The Hands On As We Grow® Archives

Six Ways to Get Moving and Be Silly with a Pillowcase

Super Simple Seek and Find Shapes Water Activity for Toddlers

Easy Hands-On Color Matching Clothespin Game for Toddlers

Build Toddler Muscles with Simple Heavy Lifting Fun

Gorgeous and Fun DIY Charm Necklace Craft for Mother’s Day

Easy DIY Touch and Feel Shapes Board for Toddlers

Rainy Day Rainbow Body Tracing for Preschoolers

Fun Activities to Keep Kids Entertained on Road Trips

Simple Finger Painting for Toddlers with Edible Finger Paint You’ll Love

Easy Easter Egg Splatter Painting Activity for Kids

Simple DIY 3D Balloon Birthday Card Craft for Kids

Cool Preschool Watch Makes Taking Turns & Transitions Super Simple

Try an Easy Counting Flower Petals Math Activity for Kids

Two Simple, Fun Easter Egg Painting Projects for Kids

Messy Fun DIY Marbled Sensory Art Activity for Spring

Easy Low Prep Preschool Race to Practice Color Words

Learn to Skip Count by 5 Using Nickels for Preschoolers

Sweet Candy Speech Activity for Toddlers!

Jumbo DIY Cardboard Puzzle Perfect for Toddlers and Babies

Interactive Musical Storytelling Activity for Busy Indoor Fun

Simple Textured Yarn Heart Craft for Decoration

Try Our Eric Carle Art Challenge with Your Kids

Upper & Lowercase Letters Heart Matching Activity for Preschoolers

How to Make Your Own DIY Preschool Reading Activity with Magnet Blocks

How To DIY Your Own Noun or Verb Gross Motor Game

Make a Super Sweet Marshmallow Snowman Craft for Kids

Easy Ways To Help Your Kids Fall In Love With Writing

Go on a Fun Vowel Hunt to Build Early Reading Skills

Quick & Easy DIY Preschooler Scavenger Hunt to Match Shapes

Build a Snowman on Your Fridge Activity for Kids

DIY Phenology Wheel for a Simple Preschool Nature Study

Make a DIY Pumpkin Scented Rice Bin for Simple Fall Play

Super Simple Sensory Play Dough Art Activity for All Ages

Easy No-Prep Looking and Listening Activity to Practice Mindfulness

Make a Toddler Color Chart with Colorful Fall Leaves

Super Simple Soapy Sensory Foam Activity for Kids

6 DIY Busy Bins for Easy Quiet Time Activities for Kids

Super Easy Crumpled Paper Fall Tree Art With Spices

Simple Number Line Car Race to Teach Math

Fun Fall Find the Letter on the Pumpkin Activity for Preschoolers

Sweet and Silly Honey Hunt Book Based Activity for Preschoolers

Simple and Fun Disappearing Letters Chalk Activity for Preschoolers

Super Simple Paper Plate Letter Learning Activity for Preschoolers

Boost Pre-Writing Skills with an Art Dice Creative Activity

Bake Yummy Crispy Eggplant Chips with Your Kids

Super Simple Book Based Science Experiment for Kids

Easy Magnet Block Ball Drop Activity for Independent Play

Colorful Water Play Experiment for Preschoolers

Super Simple Cloud Dough Reading Activity for Preschoolers

3 Fun Ways to Use an Egg Timer with your Kids

Easy Gross Motor Scarf Pull Activity for Babies

Super Simple Fine Motor Mosaic Pattern Art Activity for Kids

Easy Zentangle Drawing Inspired Art Activity for Kids

Paint with Frozen Paint Cubes on a Hot Day

Easy DIY Rainbow Salt Sensory Play for Preschoolers

Super Simple Busy Bag Ideas for Fun Kid-Friendly Independent Play

Super Cute DIY Bag Clip Monsters for Preschoolers

Simple and Fun Kindergarten Learning Activities

Easy DIY Story Stones for Fun Creative Play

Baby Safe Edible Finger Paint Activity on Foil

A Big Chalk Maze for Preschoolers

Fun Story Retelling in Three Simple Ways for Kids

Pool Noodle Fine Motor Balance Tray

Easy Homemade Window Paint Recipe

Threading Cork Bead Bracelets

Sidewalk Chalk Drawing & Mark Making

Easy DIY Color Matching Mat with Buttons and Felt for Toddlers

Making Bubbles & Playing with Bubbles

Easy DIY Cereal Box Puzzles to Learn to Count

Starched Coffee Filter Flowers Craft

Crawl and Learn with a Baby Obstacle Course

Super Simple DIY Tin Can Drums for Kids to Make

Making Muddy Prints with Your Toddler

DIY Baby Felt Play Activity with Colorful Shapes

5 Ways to Burn Off Extra Energy as a Family

Upcycled Number Matching Box

Matching Upper and Lowercase Letters on ABC Road

Spring Flower Pretend Play

Easy Pipe Cleaner Ring Stacking Activity (with a Twist!)

Marbled Easter Eggs Sensory Activity

One Colorful Twist for your Easter Egg Hunt This Year with Hatchimals CollEGGtibles

Plan Spring and Summer Fun with an Ice Cream Scoop List

Follow-the-String Indoor Scavenger Hunt for Kids

DIY Family Mailboxes for All Ages

Learning Letters Action Game

Create Simple Decorative Magnets

Valentine’s Day Scavenger Hunt with Numbers

How to Make the Easiest DIY Light Table + Activities!

Super Simple Valentine’s Day Cards Any Kid Can Make

Easy Baby Gross Motor Play with a Colorful Scarf Circle

Easy Customizable Cotton Ball Craft

Snowman Craft from Tin Cans! Great Winter Craft!

Simple and Fun Card Sorting Slot Activity

Valentine’s Activity for Kids: Hunt for Love

Card Counting Math Activity for Kids

Sensory Tub With A Twist: DIY Matching Game

Shaving Cream Sensory Art Activity

Learn Letters with DIY Sensory Bins

Dreidel Paint Spinning Activity for Hanukkah

Hey! I'm Jamie. I have 3 boys that are crazy energetic & we like to have fun!

Hands On As We Grow Newsletter

"It is hard to think of things to keep the 3 year old entertained and engaged while taking care of the baby. Everything we have tried so far from your website, the three year old has loved. Your ideas are so simple and he can do them for hours. HEAVEN!" - Karen I.
I am now one happy Dad!

"You have changed how I spend time with my kid in so many positive ways! I am now one happy dad that no longer wonders what I am going to do with this little guy for the next 12 hours :P Your site was this first time dad life saver!" - Jack C.
Hands On As We Grow Newsletter

"I feel like a new mama having so many fun ideas. I used to dread the afternoon, after naps, as it was so boring doing the same thing day after day but now I look forward to our "play" time!" - Haley S.
Free Activity Challenge

"Thank you so much for these activities. They have proven to me that I CAN be that mom that does cool and creative things with her kids! And those cool and creative things can actually be quite simple! What a revelation. Thank you!!" - Katie M.
Activity Plans eBooks

"This takes down the need to scour the internet for ideas. It's like looking for a recipe on the internet, so many options that often times it is less overwhelming to look in a book on the shelf than stress about too many options." Robyn G
So organized and easy to use.

I have found it impossible to Google ideas from a million different sites, get organized, shop for supplies, etc. This is exactly what I have been searching for! Thanks for making something so organized and easy to use. - Early Years Activity Plans User, Melissa C.
The Activity Room Member

"I absolutely love that this takes all the prep work out of engaging my children. It is so easy to just put up the calendar, and glance at it for inspiration when we are in a funk." - Rachel
Grateful to have activities handed to us...

"There's always something new for us to discover, as well as old favorites. I am so grateful to have activities handed to us... Fun and easy ones that can be put together in a moment's notice! You're awesome Jamie and I appreciate you sharing your activities and ideas!!" - Melissa C.