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
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. […]
June 4, 2012 in All Posts, Play, Toddler Activities
It’s time for Tinkerlab’s Creative Challenge #10! Rachelle‘s challenge this time around was all about flowers. I had envisioned a contact paper flower collage or some kind of glued flower medley, but as things normally go around here: I am not in charge. So, I followed Jane out to the “garden” with some scissors to […]
March 23, 2012 in All Posts, Play, Toddler Activities
Yes, this is a kid-friendly blog with ideas for preschooler and toddler play. Yes, I realize the dangers of adolescent drinking. Yes, I know I have a sometimes adolescent sense of humor. No, I did not tell my daughter she was learning how to play Beer Pong. No, beer was not consumed during this activity. […]
January 30, 2012 in All Posts, Play, Toddler Activities
We had some leftover Elmer’s foam board from the Pottery Barn Woodland Tree Wall Decal knockoff I made last month, so I broke out the X-ACTO knife and cut out some hearts, thinking we would make Valentines. But while I was sawing away, I inadvertently made some nicks at the edges, and realized I was […]
December 22, 2011 in All Posts, Celebrate, Play, Toddler Activities
We’ve been having lots of fun making ornaments, like these Recycled Paper Ornaments, these Sequin Ornaments, and these sparkly, painted, and filled ornaments, and we’re still on a roll! I’m sure you’ve seen this stunning thumbtack wreath from Madigan Made Source: madiganmade.com via TheOutlawMom on Pinterest or these thumbtack trees around blogland. As an experiment, I wanted to see if Jane […]
December 19, 2011 in All Posts, Fun With Food!, Play, Toddler Activities
Jane is too young to cut out intricate paper snowflakes (trust me, we tried). So we tried to have some snowflake fun another way: with marshmallows and toothpicks! Materials Mini-marshmallows Toothpicks How To This is similar to our Gumdrop Sculptures activity, except instead of standing the sculptures up on their own, we just made little […]
November 29, 2011 in All Posts, Play, Toddler Activities
We’ve been indoors so much lately and the cabin fever is starting to set in. While it seems like Jane would love to color until the end of time, we seem to reach that point more quickly if that’s all we’re doing. So we grabbed our crayons and turned them into bowling pins! Materials Avocado […]
October 6, 2011 in All Posts, Play
When I was growing up, the little wooden sticks we used to craft with were called “tongue depressors.” My parents would bring them home for us to play with and they were sturdy, smooth and free. Nowadays, there are these things called “craft sticks,” which you not only have to pay for, but have to […]
August 18, 2011 in All Posts, Fun With Food!, Play, Toddler Activities
Fun With Pasta! is our latest installment of the Fun With Food! series. What do you get when you mix pasta + paint + a toddler? Painted pasta necklaces and a whole lotta messy fun along the way! Here’s what you’ll need to make your pasta jewelry (think bracelets, headbands and crowns, too): Materials paint […]
August 4, 2011 in All Posts, Play, Toddler Activities
In the middle of Week One of my adventures as a working mom staying at home, I stood in the middle of our kitchen/family room scanning the busy counter spaces and heaving bookshelves, waiting for inspiration to pop out at me. Luckily, it did. “Let’s make a book!” I exclaimed to Jane, who was supposed […]
