My kids and I love browsing pinterest together and are always inspired by the crafts and recipes we come across by the dozens. Last week we decided to try our hand at creating a simple art canvas using varying colors of acrylic paint. We found our canvases 2 for $1 at a local dollar store and luckily we already had a whole slew of paints and brushes stashed away at home. The kids chose their colors, and with a little help setting up from Mommy, they got down to business. Can you which canvas was created by yours truly and which one was created by a small child??
My hubby was more than certain the top painting was done by my hands
when in fact my oldest, who spends a little time painting every day, is
the artist. That's right I was schooled by a 7 year old, and I'm totally ok with that, and more than a little proud. Look how pleased these little artists are of their handiworks. Now we have some whimsical new pieces to add some much needed color to our bland playroom.
We celebrated the opening ceremonies of the 2012 Olympic Games today by creating these torches from rolled bristol board and construction paper. We cut off the access bristol board and sealed our seams with white duct tape. Our flames were attached with a glue stick. Our littles are having a ball today taking part in their very own torch relay. Are you watching the opening ceremony at home today with your family??
Remember the little plastic army men your older brother used to play with?? Well these classic molded creations have the same retro flair but with a modern edge and bright can't miss colors your kids will love. All City Breakers celebrate dance and creativity and are sure to ignite your children's imaginations in play. A boxed set of 20 are available for $31.94 or you can pick and choose your favorites for $2.08 each. Bust a move and check them out at kidrobot.
It's the VERY first day of scheduled Summer vacation!! Our oldest is busy every morning this month with literacy camp but we are still keeping it lively with sensory activities, kid friendly recipes and school readiness games and crafts. Each weekday this Summer we will share a snippet of what we have been up to with our little ones and hopefully can provide a little inspiration for you to share with your fave kiddos at home.
Practicing counting with goldfish crackers. Finger-painting fireworks on a tray of shaving cream.Banana dogs with peanut butter and a strawberry jam swirl. Journal entry.
I thank the heavens for pinterest every day. My kids, like most I would imagine, are completely crazy over playdough. I'm daily sweeping up pesky crumbs of hardened blue, red and green but if it buys them a few moment of happiness and me a few moments of peace then I have no beef with it. Needless to say when I came across this awesome diy printable playdough activity book I was pretty stoked. The photos above are just a few of my little ones favorite pages to create with but all in all there are 20 free printable pages for this book. All you need is access to a printer, a small binder and some laminated page protectors found at any business supply store. I happened to already have all of the required goodies in an overstuffed desk drawer. Fun and FREE. Win, win.
Check out the download source for this amazing diy project over at Planet of the Apels.
Working with playdough is also a fabulous activity for anyone with children on the autism spectrum. Our little aspie LOVED this and found it very therapeutic, especially when paired with an ipod loaded with some favorite tunes.
It's the most wonderful time...of the year!!! Summer is ALMOST here and what better way is there to build up the anticipation of the fun times ahead than by creating your own Summer 2012 Bucket List!! Grab an extra large size sheet of paper (the easel size works perfect), gather your crew around the table and brainstorm all of the fun things you want to do together this Summer. To get you started check out our colorful list of to-dos we created over the weekend with a good old pack of Mr. Sketch!!
•Kayak Date •Bonfire •Make S'mores •Fly a handmade kite •Drive-in Movie •Photo Scavenger Hunt •Eat beavertails •Eat at Fresh restaurant •Fireworks •Learn to ride a bike •Have a picnic •Host a BBQ •Watch a movie on the beach •Go carting •Use telescope at the beach •Night swimming •Carnival •Build sandcastles •Catch fireflies •Make
sidewalk chalk •Minigolf •DIY waterwall •Daily crafts •Make ice cream
One of our favorite hands-on tools for educational play are wikki stix!! We've been wild for the wikki for a few years now but are always surprised when we hear that a lot of folks are still unsure of what exactly a wikki stick is. When it comes to preschooler play - there is nothing these things can't do. Check out how these talented fellow bloggers get their wikki on.
I stumbled across this undeniably awesome printable paper city of Paris on Pinterest and knew right away my kids would loooove it.Made by Joel has created not only this adorable and artistic set but several others that are sure to keep kids busy for hours. Each printout even boasts it's own little factoids about each monument so kids can learn while they create. My kiddos took a crack at it over the weekend and enthusiastically worked as a team *gasp* at cutting out, coloring and setting up their own Parisian paradise.So much fun. I can't wait to try our hand at creating the other paper cities available. C'est magnifique!!
A quick science experiment: blow your young children away by providing them with a tray containing one container of white vinegar mixed with food coloring and one small container of baking soda with a measuring spoon. Have them add the baking soda one scoop at a time to the vinegar mixture to see what happens. Once they get excited dump the whole container of baking soda into the vinegar and watch it go crazy. It's like having your very own lava pool right at your kitchen table!!
My daughter, like most little girls, is crazy about shoes. When I asked her yesterday what kind of craft she would like to do together she instantly replied "a shoe craft!!!" Well after some extensive google image searching and pinterest browsing I couldn't find one single kids shoe craft!! So I decided it was about due time someone put one out there. We created our own template, pulled out a bag of shiny and sparkly gemstones and tadda - a beautiful glass slipper encrusted with jewels, fit for a princess!!
What You'll Need
Our FREE printable template, available for download below Access to a printer Pencil or marker Cardstock Scissors White craft glue LOTS of sparkly things
How-To
1. Print out our template and cut out glass slipper shape. Trace the template onto cardstock to create a sturdy base. Cut out your glass slipper.
2. Let your little one go wild decorating the shoe with as many sparklies as she can handle. Oohhhh shiny!! Allow glue to dry thoroughly before handling.
I have plans to frame up our finished show stopper in a shadow box for our little fashionistas bedroom. It'll make the perfect accent at her vanity table - something pretty and shiny to look at while she brushes her hair in the morning.
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