Planning my kids’ summer camp schedule is one of my least favorite things to do as a working mom. There are so many choices and it’s hard to know whether a camp is the right fit for your child and what to do if it’s not. Luckily we hit the jackpot with Galileo Summer Camp for our […]
In our house there are a few “bad” words that the kids are absolutely and completely forbidden to say, like “I hate,” “I can’t,” and “I’m bored.” But that doesn’t mean they don’t ever say say it - in other creative ways - or feel that way when we don’t have scheduled activities. How do […]
The joke around here is that our house could double as a shipping facility with all the packages continuously coming in and going out. But after heading back to work full-time, the freedom to shop in person just isn’t a luxury I enjoy anymore, so I am completely unapologetic about my dependency on online shopping and […]
If you thought DIY Batik Shirts were difficult to make - like I did before we tried this new activity - you are so wrong! Making Glue Resist Batik T-Shirts is actually super easy, super fun, and super cheap, especially if you already have glue and painting supplies handy. This is the perfect weekend activity you can […]
We just returned from one of our summer vacations and oh how much we will miss the good times together. To capture our memories, one of the things we do is a bedtime ritual called, “Review the Holiday,” where we recount the highlights of our vacation. A hands-on way to cement our happy memories is with […]
Hooray for vacation and stay at home days! Well, except for those days when the weather is too hot or too cold to get outside and run off all the extra energy from being cooped up. Even though we rotate toys - I hide stuffed animals in the attic and store birthday and holiday gifts in […]
Glitter, upcycling, and independent play: these are a few of my favorite things. When we received a box brimming with Glitter Glue, Painters Markers, School Glue and Glue Sticks from Elmer’s last weekend, I knew EXACTLY what we would do - get our craft on and create a homemade play town with items straight from […]
After our maiden voyage to Disneyland was such a magical success, we can’t wait to visit again. Short and sweet, here are our Top Ten Tips for Disneyland With Preschoolers. Don’t forget to check out our detailed post on Planning for Disneyland with Preschoolers, with tips on when to visit the park, what attractions not to […]
Disneyland is truly the happiest place on Earth. I hadn’t visited the park since 1987, so I was excited to take the kids (4 and 5 years old) on their maiden voyage, but I had no idea how absolutely magical the experience would be. Watching the children’s hearts nearly explode with joy was the best part […]
Keeping the kids occupied (meaning, not putting them in front of the TV and making sure they’re safe and not killing one another) while we prep dinner is sometimes challenging for us. A fun way to turn what can be a difficult time into an opportunity for learning is this simple Counting by Tens math […]
{Review} Galileo Summer Camp
Independence Building Boredom Busters
{Review} Amazon Prime Now
Glue Resist Batik T-Shirts
DIY Memory Box Display
DIY Board Games for Kids
Easy Homemade Play Town
Top Ten Tips For Disneyland With Preschoolers
Planning for Disneyland with Preschoolers
Easy Kitchen Math: Counting By Tens
November 8, 2012 in All Posts, Colors, Toddler Activities
My favorite season finally feels like it’s here! It’s been like one crazy long summer season here in Northern California, but the air is getting slightly crisper and I smell Pumpkin Spice Lattes in my future, with Peppermint Mochas on their heels. Homemade Peppermint Mochas, of course! To get your toddler into the autumn mood, […]
October 11, 2012 in All Posts, Preschool, Preschool Science, Toddler Activities, Toddler Science
Double double, toil and trouble… We’ve been mixing up batches of Witches Brew for some Halloween science! Join us over at Kids Activities Blog and see how you can mix up a dash of learning and a pinch of play for some Halloween-themed color mixing fun! LEARN! Colors, sensory play, dilution, science You Might Enjoy:{Play} Fun With Food! […]
October 9, 2012 in All Posts, Preschool, Preschool Art
Ever since seeing this shaving cream Eric Carle seahorse from I Heart Crafty Things and this shaving foam leaf from Little Wonders’ Days on Pinterest, I have been dying to try out some preschool shaving cream art with my preschooler. I don’t remember doing this as a kid - do you? This is a super fun way […]
October 5, 2012 in All Posts, Preschool, Preschool Art, Preschool Math, Toddler Activities
Preschool art and math activities don’t need to be complicated: you can turn ordinary objects in your home into fantastic learning tools for your kids if you just look at them in a new light. Do you have any leftover strawberry baskets from this summer? Then you have almost everything you’ll need for Strawberry Basket […]
October 3, 2012 in All Posts, Play, Toddler Activities
We’re back with another simple, classic play activity that requires barely any setup time and is just as fun as any newfangled game or activity on the market.: transferring pom poms with kitchen tongs. Materials All you need are baskets (bowls or trays - even a shoebox - will do) + pom poms + kitchen tongs. […]
July 23, 2012 in All Posts, Play, Toddler Activities
This Tie Dye Paper Towel activity is another in our Accidental Art vault. Read more about how we came upon this fun art activity that’s part of our Absorption Experiment Series and how to recreate it yourself at Quirky Momma here. Check out these other activities in our Absorption Experiment Series: Science: Absorption Experiment with Sand & […]
June 11, 2012 in All Posts, Play, Toddler Activities
Of course, just playing around and exploring play dough is enough in and of itself. Just ask the kids, who like to smoosh, poke, prod, push, mold, and mix it any and every which way they can imagine. But, there are a lot of great teaching opportunities, too! Here’s how we played with the concept […]
April 23, 2012 in All Posts, Fun With Food!, Play, Toddler Activities
We’ve really been getting mileage out of our first batch of Rainbow Rice, which we used to make Magic Rainbow Rice Letters. The opportunities for play and learning are endless with this material, which makes it one of our favorites, even though it’s a hassle in terms of clean up. Here are some of the […]
April 5, 2012 in All Posts, Fun With Food!, Play, Toddler Activities
If you don’t already, you know you’ll have an empty egg carton and leftover Easter candy in a few days. This is a great way to get a second life out of that carton and keep -at least some of- all that candy out of your kids’ bellies. Materials We just used a 30-egg carton […]
November 10, 2011 in All Posts, Play, Toddler Activities
If you aren’t already playing along, Jamie at hands on : as we grow and Anna at The Imagination Tree are co-hosting the 30 Days to Hands on Play Challenge: thirty days of hands on play prompts for you and your children. Here’s what we’ve been doing over the last week: Day 1 - Develop A Mission Statement We […]
