Trying out simple experiments at home is a great way to introduce science to young children and I've got a classic nature-based experiment to share with you today. Wondering where that pic above is leading? You're gonna have to head over to momtastic to find out. And speaking of nature, have you picked up your e-copy of Action Pack, volume 2 Seeds and Beads over at Whip Up yet? The folks over there were kind enough to send me a copy and let me tell you, it … [Read more...]
Welcoming Spring: Flower Crafts
photos via Made By Joel, Frugal Family Fun Blog, Sycamore Corner Crafts, Morgan Made It, and Meet the Dubiens I'm over at momtastic today sharing a collection of flower art projects for the kiddos. Check it out for lots of fun ways to inject a little Spring into your home. And when you're done over there, click through for some grown-up floral crafts like these lovely paper wall flowers at Scrapbooks etc. When it comes to fabric flowers, Sara over at Craft Snob is … [Read more...]
Fun Ways to Make Tracks
bottom left photo via Tokketok, left photo via ohdeedoh. My little man loves pretty much anything that goes vrooom - cars, trucks, trains, etc. He has an extensive collection of them all that he plays with daily. So for a while now I've had a few special road and track projects stowed away for a quiet afternoon. Well, it seems I'm not the only one with trucks and tracks on the brain. While browsing the web over the past week I've found a couple more ideas to add to my stash. And just … [Read more...]
Imaginative Play “On the Fly”
I'm posting over at momtastic today on how to seize the moment for spontaneous fun. Be sure to check it out for all the details on the above photo. And when you're done over there, come on back for more creative indoor play activities to add to your arsenal. The lego ski resort and the colander sculpture are a dead tie for my favorite, you've gotta see them! Just like the popular toddler sewing basket from Childhood 101, this Colander Sculpture at Tinker Lab promotes fine motor skills … [Read more...]
Five Fun Ways to Play with Marshmallows
Over at momtastic, I'm all about toothpicks and marshmallows for impromptu structure building and color mixing fun (see above for the "finished" product). Head over for all the details, then click through here for lots more inspiring marshmallow activities. photo via Say Yes to Hoboken Typically when thinking of building with marshmallows and toothpicks, structures like this one at Say Yes to Hoboken come to mind (although the rainbow toothpicks are a fresh addition). If … [Read more...]
Build Fine Motor Skills with a Toddler Friendly Sewing Basket
All photos via Childhood 101 Tomorrow is the day I finally share my Celebrate the Boy post and I'm bouncy off the walls here! To celebrate I give you this Toddler Friendly Sewing Basket from Childhood 101. This is hands down one of the coolest kid activities I've spotted in a while and it's even sewing related (almost like I was saving it for some sewing-inclined readers who might be stopping by tomorrow). I've been on the lookout for creative lacing activities to build C's … [Read more...]
Playtime Activities and Projects for Boys (and Girls).
Hickory Nut Sail Boats at Crow Roosters Crow. This Friday afternoon is my big post for Celebrate the Boy (you can tell I'm excited because I can't stop myself from repeatedly mentioning it in my posts). And while I already put up this boy-centric post last week, I've still got boys on the brain. This time I'm focusing on playtime. There's just one little problem... Every time I write the term "activity for boys" my gut clenches a little and I think, "S would like this … [Read more...]
“Build a Fort Kit” – Another Terrific Handmade Gift Idea for Kids
If you saw this recent post, then you know I'm a big fan of forts. As such, I've been wanting to share these brilliant Build A Fort Kits with you ever since I spied them over at Salt Water Kids. We're only a week away from my turn to post for Celebrate the Boy (make sure you come back to check that out next Friday afternoon!) so I thought today would be the perfect time. Not only is this a sewing related project (like most of those at MADE), but Salt Water Kids is also a fellow contributor … [Read more...]
How To Reap the Many Benefits of Play Dough
photo via LPF Designs. I've been meaning to do a post on the benefits of play dough for a while now. I don't know about you, but I loved the stuff as a kid. Maybe it's the nostalgia factor, but even now there's something almost cathartic about playing with it. As it turns out, it's great for the little ones too. You may remember I featured Jennifer Hallissy's book The Write Start: A Guide to Nurturing Writing at Every Stage, from Scribbling to Forming Letters and Writing … [Read more...]