excerpts from emails I've received this week, "My children are 8, 6, and 4. I'm a separated father and your craft ideas really enhance my quality time with my … [Read more...]

Starting a Birthday Custom

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photos clockwise from upper left: Home & Harmony, Parents.com, giver's log, Swiss Miss, and The Handmade Home   I've got a 3rd birthday rapidly sneaking up on me and, to be honest, I'm not feeling the party planning high I usually get around this time.  Maybe it's because I feel like we just had S's first birthday bash. Although, in reality, that was two full months ago. (Seriously, where does the time go?)   Or maybe it's because of an awesome article I recently read … [Read more...]

Simple DIY Hammer & Nails Toy

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Do you guys remember the play workbench roundup I did a while back?  After all that research we ended up deciding we just didn't have the space.  Plus, one of C's favorite games lately is to "fix" one of his riding toys with a series of pretend tools that I hand to him one by one (Now I need a hammer Mommy, OK now I need a screwdriver Mommy) and I didn't want to kill all that imagination with actual tools.   Every once in a while, though, C just really wants to pound on something.  So I … [Read more...]

Good to Know: Tragedy, Empathy, Emergency Preparedness & Global Citizenry

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     photos via Stephmodo, Cool Mom Picks, I Can Teach My Child & MPMK   Sunday marks the 10th anniversary of September 11th.  In thinking about what I wanted to post on the topic, I considered what issues are paramount to parents when tragedy occurs.  Calming anxiety, teaching empathy, preparing for emergency, and raising global citizens all came to mind.   Today I'm sharing with you a few posts (by myself and others) that touch on some of these topics.  Of course … [Read more...]

Fresh Find: A New “Playzine” + A Free Printable Just for You

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"Play is essential to the development and learning of young children. Not optional…essential. Children learn as they play. In fact, play provides the perfect context for learning for the whole child - mental, verbal, social, physical, creative and emotional, in a way most structured classroom-style activities do not. " ~ Making Play Great, Play Grow Learn Issue One As an early childhood teacher and a mom, Christie Burnett is passionate about the importance of play to the learning and … [Read more...]

Found: 10 Ways to Have Fun with Clouds

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Lately I've noticed an abundance of cumulonimbus coolness popping up... must be something in the air (sorry, I'm ridiculous, I know).  Today I've got no less than 10 clever ways for you and your little ones to have fun with clouds.  Whether you're looking for science, art, or just something fun to play with - I've got all the bases covered:   Make DIY Clouds - Done in celebration of Eric Carle's Little Cloud, these DIY clouds are a great sensory activity for kids of all ages.  Make … [Read more...]

Back-to-School Party

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  Happy Labor Day friends!  I'm just stopping in for a quick hello but I wanted to share this cheerful back-to-school party from One Charming Party.  I think a celebration like this sends such a positive message and is a great way to start the school year off right.  And since you have the day off, you have time to plan a fabulous party - right?     Along with putting together this shin dig, One Charming Party is also the site that created those super popular sponge balls.  … [Read more...]

3 Ways to Give Books & Have a Party

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It's the official end of book week (sigh) and I figured, why not go out with a party?  Book themed celebrations are all the rage lately and I'm all for the trend.  So to wrap things up I've got a summary of the three main breeds of literary shin digs. First, is "The Book Donate" party.  We all know kids get a lot of toys at birthday parties, many of which they probably don't need.  The idea here is to have guests bring a book to donate in lieu of a gift.  The secret is to start this type of … [Read more...]

3 Spots to Find Tons of Book-Related Activities

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Today is the last official day of Book Week and I promised you a big announcement BUT... I've decided to postpone it until after the holiday.  I know, I know - I'm such a tease!  I'm sorry, really and truly, but I ended up finding just too much good stuff and I couldn't fit it all into only 4 days.  I needed today for two more stellar roundups.   First up this morning, I have three resources for finding fun activities to go along with your reading.  The Storybook Recipe series just … [Read more...]

Book Week: Reading Spots

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Book Nooks: nothing encourages reading in kids more than a cozy corner to call their own.  Inspiration for these spaces abounds and shows, whether it's just a few square feet inside a closet or an entire room, every house has room for one.   Today I've rounded up a super-sized group of images in the hopes of encouraging you to set up the perfect kiddo reading spot in your home.  I'm doing this one look book style so click on the photos for more info.  And don't forget to enter our … [Read more...]

Book Week: DIY Bunting

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We're half way through book week and I hope you all are enjoying it as much as I am!  This morning I wanted to share with you an adorable DIY book bunting project from Childhood 101.  Isn't it just perfect for a child's reading space? Speaking of which, be sure to check back later today for A LOT more on that subject.  Until then, head over to Childhood 101 for the full tutorial.  And if you like this project, you might also enjoy these book page flags I featured way back when. See you … [Read more...]