Showing posts with label fun. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fun. Show all posts
Monday, March 20, 2017
10 Fun Ideas For Playroom Walls
10 Fun Ideas For Playroom Walls
Since most of our house decor is pretty neutral, my love for color and creativity has found a canvas on the walls of my sons playroom (full playroom tour here). My formula for great playroom wall decor is something thats playful, eye-catching and fun. All of these walls have that formula in common and I hope they inspire you as much as they have me. If you find something you like, be sure to pin the image from the source listed.
Orange wall with world map decal by This Grey House
Confetti decal wall with DIY sensory boards by Fun at Home with Kids
Alphabet wall by Thrive 360 Living
Record Wall by Love Grows Wild
DIY paper tube shelves by Pysselbolget.
Picture ledge toy car storage by Lacey Carroll Interiors
Felt board by 8 Foot 6
Vintage framed airplane pictures by RH Baby & Child
Kids art gallery wall by Living Well Spending Less
DIY paint chip wall art by Honey Were Home
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Sharing on these lovely sites:
Tatertots & Jello, A Night Owl Blog, Somewhat Simple
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Sunday, March 12, 2017
A Fun Color Matching Game
A Fun Color Matching Game
Ive been brainstorming about what to do with the 100 wooden toy wheels I have lying around. I seem to have a habit of collecting supplies for projects that I never end up completing (I was originally going to paint the wheels to look like donuts for Jakes birthday party). Since Jake is car obsessed and Ive been meaning to find a way to teach colors, I thought why not create a color matching wheel game. Heres the best part...this toddler activity is cheap and easy!
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Step 1: Look for all the colors in your stash of paint chips or collect a few new ones (FREE is cheap)!
Step 2: Draw a car, truck, bike or anything with wheels onto your paint chips. I lucked out and happened to have a car puzzle piece that I just traced, but you could also look online for some free clipart. Outline your drawing with a pen. I used a silver Sharpie.
Step 3: Paint your wooden wheels with acrylic paint. I only did one coat because I have no patience but if youre really crazy you could do 2 coats of paint and finish it off with a varnish. The picture above was how I let my wheels dry. This image and step really isnt necessary, I just thought it looked pretty!
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Step 4: You have now have 2 options for your rainbow color game. You could glue the paint chips to a board and have a stay at home game. Or, you could hole punch the paint chips, add a ribbon or book ring and create a color book you can take to the restaurant. Add a little bag and now you can bring the wheels too!
If you like this post, you might also enjoy our color sorting activity!
(This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.)
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For more ideas on teaching colors, check out these other posts from Thrive 360 Living:
-Colored Train Rocks
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-Color Sorting Activity
Available link for download
Sunday, February 26, 2017
10 Fun Ideas for Your Pioneer Day Celebrating
10 Fun Ideas for Your Pioneer Day Celebrating
COMING SOON! (I am on vacation until Monday...)
Available link for download
Thursday, February 23, 2017
A Fun Way to Teach Counting
A Fun Way to Teach Counting
What kid doesnt love rocks? My little guy sure does, so I thought some painted rocks would be the perfect way to help him learn his numbers and how to count. On one side I painted numbers 1-10 and added dots and on the reverse side I just painted the number alone. Add a bag and now its easy to take these rocks on the go.
(This post contains affiliate links to Amazon for your convenience.)
Heres what you need:
- Rocks - I collected mine at the beach, but you can also find them at a craft or dollar store
- Stencils - I used these Martha Stewart adhesive stencils
- Acrylic paint
- Small paint brush
- Fine black pen for outlining each number
- Optional - muslin bag, stamped
We eat out a lot on the weekends and Im always looking for new toddler activities to keep Jake happy. I made a picture matching book for his new painted number rocks for more number learning. I have a feeling this restaurant activity will be a hit!
These painted rocks rocks are a fun way to teach your child how to count. They would also make a great toddler gift. What mom doesnt love a learning gift?
Sharing on these lovely sites:
A Night Owl Blog, I Heart Nap Time, Frugal Crafty Home Blog Hop, Uncommon Designs, Craft-O-Maniac, The Good Long Road, Lessons Learnt Journal, Delicate Construction, The Blackberry Vine
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Tuesday, February 21, 2017
10 things I do for fun
10 things I do for fun
...which may or may not be considered fun by anyone else:
1. Sew. Doesnt matter if its a project for me, for my shop, for a customer... its fun to have something to work on!
2. Listen to music. Right now, I LOVE Regina Spektor!
3. Scrapbook. I like to go slow (hmm maybe thats why I havent even completed my wedding album yet...). I take a long time looking at all my pictures, finding ones that inspire me to scrapbook at that particular moment, look through hundreds of saved files of layouts to glean ideas, go through all my papers to find just the right ones, re-position all my photos again and again... its like therapy for me!
4. Drive. Sometimes when Ive had a long day I like to go for a quick drive by myself. I turn my music way up, drive down to the park less than a mile away from my house, maybe take a sketchbook or cell phone, and hang out by myself for a while.
5. LOLcats. http://icanhascheezburger.com/ ... Im probably too addicted to that site.
6. Call a friend. Nuff said.
7. Surf the internet. I am a pro! I usually like to read craft sites, other blogs, news, helpful "tips" websites about sewing, parenting, cooking, etc.
8. Play with my kid. Just yesterday I went down the slide 4 times :) I also think its a riot to play puppets with him- he can carry on 3 characters all on his own- talent. Building tinker-toys, train tracks, marble tracks, and watching Peter Pan... its fun to be a kid.
9. Letterbox. Have you ever heard of it? Stamps, treasure hunts, navigation, clues, secret hiding spots, sneakiness, adrenaline, determination... you must try it!
10. Sleep. Yes, this is fun to me! Sleep isnt something I take for granted. Its a real treat when I get a good block of sleep in. (Maybe this means Im just lazy? No, I would be lazy if I slept all the time. WANTING to sleep, and rarely getting to do so, is not lazy at all! Just... pathetic!) So comfy, so warm, and I feel so great when I wake up! Sounds like a pretty good idea right now... goodnight!
Available link for download
Friday, February 17, 2017
6 Days of Summer Fun with the Super Moms!
6 Days of Summer Fun with the Super Moms!
This week I am teaming up with Kelli over at Random Thoughts of a Super Mom
and we are putting together
6 Days of Summer Fun with the Super Moms!
Check in all week to get some SUPER Summer Fun Ideas!
Available link for download
Monday, February 13, 2017
10 Fun Things to Do for Earth Week
10 Fun Things to Do for Earth Week
Here is my list of how we are going to be celebrating Earth Day all week.
Check back often, I will be posting individual and detailed posts (with photos) of the crafty stuff.
Check back often, I will be posting individual and detailed posts (with photos) of the crafty stuff.
1. Have a Go Green Challenge at home or in the classroom.
Take the challenge to introduce your kids to something NEW they can do for the environment! See my post about it here. Check out the Go Green Challenge checklist here to get some ideas.
2. Plant an herb garden
Decorate cans from your recycling bin with mod podge and paper and plant herbs in them for a fun GREEN project! See the idea that inspired me at kaboose.
3. Make Mud Pies (or Earth Cakes)!
I used to make these of the time as a kid but I have to admit that I dont allow my kids to get into mud! Now is the time to let them go crazy. Provide some pie tins (I got 4/$1 at Honks) and go on a Nature Hike to collect twigs, grasses, sticks, rocks...whatever nature has created. Then add water and let the kiddos make an Earthy pretend treat.
Dinner:
~Dirt Meatloaf in a ball pan.
~Grass sticks (celery) and trees (broccoli)
~Blue Ocean Jello
Desserts:
~Earth Fried Icecream, I got these Fried Icecream and Tempura recipes from cooks.com. Color Marshmallow cream blue and green and drizzle on for the "Earth" look.
~We made these Earth Day Bars last year for the second grade Earth Day Party.
~Make Earth Worms and Dirt to eat! You can follow the recipe here.
Decorations:
~Make Earth Day place card holders...I love place card holders, they always add a lot to decorate a table!
~Make vases out of recycled cans or bottles for "Earthy" greenery!
5. ReUse!
Dont forget to reuse your old jeans! I showed these ideas here and here.
6. Have a Creation Family Home Evening Lesson
Talk about why the Earth is here, why it was created, and how we should take care of it. Do one of the other "fun things" for an activity and make one of the desserts for a treat...like the dirt cups!7. Make a Go Green Banner
Use brown paper bags and recycled materials. Hang it to remind everyone to GO GREEN this week!
8. Dress It!
Wear Green shirts or Earth Day shirts! I found mine at Target for .75 but I still need to make one. I think I will let my son do it the way Kendra from My Insanity did. I have a green t-shirt, "Earth Lover" letters, and brown paint (instead of bleach) in a spray bottle for my 9 year old to make it.
9. Enjoy being outside.
Write Earthy messages with Green sidewalk chalk. Blow Green Bubbles. Go on a "Trash Hike" and beautify your neighborhood by picking up all of the trash you can find! (Here is a photo from when we did this last year)
10. Go Crafty with recyclables.
Give the kids tape, rubber bands, and glue and let them go crazy.
Here we have a guitar with attached microphone and a rocket!
Available link for download
Saturday, February 4, 2017
A bunch of sickos having fun
A bunch of sickos having fun
Last week we were sick....again. Half of us (yes, me included) came down with strep throat. Because we knew we had at least one untreated case and were unsure of who else might have it, we decided to stay home on Sunday. We wanted to make the most of our all-day-at-home day before Daddy went back to work on Monday, so we came up with a plan.
We lined all the kids up in the living room and declared we would have special day. Even though some of the kids were sick, none of them were down. We couldnt play outside at all because it was raining. So we declared it a no-screen day (no tv or computer or video games), but assured the kids that it would be a day full of family fun.
We figured we would have 12 hours from 9am to 9pm. One hour each would take up meal prep, eating, and clean-up for three meals which would leave a total of nine hours. We have nine members of the family (7 kids plus Chad and I). So each family member would get to decide what we would do for an entire hour. The rules were that it had to be activities that the entire family could participate in and you had to participate!
We started with the youngest, so we all just rolled around on the floor and played with Baby L for the first hour.
Next was L1s turn. She wanted to paint fingernails...
And play with babies...
Each hour we would have a changing ceremony. The blurry picture below was the only one I got of this part. Whomevers turn it was to choose activities for the hour would where a toy medal necklace we had. Here L1 is giving the medal to E3 since it was his turn...
He was proud to have his medal...
E3 decided to spend the entire hour coloring...
Next was H4s turn, who wanted to play hide and seek. I didnt get pictures of this because we were having too much fun to stop and take pictures!
Next, E6 decided he wanted to paint. I couldnt say no today regardless of how messy it was, so everyone got aprons out and they painted away...
Next, Aubrey continued our arts and crafts fun with some paper-doll making...
G9 went for another hour of hide and seek. And then Chad decided to wrestle with the kids for his hour...thankfully, there were minimal injuries.
Last of all, was my hour! First we made some yummy root beer floats...
And then all the kids laid down in the living room with their blankets to listen to Daddy read a couple of chapters of Treasure Island before bedtime.
It turned out to be such a fun day that the kids were asking to do it every week. I figured the kids would have fun, but I didnt expect Chad and I to have such a fun time. I can assure you I didnt think about checking my emails even once!
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Tuesday, January 24, 2017
17 Fun Things to do for St Patricks Day!
17 Fun Things to do for St Patricks Day!
1. Send your kids on a Shamrock Hunt. I am going to do this on a family night well before St Pattys day. There are so many fun things to do that I need to space out the FUN!!! I found these cute Shamrocks (below) at Jo-Ann Fabrics for $1 per bag of 25. I am going to use them for my version of a Shamrock Hunt. I got this fun idea from a friend last year (thanks Cami.C) but I never got to do the Shamrock hunt because we were busy moving! So this year, I will do it. First I will number the Shamrocks, then I will hide them. Next I will send the kids on the Shamrock Hunt. Once all of the Shamrocks are found, the kids can trade for different numbers (but they wont know what they are trading for). Then its time to see who gets LUCKY!! They get to choose prizes from numbered bags that match the numbered Shamrocks.
I think I will do 5 shamrocks of each number and then 5 different surprise bags. Here is what I think I am going to put in the bags:
1. Green Packs of Gum (I think I will put in four 5-stick packs and one 17-stick pack for the LUCKY one)
2. Greenbacks (as in real money, I think I will do four $1 bills and, for whoever gets LUCKY, one $5 bill)
3. Green Fruits (apples, kiwi, grapes, and for the ones who are UNLUCKY, limes and green bananas!)
4. Green Candy (I am going to do four yummy treats and one really Sour one)
5. Green Accessories (I cant wait for my 9 year old boy to pull out the green flower for his hair! I am also going to try to find Green socks, Green underwear, a Green tie, and maybe some green lipgloss or nail polish)
2. Host a Mommy Luncheon where all of the food is St Patty themed. Here is a Green meal I made last year. (shown below is: Green fruit ke-bobs, Green bean casserole, Green pudding cups, Green salad, and Green Lemonade) And for fun, make a cute St Pattys day mommy craft like this one from my friend, Amy, at mytalkingwalls.com, while the little ones are playing (hopefully!).
4. Set a Leprechaun trap by the front door. Here is a link to a really cute one. I think this is one of the cutest ideas/traditions I have ever heard of (thanks Amber T) ...but we have never done it because I always forget the night before! This is the year though, I am going to plan on it!
5. Make a "Lucky" banner. Hang paper clovers around. Let the kids put holiday clings on the doors. Never underestimate the importance of DECORATIONS!! (I hope my husband doesnt see this!). I am planning to make a banner soon and I will post a photo then.
6. Fill the kids shoes with green treasure and gold coins. These photos are ours from last year and the year before. That leprechaun used Green shampoo, soaps, candy, gum, and juice boxes (this is all stuff that we had in our house that I got for nearly free with coupons! Check out my post on that here, scroll to day 5) and then he also gave them Green glow sticks, Green balloons, and Green headbands (these you can get for $1 at Michaels) and gold coins. In our house they earn these gold coins for chores and they cash them in for $.25 each so they were excited!!
7. Keep the fun going and hide a few more gold coins (you could use chocolate ones but my kids hate chocolate, Crazy, I know!) around the house where your kids will be...in the pantry, the silverware drawer, the refrigerator...to name a few.
9. Make corned beef and cabbage. This is a photo of ours from last year. I found a recipe online to make it in the crockpot! I wasnt sure how this would be received in my family of picky eaters but it is something worth trying. I think we will do it again this year. I also served only Green sides and drink (see the photo above). If you are ambitious, make (or buy) fun Green hats to wear while eating dinner! I am going to try making these super cute homemade ones (thanks to tipjunkie for the link!).
10. Give your kids Green T-shirts. They have to wear Green that day or risk being pinched! I usually go to Old Navy and get their St Pattys shirts or just give them a Green (non St Pattys) one that I have gotten on clearance for really cheap. This would be fun to do closer to March 1st so they get lots of wear out of them before the Holiday is over. Just make sure they are clean for the 17th!
11. Wreck the house (I turn over the chairs, tip over decorations, nothing too messy!) and make little green footprints all over with washable paint. I do this every year and my kids love it. I remember my teachers at school doing it to our desks and I thought it was so fun!
12. Send the kids on a Scavenger Hunt with a Pot O Gold at the end of the rainbow. This idea is from Family Fun. It is really cute. Again, I do this EARLIER, rather than on the 17th. For us, this is another pre-St Pattys family night activity... Just to space out the fun!
13. Take the neighbors a bag of Green treats and wish them a Happy St Patricks Day! We took our neighbors little bags of Green apples, Green glow sticks, and Green gum last year. My kids love being little Leprechauns! This is a photo of a St Pattys bucket that my sister in law, Jen, made for us.
14. Host an Adult Dinner Party. Serve a "Green only" or corned beef and cabbage dinner. Play a game that involves only luck, like Bunco! Or, I was thinking a "Host A Murder Party" would be lots of fun. I have to admit that I havent hosted a St Pattys dinner party yet. We were invited to one 3 years ago but I ended up in the hospital that day! Maybe this is the year.....but St Pattys is on a Wednesday so I need start planning when to do it.....you should too......
15. For the LDS ladies out there: Have a "Lay up Treasures In Heaven" Family Home Evening. Do #12 as the activity! Make a fun St Pattys treat too.
16. Make green carnations for a centerpiece or for Grandma. We used to do this in school and it is a science experiment as well as a decoration!
17. Send the kids to school with a Green St Pattys themed cold lunch. My son even has a green lunch box!! Here are some things I think I will do: Green tortilla turkey wrap- filled with Green lettuce, Green pickles, and Green avocados, Green Sunchips, Green fruit (grapes, kiwi, apples), Green applesauce cup or jello cup, Green juice box, and dont forget a Green spoon and a Green napkin with Green writing that says "I Love You!"! And maybe a gold coin or two.
Now go plan some good, Green, St Pattys fun for your family!
Happy St Pattys Day!!
Show me what you did or share your familys St Pattys traditions or ideas! Leave a comment below!
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