All it took was one little trip to IKEA and the creativity center that I've been visualizing for months now is finally a reality. I was pleasantly surprised to find the main components came to a pre-tax total of only $70. It's been up for two days and so far C has spent over an hour each morning parked here. The best part is, it's always his idea - all the pretty materials on display seem to beckon to him (just as I hoped they would). This is … [Read more...]
10 Incredible Set Ups for Dramatic Play
photos via Frugal Family Fun Blog, TinkerLab, and No Time for Flashcards. Earlier this month one of my favorite sites, ohdeedoh, was kind enough to highlight my DIY Veggie Garden Sensory Box. As always, it was a thrill to be featured but the comments were also somewhat eye-opening. One reader wrote, "Maybe I'm missing something, but this seems really odd and pointless... if you want to excite kids about caring for a garden, why not get a houseplant and teach them how to care … [Read more...]
Simple Play: Cardboard
I've had cardboard boxes on the brain ever since I included this amazing birthday party in one of my Weekend Look Books. Luckily, so has everyone else! Which means lots of good stuff for me to peruse and now share with you. Today I've got a great roundup of cardboard box activities and even a few products to enhance the fun. Yes, I know this is my 3rd consecutive round up post. I think all the Easter projects as well as the subsequent Veggie Garden Sensory Box, Teacher Appreciation Kit, … [Read more...]
DIY Veggie Garden Sensory Box
If you've been here since the beginning, then you'll remember the "diggers and dumpers" sensory box I made for my son as a Christmas present. It was a big hit and he still enjoys it but I've been feeling like it's time to change it up. So a few weeks ago I exchanged the pinto beans for black beans (to imitate soil) and put together this vegetable garden sensory box. I found a lot of my supplies at Target. (The gloves, trowel, and watering can were in the dollar section. The yellow tub was … [Read more...]
Every Baby Should Have a Treasure Basket – Here’s How to Make One
photo via The Imagination Tree Remember the sensory box? Well, say hello to his little brother, the treasure basket - a super simple sensory box for babies. The concept is easy - just fill a container with objects of varying texture, weight, shape, etc. and let baby go at it.According to Anna, an early education and art specialist from The Imagination Tree, treasure baskets benefit babies age 6-18 months by: encouraging them to use their senses to discover, explore, … [Read more...]
Appreciate Your Favorite Teacher with a DIY Survival Kit
Tuesday, May 3rd is National Teacher Appreciation Day. That means you have less than a week to get your act together and find a nice way to show some love to all the hard-working teachers in your life. No worries though, I've put together an educator's survival guide that's brimming with trinkets every good teacher could use. And of course I've included a few free printables so you can make one of your very own. Click through for the goods. For some reason I get excited by … [Read more...]
DIY Vases for Mother’s Day
I love fresh flowers but I'm not great about remembering to buy them. I think a pretty vase made by someone I love would help. These vases couldn't have been more straight forward to make and I really like their simple homemade vibe. To start, I saved a few glass jars from things like spaghetti sauce and peaches and stuck them in the dishwasher. Once washed, it was fairly easy to remove the labels. I rubbed olive oil over any remaining glue and let them sit for 30 - 40 … [Read more...]
Easter’s Over, Now What?
I know it's been Easter-central here for about a month now. I'm just about ready to put it to rest and move on to lots of new and interesting stuff for May, I promise. But before I do, I've got one more post I know we could all use. Because aren't we all incessantly tripping over plastic Easter eggs, haphazardly strewn about the house, right about now? And if you're anything like me, you probably cringe a little at the thought of chucking all that plastic into a landfill somewhere … [Read more...]
DIY Silly Putty Carrot + An Easter Recap
I promised I would hook you up with a Silly Putty Carrot DIY today. I try to be a woman of my word, so here it is - just head over to momtastic for all the details. Note: because borax can be toxic if ingested, this recipe is only for bigger kids - to be made with adult supervision. For younger kids, simply mix up some orange oobleck instead. Just combine 1 cup of water with 1/2 cup of cornstarch and food coloring. And speaking of Easter, I can't believe how much fun I've had … [Read more...]