The Cutting Bin

 

The cutting bin is such a hit with my kids!

 

This bin is super easy to set up and keeps the kids busy for at least 20-30 minutes!

It is so flexible because you can add just about anything. Here is a list of materials I add (I alternate what I include to keep it different and exciting each time I bring it out)

 

Safety scissors

hole puncher

paint swatches

scrapbooking paper

ribbon

paper bags

foam sheets

strips of construction paper

tissue paper

 

 

Here are some action shots.

 

 

 I hope this inspires you to make your own cutting bin!

 

 

 

 

Bringing Snow Inside!

 

I set this up for the kids this morning and they were SO excited to play with it!

 Here is Little M the first time she realized she could change the colour of the snow :)

 

This activity was so simple to set up and they played with it for over an hour.  So worth it!

If you would like to set it up for your little ones all you need is:

A Rubbermaid full of snow
some syringes/paint brushes (we used both)
some small bowl with water mixed with food colouring
plastic spoons
small containers they can fill with snow

B is for Baking Blueberry Banana Bread!

Say that 3 times fast!

 

Little M was so excited to bake with mommy today. I found this recipe on Pinterest yesterday and knew we had to give it a try. Doesn't it look so good?!  It was super easy to make too!

 

Click on the picture for the full recipe:

 

photo from http://damndelicious.net

 

The only thing I would do differently is use mini loaf pans (like the recipe suggests) I just didn't have any so it made baking time longer but it turned out SO good!

 

Here is Little M baking with mommy:

 

 

 

She kept saying after each step "I need to write this down mom" & would scribble in her little book.

 

 

Here it is out of the oven. It smells wonderful!

 

Here she is taste testing it. She loves it!

 

 

 

The Busy Box

 

When I saw this post over on Happy Hooligans http://happyhooligans.ca/drop-box/  I knew I had to make one!

 You really can use anything to make this busy box! I used a cardboard box, popsicle sticks, coloured stones, beads, wooden pegs & paint swatches.

 

This busy box kept her busy for over 30 minutes!  She then showed her 2 year old friend how to do it for another 20 minutes! She LOVES it!

 

Here are some more pictures:

 

 

 So proud of herself!

 

A bit about Little M & K

 

I love this picture of Little M doing circle time with her friends. She has grown into such a smart and sweet little girl!

 

 

 Here is Little M enjoying a new batch of playdoh! 

 

Here is K doing some work at the table.  K loves math and he is very good at it!

 

I haven't posted too much about it in the past but K has ADHD & we have been struggling lately with a lot of behaviour issues.

 

Some days getting K to sit & do any school work is a major struggle (meltdowns included)  & some days it's easy as pie. I am learning everyday to let go a little of my sometimes too high expectations and to try not to put too much pressure on him to get things done. I am learning to take it one day at a time.

 

Do you have a little one that struggles with ADHD?



HALLOWEEN SENSORY BIN

 

I threw together a sensory bin yesterday that was a huge hit....they played with it lots again today too :)

 

I realised after I snapped a few photos that I didn't even take any of my own child (I feel so guilty!!)  I  will snap a few of her playing when she wakes up from her nap ;)

 

This was super easy to put together. I just added into the bin:

 

Pasta noodles (I used 2 different types, any type will do!)

googly eyes

a plastic pumpkin

plastic spiders

orange buttons

2-3 containers & spoons

 

We later added:

orange pipe cleaners

orange pom poms

clear containers with snapping lids (these are always a hit & I bought them 3 for $2 at Dollarama)

 

Even if you do not have all of these items just wing it!

Pumpkin Collage Art

I stumbled upon this cute pumpkin craft on Pinterest & my daughter & daycare kids had a great time making it today!

I found it here:
http://www.two-daloo.com/2013/09/30/halloween-play-jack-olantern-collage/

Here is our version:

Here is Little M with her finished pumpkin. She LOVES it so much she carried it around all day & will not even let me hang it up to use for decoration...LOL  (I hole punched the stem & tied a string so I could hang it)

Here is one of my adorable daycare boys making one :)

Halloween Playdoh Fun!

 

Today we made some Halloween Playdoh!

This stuff smells great & the kids got creative &  made monsters with it.

 

We used: orange & green playdoh, googly eyes, orange & green buttons, Halloween picks, orange cookie cutters, orange pom poms.

 

 

 

 

Add the following ingredients into a large mixing bowl:

 

2 cups flour

4 tbsp. cream of tartar

2 tbsp. cooking oil

1 cup of salt

2 tbsp. nutmeg

 

Mix well & then add 2 cups of boiling water.  After combined separate the batch in half.  Sprinkle some flour onto the table & knead until it is soft & not sticky.  Add some orange food colouring to one batch & green food colouring to the other.

 

Store in an airtight container to keep fresh. This playdoh usually lasts us a month!

 

 

 

Mixing Colours!

Yesterday morning I set this tray out for the little ones to play with.

 Learning to use the droppers was a bit tricky at first for the smaller ones but....

They all figured it out!

This  picture is of my 4 yr old daycare girl. She was thrilled to be mixing & making her own colours. She figured out how to make purple on her own & was ecstatic over it....smiling ear to ear!  Wish I could post more photos of her but for now this will have to do :)

This kept them happily entertained for about 45 minutes!

Having fun painting!

The kids really enjoyed doing some painting yesterday....and it kept them busy for a LONG time ;)

 

 

Here is Little M painting a picture for daddy. 

I made her paint into "puffy paint" because I knew she would love the look of it when it dried (& she did!)  It looks puffy & sparkly :)

 

The recipe is here:

 

http://www.learning4kids.net/2012/10/16/how-to-make-puffy-paint/

 

Here are the boys at work on painting these little wooden boxes I found stashed away in my craft pantry (I bought them  from the $ store a couple yrs. ago & forgot about them *blush*)

They decided to paint them up & give them to their next door neighbour BFF's who are moving away at the end of the month :(

The boys literally spent about 2 hours working on these. Such a great fun activity to keep them busy & beat the "summer boredom"!

If you don't happen to have wooden boxes like I did there are plenty of other things you can get your kids to paint! 
Mine have painted numerous things in the past & it always keeps them busy for a long period of time.  I am going to be breaking these painting ideas out again soon whenever the "summer boredom" sets in.....or whenever the brotherly fighting starts up again ;)

http://tinkerlab.com/painting-on-wood-panel/
http://www.mommywithselectivememory.com/2012/05/painting-rocks-and-how-it-helps-daddy.html
http://teaching2and3yearolds.blogspot.co.uk/2011/10/circles-from-tubes.html
http://frugalfun4boys.com/2013/06/17/diy-paint-stamping-with-wiki-sticks/
http://www.funathomewithkids.com/2013/05/shaving-cream-paint.html
http://picklebums.com/2011/08/30/easy-art-for-kids-painting-on-foil/

Sensory Play- Moon/Cloud Dough

 If you haven't tried making Moon/Cloud dough you really should!  I had the idea pinned on Pinterest for a while but couldn't find an actual link to the recipe (the website is www.happyhooligans.com) 

I saw the ingredients listed but with no measurements at all so I just guessed. Here is what I used:

2 cups of Flour
1 cup of baby oil


Very simple & it kept Little M busy for an hour!  She loves it! It is so soft & it molds like sand so she was building me sand castles & making me cookies :)

 

Even K got in on playing with it!

 

 

This picture is of her icky sticky hands after she decided to add a bit of water to it.  She was not happy with herself...LOL.

 

This was a great activity & an easy clean-up...I just took out the hose & hosed down the deck after :)