Activities for Kids
The best crafts and EASY and above all CHEAP! That's why I am always brainstorming on ways to re-use old paper towel holders, egg cartons, etc.
Crafting for Dummies
Research
supports the fact that children develop their learning capabilities in
the first five years of life. Making crafts together is part of play and
fosters many skills. Some people can whip together a fancy Christmas
ornament fit for Pinterest with only a toilet paper roll and some
colored paper. Then there are the rest of us. Learn the important of
crafting, how much fun it can be, and what you will need to get started.
Read more 
My Little Ponies
My daughter is really into My Little Ponies, but this turned out to be more than just a standard craft project...both Kids surprised me during this day. My little guy (22 months) was able to glue on eyes all by himself....Read More
Toilet Paper Octopus
This time we went with an ocean theme...all we needed was the old paper towel rolls and a little paint. Read more
This time we went with an ocean theme...all we needed was the old paper towel rolls and a little paint. Read more
Egg Carton Mountains
We travel to the mountains every year and one day we were looking at photos of previous trips. Then it hit me that we could make "mountains" from old egg cartons! Read more
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Crafts are always more fun when they are based on a favorite books. We cut up some egg cartons to make these caterpillars after we read, The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Read more
The Basics of Fine Motor Skills for Your Young Child
The
ability to correctly grasp a pencil is achieved after the large and
small muscles have gone through stages. There is a process of
development called "big to small" and "proximal to distal". This means
that children develop the larger muscles of the trunk, shoulders, and
arms before the smaller muscles of the hands, wrists, and fingers. Using
the finger muscles to “correctly” grasp a pencil can only be
accomplished when the muscles are strong enough and the child is
interested and willing.
Developing
fine motor skills can be frustrating and challenging for some children.
Watch your child’s level of frustration. Use praise and rewards for
accomplishments. Gradually increase the time of activities. This
play/work time needs to be pleasurable, attainable, and rewarding so
that your child will continue to engage and make progress. Learn more specifics on fine motor activities to do with your toddler
Keep Kids Busy Indoors And Build Muscle With Squeeze Bottles
Kids learn by doing and you can make inexpensive "puffy paint" using this simple recipe. Kids as young as 18-20 months can squeeze out the paint and as old as five or six will enjoy this project. This serves several purposes:
1. Keeps kids busy and give Moms FREE TIME!!!
2. Builds muscle in kids as they squeeze the bottle
3. Provides kids with a fun project
Read more
Need 20 minutes of Free Time?
Here are five ways to keep the kids busy using an aluminum foil tin...who knew one product, bought for $.50 at the Dollar Store, could be so entertaining and fun?
More Fine Motor Using Something Simple....Stickers!
I always thought stickers were a bit indulgent...like I was giving the kids a treat that they didn't really need. It turns out that not only can stickers keep kids busy for hours...they are actually good for them! Find out why
Video Tutorials
Read more
Need 20 minutes of Free Time?
Here are five ways to keep the kids busy using an aluminum foil tin...who knew one product, bought for $.50 at the Dollar Store, could be so entertaining and fun?
More Fine Motor Using Something Simple....Stickers!
I always thought stickers were a bit indulgent...like I was giving the kids a treat that they didn't really need. It turns out that not only can stickers keep kids busy for hours...they are actually good for them! Find out why
Video Tutorials
When I first starting blogging and looking at Pinterest, I was intrigued by all the ideas, but sometimes I was baffled as to how people pulled things off. I would think, "Now how am I going to make this pop out of there? I cut a hole in the construction paper and then glue what where??"
I wished that someone would just take a video for me so I could follow the instructions. This gave me the idea to publish my own videos. I have teamed up with child expert and former Kindergarten teacher, Susan Case, and we have started a series of instructional videos. The beauty of these activities is that they are all geared toward giving Moms a break because these activities really keep kids busy, but they also teach kids something. So, next time you need some peace and quiet to pay bills, do dishes, or browse Facebook (hey, we Moms all need a break, right?), don't hand the kid the iPad or turn on the TV. Instead, check out one of these instructional videos and your kids might even learn something along the way!
Sensory Skills With Sand
Young children are ambidextrous and need
to develop the crossover of mid-section. They need to be able to
transfer objects from one hand to the other before dominating one hand
usage. Around age three to four, children will begin to demonstrate hand
dominance.
Little Munchkin loves playing in sand. She is 3 1/3 years old and would have stayed with this task longer but mom had 45 minutes of glorious time to prepare a favorite dinner. See the video
Little Munchkin loves playing in sand. She is 3 1/3 years old and would have stayed with this task longer but mom had 45 minutes of glorious time to prepare a favorite dinner. See the video
Fine Motor Skills With Push Pins
Sometimes we Moms just need 20 minutes of peace to do the dishes without
someone climbing on the dishwasher door and/or pulling out clean steak
knives. I have devoted myself to finding activities that my kids can do
that will keep them busy for awhile. In the spirit of sharing my
ideas, I have put together a video tutorial on one of my favorite indoor
activities and also included some written instructions below. This
project is absolutely perfect for enhancing fine motor skills and even
working on colors so the next time you need some free time, don't turn
on the TV or the iPad, try this instead. The video will tell you
everything you need for this project, but you probably already have most
of the supplies at home. I will be featuring other projects in the
future, but keep in mind this particular project is probably best for
children aged three to three and half since there are sharp pins
involved. Here's to peaceful (and safe) dish-washing!
Crafts for Active Kids
Is your kiddo too active to sit at the table and do a craft? No problem! Think...Butcher paper! My 20 month old loved this...we made a racetrack in our kitchen. We put out some long strips of butcher paper, drew a track, and then the kids sat at opposite ends and rolled cars back and forth to each other. Then, we kept the fun going by allowing them to color directly on the paper on the floor and we even made a "town". Read more about this project
Learn about Birds
Kids love watching birds and you don't have to spend a lot of money to attract them to your house. Read more
How to Get Crayon Out of Clothes and Even Out of the Dryer
Sadly
every Mom will probably need to know this at one point or another.
Crayons get washed, at some houses more than others. It's important to
get the crayons out of the clothes AND out of the dryer. Learn more
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