With Halloween only days away, my kids are asking me every day how much longer until Halloween. We've been doing lots of fun activities around Halloween themes. I really should have done a Halloween countdown! Next year... Of course, we had to sneak in a Halloween scavenger hunt! I had a hard time searching for ideas for a Halloween scavenger hunt to go on. All I found were ...
15 Spooky Monster Crafts for Kids to Make for Halloween
Halloween monster crafts for kids to make are super fun, and not too spooky to scare them! Try these 15 not-so scary monster craft ideas! These fun monster crafts are perfect for kids to make because monsters can look like anything, be made from anything, and do anything... Monsters come in so many shapes and forms. Especially around Halloween. Ghosts, goblins, spiders.... ...
22 Autumn Activities for Toddlers to Enjoy this Fall
These Fall activities for toddlers are sure to create lasting memories with your kids this Autumn. From trees to leaves and apples to pumpkins, Fall may just be the best time of year! When you realize that it's the last Fall you have with a toddler, you have to make the most of it! Gear up for an Autumn full of fun activities for toddlers! Here's a bucket list of ...
Spaghetti Slime Sensory Activity for Silly Toddler Fun
A spaghetti slime sensory activity is perfect for Halloween because it's oh-so-slimy! Toddlers explore the texture and have some silly fun. Sensory activities are always fun for toddlers to do. They get to explore, and there's never a right or wrong way to do it. We turned The Imagination Tree's bug slime spaghetti (eww!) into a sensory activity especially for ...
Sticker Christmas Tree Craft for Kids
This is a fun sticker Christmas tree craft for kids that my kids have done in the past leading up to Christmas. And once again this year, we did it again! Even better, this sticker tree is mess-free, sans-glitter and glue, and so simple, but also great for fine motor skills! Really anything with stickers is! So let the kids have them! I have a thing where I think ...
Recommended 4th Grade Books for Boys
This is a list of books recommended for my oldest, Henry when he was in 3rd grade, reading at a 4th grade level. This post contains affiliate links. A while ago, I asked if you wanted to hear about some good books for older boys to read... and it was a big yes! I have recently made a list of 10 classic books for boys that make for great reads and a few of my son's ...
12 Not-So-Frightful Spider Web Crafts for Fall
Spider web crafts and activities are so much fun for Halloween! It makes a spider not so frightful after all! How cool would it be to accessorize this costume with a whole Halloween theme of spider webs? 12 Not-So-Frightful Spider Web Crafts & Activities We love to make a good spider web and love Halloween activities around here and have done quite a few of ...
Indoor Gross Motor Activities to Plan Your Week of Fun for the Kids
This is a week of indoor gross motor activities that are just meant to burn off that extra energy when you're stuck inside. There's no 'real' (academic) learning involved, not themed in any way... just good ol' fun physical movement activities to do inside. Now is a good time to have some indoor activities planned, for those days that you'll need them. When we have a ...
Spooky (and Fun) Halloween Ideas for Kids
Halloween is coming up fast! Oh so fast.... I need to make Henry's costume yet... and George's... oh man. What are your kids going to be for Halloween? Here are some crafty, playful ideas, oh and spooky too, to get you in the mood for Halloween: More Halloween fun can be found: ...
No-Carve Monster Pumpkins for Halloween
Grab some stickers and Halloween craft supplies to make your own no-carve monster pumpkins for Halloween! When we went pumpkin picking at my brother's, the boys couldn't help but pick a bunch of unripe, green pumpkins. Not exactly your traditional jack-o-lanterns, but it's what they wanted. I love decorating for Halloween. To me, that means pumpkins everywhere! Make ...
Create a Family of Pumpkin Mummies for Halloween!
These pumpkin mummies are a super cute craft for Halloween that your toddlers and preschoolers can do! No pumpkins? Try these 35 pumpkin crafts for kids! I chose four pumpkins that I thought resembled our family from our heaping pile of pumpkins on our front porch. (Ha. Hmm... Not something I thought I'd be comparing to my family...) I decorated a couple first to ...
28 MORE Winter Crafts for Kids That Are Adorably Cute
I have been on a kick of finding easy winter crafts for kids to make when its cold! I've shared 40 winter activities and craft ideas for toddlers (lots of snowmen and snow crafts, sensory activities that are geared toward the 2 year old age), along with 21 fine motor winter crafts to do with the kids that work on squeezing, beading, threading and so many great ...
26 Icky & Ooey Halloween Activities for Toddlers
Boo! Did I scare you? My kids love to scare each other, even my toddler! It's a fun game, and really not at all scary. Those are the times of Halloween activities for toddlers that I love. The not-so-scary kind, but yet still a little spooky and icky, to introduce them to Halloween! Ready for some Halloween fun for toddlers? Here are 26 not-so-scary, but still icky and ...
Pom Pom Drop Activity for Toddlers + Benefits for All Ages
A simple, oh-so-simple drop toddler activity using pom poms (or cotton balls) and paper towel tubes and a little bit of tape has so many yummy benefits. A pom pom drop activity for toddlers to keep busy with and even preschoolers would love joining in on this! I recently pinned it again from Teaching Mama's 20 ways to keep a toddler busy and realized we finally just ...
28 No-Carve Pumpkin Decorating for Kids
These are adorable, creative ideas of no-carve pumpkin decorating for kids to do! From stickers to painting to mummies! There's something there for toddlers, preschoolers and older kids to decorate their pumpkins just right! Pumpkin decorating for kids can be tough, because a sharp knife and kids don't usually mix too well. Especially young kids. 28 Creative and Not-So-Spooky ...
Mix-It-Up Popsicle Stick Pumpkin Craft + Fine Motor Activity
No more wondering what you're going to do all day! This mix-it-up popsicle stick pumpkin that Hillary shares below is a fantastic Halloween themed activity to keep the fun going for hours and hours. A pumpkin craft that fun to make, cute to display and provides fine motor strengthening and coordination along with playtime? That's exactly what Hillary needed as a new stay at home ...
7 Simple Fall Gross Motor Activities for Your Kids
7 super simple gross motor activities that are perfect for fall! These physical activities are sure to be winners with your kids this autumn! We like to move around here. I guess that's what two boys do. And I'm sure it doesn't just apply to boys either! It's also great for them to be doing, so I encourage it. (It usually makes bedtime go easier too!) These autumn ...
Cute Apple Name Puzzle Works on Cutting Skills
We turned a pumpkin into an apple name puzzle! Ever since I shared our pumpkin crafts with How Wee Learn's pumpkin name puzzle, I've been wanting to try it out too! These name puzzles are perfect for cutting practice, but are also great for name recognition! And bonus! It's a cute craft too for the season! This is the same concept, it's just a red apple instead of an ...
Play Dough Monsters for Preschoolers to Roll, Count & Decorate
Let's make play dough monsters (with a built-in counting game, too) and get to know our Activity Room Member of the Month, Cari! Texas mom, Cari was pregnant, expecting her daughter, and wanted a way to keep her active little boy engaged... without screens. "It started when I got pregnant with my daughter, I was trying to find ways to do things with my son that didn't ...
Apple Tree Craft for Toddlers
George and I made a very simple apple tree craft, one that toddlers can do! I'm so excited to be spending some extra one on one time with George lately now that Henry's in kindergarten. George loves to create things. He's the one that likes to cut, color, draw, and do all the fine motor stuff that Henry rarely got into at that age (George is almost 3). I have some awesome ...
Easy Apple Crafts for Kids to Create That Are Cute!
All types of apple crafts for kids to create, including apple tree crafts! Plus there's some crafty ways to get the kids learning with apples! I love doing apple activities with kids using real apples as well, it's a great way to sneak in a healthy snack!, Now, I'm making it all about apple crafts! Instead of working with real apples, we'll be creating apples using our craft ...
Easy DIY Lava Lamp Science Experiment for Kids
Make a lava lamp with your preschooler, and your preschooler will love science experiments! Lava lamps are simple to make. Like crazy easy. My kids love experimenting! And I love watching them discover the world through science and creativity. Easy DIY Lava Lamp Science Experiment for Kids Even I was shocked at what a big hit this easy DIY lava lamp science ...
42 Simple Hanukkah Crafts for Kids to Celebrate! Dreidels, Menorahs & More!
This year, I have had many requests to share ideas of Hanukkah crafts for kids to make. Our family celebrates Christmas. We have always shared easy Christmas crafts, including Santa crafts, Christmas tree crafts, and lots of homemade ornaments for kids to make as well. Simple Hanukkah Crafts for Kids to Make I have never shared any ...
Hidden Colors Experiment for Preschoolers + Breaking Out of the Rut
Add a surprise to an easy preschool colors experiment with this magical twist from our Member of the Month Sara Marie who breaks out of the activity rut. Sara Marie isn't a Pinterest guru... far from it! But even so, she still struggled to find easy ways to do activities with her older son, especially when her younger son was an infant. "Trying to come up with new ideas that ...
Flour Sensory Play for Toddlers (& Being Okay with the Mess)
Set up a fun busy activity for toddlers and preschoolers. An easy flour sensory play station will entertain children again and again! I recently challenged my newsletter subscribers to three very simple activities (get on the list to get the challenges!). I love these challenges and often find that they even help myself get out of a rut. One of the three activities was this ...
Back to School Crafts and Teacher Gifts
Celebrate the start of fall with adorable back to school crafts that are super cute! Your kids will love making these fun school crafts that are perfect teacher gifts, too. Apples and pencils and school buses, oh my! Back to school has never been this much fun! As a kid, I remember loving to get back into school. The possibilities the new year brings. The new schedule of ...
36 Cute & Easy Pumpkin Crafts for Kids to Make!
Fall is the perfect season for pumpkin everything! Mix fun and learning with these cute pumpkin crafts for kids! So many fun and easy pumpkin crafts for kids to make! I've shared fun pumpkin activities to do with real pumpkins a while back, but I always find pumpkin crafts that I think are so adorable. I had to share these pumpkin crafts to make with toddlers and ...
Beautiful Yarn Apple Craft for Kids to Make
Yarn crafts always make for fun crafts for the kids. Make this easy yarn apple craft for some simple kid-made Fall decor! Its apple season here, the apples are just about ready, so I thought it was the perfect idea to make a yarn apple craft. We've done this yarn technique many times in the past. So I won't get into huge detail of how to do it, you can read more about any tips ...
Learning (Plus its Fun!) Indoor Obstacle Course for Kids
I worked a little learning into an indoor obstacle course for the kids that may have let them climb and walk on my dining room table... it makes it fun when Mom says its okay to break the rules once in awhile! Why is it week after week, I've been saying "I need to get the kids moving!"? Maybe because we've been stuck inside for what seems like eternity and we are all going just a ...
35 Vehicle Activities for Preschoolers! Transportation & All Things that GO!
Transportation activities for preschoolers, plus vehicle crafts to make and even our favorite books for kids that love things that go! I don't know about you, but all my boys can play with are things that go... you know... things with wheels! Part of the activities planner I do each week, is writing down what the kids are currently interested in. It always has some sort of ...
Shadow Match Activity with Building Blocks
Work on spatial skills while you have your preschooler match the shadow with building blocks in this super simple activity. This match the shadow activity might be my new favorite activity! It incorporates so much into one activity... but only if you want it to! I've been wanting to try shadow tracing for a long time with the kids. I struggle though because anytime I ...
Move and Learn Shapes with a Ball + Tape for Toddlers
Try a fun hands-on activity for toddlers for a creative twist to learn shapes! George begs to play this fun game to learn shapes over and over again! I happily agree because, honestly, it's so simple! Move and Learn Shapes with a Ball + Tape for Toddlers Seriously. So easy. To DIY your own ball game to learn shapes, you'll need: And that's it! I taped a bunch ...
Discover an Easy Magical Color Changing Milk Experiment for Kids
Learn about mixing colors with a color changing milk experiment. Your kids will think this trick is science magic! We're talking a lot about how colors mix together right now. I wanted to add in a little extra science twist to continue our learning. Color Changing Milk Experiment to Magically Mix Colors I've tried doing this magic color changing milk experiment in the past, but ...
Download Sample Activity Plans for Toddlers & Preschoolers to Discover, Play, Engage, Learn
Download sample activity plans to help your toddlers and preschoolers discover, play, engage and learn at home. Having a quick go-to list of simple activities to try this week makes it much easier to actually do them! Much easier then it is to browse through Pinterest and pin so many crazy crafts and activities that its hard to find a starting place. Having the ...
Simple Water Pouring Activity for Toddlers to Improve Hand-Eye Coordination
Work on pouring water with your toddlers using this super simple activity that they will love! This simple and fun water play activity will teach them an important life skill! Pouring water for drinks! A simple life skill to learn, but how do they learn it? With practice! Fine Motor Pouring Water Activity for Toddlers This begs the question... is pouring a ...
Make a Color Sorting Sensory Bag with Your Kids: Super Easy & Squishy
Squish a simple sensory bag for easy color sorting and sensory play fun that preschoolers and toddlers will love! This color sorting sensory bag is super easy to make, too. I created a simple sensory bag with buttons and it turned into a color sorting game for the kids during one of the free activity challenges. The challenge was to make a sensory bag! We have a ton of sensory ...
Tape Road for Toddlers That is Super Quick and Simple
This easy setup tape road race track is perfect for toddlers who like things that go! Bonus, let them help with clean up for fine motor fun. To me, a tape road is a no-brainer simple activity to do. With all boys in the house, we're always doing 'things that go'. And we build roads constantly. Whether it's from train tracks, drawing roads, making roads from blocks... ...
Colored Coffee Filter Flowers for Kids to Make
I love flowers for spring, and these pretty coffee filter flowers for kids are perfect to make for Mother's Day! I'm thinking about Mother's Day crafts and what to make for Grandma this year from the boys. My mom loved the tissue paper contact paper flowers we made for her last year. Instead of using tissue paper this time, we used coffee filters to make these flowers, which ...
9 EPIC Sandbox Activities That Kids Will Dig
Bring your fun outside and dig in the sandbox! Try these easy toddler sandbox activities for a great day of outside play. Fun in the sun and in the sandbox! That's where my kids spend their summer... digging in the sandbox! I think it might be fun to come up with some new ways to play in the sandbox, so I'm searching for some neat sandbox activities that I know my kids ...
A Week of Water Activities for Kids
Stay cool with a week's worth of easy, fun water activities! Your kids will love these easy ways to cool off with water. Water playtime activities are always a favorite! And summertime makes them even more popular! We've been having tons of fun at the pool and with our water guns. I decided that it might be fun to do a whole week of water fun with the kids! Want ...
Colored Water Transfer Play for Toddlers
I've been revisiting old activities again, doing them with Louis this time. George and Henry have both enjoyed transferring colored water. This water activity is a no-brainer, no fail, and lots of fun! This time, we took the water outside because it was a crazy nice day for April! You could set this up inside though, in the sink or bathtub, or on the floor with a shower curtain or ...
Easy Water Gun Target Activity for a Hot Day
This water gun target is so simple, and so much fun for a hot day outside! Water play is such a fun, classic, and easy summer activity. We were at my parents this past weekend. Boy, was it was a hot one! The boys wanted to get the water guns out, which we're all for. My mom set up a quick target practice for them and they had a blast! I shared a video of Louis's target ...
Why Routines for Kids are Important
Routine. Routine. Routine. We all hear about it from day one of being a parent. You need to get them on a routine! So what's the big deal? Why do our kids need a routine? I posed this question to Erin O'Keefe, MA, PCI Certified Parent Coach of The Intentional Parent. When a child knows what to expect, their world is more comfortable, it makes sense. Erin ...
12 Water Experiments for Kids to do This Year that are Easy Peasy & Fun!
Get ready, get set, and get wet with easy water experiments for kids to do this year! I'm always looking for fun ways to add science experiments to our hands-on learning fun. When we have summer days heating up, my boys are just begging to go outside and get wet. Get a FREE week of Science Experiments to Download Easy Peasy & Fun Water Experiments for Kids to do This ...
Threading Cheerios on Spaghetti! A Fantastic Fine Motor Activity for Toddlers
This basic threading cheerios on spaghetti activity is super simple to set up. So much you can do with threading cereal. Grab some play dough to act as a holder. Check out my favorite post on how to make homemade play dough - it's so soft! Once again, I'm returning to basic activities I've done in the past with the older boys and redoing them with Louis while he's still ...
Peeling Tape Activity to Strengthen Little Toddler Fingers
Peeling tape is so much fun for little kids. Make peeling the tape an activity all of its own! Okay, so I use tape in a lot of activities here on Hands On As We Grow, right? I love it. It's very versatile and let's me do a lot of things really easily (like build roads, or lines, or numbers) in minutes. But, the activities are always about something else, naturally. Not ...
15 At-Home Learning Activities for Toddlers
Teaching your toddler at home is as easy as 1, 2, 3 or A, B, C! Learning activities for toddlers are super simple to DIY with these 15 easy activity ideas. Working with your toddler on "school" type work covers the basics. Like, the basic basics: colors, numbers, letters, and shapes. The focus should really be on play, and not on testing or desk work. Some basic things an ...
Rubber Band Activity to Keep Kids Busy When You Need It
Do you need a minute? Discover my go-to fine motor activity that to keep preschoolers busy with rubber bands! I absolutely love activities that easily keep kids busy! I can just set them up and they can keep at them for as long as they'd like. It allows me the freedom to work around them in peace. Rubber Band Activity to Keep Preschoolers Busy When You Need It It was ...
The Active Tape Jumping Game! A Quick Gross Motor Activity for Kids
A very silly and fun gross motor activity to get the kids moving with a simple tape jumping game! Tape jumping for preschool gross motor - this is an inspired game for sure! This is so simple. So, so simple. But I love the way it works on preschool gross motor skills, like jumping. Gross Motor Tape Jumping Game for Preschoolers Set up your own gross motor tape ...
Let’s Pretend Play to Connect through Your Child’s Imagination
Get inspired by a book, movie or new experience today and then make time to do some pretend play with your kids to act out your own stories! Amyra is a devoted mom and wife. She has a 3 year old son, Preesh, who has big energy and a wild imagination. She tells us she has been trying to do activities with her son for quite some time. But she was getting lost in the whole ...
Make a Wave Bottle for Kids to Explore
My kids not only loved to make these wave bottles, but now fight over which wave bottle is theirs! Good thing we labeled them! About a month ago, Henry attended a day camp that the local 4-H put on. It was a beach theme party and they made several crafts during their day. Henry's favorite craft he brought home was an Ocean in a Bottle. He was very adamant to make a wave ...
30+ Fun Activities for Kids to Play in the Dirt!
Go outside and get muddy with your kids! Try these fun activities for kids to play in the dirt! We love to get outside and play in the mud together. The boys really enjoy digging, making mud pies, and driving toy construction trucks over pretend roads. I get that it can be tough to get started playing in the mud. All that mess! 30+ Fun Activities for Kids to Play in the ...
Road Trip Car Bingo for Kids with Free Printable Download
Beat road trip boredom with this DIY bingo game for the whole family! Free to download and designed for kids from 3 and up to play together! Growing up, my family would go on two-week vacations every summer. We always drove (I never flew in an airplane until my honeymoon to Hawaii). It seemed we were always on the road, staying at a campground one night and then ...
Easy Craft Stick Bridge Building Activity for Preschoolers
Work on fine motor skills with an easy craft stick bridge building activity that invites creative play, too! Your preschoolers will love this super simple construction project. Being an Activity Room member can totally inspire busy moms and dads to get more hands-on with their children! That's exactly what Emily, our Member of the Month, discovered when she joined. Emily loves ...
8 Father’s Day Activities for Kids to Do For Dad
Father's Day is coming up fast and we're all set. Well almost. I gotta grab a couple things yet myself, but the kids have made their gift for Dad. Have yours? Maybe you need some quick inspiration for Father's Day activities? Here are 8 things the kids can make for dad. 8 Easy Father's Day Activities for Kids Plus 10 gifts to buy Dads, with an ...
Easy Stamping Spring Flower Art Project for Kids
We love a good stamping craft and this spring flower art project is perfect! I've been meaning to do bottle stamping for ages. And I'm so glad we did it as a flower art project! It was so simple! Easy Stamping Spring Flower Art Craft for Kids We were all in the mood to add a little spring color to our house. This simple spring craft was just the ticket! Plus, it's ...
Look What I Did! Draw a Self Portrait Activity for Preschoolers
Boost your preschoolers self confidence while they draw a self portrait with this super easy activity you can do at home! Meet Sherrie Rose. An amply-qualified nanny to two children in California since the summer of 2020. She lovingly cares for a 5 year old little girl and a 2 year old boy. Sherrie Rose has been working in preschools for the past 18 years. She switched ...
Bird Feeder Craft Great for Fine Motor Skills
Back to the basics again. I've been loving keeping it simple here lately. This is a classic bird feeder craft using Cheerios, or other ring-shaped cereal, and pipe cleaners. This was great fine motor practice, and a great busy activity, for George to do. I scooped out a dish of Cheerios and handed George a few pipe cleaners to choose from. He started threading the Cheerios onto a ...
Cherry Blossom Spring Tree Craft that is Popping with Fun
Toddlers and preschoolers will love to get sensory with this super simple cherry blossom spring tree craft that Shaydee, an Activity Room Member of the Month, shares with us. Bonus, enjoy a little snack too while you get creative! Shaydee is a Californian veteran and military wife living in Italy. She has 3 children, ages 12, 3 and 2. Shaydee was sporadic with trying out ...
3D Flower Card for Kids to Make for Mother’s Day
Build a 3D flower card in this fun Mother's Day craft for kids! This is a great way to give flowers to Mom or Grandma and get creative, too. I am totally loving these flower cards the kids made for a Mother's Day craft for kids to make. It's a great gift for Grandma (and myself!). In previous years, we've made bouquets of flowers for Grandma. We could have totally made these into ...
12 Garden Activities for Kids to Be Involved In
Looking for some exciting things to do in the garden with kids? Here's a collection of super simple garden activities for kids to get you started. Have fun! We have always wanted a garden. We have an enormous backyard. But we also have deer like crazy, so I always nix the idea. I'm not about to put that much effort into growing a garden only for the deer to eat it. But ...
12 Shape Activities for Toddlers! It’s Hip to be Square!
These 12 hands on shape activities for toddlers (2 year olds) will make it hip to be square! Toddlers will have fun learning shapes in a hands on way. We've been having a little bit of fun lately doing some hands on shape activities! George is on a shapes kick right now, anytime he asks for an activity, he's been asking for 'shapes'. I can't say no to that! I keep the ...
Quick Toddler Activities That Require No Prep
These are my life savers! Quick toddler activities that I can do in a moment's notice, with no setup and no prep, that truly keep my kids busy when I need a moment to myself. There are so many times when I find an activity to do with the kids and then realize that I need to spend a half hour to an hour prepping for it. I'm printing out stuff or doing something that requires me ...
25 Just Plain Fun Activities for Active Kids
My kids are definitely active kids. They rarely just sit to do activities, so we include a lot of movement in our activities. Lately, we've been doing a lot of gross motor activities that involve learning for the Move & Learn series, but what about just to get them moving just to have fun? These activities are the ones that the kids giggle during the most, the ones that ...
SPLAT! The Sight Word Swat! Be Consistent & Simplify for Activity Success
Try this simple and fun game of sight word swat called, “Splat!” But first, hear it from this activity mom how she simplifies and stays consistent for activity success! Anna is an enthusiastic mom of 2. "Charlie is 4, he'll be five in May. And Mabel is 2." After 12 years of teaching kindergarten, Anna extended her maternity leave indefinitely due to the Covid pandemic. ...
Activities To Keep Your Toddler Busy All Week!
Toddlers are busy little people, but we've created a full week of plans and activities that will keep them occupied! I thought it might be a good time to share another week of activities with the holiday break coming up. I'm always looking for quick and easy activities to do with the kids over the holidays to entertain them! This is a week of simple activities of things to do ...
How to Make Personal Time as a Mom
Being a mom is a lot of work. It requires being present most of the time, especially with young kids. So, finding some uninterrupted minutes to give yourself a little self-care is essential for being a better mom. In addition, taking some personal time for your own needs helps you find a sense of self that gets pushed to the sidelines when you're a parent. If you find ...
How to Paper Mache: Make a Bunny Easter Craft
How to paper mache and make a Bunny for an Easter craft from Spanish4Kiddos! I've never paper mache'd with the kids, so I'm excited for this tutorial! And what a fun Easter craft to do! Easter can be a great time to get together with family and friends. And it can be more fun when children celebrate this holiday. A bunny paper mache is a great project to keep kids busy and ...
9+ St. Patrick’s Day Crafts & Activities for Kids
It's the week of St. Patrick's Day and we've got some fun St. Patrick's Day crafts and activities that the kids have done for it! Rainbows and shamrocks seem to be what we like around here... What do you think of when you think of St. Patrick's Day? Do you make any special St. Patrick's Day crafts? Or do any certain activities to celebrate? Rainbow ...
Lucky Shamrock Crafts for Kids
Nothing quite says St. Patrick's Day like a few cute shamrock crafts. Since St. Patrick's Day is almost here, I thought I'd give you guys some craft ideas from not only myself but also my other favorite bloggers! These easy shamrock crafts will have you feeling lucky in no time, so let's get to it! Get a free week of Rainbow Activities! Sticky Paper Shamrock ...
26 New Ways to Decorate Those Easter Eggs!
Take a break from all the spring crafts you're making with the kids and make some decorated eggs for Easter! Holy cow there are a lot of ways to decorate Easter eggs! From homemade natural dyes to decoupaging to using your hot glue gun, there are tons of ways to make decorated eggs! Branch out your ways of decorating Easter Eggs with one of these 26 new ...
Size Sorting Circles Rainbow Necklace Toddler Craft
We added an extra learning element of sorting circles while making this rainbow necklace! Rainbow activities are awesome for learning colors and circles are great for sorting. When these powers combine, you've got this awesome size sorting circles rainbow necklace craft! Sorting Circles Necklace as a Rainbow Craft This one took a little prep work by me. I think you could ...
15 of the SIMPLEST Activities Yet! Outstanding for Busiest of Moms
I've noticed a lot of... well, complex activities lately. I can't seem to find just quick, doable and just simple activities to do with the kids. Everything that I see seems to try to outdo the last and it has escalated so high now that I don't even want to try! Do you ever feel like Pinterest is actually trying to stop you from being creative??? So instead, I'm going ...
How to Make Chores Fun for Kids
Is it a struggle to get your kids to do chores or clean up around the house? Let's face it; chores aren't fun for anyone. However, teaching your kids to do chores at a young age develops a sense of responsibility and a strong work ethic. In addition, young children need to start getting in the habit of helping out around the house! Try these interactive ideas to make ...
Make Words with a Fun Easter Egg Scavenger Hunt
Practice making words on a super fun Easter Egg scavenger hunt! Ahhh, the classic Easter egg hunt. It's a rite of passage for kids in the spring! But kids love to go on "hunts" all year round - and I bet you'd like to also find another way to use all those plastic eggs you've collected. So I set up a fun scavenger hunt with plastic eggs, with a twist of making words by ...
Colorful Rainbow Scavenger Hunt with Printable Clues for Easy Setup
We love scavenger hunts! I took this one a step further than we usually do and made it a rainbow scavenger hunt with clues! It's getting to be spring, which means rainbows! They're so cheerful and happy. Plus, rainbows are such a fun, simple way to work on colors. And all those colors just scream scavenger hunt. I wanted to make this rainbow scavenger hunt so super simple. ...
Sweet Sensory Play for Babies That Aid in Their Development
You might be familiar with sensory activities and play for toddlers and preschoolers, but you might not be as familiar when it comes to sensory play for babies and what you (and the baby!) can do. So often worry about entertaining our toddlers with sensory activities but forget that our babies also benefit from sensory play. Even at a young age, babies take in their ...
No Prep Fine Motor Pipe Cleaner Activity
Pipe cleaners plus a colander equals tons of fine motor busy play for toddlers! Try this simple creative fine motor pipe cleaner activity! I was so excited to do this fine motor activity with Louis! Keep scrolling to see my original activity with Henry a few years ago. This is a very simple activity. One of the most basic fine motor activities actually. No Prep Fine Motor ...
Weight Activity: Weighing and Comparing With A Balance Scale
Weighing and comparing objects with a scale made simple a fun for preschoolers with this easy weight activity you can do at home. Kelly is the director of a Daycare and Preschool. Starting in education in 1984, she has many years of experience. Kelly had retired when her family started a new daycare and preschool. She knew they needed her and hung up her retirement hat for a ...
Toddler Sensory Bag with Slimy Eyes
Create a slimy experience for toddlers without the mess with a sensory bag! It's a perfect sensory activity for Halloween. As well as perfect for all ages, including babies and toddlers! I saw these Halloween and fall hair gel sensory suncatchers from Happy Hooligans. They have lots of ideas that they added to their sensory bag suncatchers. What's in this ...
Patriotic Crafts for Kids to Make for President’s Day
This President's Day, why not make the most of the day by incorporating some red, white, and blue crafts and patriotic crafts with your kids? President's Day is just around the corner, and while I love the idea of celebrating a patriotic holiday in American history, I feel like kids often just think of President's Day as another day off from school. They have a vague idea of the ...
How to Celebrate Valentine’s Day with Kids
Time away with your hubby or significant other on Valentine's Day is so special, but family fun time to celebrate Valentine's Day with the kids has its place in this special day, too. While I LOVE celebrating the season of love my MY love, I also cherish creating special hands-on memories with my boys. Sometimes, it's hard to know how to celebrate Valentine's Day with kids, ...
A Lovely Week of Valentine’s Day Activities for Kids
Enjoy lovely Valentine's Day activities with the kids for a fun week full of love! I don't usually go overboard with holidays (at least not too much). When it comes to blogging about our activities, its usually better if I start blogging about holiday activities 6+ weeks before the holiday. And that just is too hard for me. Even for Christmas, that's hard! So this ...
50+ Simple Activities for Toddlers
Make playtime with toddlers so much simpler with 50+ simply perfect toddler activities! What activities can I do with toddlers? What is the best activity for a toddler? What activities should a 2 year old be doing? What should I be doing with my 2 year old? What do you do with a 2 year old at home? I've heard it all from readers over the years. Activities for ...
Cool Winter Art Projects for Kids of All Ages
Make today the day for some winter art projects! You know what I love about winter? I love peeking through the curtains in the chill of the morning before the house is awake and gazing out over a field of freshly fallen snow, glistening and twinkling in the moonlight. That's probably my favorite scene in winter. But once the house is awake, and I'm bustling about with ...
10 Low-Key Birthday Party Activities for Kids
Birthday party activities don't have to be stressful! It's Melissa & Doug's Birthday Bash and they're throwing the Ultimate Birthday Bash. They're sponsoring how I do my birthday parties and keep them low-key, aka less stress for me. I am not a huge Birthday party thrower. We keep it pretty low-key. Although I'm always a tad jealous of all the parties I see floating around ...
Help! I’m Stuck Indoors with a Toddler
Stuck indoors with a toddler and looking for some fun activities to do? Don't worry, we've got you covered with some fun toddler activities! Having a toddler or two in the home is such a fun yet crazy season of life. If you're in it, you think it will never end, but the precious moments pass all too quickly. I really think it's important to cherish those moments and make them ...
Walk the Line Activity & Blowing Pom Poms
You'll have an afternoon of active fun, all with just a few quick lines of colored tape on the floor! This walk the line activity works on balancing, new fun movements, and sets up a challenge for your kids to enjoy together! You'll never guess how much gross motor fun your kids will have with just simple lines of colored tape! I finally got some colored tape (affiliate link)! ...
Quick Sensory Bags for Kids to Keep Busy
Quick, easy sensory bags for kids are all the rage right now, and why shouldn't they be? They're mess free, simple, inexpensive, and fun. BUT sensory bags for toddlers and preschoolers are about so much more than just having fun. Yes, they should be F-U-N, but they can also open a door to creative learning in ways you wouldn't imagine. In these winter months, it's ...
Enjoy Simple Winter Fun Inside with Easy DIY Homemade Snow
Play in the snow, even if there's none on the ground, with DIY homemade snow from our Member of the Month, Ashley! Your preschooler will love this fun winter activity. What mom hasn't endlessly scrolled through Pinterest looking for hands-on activities? Our Member of the Month, Ashley, certainly spent her fair share of time seeking out easy ideas to do with her kids. "Before ...
Simple Grandma Activities with the Most Basic Supplies that She has on Hand
Doing Grandma activities is so much fun when you're visiting Grandma's house! Grandmas are the best! But Grandma often doesn't have the supplies on hand to do them. Darn. Usually we use very common supplies that are normally in most parents' houses. But construction paper, pom poms and glitter might not be that common at Grandma's house if little kids aren't ...
Little Hands that DO… Memories in the Making
When was the last time you did something special with your kids? Every family has their own special things, things they enjoy doing together. I love having fun with my family, and for us, that comes in the form of preschool activities. Maybe it'll be the same for your family or maybe it'll be something different...art, music, dance. I don't know, but you have to find the ...
DIY Color Snow is an Exciting Winter Activity for Kids
Try coloring snow in the yard as a fun winter art activity for kids! Winter in Iowa means chilly temperatures and snow. Lots of snow. One day, Henry and I took a look outside the window and I asked him, "Isn't it pretty?" Henry's response: "No. It needs color to be pretty." While I love white fluffy snow, I also like a bright splash of color. And that's my inspiration ...
A Winnie the Pooh Activity! Please Pair This with Honey Hunt Book
Celebrate National Winnie the Pooh Day on January 18th with this super cute and simple Bee Hunt Activity from Natalie in her Member Spotlight below! Natalie is a super fun mom of 3 little kids who loves being active and outdoors! She also has a special place in her heart for all things magical and musical thanks to years of working at Disney World. Before finding The ...
Easy Christmas Food Activities for Preschoolers + Tips for a Better Baking Experience
During the holidays, it's hard to keep up with everything on your list, and who has time for checking it twice besides Santa? I hear you. Been there, done that even. I got to a point where I was tired of missing out on creating special moments with my kids because I was too stressed to enjoy the time that went into making each little moment. I just wanted some fun ...
Easiest Ever Filled Christmas Ornament for Kids
Get in the holiday spirit with a cool kid-friendly filled Christmas ornament craft from Shauna, our Activity Room® Member of the Month! Almost one year ago, our MOTM Shauna described herself as kind of a one-trick pony. She and her six grandkids were focused on just one or two main activities - doing them over and over again. "I had a lot of play dough," she laughs "That was ...
Homemade Santa Hat Christmas Card
While I may be (painstakingly) addressing our family Christmas cards to family and friends... I took a break and Henry and I decorated a quick and simple, Santa hat Christmas card. More craftiness comes from those Ella's Kitchen baby food pouch caps! Check out the craft stick Christmas tree ornament we made with them, as well as the Christmas tree painting we made. I'm ...
Decorate the Christmas Tree Activity with ABCs
My kids had such a fun time with this Christmas tree activity! They didn't even know they were learning. My neighbor came over after we were doing this activity, the boys were so excited to show him it to him and do it all again. He was impressed with how much they were learning beyond even the obvious, all while the kid just thought they were playing and decorating a Christmas ...
A-Z of Simple Christmas Crafts for Preschoolers to Create this Holiday
An alphabet of A-Z Christmas crafts for preschoolers, work through the entire alphabet this holiday season to create lots of fun & learning with each letter. When we really look at the season, there are opportunities for learning EVERYWHERE. I love all things Christmas but still like to keep it all simple. With three energetic boys at home, things have to be fairly to the ...