Teacher by trade, Mother by nature: Toddler

Fun for Kids: An Easter Craft Box

#ToddlerFunFriday, Be Creative, Crafts, Crafts Kids, Easter, Kids, Toddler March 18, 2016

Last year I created 'A Christmas Craft Box' for my kids and it was a hit - keeping them busy during the Christmas holidays. Everything they needed was in this little box. So I have decided to do the same for Easter and make An Easter Craft Box.

Bone-Shaped CHEESY Sticks - Guest Post (#ToddlerFunFriday)

#ToddlerFunFriday, Guest Post, Kids, recipe, Toddler February 19, 2016

Today I have the lovely Claire from Girl on a Mission sharing a quick and easy cheesy stick recipe and to add a bit of fun, she is using a bone-shaped cookie cutter...Enjoy!

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Do you have a toddler in your home who is obsessed with Pirates, Dinosaurs or Paw Patrol? If yes, then they will love these super cute bone-shaped cheesy sticks, and best of all, your toddler can help you make them. These sticks would also make a great 'trick or treat' snack for kids at Halloween, so be sure to PIN IT for later.

Let's get started...

Best of 2015: TOP 10 PLAY IDEAS for TODDLERS

#ToddlerFunFriday PLAY IDEA, Be Creative, Kids, Play, Sensory Play, Toddler January 8, 2016

Last year was the start of something pretty cool. My son and I attended Play Centre every Friday and it soon became one of our favourite things to do. Each week, we were doing a fun activity, learning new skills and enjoying meeting and playing with new friends.

10+ Fun Halloween Ideas for Toddlers

#ToddlerFunFriday, Be Creative, Crafts, DIY, Halloween, Kids, Toddler October 30, 2015

Today I am sharing a round up of 10+ Fun Halloween Ideas for Toddlers I have seen on Pinterest and circulating around the blog-o-sphere this past week. But first I wanted to share some of the creations my son brought home this week from home-based childcare.

PLAY IDEA: 7 Fun Ways to Play With Ball-Pit Balls

Kids, PLAY IDEA, Sensory Play, Toddler October 2, 2015

If you have a toddler in your home, chances are you have at least one bag of '100 plastic balls', hidden away somewhere, probably so you don't have to pick them all up. Now is the time to pull them out and let your toddler have fun with them. My 18 month old absolutely loves these colourful balls, and will play with them all day, every day. They are inexpensive and provide hours of fun, and the clean up isn't THAT bad! Today I am sharing "7 Fun Ways to Play with Ball-Pit Balls... Give it a go - You and your toddler will have a BALL!

1. Make your own ball-bit - Use things around your home to make your own ball-pit for your little one. Some ideas are: flexi tub, a tent, cardboard box, port-a-cot, paddling pool, plastic shell, bath (see below), laundry basket & an underbed storage bin. Throw in the balls and let your toddler explore and have fun!

2. Throw & Catch - these balls are great for little ones to practice their throwing and catching skills. They are light and soft, so you know your child won't hurt themselves or break anything (touch wood).

3. Colour Hunt/Sorting - have the balls scattered on the floor, and ask your toddler to grab the 'yellow ball' or 'blue ball', extend their learning by asking them to find 1-3 things of the same colour. You can also get some coloured card/paper and get your little one to find the balls that match each colour.

4. Muffin Tray - Your toddler will love putting balls into the muffin tray and taking them out. You can also use jelly cups, and cupcake cases - they are the perfect size for these balls.

5. Counting/Alphabet - Write numbers on the balls with a marker pen and practice counting and number recognition. Alternatively, write letters on the balls (capitals one side and lower case on the other) - great for letter recognition, and spelling their name or words.

6. In the bath - when your little one is having a bath, throw in the balls for some extra added fun.

7. Colour Sorting Game - Minne-Mama made this adorable Colour Toss Activity for her son - perfect for 'bean bag toss' (hand-eye co-ordination) or 'ball-pit balls' (colour sorting). What a brilliant idea! I am definitely going to make one of these for my boy.

Do you love or loathe ball-pit balls? If you love them, what do you do? If you loathe them, will you give these activities a go? Go on - your toddler will LOVE you for it.

Charlene

Linking up with

#ToddlerFunFriday

My Bored Toddler, Mom Explores Virginia Beach and Kidz Activities

Made for Kids #4

The Resourceful Mama, Play Dough & Popsicles , Raising Little Superheroes , Books and Giggles

PLAY IDEA: Play with Clay

#ToddlerFunFriday, Be Creative, Family, Kids, PLAY IDEA, Sensory Play, Toddler September 11, 2015

"Clay provides so many opportunities for Messy play, especially by adding water"

(Recipes for Messy Play)

Clay is a natural resource that has no right or wrong way to be used. It can be rolled, pinched, cut, squished and moulded into different shapes and the texture can be changed simply by adding water. The great thing about clay is it can be reused and recycled. Like playdough, Clay provides children with so many opportunities to be creative and expressive. It can be used to create long-lasting shapes (do you remember making clay bowls or animals when you were younger?).

Clay can be bought from just about any art shop or potters’ suppliers – or if there is a school nearby, you could ask for offcuts or unused clay. In some areas clay will be available from the natural environment. An expedition to dig clay can be a lot of fun.

Clay needs to be soft for children to work with, you can do this by keeping it damp during play.

The great thing about clay is that little more than a damp sponge to keep the clay moist is necessary. Children’s exploration, handling, poking, shaping and forming the clay can be quite ample on its own.

Other tools you may like to provide:

something to cut the clay
collage materials for decoration
pieces of card for children to take their work home on.

Clay is good for children's hand and eye coordination (including squeezing, patting) and developing finger and hand muscles (poking, pinching). They are also learning to manipulate through cutting, rolling and moulding the clay to make shapes.

It's amazing at what you can create with clay - My 10 year old nephew decided to give Play with Clay a go - and this is what he created.

Have you tried CLAY with your toddler? Do you remember working with clay when you were little?

Charlene

Linking up with #ToddlerFunFriday

Father's Day Gift Ideas from Toddlers

#ToddlerFunFriday, Be Creative, craft, DIY, Family, Father's Day, Kids, Popular, Toddler September 4, 2015

Stuck for Father's Day ideas from your toddler?
Father's Day is on this Sunday (September 6th) for us, here in New Zealand and Australia, so I thought I would share a few favourite creations I found circulating around the blogosphere. I have also included something special I made (on my son's behalf) for his Daddy last year.

Here are some crafty and inexpensive Father's Day gift ideas your toddler can make at home - Made With Love.

'My Dad Rocks' Paperweight

Cobwebs Cupcakes and Crayons

DIY Sharpie 'Scribble' Mugs
Always Made With Love

Easy Kid-Made Father's Day Gift Idea: Popsicle Stick Fix-It Sign

Pink and Green Mama

Easy Craft Idea for Toddlers

Thriving Home

Here are a couple of ideas I did for Master M's Daddy last year...

Photo Collage (Baby/Toddler holding letters D.A.D)

Teacher by trade Mother by nature

DIY: I Love You to Pieces Frame

Teacher by trade Mother by nature

You will need:
A frame (what ever size you like)
Puzzle pieces
Glue (I used a Hot Glue gun)
"I love you to pieces" message (handwritten or printed)
Photo

Gather all your materials. I bought a couple of puzzles from the local op-shop for $1 and frame for $2. Get your toddler to place puzzles pieces and with your help, glue them around the frame. While the puzzle pieces are drying, you can either write the "I love you to pieces" message on a piece of card or make one on the computer and laminate it. *Note: I made these with my Coffee Group, so I had a few options, with different fonts and sizes. Glue the message on to the puzzle frame and leave it to dry. Pop in a photo of your choice (e.g. Dad & kids or just kids) and present it to him on Father's Day.

The great thing about this frame is you can make one for Dad, Mum, Aunty, Uncle and even Grandparents. A beautiful gift idea, made with love, that will definitely bring a smile to their face.

What do you think of these cute and very special, made with love, Father's Day Gift Ideas? Which one do you think you will try with your toddler?

Happy Father's Day
x

Charlene

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My Bored Toddler, Mom Explores Virginia Beach and Kidz Activities

PLAY IDEA: Spaghetti Sensory Play for Babies and Toddlers

#ToddlerFunFriday, Be Creative, Blogging, Guest Post, PLAY IDEA, Popular, Sensory Play, Toddler August 28, 2015

Hi guys!

My name is Maria and I blog over at Pastels & Macarons. A blog about all things female and motherhood. The main things I blog about are mums, kids, babies, home decor, DIY Projects, Craft and Travel. I'm so happy to be guest blogging for Charlene!

I have two sons. Locky my 26 month old and Cooper my baby who is 10 months old. I'm always looking for ways to entertain my kids with new and fun activities even if it means cleaning up masses of mess! Sensory play is so much fun and so vital for their development.

I decided to give Spaghetti play a go with Cooper to see if he enjoyed it and how he went about playing with it.

DIY: Homemade Colour Book

DIY, Family, Kids, Play, Toddler August 7, 2015

I made this Colour Book when Master M was only 5 months old. One year later, he still loves it. It's such a great little book and really easy to make. I was inspired by this post over at Craftulate.

You will need:

Paint swatches (two of each colour)
A range of stickers
Book binding rings (x2)
Hole punch
Glue
Laminator/laminating sheets (optional)

Firstly, lay out your paint swatches so you can see how the book is going to turn out. Glue the paint swatches back to back in order (see below pattern) to form a book layout.

Cover (white) - Red,

Red - Orange,

Orange - Yellow,

Yellow - Green,

Green - Blue,

Blue - Purple,

Purple - Back of book (white).

Colour Book Layout

Add a variety of coloured/themed stickers to each page, including the colour word in the top left corner (at this point I laminated my book so it would last longer). Punch two holes in each card and thread two 'book binding rings' through to hold it all together.

You can either add patterned or scrapbooking paper for a cover, or use white paint swatches and decorate with coloured or themed stickers like I did, and personalise the book by using your child's name. And just like that, your little one has their very own (made with love) Colour Book.

My 17 month old son loves his Colour Book (ever since he was 5 months old). He is now looking at the pictures and attempting to say the names of the animals/objects.