Valentine's Day is one of the few holidays that we do a themed art project at home. This is a direct result of the peer pressure to send in Valentine cards to school. Even though I like to look around the internet at others' fabulous crafting projects, in my home I much prefer simple arts...
Easy Peasy Handmade Valentines
How to Get Your 2 Year Old to Stop Whining
Did that blog post title get your attention? In the past few weeks my two year old has turned into the biggest whiner in the universe. I can tolerate a lot of things, but I really, really, really hate whining. I just want to poke my eyes out when people whine. It order to stem...
Blow a Frozen Bubble
A 15 degree day has to be good for something, right? Blow a frozen bubble! This is one of our favorite winter activities. We actually do it without even leaving our living room. No need to bundle up and go outside, just open the window and stick your head out! Blow a bubble with ordinary...
The Accidental Mathematician: Learning Math in the Kitchen
Since everyone needs an excuse to make more cookies.... We tend to associate kitchen math with measuring and fractions, but did you ever think it would be useful for learning about columns and rows (i.e. graphing?) Over the holidays I made some cookies while Kiddo sat at the table reading some books. I asked him...
Easy Toddler Art Project: Collage
Like most toddlers, my son is fascinated by tiny objects. I harnessed his interest for an easy toddler art project: making a collage. The set up for this collage art project is so easy! I sat him down in front of a piece of paper and squeezed out several lines and blobs of glue. I...
DIY Toddler Lacing Activity for Little Hands with Big Dreams
Toddlers love lacing activities and this easy homemade toddler lacing activity made from paper rolls and a ribbon is a fun change from beads and string. My toddler loves to lace beads on a string. Despite his fierce determination, his fine motor skills are not quite ready for little holes and so he screams, "need...
Winter Skating Party Coloring Page
Children's Book illustrator and author Melanie Hope Greenberg shares free coloring pages on this blog every month. Who hoo! This winter skating party coloring page is her inaugural contribution. I know you will love every monthly coloring page you will find here in the future. Download and print here (by clicking the link you agree to...
DIY Carnival Game for Indoor Fun
There is just way too much ball play in our home for normal people. We live in a small apartment, so I need to find good ways to let the boys release all their excess energy. To try and direct the ball throwing away from my authentic Tiffany lamp IKEA street finds I took one...
Making Play Dough: A Handmade Education
With all the discussion about the importance of STEM and STEAM learning in education these days, it occurred to me that the act of making play dough and the art of playing with it is the perfect preschool STEAM activity. Play dough is, in fact, a wonderful "handmade education," involving science, math, technology, and engineering, as...
Toddler Busy Activity: "Playing the Slots"
This is by far my favorite keep-the-toddler busy activity of all time. It never failed to entertain my kids when they were little! Don't tell my kids I told you, but they still get drawn into pushing the wooden craft sticks into the little slot in the lid of the container! I always have one...
The Amazing Rectangle: How to Inspire Sibling Cooperation
Isn't it funny how the sibling squabbles inspire creative intervention on the part of mom or dad? Parents are constantly called upon to think on their feet and sometimes the results are kind of incredible. The boys were fighting over some ridiculous toy which one of them wanted to use as something over which he...
But It Can Just Be Whatever You Want It To Be
Keeping your toddlers busy and out of your hair is often just a matter of presenting them with something new that they can use for open ended, pretend play. Imagine my delight when I randomly invented the best homemade pretend play toy ever. And you will not believe how easy it is to make. Also,...
How to Get Siblings to Work Together (Brilliant Parenting Tip)
Parents with more than one child know that siblings can sometimes get a little... how shall we say it... argumentative. It can be a challenge (to say the least) to get siblings to work together in harmony. Sometimes when things are at their worst, parents are at their best. And one recent evening, let me...
3D and 2D Shape Sorting Activity for Kids
This shape sorting activity is a fun introductory geometry lesson for preschoolers and toddlers. It helps kids understand the difference between 3-dimensional and 2-dimensional shapes. This 3D shape sorting activity is based on a similar Montessori shape sorting activity using Geometric Solids which matches 3D solids to the corresponding 2D shape. Materials Needed Blocks in...
Ball in a Box: Easy Baby and Toddler Play Idea
Aren't toddlers the cutest? My toddler loves to throw balls around. Maybe this is not so good in a small apartment! Lately I've been keeping him entertained with this simple toddler play idea, which I have oh-so-creatively named, "ball in a box". I wish I'd thought of it when he was younger, because it's a...
Books about Rocks for Kids (Plus Some Rock Collecting)
I love how rocks fascinate my kids. Explore and collecting rocks is such a simple way to connect with nature, and yet children never seem to tire of rocks! I guess every kid is a natural geologist! When we walk home through the park, the kids always have to stop at what they have named...
Loose Ends: Teaching Kids to Tie Shoes
It takes a lot of practice to learn how to tie shoes! Some kids who have trouble with fine motor skills, or who have slight or significant fine motor delays can have real problems learning how to tie shoelaces. With all the Velcro shoes and slip-ons, it is easy to avoid teaching kids this valuable...
Recycled Kitchen for Indoor Pretend Play
Here is an indoor activity idea from the very first days of this blog. Don't spend your money on fancy pretend play furniture! Idea First Published 12/27/07 I made this super duper fancy pretend play oven and stove from a cardboard box I snagged from the grocery store. I used a sharpie to draw the...
Compass Art Mandalas: Round and Round We Go
Mandalas are circular art forms that use symmetry and shapes to create pleasing, harmonious patterns. Creating mandalas with a compass is a fun way for kids to explore how math and art intersect. True, kid-made compass mandalas may not have the same precision as those created with the help of a computer or an experienced...
Practical Life: Kitchen Geometry
We all know that kids in the kitchen have ample opportunity to work on their math skills. Recently Kiddo put his geometry and measuring skills to the test when we made some sausage and potato pockets. First, he measuring to see how many more inches we need to roll the dough in order to make...
Handmade Wrapping Paper
I love to use handmade wrapping paper to wrap gifts and kid made wrapping paper is lots of fun. This tape resist technique is great because it allows you personalize the present and also eliminates the need for a card if you are in a hurry. Use low-tack tape (such as painter's tape) to write the...
How Bubbles Are Made Science Experiment in the Bathtub
I'm not too prudish to say it: kids think farting in the bathtub is hilarious. Why? Because it makes bubbles! Has your child ever wondered why a fart creates bubbles in the bath? Harness your kids natural curiosity for an easy science project that teaches them how bubbles are made. It's a great bath time science...
Spiraling Downward: Upcycled Ornament Craft for Kids
One of our advent activities was making spiral ornaments and it was a fun holiday activity for us because we only like crafts that are easy! We turned it into a recycled craft by upcycling old holiday cards, including those sets we keep getting from charity organizations (do you get those, too?) and some shiny...
Marking it Up: Upcycling Old Markers
How do you feel about the millions of Crayola markers (and other brands) sitting in our landfills? It's something I've been contemplating in our attempt to live a more eco-friendly life. Our markers have been running a bit dry lately. Usually I would let them run all the way out before getting new ones, but on...
Going Dotty: Books and Art Project for Kids
There's something rather fascinating about lots of dots. Kids love connect the dots, stamping dots, counting them, coloring them, etc. My kids even love doing giant dot to dots on the floor! Dots are lots of fun to incorporate into children's art projects, and why not read a few dot books, while you're at it?...
Your Kids Want to Make these Autumn Cookies
Fall is a great time for baking projects with the kids and no one can resist these multi-colored cookies in the shape of leaves and pumpkins. On the next blustery, autumnal day when you are stuck inside, turn on the oven and make a batch of these sweet treats with your children. After all, kids...
How to Make Homemade Blue Montessori Triangles
Montessori constructive triangles are so much fun for hands on preschool geometry learning. I love how the simple shapes encourage creative preschool math exploration and Montessori math materials are part of our list of 10 essential materials for at home math learning. (Note: this post contains affiliate links that earn commission from qualifying purchases.) I've...
Button Stamps Tutorial: Easy Craft for Kids
Every time you buy an article of clothing that includes spare buttons, instead of setting them somewhere you'll never find them again, turn them into homemade button stamps! Button stamps are an easy craft and kids love using them to make patterns and designs on paper. When you need a quick and creative boredom buster...
Window Painting: Rainy Day Activity
Would you let your kids paint on the windows? We love decorating our windows and so I thought, "why not just paint directly on the glass?" It's a fun rainy day activity for the kids. It makes a nice change of pace from paper. Plus the kids feel like maybe they are doing something a...
How to Make an Ocean in a Bottle to Calm the Spirits
Today we made an ocean in a bottle as a fun after-camp activity. Since we had so much fun with watercolor pencil seashell art, we continued with the seashore theme. As you can see, books about the sea were an important addition! My child likes to read instructions so I wrote out the steps for...
Cookie Fractions Make Math Delicious
While I do like to explore creative ways to teach math, I may have gone a bit overboard with this one. This idea to teach fractions with cookies sounded great inside my head, but after execution my idea needs some refinement! Some kids find fractions to be a tricky concept, so why not make learning...
How to Make Stick Puppets (Plus Free Printable Templates)
Stick puppets are a great way to give your child the opportunity to expand their pretend play. Stick puppets are easy to make at home and a quick boredom buster when you need a screen-free activity to entertain your child. Puppet play offers many benefits for a child's development. It engages their imagination, boosts storytelling...
Playful Preschool Geometry Activity
Teach geometry to preschoolers with this easy, fun preschool geometry activity. Preschoolers learn through their independent play and this playful geometry activity harnesses their natural curiosity and creativity. One of the best ways to help toddlers, preschoolers and even kindergarteners explore geometric concepts is with a set of pattern blocks and a muffin tin. (Note:...
Making Soft Pretzel Letter and Number Shapes with Kids
I have wanted to make soft pretzels for years. When I finally got around to it, my son and I had a great time twisting the dough into letter and number shapes. As a kitchen activity, this one ranks high on our list of fun times spend together! Making Cooking with Kids Fun Every parent...
No-Prep Art Exploration Activity For Preschoolers
Are you looking for a no-prep way to encourage your child's artistic exploration and don't want to resort a coloring book? This art idea is so easy to set up at the last minute and emphasizes the artistic process over the end product. This no-prep art activity works well for preschoolers and toddlers, but elementary-aged...
Life Sized Self Portrait Project for Kids
Finding indoor activities to spark a child's interest can be a challenge, so why not choose an activity with a theme the child can't help but love: themselves! This body tracing art activity is a fun, life-sized spin on the self-portrait art project and kids LOVE it. One of your must-have craft items is a giant...
Coin Sorting Activity for Kids
Kids are fascinated with money and will love the opportunity to play with coins. Give your child a learning opportunity to explore loose change with this fun and super simple coin sorting activity for kids that doesn't require a worksheet or pre-printed sorting mat! Activity Set-Up There are two versions of this coin sorting activity....
Easy Phonetic Reading Game Using Simple Words
This is an easy reading game using letter sounds to spell three letter words. My son is constantly asking me how words are spelled so this was a fun way to harness his interest and sneak in a bit of phonics learning. Materials How to Play I lined up three pictures and then said "I...
Painting With Water to Make Chalkboard Art
I know you are always looking for simple, low mess activities for the kids that keep them busy and will help them let loose their creativity. I have the answer! Plus, here's a bonus for you: it will get their bodies moving. What you need: Can you figure it out yet? Water creates wonderful, temporary...
Indoor Root Vegetable Garden Activity for Kids
Growing a window garden is a great way to get kids involved in plant science, but also indoor gardening is essential for us apartment dwellers! Did you know you can grow root vegetables indoors? One of the benefits of membership at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden is that we receive their quarterly publications. A while ago...
