Airplanes are a hassle, trains are too slow, and cars can get stuck in traffic. What you really want is a tele-transporter to instantly transport you wherever you need to go!! The girls and I went to a local park to build a prototype for our own tele-transporter, and used it to instantly transport us […]
Around the Web — Cardboard Vehicles
June 11, 2011 by
Cardboard is one of our all-time favorite crafting materials because it’s super-cheap (if not free), and can be made into all sorts of amazing toys or play spaces for kids (or those of us who are kids-at-heart). Here are a few inspiring ideas from around the web to try for some great frugal imaginative travel […]
Summer Fun — Let’s Build a Road!
June 6, 2011 by
As a kid, I remember using my dad’s electrical tape to make elaborate playscapes for my younger brother in my parents’ basement. There was a small-scale basketball court, a soccer field, and plenty of race tracks that were made over & over again — good times!! This afternoon, Clara and I built our own roads […]
Wordless Wednesday — Sprinklers!!
June 1, 2011 by
They say that money can’t buy you happiness, but for $4.99 it will buy you a sprinkler at Target — and that’s almost the same thing. Lots of good (clean) FUN!!
Let’s Build a Flower Shop!
May 19, 2011 by
Tucked away in the corner of our living room, you’ll find a bit of sunshine no matter what the weather might be like outside. The girls are still really enjoying this cardboard play house we built using our Makedo kits awhile back, and I thought it would be fun to turn it into a colorful […]
10 Sanity-Saving Activities for Quiet Time
May 15, 2011 by
Every kid needs a bit of down time during the day, and so do most moms. Whether you have younger children who nap, or you need a few minutes of quiet to make a phone call, quiet time can be a BIG asset! Here are ten of our all-time favorite activities for that sacred time […]
DIY Pretend Play Cooktop from Recyclables
May 5, 2011 by
I made a little pretend cooktop from recyclables, and it’s been a big hit around here! It was super quick & easy to put together, and isn’t it adorable??? Added bonus — practically free! I love that it is small and lightweight enough that the girls can easily carry it from one room of the […]
Toys You Can Make from Recyclables
March 29, 2011 by
It is no secret that we love to craft with recyclables — we consider them to be FREE art supplies! Making your own toys from recyclables is a great way to reinforce the concept of conservation, and introduce the kiddos to early eco-friendly habits. Here are some EASY projects to get you started! If you […]
Build a Flower Activity Set
February 23, 2011 by
Inspired by this post on Made by Joel, I thought Emily would enjoy a flower building toy of her own. There was just one small problem — I’m not skilled at woodworking…. yet! Though I have plans to explore that little hobby soon! But I didn’t let that stop me…. It’s basically a recycled cardboard […]
Cardboard Firetruck
February 21, 2011 by
Building toys from cardboard is SO much FUN!! With the help of our makedo kit, and a few recyclables we had on-hand, Emily and I built a fun firetruck!! I’m not sure why she wanted to wear safety goggles to put out fires..?? But she sure had lots of fun with this! It is basically […]
Homemade Rhythm Set
February 15, 2011 by
Using some PVC pipe, a few recyclables, and some other household items, we made a fun rhythm set!! The sticks were made using empty heavy-duty cardboard rolls from plastic wrap. (I ask friends to save them for us!) Since most of the items were plastic, the “music” didn’t get too loud. Clara loved exploring all […]
Giveaway: Best Toy EVER!!
February 12, 2011 by
Update: Giveaway is now closed.. See below for winner announcement! I am SO excited to be hosting this giveaway, for what I consider to be the BEST toy EVER!!! When I first came across makedo, an Australian toy company, I contacted them to see if they would be interested in sponsoring a giveaway. Not only did […]
Battery-Free Toys We Love
January 25, 2011 by
Recently, I asked readers on Facebook to share their favorite battery-free toys with us. Here’s a summary of the responses, and I think this would be a great go-to list for a gift guide, or if you’re looking for alternatives to TV to keep the kiddos entertained during cold Winter days! A big THANK YOU […]
My Kind of Baking
January 21, 2011 by
I made up a few pretend baking kits for the girls — which kept them happily occupied, and it’s a great quiet time activity! They are SUPER easy and quick to make up. I cut up some very inexpensive craft felt using a few cookie cutters as my pattern, added some pieces for “icing” and […]
Printable Bird House Play Set
January 10, 2011 by
I made some colorful paper bird houses as a fun decoration for the sewing room, and I love how cheerful they look — plus they were super-frugal to make! Wouldn’t they look lovely hanging from the ceiling of a child’s bedroom, a classroom, or even lined up along a nature table?? So cute! I quickly […]
Top 10 Posts of 2010 — #1
January 1, 2011 by
Happy New Year!! It’s time to feature the number 1 post on FFFB for 2010!! This one was such a hit that in a separate post, I just had to share a few of the other versions done by our wonderful readers! The number 1 post of 2010 is……… Owl Family Play Set!!!! If you […]
Top 10 Posts of 2010 — #6
December 27, 2010 by
We’re continuing with our countdown of the top 10 posts of 2010, and while this next post features a super-fun sewing project, you could easily make something similar from cardboard for a no-sew version. Coming in at number 6…. DIY Travel Play Kitchen Set!! It’s now several months later, and the kitchen set is holding […]
Pine Forest Playscape
December 3, 2010 by
Clara and I made a fun pine forest playscape using coffee filters, and it’s been a big hit for imaginative play over here! We painted a bunch of coffee filters in hues of yellow and green. I love how happy Clara gets when she realizes that we will be painting — what fun!! She painted […]
