Halloween Activity Basket

Posted on September 25, 2022 by danielleridgway

It’s officially spooky season!

We love Halloween in our home and have so much fun with it every year. Last year, I made a Halloween preschool activity box for Mila and decided to make a new one this year! Filled with fun activities, this basket gives her busy tasks to do after school or while dinner is getting made. I love to have fun and engaging activities for Mila when she comes home, but sometimes, I can get busy. This basket will have the same activities in it all month long so she knows what to expect.

Let’s dive inside.

I got most of the items in person at Target, various dollar stores, and Joanns Fabrics. BUT, I searched online to find you all similar items incase you’d like to do this with your child. As with any links I have on here, I might get a small percentage with every purchase.

First, I got this orange basket at the Dollar General. Their baskets are always so good at an even better price. To make it festive, I used The Letter Vee‘s printable with some fun yarn.

I also have some other fun Halloween printables from The Letter Vee. She has a ton listed that are perfect for spooky season, but I put the spooky alphabet sheet for letter recognition and a coloring page. Both are great for a quiet activity. There’s also some blank papers in there for Mila to draw or trace.

Speaking of tracing. I added in some Halloween cookie cutters. She can practice tracing these and cutting them out. I’m excited what she creates with these.

Here’s some fun cookie cutters I found online:

Another fun tracing element I added were Halloween resin letters from Beags and Bubs! We love their resin letters and sensory sets. These particular letters are Halloween themed and we’ll use them all season long. Mila can trace them and also use them with the letter sheet too. They’re a staple in our home to play with.

If you do want to get some resin letters OR sensory kits from Beags and Bubs, use MILA15 to save!

Since Mila absolutely loves to paint and color, I added some wooden crafts from different dollar stores. These are so great for kids to create with. They’re cheap and they always end up so cute. She has a wooden jack-o-lantern and pumpkins. We use these crafts all the time so she’s very familiar how to work with them.

One fun activity that I actually made using The Letter Vee printable was this Halloween matching/memory game. I linked the video of how to make it to the picture. This just sits in a bucket and has been a big hit!

We also added some Halloween books. Most of our Halloween books are on Mila’s reading shelf in our home. She always has access to books and I plan to change these ones out every few days so she can be surprised.

Here’s some Halloween books that we love. If there’s some of the ones that you love and we’re missing, comment the titles below!:

How to Catch a Monster
How to Catch a Witch
Eek Halloween
Ghost Afraid of the Dark
Pumpkin Jack
I Spy with My Little Eye Halloween
Hocus Pocus (This is a new title for Hocus Pocus 2)
Room on the Broom
Gustav the Shy Ghost
Gilbert the Ghost

Okay — that’s a TON of books, but they’re all so good. We have a lot more at home, but I had to limit myself to this amount for right here. Again, if you have a book we need to read for Halloween, please comment below.

On to the next item in the basket. STICKERS!

Mila is no different and loves stickers. I added a Halloween sticker book and some from the dollar store too. These will provide so much fun for her. She can use the wooden pumpkins or paper to stick them too.

I love this sticker book option from Amazon!

The rest of the items are ones you can find any where, and again, are staples in our home.

Play doh
Googly eyes (you NEED these for Halloween crafts)
Halloween cat stuffed animal
Markers
Bubble wand
Temporary Tattoos

Here’s a closer look at everything inside this Halloween basket. It’s linked to an Instagram post where you can hear the sound with it too.

We love how everything turned out and I can’t wait for Mila to enjoy this all October long. I’ll make sure to share all the fun Halloween Activities we do the next few weeks. You won’t want to miss it!

What was your favorite item in the Halloween Basket?

7 Fall Trends for Preschool Girls

Posted on September 10, 2022 by danielleridgway

Fall is almost here and with that comes the cute and comfy styles too!

Since I have a little fashionista, I’m always planning her outfits and on the look out for fun fall trends. We like to have fun with style and let Mila’s personality and voice show through her clothes. With her help, we want to bring you these 7 fall trends your preschooler will love.

Denim Pieces

Does denim ever truly go out of style? I think not.

Finding fun denim pieces, besides jeans is a fun way to spice up your little’s wardrobe. Mila loves her denim jackets, rompers, dresses, and shirts. I also love denim with pops of fall colors like mustard and rust!

Here’s some fun denim pieces that Mila and I love:

Retro Vibes

Is it me or is retro in? We love the fun 70’s colors and looks that have been so popular lately. They’re fun to pair throughout the year, but with the fall trends — they’re perfect. No matter if it’s a top with retro wording or bell bottom jeans, the past’s trends are in now too!

One shop that I LOVE for retro pieces is Bailey’s Blossoms! They have adorable pieces and sales all the time!

Pops of Color

When I think of fall, I think of navy, rust, and orange. They’re colors that go with so many things and are just perfect. BUT I have also been loving the pinks and soft hues added in the mix of these as well. Fashion should be fun and kids love pops of colors!

I know Mila’s wardrobe has a lot of neutrals, but I love to see her in a ton of different colors. Here’s a few outfits we’ve loved because of their fall inspired colors:

Statement Pieces

I love outfits that make you say, “woah.” A statement piece is something that does just that. No matter if it’s a fun pair of pants, the cutest sweater you’ve ever seen, or a jumpsuit that’s so beautiful, these are perfect to have in your little’s wardrobe. I think these are fun pieces that I get to gift Mila every so often, but they’re always her favorites.

One shop that I’ve been OBSESSED with lately is Elemental Threads Co. They have fun statement pieces that I’m always looking at on my phone… oops.

Here are some other pieces we love too:

https://zuli.ly/sl/n/t/rfmxhttps://zuli.ly/sl/n/t/rfmx

Matching Sets

Matching sets are always so cute and quick to pick out.

If your child is in a ton of different activities besides preschool, matching sets are a great way for them to be comfy all day and take them straight to where they need to be after school. Mila loves wearing her matching sets from Little Poppy Bow Co. They come with matching bows too.

When we go to dance, we can slip a leotard on under these or just have her dance in this too.

Pair with a cute pair of tennis shoes with some accessories and your little will be set.

Here’s some styles we love:

Jackets

When coming out of summer, kids get colder a little more easily. To combat this, we love pairing outfits with jackets. Our two favorite go to’s are: demin and leather! But I’m totally wanting to buy her a little varisty jacket. They’re so adorable!

Here’s some that we’re loving:

Accessories

Any little girls LOVES accessories.

Mila has to have at least one bracelet on every time we leave the house… seriously. We also like to switch it up and use a scrunchie as a useable bracelet too. She also adds sunglasses, necklaces, and bows (of course).

For these, I let her choose any accessories she’d like. This is where she can really have fun. Here are some shops we love:

Little Poppy Bow Co. – We get their monthly bow subscription box. They also have clips, headbands, necklaces and bracelets too.
Sloane and Daisy – These are Mila and my’s FAVORITE bracelets. They have fun holiday inspired ones for kids and moms! We also love their buttons for jean jackets and rings too.
Dash+Roo – Although Dash+Roo has a lot of fun home decor, they have the cutest DIY sunglasses option that would be perfect for all year long!

What was your favorite trend for preschool girls? Let me know in the comments.

*If you buy from any linked product, I will get a small commission since I am an Amazon and Zulily affiliate.

DIY Fall Bucket List

Posted on September 1, 2022 by danielleridgway

Happy September everyone!

We’re starting off the month with a fun little DIY that littles can help with too.

Ever since Mila was little, I’ve loved making bucket lists. It’s fun to brainstorm all the fun things you’d like to do for a certain time of year or theme. Since we’re in the “ber” months, I figured we should just start fresh with a fall bucket list. Mila helped come up with different things to add on the list and colored in some of the pumpkins too!

All I did was letter “fall bucket list” and free draw some pumpkins. It didn’t take too long and it was fun to watch Mila create too.

Since she enjoyed coloring in the pumpkins, I thought it’d be fun to color in each pumpkin when we do the activity! This was we can watch our pumpkin patch come to life while we make all the fall memories.

To make this DIY bucket list, we used:

Here’s all the activities we listed for our Fall Bucket List:

Go to a pumpkin patch
Go on a hayride
Jump into a leaf pile
Drink apple cider
Decorate the house
Make caramel apples
Drink PSL
Make a pot of chili
Go apple picking
Go on a fall hike
Bake a pie and eat it
Go through a corn maze
Watch the new Hocus Pocus
Go to a football game
Attend a fall festival
Have a spooky movie night
Make smores
Help with and eat Thanksgiving dinner
Make a gratitude project
Buy fall candles
Carve/paint pumpkins
Go trick or treating
Make memories
Make fall cookies

What fall activities would you add to this list or on your own? Let me know in the comments.

Blueberry Crumble Recipe

Posted on July 6, 2022 by danielleridgway

Want to be the talk of your backyard bbq? Make and bring this Blueberry Crumble Recipe. It’s easy to throw together and tastes delicious too!

We recently went blueberry pickings, which I have to blog about. Since then, I have a ton of blueberries, but not a ton of different recipes. When talking about what to make, I knew I had to try a crumble.

Believe me… I’m happy I did!

This dessert was so easy to make and tasted so fresh. We picked them one day and made this the next. It was amazing.

I have a feeling this will be another staple dessert I bring to parties in the future.

Here’s what you’ll need to make this Blueberry Crumble:

2 cups of blueberries
sugar
½ cup light brown sugar, packed
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup quick cook oats
¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon cinnamon

First, preheat your oven to 375 F.

While it’s heating up, spray your crumble pan with cooking spray or spread water. Then, add the layer of blueberries at the bottom. Sprinkle sugar on top of the blueberries.

We used red colored sugar for ours!

Then, mix the crumble topping (sugar, flour, oats, cinnamon, and butter) in a bowl. When it’s all combined, spread on top of the sugared blueberries. To give it some extra flair, you can sprinkle some extra cinnamon sugar on top.

When the oven is preheated, place the blueberry crumble in for 25-30 minutes.

We took ours out at the 25 minute mark and added festive sprinkles. Then baked for an extra five minutes.

Serve this delicious dish warm with whipped cream or ice cream!

What’s your favorite food item to bring to a cookout?

5 Summer Reading Picks

Posted on June 20, 2022 by danielleridgway

If you’re looking for some books to read this summer, these 5 Summer Reading Picks are a great start.

Each book was picked by a mermaid-loving four year old!

With school out, it’s important to keep kids reading and learning. Switching up books and ‘shelfies’ can help keep them interested and excited to read!

Mila has accumulated a TON of books in her four years. She has a few favorite picks — but it can get redundant reading them 1000 times. To help keep things fresh, I love to show her themed books and have her pick out her top picks.

I laid out ‘summer’ books that included zoos, weather, and other ocean animals. Of course, she was instantly drawn to the mermaid ones!

Here’s all of Mila’s picks:

The Little Mermaid

This was my book when I was a kid, but Mila is in love with it!

It’s the classic tale with beautiful images. Since Mila knows the story, she likes to pretend to ‘read’ to me. I love seeing what letters and words she is beginning to recognize too. If your kiddo loves “The Littler Mermaid” the movie, you’ll love the book too.

You can find the original book or the the Little Golden Book one.

How to Catch a Mermaid

This is one of Mila’s favorite series! She loves the story and trying to figure out how the characters are going to catch the mermaid next. I love the rhyming and how it gets her brain thinking. Mila always finds new things in the pictures too. The last time she read it, she pointed out a big fish I had never saw!

This series has how to catch a unicorn, leprechaun, and the Easter Bunny too! It’s a series I’ll always recommend for any occasion you need.

If you’re interested in this book or series, check them out!

That’s Not My Mermaid

The “That’s Not My” series has been a staple in our home since Mila was a baby. They let kids feel different textures and understand what the words mean. Plus, there’s a hiding mouse that kids love to seek too.

Mila absolutely loves the mermaid one in the series. It’s one she has by her bed all summer long. She loves reading this one to me and showing me she remembers all the words.

Get “That’s Not My Mermaid” here.

The Rainbow Fish

Last year, “The Rainbow Fish” was Mill’s favorite summer book. It’s a great story about sharing and being mindful of others. We made the cutest paper craft (pictured above) and Mila recognizes thee cover image any where she sees it.

The bright colors are so perfect and I love this classic tale. This will be one boo I always have on hand.

You can purchase “The Rainbow Fish” through this link.

Stuck in the Middle of Knowhere

Mila got this book earlier this year when Our Generation Dolls gifted us a few dolls and accessories. She saw the book and we’ve been reading it in chunks since! It’s a fun story of Coral and her passion for surfing.

The doll that came with this book is adorable too. Mila is constantly playing with her and her friends. I’d totally recommend them to anyone looking for a good doll!

Reading is such an important way to learn and imagine. It makes me so proud Mila can pick out her favorites and enjoy our time reading together. We’ll never get this time back, so we’re making every second count!

We can’t wait to show you more summer activities and fun that we’ll be having this year! Stay tuned.

What are some summer inspired books you’d recommend? We’d love to read them.

Strawberry Handprint Pot

Posted on May 20, 2022 by danielleridgway

If you love strawberries and want a cute pot to grow them in, you’ll have to make this Strawberry Handprint Pot!

These pots are a great way to watch plants grow, but also perfect for kids to get involved too.

I’ve said it a ton before, but Mila and I are obsessed with plants. We probably have 200 houseplants. Then in the summer, we have fruits, veggies, and herbs. My front porch looks like a jungle.

Last year, strawberries were our favorite to grow. Mila would literally eat them from the plant. It was so fun to check every morning.

To make strawberry picking more fun this year, we made this Strawberry Handprint Pot.

Here’s what you’ll need to make yours:

Green Paint
Red Paint
Black Paint
Pot
Brush
Strawberry Plant
Potting Soil

This handprint art is actually pretty easy to do.

Just paint (or have your kiddo paint) the majority of their hand with red paint. Then the top part with green.

Press firmly on the pot. We were able to get two handprints per paint!

Once it’s dried, add the seeds on to the strawberries. I just made little hearts in black. I thought it looked cute!

When those are dry, plant your strawberry plant and you’re good to grow.

Like all our crafts, I think this turned out so cute. I know this pot will have strawberries in it for years to come!

Looking for more strawberry fun? Check out some of these recipes and crafts we’ve done in the past!

Let me know in the comments which one is your favorite! Or a recipe/craft we should try next.

DIY Bug Catcher

Posted on May 19, 2022 by danielleridgway

If you’re looking for a fun way to get your kids outside and interested in bugs, make this DIY Bug Catcher.

The best part, I reused everything to make this!

Mila is slowly getting interested in bugs. She can tell you all about the butterflies life cycle and can identify different bugs too! Mostly, she’s excited about catching lightening bugs this year.

Even though I know she can, I don’t think she’ll want to use her hands. Cue another light bulb parenting moment…

We decided to make a DIY Bug Catcher so we can see lightening bugs and whatever else she catches. Like I said before, we got to reuse items to make it too!

Here’s all that it took to make this:

Parmesan Cheese Bottle
Stickers
Pipe Cleaner
Googly Eyes
Hot Glue
Tulle

First, take the label off and clean the Parmesan cheese container. I don’t think the bugs would mind the cheesy smell, but it needed washed out.

After, I hot glued tulle on the smaller hole side. This way the bugs can get fresh air!

I then put stickers that said, “Mila’s Bug Catcher” on it. When I was done with that, I let her put whatever stickers on there.

While she was decorating her bug catcher, I made the bug face top. I just used the colored googly eyes Mila told me to use and a pipe cleaner for the antennas. All I did was use a little hot glue and it worked perfectly.

Once you’re finished, twist the lid on and your DIY Bug Catcher is complete!

I’ll make sure to update with our bug catching adventures. Which bugs did you like catching as a kid? Let me know in the comments.

Boozy Baja Blast Recipe

Posted on May 16, 2022 by danielleridgway

If you crave Mountain Dew Baja Blast, but like a little kick to your drink, you’ll love this Boozy Baja Blast Recipe! With only three ingredients, this will be another summer favorite!

Plus, you have to grab a cute cup from DIY With The Wears for all your drinks too.

Lately, all I’ve wanted to drink is Mountain Dew Baja Blast. It’s just so refreshing and tasty. I love to get it during the summer when I go to Taco Bell.

But, I wanted it without going to Taco Bell. I knew I had to find a way to make it at home.

With only two ingredients for the regular DIY Baja Blast, it was super easy. Since I do enjoy a boozy drink or two in the summer, I decided to add a third ingredient too.

Here’s all you’ll need:

Mountain Dew
Blue Powerade
Key Lime Vodka
Ice

First, fill your cup up with ice. I swear certain drinks just taste better ice cold.

When mixing the Mountain Dew and Blue Powerade together, try to make it 75% Mountain Dew and 25% Powerade. This is the most perfect mixture and tastes just like Baja Blast.

Then add a shot of your vodka to top it all off.

It’s an easy drink to make and tastes so good. I love that I get one of my favorite drive through drinks at home!

Let me know in the comments what your favorite summer drink is and make sure to check out some others below:

Kids Floral Arrangement Activity

Posted on May 12, 2022 by danielleridgway

If your child is interested in flowers and putting them together, they’ll love this Kids Floral Arrangement Activity.

With a few supplies, kids will make different arrangements for a long time!

Mila is obsessed with flowers. When she sees them at the store, we have to buy a bouquet… or two. I’m usually fine with it. We smell them and love bringing life into our home.

One day, Mila told me she couldn’t wait until our flowers were done growing so she could make her own bouquet.

Cue the light bulb moment!

I thought about all the fake flowers we had recently bought and that she could do just that. Over and over again.

Here’s all Mila used to make her Kids Floral Arrangement.

Fake flowers
Colander
Vase
Wire cutters

To start off, I only had the flowers to prep! Since they’re usually bundled all together, I wanted to cut them. There’s wires underneath fake flowers, so I just snipped them all with wire cutters.

Then I put them on a plate for Mila to choose what she wanted.

I did ask her to plan and put the flowers in a colander. This way she could work on her motor function skills. It was fun to watch her plan and be creative with the flowers. She especially loved the fake butterflies!

After she had it all planned, I told her to put them in the vase. She again, fluffed them and put them exactly how she wanted.

In the vase, I added crinkle filler paper so the flowers stayed upright.

Now we have a bouquet of flowers that will never die on our kitchen table. She is so proud of what she made and I love that we can do this activity again and again.

Here’s to all my seasonal floral arrangements being made by Mila!

Do you like getting fresh flowers or are you more into plants?

DIY Flower Book

Posted on May 11, 2022 by danielleridgway

With spring flowers here, we’re ready to learn about as many of them as we can! To do that, we created a DIY Flower Book.

Although we only started off with one flower, I’ll make sure to update our other flower pages.

Since Mila picks flowers all the time, we had to press and keep them for a while. I thought it’d be cool to see everything in a book for us to review and go over at the end of summer.

All we had to do is start with a base. Here’s the supplies we used:

Cardboard
Scrapbook
Modge Podge
Pipe cleaner
Paper
Stickers
Flowers

For the actual book, I ended up using cardboard from a brownie box. It was easy to cut and I liked how it was thin cardboard too. Then, I used modge podge to paste scrapbook paper on to the cardboard pieces.

After it was dried, I used stickers to write “Mila’s Flower Book.” Then I hole punched the top corner to connect the book with a pipe cleaner.

For the inside flower pages, I just used computer paper. You could definitely do thick card stock paper or other scrapbook paper too. I’ll probably use others with some of the other flowers.

I figured we’d start with tulips since the ones we picked are starting to die.

All we did was dry the flowers, have her draw them, me draw them, and we went over the letters in tulip. It was a fun learning experience for her!

We can’t wait to get started on the other flowers. I think dandelions will be next and some of my Mother’s Day flowers too.

What’s your favorite flower that we should study? Let me know in the comments.

Grey Skies & Rainbow Highs

the stories and adventures of our little family: full of love and loss.