Science Ideas for Little Kids

Being a mom is tough. Just when you have your kids figured out, they go and change. They grow, their personalities evolve, they get smarter and more curious.

Now that my kids are 5 and 7 years old, they are asking more complex questions every day. I feel like they expect me to be a human encyclopedia. So, this week on the Kid’s Co-op, all of the science-related ideas really caught my attention. I feel like I need to step up my game and teach my kids things they would never expect me to know. We can learn new things together.

Here are a few projects from the Kid's Co-op to help teach kids about science:

Cool Facts About Painted Lady Butterflies

Water Science Experiments

Playful Ways to Learn About Seeds

Learn About Volcanos

The Best Trifle Recipe Ever

A friend of mine made this trifle and I couldn't believe how similar it was to something my Grandmom used to make.  My Grandmom's recipe was for the most amazing banana split dessert which everyone in my family loved. It was full of pineapple, strawberries, bananas and whipped cream. Yum!

Just like my Grandmom's dessert, this trifle the perfect spring and summer recipe because it's filled with fruit and it's just makes your mouth happy. The best part is that it's pretty easy to make, looks impressive and tasted amazing. 

Contine here for the full recipe from All Recipes.com

Easy Kid's Craft: Valentine Paint Chip Bookmarks

Is it just me, or do all the things in your house seem to break at the same time. We've been spending way too much time at Home Depot recently, but, luckily, it gave me a chance to pick up a few paint chips for a quick little Valentine craft.

I got the idea for this craft when I saw Valentine bookmarks on Pinterest. I decided to change them up a bit and make heart shape bookmarks instead.  This is how to make them:

Choose a paint chip in whatever color you like.  Since we're so close to Valentine's Day, I chose pretty shades of pink.

Take a heart cookie cutter or stencil and trace out your hearts.

Cut out your heart. Punch a hole in the corner.  I prefer to use a hole punch that makes a smaller circle, because it's a little more discrete. Then, cut a piece of ribbon and pull it through.

This project is really easy, inexpensive and I think the results are super cute. Mel, the Crafty Scientist has an amazing Pinterest board full of very creative Paint Chip Crafts.  Are you getting crafty this Valentine's day or making it simple and using store bought cards?

15+ Fun Things to Do With Kids on Rainy & Snowy Days

Isn't it funny how things come around full circle?  I originally posted this last January, but since we're in a rainy, dreary slump here in the Philadelphia suburbs, I thought I'd re-post for all the other families that are going a bit stir crazy and trying to beat the winter blues!

 

You know those rainy, snowy, foggy days where you really need to keep busy in order to maintain any sanity?  It's so easy to just let the kids watch t.v. all afternoon or play video games. But, I really try to make a conscious effort to keep those things limited and get everyone focused on other activities.  I'm not saying that it always works.  But, here are 15 ideas to get us through more of these long winter days....

1) Craft with recycled materials or other things you already have at home. I recently found this Jellyfish in a bottle (shown to the right) on Pinterest. My sons also loved creating sculptures with styrofoam and pipe cleaners. Crafts such as DIY Snowflake Window Clings, Recycling your Crayons are easy and fun. Plus, you probably already have the supplies around the house. 

 2) Make paper snowflakes out of recycled paper or coffee filters.

3) Do some simple science experiments. Bill Nye the Science Guy also has many kid-friendly science experiments listed here.

4) Make a contact paper collage.

5) Make a sensory box filled with colored rice. Or search Google for other great sensory box ideas.

6) Make clay  or play dough out of a few simple ingredients that you have in your pantry.  You can even make your own colorful clay by adding a few drops of food coloring. 

7) Go to your local library for some good books and a change of scenery. Continue here to read: Ten reasons why your local library is perfect place for indoor fun.

8) Make sock puppets with some of your mismatched socks and things you find around the house.

9) An afternoon bath can be so much fun. Gather up all of their race cars and have a 'car wash' in the bath tub, have a barbie pool party or play with other water toys. Or check out more activities on the Bath Activities for Kids website.

10) Check the Best Blogs for Local Fun to see what's going on in your area. Escape to an indoor play ground, bowling alley, mall or museum.

11) Make a bird feeder. Here are 5 easy ideas for DIY Bird feeders.

12) Snuggle up and read books. "Children are made readers on the laps of their parents."  - Emilie Buchwald

13) Take masking tape and create your own giant maze on the rug or a new race track for your kids' hot wheels.

14) Make a special treat like these Valentine Pops, Raspberry Bars or Banana Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins.

15) Call a neighbor or friend and have them join you for some indoor fun.

 Do you have any other ideas? Leave a comment below.

ABC's of Valentine's Day: Kid Crafts, Recipes and Activities

It's funny how things change in life. Before the kiddos came along, I'm sure I thought Valentine's day was all about me. What little surprise will I get? Where will we go to dinner? What will I wear? But, now that I'm a mom, it's about the giving vs. the getting.  Don't get me wrong, I would love a beautiful bouquet of flowers on Valentine's Day, but it has definitely become a family celebration - and that's okay. 

This week, I'll be focusing on the ABC's of Valentine's Day. What does that mean? Throughout the week, I'll be highlighting different kid-friendly ideas for Valentine's Day from A-Z. I will be including crafts, recipes and activities for toddlers, preschool and elementary school age kids - with a few ideas for moms mixed in as well.

Let's get started!

A is for Art - Everyone knows the traditional ways to use crayons for art, but for a unique new twist, try this Melted Crayon Art using crayon shavings.

B is for Bag - You've probably heard about 'Sensory Bins' before, but you have to check out this  Valentine sensory bag craft.

C is for Chocolate - This Chocolate Milk Bath Recipe is the perfect cure for the winter blues.  If you can't get to the Hershey Spa to experience the real deal, this is a nice, calorie free treat for a hard-working mom. Continue here to read: Chocolate Milk Bath Recipe

D is for Doily - I truly love being the mom of boys, but every now and then, I see a blog post which makes me wish I had a little girl to craft with. This is one of them! Check out this blog post to see how to use a pre-washed t-shirt, a doily, and some fabric paint into a totally adorable t-shirt for your little girl. Read more about these DIY Valentine's shirts here.

E is for Eyes - Recycle those old toilet paper rolls and make these adorable Heart Shaped Binoculars.

F is for Filter - If you want a completely unique Valentine for your kids to hand out at school, take a look at these Heart Coffee Filer Zipper Pulls. They are fun, fashionable and functional!

G is for Glitter - Grab your glitter, contact paper and construction paper to make this Glitter Window Heart Craft with your Preschooler!

H is for Holder - Kid's typically come home from school with a bunch of little Valentine Cards from their classmates. This Valentine Card Holder is really easy to make, and it helps to keep all of those little cards organized too! Continue here to read: Kid Valentine Holder Craft

I is for I Love You - Beth from Living Life Intentionally shares a simple idea so that everyone in the house feels loved. Read more about her 'Why I love you doors' here

J is for Just let them lead the way - Isn't there a famous saying about the best intentions that seem to go astray?  When it comes to Kid's Valentine Cards, maybe it's just best to let your child lead the way! Read more about this with B-inspired Mama.

Check out my other posts for more Valentine craft ideas:

Day 2: More Valentine's Crafts & Activities for Kids

Day 3: Valentine's Recipes for Kids

Day 4: Love & Vintage Valentine Printables

Day 5: Valentines Wall, XOXO, Yummy Pastries, and Wild Zebras!

Be sure to check out some of the other bloggers participating in ABC's week too.

Art Education / Krissy at B-Inspired Mama, Cardboard Box Creations / Here Come the Girls

Children’s Music with Art / Debbie at Rainbows within Reach, Coffee Filters / Adrienne at The Iowa Farmers Wife, Crafts & Art / Maggy at Red Ted Art, Crafting on a Budget / Tammy at Housing a Forest, Paper Plates / Kelly at Domestic Goddesque, Toddler Crafts / Cerys at Rainy Day Mum, Upcycled & Recycled Crafts / Esther at Craft To Art

5 Thanksgiving Paper Roll Kid Crafts

 

When it comes to kid crafts, there are a few things that really appeal to me. Obviously, they have to be fun for kids, but my favorite crafts are easy, made with recycled materials, and inexpensive.  It's always a win/win if I have all of the materials at my house, and don't need to buy anything special.

All 5 of these crafts are fun, colorful and perfect last minute crafts for Thanksgiving!

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1) A Gratitude Tree is an easy way to teach your children what Thanksgiving is all about. 

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2) Want to dress up your Thanksgiving dinner table with some Colorful Turkey Place-markers? This easy Turkey Craft is bright and cheery and I'm always a sucker for googly eyes!

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3)  This Thanksgiving Collage Corn craft is great because you only need a few things to make it, and they double as napkin holders for your thanksgiving feast! 

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4) For toddlers who haven't quite mastered their fine motor skills, here is another version of the Easy Indian Corn craft that is super simple and great for little hands. 

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5) No matter how crafty you are, anyone can make this Turkey craft for preschoolers with a paper roll and paper plate. 

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Do you have any other cool paper roll crafts for Thanksgiving?  Comment below with a link!

Want to see more? Here are 8 Christmas Crafts made with Paper Rolls.

10 Recycled Egg Carton Crafts for Kids

Summer is here and many moms are searching for quick boredom busters that they can break out when the kids need a quick activity!

Last week, I shared a cute egg carton flower craft that my son made at school. There are so many different crafts you can make with egg cartons. Almost everyone has an egg carton in the house. With a few supplies and a little imagination, you can really have a lot of inexpensive fun creating egg carton crafts with your kids.

Here are 10 Easy Recycled Crafts Made With Egg Cartons:

1) Jewelry Box by B-Inspired Mama

2) Turtle by Crafty Crafted

3) Lady Bugs by Marin Mommies

4) Counting Game by Sparkle Power

5) Dragons by Juggling with Kids

6) Egg Carton Caterpillar & Butterfly

7) Boats by The Madhouse

8) Painted Prints by The Imagination Tree

9) Floral Fairy Wreath by Mom 2 Posh Little Divas

10) Trucks by Rub Some Dirt On It

Do you know of any others that I missed?

Easy Cowboy Caviar Recipe

Spring is officially here, and we're getting a sneak peak at summer too.

You know those days in the summer when it's just too hot to cook? You want to throw some food on the grill and not even think about turning on your oven. For days like those, 'Cowboy Caviar' is the perfect summer side dish. My sister doubled this recipe for a recent party, and it was such a hit!

Here are the ingredients:

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons Olive or Canola Oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 Avocado
1 15 oz. can Black Beans
1 11 oz. Can of Corn
2/3 cup thinly sliced green or red Onion
2/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
1/2 pound Roma tomatoes, coarsely chopped

Just mix it all up. Chill before serving and enjoy!

Holiday Toilet Paper Roll Craft Ideas

When you need a quick winter boredom buster, nothing is better than using recycled materials from around the house to whip up a cute holiday craft. 

There are a few craft staples that I always have on hand, such as pipe cleaners, construction paper, googly eyes and ribbon. And, recently, I've added another item to my craft stash: empty toilet paper tubes and other paper tubes from paper towels, tin foil, etc.

Continue here to my new post: 10 Holiday Crafts made with Toilet Paper Rolls (updated November 2012)

Also, did you know you could give toilet paper in leiu of a Christmas Card this year? Don't ask me where, but it has been done.  Just smack a ribbon or bow on your favorite roll of TP and include the following note:

“Money is scarce and times are hard. So we’re giving you this instead of a card. Something to use and something to share. . . so ‘bottoms up’ just ’cause we care.”

I can just imagine the look on my brother in laws face if I were to show up on Christmas Eve and hand this over to him.  I might do it just for a good laugh! What do you think?