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Natural Play Spaces: Children’s Veggie Gardens

May 4 by Steph (MPMK Founder)

Lots of good ideas here that my kids would go crazy for - bookmarking for later this spring when the weather warms up!

You guys! It has been the rainiest season in Seattle in the history of ever (literally) but the sun is out today. And - of course - it's making me want to plant all the things.   If you're feeling me, here's a post we did a few summers ago on one of the coolest kinds of gardens out there; the kids' garden. Enjoy and happy planting! Now that the bark has been laid, we've made one more major addition to our backyard natural play space.  But don't get too excited - I haven't had a chance … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Natural Outdoor Play Spaces Tagged With: Earth Day activities, Earth Day activities for kids, gardens for children, kid gardens, kids vegetable gardens, natural play spaces, planting with kids

Chalkboard Flower Pots for Mom, Teacher, or Your Own Windowsill

April 27 by Janssen

Mason jar planters with chalkboard paint - great DIY for Mother's Day or Teacher Appreciation Day.

It's Teacher Appreciation week next week - do you have something special picked out for the educators in your kids' lives? If not we've totally got you covered with an easy DIY you can use to appreciate a teacher, for Mother's Day, or even as a hostess thank-you gift.  Here's Janssen with the full details... One of the things that makes me happiest in the spring is live plants. They look so vibrant and remind me that winter really is winding down. Whether you're looking for a simple Mother's … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Art + Kid Crafts, Creating & Engaging, Janssen, Seasonal Fun Tagged With: chalk board paint, chalk mason jar planters, DIY Mother's Day gift, DIY teacher appreciation gift, Earth Day activities, Earth Day activities for kids, mason jar craft, mason jars, teacher appreciation gift

Earth Day Activity: Recycled Planters

April 2 by Steph (MPMK Founder)

Making Up-cycled Planters for Earth Day - My kids are gonna love cutting apart the bottles and adding the goggley eyes

Up-cycled or recycled planters are the perfect Earth Day activity for kids, which is coming up April 22nd (only 2 days after Easter so don't blink and miss it). It incorporates two earth-friendly activities - up-cycling AND planting - plus this particular version involves goggley eyes and what kid doesn't love those? Check out my full tutorial over on eHow's Mom Channel. For More Earth-Friendly Kid Activities, Check Out: How to Make an Up-cycled Inventors Box DIY Plantable Paper … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Educational Activities, The Make & Play Vault Tagged With: bottle planters, Earth Day activities, Earth Day activities for kids, Earth Day crafts, up-cycled crafts, up-cycled planters

Make it: Plant-able Paper Earth

April 17 by Alli

DIY: make a plantable paper earth and watch your garden grow - We're doing this for Earth Day!

Every once in a while we do a project here on MPMK that I'm over-the-moon excited about. That's how I feel about these plantable earths for Earth Day.  They're so cute, I want to send a few to everyone I know. I loved making paper as a kid. I don't know why, maybe it's something about the mess. Or maybe it was the idea that I could make the very same thing I used so often in my daily life, all by myself. (just prettier) Regardless. I loved making paper, and this time was no different. It was … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Alli, Creating & Engaging, Outdoor Play, The Make & Play Vault Tagged With: Earth Day activities, Earth Day activities for kids, Earth Day crafts, Earth Day crafts for kids, How to make paper, plantable Earth project, plantable paper

Playtime: Green Activites & Art Projects for the Whole Family

March 12 by Steph (MPMK Founder)

Lots of fun green activities for kids for both St. Patrick's Day and Earth Day

I've got some exciting news to share today.  A few month's ago the folks over at FamilyFun Magazine asked me to design the "Go Green" edition of their Family Fun Badges, to be featured online and in print.  "What's a Family Fun Badge?" you say.  They're kind of like boy scout badges for families.       I really love how the whole concept promotes family time and creativity and was thrilled to have the opportunity to get involved.  Also, I got a pretty great theme to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Holiday Projects, Learning & Engaging, Seasonal Fun, The Make & Play Vault Tagged With: Creative Play Easter Basket, Earth Day activities, Eye spy bottle, green activities for kids, growing plants with kids, I-Spy bottle, planting with kids, St. Patrick's Day activities

DIY Veggie Garden Sensory Box

May 3 by Steph (MPMK Founder)

DIY vegetable garden sensory box with FREE PRINTABLES - a great way to get kids playing and learning about planting.

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...]

Filed Under: Dramatic Play, Learning & Engaging, Sensory & Interactive Play, The Make & Play Vault Tagged With: baby play ideas, Earth Day activities, Earth Day activities for kids, playtime, rainy day play ideas, sensory bin, sensory play, vegetable sensory box, veggie sensory box

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