We built a pizza box solar oven for a school STEM project—and the weather did not cooperate. Here’s how we made it, what happened when we tested it, what we learned, and easy ways kids can keep experimenting with solar energy.
Halloween has always been one of my favorite seasons for getting creative with the kids. I'm definitely drawn more to the cute, colorful and playful side of Halloween than anything too scary, so over the years we've made a lot of ghosts, pumpkins, bats, silly monsters and other Halloween projects at home. Some of these are actual crafts we've made together over the years, while others are simple variations you can create with the same supplies and techniques. I've also included a few easy Halloween activities for the days when you want something festive without committing to a full craft. Most use…
This paper roller coaster STEM project turned a school assignment into a hands-on lesson in engineering, problem-solving and persistence. See what we used, what was harder than expected, and what we learned along the way.
After years of virtual school and learning at home, these are the supplies, technology, books, organization tools, and everyday extras our family actually uses.
Looking for meaningful gifts that inspire curiosity? Discover 50+ parent-approved gift ideas for kids ages 8–12, from STEM toys and astronomy gear to coding kits, books, puzzles, geography, and hands-on activities. Plus, see the products our own family has loved and the free resources that helped turn small interests into lifelong hobbies.
Halloween is my favorite holiday for crafting and decorating, especially when the decorations are more cute than spooky. This easy yarn ghost craft became one of my favorites because it's simple to make but looks adorable worked into Halloween decor. Make one yarn ghost or create several to hang as a garland, tuck into a seasonal arrangement, or decorate around the house. Below I'll show you exactly how I made mine, including an optional trick that helps the ghosts keep their rounded shape. * This post includes Affiliate Links. Yarn Ghost Craft Supplies White yarn Googly eyes Ribbon Scissors Tacky glue or hot…
This easy Q-tip skeleton craft is a fun way for kids to create their own skeleton using just a few simple supplies. We originally made ours as a Halloween craft, but it also works really well as a hands-on activity when kids are learning about bones and the human body. My kids chose to make skeleton hands, but the same idea can be used to create a full Q-tip skeleton or even other bone-inspired designs. It's easy to adapt depending on your child's age and how detailed they want to get. Looking for more Halloween ideas? We have a whole collection…
Empty toilet paper rolls are one of those craft supplies that are worth saving. For Halloween, we turned ours into eight different little creatures: a mummy, ghost, monster, vampire, pumpkin, Frankenstein, bat and witch. These Halloween toilet paper roll crafts are inexpensive, easy to customize and simple enough to adapt depending on your child's age and craft skills. You can use construction paper, googly eyes and whatever basic craft supplies you already have—or use the free Halloween Creature Features printable I made to make some of the details even easier. We made all eight, but there's definitely no need to…
Kids love sharks and kids love crafts. For this activity, we did a shark craft! This shark craft requires some fine motor skills but is great for preschool-aged kids as well as big kids. * This post includes Affiliate Links. Learning While Crafting and Playing You might be surprised to find that crafting and playing are some of the most important ways young kids learn. A preschool-aged child is still developing various skills in their fine motor development, logic and reasoning, patience, and creative expression. Crafting and playing not only boosts mood but it helps children develop these skills. That…
Eric Carle’s colorful illustrations are instantly recognizable, but one of the things I love most about his artwork is how much texture and movement you can see in something as simple as a piece of painted paper. We originally tried this Eric Carle craft as part of an art lesson with my kids, experimenting with color, texture, and collage. Instead of trying to recreate his illustrations exactly, we painted our own textured papers and used them to create completely different pictures — including animals, a sun, and, of course, our own Very Hungry Caterpillar. It’s a simple art project that…
Clumsy Thief Junior is a card game for kids that teaches them how to add two numbers to make 10 in a really fun way. For me, it was like a blend between Go Fish and Uno with a mathematical twist and a raccoon thief. The goal of this game, other than to entertain, is to memorize the different combinations of addends of 10. It's a fun game for young kids that teaches them important math skills and memorization. You can purchase Clumsy Thief Junior individually on Timberdoodle.com as part of Timberdoodle’s Kindergarten curriculum kit.In exchange for our honest review, we received a…
Looking for an easy summer craft that kids can make and play with afterward? This paper popsicle craft is simple to set up, easy to customize, and can be made with basic art supplies you probably already have at home. We originally made these on a summer day when we were looking for something creative to do indoors. I cut out several popsicle bases and different paper “toppings,” then let the kids mix, match, and decorate their own. Some became colorful popsicles, while others got pom-poms, googly eyes, sprinkles, and plenty of personality. Once they were finished, the popsicles became part of…
I originally made this graduation cap craft when my oldest was graduating from virtual kindergarten. I wanted to do something special to celebrate, and this simple paper graduation cap turned into such a cute little project that I put together the template and instructions to share here. The craft itself is fairly simple and uses basic materials you may already have at home. I’ve included step-by-step instructions, photos and a free printable template below. * This post includes Affiliate Links. Materials for Your Graduation Cap Craft Free Graduation Cap Template (below) Cardstock Paper for Cap (traditional colors are Black, Blue,…
Art with kids is always so much fun. Printmaking is a really fun art technique where you use different objects to transfer shapes and patterns with ink. It's also a wonderful way to show cause and effect. For this activity, we made a simple turtle art piece using a potato masher and the kids were thrilled! * This post includes Affiliate Links. What is Printmaking? Printmaking is a technique for making art by printing, or recreating, the same picture multiple times. This means that you can recreate the same pattern multiple times using existing objects or objects you create yourself.…
As a stay-at-home mom, I've come to realize that screen time isn't all that bad. For starters, it gets my kids to sit still while I accomplish other tasks or simply take a breath. But it's been really educational for them as well. I was one of those people who swore I wouldn't let my kids have too much screen time, but then I became a mom and reality kicked in! So, instead, I made sure to monitor the things my kids have access to on the screens and made sure to choose great educational tv shows since they were…
Young kids have short attention spans, which makes it hard to keep them entertained for long periods of time. And it's no secret that kids love playing and exploring with water. But playing with plain water can often get boring so why not add a pop of color... or three? In this water activity, your toddler will not only be entertained for a long time but will also be learning color mixing fundamentals! * This post includes Affiliate Links. Benefits of Water Play Not only does water entertain for hours but children gain a range of rich and valuable benefits.…
Most kids love the idea of using scissors, mine will literally leap for them. If you're a nervous parent like me, you'll probably keep all scissors out of reach to avoid wild haircuts and chopped blankets throughout the house. But it's important for toddlers to develop scissor skills by the time they begin elementary school. And there are many fun ways to introduce fun and supervised activities for your toddler. Let's start with some basics, like when to introduce scissors, what scissors to start with, and how to hold scissors. * This post includes Affiliate Links. What Age Should Toddlers…
Dot marker activities are an easy way to combine art and playful learning for toddlers and preschoolers. Kids can stamp freely, practice colors and patterns, trace letters and numbers, count, create seasonal art and experiment with their own designs. When my kids were younger, we used dot markers for everything from simple art projects to learning activities at home. They were easy for little hands to use, colorful enough to keep things interesting, and versatile enough that we kept finding new ways to use the same set. * This post includes Affiliate Links. Chalkola Dot Markers The dot markers shown throughout…
It’s crazy how quickly we overthink the simple materials that can actually be so entertaining and used for educational purposes. Dot sticker activities are exciting for toddlers, preschoolers, and big kids too! This dot sticker activity was very simple for me to set up for my 4 year old and it made her so happy. * This post includes Affiliate Links. Homeschooling with Multiple Kids is Exhausting Like a lot of moms these days, we've been doing virtual schooling and homeschooling, and let me tell you, it's exhausting! My son has classes on Zoom in the mornings and then I sit…
Schools and many businesses are closed for Martin Luther King Jr Day. This year, we decided to be proactive and discuss the importance of diversity and the history behind Martin Luther King Jr and finished our conversations with a cute diversity craft for kids. We started our discussion and activity in honor of Martin Luther King Jr Day but it is also perfect for introducing black history month in February. * This post includes Affiliate Links. Deciding to Teach About Diversity to Toddlers It's 2021 and there is still a lot of hate in this world. We live in a…
My kids and I have been super into doing crafts lately. But simple is always the best way to go to make things easier for me to set up, clean up, and for them to feel like they can do it all by themselves. This winter-themed penguin craft for kids is the perfect activity to do together. * This post includes Affiliate Links. Back to School Penguins Lesson With school back in session this winter, my son was learning about penguins in school. We've been doing virtual classes at home so my daughter and I can participate too and we…
When you're stuck indoors for so long you start to get a little creative with what you have. This fun and simple diy bowling game uses toilet paper rolls, a ball, and tape. With two semi-uncoordinated toddlers bowling could go either way but we gave it a shot anyway and it was a lot of fun for all of us. * This post includes Affiliate Links. Playing Games to Improve Motor Skills and Coordination Playing games and introducing sports are always a good way to work your mind and your body as well as to improve motor skills and hand-eye…
It's hard for anyone to understand their feelings and emotions, especially a young child with limited communicative skills. Reading is an excellent way to help our children understand things from a different perspective, including their own feelings and emotions. Learning to understand them will help children learn how to deal with them and reduce poor behavior. So I've compiled several children's books that express various common feelings and emotions as well as examples of how to or how not to react. * This post includes Affiliate Links. Toddler Tantrums Children aged between 1-3 years old tend to have temper tantrums.…
Looking for an easy sensory activity that doesn't require a bunch of supplies? This homemade bubble foam is one of those simple activities that can keep kids entertained with just a few ingredients you probably already have. When my kids were younger, we loved setting up activities that encouraged them to explore, experiment, and get a little messy. Bubble foam was especially fun because they could scoop it, mix colors, splash around, and explore the fluffy texture. The best part? You only need water, cornstarch, and a gentle, tear-free soap to make it. Whether you're setting up a sensory bin,…
It's already been two months and things are just starting to reopen. We are one step closer to normal. But it will be a long time until things will truly go back to our regular way of life. With a new normal headed our way my family will continue social distancing as much as possible this summer. So how will we, as parents, stay sane while we continue social distancing with kids this season? Some of the major things we've all taken from these crazy times is to take things more slowly, value the essentials, and spend time with our…
Right now we are all struggling to maintain new lifestyles of social distancing. With kids, it's a whole new ball game. We're all looking for resources and ideas for keeping the kids entertained while continuing their education from home. For us stay at home moms, it's not much different than our usual routines, but now we can't take the kids anywhere. We can't take them to the store for a free cookie while we grab our groceries, we can't take them to the park to meet their friends, and we definitely can't take them out to eat at a restaurant.…
A simple daily calendar can help young kids understand days, dates, months, numbers and the passage of time. Download this free reusable kids calendar and see how we used it during the toddler and preschool years.
The funny thing about finding fun activities for kids at home is that the activity you expect them to love might last five minutes, while something incredibly simple keeps them occupied for an entire afternoon. Over the years, we've gone through a lot of phases in our house—from sensory play and pretend kitchens when my kids were little to crafts, building sets, games, puzzles, outdoor play, and increasingly independent hobbies as they've gotten older. I originally put this list together when my kids were much younger, but I've learned that having a good mix of things available matters far more…
We nurture our children inside the womb for nine months before getting to actually meet them. I remember the thrill and excitement of getting to see our baby for the first time via ultrasound. My husband and I came up with an idea for a baby keepsake that would go in our baby nursery and be a reminder of where our child came from. Free Resource Library Get access to download all my freebies all at once. EmailFirst NameFree Resource Library Free Resource Library Your information will be kept safe and spam-free. * This post includes Affiliate Links. A Picture…
We recently discovered Tinkergarten and have fallen in love. Tinkergarten is a program for educating children in the natural environment through outdoor play-based activities. Initially, I signed up for a free trial class with the kids and it was so much fun. It was wonderful being part of a tight-knit community, getting dirty and exploring nature with the well-designed activities. So we signed up for Tinkergarten's summer session. At our first class, I started to realize how much we are benefiting as a family from this program. Free Resource Library Get direct access to download freebies all at once in the Free Resource…
I don't know about you but I absolutely love these little DIY wooden peg people. I started making them for my 22-month-old a few months ago and I just can't stop making them :)Wooden toys can get a little expensive so why not making them yourself? If your child is old enough, you can even make them together and it'll be an amazing rainy day activity.They are super easy to do and you don't need a lot of supplies. I am certain that you might already have some of these at home. * This post includes Affiliate Links. Hey everyone,…
Pool noodles are one of those inexpensive supplies that can turn into way more than a pool toy. When my kids were little, we cut them into pieces and used them for everything from fine motor activities and sensory play to early math, crafts and giant backyard games. I originally put this list together because there were so many simple ways to reuse the same basic material. Some of these activities are ones we tried ourselves, while others link to creative ideas and tutorials from around the web. Below you'll find 50+ pool noodle activities for toddlers, organized by type so…
Our Valentine's Week so far So far we've had plenty of Valentine's Day fun.Last week we attended a cute little Tot Time in our area where there was an open play full of toys and costumes as well as a little crafting area. My kids loved the simple craft of using stamps and putting foam stickers on paper. We had a lovely and calm morning.Over the weekend we spent quality time as a family. My husband captured some great moments on our camera of me baking with the kids. We made some yummy heart cookies. I had my son help me…
A DIY chalkboard wall gives kids a huge space to draw, create and learn. Here’s how we made ours and the many creative ways we used it over the years.
Raising multilingual children has been a journey of family, culture, and connection. Sharing how our family approaches English, Spanish, and Portuguese as our kids grow — and what we’ve learned along the way.
