Outdoors
Hot and Cool Colors Lesson Making Leaves
I taught this hot and cool colors lesson to some very eager pre-K’s. They’ve been learning about hot and cool colors, so we incorporated that as we made TONS of leaves! This project doesn’t require very many materials, and is appropriate for kids at lots of different levels. I think it would work for kids […]
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 […]
Simple Animal Masks
Dress up is always a favorite around here, no matter the occasion. Today we made this simple, but cool masks using only some basic supplies. Maybe you’ll be able to tell (or maybe not!) we were inspired after a talk about how Eric Carle might make his artwork in some of our favorite books, like […]
Fall Leaves Mobile
Make this beautiful leaf-mobile to hang in your space! Kids will have fun learning about warm and cool colors, and the whole family will be able to enjoy your mobile once it’s hung! This project is fairly quick, easy, and cheap (three big plus’s in my book). We used coffee filters (white work best) scissors […]
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 […]
Pantone Leaf Necklace
I seriously might have a problem, I think I’m addicted to paint samples. In any case, we did this fun project immortalizing the colors of Fall, and turned it into a beautiful fun necklace. Check it out! We started on a crisp morning with a walk around our neighborhood, collecting some “samples”. It was fun […]
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 […]
Ramps, Tubes, and Balls: Enriching Creative Play
Why is it the box the toy came in is more engaging than the toy? Because children get to use their imagination, be creative, and build an experience bigger than any toy can create! Creating an atmosphere of enriching creative play doesn’t have to be hard. Here’s some ideas to get you started: – balls, […]
Backyard Fun: Digging for Worms and Bugs
It’s always fun to dig in the dirt when it’s not work. Kids love getting dirty and finding little critters to put in their buckets. If you’re closing up your garden for the season make sure to let your kids dig around a bit for this great sensory activity! It’s a brilliant way to get […]
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 […]
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 […]
Dream Catcher Sculpture
These might just be the perfect summer camp craft. The sculptures are fun to make and can go in so many directions with a little creativity. I’ve never actually seen anything like them before. The idea came to me when I was thinking about creating a dream catcher activity and saw the stick sculptures one […]
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, […]
Rock Art
Kids love rock art…OK, I do too! It’s so much fun to find the perfect rock and write a message on it or paint a mini picture. What you need: – rock – pencil – paint pens How to do it: 1. Go on a rock hunt. Find a few great rocks with […]
Summer Fort Coloring Page
Marc, our fantastic designer, dreamed up this summer time tree fort and created a coloring sheet to get the kids thinking about their dream summer fort. Make every coloring page great by finishing the sky with watercolors. The crayon acts as a resistant so you can’t mess it up! Let your child water color […]
DIY Bird Feeder
My preschooler loves any and all animals. If I had to ask her which one she preferred, I think it would change every minute. She just can’t make her mind up, bless her. It’s definitely not a bad thing though. I’m actually surprised that she hasn’t asked for one yet, which is fine. But they […]
Bottled Spring: Fine Motor Nature Walk
Put spring in a bottle! This is a fun nature walk sensory project. All you need are a few kids who like exploring, some empty water bottles (clear), and colored tape. Give each child a bottle. Talk about spring and how wonderful it is to see everything growing and blooming. Then go out to the […]
Where The Wild Thing Are Masks
What preschooler doesn’t love Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are? Here’s how you can make your own monster masks to play with next time you read the story. You’ll need: brown shopping bags with plain backs, white paper, markers, scissors, and glue. First draw Wild Thing faces on the plain backs of the paper […]
Simple Nature Scavenger Hunt Printable
It’s spring, and chances are it’s beautiful outside! I’ve spent the last couple of days researching Tree Care in Amador, San Joaquin, Tuolumne Counties as it has definitely been too long since we gave our backyard some love! My two toddlers adore spending time outside together, so I’m always looking for new outdoor activities to […]
Homemade Sidewalk Paint
YAY!!! for warmer weather! Now that spring has sprung and we’ve started shedding our layers of sweaters, jackets, scarves, and gloves, I’ve been on the lookout for fun outside activities for my creative preschooler. While my 3-year-old enjoys painting, all those name brand paints can be a little pricey. So, I scoured the internet for […]
Build Your Own Theater Stage
Our kids love to sing a song or create plays with an audience. We’ve all heard “Mom, look at this” a million times. They love to show us that they are good at things. Sometimes we feel the need to take imaginative play to the next level. Maybe your kids spend a lot of time […]
Holiday Scavenger Hunt
This printable Holiday Scavenger Hunt is a fun activity for those long winter days off! Whether you live in the country, the suburbs or in the city, scoping out some holiday scenery is a classic family activity. Use this printable scavenger hunt as a guide to get the most out of your neighborhood […]
Pinecone Garland
It seems like EVERYBODY on Pinterest is making pinecone garlands this year! We’ve seen rainbow ones and frosty ones! After eyeing up the treasure trove of perfect acorns that has amassed at our house, we decided to make one too! This project is pretty simple, and because glitter glue is easy to work with (or […]
Nature Walk: A Weekend In An Enchanted Forest
It’s fun to let your imagination run wild when on nature walks. This weekend we were in an enchanted forest. We were on a hunt for banana slugs and fairy homes in mushroom villages. We also had a close encounter with a hibernating bear cave and had to move on quickly and quietly as to […]
The Perfect Leaf – Fall Coloring Page
Nature walks with the kids in the fall is so much fun. Inevitably you end up with a handful of leaves, pine cones, and other goodies that were just perfect. This coloring page really embodies the feeling of being outside, fall time, and finding the perfect leaf. Click to download the free printable coloring page. […]
Clay Leaf Decoration
I saw some Model Magic leaves over on the Crayola website (which can be a great source for craft ideas!). The leaves are falling outside, and we wanted to make one that would stay beautiful all year! We made a variation using white model magic, instead colored model magic. To get the “Fall feel” […]
Fingerprint Fall Foliage Art Project
Celebrate Autumn and make a cool tree with all different colored fingerprint leaves. You’ll need light colored paper dark colored paper scissors glue stick stamp pads in colors of fall leaves You, or your little leaf maker, will cut different sized strips of brown or dark colored paper. Arrange them on […]