This is the beginning.. it got much bigger before we were done.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Roads Roads Roads
So yesterday the boys were playing with their cars on the back of the couch, their usual place and I got to thinking that maybe it would be fun to make them a little "city". So we pulled out the painting tape (that blue masking tape) and I made roads for them all over the living room, parking places and even a Target (Dallin asked for that one). They played for about three hours....
This is the beginning.. it got much bigger before we were done.
This is the beginning.. it got much bigger before we were done.
Friday, June 19, 2009
SALT ART
This three-step project pulls off what might be considered the hat trick of the toddler art world: your child will get to smash, smear, and sprinkle in the name of creativity. When she's done making her creation from dyed salt and glue, you'll be left with some truly eye-catching artwork that features texture as well as color.
Step 1: Tint the Salt For each color, put approximately 1 cup of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of liquid watercolor or 20 to 25 drops of food coloring in a ziplock bag. Seal each bag, removing as much air as you can. Outside, let your child shake, smash, and knead the contents until all of the salt is dyed. Next, pour the salt onto newspaper-lined trays to dry for about 2 hours (or just open the bags and let the grains dry overnight). When it's no longer wet to the touch, pour the salt into clean, dry spice shakers, one color per shaker.
Step 2: Make a Pattern Offer your child a glue stick and some stiff paper or a paper plate. Encourage her to scribble all over the paper with the glue.
Step 3: Add Color Hand your child the shakers of dyed salt and show her how to sprinkle it onto the paper. Once the glue has dried, simply shake off the excess salt.
Water Park
Along with several shallow containers of water, set out such items as funnels, clear plastic tubing (available at hardware stores), cups, and pipettes and encourage your child to experiment. For a twist, add a little color to the water.
Car Wash
Roll out your child's collection of ride-ons and other vehicles, then offer sponges, spray bottles, and no-tears soap.
CRAZY MIX
This mystifying blend of cornstarch and water a liquid? A solid? Truth be told, it's both! When kids apply pressure -- as when rolling it into a ball -- the mixture magically firms up. But release that pressure, and it will dribble right back out through their fingers. Here's how to easily whip up a batch of your own, because in this case, feeling really is believing.
To Make the Mix
Pour 1 cup of cornstarch into a shallow bowl or pan. Add 3/4 cup of water a little at a time, stirring as you go.
To Play
Show your toddler how to scoop some of the mixture into her hands and then roll it into a ball, much as you would roll a handful of cookie dough. The consistency is key here, so if your magic goo doesn't firm up when you roll it, add a little more cornstarch. Likewise, if it doesn't melt back out of your hands when you release the pressure, add some water, about 1/2 teaspoon at a time.
To Store It
When your child is done playing, leave the mixture sitting out for several hours. Once it's dry, crumble it into a sealed container. Just add water to play again another day.
This three-step project pulls off what might be considered the hat trick of the toddler art world: your child will get to smash, smear, and sprinkle in the name of creativity. When she's done making her creation from dyed salt and glue, you'll be left with some truly eye-catching artwork that features texture as well as color.
Step 1: Tint the Salt For each color, put approximately 1 cup of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of liquid watercolor or 20 to 25 drops of food coloring in a ziplock bag. Seal each bag, removing as much air as you can. Outside, let your child shake, smash, and knead the contents until all of the salt is dyed. Next, pour the salt onto newspaper-lined trays to dry for about 2 hours (or just open the bags and let the grains dry overnight). When it's no longer wet to the touch, pour the salt into clean, dry spice shakers, one color per shaker.
Step 2: Make a Pattern Offer your child a glue stick and some stiff paper or a paper plate. Encourage her to scribble all over the paper with the glue.
Step 3: Add Color Hand your child the shakers of dyed salt and show her how to sprinkle it onto the paper. Once the glue has dried, simply shake off the excess salt.
Water Park
Along with several shallow containers of water, set out such items as funnels, clear plastic tubing (available at hardware stores), cups, and pipettes and encourage your child to experiment. For a twist, add a little color to the water.
Car Wash
Roll out your child's collection of ride-ons and other vehicles, then offer sponges, spray bottles, and no-tears soap.
CRAZY MIX
This mystifying blend of cornstarch and water a liquid? A solid? Truth be told, it's both! When kids apply pressure -- as when rolling it into a ball -- the mixture magically firms up. But release that pressure, and it will dribble right back out through their fingers. Here's how to easily whip up a batch of your own, because in this case, feeling really is believing.
To Make the Mix
Pour 1 cup of cornstarch into a shallow bowl or pan. Add 3/4 cup of water a little at a time, stirring as you go.
To Play
Show your toddler how to scoop some of the mixture into her hands and then roll it into a ball, much as you would roll a handful of cookie dough. The consistency is key here, so if your magic goo doesn't firm up when you roll it, add a little more cornstarch. Likewise, if it doesn't melt back out of your hands when you release the pressure, add some water, about 1/2 teaspoon at a time.
To Store It
When your child is done playing, leave the mixture sitting out for several hours. Once it's dry, crumble it into a sealed container. Just add water to play again another day.
CRAFT MATERIALS:
Roll of candy (we used Life Savers)
Colored tape
Foil party picks (we got ours at gourmac.com)
Time needed: 30 Minutes or Less
1. For each firecracker, remove the outer wrapper from a roll of candy. Wrap the inner lining with colored tape.
2. Insert foil party picks into the center of the roll, snapping off part of the pick if needed to get the correct length.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Toddler Bowling
Materials
- Empty plastic soda bottles or unopened paper towel rolls
- Large rubber ball
Directions
- Line up three or four (or more) empty plastic soda bottles or unopened paper towel rolls.
- Show your toddler how to roll a large rubber ball to knock them over.
Toddler Train
Your child will enjoy filling up each car with her stuff and pulling the train behind her wherever she goes.
Materials- 3 or more assorted boxes
- String, ribbon, or yarn
- Plastic straws
- Scissors
Directions
- Use scissors or another pointed object to poke small holes in the ends of each box.
- Insert about 1 foot of string, ribbon, or yarn into the back hole of the first box, then tie the end of the string around a short piece of plastic straw to prevent it from pulling through the hole.
- Insert the other end of the string through the front hole of the next box and fasten it in the same way.
- Use more string to continue connecting the boxes until the train is finished.
- Use a longer length of string for the front hole of the first box.
- Tie a cylindrical wooden block or small plastic vitamin bottle to the end of this string for a handle.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Bathtime wintertime blues :)
Well, as most of you here in Utah know we have been hit with wonderful winter weather in at the end of March/beginning of April.... so the other day. I told the boys we were going swimming. They put on their swimming suits and I filled the tub with water and LOTS of bubbles. Then we threw in a bunch of cups and buckets and cars (the ones that the water wouldn't ruin) and they played and LOVED IT!!! I finally had to pull them out after about an hour because the water was cold :)
** just a little disclaimer, the bathroom did get covered in water.. the floor mostly. But it was worth it for an hour of getting to read a book in the hall by the bathroom and no fighting boys! **
** just a little disclaimer, the bathroom did get covered in water.. the floor mostly. But it was worth it for an hour of getting to read a book in the hall by the bathroom and no fighting boys! **
Flashlights and tables
Today the boys and I, made a fort. I just took a really big blanket and stuck it over the kitchen table. Then we put our library books, cars and trains underneath it and I gave them both a flashlight and they went to town. It took up about two hours of the day and they loved it and so did I. Who would have thought they would like it that much. We even ate lunch under there. Plus they lined up the kitchen chairs across the living room and pretended like it was a bridge from one couch the the other and they would walk across it and jump onto the couch.
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