Painting Pumpkins

The investigation...

Painting "roads" on his pumpkin

More paint on the baby than on the pumpkin!!

Happy baby!!

Pictures truly can tell the story. We had a blast!

We are also proud to say that our pumpkins came from Grandma and Grandpa's garden, which made the project even more special.

All you need is: pumpkins, non-toxic paints, paint brushes (optional) and a plastic mat for the floor.

This is a  nifty, thrifty and easy activity that suits all ages.

Dumping and Pouring

It is so developmentally appropriate for toddlers to dump and pour. It does mean our houses are a bit of a toy war zone but the brain connections your toddler is making far outweigh the mess.  There are ways, however, to provide this opportunity for them more often. It can also be a special activity that they will enjoy and ask for over and over. We have used lentils and dry chick peas with various sized containers and scooping utensils. I place everything on a low table inside a tray to prevent spills from hitting the floor; it helps but there are still spills, of course. I just give M a small broom and dust pan and he is more than willing to help clean up the spills.

Here are some ideas for dumping and pouring activities:  

• Regular household utensils and containers work well for the activities
• Apple sauce containers are great for scooping and pouring
• Cups, funnels and colanders are great in the bath tub or with any other activity
• Tray and/or containers
• Ice cube trays

Here are some items that work well for pouring and dumping:
Dry beans
Cotton balls
Dry pasta
Rocks
Pine cones
Lentils
Dry chick peas
Coffee
Corn meal
Rice
Sand
Water

I have to admit when I do this with M it is very relaxing and soothing. I can see why he enjoys it so much. It’s a stage that does not last forever but I want him to have lots of choices and opportunities while it lasts.   

Stained Glass

I've always wanted stained glass windows in my home. This may not be exactly what I had in mind but it certainly adds beautiful colour to our house and I can say my boys made it. Both of them had a hand in creating this work of art. They worked alongside each other. M liked sticking the tissue paper on the contact paper and J liked pulling it off. It was great fun to watch them. J was so fascinated by the sticky paper that we moved it to his light box so he could explore further with it. It eventually turned into a sticky colourful ball. In this case the process was more important than the product!

Here’s how:

I found adhesive contact paper (stationary isle) and tissue paper at Dollarama. Peel back the paper lining on the contact paper and tape it sticky side out on a window that is reachable for your little one. Cut squares or shapes of any kind from tissue paper and let your kids place the pieces wherever they please. You will be surprised at how pretty it is when they decide they are done.



Yogurt Designs

This is a great sensory activity for your young baby. It’s an easy activity that can provide a few minutes of fun. We like to do this in the highchair on the tray as it cleans very easily.

What you need:

Plain yogurt

Food colouring (optional)
*Note: Let the yogurt sit on the counter for a few minutes so it’s not too cold on little fingers.

Benefits for baby:

• Encourages creativity
• Stimulates hand-eye coordination
• Adding a drop of food colouring adds visual stimulation
• Baby can eat it with no worries (as long as dairy is safe for your child)
• Baby can make designs with fingers, which helps develop fine motor skills
• Stimulates sense of touch

When doing artwork, don’t worry about always having your child produce a product. I have to admit I love keeping their paintings and random pieces of work, but sometimes it’s the process that is more important than the product. It is also the experience that builds creativity.

Squishy Spaghetti Squash

"in"and "out" of the bowl

M was sure the innards needed to be cooked in a mini muffin pan
He loved squishing them into the molds.

Skin up!
This was news to me as I would have cooked it the wrong way.
 Don't forget to poke holes in the skin before you bake it.

Tis the season... for butternut squash, acorn squash, spaghetti squash and pumpkin. These vegetables are not only tasty but can provide a fun sensory experience for your young child. There are many options for how the activity can go. You can talk about the changing seasons, the value of food and the importance of eating what you use. M wanted to help clean out the squash and also helped to prepare it for baking. He had a wonderful time squishing the seeds and innards in his hands and also had his own ideas about what to cook and how to cook it. This can encourage wonderful conversations. M liked talking about how he put the seeds “in” the bowl and “out” of the bowl. When I explained that we can cook and eat it he was sure you should cook the innards. However, when I explained that we would cook the “meat” of the squash he knew better than I did which way to face the squash on the baking sheet.

Your child will have a great time helping you in the kitchen. Their self-confidence will grow and you will create great family memories.

Squash is in season and is very affordable to buy right now.  

Happy squash squishing!!

Homemade Playdough Recipe

Playdough is very versatile, especially when you make it yourself. You can also find random items in your house to jazz up a child’s playdough experience. M is interested in colours right now so I found items around the house that coordinated with his orange playdough. This is a great activity that has many learning opportunities. For toddlers who are very sensory motivated, playdough is a wonderful choice.

Homemade Playdough

1 c. flour

1/2 cup salt

1 tbsp. cooking oil

1 tbsp. cream of tartar

1 c. water

Food colouring of your choice

Add-ins of your choice (i.e. spices, extracts, glitter, etc.)

Mix dry ingredients.  

Add wet ingredients and mix.  

Add to a pan (I just used a non-stick pan) and cook over medium-low heat.  

Stir constantly until dough forms into a ball and isn't wet anymore.  

Take dough out after you have your ball (it will be a little warm) and knead for a minute or two.  

This is wonderful playdough that stays moist and doesn't leave a salty residue on your hands.

Mud Puddles!

As a family we try to savour the summer and fall before the long winter comes. These pictures remind me of the simplicity of childhood and the wonder children have in our daily environment. On a warm September day we went to the park to throw a ball and frisbee around, but after the frisbee landed in the huge puddle on the baseball diamond we had to go get it, so off came the shoes and socks and into the squishy mud it was for us. Instead of playing ball or frisbee we bare-foot-puddle-jumped and played in the grass for the rest of our time at the park. The essence of making family memories and having good old spontaneous fun is what I like to call the delicate balance of parenthood and childhood. When we forget to be like children ourselves moments can be missed, opportunities disappear and life gets away from us. We live in a world that is complicated. We are surrounded by negativity in the media daily, bombarded by the everyday responsibilities of just being grown-up. Children just need us to be near them, to love them and to encourage them to be free to explore. When we do this for them I think we learn new things about ourselves. We become better for our children by allowing ourselves to watch and learn from them instead of managing and dictating what we think should be done. Of course children still need us to set some reasonable boundaries and limits, but you can still have fun and protect your children at the same time. So, I say splash in the mud puddles once in awhile, walk bare-foot in the grass and enjoy your children as they are: simple, joyful and curious. Life is too short for anything less.

Boxes!

Baby + Box = Priceless (literally)

Playing peek-a-boo plus climbing into the "cave"

The "truck" box

Hanging out in style!

J loved being pushed around in his box

Brothers playing together in the comfort of their box!

Parking lot painted by mommy but was M's idea

We all can attest to spending lots of cash on big ticket items for our children and  they seem more fascinated by the box (at least when they are babies and toddlers). Like others who use disposable diapers we have boxes and lots of them. If you don't buy diaper boxes just visit the grocery store and pack your food in a box. Before I had kids I have to say I never saw the value in a box, but now the opportunities are limitless. We have made cars, blocks, caves, parking lots, trains, tunnels, bridges and a play place for baby all with diaper boxes.  We’ve played peek-a-boo games and used them for jumping in and out of. We’ve used pieces of them for art materials and for platforms for block towers.

I know that I stress the simplicity of providing learning opportunities with things around the house or that can be purchased for very little money, but I truly believe that when we look deeper and harder at the potential of everyday items we begin to think more like a child and realize what a world of wonder they live in. I believe that when we allow ourselves to be free for a little while from our adult lives we begin to relax, enjoy life and see the immense joy children can bring to us. Children give us permission to play; they release us from the burden of our adult responsibilities even if it’s just for a moment. My children motivate and inspire me every day and even something as simple as playing with a box has the potential to encourage curiosity and creativity!

Mixing Colours

This is a fun activity that can get a little messy at times. M loves it and asks for it every day! Mixing colours offers a wide range of learning opportunities. It promotes experimentation which can teach a child colours, cause and effect, and also the ability to make decisions based on which colour to add to get a certain result. This happens by letting them explore; you don't actually "teach" it to them. When we facilitate for children they will naturally learn through their play. I found this idea on another blog called Play At Home Moms. It’s inspiring to see what children are capable of when we look more closely at their abilities.  

Pouring takes lots of concentration and hand-eye-coordination. This was the first day we did this activity. We had some spills but by the third time M learned to pour more slowly and carefully. He also didn’t mind cleaning up the spills!
All I purchased for this activity was the food colouring and contact paper from the dollar store. I made the white placemat by taping two pieces of white paper together and then covering it with the contact paper. It works great and helps keep things a little dryer. All the rest was just stuff I had around the house. It's affordable and brillant in my opinion.

Clear containers, water, food colouring, eye dropper,
white placemat

The investigation!

Mixing colours using the pincer grasp to squeeze
the eye dropper.

Pouring...



M uses his self -help skills to clean up the spill.



Homemade Themed Birthday Cake

Fire Truck Cake

My son loves trucks and cars and I mean really loves them. He especially took an interest in fire trucks – when he was learning to say his name, he often called himself “fire truck”. For his second birthday I decided it was only appropriate to make him a fire truck birthday cake. I am by no means a pastry chef or cake designer/decorator but I thought I would give it a shot. I was pleasantly surprised at how it turned out. I did follow instructions from a themed cake book and it was easier than I thought. I purchased decorations from the bulk barn (mostly dried fruit and pretzels) and made a basic banana cake. It turned out very nice and cost pennies to make! I am also very sentimental so I love that it is a memory we will always have of M when he was two. I hope to continue making themed birthday cakes for my boys based on their interests…well, as long as my next-to- none experience allows me to. If I can do it so can you!   

Magnet Boards

Yes, these are cookie sheets that you would usually bake with. We turned them into magnet boards! We also made all the magnets from popsicle sticks, lids, rocks, and small pieces of tree trunks. We purchased the circular colourful magnets.
M likes it and had a blast helping to make it. He also enjoyed picking the items that would be his magnets. However, he was more interested in using the popsicle sticks to make roads for his trucks and cars.
This stimulates so much imagination. There are no concrete images so your child can be creative with their thoughts as to what they would like to design. It is also a great cause-and-effect activity because magnets only stick to certain surfaces.
When we allow our children to create, dream and imagine we are paving the way for them to be thinkers, problem solvers and leaders in their adult lives.
This is a great activity that is very open-ended and allows for freedom to explore.
It cost a total of $11.43. Done thrifty as always!

Light Box

Baby J playing with his light box and colour palates.

This is perhaps my most favourite idea. It's not my own but I think it is brillant!

Light tables are crazy expensive and this is a great alternative. 

This is simply a container with a lid and holiday lights placed inside.

My boys love it. Our sensory bottles shine beautifully on it as well.  

You could also paint on it, place sand on it or have pouring activites placed on it.

Our latest is placing all the wonderful items my son finds from our daily walks in a basket and then letting him examine them on the light box one at a time. Rock, leaves, sticks, smushed flowers and weeds are all equally pretty when light shines on them.

This activity can have endless possiblities, which is why I love it!!!

Sensory Bottles!

For my fellow Early Childhood Educators this is perhaps the oldest idea in the book! I love it though, because it offers a wide range of learning opportunities and costs next to nothing to make. The bottles can teach
Math: measurement, heavy vs. light, full vs. empty and you can also have various items in the bottles for counting.
Literacy: you can place letters inside or various objects and talk about them. This is a great way to open up conversation and encourages your child to use their language skills.
Social-Emotional: Have your child help you make the bottles. My toddler loves to squeeze the “tolours” (his word for food colouring) inside the bottles. Little fingers can also drop items inside the bottle. Children love to be helpful and you teach them that they are capable of doing things all by themselves. Allowing them to make their own decisions instills self confidence too.
Fine and Gross Motor: If they help make the bottles they are using pincer grasp for grabbing little items. Simply carrying these around is a work-out for a little body. Also rolling and shaking provide a great opportunity for moving muscles.
It’s also amazing to see how the bottles can be used in different ways. J loves to roll them across the floor and of course sucks on them. M will put them in his trucks or carry them around the house from table to table. Right now he is interested in colours so we have a variety of different coloured bottles. He will match them with colour palates and also likes to discuss the different colours. I am a big believer in play-based learning; I think it is important to provide an environment that stimulates creativity and curiosity. A child learns and develops their imagination from being allowed to explore play in a variety of different ways.
If you have a little time and a few dollars these are so easy to make. Here is how.


What you need:

Water
Empty water bottles (any size works)
Food colouring
Glitter
Various items to go in the bottle (the possibilities are endless. Dollar Store is the best place to find fun little items.)
Super glue or hot glue gun (this is to secure the lids so little hands don’t open the bottles)


Place all items into the bottle. Fill with water. Glue around lid. Twist lid on.


Such a simple activity that offers so much learning opportunity and of course, my favourite…done on a budget!! 

Homemade Baby Wipes

I found this idea in a magazine one day and thought it was worth a try. It's been two years and I still use this wipe recipe for both my boys. We have only purchased four wipe containers from the store in two years. Hence the Pampers wipe container in the photo...it makes a great container for holding the wipes. If you have ten minutes you can make two containers of wipes. This usually lasts us two weeks for both boys. Here is the recipe if you would like to give it a try.

What you need:

1/2 roll of Bounty paper towels (full sheets, NOT select-a-size)
Wipe container
1 1/2 C. boiling water
1Tbsp. olive oil
1Tbsp. shampoo
1Tbsp. body lotion

Boil water.
While water is boiling cut the paper towel roll in half (a bread knife works well). Place half a roll into the container.
Mix water, oil, shampoo and lotion together in bowl.
Pour over the paper towel. Let sit in sink for 5 to 10 minutes to let all the water absorb.
Repeat the recipe for the other half of the paper towel roll.
You can remove the paper tube after the wipes have soaked. I skip this step as it makes no difference in how the wipes come apart. You can now tear sheets off at each change or ahead of time - whichever you prefer.

I love this recipe because it is cheap and easy but mostly because it is gentle on sensitive skin and smells good. You get to decide which shampoo and lotion to use. This ensures that you know it will not irritate your little one's skin and you can choose if you want fragrance free or scented. You can also pour in a drop or two of essential oils for a natural aroma.
Now that is Nifty and Thrifty!!!
Happy Wiping!

Taggie Blankie!!

This was one of my first projects for my first born son. He liked it, but my second baby really loves it as he is much more tactile and really explores with his hands.
If you have a sewing machine and know how to use it you can make a super easy taggie blankie.
Find some fabric and ribbon (I go to Len’s Mill Stores they have a great selection and are reasonable) If you want to be really thrifty find the discounted isle. Piece two square sheets of fabric together, stick in some cute printed ribbons along the edges, sew and voila you have a taggie blankie for your little one.

Welcome!

Welcome to my blog! I am a mommy who is dedicated to good, clever ideas for my children that stimulate their natural desire to learn, create and imagine AND most of all fitting it into a budget.

I am a registered Early Childhood Educator who loves children and understands child development . You can give your children a great start in life and you can do it without breaking the bank! Some of the simple and creative ideas I'll post have been adapted from others and some are my own. Hope you find them nifty and thrifty!