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 […]
Search Results for: pretend
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 […]
BIG Play in Small Spaces
June 24, 2012 by
Recently I posted a list of What to Do with the Kids this Summer with 10 simple ideas. A lovely reader (Hi, Judith!) commented to say that she lives in the city and is looking for play ideas that don’t require a lot of space. So I reached out to some of the most creative […]
Happy Father’s Day!
June 17, 2012 by
Fatherhood is pretending the present you love most is soap-on-a-rope. – Bill Cosby My father used to play with my brother and me in the yard. Mother would come out and say, “You’re tearing up the grass.’” “We’re not raising grass,” Dad would reply. “We’re raising boys.” – Harmon Killebrew Happy is the father whose child […]
Sunshine Crafts and Activities for Kids
June 7, 2012 by
Here are some of our favorite crafts and activities for kids that celebrate sunshine — no matter what weather you happen to be experiencing at the moment. Besides, sometimes it’s more fun to make your own sunshine! Sunny Indoor Beach — If the weather is not cooperating, why not make your own sunny beach indoors? […]
Cloud Dough Recipe & Ice Cream Shop
May 29, 2012 by
Have you tried playing with cloud dough yet?? It is totally awesome! We made two big batches of it for a cloud dough ice cream shop — LOTS of pretend play FUN! I’m not exaggerating when I say that the girls played with this stuff for hours, and it was another great use for our […]
Connect with Your Kids — Ideas for when you’re far away
May 19, 2012 by
For this week’s post in our Connect with Your Kids series, Joyce from Childhood Beckons and I asked some of the most interesting and creative bloggers to share their best tips for helping kids to connect with faraway friends and family! Here is a summary of the responses, along with ten main themes that emerged […]
What To Do With The Kids This Summer — 10 Simple Ideas
May 14, 2012 by
Summer is quickly approaching, and you may be looking for ideas on what to do with the kids once they are off from school. Here are some of our favorite kid crafts, activities, and ideas for Summer fun with the kids: 1. DIY Sponge Bombs — perfect for an impromptu sponge bomb bucket toss game! […]
50 Inspiring Ideas for Rainy Day Fun with Your Kids
May 9, 2012 by
“I know it is wet And the sun is not sunny. But we can have Lots of good fun that is funny!” –The Cat in the Hat Looking for some boredom-busting ideas to get you through a rainy day with the kids?? Here are 50 of our favorite ways to spend a rainy day: Painting! […]
20 Inspiring Ideas for Earth Day Fun with Recyclables
April 19, 2012 by
In honor of Earth Day, here are some links from the archives of our Earth Day craft and activity ideas that feature recycled materials. Enjoy! Bird Feeders from Recyclables Bird Watching Kit Frugal Fun with Music Spring Storage Boxes Spring Basket Frugal Fun with Stilts Matching Game with Juice Lids Baby Food Jar Lanterns Marble […]
10 Simple Pleasures for Cherished Childhood Memories
April 8, 2012 by
1. Brighten the walkway with some Sidewalk Chalk Stencils. 2. Kids LOVE dirt!! Create an outdoor Mud Pie Kitchen for hours of messy pretend play fun. 3. Bubbles are sure to make everyone smile! 4. Grab a roll of pennies, and visit a local water fountain to Make Lots of Wishes. 5. Go shopping for […]
10 Ideas to Foster Creative Play with Your Kids
March 29, 2012 by
Looking for some inspiring ways to promote creative play with your little ones?? Here are some of our favorite screen-free, simple, imaginative playtime activities for kids that won’t break the bank! 1. My kiddos have enjoyed hours of imaginative play with Story Stones and Sidewalk Scenes. Lots of creative storytelling fun! 2. Learn a […]
10 Awesome Ways to Make Cleaning FUN for Kids
March 18, 2012 by
It’s time for some Spring cleaning, so why not make it fun?? I asked some of the most creative moms in the blogosphere to share their best tips for keeping the kiddos motivated to help out around the house. These mamas make cleaning time seem like a blast! Pretend Play — 1. “Dress up like […]
It’s A Circus In Here!
March 6, 2012 by
During a recent trip to the local thrift store, I happened to spot these adorable vintage handmade wooden animals. They were begging to be used for some pretend circus play! I was about to create a little printable circus tent for you to download and print out your own, but the very nice folks over […]
Cardboard Classroom
January 20, 2012 by
Do your teddy bears need to be educated? Do you want to send them to the best school around?? Then it’s time to enroll them into Miss Clara’s cardboard classroom! Miss Clara grades her papers promptly — with lots of colorful stamps (a yard sale find)! Her classroom is so neat and organized! With lovely […]
7 Tips for Crafting with Cardboard
January 12, 2012 by
Know what I love? Cardboard!!!! Because it is supreme! Cardboard is cheap (or free!), readily available, recyclable, and generally easy to work with. Oh! And the possibilities!! Here are some of my favorite tips and tools for working with glorious cardboard. 1. Stuff ‘Em — In the case of the city blocks I made (shown […]
2012: A year of Classic, Creative Play (and a Trunki Giveaway!)
January 10, 2012 by
You may have noticed that we are BIG fans of pretend play around here. Some of the reasons why I’m so passionate about pretend play are because it promotes creativity and imagination, helps to develop early problem solving skills, fosters important social skills for kids, and it’s FUN!! Over the years, we’ve found some of […]
Top 11 Posts of 2011
December 31, 2011 by
Here it is — The moment you’ve all been waiting for… The top 11 posts of 2011!!! 11. First Sewing Basket — I can’t even begin to explain to you how HAPPY Clara was to have a sewing kit of her very own! She still uses this little kit at least a couple of times […]
