This facial cleanser is easy to prepare, super cheap, and does triple duty by not only cleansing but acting like a mask and moisturizing. It is natural, great for the skin, and takes about 5 minutes to mix together. My skin needs some work. After having my second child, the texture and clarity of the skin on my face went south. After a time, I just resigned … [Read more...]
Exploring Dinosaur Footprints Activity for Kids
How much do children love dinosaurs!? I don't know about your children, but I think my children engage in pretend play with their toy dinosaurs on a daily basis. Since dinosaurs are such a great way to get children learning about science and history at an early age, I am excited to share this simple art and science exploration activity that teaches children all … [Read more...]
Best DIY Backyard Playhouse Ideas
{Guest Post by Kaitlin Krull} Make your outdoor space more appealing for your kids by creating an epic playhouse for them (and yourselves, too!). Here are 6 of the most creative and fun playhouse ideas to build in your backyard. If, like parents everywhere, you’re struggling to get your children away from the television on even the most beautiful of days, it’s time to take … [Read more...]
DIY Shape Mats for Shaving Cream Sensory Play
Does your toddler or preschooler like to play with shave cream? This idea adds another dimension of learning to the messy play, and you will see from my pictures that the mess did not spread too far. I have sensory-loving children who enjoy anything squishy and messy, but I have to be in the right frame of mind to allow messy play because in my house it has to be supervised, … [Read more...]
Homemade Valentine’s Made by Kids (with Not-so-Crafty Moms!)
Are you a crafty mom or are you craft-challenged? Neither determines whether you are a good mom or a bad mom, but it can cause holiday times to be a bit stressful when you see the crafty moms are pinning to Pinterest like crazy! I admit, crafting is fun for me, but I tend to not do elaborately crafty activities with my kids. Time, money, and time (did I mention that already) … [Read more...]
Homemade Thank You Notes Using Gift Wrap Scraps
This post contains affiliate links. Please view my disclosure. I want to teach my children to be thankful for what they receive. The holidays are a time when we have a lot of discussions about how giving can make others feel good just like we feel when we receive gifts. I created a little activity for my children to make homemade greeting cards and thank you notes … [Read more...]
9 Halloween Activities and Crafts for Toddlers and Up
Time for some Halloween fun! I know many families do not participate in Halloween, but I keep it "cute" for the kids with these learning activities that cover children from toddlers to preschool and early elementary. Five are my own creation and I also have shared links to other blogs that have additional ideas for you as well. I've got pumpkins, spiders, ghosts and more! … [Read more...]
Hanger Scale DIY Toy
Helping children explore the scientific method, creating conversations about weight and numbers, and doing it all inexpensively is a lesson worth teaching. Whether you homeschool or supplement your child's learning at home, this DIY toy scale made out of a hanger is simple and engaging. You can make it in 3 simple steps! Use the hanger scale to compare the weights … [Read more...]
Homemade Play Dough Puzzle
I make homemade play dough with my children every now and then (and it lasts a LONG time in the fridge in between when we are playing with it). They get bored with just playing with the dough, though, so I created a puzzle from dough that we would be throwing out anyway. You could use store bought play dough as well for this. (Note: If you make homemade play dough, … [Read more...]
DIY Dress-Up Vests from Grocery Bags
Dress-up costumes can be pricey, but you can make your own at home! In fact, your preschooler or young elementary child can create their own dress up vests (with your supervision of course) to add their own personal creativity to the dress-up bin or closet. Here are the steps for turning reusable grocery bags into dress-up vests. (If you don't have the reusable bags, … [Read more...]
Camp-In Indoor Camping Activity for Kids
Stuck inside? Maybe you just want to try a fun way for the kids to play indoors. Why not have a camp-in! We have a child-sized tent and I made a play campfire for my children to add a little more excitement to the pretend play experience. My son put on his camouflage uniform (he likes to dress up like daddy sometimes) and we set up his sleeping bag so he could spend the … [Read more...]
Homemade Summer Fun with Kids
My children are ‘outdoor kids’, large motor machines. They need to get outside in order to keep their spirits in balance-I need that too. Thankfully summer fun with kids provides a multitude of outdoor time for fun-and learning. Having children in multiple age groups allows me the challenge to adapt activities for different skill levels. Some summer climates limit how … [Read more...]
DIY Magnetic Felt Board for the Fridge
This post contains affiliate links. Please view my disclosure. Dinner time in our house is a bit hectic. I often have the twins pulling at my legs while trying to navigate my way through main dish, sides and filling up milk cups. It can get tricky (and a bit overwhelming) when everyone is so hungry that calm seems to be lost. I needed a way to distract the kids in the kitchen … [Read more...]
Make Your Own Bean Bags
I have been wanting to buy my children bean bags for a while and never got to it. DIY bean bags turned out to fit my budget and they were pretty easy to make. I have a CD of bean bag toss songs that teach following directions that I used with my own preschool classes when I was teaching. It was a great indoor activity in the heat of Summer, rainy days or the cold of … [Read more...]
DIY Car Wash Toy for Kids
For any child who is a car lover, the imagination is limitless about where the cars drive and what they do. My son used to think cars got cold and needed a blanket...in his imagination, of course! He acted out the Cars movie (and Cars 2) while watching. This boy has loved them since he was 13 months old, and they are still not old yet. He is amazing at creating play … [Read more...]