Gradeschooler (5-12 yrs) Archives • Thanks Mommy Blog

Super Cute Tissue Paper Shark Craft for Preschool Kids That Will Make You Smile

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…

2 Comments

August 23, 2021

Gradeschooler (5-12 yrs) / Kid's Activities / Kids Education / Preschooler (3-5yrs) / Toddler (1-3yrs)

How To Make An Exciting Kids Eric Carle Inspired Craft

So many of us have been impacted by Eric Carle at some point in our lives. As part of a Kindergarten art lesson, we did a few Eric Carle-inspired texture collage craft activities. * This post includes Affiliate Links. The Freedom to Create Adults often envy a child's ability to be so creative and free and this craft actually brought me back to my own childhood. As I was explaining the first steps in creating this art collage to my kids, they became a bit confused. At 4 and 6 years old, they are already developing a standard form of…

5 Comments

August 3, 2021

Gradeschooler (5-12 yrs) / Kids Education

Fun New Way To Add To 10 With Clumsy Thief Junior Game

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…

2 Comments

July 22, 2021

Gradeschooler (5-12 yrs) / Kid's Activities / Preschooler (3-5yrs)

Fun And Unique Paper Popsicle Craft Activity For Kids – How To Guide

Looking for a fun summer craft? We spend a lot of time making paper crafts over the summer on rainy days or just to avoid the heat. Popsicles are the perfect summer snack for cooling off, but also a fun craft to make and play with. Your family will love this paper popsicle craft! The fun part about this craft is that you can decorate it however you want. And then you can use them to play ice cream shop, how fun! * This post includes Affiliate Links. Paper Popsicle Craft Materials Popsicle sticks Cardstock paper (to make it sturdy)…

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July 14, 2021

Gradeschooler (5-12 yrs) / Kid's Activities / Kids Education / Preschooler (3-5yrs)

How To Make A Paper Graduation Cap (Fun 10 Minute Craft)

Summer is basically here because it's graduation season! I'm super proud of my kids' academic growth this year. My oldest is graduating from virtual kindergarten so I wanted to do something special and made this fun graduation cap craft for us. I figure we might even make it a yearly tradition. The craft itself is fairly simple and requires materials you'll likely have at home anyway. I've put together step-by-step instructions and pictures below as well as a template. * This post includes Affiliate Links. Materials for Your Graduation Cap Craft Graduation Cap Template (below) Cardstock Paper for Cap (traditional…

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May 31, 2021

Gradeschooler (5-12 yrs) / Kid's Activities / Kids Education / Preschooler (3-5yrs) / Toddler (1-3yrs)

Fun And Simple Turtle Art For Kids Using A Potato Masher

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.…

5 Comments

May 23, 2021

Gradeschooler (5-12 yrs) / Parenting Solutions / Preschooler (3-5yrs) / Toddler (1-3yrs)

30+ Sensational & Mom-Approved Educational TV Shows for Toddlers

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…

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April 16, 2021

Gradeschooler (5-12 yrs) / Kid's Activities / Kids Education / Preschooler (3-5yrs) / Toddler (1-3yrs)

Easy Color Exploration Water Activity That’s Guaranteed To Actually Entertain

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.…

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April 6, 2021

Gradeschooler (5-12 yrs) / Kid's Activities / Kids Education / Preschooler (3-5yrs) / Product Reviews / Toddler (1-3yrs)

Colorful And Unlimited Fun With Easy Dot Marker Activities For Toddlers

If you haven't heard of dot markers by now, you should definitely check them out. There are countless uses and activities for making dot marker art and playful learning with toddlers and that's what makes them so exciting. * This post includes Affiliate Links. Chalkola Dot Markers Dot markers are basically markers but they print big dots. It might sound silly to skeptic but it's actually a great way for younger learners to grasp and tune their fine motor skills. Plus, there are so many things you can do with them that make them exciting for all ages. We also…

5 Comments

March 5, 2021

Gradeschooler (5-12 yrs) / Kid's Activities / Kids Education / Preschooler (3-5yrs)

Teach Diversity with Beautiful Diversity Craft For Kids – MLK Day

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…

5 Comments

January 18, 2021

Gradeschooler (5-12 yrs) / Kid's Activities / Preschooler (3-5yrs) / Seasonal Fun / Toddler (1-3yrs)

Simple Penguin Craft for Kids and Toddlers – Paper Handprint Activity

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…

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January 14, 2021

Gradeschooler (5-12 yrs) / Kid's Activities / Preschooler (3-5yrs) / Toddler (1-3yrs)

Easy DIY Bowling Game to Improve Motor Skills for Kids

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…

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January 10, 2021

Baby (0-12mo) / Gift Ideas / Gradeschooler (5-12 yrs) / Preschooler (3-5yrs) / Toddler (1-3yrs)

The Ultimate Guide To Fun Gift Ideas For Kids Under 5 Years Old

Best gift ideas for kids under 5 years old, broken down by age and developmental milestones. Including: babies, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5-year-olds.

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December 8, 2020

Baby (0-12mo) / Gift Ideas / Gradeschooler (5-12 yrs) / Preschooler (3-5yrs) / Reviews / Toddler (1-3yrs)

Bookroo Subscription: A Fun Book Club For Kids From The Comfort Of Home

These past few months have gotten a little bit brighter with our Bookroo subscription. Bookroo is a subscription service for families to grow their little one's libraries from the comfort of their own home. And I absolutely love that it's run by three moms! * This post includes Affiliate Links. Bookroo Book Club Ages Bookroo has options for board books, picture books, and chapter books, ranging from ages 0-10. Board Books for ages 0-3. This subscription comes with three sturdy board books ranging from 8-14 pages. Picture Books for ages 3-6. This subscription comes with two hardcover picture books ranging…

10 Comments

November 10, 2020

Gradeschooler (5-12 yrs) / Parenting Advice / Parenting Solutions / Preschooler (3-5yrs) / Toddler (1-3yrs)

6 Practical Ways to Improve Your Kids Room Organization for Good

There's something about so satisfying about seeing an organized space. Having kids comes with a lot of... 'stuff,' and no one wants to see stuff all over the place. It's definitely a challenge to keep all the kids' 'stuff' in order but it is possible. I've always been an organization method addict so I'm sharing some of my favorite kids' room organization tips and ideas. * This post includes Affiliate Links. Before You Start Organizing There are a few things to consider before beginning the organization process. Assessing the problems is part of the first step. Where are the problem…

4 Comments

October 3, 2020

Baby (0-12mo) / Gradeschooler (5-12 yrs) / Kid's Activities / Preschooler (3-5yrs) / Toddler (1-3yrs)

How To Make Tear Free Bubble Foam For Kids

My kids love exploring with their hands so I set up a fun sensory activity for them, tear-free bubble foam. Who doesn't love a great sensory play activity? * This post includes Affiliate Links.This activity is so simple and fun that there really are no limits to how you can play. We mostly just felt the textures, played with mixing colors, and did a little splashing. You can also add toy figures and a toothbrush and pretend to clean them off. For more ideas on fun activities to do this summer, check out How To Survive Social Distancing With Kids…

10 Comments

July 20, 2020

Gradeschooler (5-12 yrs) / Kid's Activities / Preschooler (3-5yrs) / Toddler (1-3yrs)

70+ Fun Kids Activities You Need At Home Right Now

Parents are always running out of ideas for keeping their kids busy and entertained. Compiled below is a list of the best toys, games, and fun kids activities on Amazon for toddlers and preschoolers at home. For us stay-at-home moms, these are our everyday tools while staying sane. It's not easy to find time to do things like showering, cooking, or cleaning. But I've managed independent playtime with the best tools and now we're cycling through all of them as well as enjoying some outdoor fun, family activities, and some play-based learning. I hope this list helps you find a…

16 Comments

March 22, 2020

Gradeschooler (5-12 yrs) / Kid's Activities / Preschooler (3-5yrs) / Seasonal Fun / Toddler (1-3yrs)

50 Easy and Creative Pool Noodle Activities for Toddlers You Need to Try

Living in the 21st century, pool noodles are no longer as exciting for their intended use. People have gotten more creative with this amazing invention, particularly when coming up with pool noodle activities for toddlers. There are tons of creative ideas for pool noodles nowadays. They're so affordable and easy to find in the summer, only $1 at the dollar store or in bulk online. When cut into smaller strips, the opportunities for their use become endless. With one main tool, the pool noodle, we can have loads of fun with exciting and educational toddler activities. In this post, I've included…

10 Comments

June 17, 2019

Gradeschooler (5-12 yrs) / Kids Education / Mom Life / Preschooler (3-5yrs) / Toddler (1-3yrs)

Easy Way To DIY A Quality Chalkboard Your Kids Will Love

Kids love playing with chalk outside, but did you know you can diy your very own chalkboard wall? They're perfect for any playroom, bedroom, or nursery design.Chalkboards are so versatile that they make awesome room decor as well, it's up to you how you paint the wall or draw on the chalkboard. But chalkboards aren't just for walls, there are a lot of ways to do a DIY chalkboard project and it can be fairly easy. * This post includes Affiliate Links. Chalk Surface There are many cool ways to have a chalk surface for both kids and adults to enjoy.…

11 Comments

January 19, 2019