Emily’s favorite book is Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein, and we have read it together again and again. One of the poems, Snowman, was the inspiration for today’s activities. The poem is about a snowman who is determined to try to see July. Emily made her snowman out of white Model Magic, and […]
Mega Monster Bubbles!
July 6, 2009 by
Wow! I think I had just as much fun as Emily with this homemade bubble solution and bubble wand. It is quite addictive! These bubbles are HUGE and they last a long time. To make your own mega bubble solution, you will need: 6 cups distilled water, 2 cups Joy dishwashing detergent, and 3/4 cup […]
Summer Gratitude
July 5, 2009 by
If your family is thinking about cutting back on expenses, Summer may be the easiest time to do so. With Summer re-runs on television, it may be the perfect time to consider pulling the plug on the cable and spending more time outdoors. Instead of going out to eat at a restaurant, pack up a […]
Animal Hospital
July 2, 2009 by
Oh, our poor stuffed animals have been feeling quite unwell this afternoon, and several required hours at the hospital. Fortunately, Dr. Emily is an excellent doctor and she made them all feel better! Once I gathered up some supplies from around the house, Emily became immersed in her own imaginary world. We used one of […]
Extreme Makeover Child Stylist Edition
July 1, 2009 by
Emily loves to play hair stylist. Break out the rollers, hair brushes, hair clips, combs, and ribbon. Oh, and magazines (the trashier, the better). Sometimes I wear a ridiculously long blond wig from Halloween for this. NO SCISSORS!!! By the way, does anyone know where I could find one of those vintage 1950’s hairdryers (you […]
Splatter Painted Fireworks
June 26, 2009 by
Oh my, this was SO MUCH FUN! To make your own splatter painted fireworks, you will need sidewalk chalk paint (click here for directions to make your own, it’s very easy and inexpensive!), paint brushes, and a black asphalt driveway (or similar surface). Emily and I painted some firework designs and then I let her […]
Look What Came in the Mail!
June 22, 2009 by
A few days ago, I signed Emily up for a letter/artwork exchange with a 3 1/2 year old girl named Lu from 4 Crazy Kings. Mama King has a fabulous blog over there, and it is definitely worth checking out. Emily was so excited to receive her letter, and quickly went to work on a […]
Bottle Cap Tic-Tac-Toe
June 18, 2009 by
Emily has been playing lots of Tic-Tac-Toe with Mark lately, and they have been using up quite a bit of our scrap paper to play. This bottle cap version uses just one half of an 8 1/2″ x 11″ piece of paper and 10 bottle caps (5 of each kind). Be careful to make sure […]
Nature Hike…with a stroller?
June 8, 2009 by
In the days before we were inundated with rain, Emily asked if we could go on a nature hike. Normally, I wouldn’t hesitate to say yes, but Clara is at that awkward stage of not really walking, but a little too big for a sling. This nature hike would have to involve a stroller. Strollers […]
What kind of day is it?
June 4, 2009 by
Every morning when Emily wakes up, she greets me with the following phrase — “Hey, do you know what kind of day it is?” The answers range from “Messy Art Day” (my personal favorite) to “Fun Play Day” to “Go to the Beach Day” or (Lord, help me) “Build a Treehouse Day”, all proclaimed with […]
So you wanna go to the beach?
May 19, 2009 by
Emily asked me if we could go to the beach today, which resulted in a lesson in geography. See this map? We live in Pennsylvania. See the ocean? It’s ALL THE WAY OVER THERE. I asked her what she wanted to do at the beach. “Play in the water….. and the sand!”, she said. So […]
Slacker Saturday — Paper Boats
May 16, 2009 by
For this week’s Slacker Saturday activity, Emily and I made paper boats! She liked decorating hers with crayons, and get this…. they float! For a little while, anyway. At least until the paper becomes too soggy. These are very simple to make, and you start off with a simple paper hat. There are only a […]
$5 Friday — Window Crayons
May 15, 2009 by
I was so happy to find these Window Crayons, and I scooped them up the minute I saw them at Target for just $2.70! I have let Emily use window markers before, but the ink seems to run out rather quickly, and the kids have to be really good about putting the caps back on […]
Slacker Saturday — Bug Hunt
May 9, 2009 by
Bug hunting is probably one of Emily’s favorite activities. Even if it’s raining outside, she likes to hunt for bugs inside the house! I think she inherited this bug-loving gene mostly from Mark. Although when I was a kid, I was known to have a fascination with caterpillars, but I think most kids are naturally […]
Day of Free Fun
May 7, 2009 by
Our day was filled with lots of free fun! After breakfast, Emily wasted no time starting a game of Hide and Seek. Have you ever tried hiding with a baby? Clara gave us away so many times with all of her giggling. Then, it was time for Ring Around the Rosy. Clara isn’t walking yet, […]
Slacker Saturday — Shadow Puppets
May 2, 2009 by
Today’s Slacker Saturday activity is Shadow Puppets, and there is something to be said for the simplicity here. Mark showed Emily how to make some easy versions of shadow puppets like a dog, butterfly, and duck. Then, she entertained herself with her own little stories. Sometimes the best activities are the most simple ones, and […]
Slacker Saturday — Chalk Outlines
April 25, 2009 by
It’s time for Slacker Saturday, and today’s activity is chalk outlines! Emily enjoyed doing this, and she got a big kick out of drawing a funny face on her outline. This activity kept her busy for a long time, and didn’t involve a lot of time or effort on our part. Have your child lay […]
Welcome 10 Show Viewers
April 23, 2009 by
Emily and I were very excited to do another segment for NBC’s 10 Show about green activities for kids. Here are links to the activities we mentioned on today’s show: Nature Packs Inexpensive Field Guides for Tots Pantry Art Sunflower Potato Prints Pasta Necklaces Free Printable Garden Journal Pages Starting a Garden Journal with Kids […]
