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, […]
August 13, 2012 in All Posts, Play, Toddler Activities
I love a simple, classic play activity, like playing with a mirror, that requires little or no setup time and is just as fun as any newfangled, intricately creative, modern game. Mirror Play is not just for babies; your toddler or preschooler will really get a kick out of it, too. Materials A mirror (handheld, […]
July 4, 2012 in All Posts, Bake
Another Fourth of July quickie for you today: Red, White & Blue Cupcakes! All you need is box mix, food coloring + your imagination: As is always the case when we do side by side projects, mine was more organized in layers and Jane’s was wildly creative with splatters of color. It doesn’t matter how […]
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 13, 2012 in All Posts, Kids Co-op Linky Playdate, Play, Toddler Activities
Happy Friday! It’s time for our playdate! It’s been a slower week for us around here - maybe due to the weather. But, we managed to make some Tissue Paper Flowers to brighten up our house, and had fun in the bath with an Egg Carton Boat that we made for Tinkerlab’s Creative Challenge. There were so many […]
April 10, 2012 in All Posts, Play, Toddler Activities
Welcome to Around The World in 12 Dishes! In March, we - and 12 other amazing bloggers and their children - began our culinary adventure around the world to explore 12 different countries in 12 months by cooking one dish from one country each month with our kids. This month we’re learning about SWEDEN! Swedish […]
April 8, 2012 in All Posts, Play, Toddler Activities
It’s that time again. Time to raid your recycling bin and get busy creating for Tinkerlab’s Creative Challenge #9: Egg Cartons For the last challenge, we had a lot of fun making a Paper Bag Fan and I knew we’d have fun trying to create something out of an egg carton. The difference this time […]
April 6, 2012 in All Posts, Kids Co-op Linky Playdate, Play, Toddler Activities
Welcome to The Kid’s Co-op Weekly Playdate! This is my first week as a hostess and I’m thrilled to be bringing you an opportunity to share your best play ideas from the week and a place to browse for new inspiration. Since this is our first playdate together, I don’t have any highlights from last week’s […]
April 4, 2012 in All Posts, Fun With Food!, Play, Toddler Activities
Making Rainbow Rice has been on my play to-do list since we saw these beautiful images and tutorial at Share & Remember. (She also inspired our Painted Toast Activity). If you noticed, I did say “my” list, and not “ours,” because frankly, sometimes my own desire to participate in cool preschool activities overtakes any goals […]
March 27, 2012 in All Posts, Bake
The other day while Sam napped, Jane and I were watching a bit of “What Will Martha Teach Us Today” - more popularly known as “The Martha Stewart Show” - and Jane was inspired to make oatmeal cookies. After watching Martha stir up a batch, she squealed, “I LOVE oatmeal!” followed by, “I love cookies!” […]
