Tag Archives: Toddler Friendly

Kids Floral Arrangement Activity

Posted on by
2

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 by
Reply

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.

Flower Potion/Soup | Kid Activity

Posted on by
Reply

Looking for a fun sensory activity your child can do outside? Try this Flower Potion/Soup.

Not only does it get your kid independently playing outside, it’s a fun sensory experience for them too.

Flowers are Mila and my favorite part of spring! All the pretty flowers make me smile and she loves to pick them. We try to incorporate them in a lot of play activities.

Another element Mila is obsessed with is water! I learned early on in parenting that water calmed Mila down. No matter if it was a lot or just a little.

This kid activity is a perfect mix of the two!

Everything you need is either in your backyard or your kitchen:

  • Flowers
  • Jars
  • Water
  • Big Bowl
  • Sticks
  • Water Dispenser

This activity is really child led. I did ask Mila to collect different flowers that were in our yard. Then I set up the potion/soup station.

I let her know that was her mixing bowl and she could add whatever in there.

She really took over after that!

Mila pretended she was a witch making potions the entire time. She let us know what the potions would do and who they were for. As always, I love hearing from her creative mind.

What’s your favorite spring kid’s activity? Let me know in the comments.

DIY Fingerprint Flower Jar

Posted on by
Reply

Mother’s Day is almost here and we’re busy making DIY’s for all the special moms in our lives. If you’re looking for an easy one, this DIY Fingerprint Flower Jar is just right for you.

We love making presents for our loved ones. It makes gift giving more personal and shows how hard we worked on it too. Mila is always so proud when she sees something she made up in someone’s house. She’ll get a huge smile.

Since she loves to pick flowers and put them in vases, I thought this would be a perfect gift for the loved ones in our family!

There’s not a bunch of supplies you need for this DIY gift. We had everything already at home and were able to reuse an old olive jar!

  • Jar
  • Paint
  • Modge podge

All you need to do is get an area prepped for paint. Then I showed Mila what I meant by finger painting flowers on a jar. I just did it on the brown paper that I prepped the area in. This way she could see she was allowed to use her fingers as a paint brush.

Then I let her go!

She did a few alone, but then she felt better when I held it up and twisted it for her. I don’t think she wanted to smudge the flowers she already had done!

Once they’re finished making flowers, coat the jar in modge podge. I just did a thin layer so the flowers don’t go off in the future. This step isn’t required, but if you want that added protection, I’d suggest it!

To finish it up, you could add letter beads like I did or a yarn bow too.

We filled ours up with flowers, but you could add your loved ones favorite candy or even a tea light candle too. Either way, this jar is something special and easy a mom in your life will really love!

If you’re looking for more Mother’s Day DIY’s, check out these ones Mila and I have done. Let me know which one is your favorite in the comments.

DIY Frida Flower Crown

Posted on by
Reply

Happy Cinco de Mayo! If you’re looking for a crafty way to celebrate the day and one of their most favorite painters, try this DIY Frida Flower Crown.

Not only will you learn a little more about Mexico, it’s a lot of fun to pretend play!

Mila and I LOVE Frida Kahlo. I even have a tattoo of her on my arm. She’s a feminist icon who went through so much during her life. Her beauty and pain shine through her work. She has inspired Mila and me in so many ways.

On Cinco de Mayo, we like to honor Mexican culture and our favorite girl with fun crafts.

Last year’s is still hanging up!

Since we’re in a pretend play kick, I made Mila a Frida inspired flower crown and gave her a unibrow. Here’s all we used to make this iconic crown.

  • Scrapbook Paper
  • Paper Flowers
  • Staples
  • Hot Glue

First, I cut the base of the crown out of green, floral scrapbook paper. I had to staple to pieces together to fit Mila’s head.

Then, I used paper flowers that was in a floral garland from Mila’s birthday party. I then attached them to the crown with hot glue and fluffed them up. You could make your own paper flowers or use fake flowers too!

After it was all connected, I used eyeliner to thicken her eyebrows and bring them together.

It was such an easy DIY! I showed Mila pictures of Frida and had her do different poses. Then, she drew a self portrait of herself.

Not only was it fun to do, it was a great way for Mila to learn more about a Mexican icon.

How do you celebrate Cinco de Mayo? Let me know in the comments.

Then check out last year’s Frida craft we did.

Gardening Sensory Bin

Posted on by
7

Happy May everyone!

Lets bring on the May flowers and start this month off with a Gardening Sensory Bin.

Since kids need some type of play at parties, I thought a Gardening Sensory Bin would be great. It turns out… it was.

Although I haven’t posted about it yet, Mila’s birthday part was garden and plant themed. She loves plants so much, it was a perfect fit. All of Mila’s friends loved it and Mila kept playing with it for days after.

Just beware of beans flying everywhere.

For this bin, I used things that were around my house, but you can find everything at the dollar store:

  • Dried Beans
  • Fake Flowers or Produce
  • Gardening Accessories
  • Jars or Mini Pots
  • Sensory Bin

All you need to do is a fill a sensory bin with whatever kind of dried beans or rice.

Then, place fake produce and flowers like they’re planted in the ground. I loved the felt produce from Targets Dollar Spot or we use fake flowers from the Dollar Tree.

Next, place some jars or pots in the bin along with some gardening accessories.

Now it’s time to play!

Your child will know exactly what to do with this bin. It’s a lot of fun to watch them play and discover. I’ll have this sensory bin ready for whenever. It’s easy and has endless amounts of fun.

What are you looking forward to this month? Let me know in the comments.

Explore Dundee Falls in Dundee, Ohio.

Posted on by
7

Ohio is a state full of hidden gems. Our favorite local one is Dundee Falls in Dundee, Ohio. With a short hike, you’ll find a beautiful waterfall and peaceful scene.

Besides the view, I love that Dundee Falls is perfect to explore for people of all ages.

For our first adventure of the season, Mila, Josh, and I all went to Dundee Falls. Mila and I have been there quite a few times, but it was Josh’s first. My family has taken Mila since she’s been one and she’s always loved it!

It’s only about a mile hike from the start to the falls. Then another mile back. It’s not long at all and it’s shaded by trees. That makes it so nice for a hot summer day.

Some things I would suggest people to bring when they come to Dundee Falls are a change of clothes, water bottle, and sunscreen.

Since it’s the first time Mila and I’ve went so early in the year, I did not expect it to be as muddy as it was. If you’re planning on visiting in the spring, prepare for the slippery mud! It’s sort of everywhere.

This time, we went a different path from normal. We crossed the stream before the falls and went the long way around.

It was fun seeing them from a different view and just getting to explore. I did fall like ten times, but it was still a blast. We also got to climb over the river rocks and just get completely immersed in nature.

If you go the regular way to get to the falls, you do have to climb down a little rock way. This is normally somewhat slippery, but it was even more muddy which made it a little difficult to get up. I can imagine it was tricky to get down too. BUT there were so many people able to get up and down of all ages and ability levels. Just know it’s not accessible for those in wheelchairs or other limiting abilities.

Mila’s favorite part is actually getting into the water at the falls. She just loves to play and jump in it. She always looking for fish, frogs, and whatever else she can find too. At this time of the year, the water felt nice. I fell in the deeper water under the falls and was soaked. It wasn’t too cold for me to get back.

Our trips to Dundee Falls are so informative and an amazing sensory experience for Mila too. We loved pointing out wildlife and talking about cleaning up our Earth.

Speaking of… the trail and park in all is really clean. People who visit are mindful of their trash if they bring a picnic. They’re also really nice too. I’ve always had positive experiences visiting Dundee Falls. Some people even bring their dogs, which is always so cute!

The three of us had an amazing time Exploring Dundee Falls. Mila and I might have ended the trail completely muddy and soaked with water, but the adventure was worth every second.

Once you’re done visiting Dundee Falls, I would suggest making a short drive to the World’s Largest Cuckoo Clock. We go every time we’re near Sugarcreek! It’s Mila’s favorite.

Another place you have to visit is The Wallhouse. They have such great ice cream. It ends the day perfectly.

If you’re from Ohio, let us know some trails or places we should visit next! Or let me know your favorite place to go to where you live. Maybe we’ll have to go too.

Rain Process Art

Posted on by
8

Happy Earth Week, friends! If you’re looking for a fun way to explore the rainy April season, this Rain Process Art is perfect for kiddos

It’s a great way for kids to show how they think of rain and to see their creativity too!

To celebrate and honor our planet this week, all our DIYs will be made with recycled products. We usually try to reuse items as much as we can, but this week it will be a priority that I’ll showcase.

Even though Mila and I aren’t particularly fond of rain, we can appreciate its beauty. Blue is a special color to us and we love that rain helps water our plants. It’s important that we celebrate our earth and all its weather.

For this process art, I just found some items that reminded me of rain…

  • Shades of blue paint
  • Bubble wrap
  • Paint brushes
  • Stuffing
  • Cardboard
  • Pipe cleaner
  • Glue

For all of this, I let Mila decide what she wanted to do. That’s the best part about process art.

She started off painting bubble wrap dark blue. This makes such a cool effect on the cardboard that we love. Then she used the dark blue bingo dauber to make more blue dots.

After we experimented a little.

I added water in the lighter blues. She tried squirting some on the cardboard. Then she used a straw to make the paint look like water dripping on the window.

When she was done panting, I added left over stuffing to the top to make it look like a cloud. Then a pipe cleaner to hang it.

Like all of Mila’s artwork, I think it’s perfect. It looks like the most beautiful storm.

Keep checking in this week to see more ways we celebrate our earth. If you can’t wait until then, check out these fun Earth Day activities we’ve done in the past:

What’s your favorite type of weather? Mila and I love sunshine!

Cran Raspberry Punch

Posted on by
7

Springtime is heating up and refreshments are needed. This Cran Raspberry Punch is fun twist on a vodka cran, but can be made for littles too!

Mila and I LOVE making punch. I feel like we’re constantly making and drinking it. For all her parties, I throw a themed punch together. Now with holidays and different seasons, I think it’s so fun to make something for them too.

Since spring is here, I wanted a light punch that Mila and I both would love. She is obsessed with cranberry juice; which I’m happy for that. We also both love raspberries so a combination of the two was a must. I always like to be able to make punches or different drinks with the capability to add some type of shot too. This reminded me of vodka cran, just with the extra sweetness of punch.

Here’s what you’ll need for this Cran Raspberry Punch:

  • Raspberry Sorbet
  • Cran Raspberry Juice
  • Raspberry Seltzer Water
  • Shot of Vodka (optional)

To make this drink, you just need to add this in either a cup or a punch bowl. When it’s just Mila and I, we just make them individually.

Personally, I start off with the raspberry sorbet. Then I’ll add the juice and alcohol for the adults. After, I like to finish off with the seltzer water. It just makes it foam up a little better. The seltzer water somehow mixes it all up perfectly too.

You could garnish with fresh raspberries or fun shaped ice. I feel like the cup I used in the picture is a whole garnish. It’s from DIY With the Wears.

Then, enjoy!

Check out some other fun punch recipes we’ve made:

What is your favorite spring drink?

PEEPS Bunny Painting

Posted on by
5

If you need a way to get rid of all the Easter Bunny’s PEEPs he left, try this cute PEEPS Bunny Painting. It’ll be a hit with kids and a cute piece of artwork to treasure for years to come!

You all know how I love when Mila makes art, especially when it is a fun sensory experience. It’s not even the first time she’s gotten to play with her food either!

Honestly though, we got a lot of PEEPs this year for different recipes and what the Easter Bunny is still bringing. We’ve seen all the PEEPs smores and cocktail garnishes, but we wanted to do something we could keep for years. That’s where this artwork comes in.

Another amazing part… you only need three items:

  • PEEPS Bunny
  • Canvas/Paper
  • Paint – we used washable!

This activity is a simple set up. All you need to do it put paint on a plate. Then let your kiddo know to use the PEEP bunny as a paint brush.

Once they have one color done, give the paint time to dry. You can literally give it time or just use a hair dryer to speed up the process. Either way, you’ll want to do this so the paint doesn’t mash together and just become a ton of brown bunnies.

Repeat with how many colors you’d like to do.

You can even make it more organized than Mila’s by having your child line up the bunnies. I love the chaos of all of Mila’s artwork.

One thing that I haven’t added yet is some sort of saying on there. I’ll try to think of some bunny, spring, or Easter pun to go along with it. If you have any ideas, let me know. I’ll make sure to either update this post or post a finalized picture in my Instagram stories.

No matter what though, this activity was so much fun for Mila to do. I know kids love playing with their food and giving them this option makes it even better.

What’s your favorite Easter artwork you or you child has made? Let me know in the comments.