This craft is perfect for adults and older children wanting to make a sweet handmade gift for a little love in their life. I made several of these for my kiddos last year for Christmas, and they are still beloved and played with almost daily a whole year later. They were so simple and cheap… Continue reading Simple Cloth Ball Toys
Ahhh, FALL! The time of year when we can all cozy up as the weather gets cooler, feel the crunch of colorful leaves under our feet, and put pumpkin spice in everything—including play dough! In reality, there are so many more options than just pumpkin spice that add both fragrance and color to your homemade… Continue reading Autumn Play Dough Four Ways
Wet on wet watercolor painting is fun for all ages. This process is an art staple in my home with children under 6. You can find all the recommended supplies on the supplies page of this site. You can use food dye and spill proof cups in place of stockmar paints for the littlest painters,… Continue reading Wet on Wet Watercolor Painting for Beginners
Our little artists are SMART, and we should encourage them to come to their own conclusions as they grow and explore through art making.When you ask a child open ended questions about their work, it does so much more for the child than simply giving them the opportunity to share. Caregivers can use the art… Continue reading Let’s Talk About Art
I happened upon this lovely, squishy, slimy recipe while trying to create a recipe for something else. It will grow, and grow, and grow as the citric acid reacts with the other ingredients. And when the reaction has slowed, you’re left with an ooblecky substance that’s fun to squish and explore. Ingredients 1 cup Corn… Continue reading Fizzy Oobleck
This art play is a fun way for your 2.5-6 year olds to explore shape and color groups through design play while working on gluing skills. 6+ year olds will certainly enjoy this collage play as well, but you’ll need to tailor the set up to their skill level. My little artist is four. I… Continue reading Monochromatic and Geometric Cut Paper Collage
Glue practice can feel daunting to facilitate because of the mess factor.These are my FAVORITE methods for less mess gluing practice with kids under 6. Method #1: Glue on a Sponge in a Bowl or Air Tight Container Method #2: Glue in a Spill Resistant Paint Cup Both the spill resistant paint cup (with cap)… Continue reading Gluing Made Easy
We rarely get below freezing temps in the Pacific Northwest, and were delighted to get to try out some frozen ice art this Valentine’s weekend when it got cold enough for snow and ice in the Seattle area. Materials Yarn or string WaterFood color Loose parts from nature (we used flower petals)Moulds (we used pots… Continue reading Ice Artsicles
Felt stick puppets are easy to make at home with whatever you have lying around. It’s a perfect way to utilize some of those assorted loose parts, and the outcome is a valuable tool for play and storytelling—a puppet! Materials Stiff feltOdds and ends from around your house (use what you have). We used: googly… Continue reading Heart Monster Felt Puppets
We always make a special card for our nearest and dearest on Valentine’s Day. We live far away from our loved ones, so it’s extra important to us that they get something special in the mail to let them know we love them. This multi day process based art play is a great way for… Continue reading Valentine’s Day Post Cards
