Collect pinecones and paint them

This goes hand in hand with Fall Leaf painting below. Throw on your hat and jacket, head outside and collect pinecones. After you have collected your desired amount, soak the pine cones for 10-20 minutes in a bucket of water with ½ cup of white vinegar. This helps kill any bugs or mildew and remove settled in debris. Place the pine cones on baking sheets and bake for two hours at 200-250 degrees Fahrenheit. For safety, check them frequently!! The pinecones will be fully open, dry and shiny when finished baking. Allow to cool completely and then decorate! Display as centerpiece or at place settings for Thanksgiving dinner.

 Fingerprint Tree

A perfect craft to celebrate the season, invite your child to practice their fine motor skills while creating a beautiful fall tree. Trace your child’s hand and forearm to create the tree trunk template. Put out paint onto a plate or something your child may press their thumb onto. Their thumbprints can make grass at the base of the trunk and leaves around the hand area of the tree. Once they’re finished painting and their prints have dried, you can remove the tree trunk and have them paint the trunk or, alternatively, leave the paper template.

Apple stamping / pumpkin craft

Grab a leftover apple from your recent trip to the orchard and turn them into pumpkin stamps.  Slice the apple in half and have your child either dip their apple in paint or paint the halved apple then carefully press down onto construction paper. As your pumpkin dries, prepare googly eyes and cut your brown and green pipe cleaners. Finish the project by adding in green and brown pipe cleaners and googly eyes.

Cheerio Corn on the Cob Kid Craft

Print my corn template, color in the center of the corn completely yellow and layer with glue. Have your child lay the cereal on top of the glue until it is covered. Set aside and allow to dry. Glued to my Crafts inspired this fall craft.

Fall Leaf Painting

We continue to bundle up and head outside for enjoyable walks around the neighborhood. Leaves continue to fall from the trees which we gather and bring home for this fun painting activity. Tape down the leaves onto a piece of paper and invite your child to paint.  When your child is finished painting, carefully peel off the leaves and tape to see the final product. Keep this activity mess free with a smock from MonogramMary and spill proof paint cups.

The post 5 Thanksgiving Crafts for Kids first appeared on Lindsey Boova.

Alphabet Soup

Place letters/numbers (foam) into a water bin for your child to scoop out with ladles. This works as a great bath activity as well.

Bubble Water Play

Gather a few buckets/containers or set up at an outdoor water table. Fill the buckets with water and your preferred soap (we’re big fans of Babo Botanicals as mentioned in my registry guide), toss in a few foam shapes or letters and let your child reach in for the objects or scoop them out with a shovel.

Ice Grab

This is a highly sensory activity so it may be very engaging for some children and not so much for others. If the cold bothers your child, have them try it while wearing gloves. To play, all you need is a bowl of ice, tongs or a spoon, an ice tray/egg carton and a large container. Show your child how to grab the ice and transfer the pieces into the tray. The melted water will remain contained in the larger bin.

*Bonus, you can add a bit of food coloring and when everything melts, you now have a water bin to continue playing with.

Color Mixing

Set up a large container with ice. Add a few squirts of paint into a squirt bottle – perhaps start with only primary colors. Add water to the paint and fill the bottles. Invite your child to squirt the bottles into the ice and discover different color combinations. They’ll observe how red and yellow make orange, proudly share

Draw in the Tub

Bathtub crayons are a fun way to add art to tub time.

Garden Soup

Explore your neighborhood or yard and have your child pick flowers, petals and grass. Invite them to prepare the garden soup by filling a bowl/container with the items , a terrific pretend play set-up that allows children to create all sorts of concoctions in the backyard.Have them snip leaves, flowers and grass, scoop, pour and mix the items into a large bowl of ‘soup’ to strengthen their fine and gross motor skills.

Spoon it Out

Perfect for bath time or set up outdoors, spoon it out is a simple way to keep kids entertained with objects you already have around the house. With any lid or object that floats, place the items into the tub or in a large bowl/container of water. Give your child a large spoon and have them spoon out the objects.

Squeeze Sponges

Provide sponges of different sizes for your child to absorb, transfer and squeeze water out of the sponges. Provide two bins, one with water, and one without. This is a great activity to promote fine motor development.

Painting With Water

To set up, all you need is a bin/bucket or a few cups of water and some paintbrushes so your child may ‘paint’ outside on your patio, driveway or sidewalk on a warm day, or indoors at a chalkboard.

Pom Pom Water Bin

Pom poms are amazing because they’re reusable – they can get wet and dry perfectly. Grab two large bins, fill one with water and the other with the pom pom balls. Provide scoops, spoons and cups and let your child take over, transferring the poms from dry bin to water bin.

*Dry the poms by ringing them out and placing in a pillowcase. Tie a knot at the end, wash in a normal load and dry with head (always within the pillowcase). Busy Toddler swears by this method.  

The post At Home, Hands on Water Activities first appeared on Lindsey Boova.

Picnic in the Park

Lately, we’ve been enjoying picnic breakfasts at Pinkney, the Park here in town. On warm days we either pack breakfast in our handy Tingueli tote or pick up grab n go snacks from our local, Rowayton Market, lay out a blanket, enjoy our meal and watch the boats go by.

Visit The Beach

Wesleigh loves the beach, it’s always an effort to leave when it’s time to go. She could gather rocks and shells, throw them into the water and watch the waves crash for hours on end.

Go for a nature walk

We’re so lucky to be a short car ride away from a dozen or so amazing parks and trails here in Connecticut. Many nearby parks we have already visited and a few of which are still on our go to list. Some favorites we’ve visited with Wesleigh include Binney Park, Hammonasset Beach State Park and Selleck Woods Trail. We have found the walks to be a terrific opportunity for us to engage her senses and play ‘I-spy’, scavenger hunt, pick up sticks and follow the leader.

Backyard Toys

Warm, sunny days are perfect for the kids to blow off steam in the yard. These backyard toys keep Wesleigh occupied day after day.

Plant a Garden

Gardening with a toddler isn’t the easiest activity, but it has its perks. Toddler helpers like Wes may get a little handsy eating herbs and continue digging once the produce is planted but it is really sweet to see her with her watering can and literally see the fruits of her (our) labor.

Note: Affiliate links may be used in this post. I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you if you use my affiliate link. Full disclosure policy here.

The post Outdoor Activities The Whole Family Will Enjoy first appeared on Lindsey Boova.

Chalkola Markers

Chalkola chalk markers are the latest addition to our art supplies and they have truly been a smash hit. Every morning, Wesleigh perches at our kitchen island and draws while I prepare breakfast. The bundle we were gifted has been perfect – Wes practices writing W’s and shapes and has loved getting creative with each of the 30! colors provided. Suitable for non-porous surfaces, Chalkola’s markers are dustless, non-toxic and created with a water based ink formula making them super easy to clean up. Trust me, Wesleigh got a bit carried away drawing on herself and even on our counters so I was thrilled to see the chalk wipe off with just a wet towel.

For more products by Chalkola, visit their website here (use code: LINDSEYp0 for 10% off) or via their Amazon store (use code: CHALKOLA10)

Dab and Dot Markers

I always encourage Wes to express herself through art and find that items such as these Doodle Hog markers (they come with a simple twist cap and easy grip feature) have continued to support learning (color names) and development of her fine motor skills. For extra measure, I’ve been able to contain some mess, the markers are water-based, washable and non-toxic, items this mama will consider before purchasing.

Kinetic Sand

Soft, stretchy and squeezable, Wes has a lot of fun playing and creating with Kinetic Sand. It’s a wonderful sensory activity and good alternative to play doh. We simply dump the sand into a plastic bin, our ‘sand box’ and let her focus on running the sand through her hands, scooping it up with shovels, creating castles, and even dropping in plastic animal figures. Wesleigh’s Barbie has even been known to take a trip to the beach once or twice. Because the sand sticks to itself it’s relatively easy to clean up – even when tossed around by a toddler. Safe for kids, it is non-toxic, gluten and casen free and bonus, it never dries out.

Magic Doodle Paint Mat

Wes received this Magic Doodle Mat as a gift for her birthday this year. The water paint pad is large enough for more than one child to paint at a time and because it does not require actual paint, the toy is nearly mess free. The additional stencil tools provide a fun educational component that Wes can use for years to come.

Paint in a Bag

This simple, mess free painting requires little prep. Simply grab a Ziploc bag, your child’s finger paint and add the paints into the bag – you can sort into ROYGBV to create a rainbow, whatever your child’s preference may be. We used four colors and placed them in the bag horizontally. I cannot emphasis this next step enough – make sure to seal the bag properly. Once the bag is sealed tightly, tape the bag down onto a flat surface. We use Wesleigh’s kitchen table (currently on sale!). Encourage your child to blend the colors with their fingers (you can put a white piece of construction paper down beneath the bag so serve as a canvas). Enjoy what beautiful artwork your child creates with paint – mess free!

Pottery Painting

Another fun art activity we’ve enjoyed lately is painting pottery. If you’re local to Fairfield Country in CT, a favorite pottery studio of ours is Hands On Pottery in Darien that I’ve mentioned previously here and here.  Their to-go kits include pottery of your choice, a selection of 3 paints along with paintbrushes. The custom pottery has offered a special, DIY alternative to holiday gifting. It’s been gratifying to watch Wesleigh paint, see the finished product after firing and ultimately, gift the piece to a loved one. To keep this activity relatively mess free, we use a drop cloth under Wesleigh’s craft table and she wears an apron. I also limit the amount of paint she’s given and provide her with one paintbrush at a time to contain any mess. If you don’t have a pottery shop nearby, check out this kit to order online.

Note: Affiliate links may be used in this post. I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you if you use my affiliate link. Full disclosure policy here.

The post Our Favorite Less Mess Arts & Crafts For Kids first appeared on Lindsey Boova.

Picnic in the Park

Lately, we’ve been enjoying picnic breakfasts at Pinkney, the Park here in town. On warm days we either pack breakfast in our handy Tingueli tote or pick up grab n go snacks from our local, Rowayton Market, lay out a blanket, enjoy our meal and watch the boats go by.

Visit The Beach

Wesleigh loves the beach, it’s always an effort to leave when it’s time to go. She could gather rocks and shells, throw them into the water and watch the waves crash for hours on end.

Go for a nature walk

We’re so lucky to be a short car ride away from a dozen or so amazing parks and trails here in Connecticut. Many nearby parks we have already visited and a few of which are still on our go to list. Some favorites we’ve visited with Wesleigh include Binney Park, Hammonasset Beach State Park and Selleck Woods Trail. We have found the trails to be a terrific opportunity for us to engage her senses and play ‘I-spy’, scavenger hunt, pick up sticks and follow the leader.

Backyard Toys

Warm, sunny days are perfect for the kids to blow off steam in the yard. These backyard toys keep Wesleigh occupied day after day.

Plant a Garden

Gardening with a toddler isn’t the easiest activity, but it has its perks. Toddler helpers like Wes may get a little handsy eating herbs and continue digging once the produce is planted but it is really sweet to see her with her watering can and literally see the fruits of her (our) labor.

Note: Affiliate links may be used in this post. I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you if you use my affiliate link. Full disclosure policy here.

The post Summer Activities for Toddlers first appeared on Lindsey Boova.

As we continue to stay mostly inside our home, movement songs have been a great activity for Wesleigh to get her wiggles out through dance. Children are born musicians, they can feel music physically and emotionally and there is a lengthy list of developmental benefits to the combination of music and movement instruction.

Literally speaking, research suggests music supports language development, the precursor to reading. Music and movement strengthens listening, improves balance and spatial awareness, as well as many other things.  This is a terrific way to foster processing both left (language) and right (visual) sides of the brain for optimal learning.

While I’m not a child development professional, my mother-in-law is a children’s speech language pathologist and emphasizes how these songs relate back and reinforce daily activities which we have found to be helpful. Additionally, this past winter, USC announced it received a grant advancing studies into how musical training boosts childhood brain development. After Wes gets her dance moves and the lyrics down, looks like we’ll have to pick up an instrument and learn to play…

Until then, I’m sharing twelve songs (including a few well known classics) that have become a part of our day, keeping Wes entertained and stimulated for our own type of indoor recess.

Baby Shark, Pinkfong

Blippi, Fire Truck

Clap Your Hands, The Kiboomers

Freeze Dance Song, The Kiboomers

Head, Shoulders, Knees & Toes, Mother Goose Club

If You’re Happy, Cedarmont Kids

Itsy Bitsy Spider, Barney

Shake My Sillies Out, Raffi

The Elmo Slide, Elmo

The Wheels On The Bus, Cedarmont Kids

This Is The Way, Super Simple Songs

Walking, Walking, Super Simple Songs

Note: Affiliate links may be used in this post. I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you if you use my affiliate link. Full disclosure policy here.

The post Fun Movement Songs For Your Toddler first appeared on Lindsey Boova.

DIY Cardboard Post Office

As a child, my Papa built me a cardboard Post Office. My cousins and I played with it all the time when we visited him and my Nana. Looking back, this brings up happy childhood memories. After placing many online orders, finally, a box arrived that was of suitable size to create a similar Post Office for Wesleigh to enjoy. I was thrilled to see her enthusiasm for this DIY project.

• What you need: Cardboard BoxScissors/Box CutterPacking TapeMarkers/Crayons/Stickers – whatever is on hand for your child to decorate the box with

As you can see from the photo, I cut out a window and smaller slot for mailbox drop. I also cut out a door and crafted a handle so it functions for Wesleigh to get in and out easily.  We used crayons and stickers to decorate along with a few print outs I quickly typed up in Word. Stay tuned as we’ll continue with this theme and create a letter sorter next.

Cereal Bracelets

A great activity for fine motor skills, creating cereal bracelets (and then eating them) strengthens hand muscles, improves hand/eye coordination and serves as a simple snack.

• What you need: Chenille Stems/Pipe CleanerLoop Cereal (Fruit Cheerios, Fruit Loops)Muffin Tin/Egg Carton *Optional

Pour the loops into a bowl or have your child arrange the cereal in the muffin tin/egg carton components. An older child may be asked to sort by color.

Twist up one end of pipe cleaner to serve as a knot for your child and to protect their hands from the end.

Show your child how to thread the cereal onto the pipe cleaner. An older child will be able to sort in a color pattern.

Wesleigh was able to continue threading on her own, but not for very long before eating the cereal off the stem.

Had Wesleigh not eaten off all her loops, we would have finished the bracelet by wrapping the stem around her wrist and twisting the ends together.

Play Dress Up

Wesleigh received a Fairy Princess Tutu Costume set for her birthday, which she absolutely loves. She dons her new wings and tutus for all her meals and is frequently seen holding her wand; she calls this her Bianca Wishenpoof set. Wes is already imagining she has magical powers like one of her favorite TV characters, Bianca, from Wishenpoof on Amazon. It’s great to see her engaged in role-play, developing her emotions and building her memory (even if this recollection is from a TV show).

• What you Need: A costume set such as our “Wishenpoof” set, Frozen, Elsa costume or Chef’s hat and apronAlternatively, you can reuse old Halloween costumes, loan your child costume jewelry, a hat of any kind (cowboy, fedora) and turn towels into capes.

Q-Tip Push

This is a great opportunity for your child to be engaged and improve their fine motor skills, using only a few items you can easily find at home.

• What you need: Q-TipsEgg CartonPencilScissors

Turn your egg carton upside down and poke holes in the bottom with scissors.

Make each hole wider by pushing a pencil through it.

Make sure each Q-Tip can fit through the holes.

Show your child how you can push the q-tip through the hole and let them follow suit.

Note: Affiliate links may be used in this post. I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you if you use my affiliate link. Full disclosure policy here.

The post Rainy Day Activities first appeared on Lindsey Boova.