Author Archives: rebecca
Static Electricity Balloon Science Experiment
For this fun and easy static electricity balloon science experiment you just need a blown up balloon and a head full of hair! Rub the balloon all over your child’s head. This builds up static electricity. Talk about how it feels, and show them how the balloon can make their hair stand on end. Use […]
Glitter Apple Prints
These glitter apple prints are a great fall or winter project to do with your preschoolers. Materials: apples, liquid glue, food coloring, glitter, paper. Mix some glue with an equal part water (an almost-empty bottle works well) and add a few drops of food coloring. Cut your apples in half. To make the prints, dip […]
Pressing Leaves for Fall Projects
Next time you’re on a walk, look for pretty colorful autumn leaves for this project. Once the leaves are pressed, you can glue them on paper for art projects or use them to decorate your house for fall. For pressing leaves you will want leaves that are colorful but not dried, as dry leaves will […]
Color Matching and Paintbrush Craft
Practice color recognition with these fun ‘paintbrushes’. You’ll need paper, scissors, Popsicle sticks, glue, and crayons. Cut the paper into approximately 3×4 rectangles. On each piece of paper, write a color name in the correct color. Have your child add ‘paint’ to each brush by coloring one end. Glue each brush to a Popsicle stick […]
Play Binoculars from Cardboard Tubes
Birdwatching is a great winter activity for your preschoolers. With these “binoculars” they will feel like a pro! Obviously, proper birdwatchers will be equipped with professional equipment for their hobby, but we weren’t going to buy a quality spotting scope for the money reasons, as well as the fact that our preschooler is so young, […]
5 Great Reasons to Visit Your Local Playground
Do you enjoy taking your little ones to your nearest playground? Spending time with children in the great outdoors is a fantastic form of exercise. However, it is no secret that chasing after your children can take its toll on your muscles. Consequently, if you often feel tired and exhausted after a long day looking […]
Popsicle Stick Tic Tac Toe Board
Tic-tac-toe is an easy first game to teach your preschooler. Practice taking turns and following simple rules. You can use popsicle sticks and rubber bands to make this portable tic-tac-toe board and play with alphabet cereal x’s and o’s. Take four popsicle sticks and use four rubber bands to fasten them together into a tic-tac-toe […]
Glittery Spider Web Craft
Whether you’re looking for a fun fall activity or something to accompany a spider study, these spider webs will be just the thing. You will need liquid glue, wax paper, and glitter. Trace the shape of your spider web on the wax paper. Make sure your lines are thick and solid; some of the ones […]
DIY Play Telephone (that works!)
Make your own it-really-works diy play telephone with styrofoam cups and string! Here’s how. In the bottom of each cup, poke a small hole (a very sharp pencil works well; this is a good part for an adult to do). Thread one end of a 2-3 foot length of string through the hole in each […]
Preschool Lunch: Predipped Veggies
This is an easy dish for kids to help make, and it is perfect for lunches and picnics. Save space and have less leakage with this veggie dip tip! First you will need a container tall enough to stand your vegetables in. We used baby carrots, but any kind of dippable veggie will work. Put […]
Stand-up Paper Giraffe Project with Printable
Here’s a project to do before or after your next zoo trip. You’ll need: paper, scissors, a hole punch, pipe cleaners, and this printable. You can print the giraffe-printable on colored paper or print it out and use it to trace onto construction paper. If tracing, fold the paper in half widthwise first and make sure […]
Color Blending With Play Dough
Show your preschooler how primary colors are blended to make secondary colors in this fun and simple color blending activity. You will need play dough in three different colors – red (or pink), blue, and yellow. You can buy dough or make your own. We made this easy soft dough recipe and divided it into […]
Creepy Crawly Pipe Cleaner Creatures
Using this method, you can make any number of crawling creatures from your pile of pipecleaners. Besides pipecleaners, you may want to use some googly eyes and glue. To make legs, antennae, and heads for your creatures, bend pipecleaners into zig-zag shapes and twist as shown. You can make 3, 4, or 5-legged sections […]
Practice Cutting: Paper Snakes
This activity is great for more advanced preschoolers to practice their cutting skills. You’ll need paper, a pencil, and scissors. Starting in the center of a piece of paper, draw a spiral line. Don’t make the circles too close together. Go all the way to the edge. Starting at the edge, carefully cut on the […]
Daisy Flower Chain Instructions
Have you ever wanted to teach your kids how to make daisy chains? Here are simple instructions. You will need: flowers. Small flowers that grow in the grass are perfect for daisy chains; dandelions work great too! Make sure you leave a few inches of stem when you pick the flowers, as you will need […]
Homemade Time-Out Glitter Bottle Timer
Make these sparkly glitter bottles with your preschooler. They are fun to play with but have also been serving another use: Time-Out Timers! Have your child shake the bottle when upset, and then watch it settle to calm down. When everyone is settled down, normal life can resume. All you need: empty water bottles, glitter, […]
Rainy Day String Pictures: A Fine Motor Activity
For this fun and easy indoor project, all you need is some lengths of string or yarn. The more colorful the better! Try this creative, fine motor activity with your preschooler. Show your preschooler how to use the strings to make shapes and pictures. The sky is the limit! Beware – this project is fun […]
Basic Shape Pictures
Learn about shapes, colors, and the basics of drawing while making fun pictures with paper cutouts and glue! All drawing starts with basic shapes, and you can introduce your child to this concept while reinforcing the names of shapes and colors and practicing gluing. You will need several sheets of construction paper, scissors, and glue. […]
Flying Butterfly Craft: Straw and Construction Paper Butterfly
Make this impressive butterfly with craft supplies you already have lying around. You will need: construction paper (2 colors for each butterfly), scissors, a cup and a pencil (for tracing circles), pipe cleaner, straws, and brads. 1. Trace the butterfly wings on one sheet of construction paper using the cup as shown. 2. Stack the […]
DIY Clay Food for Play
We made this play pizza and cookies with our easy diy modeling clay. This is a fun way to teach children about shapes and give them another tool for their imaginative play. Help your child form the clay into shapes. You’ll need a big triangle for the pizza slice and smaller circles for the cookies. […]
Make Your Own Modeling Clay
Make your own modeling clay! This simple homemade clay is lightweight and easy to work with. It can be air dried or baked when you are finished molding your creations. You need three ingredients for this dough – corn starch, white school glue, and baby oil. Start with equal parts cornstarch and glue and stir […]
Backyard Car Wash Play for Hot Hot Days
Next time it’s just too hot outside for comfort, break out the buckets and rags and start a backyard car wash for your preschooler’s riding toys! We would have let then have free reign over cleaning our car (less work for us!) but as we were in the midst of moving for my husband’s job, […]
Recycled Foam Helicopter Craft
If your preschooler is obsessed with all things flying, then you will love this easy helicopter craft. You will need: a foam egg carton, a foam craft sheet, scissors, and split pin For each helicopter, you will need to cut out one egg carton section (do this ahead of time, as it’s definitely an adult […]
Writing Pencil Buddy
Spice up a boring old pencil with this pipe-cleaner snake. You will need: a pencil, a pipe cleaner, a craft pompom, googly eyes, glue, and paper. Wrap the pipe cleaner around the pencil in a spiral. Glue the pompom to the top of the pipe cleaner and add the eyes. Make a forked tongue from […]
Color Circle Suncatchers
These impressive suncatchers are easy to make – all you need is paper, a black marker, a cup, and some crayons. Note: For a suncatcher that lets more light through, use waxed or tracing paper. To make the design on your suncatcher, trace around a cup with a black marker. For more varied shapes, you […]
Learning About Feelings Balloon Activity
Young children often experience frustration when they cannot communicate how they are feeling. Help your preschooler learn how to express their feelings with this fun balloon activity. You will need: balloons, markers, and lots of air! Blow up a balloon. Ask your child how people look when they feel happy. Draw a smiley face on […]
Yogurt Parfaits for Kids
Here is a kid-friendly recipe that is good for breakfast, snack, or dessert. These parfaits are almost as much fun to make as they are to eat! You will need: small cups (clear ones look prettier), a spoon, plain yogurt, jam or jelly, and your child’s favorite cereal. Start the parfait by putting a spoonful […]
Cereal Box Scribble Bookshelf
Have you ever wondered what on earth to do with all your preschooler’s scribbles? Here’s a great idea that will help keep the playroom neat too. You will need: An empty cereal box (I used a double-bag size one from Costco), scribbled coloring sheets (or any other interesting paper), scissors, and glue. Have your preschooler […]