Do you have quiet time at your house? Looking for a little activity to keep the kids entertained, but also quiet?? This little activity for the kids is so simple, but my girls enjoyed playing with these sponge blocks for a good part of the day! Added bonus — very quiet! While we were making […]
Pretend Play — Invisible Taxi
August 1, 2012 by
Wondering what to do with the kids?? Recently, my kids built an invisible taxi, and spent a very long time happily “driving” each other all around an intensely busy pretend city. I thought you may like to build an invisible taxi of your own to inspire plenty of imaginative playtime fun too! To make your […]
How to Build a Simple Shadow Puppet Theater
July 28, 2012 by
I completely underestimated how much the girls would enjoy playing with shadow puppets. Whenever something so simple makes them so happy, I can’t help but smile!! And this was SUPER simple. Added bonus — the perfect entertainment for whenever a power outage occurs. Our little shadow puppet theater was made from an empty cardboard box […]
10 Fun-Filled Play Ideas for the Beach
July 26, 2012 by
Planning a trip to the beach this Summer? Looking for a few play ideas to have in mind for once the kids get bored of playing in the waves? ((Does that ever happen??)) Well, if it does, here are a few of our favorite play ideas for the beach… or sandbox! 1. Play Sand Bakery […]
Connect with Your Kids: Camping …or Camp-In??
July 21, 2012 by
Do your kids crave a camping adventure? Whether you’re planning a trip to the great outdoors, or pitching camp in your own backyard, Joyce from Childhood Beckons and I got together to share some simple camping activities to keep the kids entertained! Tasty Camping Treats Banana Boats — Whip up a tasty campfire treat! Make […]
Summer Fun with Kids — Making Mega Bubbles
July 18, 2012 by
Making mega bubbles is fun for the whole family! We did this little activity many times last Summer (inspired by a now-retired blog), and watching the girls’ reactions always makes me smile. Bubble solution is made with 6 cups distilled water, 2 cups Joy dishwashing detergent, and 3/4 cup light corn syrup. Stir the solution gently and […]
Sunday Snapshot — Behold the magic!
July 15, 2012 by
Behold the magic…. ….. of CARDBOARD!! Wishing you and your family a lovely weekend full of magic and wonder!
Hot Air Balloon Window Display
July 13, 2012 by
It’s time for a new window display! (If you’re new to our blog, you can see our previous window displays here, here, here, here, and here.) This time we painted up coffee filters with watercolor paint! I love how these painted coffee filters each have a unique look. The filters hold up very well to […]
10 Little Things That Make Me Happy
July 12, 2012 by
Know what makes me smile?? Celebrating the little things in life, cultivating gratitude, and experiencing the joy of simple pleasures. Here are 10 little things that make me really happy! 1. The view from our garden plot at sunset. The tomatoes are almost ready. 2. Chatting about ideas for creative play with the lovely […]
Sponge Bomb Yo-Yos
July 10, 2012 by
There was renewed interest in the sponge bombs when we made them into yo-yos! This time I held the sponge bombs together with ouchless hair elastics instead, and they worked very well indeed. A piece of elastic attached made them instant yo-yos!! (As with anything else, be sure to supervise the kiddos while playing.) When […]
Sunday Snapshot — Lego Building Fun
July 8, 2012 by
This Lego set was an awesome gift from Emily’s Uncle Glenn. It took Emily almost TWO FULL DAYS, but she built it! And she built it all by herself. This is the LEGO Creator Log Cabin 5766 — which is totally awesome. There are instructions for 3 different building projects, and Emily had […]
Water Beads and Glow Sticks
July 6, 2012 by
I had some clear water beads chilling in the fridge, and since we’re in the midst of a heat wave this Summer, I thought now might be a good time to let the kiddos play with them. Note — Water beads are designed for use in floral arrangements, and not as toys. They are non-toxic […]
Outdoor Nature Discovery Lab
July 5, 2012 by
During a recent trip to the dollar store, Emily asked if we could spend an afternoon creating a “nature discovery lab”. I thought that was a great idea, and as it turns out, we were able to use a few inexpensive items from the dollar store to make our nature discovery lab even more educational […]
Easy 4th of July Windsock Craft
July 3, 2012 by
I’m guest posting for my friends at Melissa & Doug with an easy craft for kids as part of Week 5 of Camp Sunny Patch. You can see how we made patriotic windsocks to either display proudly in your home, or if your kids are like mine, run around with them like crazy monkeys! And […]
Fun with Frozen Yogurt Containers
July 2, 2012 by
Does your family eat a lot of frozen yogurt? Do you have several empty containers? Looking for fun things to do with them?? Here are our 3 favorite projects using empty frozen yogurt containers. Also?? We LOVE the new Stonyfield frozen Oikos! Have you tried it? It is Ahhhhh-mazing! Highly recommend the superfruits flavor…. and […]
Outdoor Tea Party
July 1, 2012 by
The girls enjoyed an outdoor tea party — and had a blast pouring out little cups of water, stirring them up, and saying “cheers” before pretending to sip their tea. So civilized!! They were so happy to bring their little tea set outdoors and with “real water”. For Clara, this was great fine-motor practice! For […]
Festive Frozen Yogurt Sandwiches
June 26, 2012 by
These frozen Greek yogurt sandwiches were a totally spontaneous treat we whipped up this afternoon, and they were a big hit around here! I thought maybe you would like to make some of your own too. After all, why choose between cookies and frozen Greek yogurt, if you can have them both in a delicious […]
Giveaway — 3 Months of eMeals Menu Planning Service
June 25, 2012 by
Know what I love?? Tools that make my life easier. That’s why I was so excited do a trial membership of eMeals, an online menu planning service. Not only does eMeals save me a BUNCH of time, but it also saves our family money by providing accompanying shopping lists (taking advantage of weekly grocery specials) […]
