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 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 […]
March 14, 2012 in All Posts, Play, Toddler Activities
I’m what you might call an upcycling hoarder. I can’t throw out anything that might have a second - or third or fourth - life. If it can be repurposed, it will be stored. Somewhere. Regardless whether we have room for it. I’m always glad when I pick through my stash to find something I […]
January 9, 2012 in All Posts, Play, Toddler Activities
On the days when the screeching and screaming won’t stop, the t.v. no longer holds their interest, Hubby’s not home to help me round up the rebels, and I just really really really want to get rid of them, I throw Jane and Sam in the bathtub with some shaving foam and a few drops […]
January 2, 2012 in All Posts, Play, Toddler Activities
For someone who’s so nostalgic about everything, I’m surprised at how much I’m looking forward to 2012. But before I get busy jumping ahead, here’s my favorite play post from 2011: Colorful Ice Cube Painting We got so messy, but we had so much fun! Jane was in heaven with the different textures and […]
December 12, 2011 in All Posts, Play, Toddler Activities
A few weeks back - before it turned really cold (well really cold to a Californian) - we gathered some pine needles and other winter leaves for a painting experiment. At first, Jane wasn’t quite sure what to do when I put out the paint and leaf collection, but she quickly realized she could […]
December 8, 2011 in All Posts, Celebrate, Play, Toddler Activities
Here’s a super easy Hannukah gift that your child can make in just a few minutes. Jane made them as teacher’s gifts. Materials Blue and yellow paint (or any other colors you wish) Paper Step 1 Using the blue paint, have your toddler make a handprint with each of her hands, with the thumbs […]
December 2, 2011 in All Posts, Celebrate, DIY, Toddler Activities
This holiday season we’re focusing more on being together with family and friends than on the commercial aspect of the month, which is our usual tradition. A lot of the gifts we’re giving are homemade and as fun to put together as they are to bestow on our loved ones. Every year we normally buy exquisite […]
November 10, 2011 in All Posts, Play, Toddler Activities
For Day 8 of the 30 Days to Hands on Play Challenge, we came up with this colorful pipet painting activity! I would have called this “Dropper Painting,” but Grandma and Jane quickly corrected me that what we were using was a pipet, not a dropper. Materials baby food jars or clear cups a pipet (otherwise […]
November 8, 2011 in All Posts, Guest Posts, Play, Toddler Activities
Fall is most definitely here, folks! If you haven’t started your fall-inspired arts and crafts projects, here’s a superfun one from Vicky at Mess For Less! Living in California, I don’t get to experience the gorgeous Fall foliage as much as those of you in other parts of the country. I used to live on the East Coast, so […]
November 3, 2011 in All Posts, Play, Toddler Activities
The other day Jane looked up at me and said, “Mommy, I want to paint.” “What do you want to paint?” “Something HUMONGOUS!” My first thought was, “Where in the heck did she learn that word?” And my second was, “What humongous paintable thing do I have lying around the house?” Initially, I thought […]
