We are so excited to share a very fun activity today. My girls, R and M (ages 4 and 3), love any preschool art activity with even a bit of paint involved. Either that, or glue. They’ve been begging to paint for a while but I've put it off because it just gets so messy. These days, with so many hot days we need some indoor activities to do. When the weather is nice, I insist on being outdoors until bedtime so we can soak up every minute of beautiful sunshine. This hot spell seemed like the perfect time for some butterfly fun with butterfly sponge painting! I remember doing this activity with R when she was 2, and it was an Continue Reading
Snack + Activity = Apple Puzzle
I love fall! One reason is all of the apple activities that start popping up on Pinterest. Are you following me over there? You should! I've saved some wonderful playfully learning ideas. Click here to follow A Mom with a Lesson Plan on Pinterest. The apple puzzle is my second favorite way to have fun with apples. Our yearly apple tasting is my #1 favorite fall activity. What you need: Apple (the bigger the better), sharp knife, hungry kid. Cut shapes into the apple. Serve. Super easy right?!?! Tips for maximizing the learning. If your little one is working on a specific shape make a bunch of different sizes of the Continue Reading
Giant Crossword Puzzle for Kids
Sight word and spelling word games are probably my very favorite kid activities. We haven't done outside spelling or sight word practice for a while and I thought was about time (the weather is perfect for it). We loved sight word twister, so I put some thought into finding another game that I could modify using Big M spelling word list. I decided on a giant crossword puzzle designed around his spelling words. Fun right?! I thought so.... and so did Big M. Giant Crossword Puzzle for Kids what you need: Sidewalk chalk, a spelling list and some paper. (This is an affiliate link, if you use the links you help Continue Reading
DIY Simple Balloon Toss
One of the things on our Summer Bucket List is BALLOONS! I've been collecting balloon ideas for a while but of course I wanted to create an activity of my own. (That's how I flex my creativity muscle. :)) This simple backyard balloon toss was so much fun to put together. With the my sister and her girls coming over for the day I wanted an activity that all 5 kids (ages 2 -6) could enjoy together or one at a time. Basically I was attempting to gain 1/2 hour of mommy chat time while the kids were occupied. It worked. :) I filled the balloon with rice (just like I did for our Milk Jug Yo Yo's). Then I used some ribbon as the launching Continue Reading
DIY Backyard Explorer Kit- Outdoor Pretend Play Idea
There’s no reason our awesome pretend play ideas have to stay inside! Big M and Little M love to make up their own pretend play scenarios outdoors. I think the extra space the outdoors provides allows for imaginative play. Once in a while I like to add in a few props because... well I just like to! Hee hee. After you finish up with this one ... get a little messy with backyard explorer sensory play from At Home With Ali. I love the amount of sensory play she's included. DIY Backyard Explorer Kit- Outdoor Pretend Play Idea Paper Bag Explorer Vest Our paper bag Explorer Vests turned out so cute. (I wish I could make one to fit Continue Reading
Writing activities for toddlers, preschoolers and school age kids
Writing (like many things) takes practice. Finding the right writing activities can make that practice so much fun, your kids won't mind it one bit! Writing activities for toddlers are all about getting those finger muscles in shape. Preschoolers are starting to learn letters, understand how to hold a pencil and even write some words. By the time kids are in school, getting kids to write for pleasure, write neatly and ummm sometimes quickly is the goal. I searched the web and found 15 great writing activities to get you started. Enjoy! Writing Activities for Toddlers Sensory Writing -- Getting used to holding a pencil or make Continue Reading
Fun and Creative Play Prompt
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Disney Consumer Products for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine. There are a few things I love about creative dough. It’s great for independent play and it’s also great for connecting. Today I've teamed up with the Sofia the First toy makers to talk about just that... connection, imagination and taking playtime to the next level. Sofia the First is a TV series on Disney Junior about a girl whose life turns from ordinary to extraordinary when she suddenly becomes royalty. Sofia is brave and adventurous. She is kind, generous and is constantly overcoming challenges in order to keep her own Continue Reading